Colin's posts

"I know it's not needed." Ilias replied.

"But I want to." he told her.

"As for where, YOU got a place you like?" he asked.

"Some café or coffee pub you frequent, or enjoy?" he asked further.

"Because THAT'S where we'll go." he chuckled.

"That or there's that new place called 'Ground Under', but I don't know anything about it."

Ilias nodded as he looked at the plants he'd been given.

"Indeed." he responded.

"She's tried several things to get the experiment working, but she doesn't have the... 'oomph'... needed in the reactions." he told her. "So this should really make a difference." he went on.

"Thank you so much." he said further.

"Lemme repay you. Pay for a coffee for you or something?" he offered with a small smile.

"..." again, Hal was silent, before he gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"An admirable attitude." he said.

"But please... don't let this eat at you until you can't take it." he told her.

"We're here for you. I'M here for you." he went on.

"Just promise me you'll consider confiding in someone, it dealing with this on your own becomes too much." he continued.

"And I promise we'll do what we can to find this incubus."

"Yes, thank you." Hal responded.

"If there's anything I can do to try and help you, let me know." he told her.

"However... from what I saw, from what you showed me... that was possibly an incubus." he then said.

"A demon that tried to lure you into being unfaithful. Thankfully your own companion was able to help break that." he continued.

"Curious he just gave up at that point, though..." he admitted.

"Regardless, will you be all right, Ally?" he asked.

"...." Hal didn't say anything, before sighing.

"Granted." he told her, snapping his fingers.

He then paused, his eyes widening a little as he got the info.

"....oh my." he said.

"Well, at least you know it wasn't your fault, then." he commented.

"You were compelled by a strong force to act that way."

Hal poured himself his own mug of coffee, before going and sitting down at his desk. He looked at her as she tried to say something, but something kept holding her back. And he could tell she was feeling guilty about something.

Or was it guilt? He could tell she was distressed and was feeling some sort of negative feeling about something that had happened recently.

"...it's all right." he said.

"You can tell me anything. But don't feel you HAVE to." he told her.

"I'll do whatever I can to help, even if it's just listening."

To say this shocked Hal would have been an understatement. He was thrown for a mental loop to hear this, but it manifesting physically as him raising an eyebrow with a concerned look in his eyes.

"Of course." he responded.

He then unlocked the door to his office and they stepped inside, just as she saw the coffee maker he had near the back wall ding, as a pot of coffee just finished making itself. He had set it up that way, of course. He was in the office by this time every morning, and he wanted coffee to be ready for him when he got there.

In actuality, the maker was something Lunet had crafted for him, so he could remotely start it up when he was on the way to the office. In case of delays and such. He loved it.

"Do you want some coffee?" he offered her as she sat down in one the chairs, and he made his way to the maker.

Levi watched her go, and started to get everything out of the paper bag.

As he did, he thought something seemed... off. She seemed a little on the distracted side, but he quickly shook his head and banished it from his mind.

"I need to learn to not be so paranoid." he reminded himself. "Overall. I'm sure it's nothing, and everything's fine. She said it was." he told himself, further, deciding not to think about it any longer.

The next morning, Hal was arriving early to work, as he always did. Arryn wouldn't even be there for a couple of hours, but when he got to her area, he noticed that he wasn't alone there.

He saw Ally sitting by his door, looking... more than a little anxious.

"...are you all right?" he asked her, making his way over.

"Huh? All right, sure." Levi responded.

"I'll unpack the food and take it to the livingroom." he told her.

"The movie's cued up and stuff, so we should be good to go at any time." he added with a small smile.

"But anyway, go on and shower." he finished, before leaning in and giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Love ya." he said.

She received no answer to her internal question, but heard Levi approaching a few seconds after she called out.

"Hey." he greeted her, stepping into the kitchen.

"You were gone for a bit." he commented. "Everything okay?" he asked, concern in his tone.

"Was the place busy or something?" he then inquired further.

He saw she didn't appear to be hurt or anything, and glancing out the window showed that the bike was still in perfect condition, so there was a good chance that she hadn't been attacked or some such incident.

But she HAD been gone a bit longer than anticipated. About an hour longer.

Her companion was silent for a moment... before he spoke to her.

"Yeah... don't mention it..." he said, sounding noticeably weaker than usual.

"That... took a lot outta me..." he told her. "Expended... all my strength just to... overpower that for that one moment..." he went on. "I'm going to sleep for a while." he finished.

"I'll talk to you when I'm strong enough again." he finished, before he was silent once more.

But she could still feel that he was there.

Also, as she tried to recall that event and make sense of it... she suddenly realised that, even though she could remember what happened... where she'd met that man... and what they'd almost done... she couldn't remember where he had lived. Not a street, not an area, not even what the place looked like on the outside. Just the inside.

"Do you think that you'd ever forgive yourself if you went and did this, considering how Levi would feel!?" her shadow exclaimed. But before she could answer, the man before them just let out a small groan.

"Damn it." he cursed. "Excuse this poor beside manner." he told her.

Then, before she could really say anything, she found herself surrounded by demonic mana. She felt like she was about to be dragged to the underworld as punishment for stopping... but then found herself outside, beside her bike, her jacket at her feet, and feeling like she was in a bit of a haze.

"Kid!" her demon exclaimed.

"Let's scram on outta here!" he insisted. "You need to get home to Levi, NOW!" he told her further. "Drive home, use your mana to get us and everything there, whatever! Just get away from that dude!"

To say he was surprised by this sudden forcefulness was an understatement. But he wasn't complaining. Whether he was the top or bottom, didn't matter to him. Because, in the end, he knew... he was on top.

He was always on top. He was always in control. Even when he wasn't.

He then reached over and flicked a switch, which turned on some mood lighting... which caused something to happen.

He saw her shadow shake and wiggle a little, as he pushed her away from her passionate kissing.

"...oh, great..." he muttered, as the shadow took a very simple demonic form... and then reached over, yanking what looked to be a pair of tendrils seeping into her head... out of her head.

Harshly.

"WHAT THE EVER-LOVING HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" the shadow then barked at the woman.

'....so... THAT'S it...' he thought.

'Wondered why this worked so well...' he thought further. He wasn't about to complain, though. She was beautiful, and he wanted her. And he would have her. Right here, right now.

They kissed and embraced for a few more minutes, before he gently pushed her off of him, and smirked, taking off his jeans and throwing his shirt off to the side, revealing a body that was skinny, but not unhealthy.

"Enough games." he said.

"Let us get to the main show." he suggested, a thumb under the band of his boxer shorts.