“Kitten.”
Madison pauses, hands wrapped around Eve’s antlers, and looks down at him. Eve looks up, sulky and pouty-lipped, but when one of Madison’s hands moves to cup his cheek he leans into the touch. Smiles softly.
“What is it?” Madison asks.
“You’re mean.”
“Would you like me to stop?” he asks.
Eve pauses, obviously thinking, and finally shrugs. “No,” he says, “I just thought you should know.”
Madison smiles and raises his hand back to Eve’s antler. Gives a testing tug and Eve squeezes his eyes shut.
“Noted.” he says and then yanks them loose.
…
“Maddy!”
Madison freezes, back to Eve, and then slowly turns with his hands raised. The demon stands in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, and shoots him a critical look. Madison briefly glances over his shoulder at the shredded pizza box no name is sitting on top of and cringes.
“Listen…”
“I told you not to leave food where that thing can get at it, Maddy.” Eve fusses, stepping closer to shoo no name away as the beast tries to eat the cardboard. “This is worse than the cheeseburger thing.”
“I didn’t leave it out.” Eve shoots him a skeptical look. “I didn’t! He’s just… better at climbing than I realized.”
“He looks like a lemur, what else would he be good at, Maddy?”
Madison frowns and looks over at no name. Shrugs his shoulders in defeat. “Opening drawers too, apparently.” he says.
There’s a hint of a laugh in Eve’s voice when he speaks again. “Look, this is really your loss.” he says, resting a hand on Madison’s shoulder. “I’m not buying you another.”
…
“Madison!”
Madison blinks hard, tries to focus, and Eve repeats his name. Louder this time. He turns toward the noise.
”I need you to go get that husk.” he says, hands full of whatever writhing tentacle mass they can now call Kavi.
Madison cringes at the idea. Thinks of the face–it’s like his, it’s just like this and it did so much to him. Eve repeats his name a third time and he focuses on the demon’s eyes.
”I can’t…”
”You can.” Eve says, firm but gentle in the same breath. “Go on. I need you to help me.” Something about it is almost bewitching. Madison nods.
”Okay.” he says, “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
…
“Madison Ashen!”
Madison freezes. Eve doesn’t use his last name; he just doesn’t. He barely uses his full first name. This is bad. He’s done something bad.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Uh…”
Madison looks over the supplies in front of him. Books, candles, summon circle, offering… contract floating in mid air above it all. Bites his lip, looks back over his shoulder at Eve. Instantly, the stern look he’s getting makes him regret it.
“Homework?” he offers.
“If you’re summoning what I think you are then so help me–!”
Madison cringes again and reaches out, rapidly dismissing the contract. Eve steps closer and blows his candles out in a single huff. Annoyed but not mad; he’s never seen Eve mad at him, not ever. But this annoyed is more than enough. He looks up at the demon warily.
“Not in my living room, Maddy.” Eve says, arms crossed over his chest. His annoyance is melting almost instantly. The big molten copper eyes are one of his few weaknesses and, for once, Madison hasn’t even whipped them out on purpose–they’re more like reflex.
“Sorry.”
Eve relaxes more, shoulders slumping, and shakes his head. “Yeah, okay.” he half grumbles, “Just… just don’t try it again.”
