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Or else I admit yes and get the infuriating ‘I told you so’ from my aunt-in-law.
I can’t tell them the truth. Certainly not entirely.
Somehow, I don’t think it’d go down too well to admit I’ve been getting banged by two demons.
“M-maybe,” I say, stumbling over my words. “I’ve… been seeing someone, but it’s not official or anything, so I don’t want to say too much. Don’t want to jinx it, you know?” I laugh lightly, trying to wave it off.
Technically, itisn’tofficial. None of us have ever clarified what our relationship is exactly.
I’m in love with them, and they both left permanent markings of their claim on me.
Oh, yes, and that’s another thing. The collar Elias put on me is subtle enough that no one thinks anything of it. It looks like any other choker necklace to them. There’s something of a thrill to it, having the mark of his ownership on display for all the world, flaunting it right in front of my family. They don’t know how significant it is.
And Caelan’s mark. The wound healed with no issues, leaving pale, jagged lines of scar tissue. It’s subtle but visible. Visible to me, at least, knowing that it’s there. The position means it’s almost always covered, thankfully, since that one would be impossible to explain away. But I still look at it in the mirror after every time I shower, reaching around to trace the lines of his name carved into me.
Talking to them every day is something I look forward to after the delicate balance of tiptoeing around family. Well, as far as the nuclear family unit goes, I’m incredibly lucky. But the constant polite conversation with the extended family I barely know grates on me—far too much performative social interaction.
It’s nice to excuse myself at the end of the day and take a moment to chat with Elias and Caelan instead. Video calls with them are interesting in many ways. Their power and presence leeching into their surroundings can create some curious distortion and glitches in the stream, particularly if either of them gets worked up about anything.
Still, talking to them feels like a breath of fresh air, so much easier. They don’t drain me the way others do.
“Could always murder ’em for you,” Caelan causally suggests after I express my sentiments on the matter.
I giggle. “They’re notthatbad.”
“It would be incredibly impractical,” Elias says. “We are, sadly, not strictly above your laws while stuck here. It would hardly be impossible to cover our tracks or avoid inquiry, but inconvenient. Iam always the one who handles the work of cleaning up after Caelan’s messes, as it is.”
Caelan rolls his eyes. “I fuckin’ know that.” He then mutters under his breath, “Won’t let me damn well forget it, spoilsport.”
I roll over onto my stomach on the bed, placing my laptop on the pillow and readjusting the camera so they can see me in the video feed better before settling my chin on my folded arms. “I mean, it’s not like they’reallbad. My sister is cool. You’d probably like her. She has a girlfriend now. They’re cute together.”
“Oh? You have not spoken about your family much.”
I shrug. “Not much to say.”
“They are… accepting?”
“Oh, yeah, they’re fine. I didn’t exactly mention us. They’re fine with my sister and all, but I’m not sure how the whole two-demons thing would go down.”
“You know exactly how we go down, doll.”
“Caelan.” I snicker, then cough. “My brother’s fiancé’s parents were glaring like they wanted to start some shit, but I went and hung out with my sister and Ella, that’s her girlfriend’s name, and we were aggressively supportively gay for a bit to piss ’em off. I’ve been with them to Pride a few times.”
“I see. Family dynamics seem complicated.”
“Yeah. Well. That’s why I avoid them for most of the part.” I pause for a moment, deflating a little. “I feel like it’s somehow kind of hypocritical to be celebrating Pride and stuff when I’m in a basically straight relationship now.”
“Are you?” Elias asks with a tilt of his head.
My brows furrow slightly, not sure what he is getting at.
“We are technically agender and also pansexual.”
I blink and sit up straighter. “You… what?” That’s not something that’s come up before. I suppose there was no reason for it to.
Caelan throws his hands up. “Technically. Y’all have so many dumb fuckin’ labels. I don’t give a shit.” He vanishes off the screen for a moment, though only to get more snacks, leaving Elias alone at the desk for the time being.
He shakes his head. “Demons, or other creatures like us, are beings of energy first and foremost. Physical forms are predominantly irrelevant. The same applies to both how we view ourselves and our attraction to others.”
