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“I like this life,” Jillian quietly said, moving a hand over the water. “It feels so nice that it’s making me forget I have to go back to my actual reality.”
She physically felt Lyle tense up. “What do you mean?”
“This is not my house anymore,” she reminded xem, sadness filling her chest. “As much as I love staying in this place, I have to go back sooner or later. I have a house and a business in Balkwill, after all. I can’t abandon them.” When xe didn’t reply, xyr eyes focusing on the petals, she kept speaking. “I should go back in a few days, I think. I feel like here I’ve been living in some kind of heaven, where I don’t have any real worry and I can do whatever I want. But that’s not what my life is, and I feel like if I don’t go back to the real world, I’d soon be losing a part of me.”
Lyle nodded, and she felt xem slipping away from her. Jillian took a big breath, trying to gather the courage.
“Do you want to come with me?” It had come out barely louder than a whisper, but from the way xyr head snapped up, Lyle obviously heard her.
“What?”
“I mean, if you like my company and want a break from others calling for your services, you can come stay with me. My house is small, but still big enough for two people.” Worried it came out wrong, she quickly added, “Obviously, you can always go back to your job when, or if, you want to do that. Or if you want to just spend some time with me between clients, that’s also okay, I don’t mind.” Xe studied her carefully, a small frown on xyr expression. Finally, she took a deep breath. “What I’m trying to say is, I would really like to spend more time with you even when I go back, in whatever way you want to.”
One of xyr hands went to the edge of the tub, talons trailing along it thoughtfully. “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I like you physically—obviously— and I am starting to feel affection towards you, but I don’t do romance and that is not going to change. If you expect something else from me, I won’t be able to give it to you.”
Jillian tilted her head to the side as she looked at xem. “Why do you not do romance?”
“While I love the sexual aspect of companionship, I don’t particularly feel romantic connection,” xe explained, light blue eyes looking right into hers with a hint of vulnerability. “It never happened before and I know it won’t happen in the future either. It’s just not something I feel, and that’s fine by me. I don’t want you, however, to expect that sort of thing from me, because you might end up disappointed.”
“I don’t want you to give me anything you don’t want to give,” she softly said, placing her hand over xyrs. “I like what we currently have. As I mentioned already, you’re good company and I like having you around, even though you live to tease me.” She saw Lyle repress a laugh. “If you’re okay with it, I want to keep having days like the past few we’ve had together.”
Xe smiled softly, intertwining their fingers. “We can have that.”
The weight left Jillian’s shoulders and she smiled back, content with her life and choices.
Lyle leaned forwards and briefly kissed her. “Let’s get cleaned up. I’m hungry.”
She raised an eyebrow at xem. “Food or something else?”
Instead of replying, xe smirked and splashed her in the face.
EPILOGUE
HOME
When Mrs. Gibson entered the shop, she was already talking to another local, Ms. Williams, a young woman who lived a few houses down from Jillian, and who she’d seen grow since she was a child.
The old lady made a big show, surprised to see the witch. “Oh dear, I’m so glad you’re back! Your disappearance was so out of the blue, that we all worried you had been taken away by someone. But we’re all so, so happy to see you’re safe and sound, and that you’re back here to help us.”
Jillian smiled through gritted teeth. “I’m sorry for disappearing. As you know, I had a family emergency.”
“Oh right! Your family! How are they, dear?”
Jillian didn’t believe she forgot even for a moment. Mrs. Gibson had an amazing memory; it was just that she only pointed out the things she wanted and discarded what she didn’t agree with.
“They’re all fine, I just had to take care of them for a while.”
“She sounds like a lovely lady,” Lyle whispered in Jillian’s ear, sarcasm in xyr tone.
She brought a hand behind her back, lightly smacking xyr torso before remembering the women couldn’t see xem, smiling at them in an attempt to cover up her blunder.
She had mentioned to Lyle that the town might riot if they found out she had brought back a demon, so she had suggested to camoflauge xemself with a human appearance. Lyle had taken offense to that, saying that no human body could ever contain all the beauty and charm xe had in xyr real form, so xe opted for simply being invisible to anyone but Jillian. Obviously, xe liked to use that to xyr advantage to tease her or make jokes when there were other people around.
“What can I do for you?” Jillian asked.
“Oh, I only came to see how you were doing, since you were gone for so long,” Mrs. Gibson repeated, emphasizing the fact of Jillian’s absence. “I’m not sure what Ms. Williams wants. She doesn’t want to tell me.”
“‘Cause it’s none of your business,” Lyle mumbled.
