"Good evening, Ryleigh. Nice night out."

"Lou?" I looked up from the sink, immediately recognising that voice. My gut sank immediately as I met his dark eyes, but the smile on my face came easier than I thought. "It's been a while. Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know. Work." He shrugged, taking a seat at his usual place. "Certain balances shifted around the world once that weapon was found. It takes a lot of maintaining." He paused as I filled up a tumbler with his usual drink. "So, I've heard you've been out frolicking with demons."

I grimaced as he said that, eyes going to the three human customers still in my bar. "Keep your voice down. And it's one dude. I owed him for reaching out to you a while back."

"Right, that guy." He reached for the drink I put down, pressing it against his lips and taking a slow first sip. He closed his eyes, exhaling softly and setting the glass back down. "I swear this just seems to taste different at your place."

I smiled as he said that, feeling some of the knots in my gut get heavier. "Maybe it's the poison I've added."

"Nice try. It wouldn't affect me."

"I figured as much." I pointed at him, smirking. "It's just your roundabout way of saying that you missed me, Lou."

"I don't need a roundabout way to tell you I missed you when you already know I missed you." I glanced at him sideways. He placed his tumbler back down, pursing his lips and making kissing noises.

Shaking my head, I laughed softly as I wiped my hands on my apron. "I never said I missed you." The stress had been lesser when he wasn't here.

"But I know you did." He was still smiling. Still blowing kisses at me.

I rolled my eyes, walking over to him. He stopped smooching the air as I grabbed his jaw. Lou's eyes widened excitedly as I pulled him towards me. "That's better." I spoke up after holding him there for a moment. I smiled, releasing him and patting his cheek before turning away again. "Nice to see you. You happy?"

"Hmm... I'll settle. You free tonight?"

"My answer doesn't matter, does it?"

"Most probably not." The bell above the door dinged as Old Mike walked back in. "Like I said, their kind doesn't have manners."

"Oh, hey. Old Mike is back." I looked him over. Same blonde hair, same biceps I'd felt up a few times. Same blue eyes as every other angel. Familiarity.

"Old Mike?" Old Mike asked as he sat down.

"Yeah." I waved a hand dismissively, getting started on his drink. "I prefer this look."

"Ooh, so you're into blondes, Ryleigh?" Lou teased, looking Old Mike over. "I can change bodies for a night. Hey, feathers. Lend it to me."

"No." Old Mi- I mean, Mike replied bluntly. "This is an angelic v-"

"Hey!" I cut him off, slamming his drink in front of him. Some tequila sloshed onto my hand. "It's not your time!" I hissed, eyes meaningfully shifting to the human customer's sitting in the booths.

Both Lou and Mike's faces fell flat with surprise, staring blankly at my sudden outburst. I held their gazes for a few moments before turning away. "Sorry." I mumbled under my breath.

"Something on your mind, Ryleigh?" Lou asked first, not wasting a moment. "You seem kind of... tense."

"It's nothing." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Just feeling..." The pressure of hatching a plan and double-crossing someone I trusted? "Exhausted." Can't say it. "Tired of the monotony. I want to take a vacation."

"Where will you go?" Mike gestured to the place. "You don't have anywhere else."

I gave him an irritated look. "In this city, perhaps. I've been here too long."

"You'll leave?" Lou swirled the liquid in his glass. He already needed a refill. "Aww. I'll miss you."

"Sure, you will." I rolled my eyes. "Find another bartender. I'm replaceable."

"No, you're not."

Surprise crossed through me. It was more out of the unexpected demon and angel chorus over the actual words. They rarely agreed on such similar terms. And even they knew it. The sudden drop and rise in temperature as well as the hostile essences swirling around showed their own discomfort with the fact.

I jerked a thumb over my shoulder to point at the liquor. "The drinks or the... other thing?"

"The company." Lou replied.

"Your reliability." Mike replied.

I raised an eyebrow. Clearly, different priorities there.

Mike looked away, suddenly seeming kind of reserved. "You're one of the more trustworthy humans I've met so far. There nothing more to read into."

"I... didn't say anything."

"But you were going to."

This was surprising. There were new sides of Mike to discover still. He seemed pretty one-dimensional with his 'human are inferior' spiel half the time. "Maybe." I replied vaguely, walking over to refill both their glasses. "Anyway... what have you been up to, Mike?"

"Nothing that makes it a human's business."

Okay, he's back. I sighed to myself returning to the sink. "Fine."

"You know..." Lou paused for a sip. "You can stop pretending to hate her human guts. We're beyond that stage now."

"Humans need to kept at a distance."

"Like you did by showing up at her place unannounced?" A few human customers looked up in concern.

"It was an important matter."

"It could have waited. You could have knocked." The concerned looks were getting worse.

"An absurd move. I do not need doors to enter." Oh dear.

"You should still use one."

Mike scoffed. "Look at you being the righteous one for once. You haven't done any different. You're always waiting at her place before she gets back."

"Alright, alright." I quickly cut in before Lou could reply. At this rate, someone's going to call the police on them. "That's enough for now. We can continue this-" I pointed at the clock "-later."

"Fine, fine." Lou turned to look over his shoulder. "Mind your own damn business." He hissed at a couple seated in the corner.

The lady's eyes widened in fear as I exhaled softly. That's not going to be returning regular.

The bar emptied out and those two returned to the previous topic of who had that right to spontaneously teleport into my apartment. Tensions rose for a few moments up until I snapped at them to cool it. Then they grumbled about it over their drinks in blissful silence till the rest of my customers arrived.

My mood rose considerably with Lou and Mike around. Their conversations usually kept my night going smooth because most other demons and angels kept to their own groups apart from the occasional interactions with me. I hadn't seen Axel after the movie yesterday. He'd vanished into thin air after stepping outside the theatre because he remembered some work he had to do. What a pain. I need friends who won't randomly up and vanish on me, in every sense of the phrase.

I ended my shift on a fairly high note that went downhill on the walk back to my apartment. A sense of anxiety formed in me, a constant companion caused by the constant feeling of eyes on me these days. But dread accompanied it today. I had to give them the weapons by tomorrow.

I walked into my apartment, turning on the lights before dumping my bag and heading towards the kitchen. It's best to get it over with as fast as I can. I can hand it off to them in the morning before work.

The kitchen drawer slid open smoothly. My hand wrapped around the duffel bag and I lifted it out before walking it over to the carpeted living room area. I'm not scuffing the marble countertops or wooden floors, this place isn't mine.

Shrugging my hoodie off, I sat down with a huff. The duffel's zipper was loud in the silence. The metallic thunks of the guns hitting the floor quieted by the fluffy carpet.

I looked it all over once again. A revolver, three handguns, two of what I can only assume are machine guns... or rifles or whatever, one broke shotgun- courtesy of Lou, a hunting knife in its sheath, and one... AK-47, I think. I'd seen it in movies.

Crossing my legs beneath myself, I leaned forward to rest my elbow on the carpet and my chin in my palm. I don't know what to return. I don't know what to keep. Handguns are small, easily concealed, probably don't pack a lot of punch. These would be kept it. Will send the broken shotgun back. Which of the rest cause the most damage? I'd have to figure that out so I could take them out of the equat-

"I miss when it was just the two of us."

I jumped, twisting around in my seated position to see a familiar brunette head staring up at the ceiling. He was seated on the sofa with one arm thrown over the back of it.

I exhaled harshly, pressing a hand to my chest to feel my racing heart as I came to terms with it. "Weren't you two... Weren't you two just arguing against this thing less than two hours back?"

"Did you expect it to have an effect on the demon?"

"Motherfu-" I cut myself off at the second jolt of surprise through my body. Twisting back around to see Mike standing right in front of me, staring down at me and the guns.

Mike sighed. "When will you stop that?"

"Being surprised? Feeling violated?" I snapped up at him. "When you two start using the damn door!"

"Waste of time." He raised his head to glare at Lou. "Every second is important with this one around."

"Worried you'll walk in on us getting hot and heavy?"

I groaned to myself as Mike rolled his eyes. "Like Ryleigh would ever fall that low."

"Ouch, feathers. It's not like she'll get hot and heavy with you if you keep defending her honour."

"It's not something I'm interested in."

"Neither am I!" I cut in, my voice raised on purpose. "And why are you two here again?"

"Because you are here."

"Because the demon is here."

Lou frowned as Mike said that. "Why are you so obsessed with me?"

"I'm only obsessed with your tendency to hurt humans in your presence."

"Have I hurt this one yet?"

"Yes." I added again.

"Old news, Ryleigh." He waved a hand dismissively, pushing off the sofa to walk around it. "I'm a different person now."

"You're not a person."

"I'm a different person everyday." He repeated, completely ignoring me.

"You're not a person." Mike echoed my words. "You're just essence occupying a dead body."

"Semantics." Lou exhaled loudly as he dropped to the ground beside me, throwing a hand over my shoulder as he looked over the guns spread out with interest in his eyes. "By the way, what are you doing here?"

"As an angel, I've noticed that beings tend to use 'by the way' in a conversation when they have nothing interesting to add." Mike piped up dryly, before crouching on the other side of the guns as well. "What is this for?"

"Now, you're just copying me." Lou grumbled. He turned to me again as my heartbeat quickened. "What is this for, Ryleigh?"

I swallowed, shrugging easily as I felt my heart rate steady almost immediately. The panic was already dulling. "Spring cleaning. These aren't any use to you. They're not any use to me either."

"We need you to keep it." Mike piped up. "I left it to you for safekeeping." His eyes narrowed. "Or did you forget?"

"Hard to with you breathing down my neck about it everytime." I sighed, gesturing lazily to the guns in front of me. "What use do you truly have of them right now? No ammo to use them, not that you need weapons. We've even found the Legendary Bayonet of Demonic Doom and Angel Annihilation." Lou snickered. "And I don't intend to use that anytime. What are you waiting for, Mike? Is there something you're not telling us?"

Lou cocked his head as I said that, a slow smirk forming on his face. "Yes, feathers. Is there something you're not telling us?"

Mike narrowed his eyes. "Like I said last time, there's nothing and at the same time, even if there was, I'd never spill it to scum like you."

My jaw dropped open as Lou's arm around me grew colder. "'spill it? Did you say... 'spill it'?" I turned to Lou who's eyes were slowly turning black. "Hey! He's using slang!"

"What?" His eyes shifted to the side, voice getting gravelly. "Slang?"

"Yeah." I pointed at Mike. "He said 'spill it'."

"Hmm..." The black started flowing back out. "He did... You're finally learning how to talk like a human, feathers."

"If it helps get the point across, it's good enough." Mike glanced at me. "You... did get what I was saying, right?"

"Quite." I reached forward to pat the carpet. "Sit down."

"No."

I sighed. "Get your ass down here, feathers." I snickered. "It's slang for 'sit down'."

Mike rolled his eyes. "I'm not an idiot, human." He looked down at his feet, hesitating before lowering himself to the ground and copying the way I was sitting. "Huh, sitting on the ground."

"You haven't done this?" Lou raised an eyebrow. His arm no longer felt like a reptile draped around my neck.

"No. Didn't see the need yet."

I grimaced. "I feel weird popping his cherry about this."

"Isn't that a fruit?"

"It's your virginity, virgin."

I laughed, nodding along. "Good one."

"If you're only going to poke fun at me while I'm here, I might as well leave."

"And give us the alone time I came here for?" Lou snickered, leaning in to whisper in my ear. "Aren't we lucky?"

I shuddered as his breath brushed against my ear, subsequently leaning away. "I'm sorry. Please stay."

"Ouch."

"I am here for your protection anyway, Ryleigh."

"Thanks." I shrugged off Lou's arm. "But if you don't want me to throw away these guys, but can't take them back either, am I just supposed to keep them for the rest of my life?"

"Not that you have much of it anyway." Lou mocked dryly.

I cocked my head, turning to look at him. "Isn't my life extended because of the essences?"

"Who told you that?" Mike asked, drawing my attention back to him.

"Axel."

"Who's that?"

"A demon." Lou yawned. "Like I said, we don't know what you are. We have to just wait and watch." He raised his hands over his head, stretching easily. My eyes were automatically draw to his lean body. "And since nothing is going on here, I'm going to wait and watch somewhere else." He fell back on the carpet. "See you tomorrow, Ryleigh."

"Bye." I replied easily, expecting the puff of cold air.

I turned to look at Mike who was still sitting there. "Keeping me company for a while, Mike?"

He shrugged. "I don't seem to have any tasks today. Do you need any help again?"

My eyes moved over his face as I checked his sincerity. "Really?"

"Yes. The task you gave me that day of washing groceries... Not that I'll admit it in front of the demon, but it was rather calming."

"Aww." I couldn't help a sappy smile. "You're embarrassed because you're starting to like human things."

"No."

"Awwww. You're even blushing like a human."

"No. It's a temporary bodily malfunction."

"Caused by embarrassment." I got on my knees, leaning forward with my hand stretched out to pinch Mike's cheek. "Cute." I laughed as I pulled it.

"Wab are you doin'?" He asked, eyes on my hand and words messy because of me.

"Nothing." I replied easily, letting him go and standing up. "How do you feel about helping me do some thorough cleaning then?"

He placed a hand on the floor, rising gracefully. "Set me on task... boss."

I laughed. That's really cute. "You can start with cleaning the bathtub. I'll begin with airing out the guest bedrooms. Fine with that?"

"Yes."

"Come on, I'll show you how to do it. And, uh, take your jacket off."

Mike turned to move towards the coat rack at the entrance without a word, pulling off his jacket. He turned to me, rolling his sleeves up as I tried not to drool at the sight of his muscles. It had been a while. I needed my fix.

"Right." I patted his upper arm. I missed this. "Follow me. You'll take one of the guest bathrooms."

Mike wasn't half bad. He was a silent worker, following what was told and not looking up from the job when he was done. He got soapy water on his shirt sometime during this. I didn't know until he walked into the bedroom I was cleaning out... shirtless.

It took a lot more brain power than I'd admit to resume working after that.

He left a few hours later, leaving his shirt behind as I offered to get it dry cleaned. He left after borrowing one of my before-Trace-ex's hoodies. He pulled on the crumpled clothing, rolling his shoulders to let it better stretch around his muscles before vanishing into thin air. I'd remember this night.

I took a hot bath in my newly cleaned tub after finishing up the kitchen. My workout was done, and I'd already texted Antonio to let him know that.

I found myself more relaxed than I'd been in a while as the sun rose. I saw no point in brainstorming over the weapons so I shoved random pieces into the bag and the rest were hidden in my ceiling.

My good mood didn't even plummet when I spotted Asshole waiting outside for me again. With Sarah in tow this time.

"Ryleigh-"

"Walk with me. I need to run an errand." I spoke without looking up from my phone.

As I loosened an earbud, I heard them fall into hesitant step beside me. Asshole managed to catch up to my long strides pretty easily, I could hear Sarah jogging behind us. "Where's the bag?"

I scoffed. "I'm not some idiot who's going to be caught on camera lugging around a duffel bag full of guns, Asshole."

"Call me Will. You said you'd have them ready for us by today."

"And I will." I stopped at the crosswalk, Sarah let out a relieved sigh behind us. "Meet me outside my building after my shift. You're coming up, and leaving via the basement."

"That is a smarter idea." He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts. "Hang back a bit, Sarah. Aren't you worried you're going to be seen with us today?"

I turned just in time to see her bespectacled face fall as we started walking before replying. "All I need to say is my annoying ex was begging me to give him another chance."

Asshole chuckled. It was clearly forced. "I have to say that is believable."

"Of course, it is." I replied dryly. "You fucked up."

"Yeah. I shouldn't have been caught."

Someone's out to destroy my good mood. "That's not how you fucked up, but you sure did. I'm glad I caught you before anything went down."

"Not my choice, Ryleigh." He sighed, raising the phone to his ear and falling behind. "Give me a minute." He mumbled from behind me.

I didn't acknowledge that, keeping up my pace to the laundry place. It was around the halfway mark to work when he bounced back up to me. "So, how have you been?"

"Do you have to ask that each time?"

"It's called being civil."

"I don't know if faking being my boyfriend comes under civil."

"I'll never be able to make up to you for that." He replied softly. "However, it's clear we're going to be working together for a while. Let's atleast try to be friends."

I couldn't help the relief crossing through me as the laundry place came into view. "I need to run in here for a moment." I mumbled, turning to walk through the doors.

To my dismay, he followed me in. The lady at the counter recognised me, smiling up at the two of us. I maintained easy conversation with her, pulling my bag around and tugging Mike's shirt out. She wrote my details down on a slip, handing it to me before taking the shirt away. I could probably return it to him by tomorrow night.

I thanked her, placing a tip on the counter when she had her back turned and slipping out. Asshole's eyes were as clouded as his aura as he spoke up. "Who's... shirt was that?"

I opened my mouth to reply truthfully till the situation I was in hit me like a sack of bricks. My mouth fell shut, a smirk crossing my lips. "Someone's."

"It's clearly a guy's."

"Yup."

"Who?"

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"Yes, I would." I raised an eyebrow, turning to look at him as he hurriedly added. "It's not a human, we'd see someone coming and going from your building."

"Maybe he doesn't need to use the entrance."

"You're sleeping with demons?" I stayed silent. "Angels? Neighbour?"

"Why does it matter? You weren't my boyfriend anyway. You have a fiancé."

"It does matter." His green eyes narrowed as his aura flared up with the dark green tones of jealousy. "Does he know about our operation?"

I scoffed. "No."

"Good. Give us a name so we can do a background check."

"Not happening, Asshole."

"Call me Will."

"No." I was reaching the ends of my tolerance with this man. "Can you go away? I'm almost to work."

"We're still a way off, Ryleigh. I've walked this path with you many times." Without me knowing he was walking with me, that is.

I stifled the chill crawling down my back as my lips turned down. "You can fall back now too."

"Not without a name."

"You're not getting it."

"Is the person atleast human?"

"You're not getting that either." I stopped at another crosswalk, turning to glare at him. "Look, Trace, or Will, or Sylvester, or Asshole, you had your chance with me. You played your role, and you played me for as long as was needed. And now you don't need to anymore. So, shove that jealous attitude up your Hunter ass, and stop asking me questions."

Asshole wasn't fazed by my irritated outburst. "I'm going to ask questions that are relevant to the operation whether you like it or not, Ryleigh."

"And I'm not going to answer."

"We have other ways of poking around in your life."

His reply was a like like sharp whip of bad memories striking my brain. I stepped back from him as if I'd been physically pushed, feeling disgust and anger fill me.

Asshole was quick to realise what he'd said, green eyes widening with instant remorse. "Ryleigh, I'm sorry. I-"

"Shut up." I cut him off, shoving in the dangling earbud and turning to cross. "I'll see you tonight. Come alone."

"Ah, fuck." His expletive was barely drowned out by my music. I felt a tug on my wires, and the earbud dropped out again. I turned to glare at him, lips parted to yell as he spoke up. "I'm sorry. I should've known better. I won't push for a name anymore, and... and I trust that you've kept what we're doing confidential."

I let my mouth fall shut again, my roiling gut making me wish I could push him into the traffic. "You're damn right you should have. Now, get away from me."

"I just have one last thing to say."

"What?" I spat, stopping in my tracks. The restaurant was less than half a block away. "Get it over with."

Trace met my eyes, giving me a soft smile. "You look beautiful today."

Any angry feelings in my body turned to mush with those words. His aura showed that he was being genuine. The urge to push him into traffic vanished, replaced by a deep sense of self-loathing and shame.

I wasn't over him yet.

************

AUTHOR'S NOTE
So... long time, huh?

My bad lmao I was trying to work on the 'Classified Files' extra content for the HU series and I couldn't get time to write this. I also took a highly refreshing week+ break and I feel GREAT.

The time off also helped me patch up a bit of a plot hole eheheheheheh I'm happy!

And now, writing is fun again.

Anyway, Ryleigh still kind of likes Asshole O.O
I mean, I'm sure some of you have been there. Do you have an ex who begged you to take them back or you know,... vice versa? Comment pleaaaaase.

(It's okay it's just between you and me here ssssssh tell me your storiessss)

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Vote and comment!