“Okay, just remember that you only have ten minutes, so don’t spend too much time on any one question.” Kyle paused to count out a small stack of quizzes, which he handed to the student in front of him. She quickly took one then passed the rest over her shoulder. “If you get stuck, just skip it and keep going.”

Once he’d made a stop at every row, he headed back to his desk. “Questions? No? Alright, time starts now.”

Frantic writing followed his words, and Kyle dropped into his chair, glancing at his watch as he did. Seeing the second hand arc gracefully across the watch’s face, he returned his focus to his students. Maybe it was because of Ryka’s finely tuned senses, but he swore he could feel the weight of their stress, like something perched heavily on his shoulders.

He had hoped offering more quizzes, but making them shorter and therefore worth less, would put his pupils more at ease. But apparently, a quiz was a quiz, and they were going to be nervous about it no matter how little it would affect their grades. At least their minor paranoias kept his parasite from complaining of constant hunger.

Putting the thought aside, he checked the time again. The second hand was frozen. He flicked the glass covering the face, but to no avail. Cursing to himself, he tilted his head back to look at the clock hanging over the chalkboard. As it had been most of the school year, the second hand was twitching back-and-forth over the six, and the hour and minute hands hung limp behind it.

Wondering where all the supposed school funding really went, he started rummaging through his briefcase. His watch had failed him, but there was still his cell phone. Which, he realized after a minute of fruitless searching, was still on the counter at home.

Trying not to disturb his students, he headed for the door and cracked it open. Luckily, there was a functioning clock just across the hall. To make himself feel better about moving around so much while they were trying to concentrate, he gave his class an extra minute to take their quiz.

***

A new battery hadn’t brought his watch back to life, it was too cheap to be worth bringing in for repair. So after school, he stopped at the mall to shop for a replacement. It seemed most of the student body was there as well, and they found running into their teacher there just as awkward as he did. Mostly, he ignored them, and they did the same.

For a while, he just wandered, trying to decide how much he was willing to spend on a new timepiece. Obviously, more than a four-dollar investment was required if he wanted the watch to function for more than a few weeks.

As he strolled by the food court, Ryka awoke, apparently due to the overpowering smell of fast food. Get something to go.

Before anyone could catch him mumbling to himself, he popped in a Bluetooth earpiece. “On the way out. It’ll just get soggy if I buy something now.” This certainly pleased Ryka, judging by the enormous smile he suddenly found himself wearing. “Think about what you want, okay?”

Yup. What are you doing here? I thought you hated this place.

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When Ryka slept, he really slept. He had completely missed Kyle’s near-panic earlier that day.

“I need a new watch. My cheap one crapped out on me.”

Buy a nice one. You have money now.

That he certainly did. He had gone back to the casino once since that first night, and had won enough – with Ryka’s help, of course – to pay off his bills and sock some away for a rainy day. Or a broken-watch day. “I don’t know.”

He had always been middle class, and it felt wrong spending extravagantly, even when he had the resources to do so. Come on. Think of it as me buying something nice for you.

“That’s-”

But Ryka stopped all argument when he continued, I mean, I could just slaughter everyone and take one for you. Or you could use the money I helped you win.

As always, the options the demon offered were hardly choices at all. “Let’s go for that second one.”

The salespeople at the jewelry store were more than happy to part him with his money. He tried not to gasp when he saw the final price, which was at least twice what he made in a week. But it was worth it.

The new watch was nice, without being gaudy. And it was advertised as being tough enough to survive natural disasters, though he doubted the walking catastrophe he hosted fit into that category. Given his luck and Ryka’s recklessness, he even purchased the extended warranty.

Decades later, he would be tempted to call and find out if it covered the watch being swallowed by a pseudo-demon and transported to Hell. But for now, he was happy just to have something nice that worked.

After stopping at the food court and grabbing some burgers to-go, he headed home. Ryka still seemed to be in a good mood, because he waited patiently for Kyle to eat dinner and get some work done before asking to come out. When Kyle hesitated, he actually rescinded his request.

“No, Ry, you can. Let me just put this somewhere safe.” He slipped off his new watch, and hurried into his bedroom to put in a dresser drawer. “You need to be more careful about that than you were about my glasses.”

Yes, Master. Kyle was actually surprised by how ashamed the demon sounded. Though he had good reason. When Kyle had worn glasses, they had ended up thrown across the room, kicked under furniture, and ultimately sucked through a portal into Hell. Punishment aside, Kyle suspected there would also be an incredible pile of broken junk waiting for him in the afterlife.

Sorry, Master.

“I mean it, though. Watch it with the fire and all that.”

Ryka promised again, and satisfied, Kyle stripped down and allowed Ryka to start the transformation. He had dinner to eat, even if didn’t provide any real sustenance, only the pleasure of having something he could never get back home.

Once he was done, he grabbed a beer and settled himself in front of the TV. Demons, Ryka had explained, were embodiments of what some mortals referred to as the seven deadly sins. For Ryka, sloth often occupied the number one spot. Or at least share it with lust.

Kyle certainly didn’t mind about either, but he particularly loved these lazy moments where Ryka was truly relaxed. If Kyle had been flipping through channels with him from his recliner, it would have been perfect. But he tried to appreciate what they could have.

Thank you very much, dear, for the lovely watch. Ryka purred in response. Something which had no bearing on his ability to drink, because he did both simultaneously. Kyle was impressed, and said so.

“I try. But you should let me spoil you more, stud.”

It’s not all about money, you know.

“Who said I was talking about that?”

Maybe lust was number one after all, Kyle thought. Well, in that case ….