It was already dark when Albaer reached his house. He’d walked farther than he intended, and took a roundabout way home that he correctly guessed would ensure no further unexpected encounters.

“I’m home!” He shouted when he breezed through the door. Leaving Lisa behind proved a liberating feeling, and oddly enough, it could even have been said that he felt good seeing her upset. Like, payback.

“Welcome back, Albaer!” The pair in his room said pleasantly, just a little louder than normal to ensure he heard them.

“Are you done shopping?” He asked as he began clearing the table.

“Yes.” The two said at once and came out of his bedroom.

“Here, we’ll help with that.” The two said at the same moment, Lialah went for a cloth and began to wipe the table down, Albaer put the dishes in the sink and the remaining stew in the fridge, while Raziel began to wash the dishes.

There was more work for three than for one, but with six hands at it, the whole thing was done in no time at all.

“Did you find things you like?” Albaer asked while breaking out some ice cream from the freezer beneath the fridge.

“Yes, I found stuff on Got Topic, there was a little more money than you said, but I didn’t feel like spending too much, so I got a few sale items. Black skirt, shorts, some leather things but it didn’t say what kind, I’m hoping for dragon skin.” Raziel had a fang filled grin on her face at that.

“No, sorry, my world doesn’t have dragons, they’re mythological too.” Albaer replied, and his curiosity about their home increased. “It’s probably from a cow.”

“Oh, well that’s nice too, we even got a few accessories.” Raziel said, then added, “I can’t say I like that we can’t get ‘girl’ underclothes… but I understand. It would raise questions.”

“And a skirt won’t?” Albaer pointed out.

“I saw some pictures of men wearing skirts and…” She trailed off when Albaer began to look at her cockeyed.

“You were looking at some websites that had nothing to do with the clothing…” He dragged his hand over his face with an exasperated sigh.

“We can still cancel the order…” Lialah said, a deep blush forming on her face when she understood what he meant.

“No, no. I’ll… look, my mom works and sleeps and that’s it, as long as you do the laundry when she’s at her shift, it should be fine. And… I can come up with something. I’ll just tell her that I made some unusual friends who needed somewhere to wash their more risque clothes. If she asks more, I’ll just tell her that I’m letting them wash their clothes here on the condition that they behave a little safer than they otherwise would. She’ll accept that.” Albaer’s smile was a little fragile, but present.

“It’s also sort of true.” He added with a snap of his fingers.

“Wait, so we can order undergarments then?” Raziel pointed out. She gave Albaer a teasing, long look.

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He blushed, “Yeah, yeah you can, with that story I can explain anything unusual here if I have to. My mom, she was always a big advocate of being safe, she might have approved of some things. But she’d always say that if it made you safer, it was probably a good thing.”

“We’ll edit our orders right away.” Lialah said, and snapped her fingers the same way he did.

“Fine, I’m going to play some Hylarim then, you have fun.” Albaer said and entered his bedroom, the console was already on, of course, and he quickly loaded up Kami and resumed his fanmade quest line.

Lialah sat behind him trying very hard not to blush that there was a boy sitting next to her while she selected bras and panties, and immediately thought, ‘I should have left this to Raziel.’ Her blush deepened though, when she imagined what Raziel would acquire if it were left to her.

But all thoughts of that were erased when Raziel, after standing over Albaer’s shoulder and watching him play until the darkness hit outside announced, “I’m going to get going.”

Albaer paused his game as the summoned dragon appeared on the screen, its body slowly emerging from a portal of shimmering blue he’d cast in the air.

“What exactly are you going to do?” Albaer asked.

“I’m a demon. That comes with a few perks.” Raziel said with a smug look, “And I’m a succubus, I know exactly how to handle this.”

“Without being seen?” Albaer looked up at her from where he sat on the floor.

“Oh… he’ll see me, he just won’t see me.” Raziel made the flippant remark and a knowing, rough little chuckle began. “I promise, I won’t leave a mark on him.”

“Who?” Albaer asked.

“I think I’ll start with Trevor.” Raziel said with a sharp nod, “He hit you first, I think that makes him a kind of ringleader…”

“Only one tonight!” Lialah insisted all of a sudden. “I don’t want you out too long, I’ll worry. Let me do the other one.”

“You? Miss goody goody?” Raziel looked down at where her sister sat finishing the order updates.

“Yes. What they did was wrong! And I want to help too! Why shouldn’t I? You know I can… I have my own way of doing things.” Lialah’s lips threatened to start quivering, and Raziel gave a sigh of submission.

“Fine, you take one, I’ll take the other. I’ll pass the memories of Lisa to you, if that’s alright with you, Albaer?” Raziel asked, and his answer was quick.

“I have no idea what you’re thinking, what you’re doing, or how you’re doing it but… I’m inclined to trust you. Do what you think best. The door will be open for you.” Albaer replied, and then went back to the game.

They nodded at him and left the bedroom to head for the front door.

Raziel and Lialah looked out into the darkness when they reached the exit. No sound, no people, but an eerie noise of insects, loud, but out of sight even for them. “Are you ready?” The demon asked.

“Yes.” Lialah answered.

“You’ll need his memories, we’ll need to share, but only a little.” Raziel remarked, and when Lialah nodded, the demon took her sister’s face in her hardened hands, and pressed her forehead to that of the angel.

Memories of Albaer’s day passed from one to the other, the shock of betrayal, the pain of being struck, spitting up blood and lying in the muck after they were done and finally left.

“He’s so nice… how could they…?” Lialah’s face was twisted into anger, her fists clenched at her sides.

“I have no idea, but we lucked out by ending up here at least… don’t take too long.” Raziel said as she straightened up and gripped her sister’s hand. “I don’t want to worry about you either.” The demon did not wait for the sentiment to be returned, she stepped out into the darkness, her ears twitched, her wings spread out in all their glory and fury, then she took to the air on the moonless night in search of her target.

“Raz… you softie.” Lialah chuckled, giving a last look in the apartment behind her, then closing the door gently behind her, she stepped out, spread her wings, and flew into the night in a different direction than the demon before her.