"It's a pleasure to meet you. Again." All at once, out of darkness, a room materialized around me. I look around and place a trembling hand on the coffee table in front of me. It feels solid, a little rough; cold. It has the slightest imperfection on the far right corner that keeps it from being a true square. It feels...real. But this all...this can't be real.

"Namonai." That same voice from before. Where have I heard that voice before? "LOOK AT ME BOY!" My head snaps up without my consent, and my eyes lock onto the speaker.

"...Mutovinatum?" I ask. My throat is hoarse, and a pitcher of lemonade appears on the coffee table, along with a tall champagne flute. I always loved drinking from fancy glasses. I pour myself some without thinking and take a sip. Gods I haven't had real lemonade in forever.

The demon is larger than the last time I saw him. I look down at my hands and then back up at the shadow creature. I should be freaking out, right? I should be worried, and questioning. I should be concerned. But gods am I tired. So I sip at the lemonade and sigh, letting myself sink into the plush couch cushions behind me. I hope I'm dead.

My muscles stiffen for a brief moment at that thought, but then I relax again. I swirl the translucent off-yellow liquid around in my glass. It's true: I hope I'm dead. I hope this is the heaven for gods, and it's all over. Or hell. Anything but going back to reality.

"I love the look you get when you're lost in thought," the demon says softly. He (it?) sets his chin atop his palm, and his messy red smile grows wider. "It's so...cute." Several tentacles of shadow appear from the couch cushions and caress my shoulders. I shift away and swallow awkwardly. I avoid eye contact with Mutovinatum and the shadows.

"I don't like tentacles," I say quietly. The demon sits up straighter and snaps his fingers, instantly removing the dark tendrils from existence. "Thank you."

"Of course," he says with a nod. We sit in silence while I drink my lemonade, and he looks through me. It doesn't matter if he has eyes, I can feel his gaze exploring every inch of my body, inside and out. It's...intensely uncomfortable.

"Namonai!" A small voice shouts out from somewhere to my left. I shift my focus away from the demon, but large walls suddenly spring up. They're accompanied by a roof and fireplace, as well as soft rugs on the floors, and wooden paneling laying itself out on the bare walls.

"No distractions here," Mutovinatum says with a small chuckle. "Just the two of us."

"Okay," I say with a shrug and prop my feet up on the coffee table. I kick off my boots and wiggle my toes, letting the warm air roll over my exposed skin. This is bliss, and I'm okay with not being distracted from it. I empty my flute of lemonade and lean forward, setting it down with a soft clink. My feet slip off the coffee table and I curl my toes in the soft rug beneath me. "So...what now?"

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"I thought we could talk," Mutovinatum says. "More lemonade?" Another full glass appears, but I shake my head.

"No thanks." It disappears instantly and the shadow entity nods. "To be honest, I never figured you were the kind of guy to talk things out. You always seemed the more..." I stab the air several times with an imaginary dagger and mime ripping the flesh from a pathetic enemy, barely even worth my time or notice. "Well, that type."

"You're not wrong," Mutovinatum says and leans back. He folds his arms across his chest. "But that never really works out for me, does it? I'm too splintered across the cosmos to overpower my enemies. However, if I regroup myself, I risk being destroyed in one fell swoop. Violence begets violence, and all that," he says with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So this time, I thought I'd ask nicely for what I wanted."

I raise an eyebrow and sigh. Ah, he's a shameless whore after all, eh? A small smile plays across my lips and I tousle my unkempt locks—just my type. "And what is it that you want?" The shadow demon grins back at me.

"I want your body," he says. Before I can respond, he stands and fire erupts in the fireplace. I flinch, but he doesn't notice. "I want to control every action you make, and I want you to stay here, in this place. I want you to be safe while I finally live. Give me the power of a god," he says. With each statement, Mutoinvatum moves closer to me. He slinks onto my lap and straddles me, slipping his inky black arms around my shoulders. His bright red mouth is inches from my face. "I want you to stay here, forever...please?"

I gingerly grab his wrists and unwrap them from around me. "I appreciate the offer, Mutovinatum. Really, this is great." I gesture to the living space around us. "Top notch, really. You have a big future in luxury spas and resorts. But I'm not giving up my body." His messy smile literally turns upside down with a sharp crack. Or is it his entire head that rotated?

"...please?" he asks quietly. I sigh and shake my head.

"My final answer is no. It's been a real trip with you these past couple of days. I've enjoyed the company. Well," I pause and look away, "until I didn't. Thank you for the offer, but I think it's time you leave." On cue, a soft blue door appears in the middle of one of the walls. This is my mind palace, isn't it? He's only a squatter; I'm the one with the real power here. Hopefully.

Mutovinatum leaps off my lap and upturns the coffee table. "But I asked nicely!" he shouts. He slings the table against the wall and it shatters into nothingness. "I asked you! I didn't take it, I asked. Why won't you give it to me?" He rounds on me and slams his palms down on either side of me. "WHY?!"

I hold up two fingers and slide out from under his arms. "Two reasons. One, you don't respect personal space." Shadows try and curl around my ankles as I back towards the light blue door. Case and point. I yank my feet up forcibly with every step like I'm wading through mud. "And second? I'm pretty sure that you're literal, actual, cancer. And I do not look good bald, trust me." With that, I kick the door behind me hard. I dive out of the room as Mutovinatum roars in rage behind me. Well, it was nice while it lasted, right?