An early morning was often a thing of mystery for me. Sleep was an escape for a mind and body under constant pressure to perform and understand all that had been weighed upon me. Not today, though. A new leaf had been turned, at least for the short term.

I was awake before everyone else. Perhaps a first. Washed and dressed. Started up the kettle and threw some eggs and bacon into a pan. I’d learned enough through osmosis to make a decent breakfast, and once the smell had permeated the house, it drew the zombies from their rooms.

Rodney was first across the finish line. Dark circles under his eyes and hair all askew. Looking like he needed a hose down and some coffee. Good thing I put the cups out for us all already.

“Rough night?” I asked, a smile across my face.

He grimaced at the sight. “Didn’t sleep much. Spent a lot of the night finishing up the shotgun and… staying out of my own head.”

I nodded and allowed him to sit at the table in peace to cradle said head.

Pearl was a close second, appearing the traditional way—by foot—just after the Blank was seated. Although she lacked the dark circles, she too had messy hair and an exhausted look to her. Interestingly, she had opted to wear her dressing gown and slippers, despite being able to change clothes with a click of her fingers.

“Didn’t sleep much,” she complained. “You know why.” She winked and gave me a wry grin.

I didn’t, actually. But it was amusing enough to see how the insinuation tortured Rodney.

As I was dishing up the eggs and bacon, laid upon freshly buttered toast, my patron sauntered in. Last place, and looking like a cat had dragged him through a bush. In all honestly I was almost concerned to see him looking so disheveled, but I kept my face radiant and pleasant.

[Morning, the all. Didn’t sleep much.]

“Oh?” I raised my eyebrow and fixed him up a plate of breakfast.

It briefly disarmed him. Perhaps in his demon mind he expected me to have torn the false blanket of human pleasantries away to treat him as a tool once more. Wasn’t like that, however. It was just tough love. He had pushed me to become great, and now it was my turn to do the same for him. I believed in him.

[Spent most of the night in Rituals. I have the locations of two of the demons on the list.]

“Egg-cellent,” I said with a wide grin, slowly pushing the fried eggs atop his toast. “That’s our work for today then, gang.”

“Pass.” Pearl groaned and rubbed at her radiant eyes. “I’m going to see if I can find any information on the Org location in the Mids, if that is fine with you, Commander?”

I stood up straight and puffed my chest out. “Acceptable.” My head nodded briefly to seal the deal. She rolled her eyes, but she had asked for it.

[You are able to run Quests without me, if you so wish.]

What a strange sentence to hear. I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. He looked morose, his eyes staring at his food instead of me. While my outburst had prompted him into action, he hadn’t fully clicked into place. The machine was inefficient without all the cogs aligned and spinning.

“So could you. I feel it is better for us to stick together, though.”

He looked up at me and nodded. Some thoughts of things he hadn’t considered going on inside that feathered head. I hadn’t even considered running Quests on my own. What would be the point? Instead, I turned to the table and clicked my fingers.

“Rods, going to need that gun, and once you’re all awake and ready, we’re going to stretch our legs with some bloodshed.”

He nodded. “I’ve been talking with David and-”

“Oh?” I interrupted him, raising my eyebrows.

“…he would like to arrange a meeting. Says the Church has some help for us.” Although he glared at me, his attention soon returned to his food.

“About time. Invite him around for lunch tomorrow. He has yet to meet Pearl.” I grinned.

She didn’t seem as enthusiastic with the idea as I was. “You sure about that, Eric? I wouldn’t want to traumatize him.”

I waved the notion away. If anything, we had missed a bit by not having her turn up the last time he was here. He might not be too keen on demons, but they came part of the package deal now. Couldn’t save the world from them without them. Pearl was pretty cute too, compared to most I had the pleasure of meeting. She caught me staring at her and she narrowed her eyes.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

The answer went unsaid, but I turned to get started on the washing up. Flicked the taps on to watch the sink slowly fill, as the warm daylight shone down on me from the window. She was behind me without a sound. I didn’t even feel her presence until it was too late. Warm breath buffeted my ear as she sunk a kiss onto the side of my neck.

“Stay safe, Hunter,” she whispered to me. “I'll need you in one piece tonight.”

I grinned as she moved away. It was always my intention to stay in one piece, so that went without saying. But, I might put a little more effort into remaining undamaged today. Totally a coincidence.

Pearl moved to the doorway. “You two better stop Eric from doing anything too stupid. I realize that is asking for a miracle, but with how things are progressing… we can’t afford to replace him again.”

We remained in silence as her footsteps took her back upstairs.

My tongue licked at my dry lips. “Did she just say ‘again’?”

“Too early to deal with this,” Rodney sighed, standing up from the table. “Thanks for breakfast, Eric. I’ll meet you in the basement in like… half an hour?”

“Perfect.” I said, slowly scrubbing around my plate under the soapy water. Eric Redd knew when he was being manipulated, and Pearl was definitely just trying to wind me up. But just because I knew it didn’t mean it didn’t affect me. Clever girl.

Placed my plate on the rack to dry and then sunk the pan beneath the depths. Something was calm about the process. Scoured anew. All the sins of the process washed away. I raised my eyebrow as Wight appeared by my side, holding up his empty plate.

[Compliments to the chef, Eric.]

I smiled and gave him a nod as I took it from him. Some slight confusion behind my expression as he… seemed taller? Just a few inches, perhaps. Noticeable now that he was beside me, still a good deal shorter than me, but it was an interesting development. They do grow up so fast.

[You seem to be in a remarkable mood today.]

The tone of his voice indicated he might expect it to be because of my outburst. Putting things out in the open to clear the air. That wasn’t it, however. I hadn’t even slept as well as I might seem as compared to the others, as some guilt about my actions did worm its way into the front of my brain as I tried to nod off the night prior.

“That bad dream I kept having. Falling through nothing, with the blazing light of two halves of me?” He nodded his recollection of my perpetual nightmare. “Well, last night, it ended.”

[Oh, how so?]

“I found the bottom, or at least some kind of end. Comforting and well lit. Like returning to a fresh bed after a very tiring day.”

[It was over.]

I turned to him and tilted my head. He seemed to have a grasp of what I had felt internally. No longer falling and struggling against inevitability, I had found peace amongst warm, radiant light. The cynic in me considered it might signify my death, but as per my outburst, I had come to accept that.

“I’m sure it will be, eventually.” I gave him a soft smile. “But today, we grind against the rough sandpaper of reality once again.”

[You are much more concerning when in a good mood.]

No hat on my head to tip, I just gave him another nod. “Go get ready, bud. You can fill me in on the details once we are all gathered.”

He turned and stepped over towards the lobby, but paused in the doorway.

[Thank you, Eric.]

By the time I had turned my head, he had already vanished off. His clawed feet padded on the carpeted stairs as he went to his room. Not that he really had much to get ready, I assumed. The part that mattered was that I treated him the same as everyone else. He was an all-powerful entity and bound to me, but in this house he was an equal, the same as Rodney and Pearl. A safe haven for odd individuals that needed the company.

I placed the last of the cutlery to the side and dried off my hands on the towel. Rolling out my neck, I then brought the pair up to observe them. Despite the damage they had wrought and sustained, they were pretty normal looking, as far as hands went. Slightly wrinkled due to washing up, but otherwise wouldn’t look out of place at the end of the arms of an office worker. How far those days felt behind me now.

Made my way to my own bedroom. Needed my hat and gun. To become the cliche. Pushing through the door, I was caught slightly off guard to see Pearl in her underwear. Standing by the wardrobe, she seemed to be having trouble pinning her hair up.

“Help me, please.” She pined, her reflection looking at me from the built-in mirror.

I smiled and came up behind her.

“My hands ache today and I keep getting caught on my horns.” Her shoulders slumped forward as she deflated.

“Everything okay?” I took out the errantly placed pins and allowed her long silver-white hair to sink back out.

She grunted. “Using my sword after so long, I’m just a bit rusty.”

Normally I’d be frozen solid at the prospect of having to help her out with her hair, but she had taught me well. Truth be told, it felt like a bonding thing for me. A reflection of when she rubbed through my hair and massaged my temples. The best cure for any malady I had ever had.

“Why are you even half dressed? Not that I’m complaining.” Being able to change outfits on a whim didn’t often leave her in anything other than what she wanted to be seen in - and as much as I could allow that to flatter me, this morning wasn’t really the time for it.

“I just felt like doing things the… normal way, today.” Over her shoulder, I could see her soft smile in the reflection of the mirror.

It had long been established that I was a corrupting force to those around me. Perhaps it was more like I was a place of safety. Allowed people to sink into being themselves. Certainly, for Pearl, she had always wanted something like this. To live like a mortal.

“All done.” I gave her a gentle squeeze on the shoulders. “Forgive me for not worshipping your visage for longer, but I have naughty demons to erase.”

“My knight in shining armor.” She smiled and turned her head to inspect my handiwork. “I love you, Eric Redd.”

I paused, hands already halfway through my drawers. Oh, the furniture kind, I was after some more comfortable socks. “I love you too, Pearl.”

Hat atop my head and belt with the revolver around my waist, I was ready for the day ahead. All that was left was the screaming agony of my enemies, the taste of my own blood, and pulses of agony slowly eroding my body from exerting my given energies.

I could get used to being in a good mood.