Sleep remained an elusive stranger.

I stared at the ceiling, watching the city lights dance through the small gap between the heavy curtains in shifting patterns. My thoughts refused to settle, Crone’s pointed questions still gnawing at the edges of my mind. Too many unknowns. Too many doubts.

Moving carefully, I slipped from beneath the blanket, pausing when Jin stirred. Her tail twitched but didn’t release its hold entirely. I eased it aside with a gentle touch, a loving smile on my face at the soft sigh she let out. Grabbing a sweater, I padded quietly into the living room.

The air was cooler here, tinged with the scent of smoke drifting through the partially open balcony door. The city’s pulse felt muted tonight, distant and hazy. I hesitated before stepping closer to the doorway, wondering if company was really what I needed right now.

“Can’t sleep either?” Vivi’s voice greeted me, low and rough around the edges. The decision was made for me.

I pushed the balcony door open further to find them sprawled on the floor, a thick blanket draped over their shoulders. A faint ember glowed at the end of the joint in their hand, the smoke curling upward like a ghost.

My best friend’s gaze flicked up to meet mine, their expression amused but tired. “Figured you’d be out cold after today. Hell of a day, wasn’t it?”

I shrugged, stepping onto the balcony and leaning against the railing. “You’d think so. Brain’s not on the same page.”

They grinned, holding the joint out toward me. “Want to shut it up for a while?”

I snorted but accepted, sinking down beside them. The blanket shifted as they draped part of it over me before pulling me against them, and I felt a flash of gratitude for the small gesture.

“Can’t have you freezing your ass off out here,” Vivi teased, their grin softening into something genuine.

The night air was biting, but the blanket and their presence made it comfortable. I took a slow drag, the earthy taste filling my lungs before I exhaled. The tension in my shoulders began to ease, a small reprieve from the weight of my thoughts. Whatever this was, it certainly wasn't weed.

“Not bad,” I murmured, passing it back.

“Custom blend,” they said, a note of pride in their tone. “One of the perks of being stuck here. Plenty of sources if you know where to look. Especially when it’s none of that human-grown shit.”

I chuckled, leaning my head back against the wall. “So, what’s keeping you up?”

Viv took a slow drag, their gaze distant as they exhaled. “Same as you, probably. Too much crap in my head. Not enough room to sort it out.”

Their words settled between us for a bit, the quiet a familiar comfort.

“So?” I asked, my voice softer now. “What kind of crap are we talking about?”

They flashed their signature smirk, their eyes flicking toward the skyline. “Oh, you know. Life, the universe, everything. Also wondering how long my car’s going to keep hating me.”

I laughed, a low sound that felt almost foreign in the quiet night. “You can crash here as long as you want. Not like the couch hasn’t seen you before.”

“True,” they admitted, the smirk giving way to something softer. “Though it’s been a while since I needed it. Your place used to be my safe spot back when...” They trailed off, their gaze dipping.

“Back when everything just started sucking a little less?” I offered, "When we finally got off the streets for good?"

They nodded, memories playing in both our heads. The city sounds below filled the silence, distant but grounding.

“Better than the orphanage though, eh?” I asked to break the tension.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Vivi snorted, the sound tinged with bitterness. “How could I forget? That place was hell. If I never see another bowl of watery gruel, it’ll be too soon.”

I chuckled, though the sound was edged with old pain. “True. But we found each other there. That made it bearable.”

They turned toward me, their expression unusually soft. “You were the only reason I didn’t lose my mind in there, you know.”

The admission caught me off guard, and I felt a faint warmth rise to my face. “Could say the same about you. Don’t think I’d have made it without you watching my back. Especially the fucking lab afterwards.”

Their smirk returned. “Damn right you wouldn’t have. Someone had to keep your stubborn ass alive.”

“Sure,” I said dryly, though the smile tugging at my lips betrayed my amusement. “Because you definitely didn’t get me into half the trouble I was in.”

“Details,” they said, waving a hand as they took another hit.

The quiet settled again, this time more comfortable. The memories of those rough years still lingered, but they felt lighter now than they did when I was alone.

Shared burdens and such...

“So,” Vivi said eventually, their tone shifting to something lighter, though the curiosity in their eyes was unmistakable, “how’s things with your new roommate?”

I hesitated, my fingers idly picking at the edge of the blanket. “Complicated.”

They raised an eyebrow, suppressing a barely noticeable smile curling at the edges of their lips. “Complicated, huh? Isn’t that just not-quite-gargoyle-speak for ‘I’m head over heels but too much of a chicken to admit it’?”

I shot them a sharp look, though I couldn’t muster much heat behind it. “It’s not that simple.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not,” they said, leaning back against the wall with exaggerated nonchalance. “But you’re not exactly subtle. The way you look at her? Practically screams ‘tragic romance.’”

I sighed, resting my head back against the cool metal of the railing. “It’s more than that, Viv. There’s this... connection. A soul-bond. Crone confirmed your suspicion.”

That caught their attention. Their smirk faded, replaced by something more thoughtful. “Soul-bond? Damn, so I really was right when you called me yesterday.”

“It’s real,” I said, my voice quieter now. “And it’s... intense. Amplifies everything—every feeling, every instinct. Sometimes, I can’t even tell what’s me and what’s the bond.”

Viper whistled low, passing the joint back to me. “That sounds like a hell of a thing to carry around.”

“It is,” I admitted, taking a slow drag. The smoke settled in my lungs like a balm, easing the tightness in my chest. “But it’s not just the bond. Even without it... I’d still want to protect her. To be with her. I think, anyway. Hard to tell where that thought’s coming from, really.”

They hummed softly, their gaze drifting back to the city. “You’ve always had a thing for fixing broken things, Rak’. Maybe that’s part of it.”

“Maybe,” I said, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. “But it’s not just about fixing her. Not how it should work for people, anyway. She’s... I can’t imagine not having her around. Again, don't know how I'd feel if we didn't literally carry a piece of the other's soul with us.”

Their eyes flicked toward me, a spark of mischief creeping back into their expression. “Sounds like love to me.”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “It’s been less than a week.”

“And?” they countered, their tone light but pointed. “Time doesn’t mean much when you’ve been through what you two have. Besides, feelings are a bit fucky when it comes to soul-bonds I imagine, right?”

I didn’t answer immediately, letting the truth of their words sink in. The bond had accelerated everything, but it hadn’t created something out of nothing. Crone had said so anyway, and she of all people should know. Jin’s presence had become a constant, a part of my life I couldn’t imagine losing.

“You’re right,” I said finally, my voice soft. “But that doesn’t mean I know what to do with it.”

Viper’s smirk softened into something closer to a smile. “You don’t have to figure it all out tonight. You’ve got time. And you’ve got people who have your back—like me.”

I smiled faintly, their words warming something deep in my chest. “Thanks, Vi.”

They grinned, nudging me with their elbow. “Don’t get used to it. I still expect you to pull your weight.”

“Wouldn’t dream of letting you down,” I said, handing the joint back to them. "Then again you are—once again—crashing on my couch."

The half-devil didn't bother responding, and we fell into an easy silence after that, the city lights stretching out below us like a sea of stars. The blanket pulled snugly around our shoulders carried the scent of our smoke and something uniquely Them—familiar, comfortable, home. I let myself lean into that comfort, the tension in my chest finally loosening as the weight of the day began to ebb.

“For real though, you ever really think about the orphanage?” I asked after a long stretch of quiet, our conversation coming full-circle.

Viper glanced at me, their expression unreadable. “Sometimes. Not as much as I used to. Why?”

“I don’t know,” I said, my voice distant. “It just hits me sometimes—how far we’ve come, but also... what we left behind.”

They nodded slowly, their gaze drifting to the skyline. “We lost a lot, Rak'. But we made it out of all the shit that happened. That’s more than most of them got.”

Their words hung heavy between us, pulling my thoughts back to faces and names I hadn’t spoken in years as my mind drifted towards what the orphanage had lead to. The soldiers in black. The Lab. The torture. The weight of it pressed down, but it didn’t feel as suffocating as it used to.

Who knows whether that's Viv or the smoke talking.

“You think they’d recognize us now?” I asked softly.

Vivi smiled bitterly, their teeth bright against their dark skin and even darker surroundings. “Hell no. But maybe that’s a good thing.”

“Maybe,” I echoed.