CHAPTER 8

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"What the fuck," Velma whispered, repeatedly, each word a litany of distress. "What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck."

"Velma," Carter tried, because explaining it to her might make it easier to explain to himself, "please just-"

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down," Velma snapped. She rose a hand and pointed shakily at Ryu, who was inspecting his newly claw-less fingers with consternation. "There's a strange fucking boy in my room."

"I'm hardly strange anymore," Ryu pointed out, sounding all too casual given the situation. "I've lost my claws and my fangs." His hands rose to pat his head, and a pout curved his lips. "And my horns, too."

Velma just opened and closed her mouth, eyes flicking wildly between Carter and Ryu. "Don't tell me this is-Don't fucking tell me that's-"

"Ryu," Carter choked out, feeling vaguely as though his lungs were being yanked up out of his throat. "It's Ryu."

The demon-no, not a demon, not anymore-swivelled his gaze to Carter's, and a broad smile broke out across his face, revealing two rows of perfectly straight human teeth. It was as disorientating as a green sky or purple grass.

"Carter," he murmured, voice a near whisper, like he was testing the word out on his newly pink tongue. His gaze removed over Carter from head to two, as though attempting to catalogue each detail, as though, like Carter, he couldn't quite believe it.

Then he was bounding across Velma's room and flinging his arms around Carter, burrowing his face into Carter's neck.

"It is you," he whispered, and now his voice trembled, tone taut with emotion. "I wasn't sure, I thought maybe-I mean, I'd imagined you so many times, so I thought maybe you were just-"

"I know," Carter rasped back, tears springing into his eyes. He wrapped his arms around Ryu's waist and pulled him closer, and the lack of searing pain was so wonderful he cried harder. "I dreamt of you too."

Behind them, Velma sounded as though she were having a mild coughing fit. "That's-That's kind of gay, guys."

Ryu turned to poke his tongue out at her, even though tears were also streaking down his face-

And then Velma's bedroom door flew open.

"Velma," Rita scolded, one hand perched on her hip, "what have I told you about having your door closed when a boy is over-"

She broke off abruptly at the sight of Ryu. "Who's that?"

Carter flinched instinctively back from Ryu, and Velma's eyes widened in obvious panic. "Aunt Rita-er, let me-I-I can explain-"

"I'm Carter's boyfriend," Ryu said suddenly, pulling Carter back to him. "Sorry, I came in through the window. I just had to see him."

He pressed a kiss to Carter's ear, who yelped in surprise. Velma's eyes were widening even further.

Rita, for her part, was looking increasingly sheepish. "So, you two are not-that is, you guys aren't-" She fell silent and merely gestured between Carter and Velma.

Carter just shook his head, too shocked to answer.

"Aunt Rita," Velma began, moving to perch on the edge of her bed, "is now a good time to tell you I'm a lesbian?"

Rita stood frozen in the doorway for several moments, staring between each of them with increased confusion.

Suddenly, her mouth snapped shut, and she gave a single, conciliatory nod. "Carry on." The door shut swiftly behind her as she hurried from the room.

"Is she okay?" Carter asked, still sounding faintly stunned. Ryu had moved away and was now inspecting Velma's room with interest.

Velma nodded, tucking her feet underneath her. "She'll be fine. Just needs a minute to process. Speaking of which." She gestured to Ryu, who'd picked up a stapler and was clicking it over and over in some interminable rhythm. "How did that happen?"

"You don't know?" Carter demanded, coming to sit beside her. "I was hoping you'd know."

"Of course I don't know." Velma scowled and folded her arms. "You think I regularly turn demons into mortals?"

"I don't know," Carter defended, holding up his palms. "You're the demon witch."

"Demon hunter in training," Velma corrected irritably. "What happened with Pina back there?"

"Who's Pina?" Ryu asked, calling loudly from the other side of the room. He had a porcelain piggy bank cupped between his hands and was shaking it to hear the coins rattle.

"The demon Carter hired to help find you," Velma explained, rising from the bed. She stalked over to Ryu and plucked the piggy bank from his grasp. "Don't touch that."

Ryu was too stunned to protest. He was gaping at Carter like he'd grown three heads. "You what?"

"Yeah..." Carter scratched awkwardly at the back of his head. "I guess I have a bit to explain."

"I'll say."

"But first, maybe a shopping trip?" Velma interjected, now placing the piggy bank back into its original spot.

When Carter and Ryu just stared at her, she gestured impatiently at Ryu. "He's been in the same lame outfit for like, ever, right?"

"Hey," Ryu protested, picking at his trench coat. "What's wrong with this?"

"Please," Velma snorted. "You look like a dollar-store JD."

Ryu's frown deepened, though he clearly didn't understand the reference.

"I'm sure you're hungry, too," Carter hurried to add. "That's a thing mortals get, you know."

"Oh, yeah." Ryu's brows lifted, surprise filling his face where annoyance had been only moments before. "You're right. I think I kind of...am."

"Great." Carter stood from the bed, clapping his hands together. "So we'll get you some clothes, and I'll relay the past few months over the finest cuisine known to man: pizza."

Thankfully, Velma and Ryu were agreeable, and soon they were packing away the candles and wiping the chalk from Velma's bedroom floor.

It was surreal, Carter thought, clearing away what were essentially just drawings and wax. A mere half-hour ago they'd been so much more; a mere half hour ago, Pina had been here, so real he could've reached out and touched her (though it would've hurt)

She was gone now, though, locked away in purgatory just as Ryu had been. Carter had locked her away, even though she'd cried and begged him not to, even though she'd vowed to never go back. He'd made her break that vow.

And though he tried to promise himself that it was for the best, that she'd been the one hurting him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he should've done more.

A/N: Please feel free leave a comment and/or vote if you enjoyed!

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⏰ Last updated: Nov 04, 2021 ⏰

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