Trials In Love And Space (Billford)

Chapter 31: Hell Part 2

((I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT STRIKER IN HELLUVA!!! SORRY TO CONFUSE WITH USING THE NAME STRIFER. I LIKED THE SYMBOLIC MEANING LOL))

Brix slams the door open with a dramatic flourish as he walks into Strifer's room, unannounced.

Strifer groans and rolls over in his bed to face the now open door, looking up to see the silhouette of Brix standing over him, darkened by the light shining in behind him.

Strifer has a dull, thudding, alcohol induced headache from the night before - that is stubbornly sticking around. He props himself up on one elbow, squinting without his glasses at the demon. "So, we just forget about the knocking rule." He murmurs in annoyance.

"Oops!" Brix laughs and looks over Strifer, taking in his shirtless form sprawled on his bed. "You look a little worn there, Professor. Stay up reading?" He asks in a teasing tone, clasping his hands behind his back.

Strifer sends a glare up at Brix and rubs a hand over his face tiredly. "If you're here, make yourself useful - hand me my glasses." He reaches toward the desk, just out of reach.

For a moment, Brix just stands there grinning down at Strifer. His initial instinct is to leave, as he does not take orders from anyone. But it takes him only that moment to get a hold of himself and realize Strifer is asking him a favor, not ordering him.
He reaches over, gently picks up the glasses, and holds them out to the other.
Strifer takes them and slips them on his face before sitting up in bed, eyeing a peppy Brix. "It's early, this better be good."

Brix chuckles lightly and sits on the bed next to him. "I was thinking I'd make up for giving you that darn headache and take you to breakfast." He pokes Strifer's forehead playfully, but Strifer smacks his hand away.

"Couldn't have waited until I woke up?"

"I didn't know when that would be, and I'm hungryy~" Brix rolls his eye, leans back on a hand that reaches behind him, and holds out his other hand with an open palm.

Strifer looks at the offered hand and takes the few ibuprofen that are there. "Huh. Thanks." He glances sideways at the other, a bit suspiciously.
"Have you gotten nicer in the last 24 hours, or am I hallucinating?" He blinks a few times before tossing the pills back.

Brix shrugs, and says nonchalantly, "Don't you dare tell anyone."

Strifer lays back down, closing his eyes. "Okay. We wait for the ibuprofen to kick in." He mumbles sleepily, his glasses askew from his head laying on the pillow.

Brix pouts, "But I'm hungryyy."

"Then go by yourself." Strifer mumbles, this time through a yawn.
That shuts Brix up, who moves to the chair in the room, and waits silently. Strifer smirks to himself.

◇◇◇

Strifer isn’t entirely sure how he’d let Brix talk him into breakfast, but here he is, sitting in a small, bustling diner that seems wildly out of place in Hell. It looks almost… normal, in a way he hadn’t seen in a long time. The red neon “Breakfast Served All Day” sign hums over the doorway, casting a warm glow over the mismatched tables and chairs.

Brix smirks as he slides into the booth across from Strifer, settling in with an ease that comes naturally. “Didn't think I'd actually get you to come with.” he teases, stretching his arms along the back of the booth. “Thought you’d stick to brooding in your room or whatever it is you do.”

Strifer rolls his eyes, trying to ignore the tiny spark of excitement at the idea of being here with Brix. “You’re a bad influence, you know that?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Brix shoots back, watching as the server starts to approach, “One day, you’ll admit you’re having fun.”

Strifer lets out a chuckle despite himself. “Define ‘fun.’”