The Guardian - A My Inner Demons AU Fanfic

Chapter Twenty-One - Personal Hygiene and You

"You're deep in thought today. Something on your mind?"

Ava glanced up from her phone at Em. The older woman was sitting on the former's bed, idly petting Johnny. However, she didn't seem relaxed at all: on the contrary, she seemed like there was something she really wanted to say, but was holding back for some reason. "Just thinking about this text from Lorelai."

"About the Fall Festival?"

Ava nodded. "A pro is if we don't go, I can just sleep more and do whatever I want without the weight of the world judging me on my shoulders!"

Em raised an eyebrow. "That's a pro?"

"And the con is we can just sit here in the apartment... in our rooms... doing nothing... as always... "

"Speak for yourself. I've at least gotten out to buy groceries." She looked thoughtful. "But... you do have a point. It feels like we've just been coasting through everything, especially this week."

"Everyone in my school has been going to the Fall Festival since we were young, and Lorelai did say some friends from high school were going to be there for sure, so there's no way around it." Ava closed her eyes. "But... high school for me was... "

"I, ah, heard about some of it. My parents filled me in on a little, but I don't think they really knew everything going on."

Ava shrugged, opening her eyes to stare forlornly out the window. "I mean, a lot of my school life was like that. But if I see people who I didn't like before, like... everyone... " She sighed.

"I don't think anyone really has an 'easy time' of it in high school." Em returned her sigh, leaning forward to rest her arms on her knees. "It's part of the reason I joined the Air Force. I just wanted to get as far away from here as I could." She let out a humorless chuckle. "Look how well that turned out."

"I've been meaning to ask you: where are your parents? I remember you all being super close when we were younger. Unless... something changed?"

Before Em could answer, the muffled sounds of Leif grumbling in the living room broke through. "Asch, give me the remote!"

"Over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged!"

Both women let out soft chuckles. "Maybe... they'd want to go?" Ava asked, looking at the veteran.

Em nodded. "I think we could all do with some time outside. Besides, it'd be a good chance to expose them to some casual Earth culture, let them blow off some steam."

* * * * *

Both women stood and headed towards the door. Just before Ava opened it, Emerald paused as a whiff of something familiar assaulted her nose. "Ava, wait! Don't - !"

Too late. The shorter woman entered the living room before pausing as if she'd been slapped. Her hands immediately came up to cover her nose as her eyes began to water. "What the - why does it smell so bad?!"

Emerald shook her head. "That is the musk of a group of dudes who haven't bathed in way too long." She snorted out a breath. "We had a guy I worked with who absolutely refused to take a shower. It got so bad we had to send someone with him to his dorm room to actually make him bathe before he was allowed to come back to the shop."

The Daemos continued arguing, oblivious that the two women were now present. "We both know I'm stronger than you," Asch bragged as he and Leif fought for control of the remote.

"We've never really tested that out now, have we?" the former assassin shot back.

"No," Pierce answered simply from his perch on the end of the couch.