Something's completely off - Boadicea

”It’s going to be alright,” she whispered at him. She could see his eyes were anywhere but here, but she kept looking at them, feeling her own pain grow. The strength coming from her body was weirdly out of this world and she had to look a bit at her hands after seeing she could actually push a demon away so easily. What was going on? Then she felt the sharp pain run through her spine and she felt like she couldn’t breathe. Luckily an angel stepped forward, calling Baal for her brother, so she wondered if they were one of the siblings he had spoken off the first time they met. The angel and other demon left, leaving her and Baal here. She let out a sigh, but followed him, helping him when he needed the support. It was like the further they moved, the less she felt in control of her body. ”What does it want?” she grunted, biting her lip to not scream in pain. Was it hell or something else? Her breathing got unsteady as she felt her hand move by it’s own. She took her other hand, forcing her own arm down and to the side. ”What’s going on?” she mumbled mostly to herself. Her head suddenly flew backwards and a cold laughter escaped her lips. ”You gave me a body,” Buffy said, but it wasn’t her speaking. She tried moving, but something else was in control. ”I’ll give it to you, she’s a fighter – I haven’t even gotten control of her soul yet,” she said and suddenly gasped as she regained control. Her body shaking as she looked around. Buffy swallowed, looking at Baal with scared eyes.

He was too unfocused to hear what she was saying, but he knew that something had gone wrong. A part of him hoped that the part of his soul that he had given her with the fragment would help her, but if the darkness had already tightened it's grip around it, then there was no telling what would happen.
The cold laughter made him widen his eyes as he turned his head to look at Buffy just as she spoke, but it was clear it wasnt her. He gritted his teeth and wanted to get up, do something, stop his soul from trying to win her soul over, but he was powerless. And that hurt more than his darkened soul fighting from giving in, more than losing a part of his already weakened soul. He had felt this before, this feeling of being useless, powerless. How he had lost people because he wasnt strong enough and now it was happening again. Those dark thoughts only fueled the artifact, making it whisper sweet promises of relief inside him, telling him that if he just gave in, it would stop and let him save her.
"You wont get her soul, she's strong enough," he said as he turned his eyes back on Buffy knowing that she was back, but the soul was listening. "She's stronger than I'll ever be," he admitted in a strained tone and clutched at his heart. He had to think clearly, as he started drawing his mark on the ground, his hand shaking yet he tried his hardest to keep it steady. He grumbled a few words and moved his eyes ahead as the wraith appeared with a ghastly cackling following it as it snipped at the air with it's scissors. Baal turned his eyes up to it and grumbled a slurry string of demonic words, that made the wraith scream as it flew down and grabbed Buffy's arm to drag her with it as it started flying away. "You'll be safe. Win the battle..." Baal mumbled in a tired tone as he then rose to his feet and looked at the spirits. He opened his arms as they closed up around him, their screams of agony echoing throughout the land.

Buffy felt the panic in her system. She wasn’t alone in her body and that made a cold feeling go down her spine. He spoke to her, but she knew the words weren’t meant for her. He called her strong, but how could she bet hat? She had no strength right now, only pain in her body as she moved to Baal’s side, supporting his weight as he drew his symbol on the ground. The spirit came forward and she recognized it. ”You better come get me afterwards,” she said looking at Baal. She didn’t even get to kiss him goodbye before the wraith grabbed her arm and started pulling her away. ”I believe you can do this, Baal!” she yelled before she felt her surroundings change. It was calm here, calmer than she liked. She looked around, placing her arms around herself, as if to keep herself on her feet. ”Let’s talk then,” she mumbled to herself and closed her eyes. Inside herself she saw her soul, glowing so bright that it hurt her inner vision, and not far from it was a black mass trying to get closer, almost as if it tried swallowing her light. ”We don’t have to fight,” she said out loud, not knowing if the fragment could hear her, but part of her knew she had it’s attention. ”Oh but we do, two races normally don’t clash well,” the fragment sounded out in her head, or could others hear it too? She wasn’t sure, but kept her eyes closed. ”I can feel you’re scared,” she said out loud, as breathing started to hurt her system. ”Scared? I fear nothing; emotions are but a weakness you humans hold so dear,” the fragment sounded. She exhaled, grabbing tighter around her stomach, a pained expression as she had her eyes shut harder than anything. She was still full of panic and fear, but she knew the fragment was affected by it too. ”I’m guessing you won’t leave if I ask you to,” she said quietly, falling to her knees as the pain got harder for her body to handle. ”Leave? Oh my, humans are stupid. He merged me with your soul. Even if I wanted, there would be nothing I could do,” the fragment sounded in her head. It had started developing from Baals dark and mysterious voice to a more feminine one. She wondered if it was beginning to sound like her or if she was really going crazy. She didn’t know how long she had been here in hell. Time passed, she knew it had to, but the darkness around her told no sign of it doing so. The fragment still was trying to beat at her soul, and every time she felt herself dying a bit more. She was laying on the ground, grunting and from time to time screaming as the pain would get unbearable for her, however she had not yet lost control. Her stubborness or her will power was the only two explainations she could come with.

The spirits were relentless. Passing through him in the hope of triggering the artifact to lessen it’s grip on his soul, or fill him with so much hatred and cruelty that his soul would turn dark. “Come back to us Prince Belial,” a voice begged as a spirit walked through him, making him scream in agony. He turned his head to another voice as it spoke, just waiting for the overwhelming pain to strike, “The Prince of hell shouldnt protect mortals,”. They suddenly stepped back and spread out to their circle again as a girl stepped out between them. She grabbed Baal’s chin and looked him in the eyes, “Welcome back, Belial,” she said with a face of disgust before she turned to the spirits and threw a force of dark energy against them that made them all run away. Baal groaned at the wave and clutcjed at his heart. She turned her eyes back to him, “You may not want to own up to being betrothed, but I still have my duty,” she said as she turned her eyes back to the demon. Her eyes were sad but her face was neutral. Baal felt a calmness fall over him as he exhaled and removed his fist from his heart, “I could never love you,” - “Saying it like you even gave it a chance,” she quickly replied. Baal groaned and turned to the direction he had sent Buffy in. “I’m going with you, I have to see who it is who has stolen your heart from me,” she said as she put a hand on his shoulder. He frowned and looked at her hand, before he looked into her eyes, “Dont,” his tone was begging but she wouldnt budge. “We’re taking a little detour. Just to fix you up, because you look more than ready to give up,” she said as she pulled him in the opposite direction.

It didnt take them long to get to Buffy after that. Baal was still a bit unstable, being unable to walk halfways in, the girl had pulled his arm over her shoulder. He felt a lot better but there was a shame in his eyes. The girl looked ahead, frowning as she saw the human. “I see,” she mumbled as she had this icy gaze in her eyes. “This is who your heart belongs to now. But is she your light? Can she bring you back from the darkness?” she then said and as he didnt answer, she let him go. He ignored her cold gaze as he walked over to Buffy, placing his arms around her in a tight hug. The girl’s eyes flamed fire but she stood there in silence watching them. Baal lifted his head fra Buffy’s shoulder and placed a hand on her cheek, “Boadicea,” he said in a faint tone as his eyes shifted between hers. He leaned forward and placed his lips on hers in a tender kiss that made the girl groan loudly with annyoance. “Save it for earth, I cant bear watching you do it right in front of me,” she almost pleaded behind her icy tone.

The pain was getting to her, crippling her body and making her squirm against the hard surface beneath her. She was still fighting, harder than she had ever faught, Gasping for air was what she had to do when the pain got to her, but she wasn’t going to give in, even though the tempting sensation was there. ”You can’t win,” she mumbled with a strained voice as she felt the indescibable feeling of a knife in her chest. ”That’s cute, I will get it my way,” the fragment sounded, almost in a pained voice as well. She exhaled, feeling her body burn at the sensation and sat herself up. She couldn’t fight much longer, but she could feel the fragment was loosing some power as well. ”Merge with me then,” she whispered, and that was enough for the fragment to grab a hold of her soul. She screamed a gut wrenching scream as she fell backwards, feeling the dirty behind her back, but she was paralyzed by the pain. Then there was silence. Had she died? She was in hell, but that wasn’t too weird. She just layed on the ground, closed eyes before she heard someone approach. She staggered getting to her feet before she heard his voice. Buffy barely had time to react before she felt his arms around him, and she placed her own around him, pulling him tighter. ”Belial,” she said breathlessly, still feeling the shock of the pain in her body. His scent was all she needed to know he was really there. As she opened her eyes and looked into his eyes she soon felt his lips against him. She returned it, but her body was weak, feeling it so close to giving up and passing out.

The groan made her move her eyes to the girl standing not far from them and she looked to her with a bit of confusion. However the fragment she had merged with seemed to react to her. ”Who are you?” she said, actually interested in this stranger who seemed to have helped the demon she loved. ”And how do I thank you?” she asked, queit bluntly, but she had a hard time feeling her emotions at the moment.

Baal hated to see that she was still in pain,  somehow he felt that it was all his fault, for being too scared of losing her and now he had to watch her fall apart slowly. He held her up in his arms, making sure that she would stay on her feet. “I’ve got you,” he whispered to her in a warm comforting tone, ignoring every cold stare from his fiancé or groan that she would make. She hated seeing him standing with another like that, especially a human girl, of all. She frowned deeply as Buffy turned her eyes to meet hers, furrowing her brows further as she scoffed, “Amy Brooks. Belial’s betrothed, in case you feel like snuggling him further,” she said in a neutral tone.
“You shouldnt thank me for doing my duty,” the words were filled with spite but not towards Buffy, her addition was icy, “You could start by keeping your hands off my fiancé,” she answered rather blatantly, it made Baal turn his eyes back on her with a frown, “The engagement was forced upon us by my father, I have no intentions to fulfill his wicked need to torment me,” he said as he then turned his eyes back to Buffy - Clearly not in the mood to explain it further in this moment. He raised both his eyebrows as he accidently had hovered his hand down her back, feeling something odd in her, “You’re different..” he mumbled. The demon girl Amy laughed and shook her head in disbelief, “I got you back from the dark when you needed me. Me and my ‘pure’ soul that you loved so dearly. But now that your dad changed me into a demon, you’ll barely look at me unless it’s needed,” she spat angrily as she tightened her hands to fists. She looked at Buffy and scoffed with a sad smile, “He’ll do the same to you. I feel your soul, you’re changing too. And he’ll leave you,” she then said, Baal barely heard what she said as he was caught in his own string of thoughts while his hovering hand tried to feel her soul, sense how much was changing. Amy had been right in her claim about herself, but he knew that he could never do that with Buffy. She could get a soul darker than hell, and he would still love her with all his heart. Betraying his purpose and turn his back to everything he had worked for, she could ruin him so easily, if that was what she wanted. But it probably was a bad thing that he was too focused to hear Amy’s prediction.

”I’m fine,” she muttered back to him with a faint smile on her lips, her green eyes seeking his comforting gaze. She was happy that he said he got her, but she also knew she couldn’t lean on him always, even if she wanted. As she said she was Baal’s betrothed, she felt void of facial expresion. Even though her voice was neutral, it was slightly pointed. ”I’m sorry, but I just can’t keep my hands off of him, that’s sadly not a wish I can grant – unless of course Baal wishes me gone,” she said calmly. She could feel the icy tone, sending a numb feeling down her back as Baal then explained. As he turner his gaze back to Buffy herself, she couldn’t help but bite her lip as to not smile. His words made her furrow her brows in confusion. ”Is it a bad different?” she asked a bit confused but also out of curiosity. Buffy chuckled a bit at Amy trying so hard to put thoughts in her head, like she had any control. ”I thank you for your advice, but I’m afraid I’ll probably leave him before he leaves me,” she said before looking at Baal again. ”The curse of a human, right?” she said with a pained and yet oddly happy smile. She knew whatever time she had with him was limited by her age, but it would be alright. She knew it would. She looked at the grey eyes, the faint green in them waving at her. ”I love you, Belial, more than anything; My first and my last,” she said stroking her hand over his cheek before she felt her knees weak again. She bowed forward, still feeling the pain from the fragment as it thought it had control. It was a ploy from her side, but she hoped she could keep it under control. She had to. Buffy leaned against Baal and sighed.

[color=#9370DB]”Your fiancée is lovely, I’ll have to give it to you,”[color] she said with a teasing grin on her lips. Even when pain was rushing through her she could react with teasing remarks and one-liners. Her green eyes wandered to Amy once more with a sad smile on her lips. ”I’m sorry that it has to be like this, but I will not fight you over something like this, when I’m not doubting what I have,” she said calmly and looked to Baal again. ”Can we please go home? I could eat a horse and it’s third cousin twice removed,” she grunted, feeling her stomach ever so empty and her skull like it was about to explode.

Amy’s expression betrayed her cold demeanor as it couldnt hide the hurt in her eyes as Buffy told her she couldnt keep her hands off him. It didnt matter to her that Belial didnt love her, it didnt matter that he had found what she thought was a replacement. She loved him, and it was as clear as day. But Baal only had eyes for one. He hadnt opened his heart for many, thinking that they’d keep it safe but Buffy had done that. Taken his hurting heart to show him that it was alright to rely on a person in that way. Hos eyes were looking into hers as she spoke to Amy, his face turning quite serious as she spoke of if he wanted her gone, he shook his head and grabbed Buffy’s face to Amy’s dismay. “I would never want you gone,” he assured her.
He wasnt sure what he felt when he had felt her soul. The feeling was fleeting, shifting between good and bad, never finding a balance between the two. It was nothing like it had been the first time he met her, the goodness in her soul that had dragged him in, and her whole being dooming him to always long for her. “Depends if it hurts,” he then said as an answer to her asking if it was a bad thing, it being more a question of ‘does it hurt?’ and a confirmation in it being fine even if it was bad. Amy made a pained expression at the notion, turning her back to them as her jealousy seemed to be sparking. And it didnt help that Buffy said that she would eventually leave him, Amy knew it was inevitable. “So you’d rather stay with him for as long as you can, and tear him apart once your time comes,” she angrily remarked. Baal had been pulled out of his focus at Buffy’s words and looked at her with pained eyes at the reminder of her mortality, still being a touchy subject for the demon.
His eyes were looking into hers as she spoke of her love to him. He listened intently, and at the end, a smirk creeped up on his lips as it turned into a soft grin, “You’ll be the last person I’ll ever love with this intensity,” he then said as she suddenly seemed to get weaker. Hos grip around her tightened, pressing her close to his body as he held her on her feet with a worried frown.
Buffy’s tease made Amy’s eyes glow with anger as she started approaching them. It made Baal turn his eyes back to her and one look from the demon’s heartless gaze just seemed to make her snap. She put a hand up on her collarbone, turning her eyes away as tears filled jer eyes. She wanted to say something but she also didnt want to try and help thid human any longer. She could have him, the damned prince of hell that loved her mortality. “I thought I couldnt doubt it either. But you do have the advantage of having a part of his soul. Tell me, how long do you think he’ll love you. Till you die? The soul knows, it is him after all,” She said, letting her emotions take over as she sobbed, quickly grabbing a hold of herself again. “The devil’s dear offspring loves their plsytoys more than others. But one day, he will be my husband and fulfill hos duty to place a baby in my belly,” she then said as she turned her eyes to Baal who stared at her with widened eyes. “Even if I have to make Lucifer carry out the wedding herself” - “Bear that in mind, playtoy.”
Baal had just veen focusing all on Buffy rather than to listen to the hurtful jabs coming frim Amy. The human wanted to go home, so he lifted her into his arm and walked over to a wall of stone. “I saved you! I was your light!” Amy desperately reminded him. He turned his eyed to hers, “Buffy is my new light, and she will be that for eternity” he said coldly as he started drawing his mark.

Buffy looked at him as he grabbed her face, forcing her to look at him. She smiled at him softly, feeling the warmth in her body moving around. ”It hurts like nothing else, but the fragment seems to fear my light,” she said considering it for a while. As Amy saw it fit to question her motives she breathed out, feeling her head spin slightly. ”It’s sad you believe that my soul would not be torn too by that; my heaven would live on while God’s heaven would be a pure imitation,” she said in a serious tone. She saw the sadness on his face turn to a grin, and she smiled back at him. In this moment she felt more in control, and maybe it was because the souls that the fragment had devoured had run their courses. Perhaps that was why her body suddenly felt this hunger. She wasn’t kidding when she said she was hungry. Amy moved closer and Baal seemed to warn her with a harsh gaze. Buffy placed her hand on Baal’s arm, seeking his attention. ”Don’t be hard on her, she’s hurting,” she said in a low almost pleading tone. She knew not much of the female demon, but she could see the care in her eyes. Soon, however, the demon turned everything around. Starting to spew words that came from a place of jealousy and hatred. ”Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave,” Buffy said, quoting the Bible. She felt her body stronger as she said the quote, almost as if the darkness around them disappeared for a moment. ”You would make a lovely couple, at least I think that you think that,” she said calmly, looking to Baal with a faint smile. ”A playtoy? Sounds almost kinky,” she said with a small teasing grin. Amy could spew all the words she wanted, speak every single worry and plant them in her head, but she had already worried about it all before. She felt Baal lift her up and she pressed herself closer to the demon. ”I thank you for saving him,” she added, looking over Baal’s shoulder to get one more look at the female demon. It was like you could feel the spite in the air, but it seemed to fall off of the human. She then looked to Baal as he opened the portal, leaning her head against his shoulder and feeling her eyelids so heavy on her.

”You know I would never accept if you spoke to me like that,” she mumbled, tired from her battle, from hell’s tormented feeling and last but not least the fear. The fear that she had lost what was keeping her alive. ”However, I wonder if I’ll get invited to your wedding?” she whispered in teasing and pressing herself closer to him. He might’ve not be meant for her to marry or have children with, but she would want her time with him to be even more meaningful than a full human life. ”Vanessa will kill us, don’t you think?” she said with a small chuckle. They stepped through the portal and as they reached the fresh air of earth she took a deep breath, feeling the calm enter her body. Her light soul seeming to beam right back to normal. ”Could you marry me?” she asked a bit in wondering. Thinking out loud as per usual, but she was tired. So tired of feeling like she was loosing him. She wanted him close, but to do so was hard. Time would tear them apart eventually, but right now she wanted to focus on the simple things.

This human just knew which of Amy’s buttons to press. Amy hissed angrily at Buffy, but Baal gritted his teeth at her in anger, “Amy. Leave it be,” he warned her in such a cold tone, that Amy felt the tears press on in her eyes. She moved her eyes to the ground and felt her lip tremble. It wasnt that he enjoyed breaking her heart, but he just knew he could never love her, and he wasnt going to spare her heart with the hope of anything being there at all. The one he wanted was in his arms, where she belonged. Amy knew she had lost, but it had never been a question of winning. Baal’s heart had turned cold by her cruel nature when she was turned, and nothing she did would ever spark a wamth in it. She watched them go through the portal.

He seemed a bit more relaxed when they finally got back to the earth, all the dark energy that filled the air of hell was gone and having Buffy so close seemed to soothe his wounded soul. He wasnt lying when he said that she was his new light. Her mumble made him raise an eyebrow, “They all see your kind as toys, but I would never. If I was to, I wouldnt have fallen this deeply in love with you,” he said as his eyes sought hers to make sure she heard his words. He moved his eyes back and frowned slightly at her tease, “There will never be a wedding. Unless Lucifer sets his... her eyes for it. She would probably invite you to let you see that I could never belong to a human,” his tone turned sour at the thought, “It’d doubtful that she’ll go through with it in a nearer future, my other siblings seem to have caught the attention for now,” he felt relieved by his own words.
He couldnt hold back a chuckle at the mention of Vanessa being angry, “If we’re lucky, her other personality might have taken over, it’ll be a little easier on us,” he then said as his thumb caressed her arm.
Her question made him turn his eyes to her as he walked, “Yes,” he replied rather seriously, without a tint of hesitation. He moved his eyes back to where they were walking, hoping to find Vanessa somewhere. “I could marry you. My family wouldnt be happy but I would. Being your husband would be nothing but an honour.” he then elaborated as his eyes met with hers and a soft smile spread on his lips, at the thought of marriage and a family. In all his thousand years of living, he hadnt ever given it a thought - Being too focused on his work and goals. Yet thinking about it with Buffy in the picture seemed so natural, like he longed for it all of a sudden. They were probably too young, or at least Buffy, so he wouldnt press all that longing onto her, still the mere thought made his stomach burst with the softest small tingles like butterflies.

When he turned the corner Vanessa was sitting on top of her car’s hood, a darkened expression in her face as she noticed them in the corner of her eye. Without saying a word, she hopped off the car and hurried to them in fast steps just as her fist made a solid impact on Baal’s arm, “You dickhead! Going to hell?! Unbelievable!” Her eyes were wide with fury as she then exhaled and shook her head, “The pure soul... I had to kill...” she stopped herself as she gulped and had a pained look in her eyes, Baal’s eyes met her with the same as he knew what she meant. “I’m sorry I made you do that,” he then said, sincerely meaning it. Vanessa felt a tear run down her cheek and shook her head, “It’s what we do for friends, isnt it?” She said with a sad smile, wiping away her tear. She then turned her eyes to Buffy, noticing how her soul had seemed to calm down, yet something was still off, it wasnt quite like the soul of a human.
“Just get in the car,” she then said as she opened the doors to the car. “I’m taking you whereever you want to go,” she said, but something in her didnt want to be left alone. But she felt it was too much for her to ask them, after what they had just been through. Baal placed Buffy in the car and sat himself next to her pulling his arm around her and holding her close. He sighed and leaned his head back against the seat, “I was hoping that Ramsay could stay there forever,” he then said as his eyes looked forward with a conflict in him. Hadnt Enid stepped in and helped them, he wouldnt know what would have happened. He appreaciated the help, but hated that he had forced that upon her - He was supposed to protect her and he felt like he had failed.[/color]

Feeling the air around them change was almost awestruckening and she held herself closer to Baal, almost afraid to move away from his arms. Not that she had much of a choice, His words made her wonder if there was a time when he had looked to humans as playtoys as well, but she felt none of the sort from him at this moment. He felt more disgusted than anything. He spoke of the wedding there never would be, and part of her felt relieved. He could’ve just as easily followed his father’s, or now mother’s, orders. She decided not to talk more about it, seeing as the tone of his voice felt more pained or rather sour as he spoke of it. ”If we’re lucky she won’t kill us,” she mumbled, a bit in teasing, but she had felt an immense power from the young looking demon. As she had let out her verbal thought, she swallowed shortly. It wasn’t a bad thought, but it had just slipped out. Then his answer came, and it sounded more serious than she would have thought it would have. She looked at him as he spoke again, making her stomach turn in excitement. ”Would you marry me, that’s the next question,” she said with a small giggle, but frowning as it seemed to cause her some pain. She knew it wasn’t really a traditional proposal, and maybe he would dismiss it as her being hurt and tired, but she would hold him to his answer.

”I know I’m young – far younger than you are – but if my life is only half of an average human I wouldn’t mind settling down,” she said with a small shrug, looking down. It was weird talking about. She was still busy with her studies, so of course she would have to finish those before tying any knots, but a promise could be just as great. Soon they reached Vanessa, a dark expression on her face and hitting Baal’s arm, she felt it in her back and she bit her lip as to not show that she felt it. Buffy kept quiet as they exchanged words, and she felt tired and ever so hungry. She was placed on the backseat, resting her head against Baal’s shoulder and closing her eyes. ”Let’s get something to eat,” she mumbled. Her body was screaming for food, more than usual. Had hell been so draining on her? ”A cockroach always survives,” she said, looking up on Baal. She could see his thoughts going a milion miles an hour, and she placed a hand over his, giving it a confirming squeeze. ”But I think I owe your sister a favor now,” she said in an almost slurred voice. ”Vanessa, do you eat human food?” she asked, trying to turn the conversation to something different than the darkness of hell.

Her next question caught him by surprise as he wasnt really sure if she was being serious about it or not. He looked at her with wide eyes, his mouth opening slightly as his eyebrows then furrowed a bit in confusion, “I would, yes, but are you proposing to me right now?” the voice quite confused, and yet it made him feel a joy spread in him. His confusion turned to happiness as she spoke. “Hm. You settling down? The world must be awfully close to ending.  I guess we’ll start seeing pigs fly,” he then teased her, trying not to think too much of the fact that she only had half the lifespan of the average human - His heart just couldnt take the ache at this moment. He got a bit more serious, “We should talk about it when you’ve gotten something to eat, and a little bit of rest,” he said as they got to Vanessa who was deeply worried.

Baal turned his head a bit towards Buffy as she suggested eating and turned his eyes to Vanessa who simply nodded as she drove. She didnt really look at them in the rearview like she did before, her eyes were mostly on the road. Baal shook his head and didnt look at Buffy as she spoke, the words just seemed to add to his frustration. He looked out the window and was caught in his own thoughts about hell, his sister and Ramsay. Her squeeze made him grab her hand to entangle their fingers but he kept his eyes out of the window. “Mnnhhh... It’s fine. I’ll make it up to her and you wont owe anyone a favor,” he simply said, his expression ridden of emotions.
Vanessa turned her gaze up and looked at Buffy in the rearview. “Human food is fine for me. It doesnt do much in nutrients, but that just means I can eat more,” she then said with a small smile on her lips. She then shrugged at her own words and moved her eyes back on the road, “What do you want to eat?” She then asked, ready to type it in her gps. Samuel had probably started to wonder where she had gone, but she didnt care. As she had driven to the location of the place Buffy wanted to eat at, she turned her head back at them and sighed, “No more dying, alright?

”I don’t know, to be honest,” she said with a smile as he asked if she was proposing. It wasn’t really typically the female proposing in a relationship, and maybe Baal was a bit more old fashioned, but she couldn’t see why not. ”I mean, I think it would be a nice thing if I got to marry you before your other betrothed, right?” she said in teasing and chuckled at his comment about settling down. She shook her head and sighed. ”Hey, I can relax too – but maybe a lot of kids could keep me busy,” she said in teasing. She didn’t really know if kids was even in the cards for her, but maybe some day. He got more serious and she nodded at his opinion. She felt the hunger burn in her like nothing before, making a strained expression as he mentioned food.

In the car she barely looked out the window, more focused on the people in the car with her. She could feel Baal was abscent right now, but it was alright. He had some things to process, which was why she turned her attention to Vanessa. ”Jealous! Can you eat anything without gaining weight then?” she asked a bit jealous, but it was all in good fun. She thought about where to eat and suggested a small restaurant on one of the sideroads leading up to the city centre. As they got out of the car, she chuckled at Vanessa’s remark. ”No more dying, fiiine,” she said with a teasing grin, grabbing Vanessa’s arm in her own, slightly leaning on the demon with a smile on her face. ”Let’s eat this restaurant out of business, then?” she said with a warm smile. Buffy had an easy time gaining friends, but demons was a different deal. She just hoped she could show Vanessa that she had some good sides. They got a table and Buffy was not kidding as she ordered more than enough food for three people. ”What do you guys want?” she said looking at Vanessa and then Baal. She knew Baal didn’t want to eat, but he could get a water, just to look normal.

His surprise only grew at the mention of kids, and he looked at her for a while, blinking with his eyes like he couldnt really believe what he was hearing. As happy as it made him feel inside, this seemed like a lot to put up on the table after what they had just been through. He had to remind himself that it was not unusual for humans to think about bonds and family when they had gone through a near-death or losing-loved-one experiences. “If it wasnt that we’ve just been to hell, I would gladly make you my wife and start a family,” he hesitated, “But I think it is wiser that you should ask me when your head has cleared a bit,” he then said, his own words turning his mood a bit sour - He wanted it as well with her but only if she was completely certain. “The thoughts of marrying and starting a family with you is more than tempting, as you are the only one that I want. So this is not a rejection,” he then clarified.

Vanessa lifted her gaze and made half a smile as Buffy seemed jealous. “Demons have a overall better metabolism. So even if I just ate my regular food, I would never gain a pound,” she explained as she then shrugged, “I would love to gain weight, just to know what it feels like,” she then said, looking at the road with a thoughtful look in her eyes. She looked up at Buffy again and smiled a bit, the human’s energy was shining through Baal’s gloom from just staring out the window.

She smiled at Buffy’s tease but raised her eyebrows just the slightest as she had grabbed her arm and leaned towards her. She wondered if she would have had the same reaction if she was her real self, but for some reason she liked this. It felt normal, and she had felt so different for a long time, “Alright. Into bankruptcy it is,” she replied with a smile. Baal just walked next to them with his hands in his pockets, when they got into the resturant, he sat down and leaned back into his chair, trying not to seem to distant even though his mind was running wild. He stared at the menu for a long time, when Buffy asked them what they wanted. Vanessa snatchef the menu card from his hands and looked at it for a while, turning her eyes to the waiter, “Mr Sourface who is gonna stare his eyes dry here just wants a sugar free coke, but I’ll have...” and she went on to match the numbers of orders that Buffy had ordered. Baal scoffed when the menu was snatched from his hands and he looked at Vanessa with a confused frown. Vanessa shrugged at him and made her order, smirking as she handed the waiter the menu cards, who had a baffled look in his eyes as he looked at the two girls - Were they going to eat all of that, his eyes clearly wondered, only for him to take the order to walk to the kitchen. Vanessa then widened her eyes slightly before she looked at him, clearing her throat to make him stop and look back at them. “We’d also like the breadstick starters,” she then said with a grin and the waiter nodded as he went off again.
Baal exhaled quietly as he had gone and leaned forward to grab Buffy’s hand and entangle their fingers on top of the table. He looked at their hands and caressed the back of her hand with his indexfinger.
Vanessa looked at their hands before she looked at Buffy. “What are you studying?” She then asked as she lifted her elbow up on the table to cup her face in her hand. She tilted her head slightly and smiled, as the waiter placed the starter on the table, she grabbed a breadstick and dipped it in the garlic sauce before she took a good bite.

”Always thinking on overtime,” she murmured, looking at him with a smile. It wasn’t that she hadn’t had those thoughts before, but she had just been confirmed in all the things she knew to be true. Baal cared for her, more than she could ever describe, and he had literally just sacrificed a piece of his soul for her. She wondered what his soul fragment in her body meant, but that would be a worry for another time. The pain had mostly subsided, but the hunger was in her, burning like she was ravenous. ”Sometimes us humans can make a good choice, even when tired,” she said looking up at him with a chuckle. ”I mean, I was full of good ideas when I had my concussion – Don’t tell me you didn’t feel the tingle when you held my hand the first time,” she said in a slight teasing tone, but underneath there was a vulnerability to it.

”I mean, as far as humans go I got a good metabolism, but when all you want to do is eat waffles for every meal, you have to restrain yourself, just a bit,” she said with a chuckle. Buffy could still feel the pain lurking underneath, and she feared a bit for when she had to sleep. She wanted Vanessa to know that she was greatful for everything that she had done up until this point. However Buffy also saw something in the female demon, something that could maybe evolve into a friendship. She chuckled as Vanessa took the menu from Baal, but Buffy leaned closer to him, placing a sweet kiss on his cheek and sending him a warm smile. Buffy let Vanessa do most of the ordering, and feeling as Baal entangled their fingers, sending a warm feeling through her body. Looking at their fingers it just felt so natural, even though she didn’t know why. Well she knew it was because she loved Baal, but this feeling had been there since their first meeting. She gave his hand a squeeze, before she looked at Vanessa asking her about her studies. She raised an eyebrow, had she mentioned this to her? ”Litterature,” she said with a warm smile. Maybe Baal had told about her, but she couldn’t be sure.

”It’s fine most of the time, but sometimes keeping up with work and studies can be a bit complicated,” she said with a shrug, reaching for a breadstick and dipping it as well taking a bite. She sighed as she felt food in her system, but the hunger still lured in her. ”This is so good,” she mumbled, taking another bite and closing her eyes with a smile. ”I’m on my fifth semester, so one more semester and I’m done – unless I decide on a candidate,” she said with a smile. ”What about you? You doing anything else than saving our lives?” she asked, genuinly interested.

"I just want you to be sure that it's what you want from me," he said with a little smile. When she talked about her concussion, he moved his eyes a bit away as she was right in her claim. He had felt it clear as day, and at the time it had scared him as he was still aching. It was funny how things could change that easily if it was by the hands of the right person, this human girl that had stumbled into his life and turned it completely upside down in no time. He turned his eyes back to hers, "I knew then what I know now. And it is that I only want to keep you happy," he then said with a soft smile on his lips.

Vanessa chuckled at the human metabolism, "Demons have it better," she said, looking at Buffy in the rearview with happy eyes. It felt nice to talk to the human, even though she knew that she wasnt being completely truthful with how she was behaving. Her true self was nothing like this, a talkative girl who just sought friendship. The real Vanessa would have crawled back in the seat and left the car in complete silence. But she didnt have to think much of it, as what mattered is that she finally felt like she belonged, even if it was just for a short while.
Baal felt Buffy's lips on his cheek and turned his head to her with a small smile, but it couldnt quite reach his eyes. He held her hand and was for a moment taken back to the first time they were at a similar place. It made the demon's eyes glow up a bit as he couldnt help but smile to himself, looking down at their hands. This was what true love felt like, he was sure of it.
Vanessa tilted her head a bit as she mentioned her study. She nodded and put her other hand under her chin, cupping her own face as she smiled at Buffy, "So you're planning to be a journalist? Or school teacher?" she then asked out of her own curiosity. It had really been a shot in the dark, as she had just assumed by Buffy's age that she had to be studying something. "Yeah, I could imagine," she replied and chuckled a bit, studying probably wasnt all that easy as some made it out to be.
Baal just watched them as they ate, grabbing his soda to take a sip. He didnt enjoy the taste, but wasnt really showing it as carbonated drinks didnt have all that flavour. The sweetener was however terrible, natural flavours were somewhat fine compared to artificial ones. He knew that Vanessa had just ordered it because she knew that he would hate it. Vanessa listened to Buffy as she grabbed her soda and ripped the bottom of the straw packaging, before she aimed the other half at Baal, blowing into the straw so the remaining packaging flew directly at him, hitting his cheek. He looked a bit flustered at the impact but all she got from him was a deep exhale.
She looked back at Buffy, "Candidates are good, I've heard," she said tilting her head as Buffy returned the question. She gulped a bit and took another bite of her breadstick, not really showing that it was a hard question to be asked. She shrugged and turned her eyes to Baal who was looking at her with a careful look. "I am not allowed to study. My father wants me to take over his firm, if he ever were to die. So sadly there's no education for me in this life," she then explained, finishing the breadstick before she continued, "I've learned a lot of biology and chemistry. But I'm not sure that it's for a good purpose," she then said with a sad smile looking down at the basket of breadsticks. She exhaled and moved her eyes up to meet Buffy's, "My father owns TriCell. It's the same as Umbrella, but he has made sure to keep it secret," she then said, not really caring if anyone heard. "Vanessa," Baal said more firmly than intended, but Vanessa just stuck her tongue out at him and looked to Buffy with a smile. She wasnt allowed to talk about it, but some part of her felt the need to at least mention it, "Samuel Prideux. The man, the myth, the mastermind. If you ask him. I think that if you are supposed to be as fearsome as he wants to be, then hiding doesnt quite cut it," she then said and shook her head. Oversharing was apparently not a thing that Vanessa minded.

Buffy shrugged at Vanessa’s suggestion. She hadn’t given much thought to what she would use her degree to, if anything at all. Her life had been pretty set on just continuing her already established line of work. University had more of a distraction than anything. She looked at Vanessa with a smile on her lips. ”I guess I haven’t really thought about it – I think I picked it mostly because it was such a large subject,” she said with a smile. Sitting here with Baal and Vanessa felt like calmness had entered her body at last. Watching Vanessa and Baal interact made her giggle, and she gave his hand a squeeze. She nodded at Vanessa’s next remark. ”They are pretty good – more secure if you want a specific kind of job,” she said with a smile and took another bite. She had to keep herself from just stuffing the bread into her mouth to feed her hunger. Buffy almost choked as Vanessa said she couldn’t study. ”What!?” she spat out, chewing and swallowing before she continued. She listened to the explaination and furrowed her brows, shaking her head. TriCell and Umbrella. Names of companies she knew slightly. She gave Baal a look as she raised her eyebrow, wondering what was wrong with the girl sharing a bit. Maybe she just needed to get it off her chest. ”I’ve heard of those names, but to be honest I haven’t looked much into them,” she said with a small smile. She probably had an idea, and she had heard the company names being thrown around before, but she had never asked much. ”I think everyone should choose what they want to do with their life,” Buffy said after a bit of silence, looking into Vanessa’s eyes with a caring gaze.

”I know everyone has obligations, but if you don’t stop and think about what you want, you might end up spending eternity on something you don’t want,” she said with a smile, reaching over to place a warm hand on hers. ”I don’t know the situation, and maybe I shouldn’t, but I’ll support you, whatever you choose – hell, if you need some slaying done, I might be up for it,” she said with a cheery smile and removed her hand, placing it against her own forehead, suddenly feeling a bit dizzy. She leaned back, closing her eyes and trying to calm herself. ”I’m fine,” she said, before either of them could make a comment. She wasn’t really, but she didn’t want to think about it right now. She wanted it to be normal. She wanted this to cheer both of them up. Soon the food arrived and she took it in, eating a bit faster than usual as her stomach seemed to be an empty hole.

//Out<33//