Chapter Text
'You will die if you make this deal, you know that right?'
'Yes.'
You do know, but you promised her, you promised you would keep him safe. That promise has been broken, temporarily, but you can fix it, you can fix it right now if you die.
That seems like a small price. You don't wanna live without him anyway.
It cocks its head at you, green eyes flashing luridly in the dim light as it considers your answer, taking in the sight of your blood-covered shirt, your slick red palms. None of it is yours. It's his, all his.
Dave is lying, motionless, in the middle of the summoning circle and its funny because he usually looks so good in red but-
No. No. You can't see if you are crying, and you need to keep your eyes open, you need to see this.
'What's you name?' You ask it. You figure since you are gonna die, knowing who killed you can't hurt.
The demon blinks, recoiling slightly and you see the fold of its double eyelids slip-slide in place before opening to reveal too-green eyes. Huh. You didn't know they had those.
Bit late to be finding out now.
'Jake English.' It tells you.
That's a...relatively human sounding name. It suit him. You guess it's a him. It looks like a male.
'And you are?' He asks you, stepping closer. There is something so impossibly predatory in his steps, something smooth and feline.
You force yourself not to move back. You are not here to kill, you are here to deal.
'Strider. Dirk Strider, Now save him. Please.' The moon is reaching its highest waxing point, you need to do this now.
A long, elegant arm whips out and his fingers close around your throat, you swallow once. Fuck he was fast. And strong. You glance at Dave's lifeless body over his shoulder and you can't help the stupid, sad little smile breaks out on your face.
'C-Could you tell him I'm sorry? Tell him I'm sorry and I promised his mother I wouldn't let anything happen to him. Tell him this is my fault and to give up demon hunting and find someone he loves instead. Could you tell him that?' The last of your sentence gets a bit chewed up because you have started crying.
Jake looks at you oddly, you think you see a weird little flash of something on his face – was it pity? - but then he becomes a blurred green-black blob when hot, salty tears squeeze out the corners of your eyes.
He gives you one careful bob of his head, not once breaking eye contact. He will.
'Thanks.' You tell him, smiling a bit softer at him. Dave has to know this is not his fault. It's your fault, all your fault. You shouldn't have brought him tonight.
His fingers clench and your feel his claws dig into the back of your neck, harder and harder until you feel them break the surface and blood runs down the back of your sweatshirt. It's getting harder to breathe, you feel sick and dizzy and light-headed all at the same time. Something is growing in your chest, something burning and bright, building and building until it feels like your ribs are cracking, breaking outwards under the pressure.
You look over it's – Jake's - shoulder in times to see Dave move, his eyes flutter open as he stirs, focusing on the sky. The last thing you hear is-
'Bro?'
Then your heart explodes and everything whites out.