by Max Hudson
It's me. I feel like screaming.
He heard his phone chime behind him. He lifted his mug, took it inside, and lounged on the couch, leaving the porch door open. The chilly breeze followed him inside. It rustled the tapestry behind him and made him smile.
He lifted his phone.
“Doing okay?” Marc had texted. “Just checking.”
“Doing as well as I can.”
“Have you talked to him yet?”
Ari rolled his eyes and typed, “Not since Wednesday.”
“Radio silence.”
“I'm getting there.”
Marc sent a smiley face. “I believe in you.”
“You're strange, Marc.”
“Isn't that your cup of tea?”
Ari laughed, glancing briefly at his mug before redirecting his eyes back to his phone. “I suppose so.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
He closed his message thread with Marc and scrolled down to Noah's name, noticing their last exchange had involved a series of pictures. Noah had visited a local craft store and found a delightful array of porcelain skulls. Ari had been meaning to purchase them.
He frowned suddenly.
Without further thought, he clicked on Noah's name and held the phone to his ear. He listened intently as the line beeped and then rang, seeming to go on for eternity.
The line clicked. He perked up on the couch, straightening his back to a near inhuman position.
“Noah, don't hang up,” he said quickly. “I need to apologize.”
“For what?”
He paused. “I...”
Words echoed through his mind, slithered behind his eyes, and then disappeared into the darkness of his brain. He felt hollow.
And his lips were drying out from leaving his mouth open.
After a deep breath, he whispered, “I wasn't treating you fairly. I'm sorry for that. I don't often interact with that many people.”
“But you're a therapist.”
“Outside of work.”
Noah hummed. “Yeah, I think that's obvious.”
“But it's the same for you, isn't it? We both don't really see other people. I mean, we haven't dated in a while. We're both still...”
“Hurt?”
Ari dropped his gaze to his lap. The fingers of his left hand quivered. He curled his fingers into a fist and glanced up at the blank television.
“Yes, I've been hurt,” he admitted. “It makes it difficult to let people in.”
“I understand how that feels.”
“And I hate to say it, but I think the way this situation went inspired how I treated you.”
Noah sighed. “I think I did the same thing. I expected you to fix everything because you do it for your job.”
“Well, technically, I don't fix people.”
“You help them with their problems.”
Ari nodded. “Precisely. I guide them to their own conclusions. I try not to influence them too much.”
“Listen, I'm sorry about Floyd. He was a mess and he's...Well, it's looking like maybe he'll get help. I don't know.”
“You don't have to be sorry about Floyd. No one has to be sorry for Floyd except Floyd.”
Noah took a breath and exhaled loudly, filling the line with static. “Thank you for saying that.”
“I think I judged you too harshly. We're both human and we're both susceptible to making mistakes.”
“Yeah, I feel that.”
Ari nodded. “So, I'm sorry that things took such a weird turn. I'm sorry I didn't handle it better. I'm sorry I tried to run.”
“And I'm sorry I tried to cling.”
“And those are natural responses to any strange situation. We're both just responding how we were trained.”
Noah sniffled. “...Ari, there's something I should tell you.”
“I'm listening.”
“My last relationship was a mess. He got into my head and made me feel pretty bad about myself. There were a few close calls...” He released a shaky breath and croaked. “Floyd had to pick me up a few times.”
“I'm sorry to hear that, Noah.”
“And Floyd said he mentioned Trevor, so I guess you already had an idea about what happened.”
Ari nodded slowly. “I had a hint, yes.”
“I haven't let that slow me down, you know? I stayed away from men for a while, but I guess I just...I got lost. And I almost got lost in you.”
“I don't think it's a bad thing to have gotten lost in me.”
Noah chuckled lightly. “You have a way of taking me over.”
“That's how most demon possessions work, yes.”
“Ari...oh, my God.”
Ari covered his mouth with a chuckle. “Sorry. Too soon for jokes?”
Noah cackled. Part of his laughter faded and then returned as if he might have dropped his phone or held it away from his lips. When his cackle faded to a chuckle, he said, “No, I really needed that. I needed to laugh. I don't like talking about Trevor.”
“You don't have to share anything you don't feel comfortable sharing.”
“Alright, Dr. Davies.”
Ari blushed, shrugging his shoulders up to his ears and sheepishly grinning down at his left hand. His fingers had uncurled. They weren't shaking anymore.
He sighed. “I promise I'll do my best not to treat you like you're one of my clients.”
“I don't mind the help every now and then. I think what you share is insightful.”
“But it can sound condescending.”
Noah snickered. “Maybe a little bit.”
“Are you okay? Should I... Do you want to come over here?”
“Do you want me to come over?”
Ari nodded. “Yes...I do. I would like that very much.”
“I don't want to impose. You might have to go meet with your coven or something. Or wait...” Noah faded briefly before returning with, “We have plenty of time until midnight.”
Ari laughed. “You're silly.”
“Hey, I need the distraction. This past week has been...”
“Hell.”
Noah huffed with amusement. “Something like that.”
“I'm sorry things got out of hand on Wednesday. I said some rude things.”
“Hey, I accept your apology. You're not perfect. I'm not perfect either. Didn't you hear what I said? I'm sorry, too.”
Ari smiled warmly. “I heard a few things, yes.”
“You're a devil.”
“Just one of a few. Would you like to meet the rest?”
Noah laughed. “Is that how this whole possession thing is supposed to play out?”
“That's up to you.”
“Alright, let me wrap up this code project and I'll head over. Text me your address.”
“Hey, Noah?”
“Yes, Ari?”
Ari played with a frayed string on the knee of his jeans. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For answering the phone.”
Noah chuckled. “Thank you for calling.”
After a series of pleasant farewells—but not farewells that would last for more than fifteen minutes—Ari rose from his sunken spot on the couch and raised his arms above his head. He reached as far as he could, stepping up on the tips of his toes to feel the stretch throughout his body.
He tucked his phone into his pocket and edged toward the balcony door. He stared out into the shadow-laden streets, dotted with bulbs of orange-yellow lights that shimmered in the darkness like fairies.
Even in the darkest of nights, he thought. There is always a lamp waiting to burn bright.
Chapter Fourteen
Noah
Wind whipped about the balcony, causing Noah's hair to flutter up away from his forehead. The breeze tickled his scalp and met his ears, carrying with it a haunting howl from somewhere down below. He glanced over the edge of the balcony.
“Ten points if you can drop an egg directly on that guy's head.”
Ari laughed. “Noah! Have some manners!”
“What? Isn't that the Halloween spirit?”
“We don't cause harm. We just cause...mischief. There's a difference, okay?”
Noah smirked playfully. “Unwritten witch rules? Or are those from the demonic side of things?”
“I'll never tell.”
“I suppose the demons have you under strict confidence.”
Ari squinted but retained a mirthful grin. “You're pushing, Noah.”
“Oh, no. Am I inciting your wrath? Will you suddenly sprout horns and bat wings?”
“You're lucky you're adorable.”
Noah hummed and reached for the pumpkin from the table in front of him. He procured a carving knife and stuck the sharp end into the flesh of the vegetable, struggling to move the knife farther than an inch. Ari chuckled as he offered his hands.
“Need help?”
“Maybe.”
Ari wrapped his pale fingers around Noah's hand and guided Noah's hand forward.
“It needs a little elbow grease,” he instructed. “But it should move with relative ease as long as you keep sliding it like so.”
“How are you so good at this?”
Ari winked. “Practice.”
Noah smiled and focused on his task, following the black outline of a bat he had drawn just minutes ago. His knife went crooked and he redirected it. When it strayed from the black line again, he sighed loudly and paused, leaning back in his chair to meet the wind again.
“Seriously,” he groaned. “Give me a break.”
“You're doing wonderfully.”
“That's easy for you to say.”
Ari chuckled while holding up his already finished pumpkin. “What do you think?”
“What is that?”
“A crescent moon with a star. What else?”
Noah shook his head. “No, on your face—there's something on the corner of your lip.”
“It might be pumpkin guts. I tend to fling them. I get excited while carving pumpkins.”
“Come here. Let me see.”
Ari leaned forward for Noah to inspect his lips. When he was close enough, Noah stole his lips, humming contentedly between broken chuckles.
Ari sighed as he drew away. “Devilish.”
“And daring.”
“How dare you.”
Noah grinned. “Happy Halloween.”
“And to you, my dear.”
“What else should we do tonight? Toilet paper someone's house? Sulk through the cemetery?”
“Sulk?” Ari asked incredulously. “Is that what you think I do?”
“Well, I wasn't sure what the appropriate word would be.”
“Skulk would be suitable.”
Noah laughed. “Then, let us skulk among the gravestones and scare little children.”
“Not with that outfit.”
He glanced down at his khakis and t-shirt. “What's wrong with these? I look normal. Isn't that how most monsters look?”
“No, you need something darker.”
“You mean black.”
Ari smirked. “I have an entire wardrobe at your disposal.”
“Could we roast these pumpkin seeds and then choose outfits? I'm getting hungry.”
“Of course, my love.”
Ari rose from his seat and planted his pumpkin on the table. He plucked a small candle from a stack under his chair, lit the wick, and placed the candle carefully inside the pumpkin. The wind threatened to extinguish the flame but it persisted to burn.
“It's like us,” Noah whispered. “That candle.”
“What's that, dear?”
“We could have gone out with all that pressure, but we didn't.”
Ari turned with a wide smile. He held out his hands, accepted Noah's pumpkin, and picked up another carving tool, a curved one that seemed to be much more suitable to Noah's design. When he was finished, he plucked the large pieces of pumpkin out and stuck a lit candle inside.
Noah stood up and admired their pumpkins. “Gorgeous.”
“Like you.”
“Oh, stop.”
Ari chuckled. “And you're right. We could have disappeared. We didn't.”
“I'm glad we didn't.”
“You and me both.”
Noah nuzzled into Ari's neck, inhaling the rich aroma of Ari's cologne. He sucked the scent deep, held it tight in his lungs, committed it to memory. He never wanted to forget such a delightful aroma. As he dragged his nose up to Ari's jawbone, he snaked his hands around Ari's waist.
“Hey,” he whispered to Ari's lips. “It's almost midnight.”
“Should we kiss?”
“I think that's a New Years' thing.”
Noah smirked. “Well, we can certainly make it a Halloween thing if we want.”
“I like that. Every good relationship should start off with strong traditions established.”
“I agree.”
Smiling, Noah stood up on his toes and planted his mouth firmly to Ari's waiting lips. He sighed into their kiss, slipping his tongue inside Ari's mouth to dance with Ari's tongue. He almost didn't pull away. But the sound of laughter erupting below prompted him to step back while keeping his smile intact.
“The night is young,” he announced while tugging Ari inside. “We have potions to make and seeds to plant!”
“Was that a…?”
“What?”
Ari smiled mischievously while raising his eyebrows. He swept past Noah while sliding his hand over the small of Noah's back.
Noah, having realized what he said, blushed. He wandered into the kitchen behind Ari and leaned casually against the counter.
“Well,” he said with a chuckle. “I meant the pumpkin seeds, but we can do that, too.”
“I can certainly pump you with something.”
“Ari Davies, that's scandalous.”
Ari threw his head back and cackled, revealing his elongated canines. Noah admired the sight, blinking dreamily as the laughter faded and Ari's face returned to its usual sophisticated expression. It was the sort of expression that exuded confidence, calm, and curiosity all at once.
“So,” Ari sighed while grabbing a pan from the cupboard. “How is everything going with Floyd?”
“He apologized...sort of.”
“I suppose that's a start.”
Noah shrugged. “He called me last night and said his uncle was driving him to rehab. He gave the dogs to an adoption center and then put the house up for sale. Our company fired him.”
“Who will handle the house while he's in rehab?”
“I think his uncle will do all that.”
Ari nodded. “It's good to hear he's taking steps forward.”
“Yeah, I'm proud of him.”
“It sounds like it.”
Noah grinned. “And I'm proud of you.”
“For what? I haven't done anything spectacular lately.”
“Well, you swallowed your pride and apologized to me. That takes a lot of guts.”
Ari cocked his head curiously to the right as he set the pan on the stove and lifted the bowl of pumpkin seeds. He smiled at Noah, huffed with amusement, and then dumped the bowl of seeds on the baking sheet. Noah jumped in to help spread the seeds around.
“It was the right thing to do,” Ari explained. “And I just...”
“I know it was the right thing to do, but it still makes me proud. I think I'm allowed to feel that.”
“You're right.”
Noah bristled with affection. “Oh, I like the sound of that.”
“Don't get used to it.”
“Why not?”
Ari beamed. “Because it might go to your pretty head and I don't want to see you get cocky.”
“But you want to see my cock, right?”
“Noah!”
Ari burst into chuckles while reaching over the stove to preheat the oven. He set the oven at 350 degrees and stepped back, allowing the laugh to fully take him over. In the light of th
e kitchen, his cheeks reflected a little more color than usual. His skin was still pale, accentuated by his black shirt and jeans, and his lips were slightly pink.
When he finished laughing, he tugged Noah into a tight hug and swayed Noah side to side.
“You're such a delight,” he whispered. “I've never enjoyed laughing this much.”
“I suppose it's something to get used to.”
“I suppose.”
Noah chuckled, returning the hug with double the tightness. “How's your job? Is everything okay at the office?”
“Oof, you're stronger than you look.”
“I have to make up for my height.”
Ari chuckled. “Darling, you're the perfect height.”
“You're only saying that because you're not wearing your boots right now.”
“Do they intimidate you? I can stop wearing them.”
Noah smiled up at Ari. “You don't have to do that.”
“I suppose we could get you a pair of platform boots.”
“...I don't think I would look good in those.”
Ari smirked. “Are you sure? You never know until you try them.”
“I'm so positive, sweetheart. That's the exact opposite of what I would wear on any given day.”
“Well, if you ever want to try them...”
Ari nodded to the massive pile of boots situated near the door. It was the only thing in his apartment that wasn't organized, each boot flopped lazily on top of another with gleaming buckles, long laces, and various occult symbols.
Noah laughed. “You're adorable.”
“I never thought I would live to see the day where someone described me as...adorable.”
“Is that bad?”
Ari stared blankly into the distance. “I'm not sure.”
“Well, if it ever bothers you, I can stop,” Noah assured. “You distracted me. Tell me about work.”
“Right—the office.”
“How is it?”
Ari shrugged. “It's just fine. Floyd never made a formal complaint. He accepted the referral to the office across town. The offer lasts for the next year, so he has plenty of time to decide whether he wants to go after rehab.”
“I'm glad you did that for him.”
“Marc suggested it. I think it was the least we could do considering the circumstances.”
Noah nodded. “It still feels weird. I had no idea Floyd was in love with me. I mean, I never noticed anything that would have indicated it.”