Evenstar by Darcy Town

dry streambed.   “And anyways, you’re not ugly.”
    “I am ruined.”
    “Scars are coming back in.   You’re a trendsetter.”
    Furcas closed his eye.   “I like this side of you.   What is it called?   Nice ?”
    Paimon snorted.   “Well, what do you expect of me?   You are finally are out camping with me!”
    “I detest camping.   I’d rather die.”
    Paimon’s expression turned stony.   “ Don’t talk about dying.”   He stared at the forest around them as the sky lightened.   “I thought you were dead , you fucking shit.”   He blinked back tears.   “You went in there without me.”
    Furcas tried to shrug.   “Didn’t have a choice.   You would have done the same if you could have.”
    Paimon glared at the trees.   “No, I wouldn’t have.   That’s the difference between you and me.”
    Furcas’ voice got quiet as his energy ran out, “You knew the danger when I bonded with her.”
    “I didn’t expect it would happen.”
    Furcas rolled his eye.   “Now who’s the idiot?”
    “Shut up, gimpy.”
    “Fuckwad.”
    Paimon grinned.   “Cripple.”
    Furcas bit his neck.   “Bitch.”
    Paimon smiled.   “Oh, this is going to be fun.”   He hummed.
    Furcas held on to Paimon’s neck.   “I can choke you with one hand, just keep that in mind.”   He opened his eye wide and stared at the forest around them.   “How long was I out?”
    “Hours.”
    “What happened?”
    Paimon puffed his chest out.   “ I saved the day.”
    Furcas smiled.   “Of course you did.”
    “I did!”   He glanced back at Furcas.   “You helped, so I guess you can have some credit too.   You saved enough time for Andy to get in and get her out.”       
    Furcas frowned.   “Andy?   I don’t remember that.”
    “No shit, you were being Uriel’s science experiment at the time.”   Paimon’s cheeks flushed.   He shook his head.   “Helion got Andy inside the shield.   I got in right after with Dahlia’s pendant and started wailing on the Archangels.   Like the Hulk.   I ruined Uriel’s face for you.”
    “Uriel?   Michael was the one that did it.”
    Paimon shuddered.   “Uriel hurt you , and he enjoyed it.   I don’t care what Berith says, Uriel is mine to kill.”
    “I think Belial will fight you for that right.”
    Paimon smirked.   “Well I’ll watch then.”
    “So what now?”
    “We’re still on plan.”   He gestured towards the woods.   “Heading south.”
    “Paimon.”   Furcas sighed.   “I’m dying.”
    Paimon flinched.   “What did I say not a minute ago?”
    “Not to talk about dying.”
    “Good.”
    “But I am.”   Furcas clapped his hand over Paimon’s mouth.   “I know you remember what happened when Lucifer was impaled last time.”
    Paimon bit Furcas’ hand.   “He didn’t die.   That’s what I remember.”
    “But he was dying and would have without aid.   My wound is far worse.”
    “He also gave up.   You’re not going to give up.   You have something to live for…hopefully more than one something.”
    Furcas sagged.   “Did have, but my face is screwed.   My chest and stomach are terrible.   I can’t even handle knowing how bad they are.   Oh and half of my left arm is missing.   And let’s remember that you’re the only doctor I have out here.   I am so fucked.”
    Paimon stomped through the undergrowth.   “You are such a dick.”
    “I still have one of those don’t I?”
    Paimon smirked.   “I hope so.   Otherwise I am dumping you here and now.”
    Furcas laughed and cringed as he bled through his stitches.   “Your sewing is atrocious; I don’t even need to see it to know.”
    “ Sorry I was more worried about your life than your face.”   He squeezed Furcas’ hand.   “I’ll…I’ll redo it later or something.”
    “Apology accepted.”   Furcas closed his working eye.   Paimon hummed.   Furcas smiled and passed into an unconscious, dreamless state.
    ***
    Raphael