"Are you sure she has the gun?" Syn asked as he looked at Lucifer. We hadn't seen him in almost a week but here he was telling us my "mother's" latest plans. I wanted a relationship with her, but how could she want to do this to me?

"She couldn't have known we lost it if she didn't have it," Lucifer urged.

Syn and I glanced at each other and I shook my head slowly.
"So you want us to fake break up?" I asked.

Lucifer grimaced and nodded. "If I felt there was another option I wouldn't ask but there isn't. This gun is dangerous and if she has it we're dead."

Syn ran his hand through his hair and paced his room. After a few moments, he turned to me and shrugged tiredly. "It's your call."

I thought about it for a few moments as I looked down at my feet. Breaking up with Syn even if it was fake was going to be horrible but if it was going to save his life...it needed to happen. I nodded and turned to Lucifer. "We'll do it."

"Great," Lucifer said in a relieved voice as we stood up. "I'll leave you two to figure out the where and when."

"Okay," Syn muttered.

Lucifer in a few strides made it to the door and out of the room and I turned back to Syn. "So how do you want to do it?"

He crossed his arms and blew out a frustrated breath. "Well, we need Lilith to see it. Considering she's never far, I think we should do it at the ball."

"That's the day after tomorrow."

"I know," he said as he threw himself onto the bed. "But this isn't something we can afford to waste time on."

"How would we do it?" I asked quietly.

He adjusted himself on the bed so his back was on the headboard and he looked at me. "Come here."

I walked over to him reluctantly and he pulled me onto him. Syn kissed the top of my head and I laid comfortably on his chest as I thought about our "break up". I ran a couple of ideas through my mind, but nothing was good enough. They all had holes in them and they would only be believable temporarily.

"I have an idea," Syn spoke up.

"What?" I looked up at him.

"I need you to cheat on me," he said calmly.

I moved away from him and stared at him in shock. "What?! How Syn that-"

"Let me explain," he began. "I'll spread the news that I won't be attending the ball..."

"Then how-"

"I'm not done, Princess." I shut my mouth and sighed as I listened to him avidly. His plan already sounded ludicrous. "So I'll tell everyone I won't go. Tomorrow night you will go to dinner with Sebastian and you will bring him as your date to the ball. I'll spontaneously show up and see you with him and break up with you."

"You think you can act that well?" I asked. His plan was better than I initially thought but it'd only be good if we could pull it off.

"Yes," he said with a shrug. "Can you?"

"Of course I can," I replied dramatically. "You know how many romance movies I've watched Syn? I know exactly what to do."

He squinted his eyes at me and nodded. "Then let's practice." He stood up and walked to the door. "I'm walking into the ball and I see you and Sebastian together."

"Okay." I quickly got off the bed and walked to another part of the room where my teddy bear from the carnival was. I picked it up and placed it on the table. "This is Sebastian. I'm ready."

"Okay."

"Wait! Do I kiss him or no?"

He glared at me. "Hell no."

I held my hands up in surrender and nodded. "Just making sure."

He rolled his eyes and turned his back to me and I took it as a sign to begin. I took a deep breath and wrapped it around the neck of the bear. I swayed slightly as if we were dancing at a ball.

"Queen!" Syn yelled angrily.

I jumped and my head snapped to his in shock. I could admit that my reaction was completely organic, I didn't think he'd be that good. I opened my mouth to speak as I looked between him and "Sebastian". "Syn...I-"

"I don't want to fucking hear it, Queen," he growled. "I'm gone for less than a day and you're already being a hoe."

Ouch. I frowned and dropped the act. "That was mean, Syn."

He cupped my cheeks and kissed my lips quickly. "I'm sorry, Princess. But this needs to be believable. Don't pay attention to the words I say, okay? Just remember I more than love you." I smiled and nodded. "Let's try this again and you should be pissed at me too. I abandoned you when you needed a date," he instructed as he walked back to the door.

"Got it," I said in a determined voice as I picked up the now fallen bear and repositioned it on the table.

"Queen!" He screamed again.

His voice was pretty scary when he wanted and I found myself naturally flinching as I turned to him. He stormed over to me angrily and I let out a shaky breath. "Syn, it's not what it looks like..."

"Are you sure because it looks like you're being a slut. I've been gone one fucking day and you're here with HIM!" He spewed.

I moved closer to "Sebastian" and held a finger up at Syn in anger. "Don't call me that!" I spat in a venomous tone. "If you were here this would have never happened."

Syn scoffed and shook his head as he grabbed my arm abruptly. He brought his face close to mine and he looked visibly upset...he was good. "Are you fucking serious?"

To make this more realistic I picked up the bear and brought it to us in a walking motion.

"Get away from her," I ordered in Sebastian's voice.

Syn looked confused for a moment until he got the hint and got in the bear's face. "Or what?"

"Let go of her," I growled at Sebastian. "Or else..."

"Or else what, Sebastian? If you get in my way I will kill you in front of everyone here." Syn threatened.

I moved the bear's hand across Syn's face as if he punched him and Syn moved his head in the direction. A few moments later he looked back at the bear with a scoff and wiped imaginary blood from his lip.

He moved his hand back to punch "Sebastian", and I stepped between them with my hand on Syn's chest. "Stop."

I shook my head at him in disappointment and turned to "Sebastian". I shook my head and laid my hand on the bear's cheek. "Don't fight, you're better than this."

I switched character to Sebastian. "But I'm not."

I cupped the bear's cheek once again and shook my head with teary eyes. "Sebastian please...this is not your fight."

I switched again as I held the bear's hand up to my cheek this time. "But, Queen..."

Switch. This time I let my tears fall and looked at the bear. "No Sebastian. This was my mistake, I can handle him."

I made the bear nod and I set it down. With a deep breath and teary eyes, I turned back to Syn. I found him holding back a smile and my heart stopped immediately. This was only my third time seeing it so it caught me off guard.

"What?" I whispered.

"I'm crazy about you," he admitted.

"Is this a part of the act?" I whispered in a joking tone.

"Shh." He lifted me off the floor and put his soft lips against mine. I smiled against his lips as I kissed him tenderly and wrapped my arms around his neck. The butterflies in my stomach just wouldn't stop going crazy whenever he kissed me. He pulled away and I looked down at him with a smile. "You've been waiting your entire life for that performance, haven't you?" He asked.

"Hmm, I'm just that amazing, sweetheart."

He gently put me down and shook his head. "Eww. Don't call me that."

"Why not? It's cute."

"So you know exactly why you shouldn't call me that."

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in," Syn said.

We both looked to the door to see James walk in with his teddy bear and a small blanket around him. He smiled at me and walked straight to Syn who lifted him off the ground. "Hey, another nightmare?"

James nodded and rubbed his eyes. "Can I sleep here with you again? I don't get bad dreams." He yawned and laid his head in the crook of Syn's neck. The sight melted my heart and I smiled at them.

Syn looked at me as if to ask for permission and I nodded.
"Of course, you can," he said as he walked to the bed and laid James down. James yawned again as his eyes moved to the headboard and he pointed at it.

"Was this broken last time?" He asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes, but you were too tired to notice," Syn muttered as he crossed his arms.

"How did it break?" James asked curiously.

My eyes widened as Syn and I made eye contact. "Queen and I were wrestling," he lied.

"Fighting?" He asked as he sat up from his laying position.

"No. Umm, it was play wrestling," Syn said awkwardly as he cleared his throat.

James looked back at the headboard and then back at us. "I don't like play wrestling."

"Tell me that in ten years," Syn said as he walked to his dresser.

"Ten years?" James asked.

Syn turned around and glanced at me. We were both slightly confused on why James would find that part of his statement questionable. "Yes?" Syn began. "That's what I said."

"You're letting me stay?"

"What?"

"Last time you said you would think about letting me stay forever."

"I'm not sure I said that." Syn grimaced. His sudden uncomfortable demeanor brought a smile to my face. If he didn't mean it, he wouldn't have said it. Just seeing him try to finagle his way out of his own words was hilarious.

"You did!" James insisted. "I remember."

Syn sighed. "You can stay."

James's eyes widened at Syn's words and he hopped out of the bed and straight towards him. His arms wrapped around Syn's torso, slightly catching Syn off guard as his arms stayed in the air awkwardly. "Thank you! Thank you!" James cheered repeatedly.

"Yup." Syn nodded as he pat the top of his small head, not knowing what else to do at the tender moment. "Okay, enough hugging before I change my mind." James immediately dropped his arms and beamed up at him expectantly while Syn looked around the room as if it would give him an answer on how to stop being so awkward.

His eyes finally landed on mine as if he found what he was looking for and he clapped his hands together. "You wanted me to order food, right?"

"No," I replied slowly.

"Yes, you did," he urged. "James, you can stay with her while I go do that." He gently ushered James in my direction and I laughed inwardly.

"Can I have macaroni?" James requested as he crawled back onto the bed.

"Yup!" Syn yelled before disappearing into the closet and closing the door behind him.

With his abrupt departure, a harsh quiet filled the room. I looked at James who still seemed confused about what just happened and as soon as our eyes connected, we burst into laughter. "He's so weird," he said.

"That he is."

"Can we watch TV?"

"Sure," I said slowly. Looking at the clock beside me it was only seven anyway and I didn't see an issue with letting him watch it. I turned on the tv and passed him the remote as he put on a cartoon he claimed was his and Syn's favorite.

He sat comfortably on the bed as he watched the cartoon and occasionally told me what was going on. The kid that was sitting here was completely different from the one who gave me the bear. He seemed a lot happier.

Remembering our plan for the ball I pulled out my phone and went to Sebastian's contact. I contemplated telling him the plan but I didn't want to risk anyone finding out. I'd just have to make sure he knew it was as friends.

Me: Heyyy dinner tmmr?

I sent the text and sat back as I brought my attention back to the show.

My phone vibrated beside me and I took it out.

Sebastian: Of course. I'm glad you changed your mind about seeing me. I'll pick you up at 7.

I sighed and set my phone down. A few moments later Syn walked back into the room but paused when he saw the TV. He slowly turned to James with a suspicious stare that made him giggle loudly.

"You didn't start our show without me. There's no way," Syn said in a low voice as he slowly walked towards the bed.

James remained laughing and he shook his head. "I'm sorry!"

"Sorry won't cut it," he replied. Syn flinched a couple and James gasped.

"Oh no," James screamed playfully.

The flinching continued and I looked at Syn with concern. 'What the hell?' I mouthed.

After a few moments, Syn stopped his abrupt movements and looked down with his eyes shut as if he were powered off.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"The tickle monster," James whispered as he crawled off the bed quickly.

Syn suddenly came back to life and let out a fake roar as ran to James and picked him up with one swoop. He began tickling him in his arms and I laughed as James began laughing enthusiastically.

"Please! No moreeeee!" He yelled cheerfully.

Syn tossed him back onto the bed and turned to me. "The tickle monster isn't satisfied," he growled as he walked toward me.

"Queen run!" James yelled.

I scoffed and looked back at Syn. He wouldn't try it, would he? As he got closer I stood up from the bed and shook my head.

"Syn, I'll punch you," I warned with a laugh.

He ignored my warning and attacked me with his fingers. I laughed at the tickling sensations as I fell onto the bed and before I knew it James was tickling me along with him. I didn't even know there were sides.

"Okay! Please!" I screamed.

Xavier burst through the door and we all looked at the door. Their attention was off me and I was thankfully given a chance to breathe.

"Is everything okay?" He asked with concern painting his voice.

Caspian and Cleo popped up behind him with the same concern and they all entered the room. They were all dressed in cute pajamas except Caspian who always seemed to be shirtless every chance he got.

"We're tickling Queen!" James yelled cheerfully.

I looked at them and gave them a pleading look. "Help me!"

Xavier smiled mischievously and closed the door behind him. He walked toward us and I shook my head thinking he was going to help them continue torturing me.

He walked next to us and instead of tickling me, he got Syn who was just as surprised as he slowly fell to the floor. We all laughed as James and I began helping Xavier. Syn tried "his best" to fight us off but it was obvious to me he was letting us win for James' entertainment.

"James!" He yelled as we continued tickling him in different spots. "You traitor!"