Did I even want to go to work today?

Pays bills. I'd go. Plus you could start reading Lord Of The Rings again behind the counter.

Yeah..I would like that.

The morning after Louis and I's little..uh..outing? Shit, was it a date?

Anyway, that morning I showered. And during that shower, I got to thinking about that little date. Yeah, screw it, it was a date, and I knew it. No use denying it. It was nice though. At the moment I didn't feel the least bit guilty going out right after dumping Zach. It was a comfort date. The more I thought about it though, the worse I felt. Maybe I could go visit him today. Bring him flowers.
I still hated the guy, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him.

I decided to scrunch my hair when I stepped out of the hot shower, saved me a lot of time instead of blow drying it.

You know how sometimes you get these random things you want in you head? Like suddenly you wanna travel or cook something amazing or dye your hair?

Well, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, hmm. I kinda want to dye my hair blue.

The second I thought about it I instantly dismissed it. But I dreamed about how good it would look in the back of my head. Dark brown to bright blue..ahh...

Putting on just a soft short sleeve shirt and a cute floral skirt--my favorite--I grabbed my phone, not hoping that Louis had shot me a text, and went to work. Yes, It was fully charged this time.

---------------------------------------------

In the most shameful walks of shame that ever shamed someone, Louis felt like he was walking the shamefullest.

He didn't even look at Marsha when he got up. He didn't even bother to check what time it was. He just knew he felt like the worst person in the world. And demons don't normally feel that way.

Louis made sure to grab his beanie before walking out of the door, hopefully for the last time. Then again, that's what he hoped for last time.

He groaned to himself as he walked down the dreary street, trying not to look like he was walking with the amount of immense shame he felt. Why did he just do that? He honestly didn't have an answer, but he felt like he had hurt Abby somehow. She didn't have a clue. And would she even care?

Why did Louis even care that she cared?

Louis's head started spinning. He needed a place to relax, and not relax with someone else.

Abby. Maybe he just needed to see her.

She was the reason for all of this though right? All that frustration was because of her, and Zayn egging Louis on for some reason. Louis realized just how protective of Abby he really was. It sort of bothered him a bit. 

Louis sighed and let the wind--yeah, there's wind in Hell--rush by him on the way back to the house. Maybe he could just chill with her. Would that make his hunger stronger?

One side of Louis's brain agreed, and the other didn't. He needed to be alone. That was it. Maybe eat another soul.

His lips watered at the thought, but it would ruin his appetite for Abby's.

He confirmed it in his mind, a game with the lads should make him feel better.

-----------------------------

I thought I was going crazy, checking for texts from Louis. Why should I have been?

Cuz he's hotter than Christmas in July. Hubba Hubba.

To be honest, I couldn't deny that. But I really think it was because he was my only friend at the moment. He was my only comfort, since Zach was out of the picture.

I barely got through half of The Fellowship at the end of my shift, Mrs. Hawke made me put books away. And there was a lot.

I was a little sore, but fully capable of driving to town and buying some flowers for Zach.

When I arrived, thankfully visiting hours were open--I didn't keep track--the nurses pointing to a new room this time. When one of them opened the door for me I saw that Zach was fast asleep, his heart monitor beeping slowly, but normally.

I sighed with a little smile. He was still kinda cute when he slept.

I didn't want to bother him, or the staff, so I laid the flowers by his bedside table and observed his face that was still a bit on the rough side. I gently moved hair from his face, but retreated quickly, realizing what Zach had done. I suddenly felt disgusted all over again. I felt..well, how a girlfriend would after finding out her boyfriend had been cheating on her.

"Tell him Abby brought these," I informed the nurses, since I didn't bring a card with me.

They agreed happily and sent me farewell as I exited.

I cried a little on the way home. Seems I wasn't emotionally done with this situation.

------------------------------------

"Got any 10's?"

Louis sighed heavily,"Go fish."

"Dammit.." Niall furrowed his brow frustratedly as he drew a new card from the pile.

Suddenly, Louis threw down his hand of cards,"Why is the only game we're playing 'Go Fish'?"

Lucella answered from the other side of the table,"Cuz Harold here needs to work on his poker face. Got any 3's?" She smirked at Harry, to which he glared at in response.

"...No. " He scowled as he slid a 3 of hearts her way,"It's just the only game Niall here," He gestured to Niall who was fully enveloped into his hand,"knows how to play."

Zayn, who was all the way on the far end by himself with a cigarette in his mouth chuckled. No one paid him any mind. It took a bit out of Louis to ignore him, but he managed.

Louis switched his view from the middle of the table to Niall, and smacked his hand down on the wood,"Niall! C'mere! I'm gonna teach you how to play the Devil's Hand."

"Basically Strip Poker.." Zayn said.

Louis ignored him and waited until he had Niall's attention, who looked sort of dazed,"What? Devil's.."

"Devil's Hand." Louis nodded. "A game taught to me from the big man himself. And I'm not talking about the one upstairs.."

Niall rolled his eyes as his chair scooted back across the floor,"I know who you meant Louis."

Louis and a few others laughed while Louis put his arm on Niall's shoulder as he led him to another nearby table, grabbing an extra pack of cards next to Lucella. 

The two took a seat across form each other at the new table. Niall observed as Louis took out the pack and began shuffling them. Back and forth, back and forth, then up and down. Louis seemed like a magician, or someone Niall had seen down on Earth performing in the street. Claiming they were magic. But Niall knew Louis could burn the cards with his fingertip if he wanted to.

"Now..see this card?" Louis held up a King of Spades in between his fingers after he finished shuffling.

Niall observed it, then nodded.

"Good."

Honestly, after that, Niall tuned everything out that came out of Louis's mouth. He was more focused on other things. What he wanted to eat in 10 minutes, when Lucella's friend would arrive, when he could get a damn moment alone. That thought though made him blush, considering the last time he and Louis met. Then after that he bumped into Harry. Niall tried his best to calm his blushing.

He must've been subconsciously paying attention though, because he was actually playing. The right way, according to Louis.

After laying down a 4 of Clubs and an 8 of Hearts for some reason, Niall chewed on his lip and met Louis's eyes. "Zayn's been talking about your new girl, Louis. What's she like? Is she really as pure as she sounds?"

He saw the man before him tense up, like something was going to jump out beside him, then his jaw twitched. Niall sunk back in his seat, waiting for Louis to make his move. Perhaps he struck a nerve?

"Abby's perfect." Louis replied plainly, tossing an intimidating Queen of Diamonds onto Niall's pile. "She's quite the attractive woman.." He paused, taking a card from a pile on his right, then glancing up at Niall through his lashes. He waited for his move.

Niall bit his lip again and winced at his stalemate. He couldn't do a thing, so he drew a card from his own pile,"Yeah?" He asked to break tension. "What's she look like?"

Louis actually started to smile, looking down at his cards,"Got pretty dark brown hair..little pale.."

Niall noticed that Louis wasn't saying as much as he wanted to. His ridiculous grin gave that away. He let Louis continue anyway.

"-and she has these round, brown eyes. Kinda like a mouse...a cute mouse, anyway.."

Niall giggled.

"No..I mean, you should see her ass..round..and.."

Niall's giggles turned into poorly concealed snickers and sputters of laughter,"Louis, just save it! She's cute, you like her. I get it."

Louis looked somewhat disbelieved,"What? You mean.." His expression then changed to bored and somewhat annoyed, his eyes narrowing. "I guess an angel like you wouldn't understand."

Niall was still in between chuckles,"No, I get it. You like her. Like, like like her."

Cheeks feeling warm, Louis glowered even more. Almost brooding. Niall found even more humor in it, and continued to laugh. Louis was most definitely not amused. "Shut up wanker..she's smoking, cute, and can hold a conversation. How can I not like her?" If any of the others knew he was infatuated, with a human girl nonetheless, they'd give him Hell for it. Literally. He was somewhat relieved that Niall was only a fallen angel.

Niall ceased his laughter after a small sigh,"I'm not doubting you, Lou. I'd like to meet her sometime." He said in all seriousness. Could humans even be brought to this realm?

"Fat chance." Louis spat out without even hesitating.

"Jesus.."

"Bless you!!" Harry exclaimed.

Niall glanced back over to Louis, who looked like he was going to kick Niall in the shin. Maybe we should stop, Niall's mind told him.

"Just making conversation Louis..no need to go all demon-y on me.."

After a few moments of silence, and Louis glaring at his cards, he sighed,"Sorry.." He pulled a Jack from his hand and placed it on Niall's last card. Niall proceeded after his move, leaving Louis to try and beat a 2 of Spades. He sighed heavily, his chest heaving as he tiredly said to Niall,"Don't breathe a word of this to the others."

Niall jerked his head up with a grin,"Scout's honor." He saluted.

That made Louis start smiling again. A relief to Niall's still faint heart.

After a few more rounds of Devil's Hand, Niall nervously brushed his feet together as knots formed in his stomach. He had another question to ask.

"Louis..have you ever..you know..uh.." He cleared his throat as Louis looked up with interest,"Been..with Harry?"

Louis's train of thought suddenly crashed, then shifted. He hadn't thought about Harry in..well, centuries. Abby was his concern right now, and all he could really think of was her and her mouth covered lazily in pizza sauce for some reason.

"Yes." He answered. "A long, long time ago." He casually tipped back in his chair, scanning his hand as he put his feet up on the table.

Niall was a bit shaken by his answer. Harry had mentioned Louis before, Hell, he'd seen him look at Louis before. He wasn't jealous. At least he didn't think he was. He was..curious? He wanted to know if Louis had seen Harry the way he did. Maybe even get tips.

"Why do you ask?"

Niall swallowed down a dry lump in his throat before picking up a new card,"Well.uh.."

Louis chuckled,"You his latest play thing huh? I could tell. He marks his territory quite well doesn't he?"

Niall's cheeks burned with heat, his hands shyly touching the impressions on his necks. They still stood out. He didn't frown though, he was smiling. Maybe it was the memory of how he got the bites, or it was a small camaraderie formed between Louis and him by Harry. He kinda felt like a girl, talking about Harry like this. Except if they were girls, they'd probably have torn each others throats out. He didn't mind being called a 'play thing' for some reason either.

"You top? Or bottom?" Louis asked, his cards hiding his smirk.

Niall almost couldn't take the heat that swarmed his face. He chewed on his lip again, but stopped as soon as he remembered Harry doing the same. 

"Bottom.." He paused, moving his feet nervously together. "..sometimes."

"He's a bottom boy.." Louis winked,"Trust me. I know he seems all dominant and 'I'm gonna fuck you till you can't feel your bottom half' and shit, but he really likes being ridden like the stallion he thinks he is."

"Ye-Yeah.." Niall agreed. "He does."