When they got back, loaded down with crutches, prescriptions and health information packets, Hizashi saw their roommate had passed fitfully out on his couch. Shota's hair was a mess and his shirt had ridden up his chest. At some point he'd thrown the quilt he slept with onto the floor and he simply looked worried, even as he slept.
Hizashi walked past the dozing demon on the couch and placed her on the bed in the back. "Sit tight, and I'll get you a snack and your pills."
Elly sat waiting in the dark not really thinking about anything until he came back. He pressed a couple of cookies in her hands and waited while she ate them. When she was finished he handed her a glass of water and a pill. "Here's number one."
"Christ," she choked as it slipped down, assaulting her taste buds with its bitter, acrid taste. "That's fucking <i>awful</i>."
He chuckled ruefully. "Naughty girl."
"Oops." She blushed. Him calling her out on the curses made her blush, suddenly shy.
Hizashi ignored her confusion, smiling knowingly. "Okay, take these next."
She obeyed, swallowing the pills with a little grimace but no swearing this time. "I have a headache," she whispered, rubbing at her temples.
"Oh, no. Here, give me the cup, then, and let Zashi make you better." He made grabby motions with his hands, his eyes bright and warm as he regarded her.
Elly giggled faintly, winced, and made room for him on the bed. "Thanks," she murmured as he began working his fingers through her scalp. "Mmmn... Zashi." Her mind grew fuzzy as the pills began to work. She sighed, relieved, and burrowed her face into the angel's chest. Hizashi's mustache points wriggled as he tried to control the urge to hold her too tightly.
"She alright then?" Shota's voice was harsh, guttural. He cleared his throat as he stumbled into the room.
"Yes. Here's the, ah - itemized list of her injuries."
The demon took it and flinched as he read it through. "Shit."
"I heard the pharmacy ladies talking about the accident when we were waiting. Why didn't you pull her out right away?! She wouldn't have been as badly injured." Hizashi clutched her in his arms, turning away instinctively from the demon.
Shota's throat worked, but at first no sound came out. Elly looked up but just stared blankly at him, not registering much at the moment. He met her dazed expression with one of utter failure, his dark eyes losing their color and paling drastically as Hizashi watched. The angel frowned.
"Shota," he asked, choosing his words carefully, "are you well? I - I don't know enough about demons, but you don't look so good right now."
"It's my fault she got hurt," he replied sadly. "I wasn't strong enough. Haven't been for awhile."
"Why?" He blinked several times, his ears burning as the other being rubbed at his neck and didn't answer. "Oh, no. You're not feeding, are you?"
Shota shoved a thick lock of hair aside to rub at his stubbled cheek. "You see me eat all the time," he mumbled.
"No. You're an incubus. You need..." Hizashi's face flushed further. "<i>That</i>, to keep healthy. Right?" The demon refused to answer, and he got angry at his apparent indifference. "Who cares now if you go whore around for food? She needs you strong! Why haven't you been taking care of yourself?!"
He took a menacing step towards the blond being, his fists clenched. "We're bound, you idiot! I need <i>her</i> sexual energy. And, you know, fuck that. Even if I could feed off others, I wouldn't, because she wouldn't like it!"
Elly whimpered, upset at all the shouting. Shota snapped his teeth together on the rest of his rant, and Hizashi soothed her with a steady stream of babbled "good girls" and "I'm here" until she grew silent.
"I can't even change anymore." This statement was delivered with such finality that the angel actually pitied him.
"I'm sorry if I yelled," he apologized. "I ...didn't realize. I thought incubi didn't have morals. It looks like I was wrong."
He shrugged and crawled onto the bed, flopping down on Elly's other side. "Do you mind if I lay here, too?"
The angel shook his head and scooted over. "I understand. She'll feel better if we're both awake later, anyway. So rest up."
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