Kimberly.
William's head tilted as though trying to make sense of something that his mind simply couldn't work through. Yet, before his fight-or-flight instincts could take over, Kimberly knew she needed to act! The only question was, how?
"I'm a demon!" she exclaimed, hands flying wide as though cops stood at the door pointing guns at her forehead. "Didn't know, but apparently, I am one. Whatever happened last night woke up whatever was inside of me, and yeah, I ate a dude!"
"Huh…" William clucked, his tongue popping in his cheek as his whole body started to turn slightly for the handle.
"I will fucking bite your dick off if you try!" The succubus seethed, her tone low and warning as Kimberly felt various aspects of herself manifest as though from hellfire itself!
For his part, Will did indeed stop what he was doing, hand partway on the silver lever, eyes growing wider with each passing second. After a moment, he blinked at her as though lost in his own thoughts, gaze growing lidded and distant. "You've got—horns…"
"And fucking wings and a tail!" she hissed, her voice taking on a certain raspy allure, a curious mix of threatening distortion that was both sultry and nearly electronic. "It's how I got the body on the roof."
"But you said you ate him…"
"Whew, boy…" Kimberly huffed, running one of her clawed hands down her face as she just embraced the suck. "I'm pretty sure I'm a succubus, and yeah, the coincidence is not lost on me. The body was pretty much a shriveled mummy that I rolled up and flew over to an apartment to just—dump up there…"
"Yup, yup, yup, yup. Don't mind me, just having a crisis of self over here; I'll be done in just a few seconds."
"I'm not going to eat you..." Kimberly ground out, exasperated by her friend's over-the-top antics and inability to take anything seriously!
"Great to know, but not really my issue at the moment."
"And I'm not going to pin you down and fuckyou like a wild animal either. Your pussyless dick's virginity is still safe."
"Still not the issue here! But reassuring all the same. Don't think I could really—say no…"
Kimberly frowned, looking at her friend's little act in an entirely new light. Cocking her head, she felt her tail swish behind her in a ponderous sway, reaching back up to take another sip of her coffee as she spoke. "The—attraction thing isn't causing issues, is it?"
"Oh, it really is," William chirped, sounding almost peppy. "But… okay, twenty fucking questions, no. My problem is that I'm just now realizing that I'm probably going to hell!"
"Pfft!" Kimberly snorted, lowering her cup, even as William's face broke out into a slight smile.
"I mean, It's sort of my thing to go after Christian dudes as a whole 'fuck you' for bible camp and all the twisted shit my parents put me through. But not going to lie, I was really sort of banking on the whole oblivion part once, you know, my time came, and the lights went out…"
"Hm, I could probably figure out how to eat your soul instead of sending it to hell if that makes you feel any better."
The look that her BFF gave her, in no uncertain terms, fully portrayed the utterly dismayed way he had just taken her little comment. Appearing to simultaneously shy away as if she might just bite him and also—shrink like she were a T-Rex and he was trying not to make any sudden moves. Insane as such a thought ever was…
"I'm joking, by the way! It's not like I have any actual idea what's going on…" Kimberly sighed, beginning the somewhat arduous process of forcing most of her demonic bits back into the hellish void.
After she was more or less looking like the girl he knew and loved, minus the odd but manageable changes, her best friend finally appeared as though he were coming back around. It still took time. And he never so much as let her leave his sight, but after a few minutes of companionable silence between them, her best friend finally broke and let out a long sigh.
"So… what's up with the hair and eyes?"
"No idea," Kimberly shrugged, nipping at her bear claw and trying not to show too many teeth. "Mhmm, ugh, so good…"
"Okay, but you made the rest of it go back to normal—kind of…"
"Yeah, trust me, I know. It doesn't change the fact I can't do shit about my hair or the colour of my eyes. Or…" She added, waggling her fingers still holding her coffee, "my nails, it sucks."
"So, we need to get you dye and contacts…"
"I mean, not right now, but, you know, obviously when we head back home and ya… obviously work too."
"Uh-huh."
"The hell is that look supposed to mean?" she accused, watching the utterly dubious and even a little exasperated face that her bestie was laying on her quite hard.
"Oh, you know, just wondering how a bunch of confused and impressionable and horny teenagers are going to react to this shit! Especially when your literal gay best friend who, by the way, practically family, is having sudden and confusing daydreams about all the way he wants to jump you."
Kimberly—hesitated at that, eyeing the rather large and muscular man alone with her in the room, family and gay or otherwise. Of whom had just admitted to doing something that all women in such situations openly feared while behind closed doors.
He was tall.
He was strong...
And he outweighed her two to one and possibly more.
William was not a slight individual. Oh no! He was big. Broad shoulders, broad arms, broad waist. If someone were to wonder if he could pass as a linebacker for all his protein shakes and hours at the gym, they'd be likely unsurprised that he had indeed played such a role all through college.
She—pointed at him, the gesture causing her latte to slosh in its foam container; then, she pointed at herself, eyebrow raised, expression more than just a little uncertain.
Jokes were all fun and good while sitting on a couch and having a good giggle that nobody was perfectly straight or gay when various characters showed up, but—this didn't feel very funny… When he simply nodded, looking about as despondent as he was miserable, the light in Kimberly's head finally flickered on.
"You're serious? Like, serious-serious about the whole attraction thing?"
"It's actually really bad… I mean, I have much better self-control than that, obviously, but you're pretty much all that's going through my head right now!" He replied, singing with a slightly sarcastic and catty tone that had Kimberly at a complete loss for words. "Also, sorry if I turn into a bitch; super not sure what's going on right now, and you know how I sort of default when I'm out of my depth…"
"Would it help to close your eyes?"
"Yeah, no offense, but you just admitted to being a demon, and I've definitely seen some soul-journey level shit in the past five minutes; closing my eyes sort of feels like a—bad idea?"
"I'm not going to eat you!"
"Sure, sure! Says the demon who's already eaten someone and disposed of their corpse!"
Well, shit… she sort of had to take that one on the chin, didn't she?
In all fairness to Will, he was actually holding up rather well, all things considered. It didn't sting any less to know he was so—well, scared probably fit best in this precise circumstance, but all things said and done, she understood where he was coming from…
"So, where do we exactly go from here?"
"Not sure if there is a—we in all this, sweetie… You murdered someone! Like, okay, I kinda get it might not be Kimberly's fault, but I'm pretty sure it was the demons, which is you."
Moments passed, an entire lifetime seeming to play out in the woman's mind as a slight tear appeared in Kimberly's eye. She just stared at the only person in the world she'd ever really formed a meaningful connection with...
All the stress and insanity and ridiculousness of her morning all came to a sniffling head as her entire world threatened to unravel! Salty misery bulged and distorted her vision, even as her body shook with a heaving sob!
"Please don't…" Will complained, yet it was too late! Kimberly was already crying! Her bear claw fell from her long fingers, lower lip quivering as she stood there, the world itself bearing down upon her shoulders.
"Don't leave me!" she cried, not trusting herself to move from the spot she waited, standing as though before a tied noose ready to strangle her. "I—don't know what to do!"
"Fucking christ… don't do it…" Will murmured, even as he took a step towards her. "She's got shark teeth and will eat you," he continued, lyrical words flowing like a song. "She's a demon, you know it, she knows it, and you're still walking towards her! The one trope in horror that always pisses you off!"
Kimberly opened her arms, still sniffling as her best friend took step after step towards her, terror etched in his eyes, words never quite stopping and belying just how nervous he really was.
"Ohhhh, pecan sandies… girl, I reallyhope you're not about to pull some reverse uno shit…"
So saying, Will embraced his oldest friend, wrapping his arms around her tiny form and holding her with as much comfort as he could manage, which wasn't a lot.
He was rigid as a tree stump...
Still, Kimberly all but crushed him as she continued to sob in his arms, her intense shudders finally allowing the large man to—if not relax, then commiserate.
Kimberly settled within the familiar warmth of her best pal, the same friend that had been with her since the earliest days and the darkest ones. They'd come out of Sunday school together, thick as thieves from day one, and since then, their relationship hadn't ever changed.
They went to school together, shared many if not most of the same cliques, planned which college they'd both attend. And later, after dorms and parties and diplomas had all passed them by, they now shared an apartment together. Living under the same roof, just as they'd always planned. Loving the life of bachelor and bachelorette while indulging in each other's company, if not their bodies.
After all, best friends didn't have to involve that sort of thing, plus, it was true, Kimberly saw William as her honorary twin brother! Siblings at heart, for all they were practically inseparable.
Yet… as she calmed, finally returning to a semblance of comfort and emotional stability, slowly, she felt Will's strong hands begin to rub her back.
Kimberly sunk into the familiar contact, enjoying it as she had countless times whilst balling in his arms. However, then the hands moved lower, and—lower… then too low, far, far too low!
But, before she could question it, and to her utter shock, she felt Willie, her Willie, tilt her neck backwards and press his lips deeply onto her own!
Clearly, this was not okay with her, and she knew it wasn't okay with Will either! She immediately recoiled from the contact, but not before she felt a bit of tongue peep its way through... Kimberly shoving at the larger man and, surprisingly, causing them both to stagger backwards!
She gaped at her bestie, not confused by what she was feeling, but rather why it had happened in the first place! Eyes wide with equal parts concern, perplexity, and yes, even just a hint of betrayal…
Yet, the moment she saw the perpetrator's eyes, most, if not all of her budding anger faded to dust.
William was—distant…
Eyes glazed, posture doll-like, his warm chocolate eyes blinking without seeing, a fugue of disjointed reality clouding his thoughts as though he floated amidst a sea mist…
"Will?" she inquired, tone careful as it was concerned, her body leaning slightly to the same side that he seemed partially slumped in, as though trying to get a better look at him...
After she called his name, he seemed to perk up a fraction… The spark of intelligence returning to his eyes as he softly shook his head, appearing to wake from some distant dream…
"Kimmie? Is… are you?"
"I'm here!" she called, rushing forwards just in time to collect the swaying gym rat as he nearly toppled while tripping on his own feet.
Amazingly, she kept him upright, and while awkward given her smaller frame, it wasn't the strain on her muscles that she'd not just assumed but that she'd personally experienced which hit her…
This wasn't the first time she'd had to walk him home from a bar while he slumped over her shoulder, but the ease in which she now handled him was just a little more than noteworthy...
"You—smell really good… you know that?"
"It's a new shampoo," she stated quickly, lying through her teeth, grunting less with the effort and more out of expectation for it, and shoving him bodily onto the lone recliner. Then, she righted herself with a breath.
"And you—tasted like a watermelon jolly rancher…" he continued in a lazy slur. His head was lolling to the side as he regarded her, Kimberly just frankly beside herself with what to do. "Not kidding, you know. Like, your lips were a dead ringer for the flavor… but I guess that's just—new lipstick?"
"She glared at William as he closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair as they both tried to parse what had happened. 'You—feeling alright?'"
"No! I just did something inexcusable! Of course, I fucking hate myself right now…"
"I'm—not mad…" Kimberly offered, folding her arms and simply leaving it at that.
"I'd say thanks, but… My stomach is filled with butterflies, and your smell is everywhere in here… Can you, like, open some windows and… maybe stand on the other side of the room?"
"Seriously? Is it a—bad scent or a pheromone thing?"
Will swallowed, the Adam's apple in his neck bobbing, even as Kimberly moved to start opening whatever she could to get some airflow going. Situating herself as far away as she could really get. After a few moments, Will opened his eyes again, glancing at her but a moment before slamming them back shut!
"It's pretty bad, babe… not going to lie here… No idea what's going on, but you're like crack right now," Even as he spoke, Kimberly watched as her bestie's hands tightened on the armrests, powerful fingers biting deeply into the cushion and wood to the point his knuckles were white.
"And it's—kind of like a spicy, rummy, cinnamon-heart smell? A little heady, like you just got back from a sweaty run, but it's driving me crazy, Kim!"
"Alright, alright! I've got the windows open! I mean—shit…"
"Yeah… well, bright side?" He asked, earning himself a bland look that he couldn't possibly see. "I sort of believe you now about the whole succubus thing… I mean, I don't really see any—other explanation, you know?"
"Will," Kimberly whispered, her tone causing her friend to crack a single eye and watch her with a weary expression. "What the hell am I going to do about my fucking job? I mean, this is crazy! It's not gonna matter if I don't have any say in it, fuck! I'm gonna end up on the news!"
"Oh, one hundred percent a high school orgy is ending up on the news."
"That doesn't help!" she sang, voice miserable while sliding down the wall of her rented room in looming despair.
"Well, what do you want me to say? I mean, sweetheart, I can lie if you want me to! But you have a very gay and proud man tenting the most unpleasant boner of his life just from smelling your body odor. Do you think I'm kidding around here, Kimmie? They're gonna freaking dog pile you! Hell, I attacked you!"
"You didn't attack me," Kimberly corrected quickly. "If anything, I'm attacking you. You should have seen your freaking face after you kissed me, Will, you were like a damned zombie!"
"And I feel—unnaturally lethargic actually. So, I'm guessing, following with the theme of it all, you probably took a little bite from my soul, so even-stevens?"
"No!" Kimberly sobbed, though it was a fleeting thing, as she curled into a small ball. "We're not even-stevens, asshole…"