"There's nothing to tell! He's just some guy I work with!"

"C'mon, you're going out with the guy! There's got to be something wrong with him!" Joey blurts.

"So does he have a hump? A hump and a hairpiece?"

"Wait, does he eat chalk?"

They all stare, bemused. I let out a soft laugh, biting into the spoon filled with pomegranate. Chinese take out flowed across the living room table.

"Just, 'cause, I don't want her to go through what I went through with Carl- oh!"

"Okay, everybody relax. This is not even a date. It's just two people going out to dinner and- not having sex."

Suddenly, a loud noise crashes from upstairs. I pause the episode, peering up from the blankets. I gulp, standing up. What on earth? I look around the living room for a lamp and instead end up rushing to the kitchen.

I slide a knife out of the draw before closing it, I make my way slowly up to the stairs. Holding onto the banister with fear lifting the little hairs on my legs, I push my parents' bedroom open but not a single thing is damaged. It definitely has to be my room then, it sounded like glass. I go down the long hallway, towards my door as it squeaks open. When I walk into the room, my eyes widen in surprise to see Diávolos on my bed.

"Diávolos..." blood splattered all over his palms. When I look down at the floor, I notice that my New York snow glow has split, with water and glitters spilling out into the floor.

I rush up to him, dropping the knife as I see blood pouring down his legs. He tightens his groans, "let me get the aid kit, wait here." I dash back down the stairs, heading towards the kitchen. I fling open the cupboard door and slide my hands up to the top shelf, attempting to scrape the first-aid kit towards me.

I grasp the hook and yank it out, opening the fridge for my dads vodka. I make my way to my bedroom. Shutting my door behind me, I open my cupboards and take out towels. I make my way to the bed, settling the thing on the floor. "Let me help you." I whisper to him, he glares down at me. Nodding his head. I stand up and pull his joggers down, his jaw tenses as I pull it down the wound.

I notice the tattoos all over his legs, they looked like stories. The wound was on his thigh, hence the amount of blood. I settle between his legs, "did you get stabbed?"

He nods.

I sigh in relief.

I grab the vodka, "this might sting." I whisper to him.

I pour the vodka over his legs but he does not make a single move or sound, I needed to clean the area. I grab the tissue and wipe away the blood before taking out the needle and thread.

"If you need me to stop. Tell me." He does not reply. Just stares into my eyes as if he is using it as a distraction. I begin to stitch up the wound, and I am shocked on how he does not over exaggerate or feel the pain. Before finishing up, I wipe away the remaining of the blood and grab the bandage. Wrapping it around his thigh, I look up feeling his fingers graze my hair behind my ears. My heart beats profusely.

I stand up, "are you hungry?"

He shook his head.

"Thirsty?"

"No." He whispers. Barely enough for me to catch the sound of his voice.

"You can sleep here tonight, let me get some fresh bed sheets." I turn and open my cupboards again, taking out my marvel bed sheets before turning around and seeing him already standing. He look at my canvases in the corner, I change my bedsheets. He has already washed his hands.

Grabbing the ones full of blood, along with the towels and throwing it into a black bin bag and leaving outside of my door. I slip inside my bathroom and wash the blood from my hands.

I turn back around and see Diávolos taking up my entire single bed. His mask still on. Why does he not want to show me who he is. I settle down onto the edge of the bed before he grabs onto my arm and yanks me besides him. My heart beats wildly, I am now laying on my side next to him.

His eyes stare into mine.

His fingers graze my face, "you never talk...why?" He brushes his thumb against my lips, parting it down as he drags the bottom of my lip.

I wanted him to kiss me. Because I missed his lips on mine. I missed him. Why did i feel so guilty for Ares? Why did I feel like I am doing something wrong? I take my chance, lifting his mask over his lips. I needed him to trust me. I had the chance to reveal his entire face. But i did not. Because he will do in his own time.

I look into his eyes for a slight moment.

Then...

I press my lips onto his, his kiss is nothing like those of the film stars, but it is steeped in a passion that sparks. It is the promise of reality, of the basic longing that exists in all of us. And it tells me that he is awake, that he is linked within, that he loves himself rather than hiding as a replica of those beautiful idols.

I graze his stubble with the limited amount that is shown, he bites down onto my lips to give him access to my mouth. And his tongue dives inside, making sure to have every part of me. I release a soft moan into his mouth, he grabs my hips and throws me on top of his lap. Straddling him. I most likely tasted of pomegranate fruit.

This kiss felt magical.

This kiss felt real. His hands trail down my spine, and somewhat feels familiar. As if he has done it before. I pull my lips away, and his mouth kisses alongside my jaw. "Diávolos...." I moan his name; he tightens his grip around my waist. I feel something poking my inner thigh. He then turns us around, allowing him to be on top of me.

My legs find itself around his waist and his mouth trails down my neck.

He pulls away softly, departing me with one last kiss in the middle of my throat. I open my eyes and see him sitting up. He lifts his hands around his neck, unlatching a necklace.

He holds it up.

⚔

The necklace had the same sign from his hand. He lifted me to sit up by the neck, causing me to be much closer to him. My hands rest onto his chest. He wraps the necklace around my neck. "What does it mean?" I ask him.

"Prostasia." He whispers.

I watch him stand up and put on his joggers over his waist. "Don't go...don't leave me again Diávolos...." I slide of the bed, "stay...just until I sleep. Please."

He shakes his head, leading up to the balcony doors. I rush after him, "wait!" He turns around, I slide up his mask over his lips and tip toe to kiss him one last time.

As he wraps his arms around my waist and bends his neck to kiss me more deeply, he wraps his arms around my waist. When his saliva interacts with mine, I disintegrate. I'm clinging to his biceps as our lips brush against each other. He rests me on the balcony's bannister, his arms caging me as his tongue swallows me up even more. He acts as though he's been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Come back to me soon Diávolos....even if it's for a second."

He releases me, pulling down his mask before jumping over the balcony and throwing his hood over. I watch him walk away, wanting to know which way he goes. I see him head for the alley.

Who are you Diávolos? Who are you! No one believes me, no one believes me that you are not just a myth. It is either I am dreaming, or I am hallucinating. So, i get the silly idea to follow him, I quickly grab my shoes and speed down the stairs of my balcony. I follow after him, holding onto my phone tightly as he slips through the steps.

He does not have a car, and instead he walks. It was night, what does he have that is so important. Both hands of his were dug deep into his pockets. His hood was up, black hoodie. He looks huge from the distance i was walking at, his broad shoulders and hitched waist.

We have been walking for thirty minutes, hell even longer. I notice him take a right to an alley, I decided against ongoing in, but my heart was telling me to do so.

So, I did. Stupidly.

The moment one feet stepped through, a hand wraps around my throat and collides me against the brick wall. My feet were dangling from the ground, I gasp my final breath as my hands attach around his wrist.

Instead, his green eyes, those crispy oral orbs were gleaming into my own. Fear, no. Lust, yes. There was something about this man, his eyes were full of unknown secrets, I knew that. Those eyes, those eyes gave out a million words.

One of them being why I was following him? He shakes his head, pushing himself closer to me. His fingers graze my cheeks as he puts it onto my ears, I adjust them so it would not fall again.

He brings his face closer to my own, his cheeks touching my own as his lips graze the end of my jaw. "Go home." He whispers.

"Why are you so hidden Diávolos?" He leaves me to fend myself from the ground. "Why do you hid yourself from me? Do you not trust me?"

"Go home." He returns, his voice muffled behind that silly mask of his.

"I will find out who you are," I look down at my clothes before walking away. I stood in the middle of the alley watching him depart, I rush my fingers through my hair before my phone vibrates from my back pocket. I make my way him and pull my phone out, I see messages from my mum.

What...?