Demons Among Us

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Kei spent the next few days just observing his new roommate, without seeming to. He had plenty of practice doing this, and even when he occasionally got caught, would just pretend he'd been staring into space. Mostly, though he was civil with Peter, he remained pretty aloof in his manner toward everyone. Luckily, Peter didn't seem demanding of his attention. He didn't seem demanding about anything, but easygoing and friendly. Kei even had to smile a bit when Peter left him some food in the fridge. He'd had very territorial roommates in the past, so it was a welcome gesture.



That was really all the hunter could glean from being around Peter- he was inoffensive, casual, polite, and didn't seem to be putting on a front. Kei still wasn't relaxing, and whenever Peter went out and he wasn't on duty, the hunter would follow him on the rooftops. Usually, he wouldn't have bothered, but he was still keeping Peter under close observation for a number of reasons. If the blond was consciously or unconsciously dangerous, he had to know. If he was drawing the wrong kind of attention and bringing himself into danger, Kei had to know as well. So far, though, not much had happened. Only when Peter touched his rosary did Kei feel anything was different about him.



On the third day, the hunter finally bought a new comforter for the coming winter. Though cold didn't bother him very much, he knew it could get to below 50 degrees with wind chill. He was glad his roommate had show some sense and gotten a few warmer things. However, Kei might have to introduce him to the joys of long underwear. The hunter would miss being able to go around in tanktops and shorts- they were so much easier to move in...



As Kei brought in the comforter and put it on his bed, his thoughts were dispersed, and he noticed that Peter as talking to someone on the phone. Kei was glad he had his back turned, so he could pretend to be adjusting the comforter while listening in on his roommate's conversation. Totally innocuous so far, but he remembered that Peter never mentioned anyone from home. Kei couldn't help wondering whom the blond was speaking to. He did have to smile quietly to himself at the description of the little college town as being nothing but stairs. The hills must be murder on Peter, too. The whole town was built on a worn-down butte in the middle of a floodplain, so everything was either up or down.
 
"No, it's fine." Peter said. As Kei listened in he could just barely make out the muffled sound of a man on the other end.

"If you change your mind, lemme know. Those nightmares stop?"

Peter seemed to realize Kei might have been listening in, so his answer didn't quite match the question being asked. "Other than the stairs I'm fine. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

He said a quick farewell and hung up the phone with a second sigh, keeping his face buried in his pillow, looking utterly exhausted. Without looking, he put the phone onto his end table, his fingers brushing against the hanging rosary for only a second in passing.
 
Interesting….very interesting indeed. It seemed out of character for the very open, easygoing Peter to want to hide something. Nightmares were also a very telling thing in his line of work, and something he was intimately acquainted with himself. Kei filed that away for later and pretended not to have heard anything. A slight frown passed over his face at the buzz in his ears, but he'd gotten used to the feeling by now. If he worked at it, he could even build a barrier against the unpleasant sensation, he simply hadn't had time.



The hunter finished tucking in his comforter the way he liked it, then flopped down on his bed with a casual air, flipping through his own phone. No word from Iris yet…Brian must be on some other project at the moment.



"Call from home?' he asked, without looking at the blond. His tone was only slightly interested, while his brain as very much so.
 
"Kind of." Peter said. "My older brother-- over seas in the army." He explained, rolling over onto his side. "He's a Chaplin... Still seems to think I'm a kid."

A Chaplin. It seemed it might have been a shared family faith if that was the case. Who was to say Peter's brother was any different than the blond? Maybe he did odd things with rosaries and Bibles too?

He yawned into his elbow and closed his eyes, though didn't look like he was about to go to sleep. "Do you have any siblings?" he asked, trying to change the topic.
 
Kei wondered if exorcists ran in the family, given the whole 'chaplain' thing. He'd only met one or two, and they seemed to be your average human. Nice enough, but no special powers.



The hunter was about to ask another oblique question when Peter beat him to the punch. "No." he answered, closing his eyes. This sort of talk was usually done in a few phrases, which was fine with him. He didn't like the topic when it pertained to himself.



"What about you? Aside from your older brother?" Kei hit it back in his court, hoping to deflect more 'family talk'.
 
Peter shook his head. "Alex's all I got. My mom and dad passed when I was still in middle school-- so he had to deal with me through my teenage years." He shrugged. "Not that I was hard to deal with or anything." The blond made light of the explanation with a joking tone.

With that, he sat up again, grabbing his book. It was the detective novel he had started when the moved in-- and it looked like he was almost finished.

Kei's ward went off-- signaling that something other than human had passed the threshold of the house. Though Peter didn't seem to notice, the mirrored door of the closet seemed to ripple like water for a moment-- a set of narrow green eyes appearing on the glass. THey looked around for only a moment, rested on Kei and vanished-- the miror returning to normal as quickly as it had happened.

It wasn't something common, but it wasn't unheard of either. A demon-- using the mirror as a spy glass while looking for something.

The blond hadn't opened his book yet-- though his knuckles went white on the cover suddenly, something most people wouldn't have noticed. He tensed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as he looked around.
 
Kei bit back a growl, having just caught the eyes before they vanished, and knew exactly what had been spying on them. It wasn't there for long, but that didn't make him feel any better. Just having one so close put all his senses almost painfully on alert, and the fact that the eyes vanished the moment they saw him was cause for alarm. Hunters were supposed to be nearly undetectable from humans when not using their powers. A demon shouldn't know him on sight… Kei frowned. It was possible that he'd be recognized from a past mission, though unlikely. Demons didn't track individuals by sight, as looks could be deceiving. Hunters had a natural aural camouflage that only dropped when using their powers. Kei hadn't been using his…so how?



The hunter shook his head, making a mental note to mention this detail to Iris. As he started to get up to casually investigate the mirror, he happened to catch sight of Peter. Kei was surprised to see that the human seemed to have reacted to the demon's presence. He was observant enough to note the change in his roommate from what he had been before. Peter's eyes showed he was alert, perhaps even afraid, as they darted about the room. He must have sensed the intrusion, which could mean a few different things. He could simply be sensitive to demons.



Every human being had that sensitivity, but most lost it as they got older. As humans increasingly chose to ignore these internal warnings, and stayed in places where demons were, doing things they shouldn't, the ability dulled and atrophied. Even then, it may not have been strong to begin with. The strength of the sensitivity was different for each individual from birth, with a few being very attuned. Most of those who claimed this awareness openly were a crock, but then, humans rarely understood or employed their innate gifts. In Peter's case, Kei suspected he might be one of the few who had an especial sensitivity. The demon hadn't actually come fully into the house, but projected himself through a mirror for a moment. For Kei to feel it was normal. For Peter to feel it was telling.



Making another mental note, Kei got up and went over to the mirror, but pretended to be messing with his wild, dark hair. "So, it's just you and your brother, huh?" he asked, taking a stab at conversation to distract Peter, and maybe calm him down. Though the demon hunter couldn't betray his whereabouts by casting a specific ward on the mirror- that would have been a dead giveaway- he could figure out some other, less obvious means of keeping the demon out. He'd have to find a good way to 'accidentally' break the mirror...
 
"Yeah." Peter said, shifting as he tried to shake the chill that had run up his spine. "Just the two of us.." he said, putting his book back down with out cracking the cover. "Im gonna go make some tea, did you want any?" He asked. Evidently Kei and peter shared a common distaste for discussing family.
 
Kei didn't answer for a moment, but passed his hand over the surface of the mirror, right where the green eyes had been. At the moment, there was nothing left of the demon, not even traces of its power. It hadn't been there long enough to leave any residue. That could mean it wasn't coming back right away, but searching for something (or someone), jumping through mirrors. But how had it gotten in so far without forcing its way?



Kei cursed inwardly- that ridiculous talisman in the doorway had acted like an open door for the demon, 'inviting' it into the house whenever it wanted. Whatever foolish humans had put the talisman there in the first place likely hadn't had a clue what they were doing. That talisman had created a link for the demon to follow, and it had been there long enough that the pathway into the house was still there. In order to shut the door, if it could be shut now, he would have to call in a specialist. Unfortunately, doing so would alert the demon to his presence, and perhaps bring Peter into danger. Kei would have to move forward cautiously.



"Yeah, thanks." he said at length, pretending to finish with his hair. It was a bit of an odd thing to do, since Kei was not vain, and didn't seem to care much about his looks. He turned and grabbed his phone off the bed.



"I'll just give my aunt a call. You can leave the pot out for me; I'll clean up." With a calm nod, he headed outside and back onto the roof, setting up the wards against anyone listening in. At least out here in the open his magic would get lost in the general ether around the town. Kei had quite a bit to tell Iris.



(Not sure if you want to have that conversation, or just cut to another scene? You can just tell me what Iris would have said in that case.)
 
[We can skip it. She pretty much would have said it could be just sniffing around-- maybe it sensed whenever Peter touched his rosary and was getting protective of it's domain. she would have asked if he found out if peter was an exorcist yet or not-- told him to get on that-- and wished him luck]

Peter made his way to the kitchen, working on whipping up some hot tea. He hated that feeling like someone had walked over his grave-- or something was watching you. It was something he was used to,, but often tried to fluff off-- though never disregard. As far as he was concerned, instincts were put in place to keep you alive. He figured they ought to be listened to...

He frowned as the kettle whistled, pouring himself a full steaming mug before headed back into the room. "Superstition or not-- mirror's going." he decided aloud, frowning at his reflection in the mirror. He frowned at it and casually splashed the hot water onto the glass. It cracked instantly-- right across the frame in protest to the sudden hot liquid on the gold surface.

Peter frowned, looking down at his empty cup. Paranoid? Maybe, he decided. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you aren't right.

He went back to the kitchen and put his mug down, filling it once more, this time adding a teabag. He sat down on one of the three barstools that had come in the apartment and sighed, resting his forehead on the back of his hands. "Thanks, Alex, for jinxing me." he sighed to himself. He felt like his nerves were raw and on edge. Something was off about his room mate-- though he didn't know what. Something was also weird about the apartment, but the longer he stayed the less off it felt-- with the exception of just a few minutes ago.

He finished his drink and grabbed his hoodie and skate board, tied his shoes, and headed out. If Kei asked about the mirror, he would claim to have tripped.
 
(OK, we'll assume that's all the info she had for him. Kei does have to give her a report whenever these things happen, though, so we'll assume he's giving her constant reports.)



Peter wouldn't hear any complaints from Kei about the mirror, though a generic question was in order. The hunter did wonder why there was dried tea all over the frame and the door, and suspected Peter had done it on purpose. Why anyone would stand and stare at themselves while drinking tea was otherwise a mystery. It probably wasn't the best time or way to destroy the mirror, as the demon might see it as a sign that it had been spotted, and arouse suspicion. However, as it couldn't be helped, Kei rolled with it. There was nothing to be done now.



When Peter returned in the late afternoon, he would find Kei making spaghetti for dinner. The hunter had learned to cook out of necessity, and though he wasn't amazing by any means, he was decent enough. Anyway, none of his previous roommates had ever gotten food poisoning that he knew of. In his opinion, so long as it tasted good and didn't kill you, that was all that was required for success. The hunter had learned early not to be too picky with food.



"God timing." he called to Peter as the other man entered the house. "I'll set up a plate for you." The hunter spooned out some spaghetti onto a second plate for Peter, placing it on the counter bar that served as their dining room table. Kei seemed like he always was- rather cool and collected- but the hunter's mind was in constant motion, especially after seeing that demon. Merely a sight of the demonic was enough to get his instincts going, and it was difficult to hide his magic in such moments. Difficult, but not impossible. He was also still mulling over his earlier conversation with Iris. There had not been any more leads, and she didn't have much advice for him. Kei could wait patiently enough, but he didn't like being in the dark.



Still, he showed no outward sign of his thoughts or emotions. At least he had a puzzle to work out in his roommate. "Hey, by the way, what happened to the mirror in the bedroom?" he asked casually, watching Peter without appearing to do so. Not that he expected the truth, but he was looking for little clues in the way Peter decided to answer.
 
"Thanks." Peter blinked at the prepared meal. He hadn't expected it. In fact, he had fully expected to have to make something for himself, which explained the plastic shopping bag in his hand. He kicked up his board while still outside on the step and carried it in under one arm, closing the door behind him. His blond hair was a wind tossed mess, but he didn't seem to care, kicking off his shoes and leaving them nearly by the door.

When Kei asked about the mirror he let out a humorless laugh. "Funny story-- there was a spider. I kind of over reacted and tossed the cup. I planned on cleaning it up when I got in." he explained-- obviously a mentally rehearsed response. Peter wasn't good at lying, it seemed. He put the chicken he had bought into the freezer, loking over his shoulder eye Kei, more than likely to see if he was upset or if he believed the paper thin lie.

Peter didn't look at all any less relaxed than that morning. In all likelihood he had been tense all day, subconsciously on alert himself.
 
Kei wasn't necessarily in the habit of cooking dinner for others, but he wasn't opposed to it. Peter shouldn't expect a home-cooked every night, though. Kei had a strange, perhaps mistaken idea that such things as regular meals cooked and eaten together was something only families did, and was unnecessary for anyone else. Still, once or twice a week might be nice for a change. He was used to eating alone.



The hunter placed a bowl of salad on the bar, as well as some dressing, listening to Peter's story as he moved about the kitchen. It might have passed scrutiny if he really wasn't paying attention, but the hunter knew a lie when he heard one, especially if it was that obvious.



"Don't like spiders, huh?" he smirked. "I'll keep that in mind." Not a good liar….very interesting. Kei made another mental note, but pretended not to notice anything wrong. He didn't even look in Peter's direction, not needing to do so. He was busy putting the pot of spaghetti back on the counter, and when he turned again, sitting down at the bar, he looked as he always did. A casual observer might have thought he wasn't too observant, or didn't like to delve. That last was true, though it depended on the circumstance. Kei had no problem invading someone's privacy if it was for the good of the mission. Lives were more important than personal feelings.



"Speaking of spiders," he commented, after swallowing the first bite of spaghetti, "I heard you also have Mrs. Doose for American Heritage. Did she rip you a new one today? She made three Freshmen girls in my class cry." kei had noticed some…things…about the woman's room, and wanted to see if Peter had picked up on them. For himself, the dark-haired hunter didn't know yet if it was the room, or the woman. People or places could act as a crux for demon activity, and if they spent a lot of time in a place, it could be difficult to tell the origins.
 
"I heard that-- but I missed her class today. I only got swapped into it after it passed." He explained. "Apparently I didn't need to take my German class since I passed the fluency test-- so they filled the hold with Heritage. I have her on Mondays and Fridays two to four pm."

It meant he blond had the rest of the week without interaction with the strange woman or the class room. "I did get invited to two different parties thus week though." He noted offhandedly. "But, really, that's not my scene."
 
Being older than he looked, Kei didn't need most of the classes he was taking, though Spanish would be a new one for him. To learn that Peter knew German was of minor interest. Of more interest was the fact that he didn't care for parties.



"I got invited to a few myself." he smiled wryly, downing a few gulps of water. Apparently being somewhat anti-social around here didn't seem to matter, but then, even Kai was aware of his looks. Just because he didn't really care about them himself didn't mean he couldn't also use them to advantage when trying to get information or favors out of people. If he'd had ambitions that way, he could have used his looks to get all sorts of things. He'd never cared for the attention, however, so when he did it was for the sake of a mission.



Peter had enough good looks to do some damage if he wanted, but he didn't seem to. Kai rolled up some spaghetti on his fork and looked at the blond, dry humor lighting up his eyes. "Not much of a partier, huh? Shame…some pretty girls on this campus." It was unclear if this was him trying to find out more about Peter, or just general needling for the sake of it.
 
Peter shrugged. "Plenty of pretty girls everywhere. Remember the grocery store?" He pointed out, about to start eating himself. "I don't think I would do well with a party girl. They bring nothing but drama with them. I honestly would rather someone plane for a change." He seemed to decide as he spoke, sipping his water. "Speaking of drama, did you happen to catch the club rally today?" He asked.

It had been by the main food court- and honestly- Peter had attempted to avoid it. Still, he managed to have at least three flyers shoved into his hand. One group in particular had rubbed him the wrong way. "The alliance of young people for freedom of physical expression." It only took two minutes of talking with the blue haired girl who handed him the flyer to find out it was a 'swinger' club-- they were looking for more people to have join their parties.

A club for loose and carefree sex... If that didn't scream drama, nothing did.
 
Kei couldn't help a genuine smile at this, albeit a muted one. "You're smarter than most college guys. Keep that attitude about party girls and drama and we'll get along just fine." He'd had to deal with more than his fair share from other, less intelligent roommates.



As far as the club rally went, it was just more annoyance, with the usual nonsense and only a few clues about things going on at the school. Humans were surprisingly stupid about sex, not just for the drama it inevitably brought about. It was like the talisman all over again; humans fiddling with powerful things most of them didn't understand.



"Yeah, I remember them. Got a bit of feeling up for my troubles, too. If you decide to join that club don't bother bringing them here or I'll short-sheet your bed and fill your shampoo bottle with Nair."



By the way Kei's eyes gleamed, Peter would understand that he knew the blond wouldn't do any such thing. As for Kei, he was not interested in such activities, never had been.



"Did you get any 'invitations' from the Astral Club, or the Ishtar Worshipers Club? Anything like that?" This was less teasing and more to the point. Only one of the members of any of those clubs had been something more than human, and they seemed to be in it more to watch the actual humans stumble around with 'magic'.
 
Peter looked slightly amused as he took a drink of his water. "I had one of them try to read the palm of my hand-- then tell me not to bother applying for their club." He admitted honestly.

That was a loaded statement. Depending on who had grabbed the blonds hand-- any number of things might have happened. They might have been able to sense something off about him-- or perhaps they simply noticed the rosary wrapped around his wrist and dismissed him. Maybe someone had tried to honestly read the palm of his hand and seen something they didn't like? Or perhaps still, whoever it had been had placed a spell of some sort. Or tried to.

He helped himself to a little of the salad and took it upon himself to cover dish duty. "I think I'll take the long way across campus tomorrow, those club booths are supposed ot be up for the rest of the week."
 
"Palm-readers… You weren't missing much." Kei couldn't gather anything conclusive from Peter's answer, so he decided to drop the subject for the moment. So far, Peter was being fairly open, and he'd rather not scare him off. Since the last 'visitation' of that demon in the mirror, the blond seemed to have calmed down. Kei would prefer Peter stayed that way for now; it was a lot easier to get things from people when they weren't jumpy or defensive.



For himself, he'd be going back around the next day to the club booths, just to see if he could figure out what happened with the 'palm reader'. Today, there had been a few too many people around the booth to get a good look or 'feel', and he'd had no reason to go near them. Now, he did.



As Peter began to clear away the dishes, Kei stayed in his seat, leaning against the counter and sipping casually on his water. "By the way, I was thinking of sitting in and watching a movie tonight, if you feel like joining me. The Syfy channel is having a marathon of scary movies." The next several being about exorcisms, among other things. While most movies about the supernatural were laughably bad an inaccurate, at least they could be fun in their badness. Anyway, he was hoping to get into actual discussions about exorcisms and such with Peter, and movies were often a good catalyst.
 
Peter considered the offer for a moment before shrugging. "I could watch a movie." he agreed. Honestly, he hated movies. It involved sitting and doing nothing for an extended period of time. Quite frankly, he found them boring. He would much rather be out and about, skating or just reading a book in silence. Going brain dead was simply not appealing.

But, if his room mate wanted to watch a movie or two, he didn't mind, for the sake of helping what might one day be a good friendship.
 
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