Chapter Text
„Ah! Thin’s finally movin’ fer ye?“ Ery asked happily as she walked along side Eric through mortal London.
He had run into her again on his reaps and she tagged along for a bit, catching up and just chatting with her long time friend.
„Aye, finally thin’s 'r rollin‘. I’m so happy, we’re schedulin’ a visitation fer a house now, tis workin’“ Eric replied to her and looked about, finding his way to the next soul on his list.
Both neglected the fact, that they were being followed.
There was a shadow lurking about, watching Erics every move.
Taking notes and watching very closely, creating a profile of the day, especially taking notes about the woman.
„Glad te hear tha’“ she answered, brushing back her long hazel hair, watching Eric look around „Is Alans body takin’ the pregnancy well? Should I check on 'im?“ She asked and looked up at the blonde scotsman.
The man nodded and returned the gaze friendly, „Would be real nice o’ ye if ye could do tha’“ he agreed upon her request and offer „Reaper staff has no clue how te treat 'im properly, woul’ be real great“ he added.
„Then we shoul’ meet on yer next free day and I’ll do m’ best te check 'im“ she nodded in agreement.
A task that was necessary, she knew that and it was nice to help out, after all she had been playing a big part in all of this, yet it was weird for her.
She had no idea why she felt that way lately, it felt to her, as if she was just existing, not living.
She was stuck, not moving for- or backwards.
She felt nothing and everything at the same time and her head was so full that it felt empty.
„Ery? Hey, Ery“ Erics voice called her back into reality „Didye hear me?“ He asked.
The woman shook her head „Sorry, wha’?“
The scotsman chuckled „I said I need te turn here an’ if ye wanna come wi’“ he gestured towards an alley way.
A sigh and a nod came from the demon „Sure, I’m comin', go’ some time te kill“
„If tis one thin’ we both have, tis time“ Eric sighed aswell and walked with her into the narrow street.
It was damp and a bit darker here, garbage was laying around and the wetness of the cobblestone crawled up the outer walls of the aligning houses.
Ery shivered „Ew, I hate these alleys“ she commented and moved closer to Eric due to lack of space as they walked on.
The street seemed to become even more narrow, the further the two of them walked.
Eric nodded „Sadly tis a popular collection spot fer us“ he told her.
„Reminds me o’ our home town“ she commented and looked about.
Even here they were being watched, not noticing that, the two continued their talk and walk.
„Our home town was nicer then this“ Eric exclaimed, shooting her a glance.
But he knew what she meant, many little streets had been this narrow.
Soon Eric had spotted his target, an old man, doubled over, pressed close to the wall, seekinig the non existing comfort of the cold stone wall.
He was dying of starvation, a cruel way to go but not uncommon sadly.
Eric materialized his scythe and stepped closer to the man.
Upon the guy taking his last breath, Eric reviewed and reaped his soul, stamping the paper as completed in his book.
Turning back to Ery he sighed „Done“.
She nodded and sighed „The job is gruesome“ she commented and came closer to him.
„Tis bu’ tis wha’ ye get fer offin’ yerself“ Eric comments „After 1000 Years on th’ job, ye harden yerself. Tis jus’ a job fer me, go’ a life worth livin’ fer now“ he explains to her „Thanks te ye, I can keep it“ hinting at her making this pregnancy and cure method possible.
„Hey, no skin off m’ back, jus’ helpin’ out“ she shrugs it off, receiving compliments for something that’s second nature to her felt weird in its own way.
Ery didn’t think of her abilities as extraordinary, it didn't cross her mind, that to someone without those abilities it could be something special or miraculous.
„So you’re saying you observed Slingby being friendly with an unknown woman?“ Adams barked at his assistant, who had been tailing the Scottish reaper all day, handing in his first report to his boss.
„Well, yeah but they talked about Humphries' situation and he asked her to check up on him because reaper staff has no idea how to treat him. I have reason to believe that she is a demon“ the man stood his ground against his boss.
„But you have no prove of that, do you?“ Adams asked back.
The man shook his head.
„Then we need to be certain if we want to solve this case, this is so weird“ rubbing his temples, the man started to get a headache from all of this.
„I’m aware, sir but how should we prove that this woman is a demon? We have no idea who she is. And what if the assumption is correct? How do we take proper precautions in order to keep ourselves safe?“ Rory pointed out, an uncomfortable gut feeling arising in the pit of his stomach.
He did not like this at all.
„For now you keep following him. We need to be certain of the woman’s identity first. Never let Slingby out of your sight for the next week. We need that entail“ Adams sighed deeply before dismissing the younger male.
Rory sighed, this was about to become his own personal nightmare.
Never before had the had a case this difficult to solve.
If he had understood his assignment corrctly, he would also have to keep an eye om the older reaper here at dispatch.
Reapers needed just as much sleep as humans did and Rory would not go an entire week without sleep.
His own conclusion was, to watch Eric until the man retired to his apartment and return to his duty, as soon as the man was about to leave for office.
The next days proved to be uneventful.
Rory tailed Eric and Alan at some house visits.
They wanted to move in together, he made a side note about that.
But other then that… Alan was stuck in the office all day and Eric was out on reaps.
But the woman stayed gone.
After day 4, Rory was about to call it quits, the woman did show up again.
Eric was watching the last soul on his list, when she suddenly turned up right next to him
Seemingly out of thin air.
Eric was startled for a second, he hadn’t thought that Ery would show up that late into the evening. „Good evenin’“ he greeted her, giving her a brief hug.
He grinned and returned the gesture.
„Hey. Sorry, I’ve been busy the past days“ she explained to him.
There had been some matters, that had called for her as queen so she had been stuck in hell the past days.
Something, she hadn't told Eric yet and still didn't know how she should tell him.
Somehow, those words were so tangled up, that she couldn't master the task of forming them into coherent sentences.
Maybe she was also partially afraid of her best friends reaction.
All of a sudden she had no idea why she was scared of it.
He alsready knew she was a demon and had taken those news rather well, why would he react badly to her being royalty now?
Thoughts, she needed to brush off quickly, so she shook her head breifly and focused back on why she had come in the first place.
„I wanted te ask ye if I should check up on Alan tonight?“
Eric gave her a brief side glance, thinking, then nodding „Sure, I’ll take ye w’me te dispatch after the reap“ he said and nodded.
Sighing the woman crossed her arms and looked up into the night sky „I’ve never been te the reapers realm before“.
That thought was scary in its own way.
„Wonder why“ Eric muttered under his breath.
Neither demons nor angels could enter the reapers realm without the help of one.
It also was the other way around.
In order to visit hell, Reapers needed a demon to guide them there.
Every species had their own unique portal energy.
To create a safe space for each kind.
„I’ll take ye wi’ me and I’ll get ye back here afterwards, sound good?“ Eric then said a bit louder.
The woman nodded „Sure“.
Only a short while later, Eric returned to dispatch with Ery in tow.
He brought her straight to his apartment, before returning to the office, to drop off his paperwork and to collect Alan.
Driving his pregnant boyfriend to his own place, Eric kissed the younger man and reassured him that he would be right back.
Alan changed his clothes and made some tea, when Eric returned.
Alan had surprise written all over his face, when he saw, that Eric had brought Ery.
„Hey“ the woman greeted the pregnant reaper with a gentle smile.
Alan blinked in response „Hey… isn’t this a bit risky? Coming here I mean“ he stammered and looked from her to Eric and back.
„Maybe bu’ I said I’d check up on ye“ she shrugged and looked around, taking in her surroundings.
She was almost certain, Alan was just as nervous about her residing here, then she was.
She wanted this to pass by without any trouble.
Trouble was something she did not want to cause.
Something, she did not need right now, not at all.
„Well, they weren’t kiddin’ when they said dispatch is more advanced“ she stated after a moment.
Alan chuckled, he knew that the human realm was behind on development.
„Is hell different?“ He asked, leading his guest into his living room „Tea?“
She nodded „Aye, yes please and yes, hell is very different“ she chuckled „We dun need heaters for instance.“
In the meantime, Eric came into the living room with two mugs full of tea, softly nudging Alan towards the sofa, he would take care of the rest.
The brown haired reaper chuckled, taking a mug from Eric „Thank you Eric.“
Turning towardas Ery again, who was just now taking the second mug „Is it that warm?“
The woman laughed softly, taking a big sip „Aye, tis nice n’ warm there“ she agreed and took a seat on the sofa, next to Alan.
Eying him up and down.
She could sense that the baby was healthy, but she wanted to be sure „May I touch ye?“ She asked him, gesturing towards the reapers belly, setting down her mug.
Alan looked at her, then at his belly and leaned a bit back, further into the cushioning of the couch „Yes, go ahead“ he said.
He was nervous, he had no idea what to expect from this and he had his own concerns with the situation aswell.
Ery pushed up the fabric of Alans shirt and placed her hands on him.
One above and one a bit further down on the growing bump.
Closing her eyes she tried to focus on the baby.
Its movements and heartbeat.
Taking a deep breath, she moved the lower hand a bit upwards, her fingers dancing across Alans skin, sending soft heat waves into the other mans body.
Those heat waves weren’t painful, they were pleasant for the reaper.
Eric stood and watched, not taking his eyes off of the two of them for a second.
He needed to see everything that was happening.
Too big was his fear of something going wrong, eventhough he trusted Ery.
After minutes, that felt longer, Ery removed her hands and opened her eyes „Everything is going well. The baby is healthy and developing nicely as far as I can tell…“ she grinned „And I also know the gender“.
Alans eyes lid up „What is it? Can you please tell me?“ Relief flooded through him from the good news that his baby was happy and healthy.
The succubus smiled „It’s agirl“.