She's fallen asleep next to him.

Once they finished watching some Unsolved videos, he decided that he too, is a Shaniac - he believes in that stuff, but naturally he's not scared of it. Human he might have been, but Demetri hasn't felt the fear of any supernatural for more than a thousand years. He's felt the fear of his masters, yes, but they are not supernatural to him. This is his life - his nature. It's been hours since they started and once she had dinner and took her medication, they just sat peacefully on the sofa next to each other, her embroidering a pattern while he read a new book he had picked up on the plane ride here. He doesn't exactly remember when she fell asleep, but her neck will have a crick in it the next morning with that posture. He slowly picks her up, being careful not to jostle her too much to risk waking her, and walks towards an open door where he can spy a bed. It looks the most set up room and judging by the stuff on the table and the few paintings and framed posters put up on the walls, it's probably hers.

She mumbles a little as he sets her down - is she a sleep talker? - but eventually rolls over, her breathing slow and even. Demetri heads for the door, but something in him just wants to turn back and look at her. He knows she's not as frail as he first saw her as, but she still looks small and vulnerable in her sleep, like all humans do . He turns back to look at her, soundly asleep - a warm feeling fills his chest, and if she allowed him to do so, he would love to just watch her as she slept. Hades knows he can't sleep himself.

He's still not sure as to why exactly he came back, apart from the fact that he missed her. She is his friend, and he likes spending time with her. That must be it. Nothing more. It's not the cackly, loud laughter that is somehow both annoying and endearing. All her laughs are nice - the quiet ones at the police station when she was trying to not laugh at the receptionist, the giggles at his smug expressions and mimicry, the loud, snort-filled ugly laughs at something stupid, the ones that come from deep within her throat, the ones that make her shake silently with the effort. It's nice to watch her face flush with happiness at something. Much better than watching her cry. It was quite distressing for him to watch her weeping with terror that day in the forest and for a moment, he thought it was because of him, and it probably was. Normal people don't watch their friend rip apart a wolf's throat from his body with just their teeth. She saw the bloodlust in his eyes, how he looked at her and her wounds like something to eat and frankly, Demetri was quite surprised when she agreed to see him again. He was surprised that she cried when he left that night.

He knows there's something else drawing him here than just mere friendship. While his intuition is mostly reserved for hunting and work, he feels like it applies here right now. It's not work, and it is not just friendship. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Their friendship is a big part of him being here, yes - perhaps the leading one - but it isn't the only one, and there is perhaps a slight possibility that Demetri romantically likes her. She is too close to him for just a one-night stand, and it isn't love at first sight either. There is something - it is here, it is present, and it is a feeling that makes him feel that he would like to kiss her. At least once, and maybe more. Right now all he can do is text Felix, Chelsea, Corin and Heidi about it and get advice.

I KNEW IT. Heidi's usual string of emojis is absent in this message, and he can feel the woman looking at him with her trademark smug look of victory. The next message from her is a Spotify link to Drake's "In My Feelings", at which he rolls his eyes.

How do you want to approach this? Chelsea usually has an adult answer about such things. Do you want to slowly give her hints, or do you want to take her out on a date?

What did Master Marcus say? Corin, while usually quiet amongst people, is also the best one to approach for a heart to heart, and is usually logical and empathetic about it. He lets the group know about that part of the meeting, prompting a flurry of typing. Heidi sends another link, this time to "Boyfriend" by Tegan and Sara.

You don't really have a leg to stand on, miss "I don't know how to ask Corin out cause I am too scared of rejection" - let's see how she reacts to that. The reply is in the form of a picture from Corin, with Heidi giving him the finger.

Do whatever you want, just don't be Edward Cullen about it , Felix chimes in; Demetri shudders at the thought. The idiotic boy really just stood under the sun, chest exposed - the girl would've thought he was wearing body glitter. Look, just take a chance, Corin suggests. Go slow, and don't spook her. If Master Marcus thinks it is going to strengthen further in other ways, there's a decent chance she likes you too. Haven't met her but she sounds kinda nice.

I don't exactly have a lot of time here on my leave, do I?

Dude, do you need more than a month? Chelsea asks. Felix, you've met the girl - is she obtuse and dense? What kind of question is that? So far I would say no, she's pretty astute, Felix replies, but you never know about her being emotionally dense. And if Mr Casanova here isn't obvious enough, it's gonna take way more than a month.

Is she worth the risk? Heidi asks.

No one is worth risking my position and family for. At the end of it all, the Volturi is all he has, and he doesn't know what he would be without them. If the masters let him live after, that is.

You know that's not what I'm asking, wonder boy. He knows just what Heidi is asking, and the truth is that he doesn't know. He doesn't know if she's worth that emotional risk. It's been a long time since he has taken that leap - a few centuries, truly. Demetri, just gauge her reactions and watch her behaviour, and DON'T OVERTHINK. You have people falling for you and over you all the fucking time , Chelsea says, and if this girl likes you, it will be apparent. If you don't see that in a month, she either doesn't like or you're both stupid as fuck.

Keeping it honest as always, Chelsea my girl - Felix adds a thumbs up emoji at the end of his message.

You know it, big boy. Chelsea sends a link to a random YouTube video with her message that seems unrelated to the current conversation, and they move on to other topics. He has to make a game plan to figure this all out, and he has until the morning to figure out stage 1 of this. He's wracking his brain to see what would be a good conversation starter - the movie she mentioned. What We Do In The Shadows, right? They'll watch it tomorrow, and he'll try to figure it out.

Hey guys, one more thing.

What's up? Chelsea texts back immediately. Heidi replies with a bunch of eye emojis, and Felix just seems to be typing, for some reason.

I'm thinking of us watching a movie, but just exactly what do I do?

Sir,,, is apparently all Felix had to say, as Chelsea sends the group a picture of her slapping her forehead.

Please stop bullying Demetri and actually help him for once HEIDI. He loves it when Corin gets passive aggressive at her girlfriend, but right now he needs actual advice.

Babe why,,, okay fine - I know this isn't your standard one-night thing, and most people just relax and be themselves on dates. Ask her more about herself, the usual. You know the first date routine like the back of your hand, D. That he does.

We'll help you out when this veers into actual relationship territory, okay? Like always, Corin being the kind one.

Dude, you can't let the rest of the Guard know about this, are Chelsea's parting words as she goes silent, Heidi telling them about this weird fact she read in a book she picked up at a flea sale, and they go back to other topics that aren't his love life. Heidi is right - he does know the first-date routine well; it's a standard in his repertoire of charming information out of people. The one major difference here is that this isn't work. Demetri decides to go for a walk before dawn breaks, idly walking the streets in the glow of the streetlights, headphones in his ears.

It's a playlist he had compiled for Heidi and Corin (the two were a huge fan of mixtapes in the 80s), and the song gives him some pause. This one is a particular favourite of his. "Yours is like a wave upon the open shore, every time you fall I only want you more," he hums along, feeling the wind blow past his face. How hard can this be, really? All he has to do is pay attention to her answers and give her subtle hints that he is interested in her, then gauge her reactions.

He's got this.

He lets the first rays of dawn linger on his skin as he walks back before he puts on his hoodie and shoves his hands in his pockets. The sparkling casts a halo around his face, and he takes in the sight of the horizon and its bluish-violet tones, the rising sun a gold running through like fresh paint streaks. Back at the apartment, everything is the same - Demetri picks his book back up and gets back to reading.

"Oh, hey," he hears her groggy voice call an hour later. Sophia shuffles into the living room, eyes half closed before she slowly adjusts to the light of the room, giving him a sleepy smile. "Thanks for depositing me in my bed, even though you had no obligation whatsoever to do that."

"It's all good," he brushes it off. Time to start with the hints. "I don't mind doing things for you - it is my pleasure, really."

"You're too nice." It's an adorable sight, her hair sticking up, dressed in baggy pajamas, voice hoarse from sleep. He likes this - he would like to continually return to this. "I have no clue how I can possibly repay you for literally everything."

"You don't need to, trust me. But I would like it if you watched What We Do In The Shadows with me." That seems to wake her up a little more.

"Yes!" She's halfway down the hallway back to her room before she stops, shuffling back to the front room. "What time?" He wants to be fairly obvious, but he also wants to take it slow, so just a movie would be good enough for today. Slow and steady.

"I would say the evening."

"Perfect! It's predicted to be sunny outside, so if you wanna play Wii Sports Resort and Wii Sports with me during the day, that's an option." He hears the sound of water running a while later and tunes out, going back to his book. He'll be done with it in maybe three more hours, so the promise of playing Wii sounds fun. Felix and he spent a lot of downtime playing tennis on Wii Sports. The day goes by with them playing for a while, after which he assists her with a bit of redecoration as Sophia unpacks her house. "You make it look so easy," she grumbles, sweating as she pushes a box into the study. The box's thudding makes him think there are books inside, possibly hardbacks, and a lot of them.

"You know it would be easier if you just let me do that, right?" He cocks an eyebrow at her, waiting for a response. She huffs, resting her arms on the cardboard box as she narrows her eyes at him. "It's just more efficient."

"I can do this just fine by myself." It makes him chuckle, this small woman glaring at him as she pants while pushing a very heavy box of books into a study door. "See? Progress."

"Which would have been faster if a) you had distributed the weight into smaller boxes than just one big one and b) used a cart or board with wheels on the bottom." Once she gets the box into a corner, she flops down on the fuzzy carpet on the ground, sticking her tongue out at him.

"I know, but hey. There are quite a few things I need to do, but the first on the agenda is a cold shower because it is too hot for Massachusetts right now, and I have done more unpacking than ever before in my life. And then maybe a nap."

"Humans," he shakes his head.

"Honestly, mood. We're a dumpster fire of a species that was clearly not meant to last long." At that, she departs for her room. Demetri goes to the guest room, cranking up the cold as he kicks his shoes off and settles into the bed, listening to a podcast.

Evening can't come fast enough.