This is a one shot for my friend epikasia. Love you girl, and a big congrats to you!

I dusted out the hem of my black and white flared skirt for the 10th time, boredom was setting in and I was getting a touch fidgety after waiting almost 15 minutes in this blazing heat.

"L-Lena!"

I blinked up at the high pitched voice that sounded more than out of breath as the slapping of her shoes reached my ears shortly after. Short blonde hair waved behind her as her usual azure eyes were closed from exhaustion as she ran. A smile twitched onto my face as I pivoted on my heel to face her with a bright grin, ignoring the annoyance I had previously felt now knowing she had been trying to get here on time at least.

"Slow down Shiemi..."

She halted a few feet from me, suddenly dropping palms to her knees in complete fatigue; her head following suit and giving me a full view of the top of her golden head.

"S-sorry… exorcist… tra-training… and..."

"Don't apologise, your studies come first and you're only 15 minutes late."

Those fifteen minutes seemed miniscule to me now that I knew her reason. I knew Shiemi wanted to be an exorcist and it's great that she finally found something she wanted to do with her life. Her head tilted up, sweat dripping down the side of her face as a forced laugh left her lungs in her exhausted state.

"Let's go get that book you wanted. My treat."

I turned and walked away from the younger female, ignoring her cries of stuttered protest as I stifled a giggle and made my way to the book store with the flailing women in tow.

Black Mary Jane's clicked along the floor slowly as my finger ran across each book I passed, Leather, paperback, fabric and cardboard running over the prints of my forefinger in my search. I wasn't looking for anything particularity, just browsing for anything that may take my interest which so far has been a bust. The medicinal herb book that Shiemi wanted was laying idly in my opposite hand, ready for purchase as I continued my idle dilly-dallying. The small blonde wanted to search some more in case there would be more books she needed for her studies and I agreed whole-heartedly, I just didn't think she would take this long. I stopped upon a thick hardback book, withered and falling apart at the spine. I narrowed my eyes at the almost ineligible black wording, focusing sandstone coloured eyes on the letters.

"Alice in… wonderland."

I smiled lightly once making out the words, pulling the book from it's hold as I opened it to a random yellowed page, taking in familiar letters and pictures of the white rabbit running with Alice in tow. It had tricked her to follow it into a crazy world full of the unknown as she followed it relentlessly to the end, no matter what she encountered she just had to catch the white rabbit. I remember this from when I was a child… It was popular amongst schools and parents reading to their kids. I was lucky enough to have both luxuries as I loved the story. My hand pressed over the picture lovingly before I shook my dark locks gently and closed the book ever so carefully as to not damage the already worn and torn antique pages, a smile still encasing my face as I placed the book back into its original hold.

"Lenita! My dear it has been far too long!~"

I pulled my fingers away from the book as I startled to look at the loud voice that had called me. I smiled gently at the familiar violet haired man as my hand pressed against my chest to calm the jump scare it had just received.

"Mephisto… don't scare me like that."

The flamboyant male laughed heartily before taking a small bow, peering up at me with eyes as dark as the forest under the shadow of his pristine hat.

"So sorry for the startle. Once I noticed you I couldn't help but call out."

I should have known honestly, this man being the only person to ever call me Lanita. Since I have always dressed in a Lolita style he took parts of the word along with my name to create the silly nickname for me. I smiled brightly with a laugh following as I played along with him; refusing to let this male know of my yearning feelings.

"I'm glad you did. How have you been?"

"Oh~ Don't get me started! Rin has been causing me chaos as well as failing his classes! Amaimon also-"

I laughed along to Mephisto's pain felt stories, not at what he was saying, but just the way he was saying things… how he was speaking so friendly to me. I felt like I could laugh along to the obscure stories he had been spouting, like I had many of times in the past. I knew he was a demon king, if it wasn't obvious enough being an exorcist myself he made his aliases like an iceberg to the Titanic. Johann Faust… Mephistopheles… it smacked you dead in the face if you knew anything about demonology from a basic level. I pulled the herbal book I held into sight as I clutched it into my chest, the ruffles of my dark dress covering the top quarter of the small paperback as I smiled gently.

"I have to get this back to my friend."

"Young miss Shiemi, right?~"

"You've seen her?"

"Why yes, she was down in the demon herb section. Probably trying to figure out more about her familiar I'd say."

That made sense, Nii was affiliated with Amaimon the Earth king. So it was only natural she'd want a wider range of knowledge on the subject. She was taking her exorcist training so seriously, I couldn't be more proud. I smiled up at the taller male before bowing slightly to him.

"Thanks, I'll go see her now."

"Just one moment little Lenita."

I stopped in mid-pivot to twist my head towards the demon, short chocolate locks whipping me in the cheek from the sudden jolt.

"You have worked for the Vatican for many years, since you were 15 right? I remember that day well.~"

He pressed his gloved fingers to his cheek as he looked off at something I couldn't see, being his usual goofy self as I smiled and counted on my fingers the years I had been there… 10 years today. Sandstone eyes opened wide along with my mouth; had it really been that long? Mephisto chuckled to himself before shifting his fingers to cover his mouth as he looked at me with mocking eyes.

"Oh my~ You honestly forgot? Such a silly girl you are.~"

I closed my mouth to scowl up at the male which he took non-threateningly with a hearty laugh before waving his arms around him in a wide gesture.

"You are simply adorable~ so to commemorate this day I would like to invite you to my mansion for dinner tonight."

I felt my spine stiffen at the statement that just reached my ears. Dinner.. at his place? In all the years I've known this man I've never been near his school, let alone his home. He seemed to catch onto my thoughts as he smirked a toothy grin at me, lowering his face to my level.

"It has been well overdue that we get to know each other better.~ And I look forward to working many more years with you… my little Lanita.~"

He took a strand of the silken ribbon that rest in my hair before placing it to his lips and giving it a gentle kiss, never moving his forest eyes from my own shocked ones.

"I look forward to seeing you tonight.~"

He released the black silk, allowing it to graze my cheek as it fell back down to my ear as he straightened himself out before turning and walking away, leaving me in a complete stupor. Shiemi walked into sight, giving the male a bow before running over to me and looking me over with a look of worry.

"You seem pale Lena, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I've just been invited out by him..."

I felt my face heat up at the thought, was this a date? Or just a work date? I didn't have much time to think as Shiemi clapped her hands together and looked up at me with sparkling blue eyes in awe.

"Ah! So you've finally got what you wanted! Where are you going?!"

I blinked lightly and tilted my head over to the book that had my attention not 10 minutes ago, the black faded writing mocking me as I smiled awkwardly at my smaller friend.

"Down the rabbit hole it seems."