Disclaimer: you know.

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He left the bookstore as soon as her divine form exited. He walked slowly down the street, not sure where he was going. Around half an hour passed. He was wandering aimlessly when suddenly he saw someone in front of him. He made a move to go around them, but they were moving very fast and collided with him straight on, sending him flying into the gutter. He sat up, wounded slightly but not bleeding. He shook his head several times, blinked, and saw Devi sitting on the ground in front of him, rubbing her head.

"Dev-De-Devi?" he stammered, so shaken off balance at her nearness to him. He could have reached out a hand and touched her easily. But he wouldn't have dared. He watched her expectantly. She looked back at him for a second with those emerald green eyes. There was look of something like regret in those eyes, but suddenly they narrowed in fury and she leaped to her feet rather unsteadily and backed away from him, glaring in pure hatred at his form. All his hope vanished and he looked at his feet, surprised at the hot little tears that burned his eyelids, but he did not allow to fall.

"I thought I told you to keep the hell away from me, you little fuck!" she snarled loudly, just to hurt him. She knew he hadn't run into her on purpose, but she wanted to make him cry if possible. She just wanted to see him hurt. He looked up at her from where he sat in the drain, a wounded look in his dark eyes. But he couldn't let it get to him

"Nice to see you again too, Devi," he said, and with that he stood up delicately and slipped his slim hands into his pockets. He stood still and stared at her while she glared at him in pure detestation and then she turned gracefully and walked away into the darkness. Nny gathered his repose once more and headed off toward the 24/7.

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He opened the door to house 777 and ambled inside, stretching his limbs as he headed for the moth eaten sofa. He flopped down, cherry freezy in hand, and stared off into space as he sipped it. Once more, as he allowed himself to think, his mind filled with shame at what he'd tried to do to Devi on their first date. He lowered his head slightly in a gesture of disgrace and dropped his face into his hand. He set his freezy on the floor by the couch and released his head into his hands, massaging his temples.

"Oh Devi," he mumbled to himself. He felt so rotten for trying to kill her. She was the first human he'd sincerely allowed himself to love, and then he'd had to do something like that. He knew he owed her a proper apology, but it seemed that every time he tried to get near to her she ran away.

Maybe it would be different if he tried now. She was no longer afraid of him. She hated him with passion, yes, but she was no longer afraid, and no longer ran when she saw him. She'd actually said a few words to him tonight, and her voice held no fear, only sarcasm and repugnance. Sure, it was still painful, but not as painful as the old look of fear that she'd once gotten when she beheld him. It had made him feel so helpless. Like there was nothing he could do to make her life a bit easier.

He had to try. Just had to try. He would experiment with his luck tomorrow, he would go to Devi's house in pursuit of easing his conscience.

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Look for the next chapter as soon as I'm off my lazy ass again and actually writing it...probably tomorrow.