The inspiration for this story comes from the 1983 George Strait song "You Look So Good In Love". I find it a bit ironic that I often get inspiration for short stories from what I refer to as "classic country" music because I don't think there's a lot of overlap between the fan base of SVTFOE and…you know…George Strait. And if I'm wrong and there actually is, I'll eat my hat. (I've got plenty of them, I could find one I don't care about to eat.)

Anyway, this is a Starco story about Tom. I know, I know, you'll see. It's set about a year or so after Cleaved.

Janna froze in her tracks halfway up the Diaz's front walk as a column of fire erupted from the concrete no more than two feet in front of her. From within the swirling flames stepped Tom, carrying a large ceramic dish covered with aluminum foil. The demon notice her until the flames had disappeared. His cheerful greeting died in his throat as he noticed the surprised and somewhat annoyed expression on her face.

"I almost roasted you with the fire column, didn't I?"

"I thought we had agreed you would arrive through the backyard."

"…I forgot. Sorry."

Her expression softened. "No big. You missed. What'dya make this week?" she asked, gesturing to the dish he carried.

"Demon chicken. Tastes like regular chicken, but juicier and slightly more evil."

"Mmm, can't wait!"

Saturday night had become group dinner night at the Diaz's house. Star and Marco's friends had an open invitation to dinner every week. Moon and River would attend once in awhile, too, Jackie would stop by if she was in town, and Pony Head would usually show up in time for desert, but Janna and Tom never missed a weekend. The usual attendees took turns making the entree, and it happened to be Tom's week. The others would make sides.

They strolled the rest of the way up to the house. Tom nodded to the covered pot Janna carried. "What'd you make?"

"Glazed carrots. Also slightly more evil than regular carrots."

Tom laughed. "Perfect."

Janna rang the doorbell and was almost instantly greeted by Star excitedly crashing headlong into the door with a loud whump! as she tried to rush through it before the latch cleared the striker. "Hey, guys! Come-in-come-in-come-in!" The former princess stood aside to allow them entry and pointed them toward the dining room table. "Put your food down and come watch the end of this movie with us!"

They gently placed their dishes on the table, waved hello to Mr. and Mrs. Diaz in the kitchen, and returned to the living room with Star. Marco, sitting on the couch, waved in greeting. "Hey, guys!"

"Hey, Marco."

"'Sup, bro?"

Star practically bounced onto the couch into Marco's waiting arms, eagerly grabbing hold of Marco and resting her head on his shoulder. Tom smiled weakly at the sight, suddenly feeling a bit melancholy inside. He was used to seeing his ex-girlfriend be affectionate with Marco, but for some reason today it was tying his stomach in a knot.

"What movie are you watching?" Janna asked as she plopped down beside the happy couple. Tom took an armchair off to one side.

"Runaway Train," Marco answered.

"Aw, sweet! I love this movie!"

Tom had never seen it, but as it returned from its final commercial break, it was very obvious why Janna liked it. It was gritty, suspenseful, and had a lot of cursing. Two convicts, having escaped from a prison in Alaska, had ended up aboard a train with no one at the controls. The movie had reached its climactic final scenes, and one of the main characters had his hand crushed between the knuckle couplers of the two lead locomotives. It was bloody, and Janna loved it.

Tom expected Star to shut her eyes. She wasn't adverse to fighting, but she drew the line at gore. Instead, she shuddered a little bit and hugged Marco tighter until the scene had passed, and then relaxed. But she was still smiling, and she looked very happy. He also noted that Star only appeared to be watching about two-thirds of the movie, as she kept looking away from the tv to gaze at Marco. Her boyfriend continuously stroked her arm and nuzzled his temple against hers with affection as he watched the movie.

The film ended just as Mr. and Mrs. Diaz emerged from the kitchen carrying the rest of the dinner. "Everything's ready!" Angie called. "Let's eat!"

Rafael was already taking his spot at the table. "Oh, boy! I am starved!"

Marco switched off the tv and the four teenagers made their way to the table. Star and Marco held hands all the way there, and then continued holding hands underneath the table.

Dinner was as enjoyable as always as each guest took a turn filling in the others about interesting things that had occurred in the past week, talking and laughing as they enjoyed Tom's demon chicken (which Angie said was "ironically heavenly.") Tom noted Star and Marco whispering to each other a few times before giggling and leaning their heads together. Their chairs seemed to grow closer and closer together as the meal progressed until there was no longer any space between them.

"Tom!"

"Huh?" The demon dropped his fork in surprise. He hadn't even realized someone was talking to him.

Mrs. Diaz repeated herself. "I said, 'How are your parents doing?"

"Oh! Sorry, I was…lost in thought. They're fine. Dad's been enjoying the Earth-Mewni cleave. He says it's a lot easier to get to movie theaters from the Underworld now."

Angie smiled. "Maybe your folks could join us for dinner one week."

"Only if you want your house ripped in half. Mom is, uh…"

"Tall," Marco interjected.

Star nodded. "Very, very, very tall."

"Like, taller than your roof," Tom finished.

Janna speared a carrot on her fork. "She's awesome."

Mrs. Diaz laughed. "Oh, my! Well, maybe we could have a picnic in the backyard."

"I bet they'd like that."

The group finished eating. As she chewed her last forkful of glazed carrots (if you were going to get Star to eat vegetables, you'd have to find a way to make them sweet) Star abruptly gasped. "Ohmygosh! Janna, you gotta check out this new game Marco and I have been playing!" She pushed back her chair, standing up from the table, and dragged Marco toward the stairs. "C'mon!"

Janna slowly stood up. "Thanks for a great dinner as always, Mr. and Mrs. D."

"Any time, Janna!" Mr. Diaz replied. "It is always nice to have you kids over!"

"Always great to be here." And then Janna followed after Star and Marco, leaving Tom with Marco's parents. The demon prince stood and starting stacking the dirty plates and silverware.

Mrs. Diaz raised an eyebrow. "Tom? Do you not want to go see what they're up to?"

"That's okay, I'll help clean up."

"Oh, Tom, you don't have to do that. We'll take care of it."

"No, no. It's cool." Tom picked up the stack of plates and carried them to the kitchen counter.

Rafael came up behind him as he was loading the dishwasher. Angie was wrapping leftovers on the island. "Tom? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"It's just that you seem…quiet. Like there is something bothering you."

"…No. I'm fine. Really."

Mrs. Diaz came around the island with the now empty serving dishes and deposited them in the sink. "I bet I know what's on your mind, Tom."

Oh, boy. Nothing ever escaped Mrs. Diaz. She had a sixth sense for emotions.

"You're feeling a little jealous of Star and Marco."

"…Um…" Is that was Tom was feeling? He didn't think this feeling was jealousy. "…Maybe? I don't-" His shoulders drooped. "I just wish I could have made Star that happy."

Angie smiled. "You're a really nice young man, Tom. I know Star cares about you a lot, and I think you did make her happy. I remember how excited she was when she found out you were coming to see her here after your trip. She'd really missed you."

Tom sighed. "The thing is, I've known Star a long time and she's always been a very happy person. It's just…" He shrugged, finding it difficult to find the right words. "She's a different kind of happy with Marco, if that makes sense."

Angie nodded. "It does. I noticed it, too."

"Oh, yeah! Star is loco about Marco!"

Angie shot her husband a look that read Subtle, Rafael.

If the comment bothered Tom, he didn't show it. "It's not like it bothers me. I'm happy for Star. She and Marco truly belong together. She's really In love with him, and…she looks good in love." He sighed again. "I guess I just…want that. I want what they have. I never really had that with Star."

Angie glanced to Rafael again and winked. "Well, you know, Tom, they say there's someone out there for everyone. Someone who just naturally clicks with you the way Star and Marco do. I'm confident you could find someone you mesh with the same way."

"You think so, Mrs. D.? It's a big world, and there's so many people in it. You know, especially now. Who knows where that one special person for me might be?"

"I know so. I fact…I bet that other person is closer by than you think."

Rafael nodded. "Oh, yes! Very nearby, for sure!"

The demon raised an eyebrow, confused by the older couple's strange hinting tones. "Uh…okay…did you guys…like…have a suggestion where to look, or know someth-"

"Hey, party peoplllllle!" Pony Head abruptly came floating into the kitchen, balancing a white cardboard box on her horn. "I brought cake! Well, you know, like, half a cake. Maybe three-eighths. I got hungry on the way here and this cake is the bomb, yo!"

The flying unicorn head deposited the box on the island.

"Hey, Pony Head," Tom greeted.

"Yo, demon boy, where is everyone? It's just you and the old people!"

"Um, we're right here, Pony," Mrs. Diaz said rather indignantly.

"Yes, I noticed, I just said that. Where's everyone else?"

Tom decided to quickly defuse the situation. "They're upstairs, Pony. C'mon." And he lead the Princess toward the stairs.

Mrs. Diaz shook her head. "Oh, well. I guess we'll just have to clue Tom in about Janna's crush on him some other time."

Rafael shook his head. "I love these kids, but do they all have to be so oblivious?"

"I know, honey. But I think Tom and Janna will figure it out eventually."

"Tom? I was talking about Pony Head. Barging in right in the middle of our conversation, talking about us as if we were not standing right here."

"Oh, that. Yes, Pony Head is the most oblivious one of all." She pulled the cardboard box toward her. "At least she brought cake." She flipped open the lid to find a tiny sliver of cake inside. Pony had eaten nearly the entire thing. "She also needs to work on her fractions."

I actually enjoy writing for Mrs. Diaz, but it is so hard to write Mr. Diaz and make him sound like himself.