Chapter 50

Almost as soon as False had finished with his bathroom, Arados made no short work of tidying up his own scruffy appearance. He had no idea why False's words had made him so self-conscious about it when comments from his family had just bounced off, but it had. It took him almost an hour, but he eventually immerged from the bathroom in a clean pair of dark green three quarter lengths and an even cleaner off-black polo neck t-shirt. He had to admit he felt better for the wash and the change and from the brief once over False had given him upon emerging, he had to believe he looked better for it too.

'Well at least now you look like someone people'll want to drag around with them,' False smirked.

'Gee, thanks,' Arados rolled his eyes.

'Hey, that was supposed to be a compliment.'

'Then you might want to work on your complimentary skills because right now they're guising themselves as insults.'

'Really,' False tilted his head cockily, 'I had no idea.'

'Yeah, yeah, whatever. So,' he averted his gaze, 'what do you want to do now?'

'Well… I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming with me to… you know, see my father.'

'What?' Arados blinked at him. 'Why?'

'I guess I still have a lot of unanswered questions about everything. I mean, wouldn't you if you found out that you were half Lucifer or as good as?'

'Yeah, but…'

'Look, we don't have to go. In fact, if I'm being completely honest, then I don't actually want to go. It's just…'

'Just what?'

'Well I just want to try having one conversation with him where I don't feel the need to run away before it ends.'

'Why?'

'The man is my father, he kind of owes me.'

'Are you sure you don't feel as though you owe him?'

'I don't know,' he shrugged, 'maybe. But… I'll only go if you agree to come with me. I mean, you promised you'd act as a buffer, right?'

'To stop you from doing anything that might hurt Kisara,' Arados frowned, 'and I guess that would probably mean it would be safer if someone else was with you when you went to talk to him. But…'

'Don't you even think about pulling your agoraphobia on me,' he folded his arms, 'I've yet to see any real evidence of it.'

'That's because it only ever plays up when you're not around.'

'Yeah, I'm sure that's it,' False rolled his eyes. 'And besides that just gives you more reason to come with me, doesn't it? Save you from being stuck in here all day.'

'Hell is hardly my idea of a decent alternative.'

'Please?'

For a few moments Arados simply stood there, giving False a few curious once overs. He knew the guy had a good heart and most certainly was not leading him into a trap; but spending the day down in hell with him?

'It's alight,' False waved his hand dismissively. 'It was a crazy idea anyway. We're probably better off tracking down the Teen or something.'

'So basically our choices are, explore hell to talk to your devil father or track down the Teen and get killed?'

'Well when you put it like that…'

'I suppose we could always get Lus to come with us.'

'Why him?' False instantly pulled a face.

'Well, because Tay's gone down to hell to help his father and Lus would feel left out if he wasn't included in something going on today.'

'Yeah, but…' he hesitated.

'What is it?'

'I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable with the thought of taking him with us.'

'Why not?'

'His illness for one, what if he has one of his little fits or something.'

'You know about those?'

'Of course, there's not much we don't know about you. You three are the Heirs to the Mistresses, that causes more than a little curiosity you know.'

'Okay…' Arados sighed, 'I get your point, so we'll just go after the Teen by ourselves then.'

'Wait, you were talking about taking him with us after the Teen?'

'What did you think I was talking about…? Wait, you don't want him involved with the whole you talking to Ni thing, right? If that's the case why make any kind of a deal about his fits. I thought you brought them up because…'

'I get it,' he held his hands up to silence him, 'okay I'll level with you; it might seem a little weird to you, but the less people I have involved…'

'Yeah, I get it, that's fine. Why didn't you just tell me to begin with?'

'Because my point still stands, his fits could still be a problem even if we go after the Teen.'

'You know he does have them back under control again, they won't be that much of a problem.'

'Yeah, whatever.'

'Do you have some other problem with him,' Arados frowned.

'That's not it.'

'Then what's the problem?'

'He just makes me feel irrationally jealous I guess, that's all.'

'Irrationally jealous of what?'

'Does that matter?'

'Of course it matters, the guy's like my best friend.'

False was silent for a moment, before averting his gaze.

'He is straight, isn't he? Lus I mean, he's not gay like you and Taylor.'

'Wow, you guys really need to get a new hobby if you know that much about us.'

'Whatever,' he rolled his eyes. 'Look, do you think…? I mean, is there even the slightest possibility that he would ever…'

'I don't think Lus is going to change his sexuality anytime soon. Why?'

'I was just curious,' he shrugged. 'Come on, let's go get the little Mortal God.'

'Don't refer to us as gods, we're not gods. And anyway are you really wanting to leave before breakfast?'

'Vii Sen don't exactly need to eat.'

'Yeah, but I'm not Vii Sen and I'm not going anywhere on an empty stomach. So you can either join me for breakfast or watch me eat.'

For a few moments False mused over this, then a strange smile appeared on his face.

'What you got?'

'I don't know, it's been a while since I last went to the kitchen. I suppose they'll be enough there for pretty much anything you're fancying.'

'Anything I'm fancying, huh? You sure about that?'

Arados went to say something, then hesitated. It was weird, there was something about False's last comment which was almost like he was flirting. But that wasn't possible, was it? After all the fuss he was making about not hurting Kisara, he had to like her, didn't he? Or did he? He was making a fuss about Lus's sexuality…

'Well,' False interrupted his train of thoughts, 'you going to feed me or what?'

'Okay,' Arados nodded as they moved towards his bedroom door, 'the kitchen's this way.'