Chapter 19:Sheep/Dog

Collin woke up the next morning, sunlight streaming through the cracks in his curtains. He lay in bed for a moment, blinking up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of yesterday's events pressing down on him. He had a mission, a duty to C.H.E.R.U.B., and he couldn't afford to let his feelings get in the way. But still, his thoughts kept drifting back to Loona, her smile, her laugh, and the way she made him feel.

With a heavy sigh, he rolled out of bed and began his morning routine, slipping back into his Koolin persona—leather jacket, sunglasses, slicked-back hair, black candle atop his head, fangs abd dyed wings and all. As he stared at himself in the mirror, the cool, confident demon stared back, but it was just a mask, hiding the timid, unsure cherub underneath.

As he headed out the door, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. He was lying to her, pretending to be someone he wasn't. But what choice did he have? If C.H.E.R.U.B. found out he was developing feelings for a demon, they'd—

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a loud knock at the door. Collin's heart skipped a beat, and he hesitated before opening it, expecting the worst. But when he swung the door open, he found Cletus and Keenie standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

"Morning, Collin!" Cletus said, far too cheerful for Collin's liking. "Ready for another day in Hell?"

"Y-yeah," Collin stammered, trying to sound enthusiastic, but failing miserably.

Keenie, sensing his unease, narrowed her eyes. "You better not be getting soft on us, Collin. Remember, we're here to do a job, and that job is to gather intel. No fraternizing with the enemy."

Collin swallowed hard, nodding. "I-I know. I won't let you guys down."

"Good," Keenie replied, crossing her arms. "Because if you do, it's not just us you'll have to answer to. Boss Lionhart isn't exactly forgiving."

Cletus chuckled darkly. "Yeah, and he's got a special place reserved for traitors like you, if you mess this up."

The two cherubs floated past him into the apartment, making themselves at home. Collin felt a pit form in his stomach as he closed the door behind them. He knew they were right—he couldn't let his feelings for Loona get in the way. But as much as he tried to convince himself, the thought of hurting her made his chest tighten with dread.

Back at Loona's house, the morning was a flurry of activity. Blitz, Barbie, and Verosika were all buzzing around, making plans for the day, while Loona tried to keep her cool. She had told them she was meeting Koolin again, and they had immediately jumped on the opportunity to "help."

"So, where are you taking him today?" Barbie asked, a sly grin on her face as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

Loona shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I dunno, maybe the skate park again, or the arcade. We'll see."

Blitz, who was busy rummaging through a drawer for something, looked up with a smirk. "Well, whatever you do, just remember—don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Loona rolled her eyes. "That doesn't leave a lot of options, Dad."

Verosika laughed, patting Loona on the back as she walked by. "Don't worry, kiddo. We'll be right behind you, making sure everything goes smoothly."

"Great," Loona muttered under her breath, not entirely sure if she was being sarcastic or not.

Loona met up with Koolin at their usual spot by the skate park. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking as cool as ever. But Loona noticed something different today—his usual confident smirk seemed a little forced, and there was a hint of nervousness in his eyes.

"Hey," she greeted him, her heart skipping a beat as she approached.

"Hey," he replied, pushing off the wall and giving her a small smile. "Ready to hit the park?"

"Yeah," Loona nodded, grabbing her board from the ground. "Let's do it."

As they skated through the park, doing tricks and showing off, both having improved, Loona felt the tension from earlier start to melt away. Koolin was laughing, and for a moment, it felt like everything was perfect. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He seemed distant, almost like he was hiding something.

After a while, they decided to take a break, grabbing some snacks from a nearby vendor. They found a spot to sit and relax, enjoying the chaos of Imp City around them.

"So," Loona started, trying to sound casual. "You seem a little… different today. Everything okay?"

Koolin looked at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted to tell her the truth, to explain everything, but he knew he couldn't. Instead, he forced a smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Just, uh, thinking about some stuff."

Loona raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "Like what?"

Koolin hesitated, searching for an answer. "Just… life, I guess. You ever wonder if you're doing the right thing?"

Loona tilted her head, surprised by the question. "Sometimes. But I figure as long as I'm not hurting anyone who doesn't deserve it, I'm probably doing okay."

Koolin nodded, his guilt growing with every word. "Yeah… that makes sense."

Before Loona could press further, they were interrupted by the sound of someone shouting her name. She looked up to see her friends—Octavia, Sol, Cadpig, and Ballin—rushing toward them, followed closely by Blitz, Barbie, and Verosika.

"What the—" Loona started, but before she could finish, her friends had surrounded them, bombarding her and Koolin with questions.

"How's it going?" Sol asked, adjusting his glasses as she tried to get a good look at Koolin.

"Are you guys having fun?" Cadpig chimed in, her tail wagging excitedly.

"Where are you going next?" Ballin added, grinning from ear to ear.

Koolin looked around, overwhelmed by the sudden attention. Loona, on the other hand, was mortified.

"Guys! What are you all doing here?" she demanded, her face turning red.

"We just wanted to see how you were doing," Octavia said innocently, her big eyes blinking up at Loona.

"And maybe cause a little chaos," Blitz added with a mischievous grin.

Loona groaned, burying her face in her hands. "You guys are the worst."

But despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help but laugh. This was her life—crazy, chaotic, and full of people who cared about her. And even though they drove her nuts sometimes, she wouldn't trade it for anything.

Koolin, watching the scene unfold, felt a pang of longing. This was what he wanted—a family, friends, people who cared about him. But he knew it could never be. He was a cherub, an angel sent to spy on Hell, and getting close to Loona would only make things worse.

But as the day went on, and they moved from one hangout spot to the next, Koolin found himself forgetting about his mission, about C.H.E.R.U.B., and about everything else. All that mattered was Loona, and the way she made him feel.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over Imp City, Loona and Koolin found themselves back at the skate park, sitting on a bench and watching the last few skaters finish up their runs. The others had finally given them some space, off causing chaos somewhere else, leaving the two of them alone.

"Today was… really fun," Loona said, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yeah, it was," Koolin agreed, his heart aching at the thought of leaving her.

Loona hesitated for a moment, then turned to him, her eyes serious. "Listen, Koolin… I don't know what's going on with you, but… if you ever need to talk, I'm here, okay?"

Koolin looked at her, his heart swelling with emotion. He wanted to tell her everything, to let her in, but he couldn't. Instead, he nodded, forcing a smile. "Thanks, Loona. I really appreciate that."

Loona smiled back, her heart fluttering. "Good."

They sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's company. And for that brief moment, everything felt perfect. But deep down, Koolin knew it couldn't last.

As they stood to leave, Koolin felt a weight settle in his chest. He didn't know what the future held, but he knew one thing for sure: he was in way too deep.

"See you tomorrow?" Loona asked as they walked to the end of the park.

Koolin hesitated, the weight of his secret pressing down on him. He wanted to say yes, to keep this going, but he knew it was dangerous. He knew he was playing with fire—fire that could burn them both.

But when he looked at Loona, saw the hopeful expression in her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

"Yeah," he finally said, forcing a smile. "I'd like that."

Loona smiled, her heart fluttering again. "Great. Same time, same place?"

"Same time, same place," Koolin echoed, knowing full well he was walking a tightrope.

They stood there for a moment, neither one wanting to be the first to leave. But eventually, Koolin took a step back, giving her a small wave.

"See you, Loona," he said softly.

"See you, Koolin," she replied, watching him walk away, a strange feeling of both happiness and sadness swirling in her chest.

As Koolin disappeared into the city, Loona stood there for a moment longer, her thoughts a jumble. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, that Koolin was hiding something from her. But she pushed the thought aside, deciding to focus on the good for now. Whatever it was, she'd figure it out eventually. For now, she was just happy to have spent the day with him.

Loona walked through the front door, tired but happy, her mind still on Koolin. She barely noticed the chaos that awaited her inside.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up!" Blitz called out from the living room, his voice dripping with mischief.

Loona groaned inwardly, rolling her eyes as she walked in to find Blitz, Barbie, and Verosika all lounging on the couch, looking way too pleased with themselves.

"You guys," she started, trying to sound stern but failing miserably. "I told you not to follow me around all day!"

"We weren't following you," Verosika said with a smirk, inspecting her nails. "We were just… keeping an eye on you. Big difference."

"Yeah, we were just making sure everything went smoothly," Barbie added, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Blitz jumped up, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "And maybe planning a little surprise for you, but hey, who's counting?"

Loona sighed, dropping onto the couch beside them. "You guys are the worst."

"Oh, come on, you love us," Blitz said, ruffling her hair. "So, how was your date?"

Loona blushed, trying to hide her smile. "It wasn't a date. We just… hung out, okay?"

"Sure, sure," Barbie teased, nudging her playfully. "But you had fun, right?"

Loona couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I did."

"Well, that's all that matters," Verosika said, her tone unusually sincere.

Blitz leaned back, looking surprisingly thoughtful. "Just… be careful, Loona. I know you can take care of yourself, but… I don't want to see you get hurt, okay?"

Loona looked at him, surprised by the genuine concern in his voice. She nodded, her heart swelling with affection for her chaotic, meddling family.

"I'll be careful," she promised.

As Koolin walked through the darkened streets of Imp City, his mind was a whirlwind of emotions. He had spent the entire day trying to forget who he was, trying to just enjoy being with Loona. But now, as he walked home alone, the reality of his situation came crashing down on him.

He was an angel—a cherub on a mission. He wasn't supposed to be fraternizing with demons, let alone developing feelings for one. If Cletus, Keenie, or worse, Boss Lionhart, found out, he'd be in serious trouble. And Loona… she'd be caught in the crossfire.

Koolin sighed, rubbing his temples as he tried to figure out what to do. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. But the thought of leaving Loona, of cutting her out of his life, felt like a punch to the gut.

Lost in thought, he almost didn't notice when he reached his apartment. He opened the door, stepping inside and closing it behind him with a heavy heart.

"You're late," a voice said from the darkness.

Koolin jumped, his heart leaping into his throat as he flicked on the light. Cletus and Keenie were sitting on his couch, watching him with matching frowns.

"What are you guys doing here?" Koolin asked, trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

"Waiting for you," Keenie said, her tone cold. *"We were starting to think you'd forgotten your duties."

"We know you've been spending a lot of time with that hellhound," Cletus added, his eyes narrowing. *"Care to explain yourself?"

Koolin swallowed hard, his mind racing. He needed to think of something, anything to get them off his back.

"I'm just… gathering intel," he lied, forcing a casual tone. *"Getting close to her so I can learn more about Hell and its citizens. You know, for the mission."

Keenie raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Are you sure that's all it is?"

"Of course!" Koolin said quickly, nodding emphatically. *"I'm not getting… attached or anything. I know what I have to do."

Cletus and Keenie exchanged a glance, but after a moment, they seemed to relax.

"Good," Cletus said, standing up. "Because remember, Collin, we're angels. We have a duty, and we can't let our emotions get in the way."

Keenie floated closer, her expression softening just a little. "Just… be careful, okay? Hell is full of monsters, and you can't trust any of them. Not even that hellhound."

Koolin nodded, forcing a smile. "I know. Thanks, guys."

As they left, Koolin felt the weight of their words settle heavily on his shoulders. He was in way over his head, and he knew it. But as he lay down in bed that night, his thoughts kept drifting back to Loona, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was a way out of this mess that didn't end with him breaking her heart—or his own.

Loona lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Her mind was still racing from the day's events, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion and hope. She liked Koolin, she really did. But there was something about him that didn't quite add up, something he was keeping from her.

She sighed, rolling over and burying her face in her pillow. Why did everything have to be so complicated? She just wanted to be happy, to have something good in her life for once. But nothing was ever that simple, especially not in Hell.

As she finally drifted off to sleep, one thought lingered in her mind: no matter what happened, she wasn't going to let anyone ruin this. Not her dad, not her friends, and definitely not Koolin's mysterious secret.

Tomorrow was another day, and she was determined to make the most of it.

To be continued…..