A couple of hours after the playful cheering-up show, Balin woke up on the couch to see he was snuggled up to a sleeping Millie, who was still purring in her adorable pink cat costume.

"Purrrrrrr." *inhales* "Purrrrrrr." *inhales* "Purrrrrrr."

Meanwhile, he saw that Loona was sitting at her desk watching a cartoon on the laptop, while Blitzø, Moxxie, and Fizzarolli were nowhere to be seen.

So he decided to leave her for a bit and enjoy his snuggle time with Aunty Millie, wrapping her kitty tail around his waist.

This made her open her eyes a bit and smile.

"Awww, you still love my kitty costume, sweetie-pie?" she groggily whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek.

Loona heard this and showed a warm smile as she continued looking at her laptop. She had to admit, the tomboy's plan to cheer up the sad boy had worked like a charm.

So putting down her laptop for a bit, she slowly approached the couch and sat next to them.

As usual, she stroked Balin's hair for comfort, before stroking the fur on Millie's costume.

"Good kitty." she taunted her.

Millie teasingly started purring louder at her touch on purpose.

"Loona!" he scolded the two playfully. "Aunty Millie!"

"Ah, calm down, bud." laughed the hellhound. "We're just joking."

Millie then sat up with Balin, keeping him in the embrace of her costume as he stroked the fur on her thigh.

"Where did you get this adorable kitty cat costume, Aunty Millie?" he asked happily.

With a bright smile on her face, Millie sighed as she began explaining.

"Did I ever tell you that before I.M.P, or any superhero work, I used to be a babysitter?"

"Wow!" Balin's eyes had widened hearing that about her, an assassin.

"I know, cool, right?" she chuckled. "Since then, I rarely used my costume for anything. Other than one mission I went on a while back, and right now."

"Okay, let's stop talking now and have another cuddle." chuckled Loona.

Millie shrugged having no problem with that, and didn't hesitate to wrap her arms tightly around Balin, nuzzling her cheek into his right one like a cat.

Loona on the other hand just started licking his left one to show her dog-like affection as well.

If there was ever a more beautiful moment where a cat and dog would band together to make their owner happy, it would be this one.

After 10 seconds of this shared affection, Millie then laid on his lap and moved her head into his hands so he could scratch in between her ears.

"So, how're you feeling after all that?" asked Millie in a purr. "You good?"

Balin just nodded with a smile.

"Good. Because I want ya to know, no matter what anyone hollers, you're special to your family." Millie replied. "Even when y'all are apart, we love you too."

"The old lady's right, kiddo." added Loona. "And remember, we have the crystal that could take us anywhere in the world. Just say the word, and we'll take you to see them or anywhere else in the world."

"Even Disneyland?" gasped the boy with excitement.

The two girls just laughed softly at the thought.

"We'll see about that one, squirt." Loona chuckled, ruffling his hair.

"Anyway, where's that Fizzarolli demon?" asked Balin. "I want to say thank you to him too."

"Blitzø had to take him home, sweetie." replied Millie.

"That, and then handle some business with Stolas." added Loona. "And before you ask, uncle fatty's gone home for the day to prep him and Millie's grub."

"Well, in that case, wanna close up shop, Loona?" asked Millie as she grabbed her purse.

"Sure, whatever. C'mon kid." replied Loona, standing from the couch with the kid in her arms and grabbing the keys. "Why don't we end the day with more relaxation than playtime? Like, a walk in the park?"

"Yes please, Loona." replied Balin, as Loona chuckled at his manners.

Millie watched as the two walked out of the office, feeling proud of what she was seeing.

She never saw Loona feel so safe to express her happiness around her once, but admittedly, the other two boys were total weirdos. So who could blame her?

AT THE PARK...

Loona walked across the pedestrian crossing with Balin holding her hand, and the two soon made it to the park with a gate saying: 'Hell's-Gates Botanical Gardens.'

She then looked at the footpath and remembered an incident she guilt-tripped over all too well, understanding now what taking care of kids was like.

As the two walked through the park, they saw little kids playing catch with their families, romantic picnics, pompous demons walking their pets, and demonic animals that wandered the secluded areas. Like snakes, ducks, birds of prey, and even imp-like meerkats.

Balin shivered a little at how disturbing some of them looked, but remembered how much he liked animals. Now including hellhounds.

Walking along Loona's side on the path, the boy soon set his eyes on a human-like hellhound sinner following them. He had a Santa-like beard along with a beanie and a trench-coat with fringes on his sleeves. He was more muscular than Tex and had three cigarettes in his mouth.

Thankfully for sinners, lung cancer doesn't exist down in Hell.

"The fuck are YOU lookin' at?!" snapped the sinner with his cinnamon-like breath.

Balin decided to ignore him and plant his face in Loona's waist.

"Hey, I'm talking to ya over here!" he shouted again. "LISTEN TO ME!"

Seeing this, Loona soon got defensive.

"HEY! Knock it off, old man!" she barked, tightly holding the kid close. "Leave him alone!"

"Who's this sleazy bitch?" he then asked the boy. "Your devourer?"

Loona's eyes then widened with more anger hearing that.

"I suggest you get your mouth lost, or else, 'this' will be what you get for not minding your P's and Q's."

Using that in mind, Loona was about to growl at him loudly, but she only did that for a millisecond before being rudely interrupted.

"Who cares?" the sinner scoffed. "It only works on women and kids."

He then emptied the whole pack of cigarettes and put them in his mouth, smoking all of them at once more breathing the smoke in her face, making her cough loudly.

When she stopped coughing and the smoke cleared, a frozen and violated expression was then shown before she held the sinner close to her face by the collar of his shirt.

"Did you KISS ME?!" she screamed at him, bearing her teeth.

"Wha...? Hell no!" the sinner replied. "I have no idea what you talkin'..."

Loona then interrupted him next by pointing to the hickey on her neck, made out of the cigarette ashes.

"Fuck me." whispered the sinner.

"PERVERT!"

Now using her might, Loona stretched before throwing the sinner far from the park, and from Pride.

Before he could fly into another ring, he got zapped by what seemed to be an electric force field.

Turns out once sinners die and respawn in Hell, they can't leave the Pride Ring.

Loona then crouched down to the kid, who hid behind a tree just in case.

"Sorry you had to see that, kiddo." she held his hand out to him. "Come on."

She soon sensed some hesitation in him, remembering what the sinner said.

"It's okay. He's gone now." she softly spoke, rubbing his head. "I'll never growl at or eat you. ...Unless you'd like me to." she then teased him with a growl and chomp of her jaws to make him smile.

Soon the two arrived at a bench to look at the amazing view of the town beyond a bright blue river. A sight that made Balin go 'Wow.' as Loona sat right next to him.

"Here, let me warm you up, bud." she smiled, wrapping her fluffy tail around his body to keep him toasty and safe in the cool breeze.

In return, Balin gently rested his head on her side and relaxed in the softness and warmth of Loona's fur.

Suddenly, Loona and the kid picked up some angelic humming. Mainly Loona with her ears.

They soon looked to see it was Charlie and Vaggie walking their demon cat, Keekee, on a leash.

"Hello, Ms. Charlie!" Balin called with a smile.

The two soon noticed him waving as he sat right next to Loona, and Charlie ran straight towards him handing the leash to Vaggie.

"Hey there Balin, sweetie." she softly spoke kneeling down to him. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing great, thank you." he kindly replied. "After a couple of not so good days."

"Really? You okay, bud?" asked Vaggie with little interest.

"Yes, Ms., I'm just missing home."

"Oh, you lonely little baby." Charlie cooed as she gave Balin a soft hug. "I'm so sorry."

As Balin returned the hug, he then noticed Keekee on the leash before Charlie sat on the bench next to Loona, placing the boy on her lap.

"Are you walking a cat?" he asked the princess.

"Indeed I am." she replied happily. "This is Keekee, my pride and joy. Aren't you, girl?"

Keekee meowed softly in response.

"'Second' pride and joy." scoffed Vaggie cheekily.

"Can I pet her?"

"Absolutely, sweetie." Charlie smiled, as she patted on her lap for Keekee. "C'mon! Up!"

As she soon held him close to the boy, Balin softly petted her head, scratching her chin and behind her ears as she purred in delight and nuzzled his cheek in satisfaction.

"Awwww. You're really great with animals, baby." said Charlie. "No wonder you're friends with the big doggy."

Loona just grinned with an eye-roll at that statement.

"Yet that little guy makes you happy, doesn't he?" teased Vaggie noticing that look. "I respect that personality in a girl like you."

"...Thanks." replied Loona with a little hesitation.

She wasn't used to compliments like this, even though she longed for someone to accept how beautiful and cool she could be just as Balin does, instead of just her body.

Before long, Charlie began humming the melody of 'Bookends' by Simon & Garfunkel.

"Old friends..." she sang angelically. "Sat on their park bench like bookends."
"A newspaper blown through the grass, falls on the round toes."
"Of the high shoes, of the old friends..."

As she sang, a flock of baby demonic ducks waddled up to Charlie hearing the singing.

Loona chuckled, while Vaggie came prepared by grabbing out a bag of breadcrumbs.

"Old friends..." Charlie continued singing. "Winter companions, the old men..."
Vaggie then joined in too. "Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset..."

As Charlie continued singing solo, Vaggie handed Balin some crumbs and allowed him to feed small amount to the ducks.

"The sounds of the city is sifting through trees, settle like dust. On the shoulders, of the old friends..."

Balin chuckled as one of the ducklings tried to fly up to him. He gently held his little finger out to let him land there for a bit, and it gave him a little peck on the cheek.

The three girls all looked with warm smiles on their faces at the moment.

When the duckling gently flew back to the ground, Balin then saw a bowrider boat slowly pulling up to the bank. It was giving out rides along the river since it was the length of a football field.

"Loona, can we go on that boat, please?" asked Balin.

With a gentle nod, the two stood up and walked over to the boat, with Charlie, Vaggie, and their little kitty joining them.

As Loona paid the supplier, the boat slowly set off across the river with Vaggie taking the helm, and Balin & Loona sitting in front of Charlie.

"So, what's your home world like?" asked Charlie.

With a happy sighed, Balin gave his answer.

"I've lived in No-Name Town with my family all my life. And it was beautiful. I had a great school full of friends, and a great family with two greater parents who raised me as their son. We did everything together. We went on holidays, we sang songs in the car, and I soon knew the town inside out."

Loona smiled at the bravery he had, so to keep him going, she gave him a couple more doggy kisses. Secretly, Charlie awed at this canine-like affection.

"Although I was shy around lots of things, I soon met Loona." he continued. "Before then, I'm pretty sure you know the rest. And I rarely got nightmares about it, until a couple of nights ago, when I had a couple."

Balin then looked up at Loona in slight melancholy.

"I'm sorry you were in one of them, Loona." he sighed softly, making her rub his chin with her paw.

"Come on sweetie, those were just nightmares." reassured Charlie gently. "I'm sure Loona would never eat you."

"I don't know babe, those licks said something." retorted Vaggie.

"Hey, I'll have you know, they're called dog kisses, thank you very much." remarked Loona jokingly. "Something I've been giving him in times of happiness or relaxation."

"Exactly. And Loona hasn't laid a bad claw on you, right? Neither have we." added the princess of Hell, tickling underneath Balin's feet. "So don't worry those piglet toes anymore, little one."

Charlie then grabbed a petal from a plant the boat passed known as the 'Burn-in-Hell' plant. It had white petals like a sunflower with little spikes on them, along with a wet crimson-red berry in the middle.

"Here you go. You can put one in the river if you'd like." she said.

The boy then knelt on his seat looking at the water, lowered his head, and closed his eyes to honour his family, before gently releasing the petal from his hands as it slowly hit the water and floated towards the others.

Balin then walked over to Charlie and gave her a warm hug, as she then gave him little kisses in his hair every few seconds.

"Yep. Cupcakes and rainbows, alright." smirked Loona in her head, but showing a warm smile. "I respect that in a girl like her."

The two continued cuddling like this for the rest of the ride.

THAT NIGHT...

Loona had just gotten under the covers of her bed in her PJs, when Balin walked into her room.

"Hey Loona."

"W'sup, kid?"

"Can I sleep with you again tonight?" the boy asked his caretaker. "...If you'd like me to."

"Of course I'd like it, sweetheart." she replied. "Come here." she patted on his side of the bed.

The boy walked over to her and climbed the bed into her arms, cuddling each other like a plushie.

As she stroked his hair, the two looked up at each other with sleepy smiles as Loona gently hummed the rest of the 'Bookends' song to him until he fell asleep in her embrace.

Ironically enough, after Charlie sang that song at the park, Loona downloaded that song to her music app as a future lullaby.

"Good night, darling." she whispered.

As she wrapped her tail around him, she gave him one more cheek lick before closing her eyes and going to sleep.

But her phone soon went off as she just started cuddling Balin.

Groggily, she reached for it answered it.

"Who the F is this?" she asked grumpily.

"Loonie, it's me. Now before you bitch about your sleep, I need to tell you something urgent!" said Blitzø from the other side of the phone.

A/N: See y'all in the next chapter.