"What?!"

"Okay I know it looks bad!" Tom exclaimed, "But at least I told you as soon as possible! I could've waited longer, or never said anything about it at all! But I didn't!"

Marco was livid, "No you just tried to curse Star and got stuck with me instead! I knew there was something off about you! I can't believe I let her go with you! Or that I followed!"

"Look, the Blood Moon doesn't pick at random! I brought her there just to see if there was any last hope for us! It's about compatibility!" Tom was hoping to explain this fast and move on with his plan before Star returned, "And it's more of a 'Blood Moon suggestion' than an eternal curse, anyways."

Marco glowered at the demon, but didn't respond. Marco mulled over the explanation and huffed. He guessed that if there was an actual curse, Tom would've already been dragging him to the Underworld to break it. So he most likely wasn't lying.

"Then what was the point of coming here? If it's just a suggestion, then there's nothing we have to do. I wouldn't have known if you didn't tell me," Marco crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

Tom rubbed his neck sheepishly and blushed slightly, "Well, the Moon didn't choose me and Star, but…," he trailed off. Marco nodded slowly, "it did choose us? So I was thinking, 'That only happens every 667 years, Tom! I should probably not let that go to waste!'."

Marco sighed and sat down on his bed and put his head in his hands. Star had just left him by himself for the first time since the Ball, which must've been what had taken Tom so long to show up with his proposal. Unless the Prince of the Underworld had needed to sike himself up for this?

Marco looked up at Tom, meeting his expectant gaze. Both boy's cheeks flushed and it occurred to Marco that the angry fire demon in front of him might actually have been anxious to come to his house. The faux confidence of the boy who had shown up to ask Star to the ball was gone, replaced by the vulnerable one in front of him.

"And this isn't some weird curse that's making you ask me?" Tom vigorously shook his head, "You sure? Because that would make this weirder than it already is. Like, ethically."

Tom let out an exasperated groan, "You can trust me, Marco."

"Can I? I don't even know you!"

"That's the point of a date, stupid. To get to know somebody."

"I don't even know if I like guys!" Marco threw his hands in the air dramatically, "I've only ever been crushing on one person my whole life! And if I do like guys I just got outed by a weird Underworld curse!"

Tom shifted his weight, "I told you already, the Moon chooses a compatible pair. Not just anyone. That doesn't mean it has to be romantic, technically. We could do this as...friends."

"But if you don't wanna go with me to see this Mackie Hand marathon," He raised a hand and two golden tickets appeared with a puff of fire, "I'll have to find someone who will."

Marco's jaw dropped slightly, "You like Mackie Hand?"

"No. But I saw you watching his movies the other night with Star."

"Wait what? Have you been stalking me?" Tom put his hands up defensively.

"No, it's not like that!" He paused for a second, "Okay, it's kinda like that! But only so I'd know when Star finally left you alone!"

Marco glared at Tom, "That's weird, man. You're weird. You could have just knocked on the front door. It's my house, she can't forbid you from talking to me," brushing it off, he continued, "Anyways, I don't want to go to a movie marathon you're gonna be bored at."

The demon smiled nervously, "Well, there is a Love Sentence concert happening in Germany in 2 hours."

"Okay, so you really did just sit outside my house didn't you?"

"I'm not the only one! There was a frog sometimes!"

"Okay, that's new information that I'll really have to let Star know but," Marco stood from his spot on the bed, "Do you even like Love Sentence? Or is this just something you learned about stalking me?"

"Marco. Man. You hurt me with these words," Tom grabbed the smaller boy by the arm and pulled him to his side. With a quick gesture, Tom had engulfed them in flames and Marco screamed at an unflatteringly high pitch. But before the human knew it, the fire was gone and they were in...what he assumed to be Tom's room.

"You sounded like a girl, man," Tom laughed, letting go of Marco's arm.

Marco glared, "How was I supposed to know that I wasn't about to be murdered?"

"Well, you know now," Tom shrugged, "Now follow me."

Marco obeyed, glancing around the bedroom as he did. The dark colors, ornate skulls and expensive furniture decorating it was...surprising. Tom had taste. While it wasn't exactly what he'd have done with this much space he was still impressed.

They arrived at what seemed to be a closet. Tom looked back at Marco, a serious look plastered across his face, "Are you ready for this, Marco?"

"I guess?"

Tom pulled the door open, and Marco's jaw went slack. It was a bona fide shrine to Love Sentence; unreleased CDs, expensive merch, signed albums. Marco had never seen most of this before, and his envy was growing, "I really wish I was royalty like you and Star, this is insane!"

"Right? I still can't believe I got to meet Justin Towers," The demon looked down at Marco, noticing the tinge of jealousy in his eyes as the boy examined his collection, "But yes, Marco, to answer your question earlier, I 'like' Love Sentence."

Marco really didn't know what to say, he hadn't seen his day going this way. He was going to practice his karate, do some homework, then when Star got back from hanging out with Janna he assumed they'd go on a weird adventure or watch a movie or something. But no, he was in the Underworld with a demon, looking at an otherworldly amount of merch for a boy band.

"So, concert?" Tom asked, "Or do you want to go home?"

Marco noted the hopefulness in Tom's voice, "Concert," he looped his arm into Tom's, "As friends."

Marco tried his best to ignore the slight look of disappointment on the demon's face before the fire engulfed them both.