Among these candlelights

Where are tonight,

Head for me (Closer to you)

Among these candlelights,

(Tonight)

Kayla's eyes opened as the final vibrations on the notes faded into the air, like clouds drifting across the ebony night sky. A smile soon graced her face. For her first time performing the song in its entirety, she had to admit it hadn't sounded half bad to her.

The question was, how did it sound to others.

Kayla felt her cheeks heat up, remembering she wasn't the only person in the room this time. "So," Kayla mused shyly, looking up to her companion. "W-What did you think?"

Damian lay perched against the piano, his chin tucked snugly into his arms. His eyes lay closed blissful and dreaming, but the smooth smile across his muzzle communicated that he was indeed conscious. He sighed warmly, his eyes half opening. "That was…" He once again let out a peaceful breath, "Dazzling."

Kayla beamed, her posture rising proudly. "Really? You liked it?"

Damian just maintained his dreamful gaze, "Did you really expect anything different? I didn't." He grinned.

His smooth, flirting nature normally would have made the Kangaroo cringe.

Now it made her glow.

"Thank you very much." Kayla said, sorting the sheets of music back into her bag neatly. "It really does mean a lot." She beamed at him, "Especially coming from a writer as good as yourself."

The Demon jolted like he'd been pinched. His head went down with a blush, but a smile was as clear as day on his face. "I-I'm not that good, really." The boastful Demon mumbled humbly.

"I beg to differ." The kangaroo giggled.

"No really," The demon simpered, "I'm just an amateur," Kayla shook her head with a chuckle, his modesty was so unneeded. He was honestly remarkable, it was obvious to anyone who heard the passion in his music. Still the demon blushed and offered a shy smile. "I couldn't dream of being on the same level of someone as talented as you."

Once upon a time his compliments would make her groan.

Here, they made her blush.

And realise something that was strangely obvious once she came to think about it.

She looked at Damian curiously, observing the former the Demon she once feared more than death itself. The dark eyes she once thought unnatural, now seemed beautiful as the tiny red iris flickered warmly in his eyes like an ember in the fireplace. His fur which once appeared sharp and dirty coloured, is now neatly tucked around his frame beckoning one's touch to the obvious softness it conveys.

And his smile.

That was what Kayla always considered his worst aspect. How it sickly tried to lure her his to his ugly words, while a sharp fang always pierced over his lip, every moment always threatening to pierce Kayla's delicate frame with its unholy wound.

The very idea of those thoughts now makes Kayla want to laugh out loud.

Because what she sees now is a gentle, warm, genuine smile, that gleams on the face of one of the kindest souls Kayla has ever met.

Kayla's blush darkened as all these components mixed together to form one conspicuous fact.

This Demon was actually incredibly handsome.

Damian's brow raised at the unusual staring of the girl, usually it was him who did that. "Uh, you okay Kayla."

Kayla blinked before frantically nodding with a blush. She let a beam once again grace her face, pushing away this new found fact. So what if he was handsome? It didn't actually mean anything in the end, Kayla knew plenty of boys who she'd describe as good looking, it didn't affect how she felt.

So why was she blushing?

She coughed quickly into a hand before rising swiftly. "Well, It's getting late. I guess we should get home." She said quickly. Damian was silent, comprehending the girls unusual behaviour for a split second, before shrugging it off and rising into the air, his body floating aimlessly through the air.

"If you want." Damian said, his arms going behind his neck cooly. "I can teleport home any time I want, so it doesn't bother me." Kayla nodded and headed through the doors with him.

Kayla sighed internally. Just a few more paces and she could get home, happily knowing she'd made a new friend, while defeating her fears, and holding absolutely nothing more than a simple friendship with this- WHAT THE HELL, IT WAS RAINING NOW?!

It scattered across the night, coming down heavily on the Earth below causing several puddles to emerge across the school ground. Kayla stood with her jaw almost breaking; it hadn't rained once while they had gone to the diner and back! And now, at the worst timing, a flood was on the bloom? What the heck was her luck today?!

Damian whistled, "Damn, it's bucketing down."

Kayla sighed, "So it is." There was no helping it, she'd have to walk through it. "Well, thanks for listening to the piece Damian, I'll see you later." She walked out into the cold night, bracing for the damp shiver that would soon plague her body.

But nothing did.

Kayla blinked, looking above her, and she saw a domed piece of black fabric shelter her body. She looked behind her to see Damian holding the umbrella with a shy grin, allowing his body to be semi drenched with rain while she stood dry.

"One of my favourite powers," Damian said with a grin, "Summoning anything I want at the drop of a hat." He looked to her, gently blushing. "Come on, I'll walk you home."

Kayla's cheeks heated as well, flattered by the sweet gesture. She really had been wrong about this boy. She sighed, knowing she had lost already, Damian was clearly too kind hearted to take no for an answer, plus she really hated getting wet.

So, blushing furiously, she walked with him.

They walked for a couple of minutes along the path Kayla directed, harmlessly chatting on the trivial topics they had in their mind at the time. All the while Damian held the umbrella above her, not complaining one bit as they strode down the pathway.

Kayla had felt herself calm down as they walked, but the nervousness still nipped at the edges of her mind. One she wasn't used to. It wasn't the fearful kind she'd have felt only yesterday when near the Demon.

This one was…different.

It made no sense. Kayla loved Zill, that she was sure of. That hadn't changed in the few hours it took to befriend Damian. Zill was still the only man she felt belonged in her heart. And she did care for Damian, like any friend would, but why did it feel so different compared to her other friends. It wasn't the strong passion she felt for Zill, and it wasn't the platonic warmth she held for all her friends. It lay in-between, causing a cross roads in her soul.

She glanced at him while he aimlessly chatted, looking deeply at him while she considered her feelings. She no longer felt any disgust or fear for the Demon, but this…

It felt like it was worse.

It tore her apart. She'd only just become friends with him, there was way she could feel this so quickly. It just didn't happen. It wasn't normal. She didn't feel that kind of love for him. She knew it! There was no denying it!

So why couldn't she stop blushing!

"Hey."

She paused looking to the Demon, he glanced at her while singling to their left. "This is the address right?" Kayla looked and sure enough saw her house. She breathed with relief, at least now she could actually think on these matters in private.

"Yeah, it is." She smiled to the Demon gratefully, "Well thank you Damian, I had a wonderful time tonight." She immediately cursed her words, why was she making it out like a date?! Damian didn't seem to notice as he smiled back at her innocently.

"It was no prob." Damian grinned, "It was the least I could do."

Kayla couldn't stop smiling, he was just so kind hearted. "Thank you, again though." She began to turn to her house, "Well I'll see you later."

"Seriously, thank you."

Kayla paused, blinked and turned back to him. He stared at the ground, his face heated up darkly, then gazed up at her with gentle eyes. Kayla felt her stomach knot again, but found she couldn't move from the spot.

"I-I've never o-opened up like that before, so…" Damian looks back down again. "Thanks for, you know, not laughing at me when I spewed all that mushy stuff." He looks genuinely thankful.

Kayla kept silent but her mouth soon formed words. "Damian, it was beautiful. I don't know how many times I've got to say that before you know it's the truth."

"Yeah, well," He chuckled, "It's just difficult to believe."

She can't stand this. Her hand fall on Damian's shoulders without thought, he looks up at her shocked but he doesn't say anything. Her smile is maintained. "Then how about this," She said softly, "Every time you forget, just come to me and I'll gladly remind you."

And she would do that. Because they're friends.

Damian gulped down what Kayla knew was a sob before looking up at her, sharing her smile. "I-I think that'll do." He chokes. "Thank you so much."

And they stare at each other. Sharing the smile.

Kayla didn't even feel her face move forward, or her eyes begin to close.

Damian didn't notice it either, he just followed her lead. Prepared for whatever she had planned.

Nearer and Nearer.

They can feel each others breath.

Each others heartbeats.

Then Kayla pauses. And thinks on what she's actually doing.

No.

They didn't deserve this.

Kayla's lips softly turn to meet Damian's cheek. His eyes open, slightly disappointed, but he's far too bewildered to notice. Kayla nodded at him quickly before turning to all through her door, offering one last thanks before she disappeared from sight.

Damian stood motionless, slowly taking in what just happened. His hand falls on his cheek however and his blissful joy overcomes his realisation on what could have been. He teleports back to Hell with the snap of a finger, still grinning dreamily at what the previous events.

In the end, what could've been doesn't matter to him.

Because they're friends.

And that's all he's truly wanted.

Small Epilogue.

Sorry Haters of DamianXKayla, I couldn't resist.

Zoophobia and Characters belong to Vivzmind.