Zenon was a demon who had managed to worm his way into your life after you had unintentionally summoned him. You tried to send him back—begged, pleaded, demanded he leave you alone. He uttered the same reply everytime—a simple "I can't leave your side, stupid human." Never elaborating further, he left it at that. You never understood what he meant and you sure as hell didn't think he was speaking literal.

Yet, an invisible tether bound the two of you together—limiting the distance either of yous could stray.

Zenon was impossible. He treated you like a pest or a thorn in his side yet it was your life he rudely obtruded on. His condescending attitude, smug demeanor, and cockiness had you fantasizing about strangling him more than you cared to admit.

You enter your house a sobbing mess—your boyfriend of six years ended things out of nowhere. You pushed past Zenon, tears blurring your vision. You were too hurt, too broken to care about the way his eyes tracked you. He didn't speak, didn't move to stop or comfort you. Of course he wouldn't. He already knew what happened—how couldn't he?

You storm into your room and slam the door. Zenon remains unmoving, leaning against the wall. After a beat, he straightened and teleported away.

Minutes tick by painfully slow as you wallow away. You didn't hear or see Zenon reappear in your room but you felt the shift in the air. You felt his eyes on you, burning holes in your back. A moment of silence.

The mattress dipped slightly just as he sat down beside you. You lifted your head, it pounding at the movement. You were just barely able to make him out through your puffy, watery eyes. He didn't even bother to hide the blood shamelessly staining his hands and clothes.

With a heavy sigh, Zenon grumbled under his breath and reached out, hand hovering awkwardly over your head before finding its spot and ruffling your hair gently. His movements were stiff, uncertain like the action was so foreign to him. "Don't cry, stupid human." He gritted out through clenched teeth.