Aria sighs, wrinkling her nose at the lingering stench of burning herbs and charcoal that clogs her nose. Puffing up her cheeks, she closes the heavy book, wincing at the answering groan from it’s ancient spine, and brushes away her bronze fringe as she glances around her living room littered with small animal bones, crystals, and herbs burning in a bowl, but low and behold, no “devil”.

Rolling her eyes, she huffs tiredly. “Of course. Next, pigs will start flying.”

Pivoting on her heels, Aria raises her head and jolts in place at the sight of a woman standing before her, who was certainly not here moments ago within her completely locked house during the witching hour. Heart jackknifing in her throat, she stumbles backwards and winces when her lower back collides with her TV stand.

“I can’t imagine a human would summon me purely for the entertainment of watching pig’s fly, especially with the abundance of intent it took to get me here,” the woman says, scarlet eyes absently surveying the room.

The woman looks out of place of Aria’s cheap living room when she is wearing a slinky black dress that flows around her bare feet, but the waistline tight around her shapely body, features delicate and lined in light, alluring makeup. Her omission black hair cascades around her shoulders in loose waves, red lips ticked into a sardonic smile.

“Who… who the hell are you?” Aria manages out past her tight throat, trembling hands grappling at the edge of her TV stand.

The woman arches a thin brow, amusement dancing in her scarlet eyes as she wanders towards her frayed couch. She eyes wearily, but ultimately settles onto the cushions. “Interesting choice of words, but unneeded considering you’re the one who summoned me here."

"Summoned… you? Here?" Aria repeats dumbly, staring blankly at the woman that she has certainly never seen before in her life. "I… I don't understand."

The woman laughs quietly, brushing manicured fingers through her obsidian hair before gesturing towards the mess of items that Aria used for the demon summoning spell. "Yes. Summoned me here." She stands, the dress swaying around her as she approaches Aria, lips stretched into a manic grin. "You summoned me here, an impressive feat, may I add."

"You're… you're a demon."

The woman purses her lips. "Not just any demon, I'm afraid. The demon. Please, call me Lucy."

"Lucy. Right." Aria licks her lips anxiously. "So, if you… if you are a demon, and I summoned you here, then… why… why are you here?"

"Humans are so funny these days," Lucy says, laughing brightly before she strides back over to her couch. She settles down, crossing her legs over one another and carefully watching her with red eyes. "You summoned me here with intent, so it's up to you to tell me what you want so desperately. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn't be here."

Aria stares blankly, carefully loosening her grip on the TV stand. Rubbing her arms, she inches farther into the room and closer to the demon that remains sitting pliant on her couch.

At the continued the silence, Lucy scoffs. "Tell me what you want. We don't have all day, human. What is it you desire? Money? Fame? Talent?" She waves her hand absently. "I can give you anything that you wish, for a price of course. So, what is it?"

"I… I don't want any of those," Aria replies feebly.

Surprise briefly colors the demon's delicate features, red lips loosing the hint of a smile, and narrows her eyes back on the human woman. Her head cants to the side. "If it is none of those that you seek, then tell me why you have summoned me?"

"I… I didn't think the spell would work, if I am honest, Lucy," Aria explains hastily, shakily scrambling towards the spell book that is sitting innocently on the coffee table. "I just… I was desperate, and my grandmother had kept these books around her old home for years telling me about it's abilities, and it was late, and I just… I needed to… to at least try, but I didn't… I didn't think it would actually work."

"I assure you, human, it worked," Lucy retorts drily.

"I just… I wanted a friend."

Lucy blinks twice at the words, staring blankly at Aria with round scarlet eyes. The smile falters, disappearing from the red lips and is replaced with a faint frown. She leans back against the cushions. "A… a friend?"

Aria bobs her head once.

"You… you are telling me that you turned to witchcraft… because you were lonely?" Lucy continues.

A frown tugs at Aria's lips. "It wasn't like… it wasn't like I just decided, oh, let me try witchcraft where I summon a demon instead of just going out and being friendly," she replies tersely, huffing. She marches towards her recliner, plopping into the seat with a heavy sigh. "Believe me, I have tried, but it's not… it's not like I can just walk outside and gain a friend. I've tried, but people don't want to be friends with someone like me."

Lucy survey's Aria's frame curiously. "You seem like an average human to me."

Aria's lips quirk into a tiny smile. "I appreciate that, but it's not… it's not about my appearance."

"If it isn't your appearance, then what seems to be the problem? Surely it isn't your social skills, considering you are speaking to a demon just fine right now," Lucy continues.

"I'm terminal."

"Terminal?" Lucy repeats. Her shoulders loosen as the word settles within her thoughts. "You mean, you're dying."

"Unless the word terminal has changed within the last five minutes, yes," Aria jokes, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Lucy shakes her head adamantly, shoving herself back to feet as she paces around the meager living room. "Wait, wait. Let me get this straight. You turned to witchcraft, not because you're a human who is dying, but because… because you want a friend?" she asks, pinning Aria with a bewildered stare.

Aria flinches, recoiling into herself. "What's wrong with that?"

"What's…." Lucy groans, striding over and sitting at the edge of the coffee table to pin Aria with a stern stare. "You do realize that I am a demon. I make deals. That's my thing, and it could be anything. You could tell me that you want to live, and we shake on it, and boom. You live."

Aria frowns, shaking her head once. "No, I… I am aware that you can do that, but… it's not that I want to die, but… I don't want to make a deal to save my life when I don't actually have things going for me." She hesitates, then glares down at her hands. "I know what you must think of me, but you have to understand…. I don't want to die. Not at all, but I spent a long time coming to terms with it, fighting it, whatever, but if I am truthful… I don't just want to survive. I want to live, and to me that means having a friend. A real friend. I haven't had one since I was kid, because not many people want to invest their time in someone who is dying."

Lucy inhales sharply, leaning away from Aria and crossing her legs. The human woman doesn't squirm under her stare, only fiddles absently with a stray piece of string that has come loose from her cardigan. She doesn't completely understand the human emotion attached to the intent, the intent that is practically swallowing the human whole, and what brought Lucy here, but she doesn't know what to do about it.

"I know that humans are selfish, but… this is certainly a new one on me," Lucy mutters under her breath, sighing. "I don't… I don't think you should make a deal with me. I am a demon, and that means your soul would belong to me."

Aria's head jerks up, mouth gaping as she snags Lucy's wrist before she stands. "Wait, please. I don't… I don't care about my soul, I just… I want to be able to do things with someone before I die. I want to just have a friend. Please!"

The grip on Lucy's wrist isn't strong- quite the opposite, actually. It's fragile and could probably snap her wrist in half if she jerked too hard. It's then she noticed the skeletal appearance of the human. Somehow the grip feels like iron chains anyways.

"Aria, you need to care about your soul. A soul like yours does not belong to the devil. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Aria says, "but I don't care. Make a deal with me."

The intent is stronger. Lucy can feel it bubbling around her, nearly making her dizzy with her desire to harness it, but she pushes it down. She may be the devil, but she was God's angel first and foremost, and even if she hates humans, these humans remind her of those closest to God.

Lucy sighs, gently prying her wrist from Aria's grip, but then takes her hand in hers in a gentle hold. "Listen closely, Aria." Aria inhales sharply. "I will make a deal with you, but to do it, I need you to lay out the groundwork. It's in my nature to deceive, but I don't want to do that here. So, you need to make sure you do not give me a chance to make loopholes. Understand?"

Aria nibbles on her bottom lip. "Okay."

Lucy nods once. "Okay. The deal I am offering you, a friend in exchange for your soul. This friend will be attached to you until the moment you take your last breath and you are pronounced dead. Then, I shall collect the debt. This friend will be yours, and yours alone. They cannot betray you, nor cause you any harm, whether it's emotional or physical." She pauses, searching Aria's features. "Do you accept?"

"I accept."