The Bargain

The two of them sat on the rooftop, the world below carrying on in its relentless chaos. Kikidori lounged lazily, one arm draped over his knee, his crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. Ere'ana, ever upright and composed, had her hands folded neatly in her lap, her glowing halo casting its usual calming light.

"Say it," Kikidori said, breaking the silence.

Ere'ana didn't even glance at him. "No."

"Come on, just one little word," he pressed, leaning closer.

"No," she repeated firmly, her voice steady.

Kikidori groaned dramatically, throwing his head back. "You're no fun, halo girl."

"I'm not here to entertain you," Ere'ana said, her tone clipped.

He smirked, undeterred. "Come on. Just one cuss word. It won't kill you. Might even loosen you up a bit."

"It's a sin," she said, her eyes narrowing.

Kikidori rolled his eyes. "Please. Compared to all the other crap humans do, saying a little 'fuck' isn't going to send you plummeting to hell."

Ere'ana sighed, finally turning to look at him. "Why does this matter so much to you?"

"Because," Kikidori said, leaning in with a devilish grin, "it would make my day. Hell, it'd probably make my century. Seeing little miss perfect halo girl sin just once? That's priceless."

"I'm not giving you the satisfaction," she said, turning away.

Kikidori's grin widened. "What if I do something for you in return?"

Ere'ana arched an eyebrow. "You, do something for me? That's hard to believe."

"I'm serious," he said, leaning forward. "I'll do whatever you want. Just say it. One word. That's all."

Ere'ana hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. She knew he was baiting her, but the idea of getting him to agree to something useful was tempting.

"Anything I want?" she asked, her voice cautious.

"Anything," Kikidori promised, his grin almost splitting his face.

She studied him for a moment, her glowing blue eyes searching his crimson ones. Finally, she sighed, resigning herself to the absurdity of the situation.

"Fine," she said.

Kikidori's eyes lit up with triumph. "Really? You're going to do it?"

"Don't make me regret this," Ere'ana muttered.

Kikidori leaned forward eagerly, his entire body buzzing with anticipation.

Ere'ana took a deep breath, her expression a mix of irritation and reluctance. "...Fuck."

Kikidori exploded into laughter, throwing his head back and clutching his stomach. "Oh my God, you actually did it! I can't believe it! The angel said 'fuck!'"

Ere'ana rolled her eyes, her cheeks flushing slightly. "Are you done?"

"Not even close," Kikidori said, still laughing. "That was the best thing I've ever heard. You've got such a sweet, angelic voice, and then—bam! 'Fuck!' Priceless."

Ere'ana shook her head, waiting for him to calm down. When he finally did, wiping tears from his eyes, she crossed her arms and fixed him with a pointed look.

"Okay, now you have to do what I want you to do," she said.

Kikidori's laughter died instantly, his grin replaced with a wary expression. "Uh… what exactly are we talking about here?"

Ere'ana smirked, leaning forward slightly. "A deal's a deal, Kikidori. You said you'd do anything."

He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, but I didn't think you'd actually agree!"

"That sounds like a you problem," Ere'ana said, her tone smug.

Kikidori grumbled under his breath. "Fine. What do you want?"

Ere'ana's expression softened slightly, though her resolve remained firm. "I want you to stop causing chaos on Earth. No more killing, no more destruction."

Kikidori blinked, his mouth falling open. "What?"

"You heard me," she said. "No more havoc."

"Are you serious? That's my whole thing!"

"Well, now it's not," Ere'ana said, her tone final.

Kikidori groaned again, louder this time, throwing his head back in exasperation. "You're killing me, halo girl."

"Good," she said with a small smile.

He sat there for a moment, glaring at her. Then, with a heavy sigh, he muttered, "Fine. I won't cause chaos. Happy?"

"Very," Ere'ana said, her smile widening.

Kikidori slumped back against the rooftop, sulking. "I can't believe I got tricked into this."

"You weren't tricked," she said. "You made a deal."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered.

For a while, they sat in silence again, the tension between them easing slightly. Kikidori, still annoyed, stared at the sky while Ere'ana watched the world below, her glowing halo casting a serene light over her features.

After a while, Kikidori glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You know, for someone who claims to hate sinning, you said 'fuck' pretty well."

Ere'ana smirked. "Don't push your luck, Kikidori."

He chuckled, his irritation fading slightly. "Fair enough."

As the night wore on, the two of them remained on the rooftop, an odd truce forming between them. Despite their differences, they found themselves drawn together, their shared moments of banter and vulnerability bridging the vast divide between heaven and hell.

The end of Chapter 8