#demon!ethan

The Whole “Being Dead” Thing — out now on AO3

Paul Matthews and Emma Perkins didn't intend for a lot of things.

They didn't intend to fall in love-- it had happened naturally. They didn't intend to move in together into a tiny, trailer house-- it was something that felt right. They didn't intend to confide in each other, to grow together.

They also didn't intend to get crushed by a meteor.

Not that the universe gave a shit what they intended.

Lex Foster intended to do a lot of things.

She intended to take herself and her sister far, far away from the hell she called home. She intended to quit working at ToyZone once she had the funds to do so. She intended to curb her drinking habit and quit smoking one day. She intended to live the life she never got to and become an actress in California.

She didn't intend to summon a demon.

My two favourite evil Ethans!

Left is Demon!Ethan from my dear friend @nervously-spouting-poetry Nervy’s fantastic fic The Whole Being Dead Thing, right is Infected!Ethan from my own fic The Best Blood is An Alien Blue. I drew this a while ago, but didn’t want to post it until I had actually published the Infected Ethan fic lol.

Would they be friends? Maybe, maybe not. Really depends on how fucking feral Infected Ethan is atm.

HAPPY FUCKGIN BIRTHDAY BABEY! This one’s for YOU!! I can’t resist writing these two idiots... ever. Wrote the makeout session (despite having Zero experience), so you Better enjoy 3k words of bullshit. 

From what little Lex had managed to put together about the reality of being in a relationship with a creature from the depths of hell, she was fairly certain there were worse demons she could’ve been snuggled up on the couch with.

Not that she would’ve snuggled up with any worse demons— she’d probably whip out the salt and the bible her mother kept somewhere under the liquor cabinet at warp fucking speed if any of them tried it— but the point still held steady as far as she was concerned.

Not that she was concerned about much at this point. It was Ethan’s doing, really.

Bastard.

It was like he was trying to be adorable on purpose, which just wasn’t fucking fair. Like. At all.

Wrapped up in a gentle embrace, from where she lay on her back, Lex couldn’t exactly see the demon in his entirety— but that didn’t exactly matter to her. After all, she could feel him all around her. To anybody else, it would’ve been terrifying— helpless with a demon’s chin on their shoulder and the feeling of breath on their neck— but Lex Foster was hardly anybody else.

After all, this was just Ethan.

With every breath he took, his chest rose and fell beneath her. His arms were slung casually around her middle from behind. His tail— god, that fucking stupid cartoon-devil tail— was wrapped neatly around her ankle, the end of it flicking contentedly back and forth, and when Lex shifted her weight, a sharp set of claws moved with the utmost caution across her ribs and brushed up against her hands.

A low noise resonated through the air. A growl.

A demon growling wasn’t normally something to be taken lightly. The noise was nothing short of bone chilling— a lingering threat that there was a monster that possessed unthinkable power keeping her pinned in place, reminding her that no matter what happened, she was still inevitably in the clutches of—

Oh, who the hell was she kidding?

Stretching slightly before settling back down, a snicker pulled from her in response to the disgruntled noise. “‘M not getting up,” she reassured as the wings she could see out of her peripheral vision threatened to fold over her. “Believe me, it’s been a long as hell day— I’m staying right the fuck here.”

“Good.”

The arms around her middle pulled her a little closer against him— close enough that the sensation of him breathing was even more noticeable— and those wings fluttering on the edges of her vision curled inward just enough to cover her legs.

“...you’re warm...” He added after a moment’s pause, his chin coming to rest on the crook of her neck.

Lex huffed in response. “You’re basically a human space heater,” she grumbled in mock annoyance, “so it’d be hard not to be—“

His grip on her tightened, turning her words into a startled yelp as he changed positions abruptly. The wings curled around her rustled momentarily, the tail practically knotted around her leg like some sort of anklet squeezing at her with a little more pressure.

“I ain’t human anymore! We’ve been over this.” There was an almost whining lilt in his voice when he spoke, though it was clearly playful in nature. “Last I checked, humans don’t have wings... or tails, or—“

There was a pause, followed by a grunt— his arms momentarily uncurling to brace himself against the cushions— before a pair of sharp, hardened points lightly butted against her back. “—those,” he finished.

Lex hummed softly in response. “Right,” she agreed, bringing her hand down to fiddle with his claws— how the fuck is he always so careful with these?— she found herself biting back a grin.

It was a struggle to keep her tone disinterested. Gaze fixed firmly on the dingy ceiling, Lex inclined her head to press her cheek against his.

“...which makes you inhumanly horny.”

An offended scoff wound up from his throat— his chest bouncing beneath her. “Hey,” he huffed, “not all the time—”

His protests were cut short by Lex flipping over abruptly— hands pressing down against the membranes of his wings under his arms. 

And there he was. 

There he was, with those blue-gray eyes fixated on her. With his hair falling messily across his forehead in a nest of curls that were usually styled back with what had to be six tins of hair gel. His pupils were rounded— large like those of a contented cat— and as he raised his eyebrows and shifted under where she’d unceremoniously pinned him, Lex raised a hand and flicked one of the short, sharp horns curling up from his skull. 

“I don’t see you getting rid of those anytime soon,” she remarked, unable to keep a smug lilt out of her voice upon realizing that his cheeks had darkened despite the playful scowl on his face.

“I thought you said they were cute…” 

Fuck.

Ducking her head to hide her blush, Lex gave a small cough. “I said they were annoying.” Again, she pressed her fingers against one of his horns— the one on the right— though this time, she curled her hand around it and lightly trailed her fingers down to the base of it, scratching lightly. 

His breath hitched. 

A moment of silence fell between them before she dragged her nails through his scalp, and instantaneously, it was broken by a low, thundering purr that made Lex snicker. As much as he was supposed to be some terrifying creature, it was pretty easy to turn him into putty— the easiest way coming in the form of scratching the base of his horns. 

Her fingers fiddled with his curls. 

“Because they turn you into a fucking lawnmower,” she finished, the familiar, vibrations that came with the noise enough to make her relax a little more against him— her ribcage buzzing in a way that made her feel warm all over. 

When he spoke, his voice was a little slurred, purrs— demons fucking purr, god, he’s such a dork— interfering with his words, causing them to jumble together. “...a cute lawnmower though, right?” He asked, head tilting slightly. 

In that moment, she knew her answer should’ve been a soft yes. 

His hair was fluffed in a way that made her want nothing more than to play with it, his lips parted slightly in the wake of his question— sharp fangs adding a contrast to the softness of his expression— and when he blinked, his pupils seemed to expand even further. 

A yes would’ve been the truth. 

Humming softly, Lex carefully laid herself down on top of him, freeing up her other hand to lightly skirt along his jawline. “...I’ll think about it,” she murmured, unable to keep a teasing look from flitting across her face when he leaned his head against her hand and gave an offended noise. 

“You’ll think about it?” He echoed, wings rustling as they slid into place over her back like a secondary embrace. 

Maybe living blanket was a better term for what he was. The folds of his wings settled neatly over her— surrounding her in his hold as she cocked her head— face inches from his own. When he was this close, it was easy to pick out the little differences in his features from the ones he would’ve had if he were human. 

His mouth extended a little more on either side to accommodate his fangs. His skin was fair despite the fact that logically, he should’ve looked like a fucking zombie, and when he swiped his tongue over his lips, the end of it was broken into two points. 

She shifted her weight slightly. “Would you rather I just told you—”

“That I’m your favourite?” He finished for her, earning a sharp laugh in response. His crooked grin widened in return— and without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled Lex closer against himself. “Takin’ that as a yes.” 

“It’s possible.”

His tail flicked, tickling the back of her leg in a way that made her instinctively bend her knee. “I ain’t hearin’ no, Lexie.” 

She managed to hold her fake scowl for about three seconds. It was a futile attempt, really— with him looking up at her like that, that cocky look in his eyes turning soft when she lightly scratched the skin just under his ear, behind his jaw. 

The rumbling from his chest grew louder, filling her head with a pleasant emptiness. 

These were the moments where it was easy to fall in love all over agian— the moments that she stored away in the back of her mind and treasured there, pulling them out when shit went sideways. It was there with the memories of sitting on the roof of a weatherbeaten jalopy and staring up at the stars— the only good part of living on an island. It was there with memories of cigarette smoke and lazy mornings, there with stolen glances and tender kisses and promises of forever… 

Looking down at his contented face as his eyes fluttered closed, Lex felt the warmth that had settled in her chest growing. 

God, since when had she become such a fucking sap? 

Yet another thing she could blame Ethan fucking Green for. 

Pulling her hands off his head, Lex ignored the little groan of protest that tugged from his throat in favour of locking her fingers together on the back of his neck and leaning in slowly. 

In the instant their lips connected, she couldn’t help but think that this was right. The kiss was gentle, a slow brush that changed to a press, then to a proper connection between them that left her shifting her grip to clutch the lapels of his jacket. She could feel his hands moving, claws lightly brushing against her sides and causing her to hum into the kiss even as she pulled away to breathe, breathing in the smell of worn leather and cheap cigarettes— the smell of home that had always been a part of him, right from the start. 

His wings pressed a little tighter against her back. His chin angled upward, and although he didn’t say a word, the absolutely whipped expression on his face spoke volumes. 

Lex didn’t resist. 

Kissing Ethan was never like fireworks— not right away, anyway, no— it was more the lit fuse, slowly burning brighter and brighter until—

His tongue slipped into her mouth. 

—sparks shot through the back of her mind. 

The kiss deepened, turning hungrier— needier. Their noses bumped together. His fangs clacked against her teeth as she returned the favour, drawing a shaky breath from him as reward. Her hands roamed, slipping under his jacket and skirting hesitantly across the fabric of his shirt— his own moving to squeeze her shoulderblades. The two moved in tandem, falling into a rhythm— the warm feeling in the back of Lex’s mind changing from fireworks to a steady fire that made her lean farther into it, looking for more yet wanting nothing to change, wanting time to slow down or freeze entirely. 

Her eyes fluttered closed. 

She could almost believe time had stopped, if it weren’t for the steadily building ache in her lungs from lack of air reminding her that time was, in fact, creeping forward. 

I need to breathe.

Pressing her hand against his chest, Lex moved to pull away, though before she could even take a breath in, the sound of a door swinging open caused them both to spring apart. 

And then there was pain. 

A yelp pried from her throat before she could help it— body jerking backward in an instant, hands coming free from under Ethan’s jacket to press against her lip. 

It only worsened when he pulled away, their eyes snapping open at the same time and settling on each other in tandem, Lex’s pupils blown wide and Ethan’s thin, animal slits. The door went completely ignored by both of them— Ethan’s hand moving to concernedly touch Lex’s cheek. 

“Shit, Lex, what—” He started, though before he could get another word out— 

“Are you bleeding?” She interrupted, lowering one hand from her face to reach for his, though… something warm dripped down from her lip when she did. 

Silence fell between them for a moment. 

Lex’s eyes tracked to the blood dribbling from the corner of Ethan’s mouth, then down to her red-stained fingers. 

...maybe there’s a reason he’s always so damn careful.

The thought barely had time to cross her mind before the wings that had been flipped up around her folded downward, the demon they belonged to attempting to sit up despite the fact that she still had him mostly pinned under her. “Shit, Lex, I’ll— I’ll get’cha a bandaid or somethin’ for that, I— I didn’t mean to—” 

When he tried again to stand, Lex carefully slid off him, still keeping one hand on her face, flicking the other in an attempt to wave him off. 

“It’s fine, Eth, it’s not that much blood— I don’t think you went all the way thr—”

“Blood?” Hannah’s voice cut into the conversation suddenly enough to make Lex freeze— halfway standing, in the act of following Ethan toward the bathroom— and turn her gaze to where her sister stood by the front door. 

Right. The door. 

How the fuck was she supposed to explain this?

She almost envied the fact that Ethan had managed to shoot off to rummage through their scant medical supplies. Opening and closing her mouth a few times, Lex tried to find her words to explain why the fuck Ethan had managed to bite her lip. “It— It’s fine, E just slipped a little, Banana,” she explained, “w-we were— we were just—”

“Kissing,” Hannah finished for her, bringing one hand up to press against the side of her head— fingers dipping under the side of the hat that never seemed to leave her. Her brows drew together, and for a second, a look of sage understanding crossed her face. “...Webby says accident.”

The spike of tension that Lex had felt left her in an instant.

She’s used to him now.

Nodding, giving a sheepish chuckle, she carefully sat back down with a sigh. “Yeah, totally an accident,” she agreed, looking up in time to see Ethan fiddling with a pack of bandages as Hannah settled next to her. 

Her brow creased. “I dunno if a bandaid’ll—”

“It’ll stop you from bleedin’ all over th’ damn place.” 

“I’m not bleeding all over the—”

Breezing past Hannah, Ethan shook his head and gave a little growl in the back of his throat, crouching in front of her. “Bullshit, you’re bleeding— fuck, I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Ethan.”

“I’m serious, I didn’t want to hurt you— god, maybe we should’a kept the fuckin’ contract.” His claws made quick work of the bandaid’s flimsy wrapping, pulling it off in a smooth motion— though pulling the little adhesive tabs off seemed to give him a little more trouble.

Lex couldn’t help but smile through the slight stinging. It was almost cute in a way, seeing him so worried— his tail thrashing to and fro in his panic. 

What a fucking dork. 

“Ethan,” she tried again, using her free hand to squeeze his knee, “don’t worry about it, it doesn’t hurt that bad, and it’s just a little scratch.” 

Watching as he finally managed to pull off the tabs, Lex couldn’t stop a fond expression from settling on her face when his eyes met hers.

“Lemme see?” 

“I can put on my own bandage, E…” 

Even as she protested, Lex lowered her hand and tilted her head to allow him access to the split in her skin, a mock-annoyed huff rolling from her throat. His touch was feather-light on her face, though she couldn’t help a small wince when he settled the flimsy cotton pad against the scrape. 

“Sorry—”

“Ethan, if you say sorry one more fucking time, I’m killing you again.” Sitting upright next to Hannah, she rolled her eyes and raised a hand to poke at the bandage. “You’re overreacting.” 

Ethan’s nose wrinkled. “I’m not—”

“You are,” Hannah piped up from where she sat, swinging her legs. 

“You totally are,” Lex seconded, playfully kicking him in the ankle when he stood and shot her a tired looking glare. The lashing of his tail didn’t slow, causing her to roll her eyes and offer her hand in an attempt to guide him to the couch. “C’mon. Looks like someone needs to simmer the hell down— Hannah, why don’t you pick a movie?”

“‘Kay!” Hannah chirped as Ethan sat down next to Lex, the three of them shifting to better sit side by side. It wasn’t the largest couch, and having a winged boyfriend did make it a bit of a tight squeeze, but it gave Lex an extra excuse to lean her shoulder against his. 

Which she totally did. 

While Hannah pulled the remote out from between the cushions, Lex took his hand in her own and gave it three quick squeezes. “‘M totally fine, Eth,” she promised, leaning her head into his neck and humming in contentment when he returned the gesture. 

“...okay,” he grumbled, “though I should’a been more careful.”

“What happened to you being a bad boy? Demon straight from hell, remember?”

Leaning forward to allow his wing to settle behind her, Lex bit back a grin as Ethan rolled his eyes. 

“Okay, fuck you, I can be a bad boy from hell and still respect you. That makes me way better than those fuckers that use it to like, hide their fragile masculinity.” 

Lex snorted in response, opening her mouth to shoot something back— though she stopped when Hannah tapped her knee. 

“...no kissing during it,” she instructed, sternly, her gaze flicking from her sister to the demon sitting beside her. 

Lex’s face turned red. “Hannah—” She started, though she was cut off by Ethan’s lips grazing her cheek in a soft peck. 

“Hey!”

“Movie ain’t started yet, Split!” Ethan defended, raising his hands in surrender. “She’s fair game until then!” 

Like magic, that warm feeling was back, and even after the Netflix loading screen shifted to whatever Hannah had thrown on, it didn’t fade. 

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Ethan’s tail had snaked its way around her ankle. Or maybe it had something to do with the clawed fingers laced with her own. And sure, it might’ve had something to do with the sneaky pecks to her neck Ethan pressed to her skin— pulling away whenever Hannah turned to shoot him a dirty look. 

Though in all honesty, Lex could pin the feeling on one thing completely. 

One person.