He wasn’t wrong, but this close, Dav had to hold back his temptation to breathe in. How fucking inappropriate, wanting to inhale the scent of his best friend so close to him. Even worse, if Laz lingered and his cock hardened enough to be visible beyond the lockbox set in his lap.
“Fine,” Dav grunted when Laz gave him an imploring look.
Satisfied, Lazerath grinned. “Great, now tell me what you think about this dance move for tonight.”
So the day went, entertaining Laz’s excitement for the evening and balancing baking and customers up until closing. On the walk home, his friend rattled off half a dozen places they might go, arguing over the signature drink to demon ratios and which clubs had the best entertainment, and then for another half an hour as he tried on everything in his closet twice.
“Let’s go to Inferno,” Laz called from the depths.
“I did see a flyer for discounted drinks.”
There was a yelp and a crash, like Laz had tripped trying on pants. “You’re such a slut for a deal.”
Davarox chuckled where he lounged on his friend’s bed, shirt undone and none too bothered by the continued delay. This was Laz, after all, not to mention the demon was determined that tonight he was going to impress someone, so he must beimpress-worthy.
“I like the art district,” Laz went on, no longer soundinglike he was battling his legwear. “Oh, and last time we were there?—”
“You got invited to three orgies, performed in Saffron Fire’s sequin dress, and woke up on a stranger’s rooftop.”
A wistful sigh came from the closet before Laz hung his upper half out of the doorway. “Don’t tell me you didn’t have a good time.”
“Didyou?”
There was a moment of silence, and then a blur of red was falling into the bed next to him. Laz, shirtless, propped himself on his elbows, thick tail flicking in the air. “Not like we haven’t shared a female before then.”
“Twice.”
“You’re very picky.”
“So are demons about my lack of magic.”
Laz’s dark gaze narrowed. “Then they aren’t actually partner-worthy.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.”
“Come on. When was the last time you were interested in someone?”
He didn’t answer.
“Will you at least try to have fun?”
“I will have fun. Promise.”
The red demon grinned wide, fangs on display. “Great. And it’s even better if you find a demon to take home so you can relax a little bit. All that tension, you can find someone to helpyourelease?—”
Dav smacked him with a pillow. “Blazes, Laz, just tell me to find a demon to fuck.”
Laughing, his friend rolled off the bed and threw his hands over his ears. “No! My delicate sensibilities! How dare you utter such crude language in my presence.”
Laz disappeared into the closet again, Dav’s chuckle dying out as he shook his head. “Says the demon who graphically explained his experience with making a female squirt for the first time.”
“It wasso hot, Dav.”
By the time Laz had settled on an outfit, Dav had abandoned the bedroom to make them dinner, and then they were headed to the art district under a starlit sky.
Demonlights along the street flickered in yellows and reds and blues. Dav had long since stopped himself from staring too long at the latter, the only evidence of what could have been in the midnight blue of his hair and the cool tone of the flared fins at the tip of his tail. What use was longing for some flicker of color in his skin? Thirty-three years without magic and he’d gotten by just fine.
He glanced at his friend, a bounce in his step as he pointed out all the new repairs the shopkeepers along the street had done.
