Hellacious Hospitality Ch. 13

"Big meanie! Aila's gonna tell Auntie Lessee that Rara was mean again, when she gets back!"

"Well, she's not here now. Maybe that's a sign to start acting your age, and stop relying on Aunt to solve all your problems for you."

"Thanks, but you can stop now Merah. I'll be fine. Just thinking to myself. Maybe a bit too much, but it's all I've got at the moment."

"I get it. Me, too. I keep wondering if there's something I could've been doing differently. It felt so good to stand at her side. And now that she's left us, I wonder if there wasn't more I should have been doing. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so pressured, and feel the need to run away from it all."

The way she looked up to Caeli with such admiration was reassuring. It was easy to think that he'd gotten in too deep, swept away in the mysticism and intrigue without heed for the natural order of things. The vast majesty and horror inherent to the magical half of the world was so far beyond his reckoning. But having people around like Merah, with her down-to-earth reasoning, kept things relatable. The history and the magic could be fascinating and terrifying, but none of that was why he'd fallen in love in the first place.

"Don't blame yourself for that. What she's going through right now has nothing to do with you, understand?" He really didn't need another person falling into depression around him.

Hmm, is it too late to switch fields into psychology? He wondered, wryly, reminded of a joke that Elena had once made.

Oh fuck, Elena! All this business with Caeli and Xochitl and Luna distracted from the fact that she deserved an apology, too, after hitting her and chasing her off. And after her abuse, too. As angry as he'd been with her, and her irresponsibility, that was still no excuse for his reaction.

He swatted instinctively at his pocket for his cell phone, just to clue in that he was still only in just his boxer shorts, and that it was probably still lying in a heap of discarded clothing somewhere in his apartment.

"You girls hold tight. I'll be heading out for a bit. There's something I need to take care of. Just keep each other company... and please don't break anything more when I'm gone." He forced a fake grin.

*****

Benson sighed a deep, shuddering sigh.

It's just a door. It's just a door.

The whirling portal before him gaped as a silent oculus, judging him.

"What are you waiting for, permission? If you're going to leave, you won't find me trying to stop you. Maybe that'll put an end to all the incessant clamor you seem to invite."

That was a good enough incentive as any to leave. Any more of Xochitl's heckling might've led to him saying something regrettable. He was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt, but her irascible personality really was just the worst.

Biting his tongue, he stepped through, the dizzying array of cosmic lights leading straight to his room.

Stumbling as bare feet suddenly gripped rough carpet, his stomach lagged two seconds behind and threatened to upturn its contents onto the floor. It was a trip he'd made only twice before, but neither time had been as bad. Maybe because those times, he was thoroughly focused on other things, with a surety of step.

But now, for his first time since this whole adventure began, nothing lay before him but uncertainty. Caeli had always been his rock, his guiding light through all of this, illuminating the beauty that he never cared to see before. Without her confidence to lean on, it was like learning to walk all over again, but in pitch blackness.

Everything was just as he'd left it. Which is to say, disastrous.

His bed sheets were a twisted mess and reeked of stale sex. The situation in his main room wasn't much better, with the rickety remains of what used to be his kitchen table splintered all over the floor.

Worst of all was all the evidence left behind of Luna's subterfuge. Her rolled up futon behind the couch was proof that she actually lived here, taking advantage of him all the while. The shredded t-shirt and the pair of thong panties with a snapped waistband just lying openly on the ground was the testament to his complicity.

He should have seen that she was trouble from the start. All her "innocent" teasing was bait in an orchestrated trap. A transparent trap, that he'd constantly warned himself about time after time. That kind of open flirtatiousness never happened without wanting something in return. Memories of more carefree times overrode caution, giving her an angle of attack.

There had to have been at least a half dozen opportunities to stop her. At any time, he could have put his foot down, rendering her seductions ineffective. But instead he'd invited her in, giving her even more chances. He may as well have begged to fuck her. Were his morals really that loose?

It didn't matter that her plan had ultimately failed. The damage she'd done was immeasurable. He hadn't wanted to admit it in so many words to the others, but here, with only his own thoughts to keep him company, the desolate emptiness of his apartment was a perfect metaphor for his life. Broken, abandoned, all the things he filled it with torn asunder. She made him doubt all the faith that Caeli had bestowed upon him.

He found his own pile of clothes, pushed to the side, rooting around for the cell phone that had inspired him to come back here in the first place. Now that it was in his hands, though, what could he really do with it?

He had meant to call Elena and apologize. But what would the end result of that be? Their continued relationship was deeply inappropriate from the start.

Agonizing over it for several minutes on end, he stuffed the phone in his pocket. Caeli was gone, and he was finally thinking for himself again. Leave Elena out of it. He'd probably get fired over all this. That didn't matter. He had to stop enabling her dangerous habits and letting her temptations override his common sense.

Some time in the distant future, he could look back on this whole wild misadventure as some sort of fever dream. That would be for the best. He'd made his play at being empathic, but that just became a vehicle for his impulsive desires, and ruined lives in the process. No more. This fantasy life needed to end.

Xochitl would get the last laugh after all. Maybe after all the hardships she'd faced, she earned that parting gift. Just one last chance to smugly lord her superiority over him.

Abandoning his previous plans, he began the tedious work of cleaning up, if nothing but for the pretext of restoring some form of normalcy to this utter farce he called living. The barest streamers of sunlight crept over the horizon, and so he didn't even feel like turning on the lights. Just half-fumbling in the near-dark, still not quite ready to accept that as a human, he belonged in the light, instead of the twilight world of magic and the demi.

Laundry spinning away in the wash, remains of his table all swept aside into a neat little pile, and a generous spray of air freshener later, only a few outstanding things remained.

There was the expensive suit he'd carelessly left in a piled heap, now folded as best as he could. The bundle looked shabby compared to what the faeries procured regularly. Probably worth more than any one thing he owned, discarded without a second thought as his raging hormones took over. Elena deserved more respect than that. Not to waste her energy either pleading with or berating him. Just end the cycle of betrayals by cutting himself out of her life completely. Tender his resignation, and return the priceless gift to her in person. Yes, that's what he'd do.

Meanwhile, there were Luna's things. Ignoring the useless tattered clothing, there was her bedding, a few odd toiletries, and more obscenely, the silver butt-plug he'd uncovered while sweeping up the table splinters. He had no idea what to do with any of it. Hanging onto it was out of the question. If he was to make a clean break of this fairy tale crap, then there were to be no idle reminders of anyone or anything involved.

He supposed he could just take her things back home, let her parents sort them out. Not like they were far away, just across the hall.

Wait... parents?

Did such people even exist? He thought back to that first encounter in the elevator. It had only ever been just her. More recently, she'd explained that they were away on a business trip. How much of any of that was the truth? She'd proven capable of some level of bewitchment, as exemplified by her fake boyfriend, and that thug in the park. What was to say his mind hadn't been tampered with in some way, as well?

Whatever the case, it probably wouldn't hurt to scope things out just a little. After all the disorder she'd fomented, it was unlikely she'd return here of all places to lick her wounds.

Throwing some basic sweats over his underclothes, he slipped out to investigate. Just down the hall, the door across the way that he used to recognize by the bubbly, slightly nosy girl poking her head out and being charmingly intrusive. Of course, now the door was shut tight, and in the early morning hours, still completely quiet.

A gentle knock at the door. He didn't want to go disturbing the neighbors, especially after the commotion earlier that week with the noisy college kid. Unrelated people sticking their nose into Luna's business could easily become collateral he wasn't prepared for. Even disarmed of the worst of her magics, he didn't know what she was capable of when backed into a corner.

There was no answer. Not a peep.

Benson shrugged to himself and turned away, not sure what he was expecting.

That motion caused something to flutter at the corner of his eye, and he spun back on his heel, curiousity winning out.

There was a notice of condemnation posted to the door. The tape that held it in place was old and yellowed, the paper itself heavily creased and partially faded. Not a new development, it had been there for quite some time. Going by the date posted, around five years, just before he'd moved in. Break in the sprinkler line, it said. A forced evacuation of the previous tenant. It was hard to believe the landlord never attempted to fix it in the intervening years.

How had he never seen that before? Shady bastard, explained why his initial lease was so cheap, with potential liabilities undisclosed.

An inquisitive spirit getting the better of him, he tested the doorknob. The mechanism creaked and scraped a bit from years of disuse, and the door itself seemed to let out a little, but didn't open. From that small amount of movement, though, he could tell the deadbolt wasn't in place. Putting more of his strength and weight into it, the door gave way.

Even with the notice posted on the door, he wasn't ready for the state of squalor witnessed.

It was like a time capsule into a disaster zone. Whatever damage had been wrought by the accident had fallen into further disrepair through years of neglect. Crumbling ceiling plaster exposed corroded pipes. The water had long been shut off, but the faint smell of mildew remained. The air was chill, with central heating cut off and the building envelope compromised.

The flooring was in equally bad shape, heavy water damage causing wooden panels to warp and splinter, with many patches revealing the bare concrete beneath.

The suite was dilapidated, but not abandoned. It was readily apparent that someone had made a meager living here. In an isolated corner, away from the door sat a beat-up old space heater connected to an extension cord, a small duffel bag of clothing camped nearby. Searching the bathroom, a wall had been partially knocked out to tap into the neighboring water line with a garden hose, leading to the bathtub.

She actually lived like this?

Needing to be certain, he rooted through the bag somewhat guiltily at this invasion of privacy. It was definitely hers, easily recognizing her collection of cropped sweaters among the contents.

As destitute as the situation looked, that small collection of possessions looked even more pathetic, tucked away into that little corner. The apartment was a decently large, open space, but it looked like she only utilized that small portion of it with any regularity. A thick settling of dust remained outside that constrained radius.

Exploring a little more, he noted a small trash bag by the door, stuffed full of cheap convenience-store food wrappers. It had been so easy to break in, he examined the door itself more closely. The deadbolt had been cut, but not via hacksaw or acetylene torch that would cause any sort of obvious marks. The metal was strangely discolored, but the break was clean.

Taking in the sights as a whole, something clicked in his mind. For all her manipulations and seductions, there had been the one thing that stood out, in how willingly and thoroughly Luna had committed herself to being a proper house-guest. Her twisted, hungry, vengeful expressions were more recently burned into his memory, but he couldn't let go of how legitimately thankful she appeared after receiving a home-cooked meal, or how at peace she seemed doing simple housework like cleaning the windows.

Sometimes, the greatest lies were laced with truth.

This lifestyle, scrounging for scraps and squatting for shelter. It shed a new light on why the opulent presentation of the Haven seemed to have drawn her ire. It didn't fully explain things, but it did help bring things into focus.

Was that how things were for the demi living on the outside? Unable to integrate with society, subsisting on its leftovers.

Would Merah and Aila have been forced to lead their lives in such a manner as well, if not for Caeli's austerity?

That was a sad thought. Everyone deserved a place they could call home.

Argh! Fuck it all!

Seeing nothing else of value, he scooped up the duffel bag and took it back to his place for safekeeping.

*****

"So, you return after all. It was a fool's dream that I'd seen the last of you. With your lover no longer among our numbers, I see no reason for your continued vexations. Or is it that you mean to claim another of our kind for your lustful ends? I know how it is you humans think." The voice came as a simmering rumble.

"Shut up! Don't even suggest such cruel things." Where was that accusation even coming from?

Benson clenched his fist. He knew confronting Xochitl again wasn't going to be easy for either of them.

It was silly to have even entertained the idea of leaving his new life here behind. And it wasn't done with him either. Not with that card in his possession that he had no ability to get rid of. If he was to leave, it would be after they'd brought Caeli back, safe and sound.

Quelling his anger, he willed himself to maintain a low and steady tone. "You and I don't see eye-to-eye on pretty much anything. But I know, in your own bull-headed way that you want what's best for this place. I'm here because I want you to succeed at that. Caeli's gone, and I don't know how to fix that. But I damned well know that there's a pair of sisters here that look up to her, and miss her dearly. And I'm sure there's others as well. Until you're ready to step up to the plate and be there for them like she was, I'm not going anywhere."

No response. She remained fully ensconced within her petal cocoon, showing no eagerness to speak face-to-face.

"Well? If you're trying to figure out how to change my mind, that's not going to happen. Caeli dedicated so much of her life to making sure you all had a welcoming and accommodating home. Can you do that for them? Would you encourage Merah's musical talents? Would you give Aila her sweet treats when she's being a good girl? I'm not willing to see her lifetime efforts squandered. If you disagree, strike me down, because there's no way you're going to change my mind!"

"...No."

"Is that the way it's going to be, then? Because she's gone, you can just take control of this place and administer it however it is you've always wanted to, right? Lock everybody up? Sure, they'd be safe. But can a life spent locked away, not interacting with anything else even be considered as such?"

"No, stop. I meant... I want you gone. But I want her back even more. It's as you say, that lifestyle I once advocated for... there is no risk. But there's nothing to be gained either. I'd forgotten what my life was like without her, and how much I gained. I can't be the one to deny that potential in them. In doing so, I'd become their jailer, no better than him. You may stay, human. But only so much as I allow it. The first sign of betrayal will see you nourishing the dirt at my roots."

"I expect nothing less. Now, since you can't stand my company, I'll go find some place to be out of your way. There's something that I actually want to look into."

"I would advise against getting too adventurous, human."

"Oh, I didn't think you cared."

"If it were entirely up to me, I'd be more than happy to let you reap the consequences of your own mistakes. But it's not, is it? If something were to befall you on my watch, I don't expect that she would ever be able to forgive me. Look, I do not command authority over this locale in the way she does. This here is effectively a safe room. Very few denizens have had reason to come here for a long time. But that does not hold true for all of its depths. There may be those holding even less regard for humanity than I. That vote she once won over me was far from one-sided."

"Noted. Thanks for the warning."

"So what is it that you're scheming, anyways?" She asked, sharply accusational.

"C'mon now, give me a little credit. You don't have to say it like that. It's clear that you've never planned for Caeli's absence. I suppose a hundred some-odd year attendance record might instill some sense of complacency. What I want right now is to check her things, see if maybe she left some notes behind. I've talked to her about it before. She's surprisingly methodical about things like that."

"Hmm, that does make some degree of sense. Will you require any assistance in this matter?" Her contralto lightened considerably, laced with a hint of genuine curiosity.

"You have some rapport with the faeries, don't you? Can you fetch Lily, for me? She should be all I need."

"Very well. Once she arrives, will you then leave me in peace?"

"I know when I've overstayed my welcome."

*****

To his surprise, not only did Lily answer the summons, but so did Merah. He tried not to show it, though, opting to give the faerie preferential treatment. After her brief tantrum earlier, he made sure to shower her with praise and thanks for all her efforts. That seemed to get her fully back on his side. Soon, she was flitting around with full energy, leading the way down dimly-lit corridors with her soft white glow.

The atmosphere had changed compared to his previous ventures down these halls. Xochitl's vines traced the ceiling crowns, keeping mostly out of the way, but haphazardly obscuring the lighting fixtures. The leafy tendrils seemed to have no troubles navigating the spacial folds that Caeli had described. Perhaps because they were living entities, unlike her ball of string.

Rather, they actually seemed to cause a related but unforeseen problem. Because they were something to focus on, they seemed to normalize the space, and the infinite length of hallway didn't seem to react the same way as it once did. The walk hadn't ever seemed this long. It was hard to focus on his "intent" in navigating the lengthy passageways, too anchored in the "real".

He noticed this effect soon after leaving Iara's chambers. Fortunately, he was well aware of her room number by that point, which helped him keep his bearings.