When Niko awoke, he saw Mallomor on top of him. There was a time when his touch would make him flinch, when sleeping with him would be sleeping with a demon. A monster.

But he didn't see a demon in front of him, he just saw Mallomor. Someone who loved him.

They had not moved from the couch that night, falling asleep in each other's arms. Niko liked lying alongside Mallomor, but he wanted to get up.

He tried to slide from under Mallomor, but Mallomor held him tightly once he started squirming.

"You tossed and turned all night. Be still for a moment, OK?"

Niko sighed. "I can do a moment, but not much longer."

In that moment, Mallomor hugged Niko tight, as if he was afraid to lose him.

He released him once he saw the discomfort on Niko's face.

Niko went to make himself breakfast. It was a cheese and salmon bagel. Mallomor just ate more of his mallomars.

"Wouldn't you like this delicious snack over that bagel for breakfast?"

Niko rolled his eyes. "Too early, Mallomor."

Mallomor sat next to Niko. "If you're a faery, why are you hanging around with humans?"

Niko almost choked in surprise. After swallowing his food, he said,

"I was raised in the human world by my father. My mother, who was a faery like me, left me with him."

Mallomor picked up on Niko's hurt tone.

"Are you angry with her for abandoning you?"

Niko turned away, going silent for a bit. "Yes, I do. Worse is that I have no chance of seeing her until this winter, when all the Hydranna are at their full power."

Mallomor placed his claws on Niko's shoulders. "Revenge?"

The delivery of the question made Niko uncomfortable.

"I...I don't want to talk about this now."

"That's OK." Mallo placed a kiss on Niko's neck.

Later in the day, Mallomor asked Niko to do a tarot reading for him.

"Really? It's just something I do sometimes."

"I need some guidance, Niko. I've been wondering what I should do next. What my future holds for me."

Niko nodded. Once he had the cards, he shuffled them for a bit, and drew one.

"This is your past." He set down a card. This was the 5 of Pentacles. The art showed 2 beggars walking by a church's stained glass window in a snowstorm.

"This is your present." He set down a card. This was the Knight of Cups. The art showed a knight on his horse crossing a stream.

"This is your future." He set down a card. This was the 10 of swords. The art showed a corpse with 10 swords lodged in its back

Niko was stunned, surprised by the misery shown in the artwork, even though it was all of minor arcana. "What does it mean?"

Niko lifted the 5 of Pentacles. "This shows that you have suffered great hardship in your past, some of it might have been self-inflicted."

Next, he lifted the Knight of Cups. "I believe this one represents your romantic relationship with me."

Mallomor leaned towards Niko. "Speaking of which, can I have a kiss before we move forward?"

Niko glanced at the 10 of Swords, and gave Mallomor a light peck.

Niko lifted the 10 of Swords. "In your future, you will have to come face-to-face with a great problem. You'll find a solution in the end, but it won't be easy."

Mallomor looked to the floor. The cards seemed to know a lot about him already, and he was sure that the problem he'd face would have to do with him trying to get away from Hell.

"This was pretty insightful, Niko, thanks a lot."

Niko smiled slightly. "Well, I try. Just don't make me do this every day