"Alex, what is wrong?"

"Nothing,"

"Three hot chocolates, that's a lot of nothing,"

"You have a party today right?"

"Going to a club,"

"Some company?"

"Yeah, a few friends will be there,

"I mean would you like some company,"

"Are you asking to come along? Do I need to check for mind control?"

"Is it that hard to believe I might want to do something with you?"

"YES! I gave up asking because of how many years you have said no without any consideration given,"

"What do you tell your friends about me? I mean you can't say 'This is Alex the witch who I am the apprentice of',"

"I generally use a more gentle hobbyist magician,"

"Does that make you my assistant? Actually, I could see that if it was stage magician, Alexandra and her assistant Rachael,"

"Do I need the skimpy outfit for it?"

"I am sure you would want to wear it for yourself,"

"Someone is feeling catty today,"

"So would you take me?"

"Is this a date?" I hesitate at that, "You- you actually are thinking of it as a kind of date!"

"You know I am asexual right?"

"Yes and you know in the past I have shown interest in you, heck that time with the oni I made myself crystal clear to you while drunk out of my mind what my feelings were about you but you surely can see why I might be getting mixed signals now right?"

"You know what forget it," Shit she is sulking slightly at that, "Sorry it is just hard for me to get involved in your life outside all this witch stuff I guess we are both being a bit defensive because our feelings are on the line,"

"Do you really want to come or are you just trying to please me?"

"My mother was just worried about me recently and I thought getting out of the house for non-work stuff might be an idea to show her that I am not all doom and gloom about the whole hellbound thing,"

"Maybe a club might not be the best place for that then,"

"Yeah..." I guess it was a stupid moment, hang on why is she getting her phone out, who is she contacting now?

 

"Hey Emi, how about we skip the club today and just have drinks at my place," I focus magic on my hearing to listen in, when did I become this intrusive?

"Umm sure Rachael, something come up?"

"Just not up for the loud music, can you let Anna know? I will prepare the drinks,"

"Sure we need to bring anything?"

"No, no I can handle it, I will see you at seven then?

"Eating there or before?"

"We will get pizza or something,"

"Okay, see you then,"

"Bye," She hangs up. Honestly, I am more sacred than when I was drinking my hot chocolate. These are her best friends, I really don't want to make a bad impression.

 

"We are all good, want to meet at my place about ten minutes before?"

"What should I wear? I don't want to see out of place,"

"Your casual clothes are fine,"

"I will see you then,"

"Try not to drink too much hot chocolate before then, I better get going to the shops to get a bit of alcohol and I guess lemonade," I give her a weak smile, she knows my tastes pretty well now. It doesn't take long for her to get going and now to find something to pass time for the next two hours...

 

 

I knock on her door, it is just a small apartment and I feel like I am intruding the second she lets me in, I have never been in here before but then I look around and it is surprisingly plain.

"Alex, take a seat, you managed to pass the last few hours alright?"

"I would really like to not talk about it,"

"Alright, help yourself to some lemonade,"

Okay, Alex, one foot in front of the other, her friends aren't even here yet. I manage to reach her couch and notice the armchair and dining room chair that has been moved over. I sit at the dining room one not to intrude too much.

"Alex you can take a better seat I will take that one,"

"No no it is fine,"

"At least sit more relaxed you look a bit too formal," I try and ignore her and pour some lemonade into a glass but I flinch as there is a knock at the door. Rachael just goes straight to it opening it.

"Sorry we are slightly early," a woman says, another is beside her.

"No no, it is fine" they start talking a little but I can't quite make it out, I should use magic. No, they are just friends catching up. Maybe they have seen me and are questioning about me, I should know what I am prepared for. Alex stop it, that would be rude. I am going back and forth until I make up my mind to listen but it is too late they are coming in.

"This must be Alex, you know I was starting to doubt she was real and that maybe you just needed a break from us,"

"Oh I wouldn't do that it is just I keep certain things separate," Rachael seems so confident in herself, "Alex, this is Emi," Emi gives a little wave and I try and return the gesture but I imagine it looks off, "And this is Anna," she does a natural little wave too and I try to just give a forced smile.

"No need to be stiff, we have actually wanted to meet you for a while but I guess loud music and drinks aren't your thing," - Emi

"I, it can just be a bit hard to meet new people," - Alex

"I can see why you like her, heck she is beautiful," Anna gets an elbow to the ribs from Rachael for that.

"Sorry about them Alex, they are very open," - Rachael

"If my girlfriend was here she would completely tell you about how open I can be," - Anna

"Slight turning it down? Alex is a little sheltered," - Rachael.

I imagine my face is likely going red this is harder than I thought. They seem friendly but I slink back in my chair slightly and they have a moment of catching up, Seems they were the lesbian group at school, Anna is in a long-term relationship while Emi is focusing on her career.

"So what do you do for a living Alex?" - Emi

I snap back to reality, "Oh I don't need to work I just fill my time with hobbies and some helping out here and there,"

"I guess you need to find things to fill your time, I heard you were a bit of a magician,"-Emi

"A little but nothing too serious, it is more of a pass time," - Alex

"Got anything you can show us?" -Anna

"Alex, it is fine you don't have to show them anything," - Rachael

Maybe this is a way to break the ice, no best not to go too far. I slink into my chair a bit more.

"I can see why you like her Rachael I almost want to eat her up myself," - Anna

"Anna, tone it down, she might be older than us but you can see she is uncomfortable and she is ace," -Rachael

I feel very small here, this is the human realm where I have no experience, I want to go back to the magic realm where I can stand up strong and defend myself from anything. I must look so weak since they are all looking at me.

"Alex do you need a moment? The balcony is a good spot for some fresh air," -Rachael

I give a little nod and she leads me to it and I step outside... and then she joins me.

"Sorry about them Alex, I told them I got to know you when you saved me from drowning. They are my friends and I appreciate that your making an effort but you don't have to force yourself to interact with my life outside what we do together,"

"I kind of just needed to get out I think but I have really over dedicated myself to magic for almost two decades now,"

"There is more to it right?"

"Yeah..."

"You don't have to force yourself, you can go home if you like, whenever you are ready come inside. Even if it is just to go home,"

"Thanks Rachael," She opens the door again but gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and that just hurts. I want to want her. She has been so good to me but all that romantic and physical stuff is just so beyond me.

I take a deep breath and just look at the sunset for a little. The slight chill is nice and I just try and relax. Maybe I am out here too long but the door opens and Emi comes out leaning against the railings.

"You okay Alex? I know meeting new people can sometimes be a bit much, more so when there is drinking,"

"Emi right?"

"Yeah, short for Emma but honestly not a fan of that name,"

"Do you have someone you like?" She pauses at that, "Sorry I guess I was just thinking about how you were focused on your career,"

"No it is fine, honestly I use to wish Rachael would fall for me but when I see how she looks at you I feel like I am just playing a game. I want someone I can feel that for and who can return it,"

"Yeah it seems nice, I doubt I could ever give her what she wants," She looks me over.

"You are close aren't you?"

"Yes but I have never felt something to anyone in that way,"

"You want to right?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"You have this kind of energy around you that just makes me think there is more than just friendship there. Look I don't know if love can work when people are asexual or not but there is more to romance than just physical attraction and I do know that couples can exist where things are not always quite as they should be, if you want to give it a try go for it, I doubt you will ever lose Rachael as a friend even if it goes badly. You both seem to value each other so much but if you don't want to take a risk it is understandable,"

"I guess it is a lot to take in,"

"Is that alcohol? That smells really strong" Shit that's the oni's stuff and I head inside to check the damage.

 

Okay, no problems she has just poured the tiniest amount into shot glasses. You know what I came here to relax, this isn't normally my style but I just walk in there and down one of the glasses. Wow, bad move, that stuff works fast...

 

 

Morning judging from the light between the curtains and I am on top of the bed. Shit, what did I do? Memory spell time, let's see, some talking, managing to keep all the secrets, bit more drinking and then pizza, what eww why would I have pineapple on pizza what is wrong with me. Wait what strip poker? Oh, I am cheating subtly with magic so keeping my clothes all on, Anna loses and we stop at her reduced to underwear. She seems to enjoy that, they fall asleep, Rachael prepares blankets leaving Emi on the couch and Anna on the armchair. Talking to Rachael, wait what? Did I just confess? Shit shit shit. My head in my hands but I refocus the spell casting again. She tells me she needs to think about it, she is being too considerate thinking it is the alcohol talking, it certainly was but I feel hurt. A bit further we stumble to the bedroom, her bed is pretty large, king size? and we just sleep next to each other fully clothed and I am out with no dreams till I wake up just a moment ago. Shit, I need to apologise. Wait where is Rachael she was right here when I slept.

"Shit, why the hell did I drink. What was wrong with me..."

"Yeah I saw it when I got up too," Rachael is in the doorway with a hot chocolate, she knows me way too well.

"Sorry Rachael I don't know what came over me I likely picked the worst time to try alcohol,"

"Don't worry Alex that was nothing compared to Anna's first drink," She finally hands it to me and I drink deeply, calming magic, nice touch Rachael, I close the door with magic and soundproof the room.

"They didn't catch on, right? I was cheating at cards,"

"Yeah I think I was cheating too but much less than you, you were pretty firm about keeping fully clothed. They don't know anything,"

"Small mercy at least,"

"Want to talk about what is actually bothering you?"

"I seem to have confessed,"

"Yes you did, while drunk, so I pushed it back,"

"That hurt, it still hurts,"

"Alex are you serious?" I grab her hand and share the moment with her and my current feelings. She recoils.

"I don't want to force you, I know you have no physical attraction to me and you have likely never had a thought about romance since you found out about yourself,"

"You can say hellbound. I guess I kind of accepted it in recent years and no amount of work changes it, you have seen me relax that a bit right?"

"I thought you were just tired and needed a break,"

"That too but I don't think I can change it, my mother has done a lot of research in her free time, even into ancient magic and there doesn't seem to be any escape once you are lock into a realm,"

"You are not going to relax, are you? You just needed to process it before you get back to work. I know you, you take the role of a witch very seriously,"

"That's true but I guess drunk me had the right idea, I do kind of want to try,"

"Before I say yes we need some rules. No objections to that,"

"What rules?"

"Firstly we need to be open and honest with each other, if this isn't working don't spare my feelings, say so so we can stop with the least amount of damage,"

"Okay, what else?"

"Anytime I overstep the mark tell me. We are going at your pace, I don't want you to feel forced into anything,"

"This is already starting to see too one-sided,"

"Well time for my demand, compromise, your world is amazing and so filled with magic but I need to still keep some of my humanity. Nothing major just walking around at times instead of teleporting heck you have a driver's license and I have never once seen you drive. I guess when I am with my friends I sometimes feel like I am too separate and just need to keep myself grounded a bit more,"

"I can agree to that. I thought your job at the gym helped you feel human,"

"Oh yes, my job as a receptionist is so amazing how could I even seek to have some magical adventures with you,"

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you," I frown a little.

"I might be nearly a witch but I am still an apprentice I just need to take things slow myself,"

"I guess we need to seal the deal then," I close the gap and give her what feels like the quickest kiss on the lips in history. She smiles at that, the brightest smile I think I have ever seen from her. Why can't I physically desire her like she does me? She starts to leave and I cancel the magic.

 

"Oh shoot, I am going to be late for work," Sounds like Emi is up.

"White coffee one sugar on the counter, extra sugar by the kettle if you need the boost," Rachael shouts back and there is a mad scramble as multiple spoonfuls of sugar are added before she rapidly drinks it running out.

 

What a day and it hasn't even started yet...