2- A Contract

"Why don't you just kill yourself then?" Mephistopheles asked casually.

"I can't... I get scared and stop half-way, and it just makes me feel worse." Sylvia brought her knees to her chest and hugged them, as though consoling herself. 

"Why don't you get someone else to do it then? Humans love hurting each other after all." 

"I am broke." 

"You mean you need money to have someone kill you?" The demon seemed almost amused at that possibility.

"If you want to die painlessly and with dignity, yes." 

"Damn, you humans get crazier by the day." He chuckled, then finally stood up from the sofa. Walking back towards the summoning circle, he added: "Welp, too bad but I can't do anything for you. So I'll just get going." 

"Not so fast!" Sylvia shouted, making him turn back to face her. "I went all the way to get you here; I am not letting you go back without gaining something that's worth all the trouble."

"Well, besides the human life thingie, I can grant pretty much every wish." 

Sylvia pursed her lips in frustration. So she could not die after all. Her cruse was having to stay alive against her will. Feeling tears swell in the corners of her eyes, she buried her face in her knees and sniffled. Even her own body won't let her end her life and keeps interfering with all her attempts. It was as though she would lose control over it whenever its cooperation was most needed. She peaked at the demon and sniffled a second time. She had to pay a lot of money to get the summoning book from a credible source, thinking she won't be needing anymore finances once she was in the underworld. Now she was not only forced to see another day, but also pretty much broke too. Maybe she could wish for a fortune, or she could wish to not feel anything anymore. 

"You sure are taking your time, huh?" Mephistopheles commented, seeing her deep in her train of thoughts.

Maybe she could wish she wasn't feeling sad anymore. But then she'd have to live like she was numb, which was no different from the effects of the medications she had been taking. Sylvia had always preferred feeling to not feeling, even if the former was nothing but pain and agony. 

"Well, I guess I got all day." The demon walked back to the sofa and took a seat. 

Finally, a decent wish idea crossed her mind. Besides death, there was something Sylvia wanted almost as much. Maybe if she had this wish granted, her life would become a little easier to bear. Oh well, she thought to herself, what's the worst thing that could happen? Getting up, she walked towards the demon. His crimson eyes settled on hers curiously. 

"I wish for you to become my close friend." She stated, her hands curled in fists at her sides. 

"Elaborate." 

"My wish is for you to become someone I can constantly rely on, emotionally and otherwise. You have to be there for me when I need you, and to comfort me when I feel like shit. Though it probably will never happen, you also have to be happy for me when something good happens in this godforsaken hellhole called my life. Have I elaborated enough? Or do you need a written essay?" 

"... No, that's enough." There was a hint of a frown across his eyebrows. "For how long do I gotta keep this up?"

"Till I die. Then you can have my soul." 

"Fair enough." Mephistopheles sat up from the sofa, and was now standing just inches away from Sylvia. Seeing him so up close reminded her of how beautiful the demon was. She wondered if other people wished for him to become their lover. "So, how do we seal the contract?" She asked, somewhat excited to have her wish fulfilled. 

"With a kiss, of course." Another smirk plastered itself across his lips. Sylvia found his smirk annoying and his answer even more so. "I am pretty sure it's sealed with a blood pact." She commented, crossing her arms. 

"It depends on the demon, really. For me, I seal all my contracts with a kiss." He had his finger pressing his lower lip as he spoke, clearly bemused. Sighing hopelessly, Sylvia nodded and brushed her hair back away from her face, as if in preparation. Now with her hair out of the way, the smug Mephistopheles could get a better look at her features. His to-be contractor had big honey-colored eyes and plump cheeks that were peach shaped and ornamented with light brown freckles. gently, he placed his hands on them and brought her face close to his. 

"Your hands are really cold." She remarked, visibly upset that she had to undergo this process. 

"Well, I am a demon after all." He replied, entertained by her reaction. "Ready to seal the deal?" His breath brushed her skin as he spoke; and it made her shiver slightly. "Yes. Just do it." She nodded. Having her permission, Mephistopheles leaned in, caressing her lips with his. A little gasp escaped her at the contact, but she soon gave in and closed her eyes, though she held her fists up tensely. To her further surprise, the demon bit into her lower lip with his fangs, then sucked onto the ensuing blood. As he did, she felt the earlier sinister and oppressive presence re-emerge, and she found herself weak in the knees, both with shock and with the impeding sense of terror swelling inside her. Mephistopheles supported her back so she wouldn't fall, while he kept kissing her fervently. Feeling utterly helpless, Sylvia surrendered to her plight, and relaxed all of her body. 

When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was laying on her bed. The dawn was breaking, which she could tell by the window on her left. Sylvia stayed like that for a while, processing the earlier events. She wondered if it was all a dream, though the throbbing in her lower lip clearly indicated otherwise. Slowly, she sat herself up, knees to chest, and stared at the window. Her room was facing a tall building, and so she couldn't even see the sky outside. With a deep sigh, she got out of her bed and wore her slippers. The reflection in the mirror was of a sleep-deprived girl with puffy cheeks, bed hair, and swollen lips. Noticing something red on her neck, she moved some bangs behind her shoulders, revealing a mark of some sort. Sylvia narrowed her eyes. Of course his demon mark would be just as ridiculous as he was. She had summoned the great Mephistopheles and made a sacred contract with him, and now she had a red and permanent winking emoji ";)" on her neck. 

"Hey. You here?" She spoke in annoyance.

The demon swiftly appeared behind her. Seeing his face suddenly show in the reflection, Sylvia jumped a little. But she soon regained her composure and turned to face him.

"What the fuck is this?" She asked, pointing at her neck.

"That's the mark." Mephistopheles casually replied, his usual smirk on his face. 

"This is a demon's mark?" She scolded. "This is a 13 year old's humor!" The demon in question shrugged. "I like it." 

"Well I hate it! You realize I am going to have this on my neck till I die, right?"

"Yup." 

Seeing the nonchalance in his replies, Sylvia soon came to the understanding that there was no arguing with this person. Rubbing her temples, she left him and went down the stairs to the living room. To her shock, the place was completely organized and neatly cleaned. The candles from the summoning were repacked in their box, the carpet was back in its place. Her disheveled books were restored to their shelves and arranged by color and hue. The sofa no longer had the black spot from overuse. The circular dining table was perfectly centered with its two chairs tightly hugging it. The tiny chef-shaped salt and pepper shakers ornamented its surface nicely. With her mouth agape in awe, Sylvia quickly ran to the kitchen, and saw that it was also sparkling clean. Her tiny feet dashed to the bathroom next. All was glittering and white. 

"H-hey..." She muttered in a whisper. Mephistopheles instantly appeared behind her. "Yes?"

"Did you do this?" She spoke with her big eyes still staring with amazement at the spotless bathtub. "Yup!" He replied with an accomplished face. "I am doing your bedroom now. Didn't wanna clean it while you were asleep so I wouldn't disturb you." 

When was the last time Sylvia had seen her house be so clean and organized? Probably back when... Feeling emotional at the gesture, she hid her face from the man and added: "You didn't really... have to. Our contract entails that you gotta be my friend, not my maid." 

Mephistopheles tilted his head slightly. "Oh I didn't do it for you. I just don't like living in a messy environment." Sylvia took a few seconds to process his words. Turning towards him, she had a puzzled frown on her face:

"What do you mean? You're staying here?"

"Of course! I gotta be with you at all times, right?"