Chapter 9: It's Not A Date He's My Pet

"Ugghh, do I really have to carry all these bags? Can't you take a few of them since most of them are yours?" Aleister complained before sitting on the bench.

"I basically paid for all of these and aren't you a strong and powerful demon? Also, the heavier ones are your sneakers." Ruby argued joining him on the bench.

"But there's so many of them. Don't you have shrinking magic or something so I can just put them in my pocket? These things are ruining our perfect couple look. I look like your pet, not your boyfriend." Aleister joked giving her puppy eyes.

"Haha, nice try but I'm not using my magic for shopping bags. Just stuff the other clothes into the bigger bags and throw the other bags away." Ruby suggested starting to transfer some of the clothing into the bigger bags as she said.

"You're so smart, little witch." Aleister complimented replicating her action.

"I know." Ruby saw Phoebus enter a nearby cafe with the Lightbringer squad and she suddenly stopped with her stuffing.

"Hey, Aleister do you want to get ice cream cause I really want one? Mind if I buy some just right there?" she said pointing towards the Cafe.

"Is that an excuse to make me do all the transferring?"

"Maybe?"

"Just go ahead but get me a cup of cookies and cream as well. Kingcup." Aleister requested transferring her newly bought lingerie into another bag.

"Sure." Ruby replied before crossing the street and heading towards the cafe.

She opened the door and confidently walked in like a queen, flipping her hair over her shoulder. The comforting warmth and the bitter yet delicious aroma of the coffee were the first things to greet her. She paused for a while slowly composing how she would talk to Phoebus and maybe get his number or much less a smile. She breathed out calmly before looking back into the cashier where the Lightbringer squad chats about.

She noticed Phoebus heading her way and everything feels like it went slowmo. Every step that he took made butterflies flutter in her tummy. The way his lips curve a little in what would be a smile made her heart do a backflip inside her chest and sent pleasurable shivers up her spine. The dialogue she composed inside her head suddenly melted into nothingness and her mind swam with only the thought of him kissing her right then and there and encasing her in his strong well built arms. Phoebus finally stopped in front of her and looked her straight in the eye. His silver irises bore a certain enigmatic charisma that she really finds enchanting as well as the hardened look of someone who's been to hell and back. Phoebus is the perfect man for her and she knows that if he learns to love her then she will finally feel complete even if the world scorns her for merely existing.

"Hello, Rubisviel." he greeted with his melodious baritone voice.

"Uhm, hi." she greeted back with a huge love-struck smile on her crimson lips.

"Can you please move a little? I want to talk to Leanna." Phoebus requested looking over at the fuchsia haired.

"Ooh, sure." Ruby smiled before stepping out of the marksman's way.

"Thanks." he said before heading over to the girl who spilled coffee on her table because she didn't notice that it was hot before sipping it. Phoebus handed her napkins before taking a seat across from her and starting up a conversation that Leanna obviously didn't want. Ruby can see the discomfort from Leanna and how she wanted Phoebus to shut up already and leave her alone.

Leanna stifled a cry. What a drama queen. Ruby thought, rolling her eyes. Her blood suddenly boiled in jealousy when she saw Phoebus hold her hand and squeezed it gently to try and comfort her but the female pulled it away and hid it on her lap.

Ruby heard someone wolf-whistling to her and she turned around to see good old fucking Adrian, her ex flame heading towards her. Seeing his annoyingly hideous playboy face grinning like that at her makes her want to slap herself for liking such a bastard before.

"Ruby! As gorgeous as ever. So what are you up to? Stalking Granger fail at courting Leanna or are you here for me?" She never wanted to punch anyone's face ever more than now. What a cunt.

"I'm not here for any of that because I don't care about what your friend does much less you. I'm here to get ice cream so if you can just move out of the way like some dumb rock-"

"Hey!" Gerald the stone titan said in his earthy deep voice.

"Sorry darling I know you're a brilliant stardust I'm talking about this asshole right here." Ruby apologized to the titan in his miniature form who gave her a thumbs up and a smile replying "Okay".

"Where was I again? Right. Move away leech." Ruby retorted crossing her arms and raising a brow.

"You've always got this brilliant spunk on you, which makes me wonder why I chose Mirra over you before."

"Because you were a stupid boy and you still are." Ruby answered smiling at him with an insulting glint in her eyes.

"Adrian, I don't think you should be bothering Miss Ruby. Just step away and let her pass." Heriette interjected stepping between the two.

"But it was just getting fun. Ruby is really cute when she's angry, like lava. Red, hot, and dangerous." Adrian directed her a seductive smile winking deviously at her.

"She obviously doesn't want to see your face. Look at her fist. My witch is doing her best not to punch your sorry face and beat the crap out of you. If I don't do it first." interjected someone who just arrived.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Adrian asked with a confused frown raising a brow at the stranger.

"I'm Aleister Aspartheon. Ruby's boyfriend and we're on a date." Aleister introduced as he wrapped an arm around Ruby's waist.

"Ahh, no. It's not a date he's...my pet?" Ruby opposed removing his arm around her waist with discomfort.

"Aww, she's still shy about it. So, move away bastard." Aleister glared at the demon hunter, not wavering regardless of the penetrating stare the man directed towards him

"You think you're so tough because Ruby's here. What? You're gonna hide under her skirt while she does her magic thingy?"

"Oh no. I'm gonna punch your loser face." The heat between the two males seems to be escalating so Firrer, Adrian's squad mate, interjected.

"Okay lava boy, shut up before I chop you to pieces." Firrer said before pushing Adrian out. "Hey Ruby." she called making the witch look back to her.

"You look hot."

"Thanks." Ruby smiled before turning to her demon.

"Where are the shopping bags? Don't tell me you left them there outside unguarded?!"

"Oh, sorry babe. I'll wait for you outside." Aleister acted even kissing her cheek to put more drama before leaving.

Ruby rolled her eyes and went to the counter and ordered her ice creams.

"One strawberry demon and cookie monster n cream. Kingcup."

"That will be two silvers ma'am." Ruby placed down the payment before accepting the receipt.

"Thank you. You will receive your order shortly, ma'am."

Ruby felt someone poke her waist making her turn around expecting it to be Adrian again only to find out that it's Heriette, staring at her with an embarrassed face.

"I'm sorry do you need to order something?" she asked.

"No, it's not that. I would like to apologize for the way that I behaved a while back when you were only trying to help me. I know I said a lot of mean stuff about you and I would like to apologize for my poor treatment of you. I'm really sorry Miss Rubisviel for the things that I said and I want to thank you for saving me. I could've died if you weren't there." Heriette voiced with a small embarrassed blush.

"Oh, sure. No hard feelings. It's not like you're the first person to brush me off as some hex crazy witch. Actually, your words were even tamed compared to the things that other people called me so just forget about it. I got paid triple as well so no need for thanks." Ruby replied, waving her hand as if brushing off the whole incident.

"Thank you." Heriette nodded before heading back to their table.

"I've got Mister Granger's black coffee!" the barista declared after pinging the bell on the counter.

"I'm here." Phoebus replied before retrieving his beverage just beside Ruby.

"I've got Miss Ruby's two kingcups." she pinged again placing two paper cups filled with deliciously freezing treats in it.

"Hello again, Ruby. You look very nice. Are you on a date with someone?" Phoebus asked casually.

"Thanks but it's not a date, I'm just here with my pets. We're just shopping and stuff. Are you guys going on a mission?"

"Yes, some of our colleagues said that they saw a demon flying just outside of town in the woods quite near where you live. Do you happen to know anything about that?" Her blood ran cold. The demon he's probably talking about is just waiting outside stuffing her lace thongs in another bag while waiting for his ice cream.

"I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary lately since I'm mostly cooped up inside my workshop but I'll be sure to give you a call when I see something suspicious." Ruby smiled in a desperate attempt to hide her secret.

"Thank you."

"Hey, guys! Are you two on a date or something?" Gallen greeted interrupting their conversation and making Ruby blush a little.

"No, she's here shopping while I get my coffee. The squad's going on a mission." Phoebus answered.

"Sucks to be you because this little princess right here is the cutest cinnamon roll in the whole Land of Dawn. Why don't you court her already?" Gallen said slinging an arm around Ruby's shoulder.

"I don't think Ruby needs a man in her life right now, I think she's rocking it just perfectly on her own. Plus I like Leanna." Wow, that's basically a rejection right there even before Ruby really got on the road, how very discouraging. And he also rubbed it in her face that he likes someone else. Stupid Gallen for opening his damn mouth in the first place.

"I don't think you'd fare well in that water right now, she's still on the recovering track so maybe take it a little easy. I know what I did was such a bitch but I really loved Geneva even though it ended up hurting Leanna. But she'll bounce back and when she does you should be there to catch her." Gallen advised looking straight at Phoebus. Ruby didn't miss the intense stare that the marksman was directing towards the assassin as if he wanted to strangle him without remorse.

"Hey, Gallen. What are you doing here? I thought you and Gen are going on a date today." Ruby said, trying to break the tension.

"Well, Leanna called me to talk a bit, get some closure and stuff, but you know I think she's just making excuses to see me." Gallen informed, pointing his thumb over at the fuchsia-haired.

"She's a really strong woman so I think that she'll get over it quickly. Maybe not as quick as you Rubs, cuz Adrian is shit and easy to forget while you know how cool and good looking I am but I should be going now if I don't want my queen strangling me with her corset so bye now."

"Bye." Ruby smiled and waved her hand.

"Don't tell Geneva and you also look pretty." Gallen said before heading away which Ruby replied with a mouth zip.