This place smells like shit, I thought.

A thick, lingering odor permeated the room, drowning me in the smell of incense, cigarettes, and what I was pretty sure was pot. Given my habits, I didn’t exactly have room to pass judgment, but I covered my nose and mouth with my shirt anyway; at least until my gracious hostess came back with whatever bric-a-brac she was retrieving for me.

I wouldn’t have come here under the usual circumstances, but desperate times and all that.

From behind the beaded curtain, the psychic emerged from the back room, slowly shuffling her feet across her faded mauve carpet. She held something in her withered hands. It was shiny, metallic, and looked too pristine to have been kept in a dusty old closet.

“I believe this will help you with your problem, dearie,” she said, holding the object out for me to take. Now I could see its surface was etched in various runes and other unrecognizable symbols. In its center was a bright green gemstone that twinkled in the light, the little there was.

“What is this, a weapon?” It felt heavy enough to brain someone.

The old lady laughed—a hoarse, wheezy chuckle. “Oh, I don’t deal in anything of the sort, dear. But, from what you’ve told me regarding your experience, this should help you greatly.”

I’d hoped so, given the hour-and-a-half it took me to get there. “So how does it work?”

“It needs time to charge,” she explained. “Let it sit in the heart of your home to absorb the proper energies. It should be ready by midnight tonight, and by tomorrow morning–”

“The thing will be gone?” I asked.

The woman smiled. “Things will improve. Have patience, these things take time.”

“Yeah, yeah, Rome wasn’t built in a day, I get it. How much?” I was expecting something upwards of $200, given that rock. Of course, it was likely fake, not that she would’ve cared—anything to rob a poor unfortunate soul with zero critical thinking skills.

She laughed that wheezing laugh again and waved a hand. “Helping people like you is all the payment I need, dear. Go and be well.” She turned and started shuffling back behind her beaded curtain, vanishing from sight.

I’d always believed that psychics and other ‘spiritual’ people of this nature were nothing more than scams, but since she didn’t ask for money, I couldn’t be sure what her deal was. Maybe she was getting on in years and started to believe all the snake oil crap she was peddling. All that talk about charging and energies sounded rehearsed, but she seemed like she thought it would actually do something. As far as I was concerned, the only thing the trinket would do was take up space in my house.

Still, it was better than nothing.

~*~

The whole ride home, I pondered what sort of mess awaited me. They were getting bigger and harder to ignore every day. I was doing my damndest to keep things in line, but I’d turn my back for two seconds, and they’d just be messed up again. I was gone for three hours, so I’d have been surprised if my apartment even looked the same as it did when I left.

I unlocked the door, and my fears were confirmed.

It was still my apartment, but I don’t think I’d ever seen it this clean. All the clutter on my coffee table was gone, apart from the TV remotes and game controllers. The kitchenette was spotless, with not a dirty dish to be found anywhere; even the dishwasher was empty. Checking the bedroom, I found my bed neatly made, my discarded clothes placed into a laundry hamper, and the clothes in my closet organized by color. My bathroom was even cleaner than the kitchenette, the smell of cleaner still lingering. Even one of my towels had been folded into the shape of a heart, and placed carefully on the toilet lid.

Fucker was busy today.

I wasn’t about to spend the better part of my evening undoing all of its hard work. I had more important things to do. I placed the trinket on the coffee table and went to the pantry for a snack. Naturally, all the junk food had been moved, but I found it hidden behind a box of protein bars I’d all but forgotten I’d had. I grabbed a bag of potato chips and a soda from the fridge (also hidden, behind some 2% milk), and planted myself in front of the TV, where I planned to spend the next few hours. I’d gotten through about two true crime docs before exhaustion washed over me, and I passed out.

CLANG!

I jolted awake, chips and soda spilling all over my lap. As I moved to clean up, berating myself for falling asleep with an open soda can in my hand, I caught sight of the source of the noise. The relic I’d received earlier that day had fallen from my kitchenette counter to the floor. Fucking perfect, first my pants were ruined, and now my deposit was going to be fucked because the thing probably left a damn dent in the floor. I walked over and bent down to pick it up and see the damage.

It started glowing.

First, the green gemstone in the center began to shimmer, growing brighter by the second. Then, the runes etched into the metal lit up in the same color. My whole apartment started to take on an ethereal green glow. The relic began to twitch and jolt like something was trapped inside and desperate to escape.

I could only back away slowly and make a mental note not to eat a ton of junk food so close to… what time was it again? I peered at the microwave clock.

Midnight.

A sudden flash of green light blinded me for half a second. Looking down, I saw a green ring of flame surrounding the relic, which continued to glow but had stopped moving. The flames grew higher and brighter, forming a massive pillar of fire in the middle of my apartment. I was so paralyzed at the moment that I hadn’t considered how it was possible that nobody was banging on my door, wondering what the fuck was going on. Was I the only one seeing this? Was this even real?

The flames and commotion suddenly stopped, and my apartment returned to its normal color and lighting. The relic lay motionless on the floor, no longer glowing, its energy spent. All was well, except for one thing, standing over the relic.

It was a head taller than me and looked to have about 200 pounds of muscle over me. It was about the same shape as a human, but the thick black fur on its exposed forearms, the slender black-furred tail waving behind it, and the round little ears on top of its head made it look more like some kind of big cat. It wore a flowy white dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves and form-fitting black slacks but was barefoot– bare-pawed, in this case. It was facing away from me, glancing around my apartment until it turned its head far enough to see me, fixing me with a shining, emerald-colored eye.

“Dios mio… can it be?” it asked, its voice deep and thick with a Latino accent.

It turned to face me fully, confirming once and for all that I was staring bug-eyed at a cat-man—a seven-foot tall, muscular cat-man, standing in the middle of my apartment. It stared down at me with its shimmering green eyes, mouth falling open in a surprised, gasping laugh.

“Yes! I am here, mi amor!” he shouted, massive arms opening wide, “Finally, we can be together!” He smiled, baring razor-sharp fangs that glinted in the light.

Overwhelmed by a sudden flood of stimuli and new thoughts, my brain opted to shut down, taking me with it onto the quiet comfort of the floor.

~*~

My head throbbed as I awoke. I was in my bedroom, in the same clothes I wore last night, minus the soda stains on my pants. Orange sunlight filtered through my blinds, prompting me to grab my phone.

7:13.

I wanted to believe it was a nightmare, brought on by overeating and binge drinking. Though if it were a nightmare, wouldn’t I have remembered going to bed beforehand? Wouldn’t I have changed clothes? Wouldn’t I have woken up on the couch where I passed out rather than in my bedroom?

Unless something had moved me.

My stomach rumbled, demanding my attention over anything else. If I had breakfast, maybe I’d be able to think more clearly and piece together what had happened last night, or at least forget my troubles. I shuffled out of bed and went to the pantry. I was sure I had a little bit of Froot Loops left over, even if they were hidden away like all the rest of the sugary stuff. There they were, tucked behind the oat bread. I had to reach deep in there to grab the box-

“Good morning!”

BANG!

“FUCK!”

I stumbled backward, holding the throbbing part of my skull and groaning. Stars filled my vision, and the room began to spin. I reached out to find some semblance of stability and found myself surrounded by massive furry arms.

“Ay! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you, cariño! Are you hurt?” I felt a massive paw pat my head. “I don’t see any blood…”

“GET OFFA ME!” I smacked the paw away and wriggled out of the beast’s grip, bracing myself with my back against the counter. The cat-man pulled the smacked paw close to his chest, looking at me like I’d just kicked a puppy in front of him, not that I cared. “What the hell are you?!”

He opened his mouth, then shut it. Then he cleared his throat and breathed in, puffing out his chest. “I am Damiendro del Fuegoverde,” he announced with a dramatic bow. “Please forgive my manners. I have been waiting for this day for so very long.”

“This day?”

“Sí, the day that I cross over from my plane to yours, so that I may finally share with you my deepest, truest, most passionate feelings.” He stepped closer, forcing me tighter up against the counter. “Feelings that have been burning in the pit of my soul since the day I first beheld you. I could never forgive myself if I had let you slip through my fingers, but I could only do so much from my own plane. Still, I persevered, praying for the day we could finally be together. A day that has come at last…”

He got down on one knee, looking up at me with those shining green eyes. “I love you, mi amor, forever and always. My heart is yours.”

I didn’t move a muscle. We stayed in that position for a solid 30 seconds, the silence deafening.

“…you need to get out.”

“Ah, I couldn’t agree more!” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “It’s been so long since I’ve visited the mortal world! It’s changed so much; so many new sights, new sounds… new tastes…” He shuddered dreamily. “I want to experience it all… come, my love! This world is ours for the taking!”

“You need to get out,” I repeated. “I’m staying right here.”

“Ah, of course! You must be very busy! Never fear, I shall return to your loving embrace before you can say–”

“I don’t WANT you to return!” I shouted. “I don’t want you here at all! You’ve been messing with me for months, and I’m tired of it! So do me a favor, and get the hell out of my apartment!”

Damiendro blinked, his smile having faded in the middle of my ranting. He tilted his head.

“…but, this is my apartment as well.”

Before I could protest, he flicked his paw, producing a small green flame that became a Polaroid photo.

“You see?” he said, showing me the picture. “I came to this building many years ago, and I chose to make this apartment my home.” The picture showed Damiendro standing in front of the main entrance to my apartment building, smiling and giving a thumbs up. The place looked brand new, like it was recently finished; a huge contrast from when I moved in. “Of course, those on the mortal plane were not aware of my presence, but I didn’t mind them sharing the space. It was like having roommates!”

I thought back to when I was talking with the landlord about renting the place. He never mentioned anything about past paranormal activity. It didn’t add up; if Damiendro had been here the entire time, why was he just now doing all this Poltergeist shit, and why to me?

I needed a drink.

I brushed past Damiendro and reopened the pantry. Behind a fort of granola bar boxes and bottled water was my prize; my old buddy Jack. Was it too early in the morning to get wasted? I didn’t care. If anything, getting wasted would improve the current situation. I twisted the cap off the bottle and brought it to my lips.

“Ay, no!”

The taste of whiskey never came. I opened my eyes to find myself holding air, the bottle suddenly in Damiendro’s paw.

“Give that back,” I huffed.

“I will not,” he replied, disturbingly serious. “This is poison, and I will not allow it in my home.” With a flick of his wrist, the bottle vanished in a sudden flash of green fire.

“Dude! I paid 20 bucks for that bottle!”

“There are healthier things to spend your money on,” he said, folding his arms.

That was it.

“Listen, asshole, I don’t give a shit if you’ve lived here longer. I’m the one who pays rent, I’ll decide how I want to spend my money. You’ve got no fucking right to come in here and tell me what I can and can’t buy.

“This is the last time I’m going to say it,” I spat, getting up in his face. “Get. Out.”

Neither of us moved. I glared at him with the most intimidating expression I could muster. He looked down at me, mostly neutral, if a bit unamused. For a brief second in the tense silence, I thought I was about to get mauled. I swallowed, trying not to let the brief spike of fear show.

“Or what?” he finally asked.

I felt myself deflate. I was so consumed by my anger, that I’d completely forgotten that I was trying to threaten a powerful magic-wielding panther demon monster… thing. What advantage did I have? What could I do to convince him that I meant business? How could I actually get him to leave my apartment for good?

I couldn’t. I was powerless, like always.

I said nothing as I stormed back to my room, all but slamming the door. I fell back on my bed and stared up at the familiar pattern of cracks on the ceiling. I tried to get rid of Damiendro because he was messing with me, but instead, I let him into the ‘mortal plane,’ or whatever. For a second I blamed the psychic for bullshitting me, but I remembered what she said when I asked if the relic would get rid of the demon.

Things will improve.

Whatever bringing Damiendro here was supposed to ‘improve,’ I didn’t know, nor did I care. All I knew was that I fucked up like I often did, and I was paying the price. I didn’t even want to think about what Damiendro thought of me now. He said he loved me, but after seeing me lose my cool like that, I doubted that was still the case. All I wanted to do was lay in bed for the rest of the day and pretend that I didn’t exist; that I wasn’t a massive failure.

Unfortunately, my stomach had other plans.

Tried as I might, I couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs for more than an hour. I needed to eat, but I dreaded entering the living area and seeing Damiendro again. Maybe he had gone back to his plane, deciding I wasn’t worth his time after all; it’d definitely save a lot of awkward interactions. After psyching myself up, I opened my door and left the comfort and safety of my bedroom.

As I had feared, Damiendro was still there, his back to me while he stood in front of the stove, humming to himself. Peering around him, I saw that he was cooking some eggs and bacon, the smell intoxicating in my undernourished state. To my right, the toaster went off, making me jump and curse. Damiendro paused and turned to look at me. I expected the worst, but he smiled warmly.

“Hungry?” he asked.

I nodded, and soon I had a plate in front of me and a fork in my hand. I wasted no time digging in. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a real home-cooked breakfast; usually, I’d just grab some cereal or a piece of toast. I’d forgotten just how delicious they could be. Everything was cooked to perfection, the bacon crispy and the eggs seasoned just right.

“Coffee?” Damiendro offered, pushing a fresh pot my way. I immediately poured myself a cup and took a sip. No cream, no sugar, and it was still some of the best coffee I’d ever tasted. It didn’t taste like the shit I got from the grocery, either; this was more… real. Homemade.

In no time at all, my plate was clean and I was satisfied. With a wave of his paw, Damiendro reset everything, as if he’d never cooked anything at all. He looked at me, smiling, his arms folded. I looked back, swallowing.

“...Are you still mad at me?”

He quirked a brow. “Eh? Why would I be mad at you?”

“I mean, I said some pretty rude stuff back there.”

“My friend, I do not get offended easily,” he said, waving a paw. “Besides, I may have come on a bit strong in my excitement. If anything, I should be the one to apologize.”

“No, dude, you’re fine,” I insisted. “You’re a really nice guy, and I was being a dick. I’m sorry. Genuinely.”

Damiendro smiled, his shoulders relaxing. “I appreciate your apology. And I am sorry for disturbing you. What’s say we start again, eh?” He cleared his throat and puffed out his chest again. “My name is Damiendro del Fuegoverde. I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

He offered his burly paw, which I shook. His grip was firm but gentle. “Pleasure’s all mine, Damiendro. I’m– well, you probably already know my name, huh?”

Damiendro chuckled, his laugh deep and merry. “Indeed I do. It brings me great joy to finally speak with you face-to-face. This is far better than our previous arrangement, wouldn’t you agree?”

I found myself laughing along. “Yeah, I guess it is. Kind of a relief after thinking this place was haunted for months. Which reminds me, why ARE you doing all this? Cleaning, hiding my food… what’s the deal?”

Damiendro sat up, folding his hands on the table. “Well, as I’ve observed you, I’ve noticed that you, eh… don’t seem to take very good care of yourself. You eat all these sugary foods, you don’t keep your living spaces clean, you hardly even leave your room. None of this is conducive to a happier, healthier life, you see. So I stepped in to help you improve on these failings. As much as I could with my limited abilities, at least.”

I could understand why he wanted the place to be clean, since it was his apartment too, but the other stuff still baffled me. “But why? Why are you so concerned about me?”

He blinked, looking at me like I’d just asked what color an orange was. “Why? Because I lo– I, eh… I care very much about you, my friend. I always have. You have a beautiful soul, and so much potential. I want to help you become your best self.”

It still didn’t make any sense. What did he see in me? What potential was there? How could he say he cared about me when he didn’t even know me? “...I don’t understand.”

“There are many things in this life that we do not understand; that we will never understand. And that is okay. You may not understand why I feel the way I do about you, but that does not mean the feelings do not matter. Why do I love you? Even I can not say for sure.” He stood up and came around the table, putting his paw on my shoulder. “What I do know for certain is that I do love you. Even in your lowest moments. Even when you resort to unhealthy behavior. Even when you shout. Because those actions are not your character.”

He lightly pressed his finger into my chest. “Those actions are not you.”

I swallowed. “Then… what am I?”

“That is for you to decide. Many people choose to define themselves by their lowest points, but many others choose a different path. Ultimately, your life is your own. I can offer advice and the like, but only you have the power to create the life you want.”

We shared another silence, but no tension. I felt deep in my soul that his words were genuine, even if, to some part of me, it still didn’t make sense. Maybe it didn’t have to make sense, though.

I felt him begin to pull away, and my arm reacted before I could even think about what I was doing. I put my hand on top of his paw, keeping it firmly on my shoulder. His fur was soft and warm as I gently stroked it with my thumb. Looking up at him, he seemed surprised at the sudden affection.

“Thank you, Damiendro. I needed to hear that.”

That warm, welcoming smile crept back onto his face. “You are most certainly welcome, my friend. I am glad I could assist you. I take it this means you would like me to stay?”

I nodded. “It’s honestly nice to have the company. I don’t know about being lovers right now, but I’m not opposed to being friends.”

“Then friends we shall be!” He slapped me on the back and pulled me onto my feet. “The day is still young, amigo! We can spend it however you like! Shall we go and explore?”

“Explore? You don’t mean go outside, do you? What if someone sees you?” The first time I saw Damiendro, I fainted then and there. I couldn’t imagine the general public would have a better reaction to a big cat man walking around town.

“Not to worry,” he assured. “My magic shall render me completely inconspicuous! No one will notice my, heh… eccentricities. Now let us go! The spirit of adventure calls to me!”

“Can… I get dressed first?”