Nerium goes about things so efficiently, so quickly and without a shadow of doubt that, buried somewhere deep down inside this demon, Joel finds himself feeling a flicker of hope. She knows what she needs to do and Les helps her without hesitation and Joel knows, he just knows that he was right in asking her for help. Whatever she wants, whatever payment she needs to take, Joel is willing to pay it and he thinks Spencer will be as well. He trusts her not to ask for something he can't give, so he only hopes Spencer will do the same and will tell her she can have whatever she needs.
He can tell that Spencer is in pain, that he's struggling, but he stands anyway and he begins to quote from the Velveteen Rabbit and Joel can feel something happening inside of him. Later, he won't really be able to explain it. There's rage and there's a strong sense of something inside him wanting to stake its claim, but there's fear, too. The demon is afraid, the demon hates what Spencer is doing and Joel thinks maybe this is the moment. Maybe this is when the demon's hold on him is weakest, because for longer Spencer speaks, the more in control he feels.
Suddenly the force holding him up is gone and Joel's body drops to the floor again. He lets out a cry of pain, his broken wrist taking most of his weight before he collapses on the floor, but he's more in control than he's been since this started and he's ready. He has to do it. He's ready to fight. But Spencer isn't finished. Joel is ready, but Spencer isn't finished speaking and for a moment he's stunned to the point where he can't speak, he can't move. Even if he had complete control of himself right now, he knows he wouldn't be able to move because this news is unbelievable.
They're going to have a baby.
Inside him it feels like something snaps. He can feel the demon scrambling for control, trying to take over, screaming in fury and fear, and Joel almost wants to smile. This is it, this is exactly what he needed and he manages to push himself slowly to his feet, standing in his place in the pentagon and he knows it probably looks like nothing, but inside it feels like a war. He has control, but it's tenuous, and he's afraid if he stops fighting, if he gives even an inch he'll lose it again and he can't. He can't.
Long scratches appear on his arms and he can feel them happening on the inside, his skin being torn open, but it's desperate. Joel can feel just how desperate the demon is and he almost laughs. Instead, he summons all his strength, all his energy, all his courage, and he draws in a deep breath and orders, "Get out!"
At first nothing happens and then Joel feels it, a sudden absence, a lack of something that's been inside him for as long as he can remember. From behind him a shadow unfurls, enormous and dark and faceless. If he could turn, he would recognize it as the thing that had taken Amy the night she had died, but he can't. All he can do is stand there, the cuts on his arms slowly bleeding, feeling this thing leaking out of him bit by bit as it fills the room instead.
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He can tell that Spencer is in pain, that he's struggling, but he stands anyway and he begins to quote from the Velveteen Rabbit and Joel can feel something happening inside of him. Later, he won't really be able to explain it. There's rage and there's a strong sense of something inside him wanting to stake its claim, but there's fear, too. The demon is afraid, the demon hates what Spencer is doing and Joel thinks maybe this is the moment. Maybe this is when the demon's hold on him is weakest, because for longer Spencer speaks, the more in control he feels.
Suddenly the force holding him up is gone and Joel's body drops to the floor again. He lets out a cry of pain, his broken wrist taking most of his weight before he collapses on the floor, but he's more in control than he's been since this started and he's ready. He has to do it. He's ready to fight. But Spencer isn't finished. Joel is ready, but Spencer isn't finished speaking and for a moment he's stunned to the point where he can't speak, he can't move. Even if he had complete control of himself right now, he knows he wouldn't be able to move because this news is unbelievable.
They're going to have a baby.
Inside him it feels like something snaps. He can feel the demon scrambling for control, trying to take over, screaming in fury and fear, and Joel almost wants to smile. This is it, this is exactly what he needed and he manages to push himself slowly to his feet, standing in his place in the pentagon and he knows it probably looks like nothing, but inside it feels like a war. He has control, but it's tenuous, and he's afraid if he stops fighting, if he gives even an inch he'll lose it again and he can't. He can't.
Long scratches appear on his arms and he can feel them happening on the inside, his skin being torn open, but it's desperate. Joel can feel just how desperate the demon is and he almost laughs. Instead, he summons all his strength, all his energy, all his courage, and he draws in a deep breath and orders, "Get out!"
At first nothing happens and then Joel feels it, a sudden absence, a lack of something that's been inside him for as long as he can remember. From behind him a shadow unfurls, enormous and dark and faceless. If he could turn, he would recognize it as the thing that had taken Amy the night she had died, but he can't. All he can do is stand there, the cuts on his arms slowly bleeding, feeling this thing leaking out of him bit by bit as it fills the room instead.