“What are you doing?” Kyle asked Logan from behind. Logan, startled by the sudden question, closed the sketchbook in which he was drawing and left it below the counter next to his bag.

“Nothing at all,” Logan said. 

“Are you sure?” Kyle pressed further.

“Has no one told you to not question your superiors?” Logan said jokingly. “Have you finished cleaning the tables?” Logan asked, changing the topic.

“Yes, can I go take a break?” Kyle asked.

“Just fifteen minutes,” Logan said, to which Kyle smiled before grabbing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Logan watched in amusement as Kyle left through the back door.

“Will he like it?” Logan thought as he looked downwards to the sketchbook. 

As Logan cleaned a table he felt a cold chill go up his back. “Did someone leave the door open?” Logan thought before turning around to close the door. When he turned he found that the door was closed. “How weird,” Logan mused as he left the dirty cups on the sink. The coffee shop was completely empty except for a couple of customers that were talking vividly on a table at a corner. As Logan looked through the window to the street he felt the cold chill again, he looked around and still there was nothing, just the couple talking. Logan went to the backroom and took his rosary from the front pocket of his apron. 

“Please God, assist me once more in my fight against demons,” Logan said as he put the rosary on his wrist, the cross swinging gently. "By the Triune's might, we invoke the radiant divine to unveil and banish all lurking malevolence. In the shadows, let our faith shine, shielded by the Holy Mother's protective embrace." Logan said, his rosary glowing slightly. That meant that demons were lurking nearby. Just as Logan was about to cast a protective barrier around the coffee shop Kyle came in from the back door. 

“You are here,” Kyle started to say until he saw Logan’s rosary glowing. “Did something happen? Are there demons here?” Kyle asked, concerned, as he looked around.

“I haven’t seen any demons inside but there are definitely demons lurking nearby,” Logan explained, his face serious. “You should go inside,” Logan said before turning around, now his back facing Kyle. As Kyle turned to leave Logan started to recite a prayer, completely drawing Kyle in making him unable to open the door and leave. 

"Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen." Logan prayed. Kyle looked at Logan and noticed that Logan's eyes seemed to be of a golden color for a moment. “You stayed? There was no need,” Logan said with a gentle smile. Kyle noticed that Logan’s eyes were brown again. “You coming in?” Logan asked as he opened the door of the backroom and walked into the coffee shop.

“Why did you only cast a barrier?” Kyle asked as he saw golden particles float around. Visible to demon hunters like them but invisible to average humans like the customers talking in the corner, completely unaware of what truly is going on.

“I don’t know the level nor the size of the demons, if I were to engage in combat blindly I would only put innocent bystanders in danger,” Logan started to reason. “I’d rather hold them off until we are closed,” Logan finished. 

“Will you fight them later?” Kyle asked, he would never say it out loud but he liked seeing Logan fighting.

“If it is needed I will,” Logan answered before attending the customer that just walked in.

***

“Isn’t this yours?” Logan said as he held Kyle’s keys in front of him. “If you forget something here I won’t come back to open the shop again okay?” Logan teased as he handed Kyle his house keys that almost remain forgotten on the counter. 

“I know, I know,” Kyle answered reluctantly as he held the door open for Logan. “Wait here while I bring the motorbike,” Kyle said to which Logan only swayed his hand dismissively and closed the coffee shop. 

“Hop in,” Kyle said once he brought the motorbike and parked next to Logan. 

“Hold this,” Logan said as he handed his bag to Kyle. “Dissipare” Logan said, making the barrier he had put on earlier to disappear. “Show yourself, demon,” Logan said harshly, a rather large snake appeared from the shadows and approached Logan. "From abyssal depths, I conjure a blade of molten gold, A silent terror, gleaming fierce and bold. In my grasp, it hungers for the blood of the wicked and the bold." Logan said, a golden sword appeared in his hand. “I do not care who your master is, not what their goal is either,” Logan said as he walked towards the snake, the sword in his hand. “But tell them that putting innocent people in danger is something that I won’t tolerate,” Logan said, he swung his sword and killed the snake in one single blow. When Logan turned around Kyle could see an unusual darkness in the eyes of his friend but once again it lasted merely a second.

“How burdensome,” Logan complained as the sword disappeared. “Sorry you had to see this, if I hadn’t done it it would have followed us,” Logan explained. 

“Since when do you fight with a sword?” Kyle asked, until now Logan had been fighting demons with prayers.

“Now, now, why so curious? I just been doing some training of my own,” Logan explained with a soft smile. “Anyway, ready to go?” Logan said as he climbed Kyle’s motorbike. 

Kyle didn’t answer, he simply turned his motorbike on and drove away with Logan behind him. The now familiar feeling of Logan’s arms around his waist, the warmth of having someone close, Kyle let himself bask on those feelings as they drove down the streets. 

***

“See you tomorrow,” Logan said to Kyle as he got off from his motorbike.

“See you,” Kyle said back before driving away.

Logan watched Kyle drive away until he couldn’t see him anymore. 

“I’m home!” Logan shouted as he closed the door behind him. 

“Welcome home dear,” Logan’s grandmother said from the kitchen. “Dinner is almost ready,” Logan’s grandmother said as he went up the stairs. 

“I’ll be down in a minute,” Logan answered before going to his room. Once in his room Logan tripped over some opened books that were scattered around the room. “I should stop studying in my room,” Logan thought out loud as he crouched down to pick up the books and leave them on his already book-filled desk. “If I keep this up I’ll have to get another desk,” Logan thought in amusement as he piled exorcism books over more exorcism books.

Logan undressed himself leaving his clothes piled on his chair and changed into something comfier to be at home. Before leaving his room Logan checked the seals he drew next to his window. “They are fading, I’ll have to redraw them tomorrow,” Logan thought. He didn’t want any demons to come into his house so he drew multiple seals around the house to cast a barrier around it. 

“So what’s for dinner?” Logan asked once he was in the kitchen as he tied his hair into a ponytail. 

“You’ll know when I’m finished, now set the table,” Logan’s grandmother ordered.

“Okay,” Logan said, a tinge of amusement in his tone. “Gran, do you still remember the cake you used to bake on my birthdays when I was little?” Logan asked?

“What for?” Logan’s grandmother asked curiously.

“Nothing important, I was wondering if you could tell me the recipe,” Logan said sheepishly. 

“That old thing?” Logan’s grandmother said with a laugh. “If I still remember I’ll write it down for you,” Logan’s grandmother said softly. “Now, are you ready to eat?” Logan’s grandmother said as she brought the pot over to the table.

***

“Go to bed already, you must be tired,” Logan said to his grandmother once they had finished dinner. “I’ll clean the kitchen,” Logan said with a warm smile. 

“Okay,” Logan’s grandmother said with a sigh. “Good night dear,” Logan’s grandmother said before going up to her room. 

Logan quickly cleaned the kitchen and went up to his room. “I should just redraw them now,” Logan thought as he picked up a piece of chalk from his desk and walked towards his window where the seal was. Once he was finished with the one on his window Logan went around the house redrawing the seals that were fading away. “So much work for such a tiny home,” Logan said with a tired sigh once he came back to his room. Logan laid down on his bed, his face facing the desk filled with exorcism books. “I should keep studying,” Logan thought, a small feeling of dread creeping up his body. He had spent the last week studying every night to be able to teach his friends.

Logan tiredly reached for his desk and picked up the first book he touched. He brought the book closer to his face, ‘Holy Relics and Symbology’ the cover read. Logan opened the old book and found it full of his grandfather’s notes and handwriting. Logan started reading the book but before he knew it he had fallen asleep with the book in his hand.

The sound of Logan’s alarm woke him up. “I must’ve fallen asleep reading,” Logan thought once he felt the book that was sitting open on top of his chest. Logan opened his window before going to the bathroom where he untied his hair and brushed it a bit to unknot it. 

Logan looked at himself in the mirror, big bags under his eyes. “I should sleep more,” Logan thought as he undressed himself before getting into the shower. The warm water hitting his naked skin, washing away all the tiredness he felt mere minutes before. 

Once outside the shower Logan tied a towel to his waist and went to his room. “How cold,” Logan complained out loud once he entered his room. 

“Good morning,” Logan said to his grandmother as he went into the kitchen. 

“Good morning dear,” Logan’s grandmother said. “There you have the recipe for the cake,” Logan’s grandmother said as she pointed to a piece of paper on the counter.

“Thank you!” Logan said with a smile as he grabbed the paper and put it in one of his pockets.

Logan’s grandmother muttered something under her breath. “Don’t leave without having breakfast,” Logan’s grandmother said clearly.

“Yes, yes,” Logan said as he put a toast on the toaster. “Do you know where I can make a copy of a key?” Logan asked his grandmother, the toast still toasting. 

“A key?” Logan’s grandmother said. “You can go to the hardware store, why?” Logan’s grandmother asked curiously. 

“Nothing, just something from work,” Logan said as he grabbed his toast. “I’m going, goodbye,” Logan said as he grabbed his bag from a chair and walked towards the door.

“That’s not a proper breakfast,” Logan’s grandmother said, referring to the single toast.

“I’ll have something else at work, don’t worry,” Logan said before walking out of the door.

Logan stepped out into the cool morning air, his breath visible in the briskness of the day. 

The feeling of tiredness from the morning hadn’t gone completely and it was creeping its way up on Logan’s body. Logan walked to the coffee shop as he approached it he could see Kyle’s figure leaning on the wall.

“Good morning,” Logan said to Kyle as he took the keys to open the door from his pocket.

“Good morning, Boss,” Kyle said teasingly.

“Don’t call me that again,” Logan said seriously.

“Okay, okay,” Kyle said, his hands up in innocence.

Logan smiled faintly and opened the door. Kyle held the door open for Logan to go in.

***

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16-17