“Don’t you need a ride?” Kyle asked Logan once he saw that Logan was leaving without waiting for him to bring his motorbike.

“Not today,” Logan answered. “I have to go pick up something before going home,” Logan explained further. “See you tomorrow,” Logan said with a smile as he walked down the streets, leaving Kyle alone.

“See you tomorrow,” Kyle said softly as he went to his motorbike. Kyle drove down the streets, a coldness that he hadn’t felt in a while making its way through his bones. When Kyle got home he found it empty, his father nowhere to be seen, he had been spending less and less time in the house. “At least it's clean,” Kyle thought, without his father's constant drinking and smoking inside the house Kyle was able to keep it clean.

Kyle went to his room and left his bag on the floor next to his door. “I’ll shower in the morning,” Kyle thought as he undressed, leaving his clothes scattered on the floor. He laid on his bed with his underwear on, the cold breeze coming in through the slightly open window brushing against his naked skin. As he scrolled mindlessly through his phone a text from Logan popped up.

“look through this when you have time,” The text read, underneath it, there was a document of at least twenty pages long.

“Will do,” Ian answered, followed by a thumbs up from Max.

Kyle opened the document as Logan, Max, and Ian continued to talk. The document was filled with paragraphs and paragraphs about demons, exorcising methods and so on. Logan’s messy handwriting could be seen on the edges of the pages with explanations, alongside little scribbles and drawings. Kyle could see the effort that Logan was making to teach the three of them everything he knew about demons.

Kyle watched amused as his friends talked, sometimes pitching in for a quick comment. As the night went by Kyle found himself falling asleep. Each minute that went by made his eyelids grow heavier and heavier. Until he finally fell asleep.

After what felt like a few minutes Kyle woke up with a jump thanks to the ringing of his phone. When he looked at the screen he saw that Logan was calling him.

“Logan?” Kyle said groggily.

“Did I wake you?” Logan said. “You are even going to make me feel bad,” Logan said with a sight at the end.

“It’s okay,” Kyle said. “What do you want? Did something happen?” Kyle asked.

“Nothing just wanted to say happy birthday,” Logan said. Even through the phone, Kyle knew that Logan said it with a smile.

Kyle looked at his phone, and effectively it was his birthday. October 31, 00:01. “You didn’t need to wait ‘till midnight,” Kyle said.

“Really?” Logan said feigning hurt. “Well, regardless if I needed to or not I just wanted to,” Logan said. “Goodnight Kyle, see you tomorrow,” Logan said. “Rest well,” Logan finished saying before hanging up.

“Goodnight Logan,” Kyle said regardless, even if Logan could not hear him.

***

“Good morning,” Logan said from behind the counter as Kyle walked through the door.

“You are here early,” Kyle said surprised as he walked up the counter.

“I thought that because is your birthday I would come in before you to not leave you hanging out in the cold,” Logan said.

“You could have avoided that if you simply gave me a key,” Kyle said.

“Could I?” Logan said with a faint chuckle. “I’ll think about it, ‘kay?” Logan said before going to the backroom.

“You always say the same!” Kyle complained as he tied his apron.

“Do I?” Logan said feigning innocence as he walked out of the backroom with a tray filled with Halloween themed cupcakes. “They look nice, don’t they?” Logan asked Kyle as he started placing them.

“They do,” Kyle said as he reached hesitantly to grab one. He expected Logan to slap his hand away, he only lets him eat the ones that are not good enough to sell.

“What are you looking at me for? Expecting me to say something?” Logan said as he realized that Kyle was looking at him.

“Kind of,” Kyle answered truthfully.

“If someone heard you they’d think that I abuse you or something,” Logan said as he grabbed the cupcake that Kyle was going to grab and placed it in front of him. “Is your birthday, I guess a little bit of leniency is okay,” Logan said gently.

“Thanks,” Kyle said before eating the cupcake.

“What for?” Logan asked as he finished placing the cupcakes. “I’m going to put up the sign,” Logan said as he left the tray on the counter and walked to the door.

The morning went by fairly quickly for the both of them, they weren’t swamped with customers nor there was a lack of them. At around twelve Ian and Max walked in.

“Happy birthday Kyle,” Ian and Max said once they walked up to the counter.

“Thanks guys,” Kyle said with a faint smile on his face. “Do you want something?” Kyle asked them.

“Black coffee,” Ian said.

“To go?” Kyle asked before Ian himself could say it.

“Yes,” Ian said amused.

“You?” Kyle asked Max.

“Hot chocolate,” Max said.

“Got it,” Kyle said as he turned around to prepare the drinks. “There you go,” Kyle said as he placed the drinks on the counter.

“Keep the change,” Ian said as he handed Kyle a bill.

“A tip? Are we feeling generous Mr. Grant?” Kyle said teasingly. He knew that Logan sometimes said that to him.

“That sounds so much like Logan,” Ian said pretending to be creeped out. “You spend way too much time with him,” Ian said.

“Is that a bad a thing?” Logan said from behind Kyle. “I think is rather endearing, after all, isn’t imitation the best form of flattery or something like that?” Logan said playfully.

“Whatever you say,” Ian said as he sipped on his coffee.

“We better get going,” Max said to Ian. “See you,” Max said as he grabbed Ian from the arm and started to drag him out.

“Goodbye,” Ian managed to say before Max dragged him out of the store.

“You know, if you had asked, I would have given you the day off today,” Logan said once Max and Ian were out of sight. “After all is your birthday, I’m sure that there’s more things that you’d rather do other than work,” Logan said as he leaned on the counter.

“Not quite, I told you, I don’t celebrate my birthdays,” Kyle said. “This is the most I’ve ever gotten from a birthday,” Kyle said with a faint smile as he looked at Logan.

“Well, from now on that’s going to change,” Logan said. “I’ll make sure that every year you do something on your birthday,” Logan said as if it was his job to make sure that Kyle had a birthday every year.

“I told you there’s no need,” Kyle said back.

“And I told you that even if there’s no need is going to happen,” Logan said. “You have people in your life that want to celebrate you, even if it’s for a day,” Logan said. “So try to give in just a little, life’s no fun if you are always so stiff,” Logan said as if he was sharing life-changing knowledge.

“Okay, I’ll try,” Kyle said after a few seconds of silence.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Logan said playfully before greeting a costumer.

***

“If you don’t come I’ll leave without you,” Kyle said teasingly from the door as he waited for Logan.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Logan shouted from the inside. “How impatient,” Logan complained as he closed the door behind him.

“There you go,” Kyle said as he handed Logan a helmet.

Kyle as usual drove Logan to his house, letting himself bask in the comfort of his friend hugging him from behind.

“Here we are,” Kyle said as he stopped in front of Logan’s house.

“Would you mind coming in for a second?” Logan asked as he handed Kyle the helmet.

“What for?” Kyle asked before leaving his motorbike in the driveway.

“Just come in,” Logan said as he walked up to the door, leaving Kyle behind.

Kyle quickly followed Logan who had already walked in. Kyle closed the door behind him and walked into the kitchen. The lights were off and the curtains were drawn to block off the last rays of sunlight of the day. Kyle knew what was going to happen but still when his friends turned on the lights and shouted ‘Happy birthday!’ he acted surprised and smiled.

“So?” Logan asked eagerly.

“So what?” Kyle asked confused.

“Did you like the surprise?” Ian clarified for Kyle.

Kyle looked at Logan’s eager eyes before answering. “Yes, thank you guys,” Kyle answered truthfully.

“Now you have to blow the candles,” Logan said as he pushed Kyle towards the table.

“Seriously? Isn’t that for little kids?” Kyle asked.

“Not at all,” Logan said. “Also, you’ve never done it, right?” Logan asked.

“No,” Kyle answered looking away from Logan.

“So this means is your first time,” Logan said as Max lit the candles.

“Do we sing happy birthday to him?” Max asked playfully as he looked at Logan.

“You don’t have to-,” Kyle started to say before Logan placed his hand on his mouth to shut him up.

“Of course we do,” Logan said as he pulled a chair out for Kyle and made him sit.

Kyle watched embarrassed and amused as Logan, Ian, and Max sang Happy Birthday to him.

“Now blow the candles and make a wish, but don’t say it out loud or it won’t come true,” Logan said once they were finished.

Logan, Ian, and Max watched attentively as Kyle thought for a few seconds before blowing the candles.

“Now just hope that it comes true,” Logan said before handing a knife to Kyle. Kyle looked at Logan confused, causing Logan to let out a faint chuckle. “Cut a slice and try it out, birthday boy,” Logan said teasingly.

Kyle grabbed the knife from Logan’s hand and cut a slice. “It’s good,” Kyle said with cake in his mouth. “Did you bake it?” Kyle asked Logan.

“Yes,” Logan answered. “When I was a kid my grandmother always made that cake on my birthday, I just wanted to share that same joy with you, even if it’s just for a day,” Logan said. “Well, now everyone try it,” Logan said as he grabbed the knife back from Kyle’s hand and cut four more slices.

Kyle, Logan, Ian, and Max sat around the table as they chatted. As the time passed and the cake became smaller after each slice until there was none Logan excused himself for a moment and went upstairs to his room.

“For you,” Logan said once he came back to the kitchen. A box in his hand.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Kyle said as he grabbed the present.

“Will you stop saying that?” Logan complained feigning annoyance. “We are doing it not because we have to but because we are friends,” Logan said.

A slight blush went up to Kyle’s cheeks. If anyone noticed they didn’t comment on it.

“Just open it,” Logan said as he sat back next to Kyle.

Kyle opened the box and inside there was a painting of the scenario he had already gotten used to. The inside of the coffee shop was painted in great detail and in one of the tables Logan, Ian, Max, and himself were painted too. The painting was framed in an old-looking wooden frame.

“The frame is a talisman of sorts,” Logan explained. “It’ll prevent demons for going into your house, not all of them of course but enough of them,” Logan clarified.

“Thank you,” Kyle said. “I like it a lot,” Kyle said as he looked at his three friends.

Almost an hour went by as the four of them chatted happily, with no worries. For a moment there was nothing wrong, they were not demon hunters. For a moment they were just a group of friends, and that was enough.

“It’s getting late,” Ian said as he got up from the chair.

“I should get going,” Max said as he also stood up.

“Want a ride?” Ian asked Max to which Max simply nodded.

“Let me walk you out,” Logan said as he guided his friends to the door.

“Could you stay for a moment, Kyle?” Logan said once they had said goodbye to Max and Ian.

Kyle complied and stayed behind with Logan as their friends walked towards Ian’s car.

“I have one last thing for you,” Logan said. “Wait here,” Logan said as he went up to his room.

When Logan came down again his hands were seemingly empty leaving Kyle confused.

“For you,” Logan said as he took a key from his pocket. “Your own key,” Logan said knowing that Kyle knew what he meant. “You are not in training anymore,” Logan said gaining a hug from Kyle.

“Thank you,” Kyle said as he hugged Logan.

“There’s no nee-,” Logan started to say before he stopped himself. “Your welcome Kyle,” Logan said hugging Kyle back.

***

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

Proverbs 17:22