Chapter Text
The two conversed. Eventually, after some hard consideration and convincing, they agreed.
“We have to leave, John.” John dropped his head solemnly. He had built his life here, but he had come to the realization that there was nothing left for him here. He was a faux priest in love with a demon. His friends had made their opinions clear on that, well, one did. He knew if they didn’t get to him first, then the police would. As for Gary…
“But, you’re fine just- leaving your cult? All your businesses?” Gary chuckled in response, confusing John.
“As much as I love my acolytes- and my money- I could do this anywhere. You’ve seen how charming I am.” John rolled his eyes, but raised an eyebrow, pushing for further information.
“Really. I’ve been ‘dead’ for two years, most of my acolytes have resumed normal lives, those that can’t have rotted away. The few that managed to re summon me are cowards who will likely reintegrate soon. My businesses have been repossessed and sold. There’s no reason for me to stay.” He spoke with more seriousness than usual. John nodded, sighing. There really was no way out of this. He was gonna have to go. Well, at least now he wouldn’t have to deal with awkward encounters with Molly…
“You’re sure
you’re
okay with leaving, John?”
“...There’s nothing left here for me either.” John left it at that, Gary nodded, not pressing the issue further. He was aware John was still emotionally raw about all this, he wasn’t.
“...What about the house?” John asked, realizing that was a large factor they were missing.
“Do you have an idea?” Gary certainly had none, so asking John seeming logical here,
“...Yeah. Yeah I do actually.” John smiled softly.
The two spent the rest of the day figuring out logistics. Gary got boxes, helping John pack. He didn’t want to take much other than a few clothes and the necessities. He left all his furniture, even his record player, sorting through some extra items that wouldn’t be a hassle to take. He didn’t own much in the first place, so it didn’t take long. They weren’t selling the home, no. Perhaps they’d come back some day. But that day wouldn’t be for a while. John had an idea for the meantime though. Once everything was packed up, he grabbed his spare key, some paper, an envelope and a pencil.
Gary watched from over his shoulder as John wrote, still in the dark about what he was planning. Once John finished, he folded the note and placed it in the envelope with the spare key.
“What’s that about?”
“I realized there might be one friend that would be willing to take care of this place.”
“...woman in 5A?” John chuckled at the term Gary used, nodding solemnly.
“Yes, woman in 5A.”
“I thought you said she hated you?”
“I don’t quite know that,” John admitted. “I’m betting on the possibility she doesn’t.”
John walked to his landline, and dialed up a number Gary didn’t recognize. He spoke quickly and concisely, telling the recipient to come to his house quickly. He hung up and ushered Gary out, taking out his key and locking the door, placing the envelope on the outside welcome mat.
They climbed into John’s now packed car, and John, in the driver's seat of course, started it. He drove off, only occasionally glancing back.
He hoped his call would be enough.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa approached the door to John’s home.
She noticed a letter left on his porch, and read that it was addressed to her… and Garcia? She opened the envelope, pulling out the letter and reading it.
Dear Lisa. And Garcia, I suppose
Lisa, if you’re reading this, you actually listened to my phone call. Thank you, I’ll keep what I have to say brief. I can’t stay here anymore, especially knowing Garcia. I know it’s stupid, but I can’t just get rid of Gary. I can’t kick him out. I don’t want to be away from him. I don’t want him in danger. Well, I don’t want us living in fear. That’s more so what I feel. He is some kind of immortal after all. Now, the reason I called you over? Inside this envelope, there is a key. The spare key to my house. I can’t think of a better person to care for it. It’s mostly empty anyway, you can move things around as you’d like. You won’t have to pay rent anymore! I’ll probably be getting the utilities bill, so no need to worry about that either. If you decide to accept this offer, I hope you don’t mind the.. Overall empty feeling. My only warning, don’t touch the room with the crosses. Please just take care of things, if the police come by, just say I haven’t been around for a while. You’re not my roommate, as far as the police are aware, you are the sole inhibitor of the home.
Lisa took a moment to process this. John was. Giving his house. To her? She thought about it and… how could she say no to taking care of her childhood friend’s home? She couldn’t, she wouldn’t forgive herself. She noticed there was more writing, and kept reading.
Garcia, if you’re somehow reading this, please just give it to Lisa. You’ve made your opinions on me clear. I don’t want you to have access to my home anymore. You’re a good man Father, but you no longer fit in my life. I’m sorry.
-John
Lisa felt for John, she had taken notice as to how the two had a near father-son bond with each other. It probably ruined them both to have this happen. She didn’t understand how John had fallen for that… man. Gary. But it was too late for her to stop or change anything.
And so, she took the key out of the envelope and unlocked the front door. She walked inside, she looked over the walls. So much was still here, John really hadn’t taken much…
She looked into the kitchen, most if not all the cabinets were emptied, there were no plates, cups, bowls, or utensils to be found. That made sense. The fridge had also been emptied.
She wandered into the basement, John’s washers still leaked. She chuckled, almost sadly. When would she see him again? A few months, years? Maybe he’d call. She hoped he would, that way she could check up on him.
She ventured back upstairs, walking down a different hallway. She walked past the room covered in crosses, as instructed. She stepped into the bathroom. It had also been scraped clean, any and all toiletries taken. That was good. John was never good with that stuff, she had always noticed his less than great mental health. Maybe now he’d take better care. That demon better help him.
Finally, she stepped into his room. The bed was bare, save for the mattress. The closet was empty. There was nothing… other than a record player. John had left his record player. A twang of sadness rang through Lisa, she had gifted him that. It probably wasn’t essential… another note? She leaned down, picking it up and reading it.
To Lisa
I figured I’d leave something you could remember me by. I love this player dearly, consider it a sort of house warming present.
-John
“Oh, John. You always were sentimental.” She chuckled, wiping away a few stray tears. A housewarming gift, huh? Well, that made its place here a lot less sad. She smiled.
She walked out, locating John’s phone and calling up a moving service she had become familiar with.
She would move in as soon as possible.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you think she’ll actually take the offer?”
“I think she will. After all, her home used to be your apartment so… she hasn’t really had a place to go, mine is rent free. Anything she doesn’t want she can put into storage or give away. I hope she keeps that record player though,”
“Why’s that?”
“It was a gift from her. It would be a shame for that to be thrown away.”
“Why didn’t you take it?” John sighed, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.
“I… want to leave who I used to be behind. For now. I’m sure it’ll also make a lovely housewarming gift. Lisa loves gifts. One day we’ll head back, us both, together, I’m sure. I’ll fix my mess all over again, but…”
“...But you don’t want anything that reminds you too much of home?”
“Yeah. That’s what I get for having sympathy for you,” Both men laughed. Gary puased,
“John?”
“Mm?”
“...You know, you’ve asked me that question about hell before?”
“What?-”
“Asking me what hell was like. You asked me that not too long ago.” Gary chuckled. “I guess you really were worried.”
“Who wouldn’t be?”
“Perhaps, I dunno, the Duke?” Both men laughed, slowly quieting down.
“You’re an odd priest, you know that?”
“I’m not technically a priest, you know
that?
”
“You still wear your uniform,”
“Only really around you when I was… well, still worried. Force of habit.”
“I’m still surprised by my imposing presence,” John punches Gary lightly on the shoulder, to which Gary lets out a mock gasp.
“Once I got used to you, you became no more threatening than a housecat.”
“A horrible mistake on your end.”
“I think my mistakes started with letting you in my house.”
“I’m irresistible.” Gary said with a smirk. John just laughed, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Gary, he never really changed. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He was… more human. He felt less demonic, and more like a kind of weird guy. At least it was an endearing weird.
They continued, in silence, driving past trees and the deer that lived in the forest, large trucks passing them.
No matter what, John was stuck with Gary now,
For better
Or for worse.
Ending IV
The Damned Road