We're Setting Worlds On Fire

The front of the bus was completely silent and dark-the driver was sleeping and Jon was in his bunk. The kitchen was empty, the couches of the front lounge were bare except for a pair of Ashley’s boots and someone’s hair straightener. Everyone, including Lily, was in the back lounge watching a movie and relaxing after their first UK show. They were watching some kind of scary movie-one that neither Lily nor Andy had much interest in, but it was something for them all to do. Andy had voted for Batman and of course Lily had seconded that vote.

Now here they were, all sitting on the couch or laying on the floor, eating popcorn and drinking beers. Lily had a bowl full of popcorn in her lap, her legs were spread across Andy’s lap and he was running his fingers up and down her pale skin. Ashley was sitting beside Andy, eyeing the couple with a wary look that both the singer and the Angel were ignoring. Jake, Jinxx and CC were all spread across the floor, which was a good thing as anytime anything scary happened on screen, CC would just up and cover his eyes with a tiny shriek.

It had been a long night of running around on stage, meeting fans before and after the show and then Lily had helped Toby pack up the merch table and that had taken them nearly an hour. Everyone was tired and they knew that this was only the beginning. Lily looked away from the screen and off towards Andy, who was sitting beside her in a comfy pair of black sweat pants and a v-neck. His hair was matted down to his head from sweating on stage and his once makeup covered arms and neck were blurry from everything sweating off.


“You and I have both seen worse in Hell and here on Earth…” She mused and Andy only smirked as he looked away from the screen and over towards Lily. She was wearing a baggy pair of pajama pants, the white skulls smirking up at him as he looked her over. The hoodie that was wrapped around her arms and chest was his-an old The Damned hoodie that he had found in a thrift shop somewhere in the Midwest.

“Very true…” He laughed and everyone looked up at them, scowls on their faces as they turned back to focusing on the movie.

“Remember the Death Walker? That thing makes those pathetic creatures look like bunny rabbits.” Lily giggled, holding her hand over her mouth as she pointed to the screen.

“I know-that thing was terrifying. Will they be returning any time soon?” Andy asked and Lily bit down on her lip as she thought about it for a moment.

“I’m guessing yes. The word up North is that Satan has opened gates that haven’t been opened since the Dark Ages-letting things out that haven’t seen the sun in hundreds of years.” Lily said and suddenly everything got very quiet. Someone had paused the movie and all five guys were now staring at her.

“Were you planning on sharing that little fact with us Lily?” Jinxx asked and Lily was surprised by the tone in his voice. All of the guys, even Andy, kind of looked mad and Lily didn’t really understand why.


There was no way of knowing what they were up against. There were only so many books for her to read up on the things that go bump in the night and even then it must be said that some things weren’t as they seemed. Lily had expected for them to be attacked around every turn of their bus wheels. But ever since the Baricoot that was in CC and Ash’s place-they had seen nothing. It made Lily nervous-what was Satan planning? What was he going to release?

She hadn’t had much contact with Michael or Mets and Lily knew it was because Heaven was in chaos right now. The Angels were all trying to strengthen the holding powers of the Pearly Gates, just in case the guys failed and Satan was able to get past Earth. Everything was really just a ticking timebomb-there was no telling when or where Satan was going to appear or if he ever would. He seemed to like his foot soldiers and he wanted them to do his dirty work instead of getting his own clawed hands messy for a change. Lily sighed, running a hand through her silvery blonde hair as she looked around at all of the guys.


“Not until I had more information, which I don’t-by the way-and besides…you guys need to focus on things like getting ready to record and the rest of this tour.” She explained and Lily smiled as Andy nodded his head and grabbed for her hand. He had always been her protector-of course he would take that role right back as soon as she let him.

“Should we all start training again? I mean if these things are coming after us…I want to be prepared for it.” CC sounded worried and Lily only smiled as she looked down at one of her oldest friends. She hadn’t meant for this to freak anyone out and she didn’t even think anyone besides Andy had been listening to her.

“I don’t think so-I’ve got you guys covered in that area when the time comes.” Lily said, but the guys all seemed to be doubtful. She sighed, looking towards Andy and then smirking as he avoided her eyes-she was on her own for this one.

“Why so many secrets Lil’? Don’t you trust us?” Jake asked as he picked at a string in the carpet and avoided her eyes. Lily felt heart broken in that moment-she had never meant to keep things from them…she just wanted them to be safe.

“I do trust you guys! You’re my best friends and I just don’t want you to get hurt…” Her voice was sad and Andy said nothing as he just squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile.

“I mean we can handle things…better than you think we can. Right Ash?” Jinxx said as he looked towards the bassist and the room got eerily silent.


Ashley was sitting there, staring around at all of them and his face was as white as a sheet. He didn’t like this topic-he didn’t like thinking about Baricoots and Death Walkers and any other thing that could possibly come after him. He was feeling very vulnerable in that moment and of course no one besides Lily knew why. It was then that Ashley knew he had to tell the guys his secret-he had to get it off of his chest before it turned in to a cancer and ate him alive. The bassist only smiled softly, catching Lily’s eyes as she looked at him and nodded her head. She agreed with him, of course she would, and after taking in a few calming breathes, Ashley spoke for the first time that evening.


“I actually agree with Lily. We don’t know what’s coming and neither does she…so we need to just lay off and let her handle things right now.” He said, his voice barely above a whisper and everyone was just staring at him. Where was this coming from? Ashley always had an opinion on things and he was never too shy to express them in front of people.

“Dude…” CC said, giving his best friend a look and Ash knew that he couldn’t keep things from the guys any longer. The only person who knew anything about his situation was Lily and she had actually done a really good job of keeping things quiet.

“I’m being serious. Lily knows what she’s doing and I think we should trust her. None of us need to get hurt and we will if we just charge in there half cocked.” The bassist explained and Andy raised an eyebrow as he looked towards Lily. The Angel was just sitting there, her hands folded in her lap as she allowed Ashley to speak.

“Says the Demon who can’t be killed…” Jake mumbled and Ashley saw red. If only these guys knew what he had been going through lately, they probably wouldn’t be so harsh towards him or towards Lily. Ashley sighed as he moved his hair away from his face and watched as Andy’s eyes grew big.

His ears were no longer pointed and as the guys looked at him, one by one they got a look of realization on their faces.

“Ash?” CC asked, now sitting up on his knees as he looked towards his best friend. The two of them had grown close over the course of touring-both liked partying and girls, so it was a natural fit for them. Ashley looked at CC, their brown eyes connecting and he swallowed down his fear.

“I-I’m not a Demon anymore…” He said very quietly and Lily let out the breath that she had been holding in. The two of them had spoken about this-Lily knew Ashley was going to have to tell the guys sooner or later because otherwise they were going to find out mid-battle and that was never a good thing.

“You knew about this.” Lily snapped her head up and looked towards Andy. He was looking at her, scowling with his arms crossed over his chest and Lily only nodded. Of course she knew-she had been the one to tell Ashley and then she had been the one to help him get through the process of acceptance.

“Don’t be angry with her man…I made her promise not to tell anyone.” Ashley said and Andy huffed as he caught Lily’s eyes and noticed how hurt she looked. She hadn’t want to keep this a secret, but it was never her secret to tell and suddenly it all began to click into place.


All of the time the two of them spent together-the whispering and the looks-it was because Lily was trying to help Ashley cope. Ashley had always loved being a Demon-it was such a part of who he was that it would be incredibly hard for him to feel like anything else. As Andy sat there and looked at the two, he knew that he should have known this all along. Lily had always been so helpful, even as a human she had been there for him and the rest of the guys that it shouldn’t come as a shock to see her doing it now, even as an Angel.

“So you’re one hundred percent human?” Jinxx asked and Ashley nodded sadly. He hadn’t even realized it had happened until Lily said something and then he remembered-he no longer could run around at the speed of light, he felt less and less angry all the time and most of all…he liked human woman way too much to be anything but a human male.

“Yeah…yeah I am.” He said and Lily smiled as she reached around Andy and patted Ashley on the back. It had been hard for the Demon at first-realizing that his ears were no longer pointed and that he was no longer immortal, but they had gotten through it and now Ashley was fully ready to be a human and nothing else.

“So now you’re just like Andy-a former Demon in a human body?” Jake asked and this was the point where Ashley looked towards Lily to help explain. She had explained it to him, but no one else knew…not even Andy.

“Andy’s still a Demon.” Lily said simply and then she looked over towards the singer in question. He looked like he had just been smacked across the face and Lily knew this was going to come as a shock to him. They had all thought he was human-his ears were no longer pointed and he wasn’t as fast-but in reality that was far from the case.

“Andy has royal blood in his veins-he will always be part Demon, but that side of him is weak and barely shows. I-I didn’t know until I went to Heaven and Uriel told me everything…I’m really sorry Andy.” Lily said, her voice small and scared and Andy only smiled. It didn’t matter-it was confusing as fuck, but in the end he was who he was and there was no denying that.

The bastard son of Satan, who was going to set the world on fire…no matter what.

“Alright, enough confusing shit for me tonight. I’m going to bed…” Jake laughed as he stood up and Lily watched as all of the guys followed his lead.


Soon enough she and Andy were in the back lounge-alone. She was tempted, so incredibly tempted, to just curl up beside him and let Andy do what she knew he was dying to do, but Lily had to resist. They could flirt and kiss, but there could never be an intimacy behind their actions or else there would be Hell to pay-literally. She smiled at him and Andy smirked at her, reaching out to place a hand against her cheek. His lips grazed over her, his teeth searching out until he bit down on her lower lip and Lily felt herself press up against him. She was on his lap, her chest pressed against his as they kissed, their tongues battling for room, but as quickly as it started, Lily pulled away and smiled.

“That was amazing…” Andy breathed as he reached out, his hands grabbing around her waist and Lily only smirked as she slowly moved down his chest until she was sitting once again.

“Yeah…yeah it was.” She said and Andy laughed as he reached out and kissed her on the very tip of her nose gently.

“I’m tired.” He said simply and Lily giggled-she knew where this was going.

“So go to sleep Andy…” He rolled his eyes, his hands still holding on to her and Lily just let him. It felt nice being held this way again-with no emotions she had completely forgotten what it was like to have someone care so much about you.

“Come with me? Come sleep with me Lily…” He was looking at her now, those blue eyes of his wide and pleading and all Lily could do was smile, kiss his lips and then rise to her feet. She walked towards the door of the lounge and before walking out she turned to face him, her eyes bright and yet there was a sadness behind them.

“Not tonight Andy…not tonight.”

Notes

Ashley is no longer a Demon, Andy still is one kinda sorta. What the fuck is going on?

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