D.E.M.O.N.S: Getting Summoned Weekly isn't so Bad

The moment lasted for a while, likely longer than they had time for considering much of the work for breakfast still needed to be done. So eventually they had to break apart, Kat picking up a spare knife and starting to help out. The food for herself and Gramps pushed to the side. A nice gesture, and something to enjoy but not before the children's food was ready. It was something they both knew. Both understood.

"So, are those two the only friends you gained?" asked Gramps while scrapping the chopped ingredients into the first of many trays.

"Um… no the next friend I made was Kamiko. I met her while being punished for a mistake that was a bit of a mix up. I can't say I'm terribly annoyed with it because Kamiko really needed a friend and I'm glad I was able to be there for her,"

"Oh? Tell me about her," said Gramps.

"Hmm… I want you to imagine an odd mix of myself and Lily but with even less positive social interaction especially outside of her family with multiple older sisters that she feels outshine her, most decades older than she is except for one who until recently didn't really respect her as anything more than a dress up doll that occasionally has feelings," said Kat.

"I… I see why you ended up friends with her…" said Gramps with a wince. "I take it she's doing better now?"

"It was entirely chance we ended up friends, she just happened to be next to me… but as for doing better… I like to think so. She made up somewhat with her sister and we even made another friend with the two of us. Her name is Sue… and… well the best way to explain her is to picture the stereotypical Succubus… and add in a bit of restraint in the form of a desire for consent… but… well I imagine she's the type of person who'd think saying 'yes' while drunk is still perfectly valid consent…" explained Kat.

"She must have a filthy mouth… constantly flirting as well?" suggested Gramps.

"Aah…  yeah… how did you know?" asked Kat.

Gramps shrugged, "I've been alive a long time Kat. It's not a common personality type… but I've known a few people like that vaguely. None were best friends of course… though… my wife did know one girl that she grew up with and kept in contact that was like apparently. She was Japanese and stayed there her whole life…

"Hmm… that makes it sound like she's dead… well she might be… I didn't really keep up with her after my wife passed, mostly because my Japanese was… well I tried, and my wife found it humorous… but I wouldn't really want to subject anyone else to my botched attempts. Anyway… my point is does she also have parental issues?"

"No actually," said Kat.

"No? That's actually a bit surprising…" said Gramps, "that tends to be a prerequisite for people who end up like that…"

"Isn't that stereotyping a bit Gramps?" asked Kat.

Gramps just shrugged, "I'm old. I need to have at least a few bad ideas about stereotypes. If not then how can I fit the stereotype of the old an ignorant?"

"Right…" said Kat slowly.

"Still, her parents have to be a bit weird right?" asked Gramps, more out of genuine curiosity than a belief in the question.

Of course he was right but Kat wasn't entirely sure she should admit as much… but at the same time Kat wasn't sure why it would be better to hide the information anyway. Sue didn't care, it wasn't some big secret, "Her parents are apparently just as bad as her if not worse… and one of the big mysteries is how they are so satisfied with each other…"

Gramps paused mid knife swing, "I don't know what I was expecting as an answer… but it wasn't that. I'm not entirely sure I want to know more in truth… is she a good girl though?"

Kat paused, a little Sue in her mind going 'Oh I'm a very good girl' seductively was quickly pushed to the side. Despite the mental interruption though… "Yes… yes I think she is. She… she somewhat fell into that crowd because of her parents. Everyone at school knew and while she was never ashamed of it… it did dictate who her friends were.

"Despite that she can be surprisingly responsible at times. She waited till she was sure that she really wanted the lifestyle she has. Her parents made it clear that whatever she chose she would be supported… and she sort of managed to have her cake and eat it too. She's able to explore her… wide range of preferences without turning into a horrible person. It's not a contest in her eyes. It's simply her favourite hobby…

"If the details weren't so… graphic and off-putting to me… I think it would actually be really cute. Sex is her hobby, her passion and she loves it," Kat couldn't help but giggle, "she's actually a lot like a kid with a model trainset. She takes great care of her hobby. She knows what she likes but she's very understanding. She offers people a glimpse into her world if they want, and many do, but she also understands that it really isn't to everyone's taste.

"Sue takes… I think more care then might be immediately obvious around Kamiko and me. She does like to push us both… but it's clearly good natured. It makes us think. She's a little harder on Kamiko than she is on me… I think because Kamiko still needs to figure out what she wants in a partner and Sue's trying to help her with that while building up her confidence and making her much harder to fluster…

"And maybe… maybe I'm reading too much into it. Maybe Sue's doing the bare minimum to be friends with people who she doesn't mind spending time with… but I think there's real effort there. She didn't leave the greatest first impression… and I think her mouth is going to get her in trouble one day… but… now that I know her… especially after the meet-up we had, where we just got to chat and have a good time in Kamiko's room… she's really grown on me,"

"Hmmm" said Gramps as he resumed his work, "Yes well that's good to hear. I'd suggest thinking the best of your friends when you can, though don't be blind to there faults. Still… I'm glad you have such a good opinion of her. It sounds like she's a good friend for you to know… especially because well… hmm…"

Gramps was clearly uncomfortable explaining the last few words. Kat was a bit confused for a moment, trying to think of what exactly Gramps could be thinking about that would make Sue an especially good friend… until it clicked, "because I'm asexual?" Kat asked.

Gramps let the knife cut into the onion with a harsh chop, "Indeed… I… I didn't want to say it in case you didn't know… or I was wrong… but… well… it was hard to miss. No boy band posters… no pinups of female actors… no talk about how cute this or that boy is or passive aggressive not-quite sexual advances with some girl at school. I… I didn't want to necessarily push you into that box if you weren't certain yourself. How did you figure it out?"

Kat let out a long puff of air, "Honestly Gramps? I don't know how I didn't figure it out if I'm entirely honest… but at the same time… god it was a whole thing… I…"

*How do I explain that Sue's needling combined with my growing feelings for Lily were what tipped me off and the confession from Lily really hammered it in home especially when I was literally incapable of saying 'I wish you can find someone else better than me' because I never wanted that apparently. How am I supposed to get into this?

I mean really. How do you tell your father figure you're an asexual lesbian in a relationship with your best friend? Wait do I count as a lesbian? Hmm… add that to the pile of issues I don't really want to deal with right now. I mean I should. I should just tell Gramps. What am I scared of?*

Kat of course new the answer to that instantly. She wasn't twelve. *I want his approval. I'm scared he won't accept it. I… I think it'll be fine…* "I'mdatingLily" mumbled Kat.

"What?" asked Gramps confused.

"No, it's fine. Nothing. Don't worry about it," said Kat slight fear in her voice.

This caused Gramps to look up at her oddly. He wasn't making any statement about Kat's relationship status at all. She spoke too fast and too quietly for his old ears to make sense of. He genuinely had not heard what Kat had said… and was just confused. So he said as much. "Kat… I'm willing to leave it be if you want… but you don't have to be afraid. I'm an old man and I couldn't hear you properly. I don't know why my confusion scares you but it's FINE. Kat."