Bull in a China Shop

“Jarelllll!”

Jarel whirled around at Jinxia’s voice, just in time to see her careening toward him with her arms outstretched.

He barely caught a glimpse of her outfit - the sportswear he’d helped her pick out the previous day - before he was crushed against her toned body in a bone-breaking hug.

Air immediately became a luxury.

She spoke a million miles a minute.

“It went so well I think I love him but he’s like really weird but I love that part because it’s kind of cute but-”

He squirmed desperately, forcing out a single word.

“…air…”

She released him instantly.

“Oh! Sorry! I’m just so happy!”

It was an odd sight - Jinxia, of all people, beaming like she’d just won the lottery.

And maybe, in her mind, she had.

Jarel slowly collected himself, dragging in a deep breath.

“So… I take it the date went well?”

She nodded so fast her hair fell into her face, forcing her to push it back.

“It did it did it did!”

He rubbed his eyes, just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

Still real.

“Glad to hear.”

Jinxia suddenly glanced around, as if noticing their surroundings for the first time. Her expression shifted into a frown.

“Jarel… what are you doing in a jewelry store?”

He winced.

No point hiding it now.

“I had some free time. Thought I’d surprise Quinn.”

Her frown deepened into a full scowl.

“You’re going to give her a ring.”

He nodded.

“That’s the idea.”

“Does Quinn know anything?”

He shook his head.

“She’s in a cooking lesson. And I’m banned from Sayang’s apartment.”

Jinxia nodded.

“Sounds about right.”

Then her glare snapped back into place.

“I forbid you from getting married before me.”

He smiled weakly.

“I thought you said yesterday that he was already your husband?”

She scoffed.

“You know what I meant! Besides, he agrees we should do it as fast as possible!”

Jarel sighed. He didn’t doubt that.

What he did doubt was how much independent thought the poor guy was managing while being towered over by someone like Jinxia.

“At what stage are you going to tell him you’re a demon?”

A proud grin spread across her face.

“I already have.”

He blinked.

“He wasn’t fazed?”

She shook her head.

“Not at all. He just agreed with me.”

Jarel… also didn’t doubt that.

But he did wonder if the guy actually understood she was serious, or if-

He shook his head, cutting the thought off before it spiraled. Time for a topic change.

“Did you-”

Jinxia suddenly straightened, eyes flicking past him.

“Speak of the angel…”

Jarel turned.

To his surprise, the man himself was walking in. He gave a polite, slightly awkward wave. Jarel nodded in return.

Jinxia’s entire demeanor shifted.

Her posture straightened. Her expression sharpened.

And her voice - when she spoke - dripped with something dangerously close to a threat.

“Babe, this is a friend of mine. Jarel.”

The man nodded.

“I-I remember you from th-the library.”

Jarel nodded, offering a hand.

“And you are?”

The man accepted the handshake with a small, nervous smile.

“G-Gerald.”

Jarel very nearly made a comment, but managed to swallow it.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Jinxia, already bored of the interaction, had begun scanning the room. But she was the Demon of Greed standing in a jewelry store. What happened next was inevitable.

Without warning, she made a beeline for a poor employee, who was about to be subjected to modelling half the store’s inventory.

That left the two men alone.

Jarel took the opportunity, giving Gerald a friendly smile.

“So, I hear you’re a brave one.”

Gerald nodded shyly.

“You noticed?”

He shivered slightly.

“It was s-so scary… but it was the best ch-choice I’ve ever made.”

Jarel grinned.

“You think so?”

Gerald nodded again.

“She treats me like dirt… but I’ll never have to work again. I just do whatever she tells me to.”

Jarel frowned.

“Are you sure-”

Gerald moved.

Fast.

He stepped in close - too close - until his mouth was right beside Jarel’s ear.

And when he spoke, there was no stutter. No hesitation. No fear.

“I am exactly where I want to be.”

Jarel froze.

Gerald’s voice dropped further, sharp and precise.

“Don’t let your goody two-shoe fingers smudge my dream, d’ya hear me?”

Jarel swallowed, then nodded.

Gerald stepped back.

And just like that, he was gone - replaced by the awkward, twitchy man from before.

“I-I need to go… I have t-two hours of free time…”

He wandered off without another word, a little unsteady on his feet, leaving Jarel standing there in stunned silence.

Jarel exhaled slowly.

…Right.

He decided, very firmly, not to get involved. If that was the man’s dream, then so be it.

He turned his attention back to Jinxia, who was - unsurprisingly - being greedy.

A small smile crept onto his face.

Was he really feeling protective over a demon?

He shook his head. Ridiculous.

Turning back-

He froze.

The saleswoman was staring at him.

She’d seen everything.

For a brief, ridiculous moment, Jarel considered doing something dramatic. A warning gesture. A subtle threat. Something straight out of a movie.

Instead, he cleared his throat.

“So… where were we?”

It took her a second, but she nodded quickly, forcing herself back into professionalism.

“Uh, yes. Right. We were talking about gems.”

He nodded, about to respond-

A tap.

He turned.

Jinxia stood behind him again, now holding a large designer bag that looked very full.

She was smiling.

“Quanlin likes light blue sapphire. Thank me later.”

And then she walked off without another word.

Jarel blinked once, then turned back to the saleswoman with a small shrug.

“Well. There you go.”

The woman nodded rapidly, still a little shaken.

“Okay. Okay. We can do that. Yeah.”

She exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders.

“Okay.”

Jarel smiled.

Strangely, he didn’t feel what he expected to feel.

No nerves.
No excitement.
No fear.

Just… calm.

A deep, unshakable peace.

Despite everything - the demons, the chaos, the absurdity of his life-

Everything was going smoothly.

And, more than anything, he found himself looking forward to the moment he’d have to explain engagement rings to a very confused Quinn.