Loving Delight

I found myself hitting the refresh button again for the gazillionth time. Still no reply from Cynical. The question was, was he not answering in order to spite me or had he simply not read it yet? I clicked refresh again as my jaw began to clench. Cynical knew better than to ignore me.

“HOW DARE HE,” I screamed, slamming the laptop shut as my office door squeaked open. It was Delight, her face dropping in concern as she saw me hunched over the desk panting. Delight slipped in, pushing the door shut before stepping towards me.

“Love, you need to relax.” She trailed her hand up my arm before gently pushing me back into the chair. Her fingers began to knead my shoulders, my body melting under her light touch. I hummed in approval, she was right; relaxing was pleasant.

“Cynical will email you back on his own time,” said Delight, her fingers moving up towards my neck. “You know how insufferable he can be when he doesn't want to do something.” I tipped my head in agreement. Cynical was not the kind of person to do anything he didn't want to, but that was kind of the point. Him and his merry band of delinquents were out of control, especially that recalcitrant lieutenant of his. Delight began to massage my jaw, letting out a small chuckle as she did. My eyes drifted open, seeing her smile reflected in the glass of my clock face.

“What is so amusing Delight?”

“Well, I was just thinking about how Depression must be running around like a chicken without a head after his underlings saw me, Joy and Mischief hanging around their territory last night.” My body tensed before I wrenched my arm back and flipped Delight onto the desk, my fingers wrapping tightly around her slender neck. Her eyes were teary, her pupils blown as she let out a choked gasp. I tightened my fingers, her pulse rapid under them as Delight began to claw at my grip.

“You did what now?” I growled, my fingers giving a quick squeeze before I relented, my right hand still resting on her windpipe. Delight began to cough before attempting to sit up but my fingers began to tighten once more, forcing her back onto the desk.

“We thought it would be a good way to put some pressure on Cynical, make him take you seriously.” Delight hardened her tone, narrowing her eyes. “Mischief agreed with me and Joy came along to prevent any physical altercations with any Devils we came across, but it was my idea.” I tensed my fingers, squeezing them until Delight’s airway was constricted; her arms scrabbling against my grip.

“Love… *gasp* … Please…” Her nails dug into my skin, drops of blood rising to the surface and beginning to run down my arm. Delight gave one last attempt to escape, her body jerking and pushing papers to the floor. Maintaining my grip on her throat, I leaned down to whisper into Delight’s ear.

“Next time you want to impress me by doing something stupid, don’t.” With that I released my grip on Delight’s throat, flexing my fingers to relieve the cramps as Delight rolled off the desk and began coughing, her body hunched in pain as she attempted to hold back the contents of her stomach.

“Now, Get. Out.” Delight scrambled to her feet, covering her throat with her hand as she threw the door open and scurried out, letting the door slam behind her. Exhausted from the altercation, I slid back into the chair, snatching the fallen papers from the floor and placing them in a pile to my right. I turned my attention towards the antique clock on the desk, snorting as I realized the time to only be 7 am. It was still pretty early, Cynical would get back to me when he woke up. Pulling my laptop towards me from where it had been shoved aside, I flipped it open and reopened my email. Placing my bloody finger on the pad, I slouched back into the chair, and clicked refresh again. And again. And again.