Loyal Old Demon, Brave Little Human.

Voodoo.

Shane and Ryan landed in New Orleans from their plane. It was a direct flight from New York, so Shane was tired. He was drinking his second coffee of the day as they checked into their hotel and Ryan explained where they would be going. Shane wasn't really sure what he thought of voodoo. That's what they were here for, and Shane was interested in it, well, the rich history surrounding it, but he wasn't sure what to think. It was confusing. The alters that water incense through the air gave Shane an odd sort of energy, but the prayers they offered to the alters gave Shane that discomfort demons got when entering a church. Overall, it was incredibly fascinating. They were scheduled to meet with some voodoo practicers for an explanation. They made it there by that afternoon.
Ryan pulled against the door, and Shane reached with an elongated limb to push it open. "It's a push." Ryan stated as though he knew that all along.
"Yeah."
"I didn't see the sign."
"I know you didn't." Shane teased tiredly as they entered the store. He saw Ryan glance back at him briefly, and Shane wondered if it was possible that he looked more tired than normal. The thought was short lived as they entered the shop, and Shane looked away to TJ. The energy forcing his eyes to swirl gold briefly. The man walked closer as Shane regained control. He was thankful Ryan hadn't noticed, as the man wandered through shelves. They wandered through the store for a moment, before a man came out to greet them. Where they talked for quite a while. Then they went to a cemetery for the "Voodoo Queen of New Orleans". Unable to go in, Ryan had Shane call out to her like he was looking for some cat or something. There was obviously no answer. Shane really didn't understand why people were so convinced that graveyards were haunted, since spirits were going to stay close to where they had died or with a family member, since they had no use for the body anymore. Still, Ryan was convinced, at one point jumping up to see over the wall.
"Marie!" Ryan called. "Can you see over this without jumping?"
"Actually," Shane replied with an air of smugness, "Yeah." They went back to their hotel after that, and spent the rest of the night talking. Ryan had cheered up since the flight. Shane wondered if that was his doing, or if it was just the show distracting him from his problems. Shane didn't bring it up either way. The next morning, they left early. They travelled to an odd house, where a voodoo queen lived. Shane had noticed that TJ and Mark had been relatively quiet, and texted them on the group chat.
Shane~ You two alright?
Steven~ Yeah, we are fine, why?
TJ chuckled behind him, before typing away on his phone.
TJ~ We are fine, just giving you two some space.
Mark~ You two lovebirds need it.
Shane~ Lovebirds? One: We aren't birds. Two: we are both dating.
TJ~ That's not what the expression means... Nevermind.
Mark~ Come on Shane. You can't be that blind, can you?
Shane~ Blind to what?
TJ~ RYAN. You literally stare at him sometimes. Come on dude.

Shane felt his face heat up, and closed his phone. He wasn't...he didn't like Ryan that way. He liked Sara. Right?

•••••••

Honestly, the woman, Bloody Mary, was surprising, especially since most mediums wer bullshit. She seemed to sense at least something, as Shane watched her talk to people a few times. Every so often, she would cast a look over at some curious spirit, and Shane would fight not to acknowledge it. At one point a spirit that looked like a 19th century woman covered in beads and jewels walked up to Bloody Mary and whispered into her ear. She glanced at Shane, who feigned an ignorant smile. She talked to them for a long while, and by the time the group went to their location, some voodoo temple that had a murder in the apartment above it, the sun was completely gone. The street it was on was crammed with people and flooded with lights. They walked inside, and Shane looked around and felt conflicted. Feeling the prayers mixing with the energy of sacrifices. All it really did was give him a headache.
"We ask that we may communicate with you: may we see you, may we hear you, may we feel you, may we photograph you with great respect. Open the way, I present my friends- please state your full name."
"Ryan Steven Bergara."
Shane cursed himself for not thinking of a middle name, and improved. "Shane Alexander Madej." It only occured to him after he said it, that many people didn't have middle names. Now he had to change some shit when he got back home. She finished and the group went through dancing, oddly enough. Shane went first, then Ryan. And holy shit, it was all too funny to watch both TJ and Mark, each of them holding nice cameras, not small ones either, dancing through awkwardly. Overall though, the whole event was a bust. Bloody Mary did try to help them reach the paranormal world, but seeing as Shane didn't need much help, and the most paranormal thing that was in there when then the BFU group was there was Shane, he was pretty bored. They stayed for a while longer before leaving. They went back to their hotel again, and Ryan went out alone for a while, saying something about needing some alone time for a bit. Shane didn't complain, be needed some too, if for nothing more than to let his demonic features emerge and stretch while his unknowing friend walked around the beautiful city. Mardi Gras was tomorrow, so the team had agreed to take the day off to celebrate, and even Shane planned to stupidly get drunk, a vial of his poison of choice (literally) stashed inside his suitcase. He was honestly just eager to relax for a day and not think about ghosts, or lies, or his feelings that he shouldn't have that keep creeping up. Getting wasted was exactly what Shane needed, and it was exactly his plan...