“Waffles, no!” Stiles yelled, just as the white kitten pounced into the summoning circle.
A puff of smoke concealed the scene, making Stiles cough. He waved his arms frantically, throwing open a window to try to clear out the room and find Waffles.
A dark, low, hulking shape was just visible through the clouds, straightening taller and taller as it stood. A gust of wind suddenly blew into the room, clearing out the remaining smoke.
Waffles was still in the summoning circle- but he was being held by a strikingly handsome man in a suit. Well, he looked like a man. Stiles knew for a fact he was a demon.
That’s what he’d been summoning after all.
“Hand over Waffles,” Stiles demanded.
“Is that this delightful creature’s name?” the demon asked, scratching away behind Waffles ears. “I don’t think I will. He was inside the summoning circle, after all. That makes him an offering.”
“No,” Stiles said, panicked. “No, I’ll send you back, I don’t want anything from you, just set Waffles down.”
“What a curious name, Waffles,” the demon continued, ignoring him. “How does a kitten come by such a name?”
“Don’t hurt him,” Stiles pleaded. “Please just don’t hurt him.”
The demon finally raised his sharp gaze from the cat to Stiles. He looked affronted.
“I would never! He’s an offering. Do you treat your gifts so callously?”
“Waffles isn’t a gift! He’s my kitten!” Stiles yelled.
The demon waved his hand carelessly. “Regardless of your intentions, the laws are what they are, and much older than anything you could possibly fathom. Waffles is mine now. Now, what did you wish to ask of me?”
Stiles felt near tears. Waffles. His lightning fast thoughts darted around and around his mind, arriving at only one solution.
“Joint custody,” he blurted. “I summoned you for joint custody of Waffles. I need a co-parent.”
The demon’s eyebrows raised in surprise. Stiles got the feeling that didn’t happen very often, but was too worried about his cat to enjoy the moment.
“Very well,” he responded slowly. “Co-parenting. Of a kitten.” He looked back down at Waffles. “We’d need to share a household. Co-parenting is best done under the same roof. A contract stipulating who has the ultimate decisions regarding certain choices.” He looked Stiles up and down, sly smile growing across his face.
Brie 