Art by :paradoxzgenericfurry:.

(Drake)
When the three reappeared, they were in a small apartment living room. The only things it had were a couch, a weird-looking TV, and a small table. On the far side of the room was the entrance to a pretty basic-looking kitchen. As for people, there was only one... person? It was a humanoid eldritch abomination w/ naked wing stalks. Its primary colors were black and red, w/ bits of other colors in the eyes. It also had large, curved banded horns and a mouth w/ connected lips. Finally, it had a gaping chest hole w/ a broken SOUL connected to seven multicolored veins. While someone else would've reacted in a scared/shocked manner, Drake simply stared at the creature.
"...Are you... the devil...?" Drake asked, strangely hopeful.
Cedric gave him a miffed look. The creature gave him a "is this guy for real" look w/ a smile.
"HEH HEH, AM I THAT FUCKING HANDSOME?" the creature asked.
Andrew giggled while Cedric retched. When Cedric had spoken, Drake had seen white tinged w/ blue. For this thing, Drake saw different dull colors w/ black and red being the primary ones.
"Hee, uh, Asmodeus, can you go upstairs?" Andrew asked.
Asmodeus gave a confused look.
"I have a friend over, and I'd like to spend some time one-on-one w/ him."
Upon hearing that, Asmodeus gave a low chuckle. He then immediately vanished. Cedric sighed.
"Guess that's my cue," Cedric said.
He then turned to Drake and looked up.
"Don't do anything bad to my kid, or you WILL regret it," Cedric said quietly.
Cedric then went upstairs. Drake sighed and looked down over to Andrew. Andrew, in response, looked up and smiled. Andrew then pointed to the couch.
"Get yourself seated. I'm going to get us some games to play," Andrew said.
Drake looked over to the couch. While it looked pretty basic, at the same time, it also looked very plush and comfy.
"...Wouldn't... it be best if I...sat on the floor...?" Drake asked.
Andrew gave him a look.
"No. You are my guest, and, as such, I want you to be as comfortable as you can be," Andrew replied.
"But...-"
"No buts. Please sit on the couch." Andrew said firmly.
Drake pursed his lips.
Just do it, said Alter.
Andrew nodded towards the couch. Hesitating for a bit, Drake finally sighed and made his way over to the sofa. Drake then gingerly lowered himself onto it and was disappointed that it felt as comfortable as it looked. He then felt a bad headache coming on and rubbed his temples, thankful that he wasn't totally comfy.








...




The next few hours were spent playing different games. Drake sat on the couch while Andrew sat on a chair in front of the table. There was Monopoly, Sorry, charades, Uno, Clue, etc. Drake had somehow never seen these games before, but it didn't take too long for him to get them. While Andrew did have fun playing, the one sucky part is that Drake would always find a way to lose. During Sorry, he would always say sorry after every move. During Monopoly, Drake tried to immediately put himself the first time. After Andrew explained the rules, Drake kept hoping he'd get into a situation where his piece would go to jail. Despite everything, Andrew couldn't help but smile and find the behavior charming, in a way. Grey and Azrael came back home a while later. When they asked about Drake, Andrew explained that he was a friend. Azrael simply left at that. As for Grey, he made a sandwich before going up to meet Cedric.
"So...," Andrew finally said after a while, "What classes do you share w/ me?"
"...Hm...?" Drake asked.
"I see you in two classes one day, and then the next one, I see you in two others. And in the spot you'd usually be in, I see a human the same size as you. What exactly is going there?" Andrew asked.
Drake sighed. Rather than explain, he then began to do something strange. Drake closed his eyes and concentrated. His head fur then began to straighten, and the rest receded into his skin. Drake's fingers and toes became more squarish while nails appeared on them. Finally, a banged-up-looking nose sprouted from the face while a pair of ears came up from the sides. Once the transformation complete, Drake opened his eyes. Both now looked more human-like w/ purple irises and bloodshot veins. Andrew had been gaping the whole time.
"Y-you're part h-human?!" Andrew spluttered out.
Drake simply gave him a sad look and nodded. Andrew smacked his forehead.
"That. Explains. EVERYTHING!"
"..." Drake silenced out.
Andrew took a bit to process this.
Huh, reminds me a lot of when you showed the Theater people, Alter commented.
Andrew then looked in Alter's direction and pointed.
"Who's that?" Andrew asked.
Drake looked at Alter in shock. Somehow, Drake could tell that Alter mirrored his shock.
"Um... what do you mean...?" Drake asked.
"I didn't want to bring it up earlier, but I saw you communicate w/ that spirit a few times. Who are they?" Andrew asked.
Drake, for once, actually had somewhat wideish eyes as he looked between Alter and Andrew. Alter mirrored the action. Alter then flew around the room while cheering.
Someone else can see me! Someone else can see me! Someone else can see me! Someone else can see me! Alter shouted gleefully.
Andrew couldn't help but snicker at this, and Drake couldn't help be surprised. He'd NEVER seen Alter this happy!
"Heh heh! What's your name?" Andrew asked between giggles.
Alter quickly flew over to Andrew.
Alter, he said.
Seeing these two speak was a bit surreal for Drake. For one, he'd never seen Alter being able to speak to anyone else. Two, Alter sent out so much purple when he talked to Andrew that it combined w/ Andrew's purple to overpower Andrew's other colors.
"Wow," Andrew said as Alter floated back over to Drake, "How do you two know each other? Where did Alter come from?"
Drake scratched his terrible chin at that and looked to the side.
"...Honestly... we don't know..." Drake said.
"Hm?" Andrew asked confusedly.
Yeah, I was simply born w/ Drake, Alter explained. We have no idea where I came from.
"...Yeah..." Drake said.
"Huh. Well, Alter definitely isn't a personality that your brain just made up," Andrew said.
Drake gave a confused look at that. Alter would have as well if he had an actual face.
"If that was the case, I wouldn't be able to see him," Andrew explained.
At that, Alter turned to Drake. Despite lacking a face, Drake could tell that Alter was beaming. Andrew then hesitated for a bit.
"Um, I have something else I'd like to ask," Andrew said while pushing his index fingers together.
"...Hm...?" Drake asked.
What? Asked Alter.
Andrew then took a deep breath and let it out.
"Would you... like to go on missions w/ me? As a partner?"
Drake and Alter gave Andrew confused silence as a response.
"You don't know what I mean," Andrew deduced.
He then sighed.
"What I mean by missions is... well, they're pretty much where you get called to help people w/ a bad situation. After getting rid of their problem(s), you get rewarded w/ some money. I've wanted to go on missions for the longest time, but my C-dad told me I needed to find a partner first before I was allowed to. Would you... I don't know... like to be mine?" Andrew asked w/ a hint of a blush.
He then touched Drake's pale hand. Drake suddenly felt a sort of heated sensation in his face, and he quickly retracted his hand.
"...I'm...honored, but... it would be best if... you chose... someone who actually... wouldn't let you down..." he responded.
Drake could feel Alter's exasperation at that. As Andrew, he simply gave Drake a sad smile.
"I know you won't let me down," he said, "Please. I want you to be my partner."
"But... what about... Gwendolyn... and Gasper?" Drake asked.
Andrew shook his head.
"I considered them, but no. Gasper is too anti-friendly, and while Gwen is pretty cool, I would rather go w/ you."
Drake gave him a sad look.
"...Why would you... How could you...?"
Andrew gave him a warm smile.
"Because... there's something about you. I'm not sure what it is, but it makes me feels happy just being w/ you. I don't care what you say about yourself. You are worth being around to me. Please, I ask you again. Be my partner."
Drake couldn't help but feel... touched at those words? While he still thought that Andrew was delusional, there was something about those words that made Drake feel something... almost pleasant. He then looked to Alter, who simply nodded.
Say yes. If anything, let yourself just have this, Alter said.
Drake then looked back to Andrew, who simply gave a patient smile. Drake hesitated.
This really isn't a good idea... he thought.
Please, Drake, Alter said, Give this a chance. Andrew wouldn't be asking you if he didn't really want you to be his partner. Just let yourself have this.
Drake looked back to Andrew, who simply nodded. Drake hesitated a bit longer. He then sighed.
"...Ok...I'll be your partner..." Drake finally said.
Andrew's face quickly lit up at that. He then jumped over the table, knocked a bunch of game pieces to the floor, and tackled Drake in a tight hug. Luckily for Drake, since he had become numb to most outside pain years ago, the numerous wounds and scars didn't hurt despite the exacerbation. As for his feelings on the situation, Drake was shocked that Andrew had NO qualms about hugging him! Everybody he'd come across silently feared him, and nobody even wanted to graze him. Yet here Andrew was, excitedly hugging him! After overcoming his shock, Drake gingerly pulled Andrew off of him while his face felt oddly hot.








...




A short while later, dinner came. Drake had switched back to his monster form before then. Andrew went into the kitchen and prepared some food while Drake watched from the couch. The process was mostly mundane until Andrew began to sprinkle spices. Andrew's eyes glew, and he began to chuckle eerily as he drowned the food in spice. For some reason, Drake and Alter couldn't help but feel intimidated by this. Eventually, Andrew was done and put two plates down the table.
"Dinner's ready," Andrew called out.
Drake went over to the table. He then took a plate and on the floor and stared at it. Andrew couldn't help but give a sad look at this.
"Um, you know you can sit at the table, right?" Andrew asked.
Drake looked at him and shook his head. Andrew sighed.
"Alright, fine. But you better eat that. I didn't make it for nothing."
Drake then stared down at the food.
Just do it, Alter said.
You know what he will do if I eat this, Drake thought.
Yeah, well, he's probably going to do it regardless because he'll smell the food scent on you. Might as well enjoy it while you can, Alter countered.
Drake sighed. He then switched back to human form. After that, he lifted the plate up, reeled his head back, and faceplanted onto the plate. Andrew watched in silent shock as Drake simply smooshed his face into the meal and ate kind of like a dog. Drake made quiet little sounds as he slowly choked down the food. It tasted delicious. The spices and ingredients came together amazingly well, but Drake was unable to fully enjoy it. He knew that this food wasn't going to be allowed to stay in his ruined stomach for the night. When Drake was finished, his face was somehow messier than when he started eating. He then brought his plate over to the dishes. Once he did, he splashed some water on his face and dried w/ a napkin.
"Did you... like it?" Andrew slowly asked.
Drake simply gave a slow nod. Andrew gave him a warm smile in response.









...




A while later, Andrew's weird phone rang.

(Andrew)
"Is my son ok?" Natas asked on the other end.
"Yeah, why?" Andrew responded.
Andrew then heard a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank God! Well, it's time for him to come home."
"Oh..." Andrew said sadly.
He then turned to Drake.
"Drake, it's your dad. He says it's time to go home."
Drake's expression grew even sadder than usual, and he sighed. He then left and moved toward the door.
"Remember. We're mission partners now," Andrew said.
Drake turned. He nodded and then walked out the door.
"I'm sorry, but what's this about mission buddies?" Natas asked.
Andrew then explained the whole concept of missions and partners.
"Oh, that sounds great!" Natas exclaimed.
"I assume you approve?" Andrew asked w/ a smile.
"Oh, absolutely!" Natas replied, "Is it alright if I keep in touch during a mission? I really want to be completely sure that my son is fine."
"Of course," Andrew said.
"Good. Also, is your family keeping an eye out for the Imposter?" Natas asked.
Andrew was confused at that.
"The what?"
"You haven't heard? A murderer is going around from house to house, randomly killing one person from that household," Natas replied.
Andrew's eyes widened.
"Wait, really?"
"Yes, it's all over the news. People refer to this murderer as 'the Imposter' because, for whatever reason, their victims always shout out some variant of the word Imposter before dying. Words like faker, liar, fraud, etc."
"Wait, how do I know you're not the Imposter?" Andrew asked suspiciously.
Natas chuckled at that.
"If I was a killer, why would I be warning you about myself, dear boy?"
Andrew thought about it for a bit.
"Ok, I guess that makes sense."
Natas chuckled again.
"Be on the lookout. I really don't want to hear any more stories about people dying."
"Don't worry. My family is pretty powerful as is," Andrew explained, "And I will be on the lookout."
Natas then breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness. Well, bye!"
"Bye!" Andrew responded.
After he hung up the phone, Andrew couldn't help but look up while lost in thought.
I wonder who that Imposter is? he thought.