#ᕚﮩﮩ٨ﮩ para ﮩ٨ﮩﮩᕘ

[spice-and-fire]

TIMING: Recent LOCATION: The Wormhole PARTIES: @eatdearth x @spice-and-fire SUMMARY: Devi & Jasper meet at the Wormhole for drinks. CONTENT: None

“You know almonds, right?” Devi asked, as if those weren’t a common thing here or most places with a candy store or chocolate shop or even an airport shop. “I used to go crazy for them as a kid…” She shook her head, grinning, before taking a sip of her beer. “But my dad was the worst at shelling them. He'd just hack 'em to pieces with his knife, leaving a bunch of inedible mush behind. In the end, he'd salvage what he could by scraping pieces of the flesh off the shell, then mixing it with some milk and calling it porridge.”

It had been a long day. For most people, that would already be enough to get them a bottle of beer or two, but for someone in Worm Row? Someone like Devi who lives in the most dangerous neighborhood in town? It was just any other day, and a cold glass of beer was an excuse to feel a sort of relief from the day-to-day routine of surviving. “...I do miss the taste of that porridge sometimes...and I miss that old nut-cracker, too.”

It started out with a kiss, how did it end up like this? At least that’s how it went in Jasper’s head, complete with an imagined perfect rendition with his voice, which, of course, would not exist in reality. He was not a singer, especially not someone who could belt out a harmonious Mr. Brightside by The Killers with relative ease. Even the shower wouldn’t indulge his fantasy. It actually started with an attempt at a ‘deez nuts’ joke, the professor having been bombarded with hundreds of thousands of the sort just this week alone that his brain tried to lessen the trauma by pulling the same crap on a stranger. Unfortunately for him, the stranger seemed to have already drank too many beers to actually care.

Jasper heaved a sigh, nodding his head, pretending he was getting what she was talking about. In reality, he was barely listening. Something about almonds and milk. Great. She’s one of those people who aggressively prefers nut milk over cow milk. Jasper didn’t think they were especially harmful, or annoying, but because she was being harmful to him, mostly annoying, she couldn’t help but lump them all in together. And try to change the subject. “Speaking of cracking nuts, you from here? I’ve only been here a couple of times. Pretty far from where I live. Hoping none of my students would find me here.”

Devi simply nodded, taking another sip of her beer, more like a chug, as she never took her eyes off of Jasper. She was surprised, more impressed, that the random guy she was talking to was actually a professor of sorts, maybe even a kindergarten teacher. Don’t get her wrong: Professors are impressive, what with their degrees and everything, but kindergarten teachers? Those guys deal with tiny kids, annoying kids, kids that have yet to know shame and guilt. Those guys are way more impressive than anyone else. “Students? You teach?”

“Say, does your place need security?” Devi squinted as she leaned forward toward him, closer than he probably liked, her beer-scented breath warm to his face. “Because if you guys need security, or extra security, I’m really good at working security,” she leaned back, shrugging, a playful smirk on her face. Devi was proud of that part of her, being efficient and competent in the field of security. She’d done much worse in the past, beating people to a pulp, setting things including said people on fire, displaying gruesome violence all for a lot of money, so still being able to be on top of things and people without needing to resort to her past barbaric tendencies… Well, that was pretty impressive, if she thought so herself. “Like, really good.”

“I do,” Jasper beamed with pride. If there was one thing in his life he was most proud of, aside from his luxurious mane, it was his calling, his craft, his field. “I teach geology at the university. I’m a geologist, a professor, and an all-round rockstar.” With a shake of his head, he winked at the woman before realizing that pun might need some explaining. “Get it? Rockstar? Because I work with rocks?” Probably didn’t actually need some explaining. Might have made it a whole lot worse now. Puns have never been the most accepted form of humor, and explaining them? Well, that might be offensive to some people.

“Security?” Jasper instinctively raised an eyebrow. He looked the woman over, from head to toe, and subconsciously licked his lips. She was fine. More than fine. Like girlfriend material. Maybe even wife material. Definitely someone he’d take care of, love until the day he died. Or at least the idealized version he had of her. Jasper didn’t know her that much, not yet at least, to make this kind of assumption. He could blame the alcohol or the loneliness but he definitely needs some more maturing in that regard. “You work security?” He blurted out, in disbelief that someone who looked like her worked a field so risky and dangerous as security.

“Huh,” Devi squinted at Jasper, as if confused by his revelation. At first, she thought he didn’t look like a geology professor. But then again, what would a geology professor even look like? Devi, who barely had a formal education, wouldn’t know. Professors to her have always been silver-haired old men or bespectacled ladies with prim and proper clothing. Jasper seemed young and less disillusioned by the world around him, though she could be wrong. His ‘rock’ pun confirmed that. “...I see. You actually like rock, the music genre, or is that just for the wordplay?”

When his eyes wandered all over her, Devi felt the heat, becoming a little more defensive than usual. It was like he was judging her from the way she looked. Growing up in a different country from where she had been born, and being who, or more precisely, what she is, that whole thing was not her jam. So it made her a little more annoyed and a little less…nice. “Yeah, I do,” she blurted out almost instinctively, as aggressively as she could. “Got a problem with that, Professor?”

Eyebrow raised, an agitated Devi didn’t stop with that. She leaned forward, now wearing a scowl, doing the same thing to him as he had to her: Judging him after her eyes went over his entire body. “What are you even doing here? This is Worm Row, not your cushy university, with your rich students and expensive beers. You here for something illegal? Something scandalous, huh?” Was he a pervert? It was all starting to make sense to her now. A professor down there for a simple bottle of beer? Nah, he was more likely some sort of deviant, out to buy some folks’ time and company so he could do his weird, maybe even dark, desires with them. Disgusting. “You a piece of shit, Jimmy?”

“I mean, sure,” Jasper shrugged, clearly a filthy casual when it came to music genres. The man listens to The Coffeehouse playlist on Spotify without even remembering the individual titles on there. He was not the best guy to ask for recommendations on songs. He could barely remember the tunes he’s heard for days, both intentionally and unintentionally. “I like rock. I listen to it whenever I can. The Beatles, am I right?” Were the Beatles rock? He had a feeling the woman would tell him either way.

“Oh, no problem,” Jasper feigned a cough, feeling the weight of the night, the company, and the drinks just then. Was his shoulder aching? He could have sworn it wasn’t just a few seconds ago. Why would it even start to hurt? “No problem at all,” he repeated without looking at her, his full attention on the bad feeling on his shoulder. “I just meant, well, you look too pretty to be working security,” he fucked up, obliviously. “Like, you should be a model or something else.”

“Illegal?” Jasper perked up, eyes wide in horror when she started assuming the worst of him. In her defense, she had some great points. Why would a self-respecting professor go all the way down in Worm Row for a drink? In his defense? He was not a self-respecting professor, if not only a professor. “Oh, no! No, no, no! Nothing of the sort,” he gulped, straightened himself on his seat, as if that would help his argument. “I’m just… I don’t really want to run into students or other professors or everyone I know, you know? Also, it’s Jasper, not Jimmy… Did you give me your name?”

Devi wasn’t in the mood to argue. The alcohol coursing through her veins fought off any internal urge to pick a fight with Jasper’s statements. He was right about one thing, though: The Beatles were rock. And a bunch of other things. Hard to box legends with careers, especially music, that withstand time. With a wide grin on her face, she leaned back before unintentionally pounding his shoulder, closer to his back, with a wider hand. “You’re all right, Blackbird,” she chuckled. You’re all right.”

It helped that apparently his earlier comments were meant to be a compliment. Devi didn’t initially take them as such, but to be fair, Devi wasn’t taking things as they are at that point in time. If she was, she wouldn’t be drinking her problems away with a random stranger. A model, though? She felt that was a bit much. She’s been called pretty before, mostly by men with needs, but a model? That felt to her like an unnecessary stretch. “Maybe I am? I’m woman enough to be able to juggle more than one job, right?”

“Jasper,” Devi mouthed his name again. It wasn’t that odd of a name, though it was definitely less common than Jimmy. At least to her it was. She shrugged before she answered his question, “Nope.” Guy was relatable. At least he’d be if she was herself a few years ago. Running into faces she was familiar with in that state? That would’ve been impossible back then. She would’ve made sure of it. But that was all in the past. She’s lost so many loved ones, running into them again would be a welcomed respite from all the regrets, the bad memories, the living nightmares that has since haunted her sober days. 

“It’s Devi,” she let out a yawn, stretching her limbs to either side in protest at the sleepiness. “You know, I get you, Jasper. Sometimes, we just gotta be somewhere else, somewhere new, somewhere no one we know will find us.” It was exactly why she had even moved to town. Somewhere else. Somewhere new. Somewhere no one left she knew would find her. And her sins.

“Blackbird?” Jasper was confused. Where did that come from? Was it because of his skin tone? The geology professor wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. On one hand, he should be offended, right? On the other? She’s kinda cute, so maybe that’s a win for him? Fortunately for him, his stupidity didn’t need to go any further than that. Instead, the sound of his name on her lips pulled him off those thoughts and elsewhere, somewhere much better. “You’re definitely a woman…”

It was Jasper’s turn to mouth her name, only he didn’t speak it out loud. In his head, he did, and that was more than enough for him. It wasn’t like he’d forget her name. He doubted he would forget it and her any time soon. Eyes following her body’s movements, the spellcaster found her words hitting close to home. Too close. Was she the same? A kindred spirit? Or were those words more apt for the friend he had lost down the mines. “Yeah, well,” Jasper heaved a sigh, his mood turning gloomy, as he switched his full attention back to the counter, resting his whole weight on his forearm against the tabletop. “If someone can find us where we think they won’t, maybe that’ll help us find someone else we haven’t been able to find…” Or something like that.

“Yeah?” Devi frowned. Didn’t he say he was a fan of the Beatles? His question confused her in turn, but instead of just prodding him with any accusations, she began singing the familiar line of the should-have-been familiar song to him. “Blackbird singing in the dead of night…” she began, leaning back on her seat, her back against the counter, arms over the tabletop, her head bowing up and down with the imaginary tune only she could hear. “Take these broken wings and learn to fly!” 

“All your life!” A table near them started to sing along, surprising Devi but in a way that only motivated her to continue singing with them, a huge grin on her face. “You were only waiting for this moment to arise…” When the brief sing-along ended, everyone who had participated chuckled and raised their bottles for a cozy cheer. She then heaved a sigh of contentment, and took a swig from her bottle. “Damn right, I am. More woman than any man can handle.” Another chuckle. Before the professor switched gears and started acting all sad. 

Devi could relate: With all her past mistakes, regrets even, disappearing in a small town her old…acquaintances wouldn’t even think of visiting was the best idea she’s ever had. She doubted anyone could find her there. And would rather not sadness find the both of them where and when they were right then and there. “Or… Maybe they’ve already found us, eh? And they’re the someone we didn’t know we needed to find!”

There was never a moment in Jasper’s life where he felt the utmost relief, though if there had been, he couldn’t remember. More importantly, he was impressed. It dawned on him that the woman he was drinking with may be somewhat of a local celebrity. Definitely not just a random face on the street. He’d seen people try to start a sing-along at a bar before, and most of the time, it took great effort. Unless it was a sports thing, strangers barely sang with each other unprompted. Here, the woman didn’t even ask for anyone else to support her singing. They just did. Granted she was pretty, so there’s that… “Oh, yeah!” Jasper nodded, grinning, before taking a swig from his drink. “I remember that song. Classic.”

Was she hitting on him? That was the thought that immediately ran down Jasper’s tiny brain with her final sentiments. After that talk about a woman no man can handle, the geology professor was thinking that maybe she was offering herself up to him as a challenge? Was that sexist? Some backwards misogynistic thought? In a way, in a specific context, maybe. At the moment? He just wasn’t sure. He was too intoxicated to delve deeper into such notions. At least that’s the excuse he wanted to go with. Dangerous territory right there, and he was a rock guy, not a sociopolitical/humanities big brain person. “Maybe,” he grinned again, loosening up in his seat. “Maybe I can be that man who can handle all that woman? Worth a try.”

“Yeah?” Devi grinned, an eyebrow raised as she looked him over from head to toe. He didn’t look bad. Entirely way better than the last guy who tried to hit on her. Now that guy? That guy was a complete fool. Tried to grab her when she said no, so Devi grabbed him back and knocked him out cold. The rest of the bar laughed at his unconscious ass and cheered her on. Now that guy was banned for life from the Wormhole. Poor guy. Now he wouldn’t be able to show them he could change. Also he got hauled into the station, so she guessed, if he wasn’t from Worm Row, that would suck. Or not, depending on whether he had friends in high places. Unfair but that’s just the world for most people. “Think so?”

“Mmm, you’re not bad…” Devi teased before finishing the entirety of what remained in her bottle, leaving it empty if not for air. She heaved a sigh of relief, grinned and then nodded at the bartender, before turning to the professor again. “You’re not married, are you? In a relationship with someone else? Because I don’t do people who’re already with other people. Unless there’s consent, like one of those open relationship things, but even then, I’m not really one for sharing.” The last thing she wanted was to break up a home or someone else’s heart. The last person who tried lying to her about all that found their bones broken. “If not, do you want to pay for all these, so we can get out of here, Blackbird?”

“OH, I’m definitely not married,” Jasper let out a chuckle, much louder and larger than he ever expected to. When he realized that, he meekly apologized with an awkward grin. He wasn’t even sure what he was apologizing for, but it felt like he should, so he did. “No relationships either. I was in one, with a coworker, but that did not end well.” He made sure to leave out the part where said coworker is still a coworker and still randomly shows up at his place whenever she feels like it. That was a weird situation, and he felt he didn’t need to add more weird in whatever this entire thing was. “So, nope, just me right now,” he shrugged. “...and my dog.”

Jasper lamented his mistake of adding that last line but decided it might have just added to his charm. Chicks digged dogs, right? Even though his was a total b-word. He was mid-sip when Devi insinuated what he thought she insinuated and almost spat out all the liquid. Without saying anything else, he scrambled for his wallet while at the same time calling for the bartender’s attention, rushing to pay for their drinks, for everything else, so they could go wherever she wanted them to go. Hopefully where he thought she wanted him. “Blackbird’s ready to fly!”

[spice-and-fire]

TIMING: Recent LOCATION: Worm Row PARTIES: @plunderwater x @spice-and-fire SUMMARY: Devi & Shan reunite. For better or for worse. (Probably for the worse.) CONTENT: Alcoholism (someone gets wasted) & vomiting (someone vomits because she gets wasted)

“I don’t suppose any of you would rather settle this over a game of cards,” Devi suggested, stepping on a single Queen of Hearts on the ground as she backed away, having unintentionally dropped a few cards from her personal collection even before she had started speaking. “...a little Black Jack? Maybe a couple of beers, too! First round’s on me, if you’d like?” She was hugging a wall in a dark alley, her back feeling the cold, stiff hardness of the solid surface, as she wiped the spit off her mouth with a thumb. “Hell, I’d even be up for a game of Crazy Eights. I’m not that good at it, but I can manage.”

“No takers, huh?” Her words were met by silence. Devi sneered, shaking her head. “All right, but unfortunately for you…” She reloaded her biceps, prepping for a fight. “...I’ve got you surrounded.” Her bravado wasn’t false, even as she stood her ground, herself all alone against eight other thugs, all of them furious that she had beaten them a few days ago when she was just doing her job, protecting a client from their attempted shakedown. 

Meanwhile, at Harborside, Shan was about to leave her teahouse, which was more modern and…sugary than the traditional fare, than she personally liked, when a small child came stumbling out of the shadows. With an eyebrow raised, she looked around, making sure no one else was there. Once she realized it was just the two of them, the secretive selkie made her way to the street rat, who quietly mumbled something only she could hear before running back toward the shadows. Not the weirdest thing that has happened to her in town. Or anywhere else. She doubted that would change. “What a drag…”

Groaning, Shan rolled her eyes and went back inside the teahouse, Mist Tea Boba, and straight into her makeshift office, which she rarely used outside of official tea shop owner business. She wasted no time in unlocking a drawer with a key that was hidden inside the locket strapped around her neck and immediately rummaged through the papers in that same drawer. Squinting, she could barely make sense of the letters she was skimming through in that terrible lighting. She could’ve turned on the light, sure, but she was in a hurry. When she found what she needed to find, a figurative lightbulb shone brightly above her head and a triumphant smirk conquered her lips. “Things are about to get dicey…”

As they began to move toward her, Devi threw the first punch. Or at least tried to. Seemed the guys knew what they were doing and waited for her to down all those beers at the Wormhole just a few minutes ago. Despite being intoxicated, obviously, she realized she was being followed as soon as she got out of the bar. Not wanting to put anyone else in danger, she had lured her stalkers to this dark alley, failing to realize there were more than three of them. The guy she had tried to punch first easily dodged her attempt and instead struck her in the gut. 

“Oof!” Devi was sent back again, back-first, against the wall behind her. “Haven’t had enough yet, huh?” They descended on her like a pack of wolves. Or maybe more appropriately like a group of sharks, whatever those were called, after drawing first blood. One of them punched her straight in her face, which she tried to dodge but couldn’t. Another kicked her in the back, a cool move to see but a very painful one to experience. A third slammed her back into the wall with a side kick, as if establishing his dominance over a pathetic prey. 

“Little advice?” Devi spat before pulling herself up from the ground. “If you’re going to beat someone down in a dark alley? Make sure you’re not leaving yourselves vulnerable from behind.”

Crack! The guy at the farthest back fell to the ground, having been tapped on the shoulder, only to receive a kick in the face when he turned to see what that was all about. At the commotion, the rest of the thugs turned around, taking a step back, distancing themselves safely from both sides of possible danger. Shan stood tall behind them, grinning from ear to ear, a playful smirk on her luscious lips. “Sweetie, you’re drunk.”

One of the remaining hooligans threw a punch at her, but Shan was nothing if not quick, agile, and she managed to effortlessly dodge the strike, swiftly grabbing the same man’s arm and using his own momentum to whip him toward his friend. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she purred, taking to the other woman’s side. Going back to back might give them a much better chance to survive the attack. Then again, Shan has survived worse on her own. “Something came up at the teahouse, and I needed to make sure — Is this another one of your fancy midnight brawls, Chopra? I know I’m a few hours late, but why do these charming fellows seem…hellbent on seeing you dead?” 

“And you’re late, darling,” Devi did not appreciate being called out like that, but it was what it was. Her occasional employer wasn’t someone she’d agree with on a daily basis, not even on an hourly basis, but she did pay her good money and she was, well, very hot. If there were two things that could always sway the tempered phoenix’s opinion, it was the amount she was getting paid and how attractive her employer was. Doesn’t always work, though. Pitted against each other, money vs. hotness won’t always end the same way. “But I wasn’t going to mention that.” 

Devi heaved a sigh, shaking her head, “Something always comes up.” She threw a punch at an oncoming thug, and despite her intoxication, still managed to make the hit, forcing the unlucky dude to stumble back toward another one of them. Without missing a beat, she then placed her back against Shan’s, readying a standard defense against a numbers advantage. What else could they do? Old her would have set the guys on fire but she’s a much better person now. Still getting into drunken fights in dark alleys but no longer setting folks on fire.

“It was a…misunderstanding,” Devi was technically correct. If these guys actually understood the situation, not to mention the cause of all this, she doubted they’d intentionally offer themselves up as prey for the phoenix. “You got your business, and I got mine.”

She did. Shan had business that was different from that of Devi's and vice versa. While she considered the freelance security girl as a mere blue collar hand with a hidden darkness on the side — after all how would anyone not have that kind of streak with that kind of job — the selkie considered her business much darker and more an acquired taste. Not everyone can survive in her world of secrets and betrayals and, well, disappearances. Devi was a good weapon, but she was just a weapon. Shan was the black heart drenched in the oily globs of often-immoral necessities.

“We’re not having this conversation while you’re drunk,” Shan rolled her eyes as she kicked another thug off of her. The boys after Devi didn’t seem like they were any good at this. If they were, one of the girls would have been on the ground now. But maybe they were just distracted. Maybe they just didn’t expect another pretty face to join in on the fun. Some guys are all talk, all bark, but when presented with more than one woman, they’d falter, only confident against a lone target. Some girls were like that, too. But there were no girls in their opposition at the moment.

“Darling, we haven’t had this conversation…” Devi stopped herself mid-sentence. She felt something brewing deep within her. Not the flames of rage, no. Not an enlightening development, a realization from the divine that could help change something on a much grander scale than anyone would have ever expected. No. What she was giving birth to was not anything positive. It was definitely not something she’d intentionally call forth, even wish for. “Oh...no.”

Now, to be fair, Devi hasn’t lost a drinking game. Not once in recent memory. But, if her memory serves her correctly, she has not drunk so much and then gotten into a fight thereafter. She instinctively puffed her cheeks, turning to Shan with a horrified look. Never mind the still standing thugs still wanting a piece of them. Never mind the threat of physical hurt surrounding the both of them. What could flow out of her right then and there would be worse. So much worse. 

“Don’t you dare!” Shan screamed. Honestly. Not a single attempt to hide her disdain for that possible end. There was no need to. Why would she even try disguising that disgust? Most normal people would hate that, especially when the...explosion would hit them. Shan was especially annoyed, considering she had her favorite fur coat on. At least let the girl take it off before you shower her with…fluids. Even that’s beyond my threshold. 

Fortunately for Shan, one of the thugs lunged at her again. Taking the opportunity, she threw herself at him, deftly dodging his thrown punch to instead slither around him, over his body, taking him down with a submission hold worthy of the Octagon. Shan was no avid fan of fighting sports, but she’s learned a few things from those folks. While she wasn’t as physically imposing or impressive as Devi, she was more limber and dare she believe a lot more creative. Her attacker found himself on the ground, screaming in pain, while the selkie effortlessly tugged on his vulnerable arm. One wrong move, that arm would go off. Its socket. Literally. 

A thug tried to help free his friend from Shan’s impressive submission hold, but Devi intercepted him with an effortless knockout punch. Stealing a glimpse at the woman on the ground, her limbs wrapped around her prey, the tempered phoenix couldn’t help but grow a little bit envious…of her prey. In fact, Devi took too long staring at them with a devilish smirk that another thug, the only one still standing, hit her with a straight jab in the face, sending her stumbling back in a drunken haze. “Ow! Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to hit a beautiful woman in the face?”

The man mumbled something crude, sexist, and honestly, surprisingly violent. It was one of those gross things a stupid “manly man” liked to throw at a cornered woman, a sample of disgusting verbiage from a deluded self-proclaimed predator when trying to break down a victim, its prey. Unfortunately for this idiot, Devi didn’t like the idea of being seen as a victim. Even if she was, technically, she’d rather be seen as a survivor. That was emphasized by her battle cry, a thunderous roar that spooked the guy when it came out of nowhere and rendered him defenseless to a pair of punches that inevitably ended his night.

“YOU NEVER SPEAK TO A LADY THAT WAY, YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A TADPOLE!”

“If I remember correctly, we agreed to meet at the Wormhole,” Shan shook her head, arms crossed, as the last of the thugs were finally vanquished. She had let go of her own victim, kicked him in the face to immediately knock him out, and picked herself off the ground, dusting her clothes and her body for any unwanted gravel or sand. There was a moment when she considered just biting a chunk out of the unruly boy’s neck, a well-deserved fate for someone so eager to muddy up her outfit. But Devi was already screaming in rage, and she thought it better not to add to that display of savagery. “...not some back-alley dumpster filled with hooligans.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing new about having to save you from yet another drunken misunderstanding, Devi,” Shan shook her head, helping the intoxicated woman on her feet, as the pair made their way to Devi’s apartment. This wasn’t the first time she had to bail the tempered phoenix out of a misjudged bout, though to be fair, the latter had saved her from a few deathly predicaments as well. It was perhaps one of the reasons why the selkie had a soft spot for her. Another was that she was cute. 

Once they had arrived at D’Arden House, Shan took Devi’s key from inside her pocket, and with the phoenix’s arm still over her neck, brought them both inside, but not before locking the door behind them. Worm Row was not a place to be lax, complacent, and even though Shan didn’t live there, she has had many dealings with the more flexible folks in need of a few bills to pay their rent. One of them, she gracefully deposited on her bed. 

“I was only trying to spice things up,” Devi groaned as she laid on the bed. All alone. Limbs sprawled everywhere and nowhere. Her entire, uncooperative body taking up much of the space. Sweat drenched most of her, the tight contact between her back and the sheets only inspiring them to make her feel even hotter, and not in a good way. Her insides were spinning, not to mention her head. She’s always been better at controlling her alcohol, but the fight and the fact that she had thought Shan had once again stood her up made that less of a priority in the past few hours. 

“You wound me, darling,” Devi groaned again, taking her hand off her head and instead placing a handkerchief over her eyes. She tried to make herself feel better by moving her entire body. Big mistake. She just felt even more nauseated, almost to the point of letting it all go right then and there. “...and slightly nauseate me. Mind holding still for a bit?” If she was in her right mind, she would’ve balked at that imagery herself. This beautiful East Asian woman of mystery? Nauseating? The world has gone to hell, and Devi would have fought herself.

Shan had begun pacing at the foot of Devi’s bed, “And here I was, thinking maybe we could finally have a night to ourselves. Our first in — who even knows how long? I thought we’d finally get a chance to reconnect, to establish a new normal now that we’ve found each other again after all these years. But I guess old habits truly die hard.” She brought her A-game with that monologue, making sure to emphasize that this was all the phoenix’s fault while at the same time not making the effort to hide the fact that it was all a ploy meant to tease her in her current condition.

Once the intoxicated woman made the request, Shan acknowledged and indulged it without outright referencing the matter, instead sitting gracefully on the edge of the same bed, as carefully as she could. “I did warn you about that, sweetie,” she groaned before taking out her purse, water resistant by necessity. “Too much of a good thing, that isn’t me, will only lead to your suffering!”

Devi groaned, stealing a glimpse of Shan from underneath the handkerchief that was over her eyes, “That’s not funny.” It was. At least if she was sober, it would’ve been. But she was feeling all sorts of woozy at the moment, making her sense of humor a bit off, maybe more out like a light than she was thankfully. Shan wasn’t lying, though: They met each other a few years back, lost contact for a while, and were now unexpectedly reunited in this weird, small town. Coincidence? Most likely, but she didn’t count the selkie’s schemes out. Shan always had something up her sleeves. Whether she wore them or not.

“By the way, you said something came up at Mist Tea?” Devi had visited the place only once, under the selkie’s request, but it was mostly for another unrelated job. She promised to visit again, next time outside of work hours, but never did. The place was too swanky for the phoenix, and she was a little embarrassed at the fact that she might not be that financially flexible to visit a sugary sweet tea shop on her own time. Still, she made plans. Still do. “Did something happen?” 

Devi groaned again, slowly lifting herself out of the bed, forcing her body to settle for a sitting position, determined to hear whatever made the selkie late for their alone time. Despite Shan being sneaky, Devi gave her the benefit of the doubt, specifically that she wanted to hang out with zero strings attached. “Tell me.”

“Funny? I’m not trying to be funny,” Shan raised an eyebrow, continuing to take things out of her purse, mostly papers, also water resistant. She smirked at Devi, also continuing to throw shade at her and at the same time foreshadowing something else, someone else, a familiar face. To both of them. “There’s only one joke in this room.”

“Something will happen,” Shan emphasized the second word in that statement, heaving a sigh as she presented a photo in Devi’s face. “ — and while I have no qualms about interrupting your alleyway brawls — ” The photo was of a man, though it was not a portrait of the man. The photo was taken on higher ground, without the man’s permission, or more importantly, knowledge. “I would not have gotten late if it was not important.”

“For now, I need you to trust me,” Shan removed all other notions on her face, except for dire seriousness. This part? It could not be misconstrued as anything but serious. “I need you to help me get this man. You remember him don’t you?”

Devi squinted. The man was familiar, but how? Why? She tried to rummage through her brain to find the answers to those questions but could barely make sense of the memories that came flooding to her. This is why you should never drink at work. Before work. Something like that. She heaved a sigh, annoyed at herself. Why did she drink so much? Just because she thought Shan had stood her up? They’re not even together. Yet.

But then it all started to make sense to her. Slowly, the man’s face started to reveal itself to Devi, specifically the reason why it was so familiar. She had worked with him before. Helped her get to places she needed to, mostly as another hired help by a previous employer. He had a shop, too, a place where he kept his cars, his tools, not all of them legal, not all of them safe, not all of them…normal. Devi never asked for his name, but he was introduced to her as… “The mechanic?”

“The transporter,” Shan corrected her, even though Devi wasn’t wrong. Ewan Falcone was a mechanic these days, in Worm Row of all places, but he was still semi-active as a transporter of most things barely legal. He used to be a mercenary, too. Among other things. They’ve each had a brush or two with Falcone, if she remembered correctly. The selkie had even hired him before. This time, however, she would not. Could not. “I can’t trust just anyone with this information, Devi.”

“The time has come to take him off the board,” Shan continued, shaking her head. There was no other way to say it, no other way she felt she could get the point across. The man was going to get in the way of their plans, her plans, and Devi was the only person in town she trusted to get the job done. Of course, the selkie could get it done herself, but her association with the man might be too recent — He could remember her before she could get any closer. Like in that botched job with the pretty little thing that betrayed her. “It is imperative that we bring him down.”

“Hold on,” Devi shook her head in confused protest. Big mistake. Doing so only aggravated her throbbing headache. Still, she fought through it, against that annoying pain, as she knew she had more important matters to contend with. “You haven’t even told me what’s going to happen, but you want us to take out this guy?” She yoinked the photo from the selkie’s hands, put it closer to her face so she could squint at it, and then presented the face to the other woman again. Needlessly so. “Is it important now? Or can it be important later?”

Devi heaved a sigh. Normally, she didn’t ask for more information than what was given to her…if by normally, she meant in her old life. As a mercenary. A gun-for-hire. A soldier who took down anyone and everyone for money. But that was all in the past. She wasn’t that girl anymore. These days, she needs more information than a target’s face. Can’t secure a place, or a person, if you don’t know what’s coming for it, them. “This isn't a lot of information, darling. Actually, it’s no information.”

“It’s not that complicated, sweetie,” Shan frowned, placing a hand on Devi’s face. It was genuine. This time. She truly felt like a mother explaining to her daughter a sad or tragic event. But she immediately shook it off, not wanting to be Devi’s mother. That would make things extra weird, especially since she thought she was attractive and thought even more inappropriate things for the two of them. The fact that the phoenix was barely at her best didn’t help. Shan wondered if she had rushed things? Maybe they could take it slow. Even if she wanted to get on top of things right now, Devi was in no state of mind to function efficiently. “Perhaps I can explain later once you’re feeling, thinking much better?”

“I understand that I’m asking for your blind trust in me, Devi,” Shan heaved a sigh. Normally, this whole thing didn’t bother her. She’d just forgo the emotional anchors, easily dupe someone into doing her bidding or helping her at least. But the phoenix was different. She was a friend. Perhaps she was even more than a friend. She had duped her before, yes, but that was before they knew each other, before she’d come to know her. The selkie sincerely pleaded for her close ally’s help. “This matter is delicate, and there is no one I trust more than you. Whatever trust you have left — Please place it in me now.”

Devi squinted at Shan, crossing her arms over her chest. The selkie’s touch was nice, made her feel warm, but the rest of those words were a bit more complicated to her ear and mind. The tempered phoenix took her time, thinking things through. It just wasn’t about trust for her. She’d go over the moon for the selkie. Truth was, it was more about going in blind. Devi has done that, never liked it. But for Shan? Well, she’d go over the moon AND back for her. Even blind as a bat. Simple as that. “Great. Then we need to find the mechanic, transporter, that guy…”

“Anything else you can tell me?” Devi reached out and held her hand, as if pleading for more information than she was given. If you’re going to send a soldier to war, at least give her a weapon, even if it’s just a small knife. Better yet, give her armor, something to make her feel safe and not just another tool, another fodder. There isn't a lot a soldier would ask for, as following orders for the common good is what a soldier's supposed to do, but you could make the blind trust thing a whole lot easier. Without saying those things and more, Devi tried to plead her case to Shan.

Shan heaved a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had no doubt Devi would trust her, as there was no reason not to, at least not in this situation. Everything she had said was truthful, genuine, though some things were of course better left unsaid. “I can tell you where to find Ewan Falcone, of course, because I’ll be going with you,” she shrugged, gently caressing the phoenix’s hands. “But you’ll be the one who has to convince him, by any means necessary, considering he may not trust me.”

Falcone had all the right reasons not to trust the selkie. After all, their last job together didn’t exactly endear Shan to the man. Who would, when the job ended miserably, and the selkie bolted to save herself, leaving him to fend for himself, and with a clear disadvantage, having his face exposed and his only way out lost to their hunters. “Falcone…will not blindly follow my…directive...ever again. He may assist us through your call, but he follows his own agenda. And there’s a very good chance…” The best chance indeed. “That he won’t come with us willingly.”

Devi heaved a sigh, crossing her arms over her chest once more. This time, she also closed her eyes, as if that would help as she tried to go over everything that was shared with her. It wasn’t much, it was barely anything, but she did trust Shan, even if she had a reason not to after their past encounter. People change, the tempered phoenix believed in that, so she had no reason to not give Shan the benefit of the doubt. If she didn't, then that would mean she couldn’t do the same for herself, and she was the one who needed that whole thing to be true. People have to change, including her. Especially her. 

“Alright then,” she heaved yet another sigh before opening her eyes, an eyebrow raised at the attractive woman with her. Her lips slowly curled into a playful smirk…before all the bad things rose up from inside her. Fighting after those bottles was not a good idea, and even though she’d vow to herself she’d never do it again, it was the least awful thing that’s happened to her, that she’s experienced, that involved her. “But first, let me take a nap,” Devi plopped backward into the bed, immediately surrendering to slumber. “It’s not like we need to do all that right away, right?”

“Right,” Shan heaved a defeated sigh, a weak smile forming across her lips. A part of her wanted the job to be done right away, so they could quickly move on and do something else. She would never lie about wanting to spend more time with Devi, time that wasn’t spent on the clock in business terms, time that wasn’t always running against them, putting them in danger. Devi could handle danger, she knew that, and she could handle it herself as well, but some days, it just gets too much, and all the selkie just wanted to do was hang out with someone she didn’t need to lie to, to put up defensive barriers again. “Take your nap, Devi. Tomorrow can wait.”

Rising from her seat on the bed, the selkie took a good long look at the sleeping phoenix before making her way to the table with a massive mirror, perfect for doing one’s make-up. Except Shan didn’t need to do her make-up. There was no need to. Instead, while still standing, she looked at her own reflection before taking off her white fur coat, the one that hid her pelt within. It wasn’t as heavy or as thick as most fur coats, instead weighed only by the malfunctioning pelt that was most of it, the fur coat exterior a thin mask to hide the true danger within. 

Shan had the thing made by a spellcaster that traded craftsmanship for magic, and despite her better judgment, she ignored the pelt’s hunger for the long-term investment. Better judgment then, at least. Clearly, the trade worked in her favor. She smiled at the thought, placing the coat over the table’s chair, before crawling into bed next to the unconscious Devi. With a smile, she looked at the other woman, heaving a sigh that felt more like peace than anything else. At least for a few hours, she would have peace. Then the cycle of survival begins anew.

[spice-and-fire]

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