majkemaniiia

[majkemaniiia]

We Set It On Fire | Musika

[majkemaniiia]

There you go, Oswald. Very reasonable of you. She gives him a smirk of satisfaction and goes to refill her coffee. Usually, she was a fancier coffee drinker, but fancy coffee for a hangover could almost feel worse. So it's coffee pot today.

"Oh?" A friend dared him, "That's pretty irresponsible of them to just up and leave you. So try again," she says with shake of her head. The truth makes more sense. She's grateful for the honesty. "Sure, that's understandable. I used to drink every evening in my twenties. Not to drunkenness, but socially, it was one of those things where you didn't want to miss out. And, besides, it wasn't very cost effective when I was trying to save up."

She shrugs. She doesn't care if he knew that about her. It was thirty years ago in another country.

"Why was I out? Honestly," she starts, ready to lie... only, she doesn't. She inhales, exhales, says, "I don't know either. I went for a walk to clear my head. Started by the park, walked a circuit, then did it again. I'm sure you're aware that the streets are disorienting at times. Usually to newcomers. When I'm wanting to keep walking, I just let the confusion take over. It certainly keeps the walk interesting."

@oswaldxmarks

Just Another Wake Up Call | Ozke

[majkemaniiia]

Maybe just a little bit of help. Like flint sparking, Majke might just be able to kickstart this attempt. Reagents gathering, fusing, merging -- and unfortunately, maybe it worked in a way that it wasn't meant to (!!) ?

Majke was a good fire sorceress, she would never be so clumsy as to set someone on fire. But, alright, okay, maybe she had. He nearly tumbles from the chair and she jumps back as he rolls (it looks like flailing to her) to put himself out.

Shit!

It's hard with a moving target to draw out the flames, rising further and singing his hair. The smell of burnt hair was always the worst. And then there's also the smell of burnt plastic, which she could have figured from her acrylic rug.

Damnit.

Majke draws on the rising flames, slowly trying to pull it from Mushu and his clothes and hair and smother it in the air, relying on accelerating the way it burns away. There we go. She feels bad for the kid, his panicked features imprinted. It was fine. She'd get him some water, she'd get him a towel, it would be---

BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP--

Her neighbors were going to hate her. The fire alarm goes off, and Majke's not even sure if it's for this apartment only or not. Seems it, having only set off the kitchen one.

Oh, just.... fuck it!

"Hold on, wait a second--" She grabs the fire extinguisher from under the sink, points and shoots. (...) A minute later, Mushu with foam stuck in his hair instead of fire and a towel Majke's placed over his shoulders for the trouble...

Sitting in silence as the fire alarm died down to nothing... sitting there... just.... "So that didn't work..." She shakes her head, glancing at Mushu and then the books on the table... "So same time next week?"

@dragon-not-a-lizard

We Set It On Fire | Musika

[majkemaniiia]

@apennywasted

She tilts her head a bit at him, watching confusion -- however brief it lingers -- cloud his face at her presence. Oh, was magic supposed to keep her out?

Seamus, that's rude, she might say.

To which, he might have said, how did you get on my property? Like the grouchy old man he could be.

And then Majke would smile sweetly, laughingly. What, like it's hard?

Anyways, she offers him a cup of coffee and gives him a smirk of a smile. Always the same... even when she was young, she noticed the quirks of his smile and the changes in his gait with his mood. He knew her too well, but then again, it went both ways.

"Never, dear Seamus," she says, as if scandalized by the thought. "It's French Press. But if you hate that too, I can see what I can do."

This is a dance she knows far too well. She and Seamus, fitting together in the ways people didn't quite understand. Never lovers, much to many people's surprise. Nor were they lovers gone awry. They'd always been friends, even if Majke didn't wish to acknowledge it. This past year in Swynlake, though, reminded her of that truth.

She looks down at Maeve, smiling in a way that she really only did at children and animals. With no thoughts, really, besides an acceptance. Majke had always been a softie with children and pets, and Seamus knew it.

"I'm on the board," she says, though Seamus already knew. "And now I'm so thoroughly confused at how that's happened that I really don't know what to do or who to talk to. Also... matters of the heart, but how much we need to talk about that... we can table that. Shelve it. For now. Forever. Whatever suits you."

How Did We End Up Here? || Seamus & Majke

[majkemaniiia]

Nothing? Mushu had nothing, which made sense. It was unfortunate, but Majke wasn't exactly sure if it would work. She was grasping at straws when it came to dragon things. "Well, we can try this candle then perhaps," Majke offers as a focus. She sets it before him and remembers her own training. Her Aunt Chiara setting a candle before her for her to practice channeling reagents. Just a left over Christmas candle that Majke had carved markings in...

She stands behind him, taking the hand with the wand and guiding it to point and focus on the candle wick. It's simple magic for a fire sorceress, but for a dragon? Did it even work like that? Was it fire breath he needed to be focusing on? Poe sent her notes on that, too.

"Okay, let's try this together. Maybe find a spark to start and ignite... fire magic training talk but maybe we can work with that, yea?"

@dragon-not-a-lizard

We Set It On Fire | Musika

[majkemaniiia]

So, it had been a moment since Mal McHale stopped by. Majke truly did hope that Mal was doing well, but didn't particularly persist in conversing. They'd moved on from hooking up to a casual relationship, one of friendship rather thannnnn... yea. Anyways, when she hears the knock, it's distinct. And planned.

Maybe she would groan, but she doesn't. Just smirks a bit and unlocks the door.

"Favorite person..." Majke repeats with a sort of wry smile, "is that what you are? You're at least top five, Ms McHale. Can I get you something to drink?"

@mal-mchale

A Couch Catch Up || Hale Spell

[majkemaniiia]

"So I'm not saying that you're off today," Magica says, as she hands over the till to Mim, their shift change underway, "but I will say you've been off for weeks."

This is the part where Magica goes home, isn't it? Nope. Not happening. She and Mim have been dodging each other on shifts or are busy on shifts and that's not exactly the right time to talk about whatever big, personal things Mim is going through. No need to air that out to customers.

However. The store was empty + Mim on Shift = Perfect opportunity!

"So, as your friend and store aunt, I am here to offer an ear. And chocolates, if you want some. Because I bought more as an offering. Or a bribe. Whichever suits you best."

@madmagicmim

Shift Change Conversations || Fuchsia

[majkemaniiia]

Here are Majke's problems with Seamus MacTunnag:

He's Seamus MacTunnag.

That's it, that's enough. Thank you for coming to the TED Talk. But if one were to ask on a deeper level, the issue was that he was all too much a friend and all too much a person who knew her too well.

She didn't like having a friend like Seamus, or so she claimed. She didn't like.... being known that way.

She needed to be known for being a brilliant, powerful sorceress! Not whatever it was that Seamus knew.

Here are a list of things Seamus knows:

She used to wait tables in Munich

She used to work the till in New York

Her brother was her parents' favorite child

She was a 'disappointment' as far as her Light Sorcery

She used to cut her own bangs over the kitchen sink

Her brother thinks that she and Seamus are playing the long game

Her parents think Seamus is their future son-in-law

"She's quite the catch" (Thank you, Seamus's friends in New York)

She loses her temper.

She loses her cool.

She is not cool.

She doesn't actually hate him like she claims.

And that last point is very inconvenient for her! At least him knowing that means that she could just so easily barge into his New York apartment, lay on his sofa like she lived there, and say, "Seamus, I have a dilemma."

The worst bit, though! He would listen with a sympathetic ear!

Disgusting. Anyways. This time, it's different. She's not in her twenties anymore, they're not in New York, and she's now a public official. She's also Seamus's problem still.

"Seamus, I have a dilemma," she says, like so many times before. He's just opened the door, and she's there, with two to-go cups of coffee. "Trade you caffeine for a conversation."

@apennywasted

How Did We End Up Here? || Seamus & Majke

[majkemaniiia]

Shift Change Conversations || Fuchsia

[majkemaniiia]

How Did We End Up Here? || Seamus & Majke

[majkemaniiia]

Now it was Majke's turn to laugh a little. Hera had that effect on her. Sparkling and clearing, like a refreshing breeze. Only, it wasn't like a breeze, because breezes reminded Majke of the oceans and cliffs when she was growing up in secluded towns with Lena. No, Hera reminded Majke of something older, something more alive... she reminded her of a perfect early-spring day on the streets of a city, always busy but always pulsing. Air whisking between the building, gracing you with a brush on the cheek before going.

Hera wasn't a fleeting person, but the feelings she left in Majke's chest never stayed long enough for Majke to really savor them.

"Hera, you ought to take care of yourself," Majke says, not quite chiding but certainly concerned. Though she does bring herself to smile about the mention of the board position. Majke really was pleased, she really did want to enact some amount of positive change here. She wanted to grow the town in healthy ways, work with local businesses... "I'm excited," she admits. "We talked about it, but I've never felt so strongly about a place before. I wasn't even so invested in my own hometown, but here..."

She trails off. This felt more like home than anywhere had in a long, long time.

Maybe the last time Majke had felt so truly at home was... hmmm... maybe in New York, when she and Seamus did the odd job together. Her studio apartment with the view of... parking lots. Which was fine. Majke could deal with a concrete jungle, so long as it was inhabited by people.

Majke hated people, but she also loved them.

"I am," Majke says, forcing her thoughts away from her musings. "I am, truly. I think it'll be exciting, not that working at the Rock Shoppe isn't exciting enough. And how are things going with you and Juno?"

@thesorceress-hera

Many Thanks | majera

[majkemaniiia]

There's a moment of quiet before Majke laughs. It's lighter, more genuine than usual. It's not like the way she'd sometimes laugh in the middle of the conversation to fill space. It's not like when she's putting on a facade.

He'd asked if she should snitch if he were doing drugs in public. "I probably should," she says with a wry, humored smile. "But what are you going to do if I don't? Tattle? Then they know you did drugs, and that doesn't sound very smart on your part." She shrugs. "So this can be our little secret, Oswald."

He thanks her, and she, again, shrugs. "It's no trouble," she says. "Consider me doing my good board member duty of keeping the town safe." She glances at the fridge. "Do you want anything for breakfast? Do you want to take a shower? Do you... want to talk about whatever happened that got you that wasted?"

@oswaldxmarks

Just Another Wake Up Call | Ozke

[majkemaniiia]

On the off-chance Lena would have been sorcerer material, Majke did keep an old wand around. She may lie and say it was for other reasons, but that was the real one. Now, it lay waiting with disuse. Maybe today it would find that spark?

Majke raises a brow. She didn't know, actually. She figures, like species of most kinds, there would be a natural evolution or progression. But sorcerers, for example, went through a course of study. Magic could all be so unique.

"Well, we'll try both of them," Majke offers. She hands him the training wand first, then riffles through the cupboard for a candle of a kind. One of her practice ones from her fire sorcery training... "Here, dear. Let's try this, and if somehow, we have some runaway sparks, I've got some fire magic to try to lessen the char."

@dragon-not-a-lizard

We Set It On Fire | Musika

[majkemaniiia]

Ah. Why did she bring him back? "No, I didn't have to. But you were barely cognizant and I was worried about you," Majke admits before sipping down the rest of her coffee.

It leaves a stillness in the air. Some quiet between them. An older version of her may have side stepped him and kept walking. Yes, there were concerns about a woman alone at night, but Majke had magic and a fierceness had her less inclined to worry.

And as far as she knew, Oswald was just a guy.

"You apologized to a bench last night," Majke says, looking at him with a raised brow. "And then when you ran into it again, you told it to fuck off. I think that's when I decided maybe you needed to be... Not on the street. What happened to you, anyways? Drugs? I won't snitch if it was, in just curious."

@oswaldxmarks

Just Another Wake Up Call | Ozke

[majkemaniiia]

Fading Light || Majke & Menodora

January 22, 2025 — Majke and Menodora share some drinks. Majke reflects. TW: none CW: alcohol

“I didn't take you for someone who drinks,��� Majke says, eyebrow raised, bottle opener still in hand. She turns it over in her hand. Once. Twice. Her gaze is unwavering. “And especially beer.”

“Occasionally,” The Countess replies, then smiles. “Though rarely Rheinbacher.” She takes another sip. Makes a face. “Next time, I'll mix drinks.”

[ READ HERE ]

[majkemaniiia]

He guesses. She almost laughs. Her eyes look him over, not in a hungry way but in an appraising one. He looks tired. He looks weary. She smiles at him and his confusion.

"Good morning," she repeats, standing up. Moving over to the fridge to pull the container of milk. "I don't know how sweet you like it, but the sugar's to your right. "Milk's here. And I might have chocolate syrup."

It's very casual, non-judgmental. She used to tell Lena that she 'wouldn't get mad as long as Lena was honest with her.' She figures the same might apply to Oswald, though he had no obligation to her in any form.

"How are you feeling?" She asks, eyebrows raised. "You were very out of it last night. If I had ever had the thought of taking you to bed, that was not the way I expected it going."

@oswaldxmarks

Just Another Wake Up Call | Ozke

[majkemaniiia]

How was she? Majke might have said 'a little scared', actually. To be on the board? Yea, she was a little scared! She had done the numbers in her head to see if she could do it and every scenario involved 'no.' She thought that maybe Skip would have gotten it, or a few other folks ahead of her.

Whereas people rallies around Vidia, or were charmed by Isaac... Majke didn't feel that special. Though, clearly, Hera thought she was. The thought turns her stomach in the best way.

"Very well, Hera," Majke says politely. "Always lovely to see you, as well. And how are you? Anything exciting, or are you taking time for yourself considering how busy it always seems to be?"

@thesorceress-hera

Many Thanks | majera