#arcane writers i am shaking you by the shoulders

[pillowenvelopchair]

"Our paths diverged long ago. It was affection that held us together." Hello? HELLO??????????????

[ranawaytothedas]

Candy

Rating - Teen

Word count -  3115

AO3 - TBA (tomorrow)

Ships -

Solas/Tamaris

Dorian/Mathras

Mentions Merrill/Carver 

Summery: A Modern AU! Halloween Solavellan family fluff fest, to celebrate 60 followers on my DA Blog!!

A/N: I set this around the bustling urban metropolis of “Kirkwall” just so I could include Merrill because I love her… I guess some important stuff… Varric is Governor of the City State of Kirkwall after being a successful comic book writer who wrote politically fuel comics satirizing the events that led to great Mage Rebellion… in an odd write in situation that started as Twitter hashtag, Varric was elected Ruler of Kirkwall…<.<. The Hawk, is a superhero from Varric’s comics made famous by the actor and personal friend of Mayor Tethras, Garrett Hawke, who is also a friend of Tamaris’s from College. Solas is a professor of Ancient Elven Studies at the College of Kirkwall, Merrill is his assistant professor… Dorian and Mathras are podcast/youtube darlings and visiting from Minrathous .. Tamaris is a stay at home mom, to her and Solas’s 3 year old Shivana… 

The shrieks and giggles of a toddler echoed through a modest home just outside of the sprawling urban landscape of Kirkwall. Tamaris Lavellan, stood in her kitchen over a boiling pot craning her neck to try to see where her toddler had run off to. “Mathras! Can you please just contain her in one room!” Tamaris shouted as she dumped a box of pasta in the boiling pot, giving it a quick stir before trying to go track down her poor brother who she last saw chasing after her three year old daughter whom, while not being watched for just a moment, had gotten in the large bowl of Halloween candy that had been on the kitchen table. The results being a very hyper child covered in chocolate. 

As Tamaris walked into the family room, Mathras’s partner Dorian sat on the couch scrolling through instagram. Walking up behind him Tamaris ran her hand along the back of his shoulders and put on her best smile. Dorian looked up from his phone, locking the screen and putting it in his lap. “Yes, my dear?” He beamed up at her. Dorian had been one of the most charming men she had ever met when they were seated next to each other in Arcane Studies class nearly a decade previous. Tamaris had even tried to ask him out, only to find out his interests lay elsewhere. It was her, who ultimately set him and Mathras up. Though if you listened to their podcast. “It’s the Tea from Tiventer with Dorian and Mathras” a daily gossip podcast and youtube channel, they would tell their love story very differently. 

With a weary sigh Tamaris pointed to the kitchen. “Could you please make sure the pasta doesn’t stick. If I serve Solas one more clump of pasta I think he will divorce me for cruelty and malnourishment.” Trying not to laugh Dorian nodded as Tamaris let out a thankful sigh. “I have to go save Mathras from Shivana…” 

Waving his hand Dorian laugh, “Please, go… save my husband from your terribly behaved sugar fuel child…” With a laugh as he stood to go do as he was asked in the kitchen. 

Tamaris made her way into the formal living where her twin brother was in a stalemate with her three year old daughter, who had shed her purple dress and now had Mathras’s cellphone in her hands, which were still covered in chocolate. She was racing around the room as Mathras, who had her dress clasped in his right hand tried to catch her. For a high school and college athlete her brother was having quite the time trying to catch her. Tamaris saw the direction that her daughter was headed in and knew her trickster ways, she was able to cut the toddler off and scoop her up just as Shivana was about to open Mathras’s photo gallery. “That’s not yours Shivana!” Tamaris scolded as she snatched the phone from her now screaming daughter’s hands and held it out for her brother to take. 

“Thank you,” Mathras breathed as he took the phone, slightly out of breath. “My word… like how do you do it?” He asked rather seriously. 

Which just caused Tamaris to laugh softly as she took Shivana’s dress from her brother. “Coffee, Coffee, Coffee, Elfroot, Wine, Elfroot, Wine… repeat…” Tamaris smirked.

Her brother laughed softly as he nodded. “I mean, it sounds like a solid routine.” He reached out and patted his sister on the arm. “Can I do anything to help?” He asked sweetly, a gesture that Tamaris would not have expected from him. She made a mental note that Dorian must be domesticating her former party animal brother. 

With a blissful sigh Tamaris nodded towards the kitchen. “Help Dorian with dinner so I can toss her into a bath, Solas should be home soon and we have to eat right when he gets home. No mucking about… I am not having Shivana miss Trick or Treating again this year.” Tamaris was not living up to her dreams of domestic goddesshood. Though her husband never asked for such feats, Tamaris still tried to be that perfect Pinterest mom. Yet most of her projects lay half finished and she was walking mess, far from the woman she was when she was one of the hosts of The Tea during her brush with fame.

Mathras smiled warmly at his sister as he patted her shoulder.“There was a bloody war last year, Tamaris! Geeze I think we can forgive you for that one.” He kissed her cheek as he went to leave. “I am assuming you keep everything in the most logical places… you aren’t keeping pots in the stove again?” 

“Whats wrong with that?” Tamaris asked confused. 

Mathras chuckled as he shook his head. “Nevermind, you are just like Mamae… go get her in the bath before you are the one that makes us late!” He teased gesturing for her to go. 

Tamaris was getting Shivana dressed after her bath when she heard her front door open and a chorus of ‘Hellos’ from her brother, Dorian, her husband and a female voice. Tamaris pursed her lips as she pulled Shivana’s costume on over her head head. “Oh I guess he just decided that sure let’s bring Merrill home… let’s not even ask the wife…” Tamaris gumbled not thinking that her daughter was actually listing. 

“I like Merrill, she is funny and nice.” Shivana pointed out softly as she stuck her head through the top of the costume. The little auburn haired girl smiled up at her mother. “You say ‘be nice’ to me…” She pointed out using Tamaris’s own words against her. 

Looking down at her daughter Tamaris scowled. “Stop sounding like your father and put on the bottoms to your costume.” There was an edge of jokingness in her voice but Tamaris still noted how harsh she sounded as she knelt down. “I mean, we gotta get moving sweetheart, you don’t want to miss the Trick or Treating, right?” This time her voice was much softer as pulled up the bottom half ‘The Hawk’ costume and handed her the mask to carry before standing back up. “Only put on the mask after dinner, do not eat with the mask on… understood?” 

“Yes Mamae…” The little girl said nodding her head. The glint of mischief in her bright blue eyes told Tamaris otherwise. “Can I do say hi to Bae now?” 

Tamaris nodded with soft smile. “Sure, let’s go…” The little girl took her mother’s hand and started to almost drag her back down the stairs. Tamaris had felt like she hadn’t sat down for more than two minutes all day between picking up her brother and Dorian from the airport, to running back to the store when she realized that she had eaten more the good candy they had bought. It wasn’t till she saw the look her husband gave her did she realize what was her biggest mistake of the day. “Shite.” She muttered as Shivana dropped her hand and raced over to her father’s waiting arms. 

Solas had not been expecting Tamaris’s brother, so he was rather shocked to see him and Dorian Pavus in his kitchen making spaghetti just a few moments before. As he lent down pick up his daughter who was wearing a ridiculous costume and not the one he had thought they agreed on several weeks early in the store. “Hello, sweetheart.” He greeted Shivana kissing her on the cheek once she was settled in her his arms. 

“Look! I am Uncle Garett! See!” The child exclaimed excitedly pulling at her costume as if her father had no idea what she was talking about. 

Solas forced a smile for his daughter as he nodded. “I see, da’ean… why don’t go show you actual Uncle in the kitchen.” He kissed her cheek again before setting her down on the wood floor of the hall. Shivana raced down the hall and into the kitchen trying to make a dramatic entrance. There was a roar of laughter from the kitchen yet Shivana’s parents stood in the hall looking at each other. 

Tamaris’s eyes were cast at her bright green socks not wanting to look at her husband as she started to mutter. “I know… I know...  you don’t even have to say anything Solas.” Tamaris mumbled shaking her head. “I really thought I told you days ago they were coming…” 

“No, no you did not.” Solas began as he reached out and took his wife’s hand. Tamaris’s gaze lifted as tried to read his face. From the way his brow was tense she could tell he was still annoyed, but as warm smile crept across his lips her fears eased. “It will be fine, I mean I forgot to text you to tell you they push trick or treating back till tomorrow because of the weather..” Tamaris’s eyes grew wide at the last part of his statement. Her head snapped around to look out the window, while it was slightly overcast it didn’t look like rain. 

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she pulled her hand away from her husband to gesture towards the window. “Did they like look outside?” Solas shrugged and gave her a weak smile. He knew how much doing the silly tradition meant to Tamaris. Shivana had been born during such a turbulent time in Kirkwall that so many of the simple things like birthday parties and trick or treating got pushed aside for the sake of survival. Solas reached out and took Tamaris’s hand trying to get her to look back at him. 

“Vhenan, listen.” He started finally getting her attention. “We will just do it tomorrow… it’s really not that much of an issue.” Solas was trying his best to reassure her. His hand moved to caress her arm. “I am sure Shivana will understand…” Tamaris rolled eyes knowing full well their daughter had talked of nothing else since she had woken up that morning. 

“Yeah, sure…” Tamaris muttered before leaning forward finally giving Solas a peck on the lips and asking him, “So, how was work?” She asked trying to get back to their normal routine, even if it was just for a moment. 

Solas laughed dismissively as he waved his hand not wanting to discuss it. “It was a day,” He took Tamaris’s hand once more, “Let’s go see what our child is subjecting those poor adults too..” 

Tamaris laughed softly as they began to walk down the hall. “She already made Dorian sing baby shark with her…” 

Solas chuckled as he leaned in and kissed her cheek. “See, that is why you should have told me they were coming, I could have taken off work. I can't believe I missed that.” They both laughed as they walked into the kitchen to find Merrill and Dorian, with Shivana sitting in his lap at the kitchen table while Mathras was dumping the cooked pasta in the strainer. 

“Go sit, I will bring the food..” Mathras said cheerfully with a bright smile. 

Tamaris stood in shock for a second before letting go of Solas’s hand and walking over to her brother. She placed her hand on his forehead like she was checking for a temperature. She then grabbed his face and looked into his deep dark violet eyes. “What have you done with my brother…” She continued to hold his face as she turned back to Solas. “I think his possessed…by like a friendly spirit or something.” 

Mathras took as step back, pulling his head away from his sister’s grasp. “Shut up and go sit down before I change my mind and become an asshole again.” Tamaris took a step back as Solas walked up behind her and placed his hands on her waist, gently guiding her towards the kitchen table where the others were seated. Shivana was laughing up at Dorian as he held out his phone taking a video. 

“Say it again, Shivana…” Dorain instructed as he hit record. 

The little girl giggled behind her hands as she looked up into the camera. “But, Mae says…” Shivana started to question him. 

“I’ll take the blame just say it…” Dorian urged again as he kissed her cheek. 

With a impish giggle Shivana looked straight into the camera and said “Vishante kaffas..” before for falling to to a fit of laughter, which was not being helped by Merril giggling behind her hands, trying to hide her amusement.

“That’s such a horrible thing to teach a child..” Merrill started trying her best to sound serious once she noticed the child’s parents taking their seats across the table from her. “She is very impressionable..” She added when she saw the not so amused look on Solas’s face.

“Yes, I agree…” Solas added as he glared at Dorian. “I do not appreciate you teaching my daughter Tevene, let alone curses…” He turned to his wife some back up but Tamaris was fighting the urge to chuckle herself. 

“It was a little funny to hear it sound so sweet..” Tamaris muttered as she glanced over her shoulder to see her brother carrying a large bowl with the pasta in one hand and another bowl in his other that held the sauce. “Do you go it Mathras?” 

“All good..” He strained as he round around Dorian and set the past down first and then the sauce. “You wanna get the salad out of the fridge though.” Tamaris nodded before retrieving the salad rather impressed by the spread that her brother and Dorian hand manged to throw together. 

They enjoyed their quite meal, Shivana spending the majority of it sitting in Dorian’s lap listening to him tell her all about what things were like in Tevinter. It was a conversation none of them had expected the child to be interested in but Shivana was curious little girl and fairly bright for her age. When their meal was finished Merril helped Mathras clear the plates as Tamaris and Solas glanced at each other signalling they had put off telling Shivana long enough. 

“Dorian why don’t you finish helping them, we need to talk to Shivana a moment.” Tamaris suggested. Dorian gave her brief smile before Shivana climbed down from his lap and walked over to her mother’s chair. Her small hands gripped the arm of the chair, her chin resting on them and two large blue eyes staring up at Tamaris questioning what she had done. Tamaris smiled down at her daughter and ran her hand over her auburn locks. “So, Bae told me something when he got home that I think is going to make you a little sad…” The toddler scowled, her eyes narrowing in on her father’s face behind Tamaris. “It’s not his fault, but Trick-or-Treating has been put off till tomorrow.” 

“No candy?” The little girl quickly questioned sternly. 

Solas leaned forward to look at his daughter, “Not tonight, tomorrow… it’s supposed to rain, da’ean. It would be no fun.” 

Shivana looked back at the other adults as they were rinsing dishes. “No Candy!” She exclaimed again drawing the attention of the others. A pout grew across her lips as she sunk to the floor with disappointment. “No Candy!” She declared again, looking up at her mother as if she was about to cry. 

Pushing his chair back, Solas stood up and went over his daughter, picking her up. Shivana’s arms wrapped around his neck as she buried her face against the fabric of his suit jacket. “It’s just candy, da’ean… we have candy…” For a moment he glanced back at his wife to make sure he wasn’t making promises that he couldn’t keep. Tamaris smiled and nodded. “So you don’t even have to leave the house, we can do trick or treat right here…” He then glanced over at the other adults who were all nodding. “How does that sound?” Shivana nodded against his shoulder before peering up her father. 

“My own trick or treat?” She asked softly. “Just for me…” Solas nodded and suddenly all the sadness that had been in the child’s eyes disappeared as she lifted her head looked back at her uncles and Merrill. “You gotta give me candy!” She giggled. 

After dinner was put away, the adults gathered in the living room with the large bowl of candy. They passed the bowl around as Shivana stopped at each adult as they sat around the room. With a bright smile she would say “Trick or Treat” and wait for the large handful of sweets to fall into her bright orange plastic pumpkin. She made several rounds before deciding when half the contents of bowl ended up in her bucket was she satisfied with her bounty and crawled up on the couch between her parents as she started to dig through. Merrill left soon after, siting a date or something with Carver. Dorian and Mathras had settled on the loveseat across from Tamaris and her little family having a hushed conversation amongst themselves as the evening wound down.

They settled into a pleasant silence as Shivana sat carefully picking through her candy to find the ones she wanted the most. Solas leaned over Shivana’s shoulder and plucked one of the chocolate from the top of her bucket as a smirk played on his lips watching the litter gir glare up at him. “What?” He asked softly at the child’s glare. Shivana turned her nose up at him as she protectively covered the bucket protectively. “Oh can’t share with your father?” He asked softly.

The toddler scowled, “You didn’t ask… Mamae always gets made if I don’t ask.” She declared and Tamaris smirked on the other side of her as she looked up from her book. 

“She has a point, Solas…” Tamaris noted with a sly smirk. 

“See Bae…” Shivana said with a smug little smile that reminded Solas far too much of his own. 

“You…” He teased as he leaned over and started tickling his daughter. Her laughter caused Dorian and Mathras to pause their conversation for a moment and look over with broad smiles on their faces and Shivana dumped the bucket of candy onto the floor as Solas grabbed ahold of her placing a kiss on her cheek as he laughed. “When did you get so clever? Huh?” He teased and little girl squealed with glee. Laughter filled the house that night, despite the threat of rain ruining the planned events. 

Tamaris smiled broadly as she watched her happy little family enjoy the holiday in their own way, because some traditions are made out the need to calm a toddler’s tantrum over candy. 

[the-house-of-the-nine]

In Depths Below, Masquerade, Part 10

[Part 10, The Conclusion!, There has been blood and there will be death. ]

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“No!” she snapped, peering toward the collective group.  “Do NOT stop until I get what I am here for. . .”

She turned and suddenly; without warning, her hands coiled under his bloodied collar and she jerked him upward to look at him.  Her eyes began to swirl in a purple haze.

“What are you talking about?  How do you know me? Answer!” she said again, though much more loud and by shaking him several times.

“I speak of your history. . .I was. . .” he said being jerked back and forth. “I was the one in charge of your recovery after the fall of the Sunwell. I found you, coiled in the arms of your mother when the Scourge had broken through the gates of our city.  You were helplessly clinging to her. . . I snatched you up, she was still alive and begged me to take her.  But I knew I could not save you both. . .”

Vari slowly turned; by now she had calmed, but her eyes narrowed at the discovery.  Koltun already knew to step between her and the table lest she leap and body slam him through it.  The demons clawed hands were holding her back.  She was wide eyed, and as in shock as Siida.  This man, this. . .pathetic being, he was so closely tied to their history.  But how?

“I left her to die. . . used her as bait to lure them. . .to get away and save us both, stealing you away and hoping to better your life.  The recovery process was your memory wipe and barricade.  We wanted to block the memory of your past; and place you with a wealthy house to help educate and further your success. . . I had no idea you had a living heir. . . “

Dawnseeker struggled to stay upright, but slowly he would be lowered back to the table as Siida’s strength waned.

She was in shock now.  Her eyes were fully coated in the void she had tried so hard to keep buried down inside.  Her jaw was tight, teeth clenched together while she clung to his collar.  The words had entered her mind but she could almost not believe it.  It was him, all along.  He was the link between them all.

“Siida. . .” Marseille said softly as he tried to connect to her, his hands were still locked holding the spell. “Sennaris, enough. . .”

Both Verzatea and Sennaris had already begin to transfer their energies back to themselves when the spell around them started to drop.  As the group felt the veil that was surrounding them lift, Marseille too would be able to drop his hands from channeling. But it was too late.

Before he could step beside her, Siida had already lost her control.

Her eyes burst into a violet flame that had caused her flesh and hair to turn near pale white.  She coiled her fingers around the neck of the Magister and had climbed nearly on top of him.  The fury that had built up over the years of her life.  The abuse and neglect she suffered living in a house that knew she was nothing more than an orphan.  The pain of having to live alone.  Having to find her brother and sister; this family, only to have it almost ripped away.

She screamed, and a sudden burst of violet fire had sent the group hurdling backward from its recoil.  She was seething and dripping with dark magics that seemed to be burning holes in the table and floor the longer she held it.  Dawnseeker was all but lost to this, his head rolling backward and his body going limp.  Siida was enraged beyond control and belted out another banshee wail, much like her older sister.

The burning void energy began to peel bits of flesh from the Magister as he lay there helpless to defend himself.  Verzatea and Marseille were working hand in hand to protect the group, sheltering them with a shield of sorts which was more or less their only defense against this type of anger filled magic.

She continued to scream and shake, her body convulsing while she abused the helpless man with fury.  

“You took everything from me!”

“I should have died beside my mother but instead you took her from me!   You took my brother, and my safety. . . You took everything!”  the pain behind those words caused the eyes of the fel user to come to life.  Had he finally met his end?

Siida charged one final time and with as much force as she could muster, ignited her ability to its full potential and instantly vaporized the man.  He was burned from head to toe, and so heavily that the second wave had caused his insides to begin to boil.

She wailed harder and harder which she charged up the suppressed anger, and in a third and final pulse, shattered him from the inside out, and left him as a stain of particles and dust, scattered across the table.

She would have probably continue to assault the world in her fury, until a plated hand fell across her shoulder.  It dawned instantly on her who would be so bold as to brave the painful burning of her inner flames; and she turned.  

Vari was standing there, taking on whatever remained of her anger; her stern eyes and stoic expression suddenly eclipsed her mind and caused that wave of anger to instantly vanish.   She had lost.  Everything became terrifying in the wake of such a violent onslaught, and she dove into Vari’s chest and collapsed in tears.

The rest of them could hardly remain doing anything else but staring.   Watching the two sisters grieve not only on the loss of what they had fought so hard to find; but the procurement of knowledge they’d both hoped to sooner forget.  The entire time they’d know one another and neither had a more clear picture of the future than this simple greedy man, who now was a stain of dust.

Verzatea and Sennaris both held their heads high, while Zoei lowered her own gaze.  She still felt guilt over what had happened; the reveal of everything that had built up to this very moment causing her to hitch a breath in her chest.  She turned suddenly and peered out the large windows leading to the bay.  Fireworks still launched high into the air; the guards of Honeywell still insisting nobody return.  They had been successful yet again; but not without a cost.

The three powerful women rallied together and without another glance; would hurry to make a hasty exit from the blood drenched party room.  There was nothing left for any of them here.

Whistletorque had sauntered back over to his contraption, and without another word; the button on the left side would deactivate the still turning record player which skipped, the turret that spun and the band that moved.  It collapsed everything under the stage and folded itself down into a neat and convenient suitcase which was promptly gathered.

The two sisters shared a wordless embrace before quietly turning and making their way from their own stage.  Vari quick to gather the talisman of her fallen brother from the pile of ash that lay where Dawnseeker once was.  Koltun would follow in suit; the demon sending a clawed fist into the door frame as they passed; cracking it on contact.

Marseille would be the last and was quick to begin staging the scene to look as though there had been a murder.  His deft mind and hands working in unison. He would gather whatever evidence he found would be incriminating, and hurried to tidy up any sign they would have been there.  But it would be Sunwood who was plucked from the group before he could attempt to exit.

“Where are you going?”  he asked softly, his fingers still curled around his collar as he drug him back.

“W-what. . .what do you mean, I am leaving with the rest of you all. . .” the portly man suggested as he peered into the white burning eyes of the pale old elf.

His response to that was a resounding no, but silent, and in the form of his shaking head.

“No. . .I’m. . n-not going with you?” he mumbled as his body turned to face Marseille.

“No.”  he said this time. “You are going to remain here and play the part you needed for.  The part you were born to play.”

Sunwood suddenly felt his eyes widen, his body running cool and chilled yet a warmth spilled over his flesh and ran down his chest causing him to open his mouth wide to speak, though the words never came out.

Marseille was holding a broken piece of mirrored glass that had been shattered during the onslaught.  The old elf was painted crimson across his face and neck; bleeding down onto his chest where the fresh burn mark had scarred him.  His hand was bloody and lowering the weapon; it was conveniently vaporized in his palm as a charge of arcane energy swirled around it.

“You will live.  You will be the martyr that allows the masses to see the monster that has fled from this place, and must be stopped.”

Marseille slowly lowered the bleeding man from his standing position and placed him on the floor by the slaughtered remains of the other Magisters.

“You will never utter a single word for as long as you live; but your scars will be a reminder to the world that you were but a pawn in a game that was far too high over your head.”  the Shaldorei continued by cleaning up the dust piles and using his energy to finish them to the smallest of particles.

“Dawnseeker did this. . . and upon killing them, spared you for bringing him what it was he needed most.  And in time; Siida Ray Kash’ebahl will return a hero to Silvermoon City, when she resurfaces from the clutches of the madman behind the Honeywell Masquerade Massacre.  You. . . will continue to be our eyes and ears; for that is all you are good for anymore.  The agreement. . .stands as is.”

Marseille peered down at the wide eyed Magister. Everything that had happened up until this point; he knew he would not get out of this unscathed.  But life was worth living as long as his family was safe.  He would have no choice but to play along; he knew what these people were capable of.

“Magister Sunwood. . . it would please me greatly if this incident remained between us.  You have been most valuable to my Master despite his apparent demise.  Do not. . . forget that I am always watching.”  

And with that, the last member of the Order would make his way toward the exit of the bloodied pavilion.  His white hot eyes glazing over a softened pink hue as his body began to mellow and calm.

Soon the guests would return to their party and find a not so welcome affair had taken place.  Rumors would spread and the masses would gather; knights and the higher authority would be called into action.  And a manhunt to locate the rogue apostate mage Dawnseeker would commence.  But they would never find him; they would never locate his body.  All they would find were the bodies of his victims; the witness and hope that one poor Siida-Ray Kash’ebahl would not meet the same fate as her fellow party goers.  

As for The Nine, they would return to their hallowed bastion.  Lick their wounds and prepare for the ceremonious burial of their brother, their friend, of their lover and confidant.  Now was not the time to waste on sentiment, they would have to gather behind the support of one another and press on, otherwise it would be more than just one life lost in this tragic affair.....

To be completed:  “In Depths Below: Epilogue, Part 1″

@siidaraykashebahl

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[lichlover]

hey there fic writer write me a fic! Lup and Krav bro time W/ or W/out barold ur choice

well i can hardly say no to reaper squad bonding

“Lup, I think your husband’s copying necromantic incantations again.”

“That so?” Kravitz’s coworker, as he’s learned, flat out refuses to properly sit at desks. She’s come up with all manner of creative ways to lounge at this one, but right now she’s settled for one of the classics—back arched, feet up, with a book propped on her stomach. Every now and then a new multi-paged contract materializes and drops onto a steadily growing pile with an unceremonious thump. Lup doesn’t bat an eye. “I’ll take a look at what he’s hoarding. Barry’s a real sucker for that stuff, you get it.”

Kravitz shoots a look at the poster hanging just adjacent to his desk. DON’T RAISE THE DEAD, it reads, in cheery block letters. RAISE YOUR WORK ETHIC INSTEAD!

“Necromancy,” he says, slowly.

Lup raises an eyebrow at him over the soles of her dark, chunky boots. He can see where Taako gets his unique sense of style from—and vice versa, he supposes. “Sure. You wanna multiclass, go big or go home, am I right?”

“We—we literally hunt necromancers. You know that, right? It’s important to me that you know that.”

She tosses him an eerily familiar grin, all crooked angles and sharp edges and unmistakably charming. “I’m messing with you, skele-man. Loosen up, okay? We don’t endorse necromancy over in the Bluejeans-whatever household. If Barry goes shopping for ingredients in any occult rituals, I promise you’ll be the first to know.”

“I…” How is he supposed to respond to that? “Thank you,” Kravitz says, after a truly depressing pause, and returns to the latest draft of a debriefing.

Time is relative in the astral plane, but by anyone’s standards, Barry and Lup are fairly new at their jobs. Kravitz feels like he’s taken on an entirely different occupation. He’s starting to understand what it’s like for his queen; wrangling two reapers is difficult by anyone’s standards, and wrangling two reapers with a flair for the dramatic is even worse. Where Kravitz had once dreaded office workdays, he’s started to look forward to the peace and quiet they bring.

Lup, on the other hand, is one prison uniform short of languishing. She flips a page with one pitch-black nail and scans over it, gaze half-lidded, chewing on the edge of her lip. There’s something about her that’s unreadable in an entirely different way; she doesn’t claim to be an open book like Taako does, but her blatant honesty is a special kind of off-putting that makes Kravitz think she’s actually full of underhanded motives. No one’s just that… blunt. Lup’s the real deal, but she’s also incredibly intelligent, and if she’s anything like Taako Kravitz knows there’s a hell of a lot more beneath the surface.

A surface he’s barely grazed. He’s dating her brother, for his queen’s sake. He needs to make an effort around her.

So he sets down his pen. “What’re, uh… what’re you reading?”

Her ears twitch, and she looks up at him with the book in hand. “Sattler’s Principles of Possession and Arcane Awareness. Magic essence stuff. You should check it out, I’m starting to see the appeal of taking a spin in someone else’s body.”

Death doesn’t possess people, Kravitz wants to say. Instead he says, “Quite a read for a weekday afternoon, huh?”

“Oh, I eat this stuff up. Ask anybody. Barry and I love talking hypotheticals, y’know. The absolute craziest scenarios.” Lup grins. “If for some reason the plane of magic ever collapses and elementals become supercharged by their corresponding planes, we’ll know how to dismantle ’em with science.”

The arcane sciences are a bit over Kravitz’s head, and he says so.

“Sure, sure,” she concedes, “but you’ve got some firsthand knowledge of the occult ’n such, right? Don’t sell yourself short, babe. We’ve all got our niches.”

“Gods,” says Kravitz, without thinking. “Firsthand knowledge is putting it lightly.”

Lup’s ears twitch again and perk up, flicking stray hairs. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He can feel a headache manifesting itself at the very thought. “To start, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been summoned as an emissary of the Raven Queen.”

“You are an emissary of the Raven Queen.”

“Yes, but it’s like—I mean, they summon me and I can’t very well go—” Kravitz puts on his accent. “ ‘You’ve reached the Raven Queen’s office. You’re not important enough to demand her presence, so leave a message and I probably won’t pass it on.’ ”

A snort, followed by a snicker. Lup’s composure snaps, and she giggles, tossing her book onto the desk with a loud thump. “Oh, holy shit. Imagine if you actually said that. Like a fuckin’ voicemail. What do they even want?”

“The usual. Wishing to transcend death or wish it upon their enemies. I had someone tell me once they were seeking a deal with the devil, which—” He huffs, and the feathers around his mantle ruffle sympathetically. “That’s just rude, really.”

Lup clicks her tongue, but her lips are still twitching, and her voice is staccato with mock seriousness. “You’d think if somebody was summoning Death they’d do their research.”

“Honestly,” says Kravitz, and a smile is playing across his face, even though he’s not quite sure why. She tends to have that effect, he’s found. This conversation has no bearing on their work—or anything else relevant, for that matter—but the tension has lessened in his shoulders and the impending crick is dissipated from his neck. Suddenly the paperwork in front of him looks a little more manageable.

He’s having fun at work, and with the most intimidating lich this side of the astral plane, no less.

The air crackles with ozone, and a familiar blade appears in the air, ripping apart the fabric of reality. Barry steps through and catches his heel on the rift, but recovers just in time to lean casually against Lup’s desk. “What’s up, guys? What’d I miss?”

Lup just stares at him and starts giggling again. For the life of him (ha), Kravitz can’t figure it, but he chuckles too.

“What?” says Barry, as the rift dissolves behind him. “Did I do it wrong? C’mon, you gotta give me pointers if I’m doing it wrong.”

It’s been a long, tedious day, and maybe it’s that delirium—or maybe it’s Lup, his truly ridiculous coworker and member of an even more ridiculous family. But Kravitz shakes his head and levels an apologetic hand at Barry, because all he can do is laugh.

[pillowenvelopchair]

"Our paths diverged long ago. It was affection that held us together." HELLO? HELLO??????????????

“My place has always been in the lab with you” bro 😭 😭 😭