extremely qualified ambassador of earth

[bitterchill]

Vancouver, being Vancouver, lacks a vibrant night life, or for that matter a dingy one. Take this alleyway, for instance. Completely empty. Where are the muggers? Where are the filthy strays? New York clicks its counterfactual tongue in grimy disapproval.

That said: the alleyway is empty. It would be a shame if something... happened to it.

Comments

[bitterchill]

"No, no. It's just that, you know, when you're raised in the mystery cult of goddesses who actually exist, the rituals don't go away easy."

[between_worlds]

"Have you met her?"

[bitterchill]

"Mab, no. Which is not a bad thing. Maeve and I have... interacted. We have an uneasy relationship, which isn't exactly uncommon, given that Maeve is a fucking creep. And I met Mother Winter once... somehow. Or an avatar, or something. She gave me some cryptic prophesy-advice. I am not exactly dying to see her again."

[between_worlds]

"Are you the chosen one?"

[bitterchill]

"Well, not the. But she did say I was going to be in a position to prevent or accelerate at least one apocalypse. And to do that, I apparently needed to be in pretty good psychological shape after being enslaved to scummy faeries for fiftysome years. So she told me that someone loved me, and that kept me sane until I could get free."

[between_worlds]

"Ulterior motives aside, I'm glad she did. Has it happened yet?"

[bitterchill]

"I have handled a couple of things that could have been apocalyptic, but nothing that merits Maternal involvement. So I guess we'll see."

[between_worlds]

"Umm, sorry if this is a rude question, but how long do you have?"

[bitterchill]

"Lifespan, you mean?"

[between_worlds]

"Yea."

[bitterchill]

"The average wizard has a natural life expectancy of anywhere from three to five hundred years. Most wizards don't exactly put fitness as their top priority, so I'd probably be at the higher end of that, or maybe even break records, I don't know. I'm something like sixty or seventy years old, I think, so I have four hundred or so years left. If nothing kills me before then. Which is hilariously unlikely." There's a flicker of a wry smile on his face.

[between_worlds]

"That's good! But, you're a monster fighter, isn't your job having things try to kill you?"

[bitterchill]

"So 'tis. You may have noticed I'm not looking for a less fatal job. It's just... not so much fun to think about, you know?"

He deftly steals a spoonful of Alex's gelato. "Anyway."

[between_worlds]

"What is amaretti?"

[bitterchill]

"Little almond cookies. I originally thought it was amaretto, so, almond cognac, but cookies and alcohol are pretty much the same thing anyway."

[between_worlds]

"Can I try?"

[bitterchill]

"Theft invites theft. Take of me what you will."

[between_worlds]

Alex reaches forward with his spoon, then pauses.
"That," he says with a smirk, "Is a dangerous offer."

[bitterchill]

"Really."

[between_worlds]

Alex snags a bite of Ari's ice cream, "You should be careful making offers like that. Someone might take advantage of you."

[bitterchill]

"I don't make offers if I'd mind people taking them. It's a basic rule of negotiation, one that I've always taken to heart."

[between_worlds]

Alex freezes, then lets out a shaky breathe and kisses Ari.

[bitterchill]

Ari is predictably delighted! (He tastes like the earthy tones of his gelato, with an undercurrent of spice that can't be natural. He leads the kiss after the first few seconds, because he gets the feeling Alex could use the help.)

...There's a strange chill in the air. More than should normally come from the freezers and the Vancouver evening.

[between_worlds]

Alex is enjoying the kiss too much to notice.

[bitterchill]

Ari's not on the psychic sensitivity leaderboards or anything, but he's more perceptive than most humans simply virtue of being a wizard. Eventually he breaks off the kiss, brow furrowed. "Seriously? A haunted ice cream shop?"

(The teenaged girl manning the counter gives him an odd look, but declines to comment.)