stuff us in boxes that's where you want us

cardboard is boring, we brought our matches - look how it burns

Harley was certain that Syn violated far more than those health and safety regulations. Yet was perhaps far more baffled by was that Sly treated it like a normal thing. He spoke about it so casually that it was unnatural. It was like he spoke about their near-death dash for their life ordeal like it was was nothing at all. Shit.. what did this boy see in his day to day? What an unexpected being, once more waltzing right into the chaos that was her life like he was sightseeing. At least when they stepped into her bathroom it prompted more of a reaction. Who was this guy?

It was Sly's admittance that her bathroom was unlike anything he had seen. Oh yeah, what set it over the top? The question she was so playfully confident that she knew the answer to was only met with one that... unanticipated. It was apparently the art deco tile that did it. He was witty too. She could not help that sound of amusement that escaped her lips. "Oh, I am a woman of... eclectic tastes, what can I say?" Yeah, that's exactly what sold her this place.. not the fact that it was the only thing in her budget and available at the time.

Shortly after, the warlock's attention shifted back toward the mammoth task at hand. The disaster that was her shower could have been acclaimed as a piece of art work. An intricate piece of chaos that gripped someone's attention immediately as it was.... a water feature. If not blasting you with water, it certainly struck you with shock and awe. Sly's face turned all business once more, reminding her why exactly he was here. At least Matteo had pre-hired the solution to a problem he created. How very him.

The talk about cost was enough to take the wind out of anyone's sails. Especially when money had already been tight that month, the thought enough to cause the woman's face to fall along with the lead pit in her stomach. More simpleton tasks at Syn meant less work at the parlour, which in turn meant... less money to pay her bills. Anything she was about to say was interrupted by the warlock abruptly walking into the barrage of water without so much as a flinch. He was quick to tighten some bolt that Harley would have never even noticed, to put an end to the heavy hemorrhaging of water.

A quiet descended in that small bathroom, all save for the constant droplets of water that fell from Sly into a puddle at his feet. Harley could not help the way her gaze took in the warlock's soaked attire with amusement and surprise... the way that water plastered upon his darkened golden locks to his face and that shirt he wore.

However, his attention flawlessly didn't waver from the task before him, studying the disaster before him with a clinical eye and straight face. While her gaze wandered to his soaked shirt to only notice that he was... fit. She should not be checking out the repairman. Before he could notice, that gaze innocently shot back to his face at the question about the sword. How did she do it? She couldn't really blame his curiousity, she wondered the exact same thing. The raven-haired woman all but baited him to guess even though she knew damn well he wouldn't come close.

He didn't even ough it was logical. She shook her head before their gazes snared for the moment. "My powers to manipulate metal had nothing to do with this particular little stunt. I think I can honestly say that you wouldn't believe me, even if I told you.." If she started blaming fairies, even she knew how insane that sounded.

However, the how seemed to fall away to the side as he seemed ensnared by something else... The warlock was all eyes for the engraving upon the sword's hilt, one the woman had missed entirely. It prompted a passionate speech that lit his entire face as Sly spoke of the mythical creature that resembled a unique unicorn and their association with the fae. It was almost like he was embarrassed after getting swept up in those words, as he covered it up with a quick shrug meant to conceal it. It prompted her own unfiltered reply to what he had said. Only she earned herself a rather dubious expression from the blond. What was that look for? Perhaps she should have kept all of that to herself and yet.. honestly.. when did that ever stop her? Her arms folded loosely just under beneath the swell of her chest as he inquired if she was salty, like she was lured into some fairy forest.

"That would suggest I had tons of gold in my pockets worth stealing in the first place.. I would be way more worried about my gold around... anything home repair." Harley leaned lightly against the wall, as a small smirk played upon her lips as she dared him to say otherwise. There was certainly no gold on the line when it came to the fae she knew. The real concern was certainly home repair. No one got out unscathed.

Yet, despite what he thought, he seemed content to delve back into that topic of the fae, despite his prior embarrassment. Each and every thing he described, made it sound like he was explaining Matteo down to the letter. It was almost like he wrote that lore himself. Even though she had yet to experience this so-called notable temper. Unless that was what happened in that shower? Hm. He seemed fine when she saw him before that... But this didn't seem like a crime of passion, rather someone clearly enjoying themselves. Hell, he went so far as to 'signing' his very work with the sword. She fought the annoying twitch of her lips that threatened to bloom into a grin. No she should not be amused. However, she rose her brows at Sly's admittance about protection of beings they deemed worthy or leading a being to their demise. Yeah... her shower's demise... and her bank account could attest to that.

If only he knew that it was a fae who had saved him in Syn's parking lot. Did that mean Matteo found him worthy of his protection? Oh, she had way too many questions for that man. " You sure you never met one? You seem to know more than the typical person.. Maybe... 'you' were the one lured." She didn't bother to hide the mischief dancing with in her eyes. If only he had known that he was actually lured... into her apartment by one.

However, a sigh found the warlock, the man lost to his own thoughts, it was hardly a sound she anticipated from him during that moment. Was it something she said? Once more, he shifted back to business, looking for some kind of confirmation to start the difficult job before him. With nod of the official go ahead, along with those teasing words earned a smile.

It was then Sly returned his focus upon that sad broken shower. The blond reached for one of his tools as he began to work away at the tile before pausing, pinning her with a look and those all too teasing words that caught her off guard, claiming she didn't need to break her shower in order to invite him over for dinner. So he knew that letter seemed even a little bit suspicious. He was too damn clever not to. The mention of dinner, didn't even seem that bad as she was reminded that she was hungry. It wouldn't hurt to offer him some of Matteo's cooking, would it? It was all there, just waiting... Just thinking of it made her mouth water.

He questioned if she minded that he had some dinner. She was not a woman to offer something she wasn't sure about. She gestured causally. "Nah, not at all. Who knows how long you're going to stuck fixing this mess... might as well not starve doing it." But she noticed just how soaked he was.. he definitely needed to dry off first.

Harley moved across the small bathroom to procure a fresh towel before making her way back and pressing it into his chest. That uttered thanks was all the go ahead she needed as she pivoted upon her toes to stride toward the door that led her close to food. The squelching sound of Sly getting out of that tub was enough to say he wasn't far behind. Ace was eagerly, trailing close behind.

Although, when she finally made it into the main area of her apartment, the feline woman could not help that sense of relief to find it..... relatively untouched, her electric guitar still leaning against the corner by the tv, her sketch book still on the coffee table by the couch. With the exception of her war-torn bathroom, everything was as she had left it. No more fairy fuckery to witness. Although there was a part of her was anticipating something else, like a cannon ball was about to blast a gaping hole right through her front door at any given second.

Instead of chaos, she was met with the pleasant allure of rich scents that belonged to that Romanian dish that Matteo had prepared and abandoned like some kind of confusing peace offering. Sly already meandered to find himself a chair at the dining table she rarely used. It appeared to be a placeholder, for her unopened mail and an ever-growing grocery list that was beside it. The petite spitfire moved with ease within her kitchen, gathering two clean dishes and cutlery.

When was the last time she had anyone over for dinner? Had it really been that long? It had been more noticeably quiet these last few months than it ever had been. Maybe having some company wasn't the worst way to spend an evening she would otherwise spend with her canine companion. A little bit of company over a shared meal, even though it was someone who was technically working, seemed almost enjoyable. The banter was always one sided with her dog. How sad a situation that her social life had become. Maybe the fairy took pity on her?

It was when the utterance of the name Mihai that had Harley lift her head from serving up those plates in the kitchen to peer over the counter top to view the fire creature that had settled contently upon the man's lap that was all too intently watched by Ace. The big black dog inquisitively tipped his head to the side, full on staring at the rabbit without so much as blinking as if he expected it to do more. She saw him scenting the air as if looking for a scent of some kind. He couldn't help but draw a small step closer to stealthily investigate this new glowing creature.... He wasn't sure what to make of it. It was better than him acting as idiotically as he did with that horse.

Using her powers, she sent the utensils over to the table that she carefully manipulated to land right before him... another set to where she intended to sit. She was getting better. Way better than when she first started at any rate. Harley set out to place a dish with heaping food in front of Sly before moving to find her own place across from the blond.

That mention that his little fire creature was a good dryer, even though she would have enjoyed it caused the woman to raise a brow. However, those words were once more spoken with a far more flirtatious undertone than before that caused the woman to eye him suspiciously. That sneaky warlock used her words against her. "Who am I to stand in the way of efficiency, especially when it and adorable little bunny. So, I guess, I am still enjoying it." She returned easily, a slight smirk tugged upon her lips as she kicked out the chair so she could fall into it with a soft thud with her own dish placed before her on the wooden table. "How does he know what form to take, do you get to choose what form... he or she is?" How curious that he would choose a rabbit of all creatures, if he even had.. Maybe there was something more to it.

Sly's blue gaze seemed focused upon the plate in front of him, studying it with a honed focus before the flutter of recognition. What were the chances of that... that he would know something so specific?

"It actually is.. how did.. you know?" She tipped her head, eyeing him in a curious, puzzled expression that mirrored Sly's own.. It was just in time for his blue gaze to lock on hers as something unreadable crossed his that made her brows pinch together in a frown. How did she know he was Romanian? Just as she thought the evening's awkwardness was through.

"What? I only know you're Romanian... because you just told me. Its only food... the fact your Romanian and so is this dish is purely coincidental." It did explain the accent even though she was never able to place it up until that point. A sudden flash of clear panic bloomed across his face in explosion of emotions she couldn't understand it's source before he concealed it. Okay, he was acting weird, like a man with something to hide. It was impossible to miss that same look he got right before he bolted...

" Pretty sure you called me your hero.. only several times... and..." The raven-haired woman sighed, shaking her head softly, destroying any of the number of the things she could had said actually died on her typically reckless tongue. He deserved to know and he kept bringing up Syn for a reason... Either to get more information or maybe he just was trying to process what had actually happened that night. She hated talking about anything Syn, but teasing him when clearly distressed about it seemed like an asshole thing to do, even for her.

Harley leaned back into her chair, noticing Mihai's heat was kind of nice, her inner feline seemed to want nothing more than to bask in it.. it even got rid of that stupid ghastly draft the apartment sometimes got. She met his stare boldly, she wasn't going to get all sheepish, sure as hell now. "Look.. you didn't talk in your sleep. You... were in rough shape. Really bad... I thought you were going to die in some lame ass parking lot after all that shit we somehow survived... But Mihai, I think that is what you called him... He didn't leave your side while you were passed out. Did he not tell you anything? Does it not work like that?"She inquired, a hint of caution in her usually bold and sarcastic tone in exchange for some honesty. Was that what he wanted to know?

If only she showed him the exit when he asked the first time, that flutter of guilt she didn't allow to take root reminded her of its existence. He survived. A guilt-ridden mess would only serve to get her killed. But how many people needed to suffer because of her? Drawing in a breath to steel herself, she considered his panic at her finding out he was Romanian. Was that what he was worried about?

"It really wouldn't have mattered if you said anything. There is no need to get all weird about it. Everyone has their secrets... But being Romanian is nothing to hide. Just own it... this city is melting pot of creatures and whatever else. I'm pretty sure people will judge over way less." Harley shrugged softly, before reaching for the fork, taking a giant shameless scoop... before drawing it to her lips.

She nearly died right there as the taste exploded on her tongue as she chewed that bite before swallowing it. A hum of appreciation left from her lips her eyes fluttered shut... she hoped there was more.

"That is damn good." Her eyes flickered open as if remembering his existence again. If he didn't at least try it, he was seriously missing out.

Harley Westward