stuff us in boxes that's where you want us

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

It didn't take long for the warlock's face to light up into an easy grin, his face no longer wearing the haggardness of a man on death's doorstep. That was when his teasing retort came. Someone was feeling better, although that was truly an understatement. So different from the man mere moments ago, who she could have been haunted by the sound of the rattling in his chest. His eyes flooded with life a seemingly tempting playfulness that danced in those blue depths. How she might have been willing to give the guy a break, considering his near death experience felt partially her fault... and yet his words were too baiting and her own reckless tongue liked to lash before truly thinking. Feminist. Pssh. Oh yeah, every guy and their dad was a feminist up until the point their egos hurt. Alright Mr. Feminist, prove it.

Alright, now he was just goading her. Something of an amused expression lit up the near luminous hue of her purple gaze... before his words abruptly cut off mid-sentence and what went from teasing transformed into confusion in an instant. Whatever he was about to say disintegrated, it was a shame too.

However, it was like he seemed almost surprised by the healing.... Reminding her of the wounds he had suffered in the good ol' fight to survive. The warlock admitted how great he actually felt. It would look like Matteo's magical mojo had hit the spot. It was impressive. Hell, she was impressed to see it first hand. How he knew that healing the fire creature would in turn help Sly. Perhaps when you get to be that old, you learn a thing or two. He didn't merely ensure the man's survival but also rejuvenated him. That was utterly kind for a man that he didn't even know... For an exchange of mere favour? Then again, he was on a whole other level. How much into the future of Sly's own future had he seen? How it seemed to spark a curious thought within her mind, anything that might formed gone with Sly's words. The warlock was near raving about how he had never seen healing so good. Oh, Matteo would love to hear the compliment even though he knew just how good he was, he had the confidence to match it. He'd single handedly brought the fire toting warlock before her from the brink of death with a single healing caress of his hands upon his fire creature. She could have replayed the scene in her mind with perfect clarity now that the danger had subsided. However, she didn't expect the miraculously healed warlock seemed to fixate those blue eyes upon her like she was suddenly some mystery to solve. How well she knew that look. He wanted to know more.

Harley did not cower beneath it, but rose a slender brow. "Oh, you don't know the half of it. I really don't know why people doubt me." Oh she knew exactly why they doubted her. She looked more like someone would start a riot rather than heal someone with merely a touch. "I have my ways." Yeah.. if it was the healing that impressed him.. those ways were... obscure as the fae that randomly showed up at both the most convenient and inconvenient of times.. although figures that he would find a way to pull off both simultaneously. Maybe it didn't hurt to give the warlock a little something to think about when he left here for good. Maybe it didn't hurt for him to wonder about those ways that he would likely be wrong about. Just how much could he figure out on his own she wondered? He was alive, so was she. Wasn't that enough? Live to fight another day was beginning to be her motto... Then again, she had many of those mottos, but this one seemed the most fitting. Despite his baffled expression and curious words.. he didn't pry any further. Even though she swore that the question remained, unspoken between them.

Without another thought, she offered him a hand up. It would seem that the pair had practically had this down to a science at this point. Truly, she was surprised he didn't high tail it the moment he was upon his surprisingly sturdy feet reminded again how tall the blond was in comparison to her. Not that the petite woman ever acted her height. It was surprising how he lingered... like he didn't stand next to the building he had almost lost his life within. She didn't suspect he had that fight when she had clearly watched him flee before. He was certainly no mere repairman at all. But then again, his magic was a testament of that. But it was more than that. She'd seen it, especially near the end.. the tenacity to live, to fight for it with the abandonment of fear.

Nothing good ever came from Syn and yet how much of it withered and died in that hellish pit both figuratively and literally. How certain she was that it desired to steal its pound of flesh from her even though she was determined to not let them win. However, any thoughts she might have had in that moment.. Any deductions that could have been made were brushed aside as she chose to live in that moment that they had seized back from the devil's clutches. Carpe fucking diem.

The raven-haired woman at the very least, offered the warlock that compliment. After all, he had a point. He more than pulled his own weight with his flames. If not for that last-minute flaming majestic parrot or... phoenix creature a little bit of grime with those aches and pains would be the least of her worries. It hardly mattered who did what in the face of that level of the threat.

"Are we really keeping score now Mr. feminist? Let's just call it what it is... a joint effort? Although, one could say I might have done more of the heavy lifting." Oh, she went there alright. A mischievous gleam lingered within the unique purple depths of her eyes to allude she had made a joke. Or was it? Then again the best jokes held... some truth. Even though, if she could turn back the clock, there was many things she wished she did a little differently. One finding the opportunity to give Ruben a good ol' kick to the face... it was a shame he wasn't corporal when she had the chance. How she wished that vampire would have a bad case of sun burn.

However, Sly continued, pulling her away from her thoughts of glory and mentioned that cursed air conditioner. There went the air from her sails. Oh yeah.. that stupid AC. How had she forgotten that? The very reason that either of them were here in the first place. She almost forgot. She could have groaned at the thought. She was so fucked when Darcy woke up to see the mess she'd caused. There wasn't enough time to try and fix it herself, if anything, she would have probably ended up making it beyond repairable. Fixing, really wasn't her strong suit.

Yet, for some reason she couldn't help but be a little endeared to the warlock's borderline adorable declaration that Syn was blacklisted too and they would be charged regardless. She was shocked he hadn't called the cops the first chance that he got. Maybe it was for the same aversion he had of doctors.. It would seem that she wasn't the only one with secrets. "Aw that hurts. Here I thought you enjoyed our time together. Honestly, you saved me the trouble of having to warn you off of this place. But I think I have to agree with you on this one... pit of death is usually a deal breaker for most people. Honestly, I expected a lot more yelling and screaming." Fuck, everyone should avoid this place like the plague.

Maybe she needed to lie low to avoid Darcy and Risque's ire for a few... days... years. Lifetimes. Yet... her gaze shifted to the tops of several buildings in the distance, noticing how the sun was truly ready to begin its retreat beyond the horizon. Shit. That means they would be up soon, if they weren't already wiping sleep from their eyes. She would like to be as far away from Syn as possible when that particular bomb went off. It was maybe best for the both of them to be free and clear of Syn's radius when Darcy had his rage on.

She would deal with that later... Joy. Maybe there was a way out of that too. There was nothing she could do about it now.

Sly's voice and a small bloom of flame in the corner of her eye drew her attention back to him. Then to the adorable little mouse that now perched upon his head, cleaning off his paws in an all too animalistic way. It made her wonder about Matteo's observation but was entirely distracted by the fond interaction between his fire creature and him. Their only advantage to lingering in that parking lot was quickly receding, the sun was just about to hide behind the row of buildings. They had to go. She shoved her hands into her jacket pockets to avoid looking like she was about to....fidget.

The quiet was short-lived as Sly spoke once more, advising her to walk away from this place. It was the second time he said something like that. If only he knew even a fraction of it. But you just don't walk away from possessive immortal beings that thought they owned you. It drew a faint frown upon her features. How glad she was that he didn't seem to linger on that topic as he uttered that thanks... even though she might have been the reason he might have died in the first place.. she was also the reason he was still here. The offer for a lift that surprised her most of all. She shook her head. "Don't mention it, we would have been toast if it wasn't for you and your firepower. You survived all that.. I couldn't let you die in a parking lot next to the dumpster.. after..." she removed a hand from her pocket to gesture vaguely back toward the nightclub. There weren't many words to describe that clusterfuck. Mistakes were made... 'that grand escape. It didn't seem right." Did any of seem right? There was nothing about Syn that was right. She really needed to avoid having near death experiences.. and yet at this point, it was part of the job description of her life.

"As for the lift, I'm fine, you see that steel beast over there? It's mine.." She nodded toward the isolated car, feeling a bit of pride in that statement. It wasn't just a car, it was a legacy. There it was in all its glory... neatly parked away safe and sound, unharmed as it should be. The perfect escape car. "It's getting late.. and I really don't feel like having a.... conversation with a cranky vampire who just woke up on the wrong side of the bed... let me tell you, there probably isn't a day when either of them don't..." It would seem that was it.

"Sly and co.. It's.. been... " She acknowledged them both. There wasn't really any words... that fit that experience. Her lips quirked upward just a little into a near feline grin. A pleasure not dying. ".. enlightening ." Well, that was one way to look at it.. especially to the man who.. legit kept the darkness at bay. There weren't many people who could do that. With that final remark she turned, offering the man a single look over her shoulder, like there should have been more to say. But there really wasn't. All either of them had to do at this point was live. Simple right? She reached for the handle of her car but he was already off... peeling out of the drive and onto the road and into... a hopefully vampire free existence. She ducked her head and heavily fell into the seat with a groan. She was soon met with the familiar rumble of her mustang's engine before she gladly sped away, only to return to her apartment and dive into the hottest shower her skin could handle.

That simple errand definitely did not go as planned.. but damn she worked up an appetite. Why did near death experiences make her so damn hungry? That and sex.. but those were two drastically different things or maybe she was more fucked up in the head than she thought.

But the familiar greeting of her happy dog.. life was as it should be for at least the moment and she was determined to savour ever last bit of it. She left behind her phone, deciding it best to switch it off in case of a pissed off Darcy decided to put the blame on her. No, the rest of her night was her own. Clean as a whistle, Harley ventured off into the city with her canine companion in tow for a run and some food... and a last minute appointment at the tattoo parlour. Probably should have kept her phone... Yet somewhere between that walk for Ace and shoving her face with food she'd decided on thing. The repairman was no ordinary repairman.. he was a spy.

Weirder things had happened, like her damn life in a nutshell. But at least it was enough to make her huff out a laugh in spite of circus of her life.

Harley Westward