one of the good ones

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

LeafChange might make the rest of Caido cool off a touch, but Torchline is an exception to those rules. It's true that it's no longer bone sweatingly hot, but that doesn't mean it's any less sweltering day to day. And things are changing - a lot - and so Vai finds herself getting into a new routine. Clinic - eat - government stuff - sleep - repeat. And a lot of the time, government stuff and eating tends to get smooshed together, which probably explains why the witch arrives at the Slagveld around lunchtime.

In a tank top and shorts, with her curls wild about her shoulders, Vai holds two canteens of chilled, sweet wine in the crook of her arm, a paper bag between her teeth and another in her free hand. Those using the boxing ring move out of her way on autopilot, having been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, and someone is already disappearing to grab Sunjata, wherever he might be.

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

Where else would he be if not in the ring?

That’s where the kid will find him, sand sticking to bronze and sweaty skin, a few bruises days old that adorn his body, but none as dark or as brilliant as the bruise that circles his eye. He’d just been in the middle of showing someone how to get out of an attack if they’d been pinned, going through the motions on some poor dock worker that had volunteered.

Poor guy.

But the kid catches his attention, Sunjata stepping away from the demonstration, grabbing a rag to toss to the man that had been his partner for the demonstration, before snagging one of his own and dipping out from under the ropes until he sees her dark hair, the items she manages. He slips up beside her, reaching for the bag if only to help carry some of the items. “Hey Vai.” He flashes her an easy grin, stepping past her and through the crowd toward the offices, a space more private.

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

A hand reaches out to grab one of the bags, and were it not for the recognisable tattoos and bruises, Vai might have bitten their arm off. But she surrenders it, knowing it's Sunjata, and offers him a bright smile as she follows him to the office. "Hey, Sunny," she chimes. "All is good with the clinic. No one has come in with any symptoms of the sickness. Not for a few days." They duck into the office and she sets down the canteens, leaning up to offer him a kiss to the cheek and scrunching her nose at him.

"Working hard, Governor?" She sinks down into one of the chairs, already uncorking one canteen to take a sip of the wine. Her own lunch comes next, Vai taking out a savoury pastry (obviously) and digging in. "Still showing off your parting gift from Ronin, hm?" She winks at him, obviously indicating his black eye. "He'd be proud, I bet."

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

She relinquishes the hold on it and Sunjata happily helps her, nodding as he focuses on her comment of the clinic. “That’s certainly great news.” He murmurs, flopping down in his seat and setting the bag down, reaching for a couple of glasses in a drawer before he sits back to wipe the sweat away from his brow with the rag draped along his neck now. “Think it’s over?” Comes the quieter question, leaning forward now to tear into the paper bag.

“I am always working hard.” He flashes her a wink, before a low rumbling laugh slips from his throat. “He’d better be. I did ask for it, after all.” He snorts, snagging a sandwich from the bag and diving into it. He swallows down the bite he’s taken, letting his gaze lift to hers again. “Nate got his eye back, by the way. It’s been a pretty good few weeks.” Unsure whether or not Vai had seen Nate since with the grey addition. “How are you doing? You seem happier than normal.” A teasing tug of a smile edges on his lips.

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

Vai kicks back, pouring wine into both glasses and relishing the way condensation forms on them, proving how cold the drinks are. Casually dunking the pastry in the wine (yep, you read it right), she takes another bite and nods to Sunjata, hesitant to spread good news but nonetheless feeling positive about things thus far. "I think it might be. It's not recurred in anyone since the cure was found. You guys are fine, right?" Always worth it to double check, after all.

Her eyebrows raise as he explains about Nate, Vai kicking herself for not having seen the Ascended for the past few days. She shakes her head a bit. "No, I haven't seen him - I think we basically communicate through post-it notes at this point." She chuckles. "I'm glad to hear that, though. I'll be sure to drop by on him soon. And I believe it - the guy you were beating up seemed to think you were working a bit too hard."

Sitting up a bit, she takes another small sip of wine, mostly to hide her smile and the flush to her cheeks. "Do I? It must be the change in season." She grins. "And... well, I hate to say it, but I'm glad someone else is taking the reins for Torchline. It wasn't fun with everyone being sick."

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

“We’re great.” Sunjata admits. Without the weight of the sickness weighing over him, without the trauma of prior seasons shadowing him, he seems happier, brighter, clearer than he has in months. It’s evident in the edge to his smile, the weight that’s been lifted from his shoulders.

It only changes at the slight raise of a brow as she dips the pastry into the wine, Sunjata leaning back to sip from his and relish in the cold, trying to imagine what prompted Vai to try that out. “Hey, he was a volunteer.” A wicked gleam of mischief sparkles in his steel before it fades the tiniest bit, a chuckle leaving him as he thinks on it.

He takes a few more bites, listening to her, amusement and mischief still glimmering in his gaze. “I wouldn’t get too excited. I’m going to need you to keep an eye on it again.” He begins, taking a sip from the wine again. “Shouldn't be too long, but Nate and I have… An arrangement in the Grounds that we’ve been looking forward to for a very long time.” He can’t help the wink sent her way as he leans back in the chair, peering at her to see her reaction.

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

"I'm really glad to hear that. You guys deserve a break," Vai murmurs to him, offering him an obnoxious wink for the look he levels at her. Her wine-dunking tendencies run in her family - just ask Remi. "And volunteer or not, he looked like he thoroughly regretted his choice by the time you got out of the ring. It's good to see you at your best again. I say again but... I don't think I've ever seen out outside of some crisis." A tongue-in-cheek admission, but it's nonetheless true.

Setting the pastry down to enjoy more of the wine - she's more thirsty than hungry in this heat anyway - Vai's eyebrows almost disappear into her hair to learn that Sunjata will be leaving her in charge of the place again before too long. "Fuck off," she barks at him, leaning over to smack him on the arm with the least bruises, though it's all good natured. "If you two hadn't just got married, I'd have a lot more to say on this matter," she informs him. "You had better bring me a present back from there. A good one."

With a quieter, softer smile, she settles back again in her seat. "Anything in particular you need me to keep an eye on while you're gone?"

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

They really do deserve a break. It’s been so long needed, a fact that has him not commenting at her obnoxious wink, not commenting on the fact she’s dipping things into her wine. Not like he can really say anything, the food of the rebellion had often hardly passed any sort of palette. Still, he can’t help the edge of a smirk as she brings up the volunteer. “Consider me outside of a crisis.” It was indeed rare for him, but he looked at the brighter parts of his life like this and held on tightly to them for the next barrage of shadows.

His question has her reacting in such a way that he recoils a bit, barking a laugh as she swats his arm, the hand flexing against lightning scars as he narrows his gaze at her. “Listen,” a pause as he stifles his laughter. “There’s a room in the Grounds that lets the Ascended feel.” He pauses again purely for dramatics, gaze focusing on the glass as he sips the wine again. “Is it too much to ask for one weekend to get railed?” His tone is playful, a flush creeping along his cheeks as he swallows down the next sip of wine.

“But I’ll bring you a gift if it makes it better.” A good one, as she’s indicated. “Nothing really, so far anyway. I’ll be back soon to start putting together the house. I guess just make sure nobody kills each other while I’m gone.”

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

"Outside of a crisis looks good on you," she remarks, though she can't help but smile over the rim of her glass at all the bruises that cover his skin. "Do you want me to do anything about those, though?" she asks. "I'll leave your shiner alone, of course. I know you asked for that one all specific." Reaching for her pastry again, Vai is in the middle of chewing when Sunjata phrases it so eloquently, causing the witch to almost choke on her lunch.

Her laughter is contagious, Vai bouncing her eyebrows at him as she slouches once again in her seat, propping a foot against the desk. "Well when you put it like that I'm hard pressed to object," she remarks, reaching again for the wine and raising it in a toast. "Well then," she says, "here's to you getting railed."

She seems placated by the offer of a gift, finishing up her lunch and raking her fingers back through her unruly hair. "Well, it's my job to stop them killing each other, basically. So I think I'll be able to manage that much. Question is - do you even know how to relax?"

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

“I know it does.” Sunjata replies easily, flashing a grin Vai’s way. One thing about Sunjata not in crisis mode, simply meant that his ego had grown twice as large, the Flood often prone to being far more flirtatious and joking, attempting to get away with whatever it was he wanted. She’d likely find it annoying after a while. “Leave them. Gives Nate an actual reason to dote.” He teases, eyes glimmering beneath the bruise to one of them with amusement.

Of course, he isn’t eating when he says the words that make the witch choke. And the grin that spreads along his face is vibrant and bright, laughter leaving him as she sputters. “Thank you.” A bit of pride thrown into it at having won the agreement. But she’s raising the glass, and he raises his, clinking them together with a soft snort leaving him before he downs the rest of the glass.

He finishes the last bit of the sandwich, arms braced on the table as he peers back at her when she speaks. “I’m going to find out.” He winks. In reality, he doesn’t really know. “I’m sure it can’t be that hard.”

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

"Oh, do you now? Fancy another shiner to go with that first one?" Vai laughs, playfully brandishing a fist in his direction. As if she could even get up there to punch him in the face. Annoying it might be, but the witch's amusement proves that she's enjoying it far too much, seeing Jata able to be so lighthearted, that she likely won't start taking digs at him fo a little while longer at least. Slinging an arm over the back of her chair and swirling the wine (and pastry crumbs) in the bottom of her glass, she beams across at him.

"Are you? You sure about that, sunshine? If you start self-sabotaging on your honeymoon, I'll tell Nate to pinch your ears and let you know it's from me." Giggling to herself, she finishes her wine and takes her foot back down from the desk. "I do hope you have a good time though," she adds, a little softer and more sincere. "When do you two think you'll be heading off? Do I at least have time to tell Zeph the good news that we're babysitting the town again?"

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

“Not that much, Vai.” He rumbles, brows raising in feigned resilience. He leans back, out of range of that playful fist sent his direction as if he’s avoiding the possibility of it ever getting close to him again. But she relents and he finishes his lunch, finishes the wine, sitting back in the chair and pulling out a box of cigarettes from the drawer, lighting one  up. “Me? Self-sabotaging?” His head cocks to the side, amusement flaring in his eyes as he pauses to inhale a deep pull of the cigarette.

“I won’t, though. Promise.” What was there to self-sabotage about, anyway? He’d get everything he wanted. Really, the only thing he could worry about was Nate going back to the Climb to make that shrine. All the Flood can do is give Nate a dragon or a myriad of his other shifts, whichever one felt best for the moment to help prepare him. Other than that? He’d have to busy himself here in trying not to worry.

Her question ignites a slow exhale, smoke curling around his nose. “Not for a little while. You have time. I think we plan on going once we’ve picked out where the house will go.” At least, that was Sunjata’s understanding. As far as the governor knew, it was still going according to plan.

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone

Vervain

even the darkest night
will end

"I know - what an absurd notion." Vai smirks across the table at him, shifting to sit cross-legged in her seat as if it could be even conceivably comfortable. She makes it look that way regardless. Still, she's satisfied with his promise, knowing all too well how the world likes to flip itself upside down whenever Sunjata looks like he's about to have a stroke of good luck. The last thing he needs is to sabotage himself before the world gets a chance.

She watches him through the haze of smoke, and the playful look in her blue eyes suggests that she wants to tut and chastise him about such a filthy habit - but that's not quite Vai's way. Mothering, yes. Controlling - absolutely not. "Ah, yes. You need to choose the best cliff to build your fortress into," she says, remembering. "Don't forget to make yourselves a flag. You want everyone sailing into Torchline to know that you're the governor." She winks.

and the sun
will rise

SUNJATA

the flood

A crooked, boyish grin is shot Vai’s way before he’s moving, reaching into the drawer so he might be able to pull out the pack of cigarettes, pulling one out and lighting it up, taking a deep inhale as he leans back in the seat. “Of course we do. One hell of a fortress it’ll be.” He teases lightly, lips quirking as he exhales the smoke through his nose, flicking a bit of ash into the ashtray set there.

“A flag?” He repeats, a bout of laughter coloring the air. “I’m positive the fact that a dragon flies there often enough might be an indicator, no? I’m certainly not easy to miss.” A bit of ego, confidence, a wink shot Vai’s way as he goes to drag from the cigarette again, letting the smoke play about the corners of his mouth before he lets it go.

i can tell just what you want // you don't want to be alone