i'm a true believer

“Good energy?” Minnie scoffed, rolling her eyes as she repeated the phrase. She didn’t get them, didn’t get half of what they said because of things like this.  “It’s a rock,” she said dismissively, “what could it even do?” Her eyes narrowed at Sybill, her annoyance still prominent in her stance. “Just follow the damn policy, Sybill, I don’t care if you think it’s dumb.”

“I certainly hope there is – else the precinct is technically paying the both of us for extra work, and I think that may be a few clams too many for the budget to handle.” He shrugged loosely, far too aware that the money was stretched so thin, even more so with the disappearance of the files, and the uptick in gang activity… Kingsley hated to think about it, but it was close to his mind even in moments of peace and rest. Sometimes he thought he could hear his mother’s voice, accented and firm, in the back of his mind, telling him that he shouldn’t bring his work home like that, that it wasn’t healthy. Truth be told, he had very little in his life beyond his work, or at least very little he had no guilt related to.

“I agree. It’s important to see the city, and also to take time to relax from time to time, so you can get back to work with fresh eyes.” Words of wisdom, but perhaps more than a little hypocritical, coming from Kingsley. He cared for his coworkers a great deal, though, and didn’t want them throwing their lives into work the way he did, didn’t want them to regret so much the way he does. Even Sybill, occasionally odd, and frequently confusing though they were, sparked warmth in him, an instinct to shield. “Cleansing?” His voice came out a little higher than he’d intended, but Kingsley affixed a neutral expression onto his face, nodding as though he understood. “You could, if you want, do a reading for me. That’s not an order from your captain, by the way. Only if you want to.”

sybill tried to take the money comment lightly. “you know you pay me far too much for what i do already.” sybill said, thumbing through their cards. they did very little besides making sure all of the organization was in order, but even actual officer did that better than them sometimes. the thought of money being tight made sybill nervous, but in the end they knew it’d all work out.

“She just likes things to be organized, that’s all.” Lily couldn’t blame them for their frustration though. “I can’t hold that against her.” She frowned when she saw them starting to pack up. When this conversation was over, it was back to the precinct. Back to everything she was hoping to avoid. “I guess I can’t do anything I want to do without a little risk,” she mumbled, “But I don’t want to lose everything.”

“I believe it has to do with the thought there too much clutter on one’s desk will lead to distraction,” Minerva stated a bit huffily. “Regardless,” she crawled, “your little…knick knacks are unprofessional and not the image we want to project to the citizens who come here for our help.” Minnie pinched the bridge of her nose, the frustration from the morning and from this interaction with Sybill creating a headache behind her eyes. “My problem is that they’re against policy, and I’m asking you to at least try to follow it.”

Her grin only grew as Sybill spoke, and she glanced over at her friend. “Are you saying my soul needs to be purified?” she said, the words followed with a bit of a chuckle. If they were, they wouldn’t exactly be wrong. “Oh, it’s absolutely lovely. I’ll talk to Arthur about it later,” she murmured, her eyes falling to the case once more before glancing around the rest of the shop. “We haven’t looked at the books yet, have we?” she said, before linking her arm through theirs. “Come on, then!”

remus felt like he was intruding. he was sitting at his own table still, his own things and coffee in front of him, but his attention was solely on sybill and their own. were their positions reversed, he would have bene angry at being interrupted in a moment of solace but – he had always been sort of a hypocrite. “ what sort of things do you ask them ? ” he stared at the card on top, looking at the illustration. there was no concept of what it was or what it could be running through his mind – just curiosity. “ if they only really tell you about the past, what’s the point ? ” there was a tinge of disappointment in his voice. “ they still look like just paper to me. ” he leaned back in his seat. was his saying that a challenge – was he hoping to be proven wrong ? he wasn’t sure.

Minnie snorted, barely refraining from rolling her eyes at them. “Then try following them and keeping your desk regulation if you have regard for them,” Minnie snipped, her tone sharp for no reason other that the growing pain behind her eyes. “And regardless of if I’m the only one with a problem with your little knick knacks,” she said derisively, “they’re still not allowed to be on your desk at all.”

“Hush,” she smiled, “Minnie likes you.” Or, rather, Lily couldn’t imagine Minnie disliking anyone, especially someone like Sybill, someone Lily found trustworthy and kind. Even after spending these brief minutes discussing her feelings with them, Lily felt better. Though, not all her anxiety had been squandered. She wasn’t sure it ever would be. “I guess you could be right,” Lily sighed, “We aren’t all meant to be best friends with our co-workers. Still… I hate feeling like this. I should feel comfortable, right? Safe. Especially in a police precinct of all places.”

“You know what I mean,” Lily rolled her eyes, though a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. She knew Sybill was right; the secrets in the world of crime were much more complicated than the black and white perspective she grew up assuming all the world was. “You’re around it all day too, though. Not the same as me, but you are. In the precinct, you don’t ever get the feeling that someone is watching you? Waiting for you to… I don’t know. Mess up?” 

tact had no place in remus’ life, it never had, and really he preferred it that way. he knew when to be careful ( it did have its place, he would admit, especially where the marauders were involved ) but in general conversation ? what was the point in being fake or pretending when it would serve no good ? shaking hands clutched a cop of coffee as he sat outside the cafe ( really, coffee couldn’t be good for him, but if he had obeyed doctors with all the things they said to avoid, remus would have nothing left ) and he watched people passing by. people watching in general was an innocuous enough habit – of course, it was until remus began to stare. he hadn’t meant to but the cards the person had drew him in. curiosity killed the cat, he knew, but really if that were the case, he’d have been dead a thousand times over by now.

“ sorry – “ he wasn’t, but his face flushed red – he had good enough sense to feel slightly embarassed – “ just do those … really work ? ” remus’ face crinkled up as he continued looking at the cards ( and not the person ). he had always had a strange relationship with the future. he never thought he had one, and as he found himself living days he never thought he would have, he wasn’t sure what he could believe anymore. his mother had never been too spiritual, but she prayed to a god he wasn’t certain in to ask for more days in his life. they had been to doctors who acted as deities, but their prophecies were proven wrong time and time over. he shrugged his shoulders before spitting out, “ they’re only paper. ” he couldn’t act too interested.

“yeah, that is what they’re made of.” sybill looked up, setting the cards to the side. they would have to start all over with the task thanks to the new energy that had made it’s way over. there wasn’t much judgement in their voice, mostly because this wasn’t the first time they had dealt with the question.

It wasn’t entirely fair to say that Alecto used Sybill. She did not like the connotations there - everyone used everyone else. That’s what people were for, means to an end. Did Alecto perhaps only respond to the other’s invitations when it suited her? Wasn’t that what friends were? And maybe Alecto knew Sybill did not just want to be her friend, but that wasn’t her fault. She would call them friend but keep them closer because it was who Alecto was. She would not apologize for what the world made her, and she did warn them.

They were sitting on the fire escape outside of Sybill’s building. Alecto had long ago shed her shoes and pulled her skirts up far higher than was likely appropriate, almost too thin legs swinging over the edge in an attempt to garner some sort of breeze. She leaned back on her hands and looked over at the sound of their voice. “Everything seems nicer when you aren’t actually looking at it,” her voice was a bit harsher than was warranted, but Alecto was all sharp edges and they knew. “But I haven’t been anywhere but the City, so I couldn’t say really.”

“i don’t think people are like that. they tend to be nicer when you decide to really look” sybill added thoughtfully, ignoring the edge in alecto’s voice. if sybill got upset everytime that happened, the two would never have a conversation ever. they’d still be stuck at a stage where sybill was leaving casserole’s at alecto’s doorstep.

“I think it was made for you,” Celestina said, gently nudging her friend in the side as they glanced upon the brooch in the case. “C’mon, let me show you what I found!” she said, tugging them towards the necklaces. “I think I might get that one,” she said, pointing a finger at the jade necklace that she had set her sights on only moments ago. 

“Do you like it?” she asked, knowing she probably wouldn’t find much else to catch her eye in the small shop. It wasn’t where she usually shopped, but she could see the allure for the other. 

“All of it, I guess. The file, the Prewett murder… and it all so close together,” she sighed, “It’s hard to wrap my head around it all. It feels like it all should be connected, but I just don’t have the pieces to put it together.” Lily looked up at Sybill, realizing she’d been ranting without meaning too. It was hard, feeling like she really had no one to talk to. “Like you always listen to Shacklebolt,” Lily shot back at them quickly, realizing she was avoiding what they truly were insinuating. Lily was the type to always listen to Shacklebolt, as her record would attest. Never before had she broken the rules, not like this. “I just… I don’t know. Do you ever feel like everyone you’re supposed to trust is lying to you?” 

Minnie knew she was unfairly harsh to Sybill-she had been, ever since they started at the precinct, and she wasn’t quite sure why. But today, somehow all of their perceived faults seemed worse. Especially the collection of odd and ends taking up a solid percentage of Sybill’s desk space. “Just because Captain Shacklebolt hasn’t said anything doesn’t mean it isn’t against policy,” Minerva responded primly. “I know you have little regard for the rules, but would it kill you to at least pretend to follow them?”

“More important than you? Don’t be ridiculous,” Lily laughed. “You know you’re more interesting than all of the others put together.” She set her cappuccino down on the table, glancing down at the file peeking out of her bag. There would always be more time to look at it, when she could be alone. “Did I really miss you leaving? I wish I hadn’t,” she frowned. “It’s this case, Syb. I just can’t stop thinking about it.” 

Shooting a small grin at Arthur as they both wandered further into the pawn shop, Celestina wondered if Sybill had any idea of what lay beneath the shop. Of course, she had to admire her friend’s fascination with whatever could be found on the shelves, and had busied herself with looking at the pieces of jewelry only a few steps away. 

As her fingers ran over a jade necklace laid out in a case, she heard Sybill’s voice and moved over to their side. “Oh, Sybill, it’s just darling. You don’t have anything like this, do you?” she asked, a small smile coming to her own lips. 

sybill’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment, trying to recall their jewelry box. elephant brooch? yes. giraffes, lizards, birds, yes. owls? sybill might’ve had a pair of earrings, maybe a necklace, but they couldn’t remember an owl nestled among all of the other little treasures that they have collected over the years.

where: the nypd office

who: @divincrights

Minerva was having a bit of a day. Her bones ached in the way that meant a storm was coming, and sorting through the paperwork on her desk, she wasn’t sure if it was literal or metaphorical at this point. She rubbed at her eyes, glancing at the clock to see she still had two hours until she could head out. Her head ached, and the upbeat whistling coming from Sybill’s desk was only making matters worse. She glanced over, looking at them and their cluttered desk with a narrowed gaze. Minnie eyed the assorted knick knacks with disdain as she informed them, “You know you’re not allowed to have those on your desk, right?”