Vi Fraser

“There’s still atmosphere in zero-grav, but….I have no idea how it would affect a wind witch like you, missy,” Iann rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “We really should find some way to get that set up, just to see huh?  For science.”  

Iann had no knowledge of Vi’s past, and as this was the first time she’d volunteered something, he listened with a keen interest.  “Oh shit.  Your parents weren’t witches?  The magic skipped a generation, huh?  Jesus, that must’ve been rough.”  Vi was joking about it now, but Iann could imagine it was no joke when she was younger.  He at least hoped her folks didn’t treat her badly for her magic (among other things), but unfortunately Iann also knew enough of the world to know that it was more often than not.  

Vi gave Iann more information on Darla - he was more interested in her actually settling on a job here, than the whole relationship thing, Vi was right about that.  It meant she was staying in Soapberry, at least she intended to stay in Soapberry.  Which was fine, except now Iann’s mind turned to other thoughts about Darla, that sprouted in his head like mushrooms.  About those Aryan looks, and her accent - Southern in general, but each state and region and county had its own accent of course.  

“Ah you’ll figure it out,” Iann clapped Vi on the shoulder, motioning for them to get back to work.  “Just don’t let her break your heart, hm?  Stay strong, Fraser.  You got this…”  As they started to sweep up leaves ( Vi using magic, Iann using a rake), Iann curiously asked,  “So is she like…human?  Or something else?”

Grinning, Iann added,  “I take it back, Vi. You’re too rock n roll to be fully emo.  Are you gonna do Joan Jett for your Halloween costume?”

“Oh, wel-” Vi shrugged. “Well we should figure it out for science, I agree.” It was when Iann asked about her parents being witches that she realized she really didn’t talk about her past too much. Sometimes it was easier, focusing on the good things about her recent past, her parents could be somewhat of a sore spot. “It was definitely rough.” She laughed. “No, my paternal grandmother was a witch, but my dad never believed it- he always thought she was possessed - well, because that’s what his father told him.” Vi looked down to her beer, watching the liquid slosh around as she turned it slightly on its side. “He had my grandmother put into a care unit, we would visit her once a year during the holidays- she would always tell me I was her favorite. She knew what I was, but she never said anything.” Vi shook her head. “Maybe things would have been easier if she would have said something, I don’t know.” She waved her hand, as if batting away her feelings and gave Iann a chuckle.

“Anyway-” Vi continued. “We’ll see, I’m not in the heart breakin’ business.” She laughed, pushing herself up. She brought her hands up, controlling the leaves with her magic, getting a hold of them with one hand she walked to the edge of the rooftop lounge and swirled the leaves into a large compost bin they kept on the ground level outside of the building. “She’s a witch.” Vi looked over to Iann. “I mean, I felt it when we first met each other- y’know?” She asked. She wasn’t sure if humans had the same sense sometimes with the supernatural, but when witches met each other they just got this feeling- like a taste of their power.

At the idea of teaming up to do spells with Ephram, Darla let out a somewhat cruel laugh. “Ah hell no. Ephram don’t think my magic’s natural or some shit, jus’ ‘cause I got it activated instead a bein’ born with it. If it weren’t in there to begin with, how’d that potential get unlocked, you know?” Her hand creeped back toward Vi’s knee as she started to get defensive for no reason. “The fucklehead’s jus’ jealous ‘cause he ain’t the only special one in the family no more.”

Her hand crept back down Vi’s thigh, and she leaned a bit into her in the small booth, breath hot on the side of her face. “Wouldn’t mind teamin’ up on some spells with you though, honey,” she whispered. “Considerin’ we already know how to make magic together.” Just as quickly, she backed up, squeezing her thigh playfully before removing her hand completely and finally turning to the half a sandwich she’d been offered before.

Darla plucked her golden pendent off her chest and held it out in her palm, gazing down at it. “I need this here to do my magic,” she felt a little vulnerable exposing that fact, but she assumed to any attuned witch could tell that’s what she channeled it through. “A transmutation circle. Wouldn’t mind learnin’ more ‘bout ‘em. How to draw simpler ones myself and the like.”

Vi cocked her head to the side, eyeing Darla. “Hell no, huh?” She winked. “I guess you have to- er, vibe with someone before you start making magic with them.” She shrugged. Vi picked up the sandwich, taking another bite before putting it back down on their plate. “Magic is magic.” She stated. She picked up the napkin, cleaning off a teensy bit of excess greece of her finger tips. She knew that the politics in sibling relationships could be complex, but, as an only child she’d never experienced those politics first hand. 

“I’ll be looking forward to it.” She winked, her hand coming down to caress Darlas fingers before they retracted from her thigh.

 “Well, whether it’s in here-” Vi brought her hand up, her finger touching the spot on Darlas chest where her heart beat beneath. “-or getting some help, a little push.” Her finger lingering on the chain that held the glass vial Darla usually wore between her breasts. “I’ve met a few witches that have- well, that use items, relics, sigils, stuff like this-” She motioned to the pendant. “-to help them. There should be less hate in the witch community about it, but some witches just won’t listen.” She shrugged. Vi knew for a while, since the first time she saw the pendant glow she had an inkling. 

         “I am a master of animals,” she joked at Vi’s shock. Bella actually was not, though most animals did seem to like her she was not quite capable of actually taking care them. Getting Boss had meant learning a lot that, as a child, she would not have, and as an adult couldn’t willingly off the time to for more animals. 

         Bella was a little relieved when Vi didn’t want the tabby. It was too plain a cat for her abilities. If she wanted a cat Bella felt like it needed to be as wonderful as Vi was, a hard task because she was so amazing in Bella’s eyes. “I know,” she nodded definitively, Bella quite sure witches and fae had their own unique magics about them that did help indicate something akin to fate or destiny.

         “Nope, Boss is like me, very jealous,” she answered. 

        When Vi asked if what was on her shoulder was a bird she simply nodded, watching as it abandoned her. Least she had the spider, frog and hamster…maybe she was the witch with that odd assortment. Her selfish thoughts were quickly abandoned when she watched Vi seemed to do something with the bird, it flying in a specific area of magic and then concluding it’s display on her shoulder. “Who wouldn’t be?” Bella answered. “What sort of bird is it?”

“Oh, you sure are.” Vi winked at her joke, playing along. The small bird on her shoulder leaped off, flying around their heads before returning to it’s own little haitat. “I have no idea, some sort of finch, I think?” Vi shrugged, watching the bird nestle in. 

Vi’s eyes returned to the wild that had become Bella, catching a flicker of something rustling in her hair. “What other critters do you have running around here?” She asked with a nervous laugh. Vi reached up to tuck a stray hair behind Bellas ear, finding yet another little creature tucked away. “Oh, I see, I see.” She laughed, pulling the mini mantis off Bellas ear. The little thing wrapped around her finger, a small smiled formed on Vi’s face and she looked from the mantis to the other animals milling around. 

@imviapassmeabeer​

Looking around her apartment at the new flat packs and buckets of paint Essie takes a stock of what she wants to do. Her apartment had been plain white and full of bins with excess of her things in for too long. Danny had done up his apartment and she’d gotten a little jealous of how amazing it looked now. She felt her place clean and nice, but with not nearly enough shelf space and lacking a little bit of personality. They wouldn’t be doing a lot of painting but she was excited for the slight change anyway. Happy to have someone to help her build the new shelves.

Darla soaked up the attention Vi gave her. The stares as she watched Darla closely and made no attempts to hide it. But at the same time, it made her feel so vulnerable. Like an exposed nerve. She usually wasn’t nervous when she was the center of someone’s attention, living for it really, but she found herself trying to find other interesting things to look at instead of Vi’s penetrating eyes. 

When Vi leaned in to nudge Darla’s stomach, she slipped her hand onto Vi’s thigh casually. She ran her nails over the denim of her jeans, feeling her fingertips vibrate on the texture. “My gut feelin’s never done me wrong before,” Darla said quietly. She picked a toothpick up from the container on the table, letting her hand glow around it to morph it into a match, striking it across the table and lighting the scented candle in the middle. She then brought the match to Vi’s lips for her to blow out.

Setting the blown out match on the empty plate, she listened as Vi spoke about her magic and her family. “Sorry bout your granny,” Darla said instinctively. “Most a my family’s human too, except Ephram a ‘course. I only really started learnin’ my potential real recently. Reckon I’m a rookie.” She squeezed Vi’s leg where she still had her hand on her thigh and moving it just a little farther up, smiling innocently.

Vi bit her lip as Darlas fingers played at her thigh. Watching as Darla looked from her to the table. “I believe you.” She replied. Vi wrapped her arm around the back of the booth, leaning back as she watched Darla light the candle. Something incredibly endearing about this cafe was the candles they kept on all the tables- this one being the scent Autumnal Delight. 

Vi looked Darla in the eyes, the edges of her lips pulled up into a smile as she used her wind magic to extinguish the flame. 

Vi cleared her throat, her forearm rested on the table. “Ah- that’s alright. I was young when it happened.” She slightly shrugged. “Have you ever teamed up, tried out a spell together?” She asked. “I think practicing magic with another is one of the better experiences in life for us witches.” Vi mused.

         Bella knew Vi was placating her by pretending to find the Frog beautiful, patting it gently before pulling back, Bellamy taking the chance to put the frog on her shoulder, it’s weird fingers of sorts grabbing at her hair while Bellamy kept looking around. She loved animals, especially little ones, and immediately wanted to keep finding ones small enough that they could hide in her hair. A spider that could hide in her hair and jump out at any moment…

        As Bella contemplated this Vi had made her way over to an assortment of less uncomfortable creatures. Some cats and ferrets, by the time Bella looked over to Vi she was playing with a tabby cat, Bellamy wandering over to stand behind her.

       “Is she the one?” Bellamy asked, in this time she had found a hamster that was cupped against her chest, a spider trying to find it’s way out of her hair because Bella had insisted it go in, the frog still, a bird on her opposing shoulder to the frog, and if Vi looked closely enough a mini mantis that was latched around her ear. Bella was having fun. “Her hair is not as nice as yours but we can probably find her a good cat shampoo.”

Vi turned to the sound of Bellas voice, surprised to see an array of animals stuck to her at what seemed every inch. “Bells!” She called in delight. “Oh my god.” She laughed. Vi patted Flora on the head before taking a couple steps towards Bella. 

“I don’t think so-” She said looking back to the cat. “I think  I’ll get this- this feeling, when I know. Y’know?” She asked, reaching to pet the hamster Bella held on her chest. “Head n’ shoulders, baby.” She said, running her hair through her voluminous locs and giving Bella a playful wink. 

“You gonna be leaving with one of these little guys?” She asked with a laugh.

Darla watched Vi’s finger trace the sigil and she couldn’t help but bite her lip just a little. What was it about this girl’s hands? Darla swallowed hard, passing it off as a simple wetting of her lips as her tongue jutted out, just in case Vi had been watching her. It really was close quarters in this booth, which Darla was loving and hating at the same time.

“I ain’t delved into much at all, truth be told,” Darla admitted. “I’m new to all this magic business. All I really know is my alchemy, and even that there I’m just wingin’ best I can.” She wasn’t embarrassed by it, but part of her didn’t like to admit it either. 

“Hot sauce. A woman after my own heart,” Darla joked. She watched as Vi took a bite, and when she was offered one of her own she took hit happily. “Well shit, that is pretty dang good,” she admitted, setting the sandwich back on the plate. “How long you been doin’ your magic?”

Vi could tell how some of her movements impacted Darla, how she covered biting her lip with something else. She only noticed these things because she knew her, as much as you could know someone while just shagging them- she could see right through her facade. 

Vi held her sandwich, watching as Darla enjoyed the other half. “You can have that half- this one might fill me up.” She said of the hearty breakfast.

“Wingin’ it is the best, really. It’s great to know different things, sigils, spells, sources of power- but the gut feeling-” She said, leaning in and reaching to gently nudge Darlas stomach. “-that’s what it’s all about.” Vi leaned back, picking up her sandwich for another bite.

“You got a point there,” Darla retorted, realizing her words might sound a bit cruel. She didn’t take them back though. Looking at Vi all she could really think about was the bedroom, rolling around in the sheets, enjoying each other’s bodies and mouths. It was intoxicating to think about. And the smugness Vi looked at her with…if a man looked at her that way, she’d be liable to give him a piece of her mind. But when Vi said it, she felt the inescapable need to cross her legs.

When an invite to Vi’s table was extended to her, Darla shrugged with a little playful little smirk. “Hmmm, we’ll see,” she sighed, turning her attention back to her phone and her mug, taking a heavy sip from it. She looked up once Vi’s back was turned, watching her grab her sandwich, and averted her eyes every time Vi looked her way, scrolling through instagram without actually looking at it. 

Once Vi actually stopped at her table again to pick up her latte, Darla raised her eyebrow at the woman, glancing around at the bustling room, then to the secluded table in the back. “Oh, fine,” she relented in mock surrender, rolling her eyes with a smile and getting up. She grabbed her mug and pocketed her phone, walking over to the table with Vi and taking a seat. It was almost like the din of the rest of the cafe faded when they sat down, and Darla felt a tingle on her skin. 

“Is there a soundproofin’ spell back here?” she asked as she got herself settled.

Vi slid into the tiny booth first, as there was only one side available to enter and didn’t want Darla to have to scooch in her outfit- plus it would give her access to leave any time she wanted, Vi thought that would be one thing Darla would appreciate. She slid her latte and sandwich towards her side of the table, lifing her latte to take a sip.

“Yeah, actually.” Vi nodded. She leaned forward, her arm reaching across Darla to point at a sigil Vi etched into the corner of the table a while back. “I held the spell with this.” She said, tracing the sigil with her finger. She could feel Darlas breath on her ear, causing the hair on her nape to stand. She leaned back into her seat and crossed her legs at the knee.

“Have you delved into sigils?” Vi asked curiously.

“Your place?” Darla repeated skeptically, raising an eyebrow and tilting her head forward a bit. Vi oozed confidence, almost enough to rival Darla’s own. She didn’t quite know how to feel about that, honestly, other than oddly attracted to it. Cutting through the bullshit always caught Darla’s attention. “You best not be accusin’ me of stalkin’ you, honey,” she teased.

Darla watched as Vi talked with the barista. An easy conversation, and the staff even asking after her? Maybe this really was her regular spot. Maybe Darla shouldn’t flatter herself so much…

“Yeah, yeah, reckon it’s your place,” Darla relented, putting her hands up in mock surrender. “You win.” She leaned in a bit as Vi pointed to a table tucked out of the way. She grinned. It was much more out of the way than the table they were at, which was right in front of the main window. 

“That you droppin’ a hint?” Darla asked with a mischevious smirk. “Wanna move to your table?”

“You, stalking me?” Vi playfully quipped. “I didn’t think you’d show that much interest- well-” She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “-outside the bedroom, that is.” She winked, leaning back into her chair. Vi took another sip of her latte, studying Darla. The sun shining in caused her vibrant blue eyes to stand out against her golden locs, she was beautiful. 

“That’s probably where I’ll be heading.” Vi nodded her head. “Would you like to join me?” She tilted her head. “It’s not as..” Vi looked around the room that they seemed to be the center of- busy patrons bustling by, knocking into the table here and there, a family with some rambunctious kids at the table nextdoor. “-busy. I think that’s the word.” She said. Vi looked over to the counter, her breakfast sandwich was ready.

[TEXT]: I’m so sorry, I thought I was replying to someone else haha

[TEXT]: That’s good!

[TEXT]: Excited for the weekend?

[TEXT]: Obviously! 

[TEXT]: The only names I’ll be crying out tonight would be fictional.

[TEXT]: I am, but I have no particular plans beyond grading papers.

[TEXT]: If you could be wooed by one fictional character, who would they be?

[TEXT]: At least it’s a little rest?