howl

“Scientists can’t explain us because we won’t let them study us.” Beau would never have consented to being poked and prodded and forced to perform so a scientist could study him. Learn about him. He doubted they’d want to learn for him of all people anyways. “Highly optimistic words coming from a Downworlder if I must say so. Usually your lot is never optimistic about the workings of the Clave.”

“They don’t think we exist, they think we’re nothing but myth and stories to make kids scared or to fascinate teens.” She pointed out, because being apart of the mundane world, well she was aware of how people perceived her kind and vampires, it was odd. Very odd. “Honestly, you put some of us Downworlders in charge and we’d be exactly the same. They haven’t done anything to me personally for me to have a vendetta, so therefore I’m Switzerland in this situation.”

Beau just rolled his eyes. He wasn’t going to argue about something like his personality right now. If ever. “I have…a high metabolism. I burn through energy faster than most people.” His absurd rune usage he figured but it had never caused him harm as long as he ate. He shrugged. “Perhaps. I do not know.” And that’s what worried him the most.

“But you’re not people, you’re half angel and I’m half demon, so it doesn’t surprise me that you body is always hungry. We work in weird and mysterious ways that even scientists can’t explain.” She commented, looking at the other and from the shrug alone, she knew that even the other had no idea what was going on with those in a higher position then him and that was worrying. “I’m sure things will work out in the end, they normally do.” Well other then the times in which everything went horribly wrong.

“I wouldn’t even call it mildly. I call it just barely bearable. I am not a nice person.” He had been, long ago. He hadn’t been sunshine and roses but he’d be nice. “What can I say? I’m a hungry guy. If it’s free I’m going to make it worth my while.” He shrugged. “Corrupt?” Beau thought on that for a while. He had his issues with the Clave, he had a lot, but he didn’t think it was corrupt. “I think it is flawed. But not corrupt. What do you think?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.” She waved the other off, because she didn’t really care all that much if the other was a nice person or not, he hadn’t been anything but nice to her so she was judging him from her experience with him. “You sure you’re not a wolf? We’re always building up an appetite, I think it’s all the running when we’re in form.” She shrugged, because when you’re running on all four legs and then transforming from wolf to human, well you built up an appetite. “I think it’s flawed and those flaws if not fixed it could become corrupt.”

“Perhaps it is the circumstances. Usually when you and I meet I’m drunk. I am not right now.” He would be later, but not right now. “An that’s why people like me exist. To strike down the stupid fool that thinks they can get away with that.” Beau would never admit it out loud but some days he wondered if things would be easier if the mundanes just knew about everything. “Not with the Clave having appointed him. He is simply a smaller stain on a tapestry full of stains. In order to clean one…you have to clean them all.”

“So you’re only mildly more bearable when you’re drunk? Sounds like most of the men I’ve met in my life.” She scoffed, “I’m not offering you food this time though, or drink, you’re cleaning me out.” She commented in a way that would help ease some of the air that was around them, but she was pretty sure it was only going to earn her an eye roll. “The all high and mighty Nephilim, I know.” She shrugged, because whereas some Downworlders hated Shadowhunters, she was impartial to them. If they pissed her off, that was another story, but until then she could be civil with them. She had to be, given who’s pack she was in. “Are you telling me your system is corrupt?”

“I’m always in a bad mood.” Beau said simply, shrugging. “Of course I’m safe. I wouldn’t have been doing this if I didn’t think I was safe.” He rolled his eyes. “I am not something bad that would happen to a mundane. I’m not stupid enough to attack them.” He wouldn’t want to any way. There was no challenge there. “Aldertree is a dick. And the day he leaves the Institute will never be soon enough. I’m tired of him. He is…a stain on the Clave.”

“You’re not wrong, but you seem more prickly then normal.” Lena commented, rolling her eyes at the others comment. “I didn’t say you’d be the one attacking them, I know it’s a Shadowhunters job to protect the mundane. That doesn’t mean there aren’t vamps and wolves out here, waiting for mundanes to pass by to chow down on.” Because she never said her kind were perfect, there were some that were terrible. She was just glad she was part of a pack that had morals. “And there’s no way for you and the others to get him out? Surely if everyone feels the same way they can get him fired.”

“Ha. Ha, ha, ha.” Beau said, rolling his eyes. “Pretty sure I was here first so your question would not only have been redundant but ill-informed.” He smirked a little at her. “No. I don’t. It’s not exactly wise to be un-glamoured in a mundane space with my weapon. But I’m not spending another minute under the thumb of Aldertree than I have to.”

“Wow, you’re in a worse mood then normal.” Lena commented, because there was very few times when she had came across the other and he had been in a good mood, but this- well today he seemed to resemble a hurricane and he didn’t want to get into his path of destruction. “Yeah, I was going to say this is kind of stupid, but given it’s the middle of the night and it’s a park, I think you’re safe. Mundanes tend not to roam these areas unless they want something bad to happen to them, that or they’re wanting to do something bad.” She shrugged, looking at the other with a low hum, “Aldertree, I have to tell you- never heard of the guy until he was appointed head of the Institute and now he’s all I hear about and not for good reasons.”

Beau ran his stele over the runes on his weapon again. They were perfect but it had long ago to become habit when he needed a moment to calm down again. And it didn’t hurt to keep them fresh and updated. It probably wasn’t a great idea to be doing it in the park like he was, but Beau couldn’t really find it in him to care. He was hidden…enough. And while he let the calm wash over him he wasn’t totally oblivious to his surroundings either. The sound of footsteps caused him to look up. “Can I help you?”

“It’s funny, I was just about to ask you the same thing.” Lena asked, moving closer to the other who was pretty much sat alone in a dark park, which- if this had been a mundane life, would be counted as suspicious behaviour. She sat opposite him, giving the other space because she had learned that was probably the best thing to do when it came to Beau, crossing her legs and leaning on her hands to look at him. “So- come here often?” She joked, trying to ease some of the weird energy that was around him.

“But I was bored. Do you have any idea how many stores Ester has made me stand in today? She’s four. And all she wants to look at are sequins.” He shook his head, exasperated, but in a good way. “Maybe…but I think I’d be able to hear Ester’s giggling.” He looked around anyways to no avail. “At least she’s creative, right? My daughter is really into Dr. Seuss right now. Pretty sure I’ve read Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb at least a thousand times this year.”

“Sequins? Your house must be fun, but hey- at least it’s not glitter. That would be a whole lot worse and I’m planning on not introducing Lyra to glitter until she’s around twelve and can handle the consequences of what happens when you play with it.” She chuckled, because she didn’t want everything in their home to be infused with a hint of sparkle. She’d be cleaning for years and it’s still be there. “That’s true and that’s cute, this one won’t make me stop reading little red riding hood, she likes the wolf- her father was looking after her the other day and she said he looked like the wolf in granny’s clothes because of his glasses.”

“No! I was checking my facebook. Looked up and gone. It’s my wife that likes to complain about how long we’re taking. She’s a woman on a mission.” He laughed. “She’s got the baby so I think the cops will let me bypass the twenty-four hour rule. She probably went to the car, knowing her. And Ester is always down to pull a prank on dad. Hopefully your little one isn’t so conniving.”

“That’s like rule number one, don’t check your phone at the mall- it’s dangerous.” She teased the other, because she had done that far too many times in the past and had ended up walking into someone or when Lyra was younger she was an offender of texting and pushing her stroller into people. “For all you know, they’re hiding behind a plant and watching you walk around in circles aimlessly while trying to search for them.” She chuckled, looking down to Lyra with a smile on her face. “She can be good most of the time, if she see’s Princesses though- she’s off. They’re her thing right now, last year it was dinosaurs- so now all her dinosaurs are wearing dresses.”

“Has anyone seen a woman around here? She’s on the short side, long brown hair. Probably carrying a little four year old? It appears my wife and child have abandoned me in the shopping mall.” Beau said, an easy smile on his face. It wasn’t the first time Raphi had just walked off while Beau had been looking at something. She was a one track mind shopper, both a  blessing and a curse some days. “Her name is Raphi. Although I doubt she’s told anyone that.”

“Did you complain about how long they were taking to shop, because if you did then I understand why they left you. Men are the worst when it comes to shopping.” Lena scoffed, making sure her own four year old still had a hold of her hand and hadn’t wandered off. “Also it’s twenty four hours before you can file a missing persons report- though I think it would be them for you and not the other way around.”

“Especially not for you,” joked Maia, shooting a grin to the other woman as she looked up from her money. With a few more taps at the screen, she closed the cash register and propped herself up on the counter by her arms. She gave Lena a fake look of disgust as she got the woman a cup of coffee, already knowing her order. “I really don’t want to count all the money again, so go ahead and take it. I wasn’t the one that gave it to you,” she said soon after, sliding the cup of coffee down the counter like a bartender. People had said that she could have made good money in a bar, but there was just something about the cafe that she loved. 

“So, how’ve you been?” she asked, having been way too enveloped in her studies to see her good friend in a while.

“I’m offended, truly. All that pizza I buy for you- all those tips I’ve given you. I’m taking them all back because of that comment.” She retorted, a smile on her lips as she moved closer to the counter where the other was working. Lena caught the cup of coffee in a swift move, smiling at the other as she gave her it on the house. “If anyone asks, I’ll say it’s the weird guy who likes to sniff tables before he cleans them. They won’t think anything of it.” She brought the cup to her lips, all but inhaling the caffeine because it was just the kick she needed after a long day. “Busy. The clinic have given me the responsibility of more patients and if I have to hear abuse from one more owner after I tell them their pet is overweight, I’m going to scream.” She sighed, it was all part of her job and though she loved it- it really did suck at times. “At home things are really good, Lyra is going through a Princess phase though, so it’s dresses, tiaras and Disney all of the time in our house. I’m not sure I can take another viewing of Frozen.” She chuckled with a small shake of her head, “How’re you though? How’s school going?”