Satinalia Special: Gingerwort
Words: ~1900 Characters: Lucas Laidir (@apothe-cary), Juan de Riva, Rinaldo de Riva, Scarlet de Riva, Want Summary: Juan and Scarlet disappear for an afternoon to get fucked up bond. Lucas follows Want to find them. Rinaldo is getting aggressively annoyed. Notes: Sometimes mages want to get wrecked.
“So you’re, what high?” “Poquito.” They held up their fingers an inch apart. “They used to do this all the time when we were teenagers,” Rinaldo sighed. “You want a sip?” Scarlet grinned, offering the flask to the both of them. “No, thank you. Can either of you stand?” “Your boyfriend’s a real buzzkill,” Juan whispered to Scarlet in a way that was somehow louder than their actual speaking voice.
It was the last day of Juan's contract. After that, they could swing by Treviso, cash out, and get the hell out of Antiva. So it was a bit surprising that Juan got an invitation from Scarlet much less in a small park they had never been to. Well, if she were to stab them, she at least had the decency to wait until the job was done.
“Keep up, Sparrow. We have something exciting to do before you go.” Scarlet jumped over a fallen tree trunk to a spot with a blanket and a basket full of items.
“Ugh, no bird names please,” they sighed, taking a seat next to her. “This where you stab me? I heard it's a pastime.”
“Past time it may be, I think today getting high is the funner past time.” She pulled out gingerwort truffles from her basket. “Your hair reminds me of a sparrow so sparrow you shall be. It’s like Rin, Rin is Rinny. I don’t think he cares for it but I do it anyway.”
“He might. Most people don’t even make an attempt to get close to him.” They looked over at her. “The hell are those?”
“A fun time. Smoke it or drink it. Pick one. Both have a fast effect.”
“Now we're talking. Let’s drink it.”
She pulled out a flask she had pre-made the tea in, handing it to Juan, “The guest of honor first.”
They took the flask and raised it, “Salud.” Juan took a tentative drink at first before shrugging and taking a longer pull.
Scarlet took the flask back, taking a drink herself, “Not the best in taste.” She made a face, “but it’ll do the job.”
“It’s not bad. Not my favorite but I guess—” they started before feeling something settle. “Oh.”
Scarlet let out a wicked laugh, “Oh indeed. It’s particularly strong for mages.” She grinned
“How have we not met before?” Juan snickered and relaxed on the blanket. “We could have ditched our boyfriends and done this all day.”
“Suppose Viago likes to keep his particularly fun Crows to himself.” Scarlet grinned, lying back on the blanket herself. “I’m also not technically an official Crow, I own my own pub. Typically I’m there. My girls gather useful information. That’s my job. Crows are more of a side gig.”
“Amazing. I guess I just assumed. Sorry about that.”
“It’s no issue, I don’t particularly mind. Viago lets me use the de Riva name and I take contracts. But it isn’t my livelihood as it is for you or Rinny.” Scarlet turned her head to Juan, “What was it like?”
“Growing up in the Crows or with Rinaldo?” They shrugged. “Better than dying either way. I didn’t come up like the others. Most of the time, you’re put in a group that gets whittled down. They sent me to the Circle first. Then here after I got kicked out. Rinaldo was one of those kids who would only have friends if you paid them. Always quiet. So if I washed out of being a real Crow, I could at least be a bodyguard or a valet for him.”
“I see, then did he change much? Or had he always been the way?” Scarlet took another drink, giving the flask to Juan
“Always this way for the most part.” They took the flask and drank again. “He used to be worse. Doesn’t trust anyone. Can barely have an actual conversation with him. It makes it feel nice when he trusts you. I can’t believe you got him to paint his nails, much less let you do it. I practically had to wrestle him into his suits like trying to dress up a dog.”
Scarlet listened to the wind, closing her eyes, the effects of the drink really kicking in, “I didn’t do much. He just does it. Rinny is still a complicated bastard. Angers me and I am very much the jealous sort. But you surprisingly don’t anger me, in fact I quite like you. Maybe because your care for Rin is genuine. And it is nice when there is a second person to help when he acts out. I suppose he behaved better now that I told him how I felt.”
“He doesn’t get to be an asshole on my watch. You seem to be good for him. He likes being around you, and you don’t let him get away with shit. That’s all I need.”
She laughed a bit, “That’s the first time someone has ever said anything of a sort. You’re cute, I get what your boy sees in you.”
“I’m the only one who can say it. I earned that.” They grinned.
“Is it just me or is the wind singing?”
“Oh thank the gods, I thought it was just me….”
Scarlet laughed, “This is so much better than causing a scene in the market.”
“Rinaldo used to get so mad when he’d find me wrecked in an alley somewhere,” they snickered. “He doesn’t know how to have any fun.”
Hsssss!
Juan looked down. “Scarlet? There’s a pissed off cat over here. Also, I think it’s pink. And glowing.”
Scarlet sat up and squinted, “No fucking way. We can’t be hallucinating the same thing.”
“Of course not. And there are cats everywhere. I have to keep reminding Lucas not to bring them home because city cats aren’t like the ones he’s used to.”
The cat hopped over Juan, jumping a little too high and staying in the air a little too long to land on the other side of Scarlet.
“There’s no fucking way. I think we drank way too much.” Scarlet stared at the cat.
In the distance Lucas was grumbling to Rinaldo, “How can you lose both of them? Both! I was just buying food!”
“They’re adults. I just thought she was stepping out for air!” Rinaldo was scowling following him. “It’s probably fine. They probably found another shop to spend my money at.”
The cat stared at Scarlet for a moment as if trying to drill down into her core. Then it purred, rubbing against her arm.
“Oh, you’re cute actually, pink but cute.” She tired to pet the cat.
“That’s the tea,” Juan suggested, taking another drink from the flask. “It acts like every other cat I’ve seen.”
It hissed at Juan again then nuzzled against Scarlet’s palm.
“It’s pink, Juan, that's not normal.” She raised a brow, “Oh the boys found us.”
Lucas scoffed at Rinaldo, “Two adults whose idea is fun are more violence.” He visibly relaxed seeing them, “Maker, you two are trouble. Juan, you didn’t say anything.” Lucas pouted.
“It’s the tea making the cat pink, otherwise it’s just a cat—” Juan scoffed before looking slowly up at the other two. “Oh shit. Sorry, it sounded like an emergency.”
Rinaldo watched as the two small elves were sprawled out on a blanket, giggling at nothing unable to focus. He grumbled, rubbing tension out of his eyes, “Maker, not again…”
The cat nuzzled Scarlet one more time before melting away, reappearing as it climbed up Lucas’ back and onto his shoulder.
Lucas furrowed his down at the cat on his shoulder, “What- are you doing here?” He whispered to the cat then tuned back to Juan, “I just got worried was all. I left to get food and you were gone. Scared me a bit.”
“Oh don’t worry I’m treating your little sparrow to a good drink.” Scarlet let out another fit of giggles.
“So good,” Juan snickered in agreement.
You wanted. Want found them, it nuzzled Lucas’ neck. The words echoed in Lucas’ ears, only sounding purrs to everyone else.
“Good find.” Lucas sighed and pet the cat, “So you’re, what high?”
“Poquito.” They held up their fingers an inch apart.
“They used to do this all the time when we were teenagers,” Rinaldo sighed.
“You want a sip?” Scarlet grinned, offering the flask to the both of them.
“No, thank you. Can either of you stand?”
“Your boyfriend’s a real buzzkill,” Juan whispered to Scarlet in a way that was somehow louder than their actual speaking voice.
The cat arched and hissed. When their hackles raised, the tips of their fur seemed to sharpen into needles.
“Buzzzkill.” She stuck out her tongue to Rinaldo.
“I’m alright myself.” Lucas bent down to Juan, “Can we go home now?”
“I’m fine!” Juan huffed and tried to get to their feet, only to roll onto their face. Want hissed at them again.
“They’re yours now, you carry them,” Rinaldo huffed to Lucas as he went to help Scarlet up.
“Ruu~de! I took care of you as a baby and this is the thanks I get!”
“None of that happened,” Rinaldo sighed.
Lucas pressed a kiss against Juan’s temple, “I’ll spoil you when we go home, let me carry you?”
“Okay,” they relented. Want hissed and reared back to scratch them, only to duck when Juan swatted at it. “I don’t like this new cat of yours. Don’t bring it home.”
Scarlet huffed, whacking Rinaldo's hand, “Take a sip first.”
“When we get back,” Rinaldo said, lifting Scarlet easily enough to pack Scarlet’s other picnic supplies.
“Rinny!”
“You’re not passing out in the middle of the park,” Rinaldo said flatly, balancing Scarlet with her bag hung off his arms.
“Buzzkill!” Juan yelled while holding onto Lucas.
Lucas adjusted Juan in his arms, “Comfrotable?” He turned to the cat, “Want can you go ahead? Promise to talk to you later.”
Want hopped off of Lucas’ shoulder, disappearing into the wind before it touched the ground.
Scarlet hummed, “I like your cat. Rinaldo, let's get a cat.” She traced his back
“What cat?” Rinaldo grumbled as they made their way back to his apartment. “Why do you want a cat?”
“The little pink one that was clinging to Lucas, duh. Even Lucas sees it and he’s not high.” Scarlet huffed at Rinaldo, “Cats are cute and the independent sort. Most you have to do is feed them and give them a spot to do their business but they make great companions.”
“There’s no cat there, but fine. Maybe.”
Lucas was going to comment on how any of them could see the cat but just decided to ignore it and focus on Juan, “I’ve never seen you so whiny.”
“I’m not whiny!”
“It’s cute.”
They huffed indignantly but let themself be carried.
Lucas chuckled, nuzzling his face against Juan, “I quite like this side of you.”
Scarlet giggled, “I can give you the recipe, spikes.”
“Spikes?”
“You’re a spikey fellow.” Scarlet grinned, “Don’t you agree Rinny?”
“Please don’t give him ways to let Juan get messed up again.”
“Why not? Now they can both enjoy themselves a little high! Are you curious how the spikey one would be? Bet you he’d look softer. Maybe even get along with you.”
Lucas’ face cringed, “That last part is really pushing it.”
“Because I need to get Juan home with a bucket before they come to or else ‘Spikey’ here will have a very different problem.”
Lucas glared at Rinaldo, “Don’t call me that. We don’t need the recipe anyways. But this version of Juan is very cute.” He gently carried Juan rubbing his back, “How you feeling?”
“Great,” they grinned, “Feeling great.”
“Don't listen to them, they're going to throw up on you.”
“I might,” Juan whispered.
“It’s fine. Gross but fine.” He rubbed their back.
