#wren001

At all times the bazaar was bustling with people, with loud chatter, the smell of delicious food and all kinds of colorful and interesting items from all around the world - from a look at the distant, it looked like any other bazaar out in the real world (before the apocalypse, of course), except this was filled with items scavenged from all over, found in nooks and crannies, in forgotten places and big tourist spots, making it the most varied and most exciting place to walk through at all times.

"So, you've got any ideas on what kind of stuff you're looking for?" Tamyra asked Wren as they slowly perused the streets. She carefully reached over, unsure of herself for a moment - she was not the physical type but damnit, Wren looked cute as the sun shone from behind her and she reached over, first only linking one finger with Wren's, and then one by one, until their fingers all were intertwined.

"I can promise you one thing, if you find something really, really cool, I will most likely try to convince you to keep it for yourself."

May had never been much of a bartender. She would hop behind the bar to assist her wife when it got busy or she got bored, her enthusiasm just about making up for her lack of skill, but quite often Gwen would shoo her away for hindering more than she helped. Such was the case that night, when after breaking two glasses and attempting to serve a pint to someone that was at least 50% foam, she was banished, and a dish towel was thrown at her head. Her eyes roamed the pub, seeking someone to cure her boredom. There didn’t seem to be anyone from Death in that night (not anyone who wanted to be seen by her, anyway), so she was forced to scan the dimly lit room again until she spotted them. Wren.

They were familiar enough with each other, brief words exchanged while May cleared tables, or they both waited for a drink. That must be enough, she reasoned, to justify invading their quiet evening alone. When Gwen’s back was turned, May ducked back behind the bar to collect two beers from the fridge, quickly removing the bottletops (that she could do without incident, at least) before walking with her prize over to Wren’s table, which she promptly sat at without invitation. “Here.” She slid the bottle across the table. “On the house. No offence, but you kind of looked like you could use another.” 

May couldn’t deny that there was a motive behind the action. The chance to speak to Ikki Nakamura’s personal assistant was far too good to pass up, particularly after the spectacle on the chat show from a couple of nights ago which still had her blood boiling. But there was something more there. A curiosity not just in their job and what they knew, but them. Perhaps it was slightly narcissistic of her to see elements of her younger self in Wren, but it was true. A sense of listlessness, a lack of purpose, the fact they were alone. Maybe it was her imagination. Or maybe something could come of it.

“I feel like I’ve been having a bad week, but yours must’ve been much worse. Are they running you ragged?”

the gacha machine held some allure with it, glowing with its bright lights and treasures harboured within. ah, yes. the unattainable reward, staring at him so vividly, only one pane, and a few coins away. “a few”, yea. right. hyunjin made a face before moving away from the rows of crane games, wandering with his hands in his pockets. what was he in the mood for today? maybe one of the music games. there was a machine that made it seem like he was playing piano that he was getting keen on. or the games with the cute ‘waifus’, but he didn’t watch enough shows to know who any of the characters were, sooo.. maybe a brainless game would be better today. 

idling behind some guy who seemed to be a ddr-master for a day job, hyunjin looked in awe at someone who was dancing with his feet flying, unsure how they could even keep up with the arrows. sure, he could dance. to choreography. he wasn’t quite able to keep up with the arrows on the screen, before noticing the familiar figure who was in his peripheral. 

tearing his eyes away from the man, hyunjin nudged wren lightly with his elbow. “was wondering when you would show up,” the younger boy hummed as he faced her, a bright smile greeting wren. “any preference on how you would like to go about things today? the....” looking at his watch, “the remainder of the day is our oyster, which sounds slightly less appealing than the world, but we take what we can get, my lady.” the last two words are in english, a bad habit of including random bits of english words here and there, which was a bad idea around native speakers, but habits die hard. 

they had some old favourites. some days might mirror others entirely, but that was okay. people did not have to try new things everyday, or force themselves into uncomfortable situations. and that’s exactly what this place was to him, them, dare he might say? hyunjin didn’t want to speak for her. either way, this was a safe haven. bumping into her the first time was a bit alarming as he normally spent his days here alone, but in the end, it was for the better. and many of the games were better in pairs, as well. 

Later, Katya would think of who she was stepping in front of, who she was intervening in the attack of, but in the moment, all she could think about — all she could see — was the masked figure about to attack someone lying on the ground — trembling, moaning — and then she was there, casting a protego and jumping between them. Seeker at heart, all speed and instinct and tactics, and you jump straight in anyway — well, she’d always had Oliver’s mouthiness even as she’d had Viktor’s temperament, so she couldn’t be too surprised. Dropping the protego now that she was between them, she said, with a calmness she didn’t feel, “Attacking a defenceless girl? You should be ashamed of yourself,” even as she tensed for a retaliatory spell for her interruption.