BONHAM.

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“Ooooh,” Del said with wide eyes as she listened to him. She thought for a moment considering his appearance and the brooding sort of smile he had. “You’re a hot commodity, that makes sense why I wouldn’t have seen you then. Well its a good thing I was able to snatch you up for a bit then.” She swung her arms back and forth as they walked. She looked over at him with an arch of her brow. “Well I don’t really have it out for anyone. I actually haven’t been around other supernatural or even humans either. I’m a mermaid, and from the ocean so….while I know humans have been very hateful towards supernatural beings, I haven’t had much personal experience myself.” She shrugged as she looked up at him. He finally gave her his name and she smiled. “Mitchell, hello there. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“..well, you can snatch me up any time, sweetheart.” Mitchell mused somewhat jokingly, hinting at some not so obvious truth as well. He could use a little bit of a break from time to time, especially if Ariel here didn’t turn out to be like most people around here. Hell, maybe he could convince her to help the humans he couldn’t help too..now that would be good. “..I’d say there’s a lot more to it than that but I trust you know there’s a side to every story. Lucky you didn’t get to experience the worst part.” It wasn’t Mitchell’s style to cry about it to anybody..or talk about what happened to him in particular, so he just left it at that..again, nodding to her with a smirk. “..yeah, me too. Why did you leave the ocean, if you don’t mind?”

The red head waved off his attempt when he tried to appear menacing “Oh one day I’ll find a creature that’s actually a behaved pup…” she said with an eyeroll. The demon grew tired of the same attitudes in humans and traitors of late. Because really, who were they kidding. “You know, you say that like I’m bothered?” she then pointed out with a little snap of her fingers “Lets face it, when you finally kick the bucket it won’t be through any means you wanted, your death will be at the hands of someone like me. It’s how it’s always going to be. You’re better off getting with the program a lot faster”

“Yeah, good luck with that.” Bonham retorted between gritted teeth, eyes flaring up for a second when she snapped her fingers at him like that. The tone she used. Now, this is what he called showing ones true colors...his thoughts stopping to listen to what she had to say about his fate. “..maybe, but I’ll be damned if I make it easy for you guys..” he scoffed back, fixing Theo with another look. He wasn’t going down without a fight, that’s right. “..and while we’re here, let’s also not ignore the fact that immortality doesn’t mean shit can’t happen. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up snuffed by one of those celestials...or even worse, humans.”

“You’re gonna run late if you don’t get up for that breakfast. I don’t want you getting in trouble.” Hunter said softly. Sometimes it was easier for her to get through her days when she focused on the others. Worrying or helping in some way. Some of the younger ones she mothered. She leaned against the cell door, watching him for a moment before feeling her pocket. “I might have enough change to buy you a coffee, if you like?”

“Do you seriously think they’d notice..?” Mitchell said, unable to unmatch the softness in Hunter’s voice. He just couldn’t be rude like he was with everyone else...not when she was around. Maybe it was for the best that they didn’t have witnesses around. So he made an effort, standing up and walking up to the sink to splash some cool water against his face and reached out for the towel before looking up at her. “..it’s fine, keep it. I don’t want you spendin’ anything on me.” he shook his head, “..what have they got you doin’ this mornin’ anyway?”

The human wasn’t a stranger to being given weird or downright humiliating tasks to do by the guards that watched over him in the cells. They knew he’d been a hunter so a distinct and aggressive malice always seemed specially reserved for him. Admittedly, it was sorta nice when they asked him to do the stupid, meaningless tasks like rounding up the morning’s stragglers. Stepping into the cell, Kade rolled his eyes and kicked at the foot of the other human’s bed. “They sent me in here to wake your lazy ass up,” he grumbled. “C’mon, it’s not even that early.”

Mitchell Bonham let out a gruff sound of complaint, sitting up despite the tiredness weighing down on his body. “..you ever get tired of playin’ butler to those assholes, Kade?” There wasn’t malice in his words, but he was clearly not all for being forced awake like this, green eyes slanting to the younger man’s features before he willed his legs to slide over the edge of the mattress..his head sagging to his chest a bit. “..shit, I did not expect to be this hungover. Who’s askin’ this time?”

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“Well yeah,” Del said with a bit of a snicker at his reaction. “You’re tall and you look sturdy.” She explained as she shook her head wondering what he thought she might mean. “Ah,” she made a face as she nodded. “So your stuck in your cell a lot. That doesn’t sound like much fun. But now you are hanging out with me so hopefully it gets a little better. A smidge if you will.” She tilted her chin up proudly. “I don’t think I’ve gone to that bar yet, which would explain why we’ve never met…wait what was your name again?” She asked absently. 

Her words felt like flattery..and for a second Mitchell may have let yet another smile show, faint and half-arsed, like before..but a smile nonetheless. Truly, it was the best one could expect these days. “..when I’m not bein’ rented out, sure.” Lately he seemed to be having it a bit more frequent, but he had also gone long stretches of time where he had just simply..rotted down there, which sometimes beat being used. “..you don’t seem to have it out for us. Why? I thought the lot of you hated our guts and shit.” The human walked, joining her side as they began heading out of that tunnel and cast a glance at her as she asked his own name, hesitating at first before coming out with it. “Mitchell.”

Rhea looked him over, watching him as he pulled himself up. She wasn’t necessarily upset, but she wasn’t too thrilled that she had to come all the way across town either. Still, at his words she deflated a bit, pursing her lips. “It’s fine. Just..get dressed? We’ll get coffee or something on the way.” She offered, hesitating a moment before tacking on “You okay to work?”

Mitchell nodded at her instructions and made quick work of pulling up his pants, racking his fingers through his hair before glancing back at the woman who had..apparently, come all this way just for him. “..it’s fine. I can eat at the bar if it’s too much trouble.” he frowned, walking towards the vampiress. Her question just about made him hesitate too, suddenly noticing the ache in his body as he bit into his lip. “..I mean, yeah? I’ve..done a lot more in worse conditions..and I don’t uh, really wanna stay here, so..” he cleared his throat, “I’m good.”

-

Riley realized immediately that he was talking about another one of their kind—probably someone she knew. The thought brought a smirk to her lips—they could compare notes later. Her smile widened even further when he seemed to lean into her touch. Now that she could work with. “I don’t expect a human like you to understand how dreadfully boring it is to be immortal like us,” she explained, dramatically sighing and looking far too exasperated for her physical age. “We are always seeking the next best thrill and if you thrill us enough, we are lovely company.”

She pulled her hand away and nodded at the nearest guard to open the gate, freeing him from his room. “You said you haven’t had breakfast, right? What would you like? My treat.” Riley preferred to start with the carrot approach before the stick. 

“Right..breaks my heart.” Mitchell huffed with a nonchalant head shake, not really pausing to think..as he often did. Maybe it was his bedside manners again or..his lack of a filter when it came to the shitty existence forced upon him, but he eventually let it be, hoping that she’d do the same and moved a couple of steps back to allow some space for the guard to open up his door.

Only then, he checked himself..allowing the faintest of sighs to issue past his lips in gratitude for the offer laid out in front of him and stepped across to the other side of the bars to join Riley. “I’ll have anythin’..even if it’s just a coffee. I don’t care.” Mitchell mused, “And uh--thanks.”

-

As he approached, Riley’s head tipped back, noting just how tall he was. He was definitely a looker and she was willing to bet he had a nice set of muscles to run her hands along too. “I’m looking for someone to entertain me,” she explained, approaching the bars herself. She cupped his cheek and brushed her thumb along his scruff, wanting to see how he would react to a simple touch. There was a lot Riley could tell with something as simple as that and his reaction would give her an idea of how much of a challenge he was going to be–poor bedside manners aside. “Are you a fun boy?” she teased. 

"..is that a business line with you guys?” He swore the demon he had crossed paths with just two nights ago had claimed to want the same thing at first. Not like he actually cared enough to keep tabs, but the minute those slim fingers came to brush along his jaw, the human knew exactly what this one was..his jaw twitching momentarily as if to show resistance, somehow. Still, he didn’t pull away, not immediately, turning his cheek into her palm..and brushing his lips against it.. “..I can be.” he teased, “..but I’m not gonna promise I won’t be a handful at first. I’m guessin’ we’re not talkin’ about teachin’ me manners?”

Riley was bored so she decided to take a stroll down to the gutters to find something, or rather, someone to entertain herself with. Her heels clicked along the concrete floor as she ran through her options, finding no one particularly delicious until she landed in front of a man who looked like he had just woken up. He was kind of unkempt and looked irritable, but fit enough that he could potentially mildly keep up with her. A single human was a good snack but rarely a full meal and all she really wanted was entertainment so nutritional value wasn’t too high on her list.

“Is that how you greet every guest?” she teased, cocking her head to the side to get a better look at him. “Because, if so, someone needs to work on your bedside manners.”

Mitchell swung his legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing tired fingers over his features and dared to cast a smile over to the so called guest.. shoulders coming up and down in a shrug. “..never had any complaints.” Until now, that is, and it didn’t exactly feel like she was all that willing to be the first to teach him anything. Standing up, the male closed the distance between himself and the bars and leaned up against it, using curling his fingers around the bars as he gave the woman a quick once over in the light..

“So..are you lookin’ for anythin’ or just walkin’ on by then?”

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Delphina looked him over lightly tapping her index finger to her chin as she assessed. “You’ll do wonderfully! Come along!” She nearly skipped towards the door before stopping and turning to face him. “Oh, you want me to give you a name or are you asking me for mine?” She pointed to herself for clarification. “It’s Delphina, and you can use your own name. I don’t mind. Sorry I didn’t ask before. I just got distracted.” She laughed a bit at herself before looking up at him. “I am surprised we never met before. Where do you work?” She wondered aloud as she canted her head to the side. 

“..wonderfully?” Mitchell scoffed discreetly to himself, getting an unusual sense of harmlessness about the blonde. Still, he was unwilling to let his guard down just yet, chosing to nod and halting his step only when she turned around to answer his last question. “..right, Delphina. And it’s no biggie--I’m not used to getting much of anythin’ around here..least of all a name.” His tongue brushed over his bottom lip for a second and he let the corners of it twitch into somewhat of a smile. “..I work at a bar in town. Last Call? It’s been a hot minute.”

“Then don’t piss me off and do exactly what I want you to do and I’ll spare your rather miserable life?” she said simply, giving an arch of her eyebrow at him. “They won’t care, what’s another missing human on the books?” she shrugged “Humanity is overrated and to them almost like vermin, I’m likely doing them a favor” she winked “Does that make you fear me?” she wondered, curious as she stepped closer “That I could just so easily do away with you?” she husked, her eyes turning a bright purple as she spoke. 

Her words didn’t fail to amuse Mitchell once again, at least when it came to the first part..but even he could tell the moment things shifted. The way that she spoke about humans or how little she cared about what happened to them -well, let’s just say he was more than just in a little disagreement with. Arching an eyebrow at her, he straightened up in a sad attempt to appear more menacing and inhaled, “Honestly? That’s hardly how I’d wanna go..” he said, glancing over to the ..thing on the floor and back at her.

On the beginning of the week, Rhea always expected her staff in a bit earlier than usual so they could do inventory after the weekend and prep for the week ahead. But when Mitchell didn’t show up, she got curious. And when she called the guards at the gutters to ask if he’d been rented and they said no, her curiosity piqued even more. So much so that she went to the building herself to find him–which she did. Sleeping. “It’s an hour after your shift, that’s what.”

“Shit..” Mitchell tore his gaze away from the ceiling immediately at the voice and tried to locate the only clock he had in the cell, obviously recognizing who this was. After all, it was kind of hard not to, given how much time he had spent working for that woman, and if he knew a thing about her it had to be how screwed he was. Damn it was late. Sitting up, the male ran his fingers across his messy hair, and shook his head before clearing his throat. “..sorry boss. I uh, had a bit of a rough ..rental yesterday.” He didn’t mean to sleep through his shift, but as far as excuses went, he didn’t think anything else needed to be said. Instead, he sat up..feeling for his shirt somewhere amongst the bedsheets and slipped it on..

“Hello,” Delphina grinned as she bounced into the very gruff looking human males cell. The sunny mermaid’s mood still seemed to be as bright as ever, even early in the morning. She had decided to come and get someone to help her with a few things around her house. She was a petite mermaid after all and while she did purchase a ladder recently Delphina was learning she was actually afraid of heights. She looked at him up and down. “Well what if I give you coffee and a donut while we go back to my place. Stand up,” she said ushering him to standing. 

Mitchell stirred slightly more awake the moment the mermaid stepped in, not quite used to them invading his space this..fast, and did as told. Not without a frown, of course. Let’s just say he was rather surprised at her cheerfulness, but not half as much as he was at the offer, his throat emitting a low gruff as he skimmed his fingers over the fabrics of his shirt. “..sounds good enough to me.” And it did. It might just slightly depended on what she might ask in return. He stepped forward, eyes shifting towards the door and back to the supe for the first time as he got a good look at her. “..do I get a name?”