The Necromancer

[ PRIVATE ]

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Does that work for you? Well why not? Who says? And yeah I know. I don’t quite live in the woods but maybe I could find a little cabin somewhere and just become a hermit with my animals and have a spare room for you for whenever you want to visit. I’m going to have to say no to Bellamy though, and have to do without the faeries. I didn’t…yeah regular zombies will be fine. 

[ PRIVATE ]

That’s cheating, but yeah, I’ll take it. Huh... the world? People? Stupid annoying people? The faculty?... I mean, I said kinda, that’s like... almost... now we gotta find you a cabin, it’s cool because I love the woods so I can visit all the time, and yeah... I’d say no to Bellamy too, no offense to her but it’s pretty hard imagining you two living together... so... no faeries.

DEVON: I can bring cookies too. Or a cake. Or pies. Or any kind of baked good really.

DEVON: This weekend?

DEVON: That's exactly what I'm afraid of. And considering we're a shaken up soda can as is, I'm scared that it's going to happen before we figure out our shit.

UNSENT: Before I figure out my shit.

JORDAN: oh you don't have to... i mean, you can... if you want to... but you know...

JORDAN: this weekend's perfect!

UNSENT: i can't wait...

JORDAN: Yeah... i hope we get to do it before it gets more dangerous... i feel like we're all over the place rn...

DEVON: Do you want to get lunch soon?

UNSENT: I miss you.

DEVON: I mean... if you're okay with that? I would understand if you still need space.

DEVON: If I'm not stupid, then you're not pessimistic. Things are... really scary. I get it.

JORDAN: I... yeah! I mean sure, of course.

JORDAN: ... I - huh... I'm definitely okay with that, so whenever you're free, just let me know.

You say that like it’s a bad thing…ugh fine, but only cause it’s better than any alternatives you could pick. Not the newest remake though. 

Didn’t say it was bad... just... exhausting?... Old ones, obviously. They’re better anyway, so friday on my room? I’ll even make you popcorns.

DEVON: It's just another day really. Didn't... feel much like celebrating I guess.

DEVON: But I loved it. It was really sweet.

DEVON: Honest answer, not really but I don't know if any of us are really. I knew that the professors were fucked up but for some reason I was stupid enough to think that they wouldn't kill us too.

DEVON: But I guess the perks of running a school is that we're all expendable in the end.

JORDAN: Yeah I get that... but I'm really glad you liked it 😊

JORDAN: I don't think any of us is... it's... it was a lot, as someone who's been surrounded by death most her life... it's not easy to digest.

JORDAN: For what it's worth, I don't think you were stupid to think that, I didn't think they'd be capable of doing that either...

DEVON: Thank you for the gift. You really didn't have to do that.

UNSENT: I hope you're doing okay.

UNSENT: How have you been?

DEVON: So that rescue was something...

JORDAN: ofc i had to, it was your bday, couldn't let it just pass. I hope you liked it.

UNSENT: I just kinda wish we had spent some time together.

JORDAN: yeah... i wasn't expecting it to go /that/ well... just... wasn't expecting it to go /this/ bad either.

BELLAMY: is it really?

BELLAMY: you laugh but i can't always control it. you know that, right? that's why i always remind people before they do something they'll regret

BELLAMY: for a minute i thought it was going to be so much worse that i'm relieved it just dropped us off somewhere else.

BELLAMY: that's just wishful thinking on your part

JORDAN: no, but it doesn't matter.

JORDAN: no laughing, consider me reminded. No breaking promises.

JORDAN: yeah, guess it wasn't fun at all. I'm glad it wasn't worse, kinda worried for what they have in store for us now tho.

BELLAMY: oof sorry, too soon?

BELLAMY: i'll hold you to that

BELLAMY: alive and in one piece

BELLAMY: never done it within the same realm but it's not that different to going back and forth between here and the court so it wasn't bad. just surprising and confusing.

BELLAMY: which is totally the name of someone's sex tape

JORDAN: just a bit, but it's okay.

JORDAN: you do that :p

JORDAN: Yeah i mean... i noticed that part, but well at least it wasn't bad or anything. Kinda crappy tho, I'm just glad you got transported to school's areas and not somewhere else.

BELLAMY: so this is what rejection feels like, huh.

BELLAMY: but the point is that you're not interested in me, and i'm not interested in you, therefore you don't need to know.

BELLAMY: you're lucky you're not on my shit list or i'd take that promise and breaking promises with fae is nasty business.

JORDAN: hmm, welcome to the club. don't worry, i won't tell anyone.

JORDAN: okay okay, just a curious mind. nothing else. Not breaking the promise either. A whole list. Wouldn't want to be on a fae's bad side.

[ after the mission ]

BELLAMY: would i lie to you, jordan?

BELLAMY: yeah, need to know basis. if they exist, did you want to see more?

BELLAMY: you'd better

BELLAMY: that's what you're down as in my phonebook. reliable jordan

JORDAN: just because you can't lie. so no. but you don't need to lie to evade the truth.

JORDAN: aaaaaaand this is where i say no. don't get me wrong, you're hot, but... not interested.

JORDAN: i will, pinky promise. a complete list of what's there to like about Bellamy Quist.

[ PRIVATE ]

How many times do I have to apologize? Cause it means happy and carefree, things I wish I could be all the time. And she was the quirky fairy. I just meant the animation style. And sometimes I wish I could just live in the woods with three fairies and a bunch of animal friends. I never said you couldn’t make regular zombies. 

[ PRIVATE ]

At least three more times. No one can be happy and carefree all the time, Kit but you know you have me for those times you can’t. But yeah, the animation style was kinda cool, I guess. You already kinda live in the woods with that garden of yours, and there’s plenty of animals too, you just gotta convince Bellamy to move in with you. Cool, so regular zombies it is.

Some of the things you pick would be enough to scar anyone. Whereas nobody is going to get scarred if I choose to watch Legally Blonde for the millionth time. 

But you already know the lines for Legally Blonde, Kit... you can pick any other movie!... We could watch Halloween, we’re in season after all.

[ PRIVATE ]

Kit followed Walter over to Jordan, smiling all the way at how much the two cared for each other. Both so guarded in their own ways when she’d met them and yet over time had blossomed and let their guard down around her. It didn’t surprise her at all that of all the animals that Jordan had met, the one she loved the most was the formally grumpy badger. 

“You didn’t make me do anything,” she answered, gently shoulder checking her best friend. “And even if I did have a million things to do, nothing, and I mean nothing, is more important than you.” Kit had no idea what this was about but already she was cursing Devon in her head. Maybe she was wrong, but everything these days seemed to be because of Devon.

She could tell someone was eating away at Jordan but she was there to listen and that meant waiting for Jordan to feel ready enough to start the conversation. “Hey, hey.” She reached for Jordan’s arm and squeezed ever so gently. “Take your time.”

[ PRIVATE ]

Jordan reached with both hands, wrapping her arms gently around Walter to pick him up. Cradling him comfortably on her arms and she was thankful that he wasn’t full grown just yet, he was heavy enough as he was. Snuggled him closer to hide her face and her sheepish smile on Walter’s fur. It didn’t matter how many years she’s been friends with Kit, it still warmed her whenever Kit said things like that. She shrugged softly, placing a gentle kiss on Walter’s fur. 

“ You’re too good to me... someday you’ll get a girlfriend and realize you can’t spend all this much time around me and I’ll die of loneliness.” the joke slipped past her lips easily, even if there was a small amount of truth behind it. She didn’t think Kit would ditch her, but there was doubt. She walked closer to Kit, still with the badger on her arms and nodded. “ Thank you...”

[ PRIVATE ]

Growing up, Kit had often written herself off as being someone who wasn’t a people person. Animals were her thing, not people, and that was why she didn’t have any human friends. But it wasn’t until she’d arrived at the Academy and met Jordan that she realised just how untrue that was. Sure, she could be awkward sometimes, but really all that was missing was being able to make a connection and from the moment they’d met, there was no doubt in Kit’s mind that they’d be friends for life. And that meant always being in Jordan’s corner. “You’re welcome and I still think anyone would be stupid not to like you. You’re the best person I know.”  Kit sighed heavily, tilted her head so her face was now pressed against her friend’s shoulders and slid her arms around Jordan. “Feelings aren’t stupid. They’re natural and wonderful and I know everything is fucked up but we should experience things that make us feel things and act as normal as we can be.”

[ PRIVATE ]

Jordan couldn’t help the snort at Kit’s words. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe her friend was right (although, she didn’t, not really), but it sounded ridiculous when she knew just what most people thought of her. And her looks, and her magic. She was the weird, gothic girl, who hangs alone in the woods and talks to the dead. From where she was standing, it wasn’t surprising that people didn’t like her. Not that she was going to say all that to Kit. “ To you, Kit...” She sighed, sinking deeper into Kit’s embrace, finding comfort on her best friend’s arms. Her own hands falling on top of Kit’s arms. “ Sometimes they are... I don’t know how much normal we can be but... it kinda sucks being this normal... I just wanna forget about all of it.”

BELLAMY: not diverting

BELLAMY: it's just on a need to know basis

BELLAMY: that's not exactly much of a list Jordan but i'll take it. also what's not to love about my ears

BELLAMY: i knew i could count on you

JORDAN: i call bs.

JORDAN: lmao right, "need to know basis"... well i said i couldn't think of much at the moment. Idk dude... I'll work on a larger list next time, aaaaand you're right, what's there not to love.

[ PRIVATE F2F ]

She knows that asking Jordan for this is probably a step too far. Channeling another person has always had a level of intimacy to it that is heavy and charged. Now is no different, but Devon pushes that feeling away for now. She needs to focus. She murmurs the incantation quietly and exhales, clearing her mind as she pictures the room that Eilwin pointed out. It’s largely blank, nothing concerning catching her interest and frustration bubbles under the surface. Useless as usual. She pushes deeper, clutching Jordan’s hands tighter instinctively as she tries to focus. A flicker of something twinges and she turns toward it. She is just barely able to feel the listening runes that cover the room before she is violently pushed away by whatever wards are protecting it. 

Dropping Jordan’s hands abruptly, Devon sucks in a sharp breath and her eyes snap open, unseeing for a moment before she refocuses. “Listening runes,” she explains shakily. “I couldn’t really see anything else before the rest of the wards kicked in. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

[ PRIVATE F2F ]

She’s only ever done this a handful of times, helping Codie or just keeping Kit company. But somehow, neither had felt nearly as intimate as this time and something inside her twist despite herself. She tries, as she hears Devon murmuring, to picture the room Eilwin had pointed out rather than the feeling of their hands together. She tries to keep her mind as focused as possible, to not mess up the spell for Devon. Tries harder when she feels the hold tightening on her hands, nevermind if it’s too tight. She allows her own magic to flow and keeps thinking of the room, of its place on the planes before it’s all over far too soon. And she chastises herself for missing the contact after Devon let go almost forcibly, like it burned. She curses for wanting the moment to drag just a little longer.