F I R E B I R D

[cantfightmoonlight]

"What do you want from me, Efetobo? I didn't ask to be one-of-a-kind." And what he couldn't bring himself to voice in words is that being dotted over or worried over now, after everything felt like shit. He knew everyone in his life was operating out of a place of love and genuine concern, but after he had waited for months and learned that, all that time, no one, not one person, had looked for him, the worry just felt a bit too late. Like it was to appease their own guilt than for him even if that wasn't actually the case. "Do I?" Because it certainty didn't feel like it. "Yeah, probably..." He muttered out. He didn't know what else to say, but when Efe said 'this sucks', all he could was nod. "Yeah, it fucking does." But, it seemed like that was the trend these days for all of the humans in town. Or at least, the trend that his life had been taking as of late.

The corner of his lips tilted ever so slightly up as he watched Efe glance over his shoulders as if making sure his mom wasn't rounding the corner before he clarified his own intentions. "It's settled then. So, when do we leave?" Song cocked his brow up in question. "Mouthy, huh?" His eyes widened at that. "I prefer the term sexy over cute, but carry on," She quipped, only for his brows to crease as Efe continued on. "The worst?" He asked after a prolonged beat, not entirely sure what Efe was eluding to. But, as he started to apologize, for what? He wasn't quite sure, he quickly butted in with a "Don't apologize. Though, are you sure? Because... because my life is fucking mess right now and I think we both know, so what I'm getting at is, I'm not going to be much of anything tonight outside of a distraction. If that is cool with you?"

"I don't think it was exactly meant to inspire confidence. Maybe illicit a smirk or a laugh. But, confidence, no. Confidence wasn't exactly in the cards and..." He let out a small sigh at the thought, as if mulling the idea over in his head. "I don't know. The last thing I need right now is the bar being flagged as a safety violation before I even have time to get it up to code. And," The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly at Efe's attempt at his kind of sarcasm, before they fell once more as he found himself saying after a prolonged pause, "... I'd rather not have to think about it right now. If we're being honest."

[firefighterxefe]

Efe grimaced. "I mean, I already got what I want. You're here and getting help, so...But alright. Heard. I'll drop it," he replied, giving a weak shrug of his shoulders. He did not want to push the other too strongly, but at the same time, he had always been an overly insistent helper. This character trait was one that had led him to his current vocation, and in truth, even he was aware he was griping in search of a way to maintain some semblance of control over the situation. "You matter to me. Can't argue with that. It's my opinion," he murmured, knitting his brow. And falling silent for a beat, he brought up his arms to hug himself, wishing he could cut some of the strange tension blanketing the room and the town beyond it in fog.

"Soon as you get the okay," he said. "That's a question for the staff, not me." Rolling his eyes, then, Efe allowed a flustered expression to play over his face before tucking it quickly back out of sight. He cleared his throat. "You know what I mean." Leaning in close again, he met Song's eye. "Fine. You're damn sexy. Fine as hell." The setting, the circumstances, and the proximity of his family members was making flirting difficult. But he tried. Efe let out a sigh. "I thought you ghosted me. I thought we were vibing and that you just didn't...want to do it anymore. Which, look, I broke up with my ex over video call. I probably would have had it coming. But I just...I was really mad at you and kind of coming off a weird rebound. And I didn't know you weren't okay. " He grit his teeth, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, I'm sure. Let's just be distractions tonight. If that works for you? I'll be whatever you want me to be."

Cocking his head to one side, Efe raised a tired eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever smirked in my life, Seo-Joon. Smile, sure. But smirk? I'm not going to shut you down or anything. But, like, the offer stands. If you want it. Or if you don't, then don't...but I will, like, legally probably have to come by once your operating, so." He smiled, bringing up an arm. "Think about what? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a distraction. A good-looking distraction with killer biceps."

[ernieernieboi]

Efe's sigh spoke a thousand words, he'd probably been in situations like the party time after time. Maybe Ernie will be there sooner rather than later. "Don't you and the other humans get afraid of living here?" He asked. "No offense, I'm sure you can handle yourself. But with everything that could go wrong, why not just live a normal life with humans?"

Ernie was projecting. Just because he was constantly worried about random attacks (not to mention unprepared), doesn't mean everyone was, even if they weren't supernatural. "That probably sounds mean. I just … Does it ever cross your mind that you don't even have to be dealing with this shit? Like if you could choose, would you choose to be oblivious?”

He reached his hand out toward Badger to let him get a sniff before petting him. "Yeah, I figured this town had a high body count. And trust me, I know about her hunters, it's the reason I'm here. I guess I know now who to blame."

"Meena's been good to me so far, got me a daylight ring and cool jacket. She kind of scares me though, she's so ... put together for a vampire. Ya' know? He looked at Efe to see if he understood what he was saying. "But I guess looks can be deceiving, cause you look put together too, but you probably sleep with a cross and a Glock, living in this town." Ernie laughed. "What's your deal? How did end up living here?"

[firefighterxefe]

Efe furrowed his brow, giving a nod of his head. Ernie's questions were natural, he knew, and he himself had spent many hours mulling over them. Late into the night, they seized his thoughts and made him insomniac. Strangely, enough, however, he touched that reality only in dreams, sometimes with Fae help. "I did actually leave Lunar Cove for a time. Ten years or thereabouts. Lived on the outside. Perfectly normal life. But, uh...it's the forgetting. The spell that protects this town makes humans forget. It's harder than a person thinks, living a life full of holes." He shrugged.

"Nah, nah, you're good, man. It's a normal response. But I guess I care about a lot of people here. Could plug my ears to it, sure, and that's more than a lot of them can say, I know that. But it wouldn't be right. Doesn't feel right," he sighed. "I"m not some martyr or anything either. Lunar Cove's always been my home too. Want my home to be okay. And well...being human doesn't protect us. They'll use us to to get to you. And they have."

The dog sniffed Ernie before happily accepting the affection, his ears bouncing. "There's hunters all over the world now, I hear. Lunar Cove's might be the last haven there is," Efe said softly. "Glad you made it here in one piece." He gave a sharp, genuine nod.

"Well, my folks always speak pretty highly of her. And I think she looks after her own. She's strong, but...I guess we all got to be," he replied before breaking into a laugh. "Me? Nah, man, I'm put together as hell all the time. Fire ax is more my speed, though."

He sighed, rolling his eyes at himself. "I was born here. Got married to a witch. Planned to live here with her forever until we split. But, uh, My parents are doctors at the hospital. Great doctors, mind you. And...they were sort of selected to come here to fill that need in the community. They take it pretty seriously. It's like a vocation. A calling. Why they were put on this planet almost. They'll never leave. So when I was on the outside...I didn't see them. They couldn't talk with me about a lot of things either, because I didn't remember them anymore. So what do you pick? Being here with your mom and dad and your sisters, or out there without any of them and half a backstory? I'm trying to make it work. How about you? Where you from originally?"

[dusktildcwn]

Who. Cecile Van Doren & Efe Umukoro @firefighterxefeWhere. Outside of Astor Realty. Downtown. When. Friday afternoon.

Cece has misread her schedule for the day. She had thought she was working until seven o'clock, but when her boss found her at 5:15 and asked why she was still restocking shelves, she was surprised and excited to find she would have a few more hours of the night to herself. Of course, the problem with being unable to drive meant that in moments like this, she had to contact the family driver to pick her up earlier then he was expecting. And when her sister was currently using said driver to pick her up from the tennis courts, it meant that Cecile needed to find some ways to pass the time.

Today she was simply walking throughout the downtown area, enjoying the warm air. Looking up at the bright sky above, she reminded herself it would be a full moon and to make sure she was inside before any thing particularly hairy began.

When she came upon Astor Realty, the lights dark and the business closed for the day, she couldn't help but let out a sigh as she as she looked over the available properties displayed. Now a young woman searching for some sort of purpose in her life that did not revolve around her family, Cece was almost desperate for her own space. But how would she bring that up to her family?

Suddenly aware of a nearby form walking towards her, Cece turned and recognized Efe walking her way. His family also living in Celestial Hills, and she felt they were somewhat familiar enough for her to strike up a random conversation. "Hello, Efe. Simply enjoying the night or are you on some sort of mission?"

[firefighterxefe]

While Efe had, by now, well-settled into his own apartment in Lunar Cove and mostly gotten over the break-in that Silas had orchestrated, he still found himself drawn back to the Magnolia Inn from time to time. Full of memories as it was, some admittedly less than pleasant, the place had been his home for several months when he first returned to town; it binded him still in some ways to his first marriage. And he did not mind popping in to help with repairs every now and again. His set of hands cost less than any professional handyman anyway. To that end, he made his way down the sidewalk now toting a toolkit, eyes cast upward as if searching for the first vestiges of twilight streaking across the sky. They would not come for several hours, but habit alone drew him indoors on the night of the full moon.

He was off-duty today, though, so the stray emergency call would be somebody else's problem, not that he ever minded his vocation. Still, he, like so many others in Lunar Cove, he thought, could not quite shake the unease of recent months. A few hours of quiet after an honest few hours of work would be welcome.

Looking up, Efe offered a soft smile, giving a nod. "Good evening. Just finished the mission actually, so...I guess now's the time to start enjoying." Glancing to the window, he regarded the postings before turning back. "How about you? Looking to buy some property? I've been to this one." He pointed at a picture of a house. "Faulty fire alarms. Be sure to check them."

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Okay, though," She flipped through her color coded binder in hand to pull out a document she had written up with all of their dates laid out. "I have them all written out here, if it helps? You're welcome to still check for due diligence," She offered up. If there was one thing she prided herself on it was being prepared. "But, I can assure you everything should be up to date with all regulations. I made certain of it," She beamed.

"Anytime, should I call you an officer? I don't know the proper term for someone in the fire department. Though, oh. Yes, well, sort of. We are a speakeasy, but also are a dinner theater experience. We do have musical performances, though it is not burlesque like some may believe. Though, we have done burlesque before when Moulin Rouge was the theme of the month. Basically, some nights, when you enter it is a regular speakeasy though our waitstaff may choose whether or not to put on accent from the nineteen twenties for the fun of it. While, other nights, we have themed events and dinners based on the play or musical of the month where you will find yourself from start to finish within a show right down to themed food and drinks. So, during our Murder Mystery night, you don a character and get to try to solve the mystery yourself. While during our Mamma Mia night, you get to enjoy a three to five course greek meal while the musical Mamma Mia is happening around you and at the end, everyone gets to smash a plate while saying 'oppa' and dance. It's interactive, every month you're stepping into a different world, and I'm happy to say we've remained drama free except for the drama that happens on stage. It's a good time! You should check us out when we're in the full swing of things and oh! You should bring someone while you're at it. Or you could even try your hand at going up on stage. We are a community theatre, among a plethora of other things."

[firefighterxefe]

Efe's brow shot up, perhaps in genuine surprise. "Oh! Uh, well, okay. Thank you. That's very diligent of you. I appreciate it." Taking the document, he gave it a once over before looking up to offer a smile. "I should still check for myself. Not that I don't trust your work here. But you know, protocol and all. But this is helpful! And it's good to hear that you're keeping up with things." Not everyone in Lunar Cove did, he thought. Some people bought floating fire hazards and moved into them. "Do you care to, uh, lead the way?"

Staying close to her, moving in a procedural, official manner, a becoming stiffness he always carried at these sorts of inspections, as though they would add gravitas to his position, Efe shook his head. "Oh, uh, you can just call me Efe. I might throw my hat into the lieutenant ring soon, but for now...first name works. I'm not really an officer of anything. Maybe inspector, but that sounds like a detective, don't it?" He sighed before nodding along. "A speakeasy? Like...moonshine, or...? Oh! That's not part of the inspection or nothing. I just don't think I've ever been to one," he explained. "What does a 1920s accent sound like?" These questions came sincerely, as though he were having some trouble wrapping his head around the fantasy of it all. But he had always been rather...literal-minded, he supposed. Maybe it made him dull, overly safe. Maybe he ought to try to expand his horizons.

Stopping at a mounted extinguisher, Efe opened the glass to begin examining the labels. "It sounds pretty cool. Sounds like a helluva lot of work. It's impressive," he replied. "I've never seen Mamma Mia, though. Is it in Greece? Abba's, like, Swedish or whatever, though, right?" He broke into a laugh at himself. "But, yeah, for sure. I'd love to come by. Support. What have you got coming up?" Maybe he'd invite certain fire hazard owners. Or Elif. "But, oh...uh, no, no, not me, nah. Ha. I don't think I'd be any good at something like that. I'd forget all my lines."

[jonahxrivas]

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was one," Jonah replied in turn, a nervous chuckle forming but dying as a cough when dust kicked up as he moved things around, "Seems like a place for it." Jonah did not frequent the Coalition headquarters as often as maybe one should after joining, not that he didn't see a need for it or anything but simply because his schedule had not allowed for it, the Society, on the other hand he had visited, a great source of magical knowledge he needed all the help he can get without bothering people too much. And that lead to him here, volunteering time for it upkeep and easing some unnecessary guilt that had formed from not doing enough for the Coalition since he joined.

"Yeah, since February, or around that time. Roughly four months can still be counted as new, right?" It didn't feel long to him, especially not after the events that happened from then till now. "Exactly that," Jonah agreed with a strong nod, "If I'm being honest, I don't even know what I need? Or how I can even help? I've lived in this town long enough to not be new, but I dunno...it still feels strange sometimes." More often than not he felt like a fish out of water, as much as magic fascinated him, despite people he grew close to increased, there were times when he felt like he didn't belong here. Felt like he was skirting the outsides of a place that could truly never be his. "But all in all," he shrugged pushing thoughts away, "I can't complain." Brows drew together as Efe fell into a quieter voice, he wasn't surprised by that either but looked around the place regardless, "I don't doubt it, powerful objects being locked away makes a lot of sense in this town. Maybe they pose more danger than they're worth?"

[firefighterxefe]

Efe let out a half-bemused sigh at that. "Maybe there's a whole bunch of, like, Home Alone style booby traps we don't even know about. Humans gotta make do, right?" While he was largely joking, searching for conversation to try and speed along the work, there was a glimmer of strange truth in his words. Humans did have to make do in Lunar Cove, and with each new tragedy, Efe felt himself loathing the feeling of defenselessness more and more. He wished he could do more to keep his friends safe. Turning this building into some kind of strange citadel against the assailants at the gates was not an unwelcome thought.

"Four months already? Dang. Time flies when you're not having any fun, huh?" He grimaced. "Sorry. That was...negative. There's a lot of good here. Being in the Coalition is good. It's just like we cant catch a break out here, you know?" He sighed before stopping to lean on the wall, meeting Jonah's eye. "Yeah...It can be weird. I mean, I grew up here. Don't get me wrong. To some degree, I guess it's all normal to me. But I'm sure it was a big learning curve rolling into Lunar Cove, man. If you want my advice, the best we can do right now is...be there for each other, I guess. Check in our neighbors. Carve out what we can day to day. I say that with, like, the biggest hero complex in the world. But I think I'm learning that little things make a big difference. It's all easier said than done, though, isn't it?" He rolled his shoulders. "And, look, it's cool to complain if you want to. Sometimes you got to. Coalition's the place to do it too. We're all in this together." He smiled, but it faltered. "Yeah, I guess that's fair. Where's the line, though? If we haven't hit it yet, I dread to think what it could be."

[frankiejsullivan]

Frankie had been enjoying touching some grass, the sun on her face, and a little coffee to go with it all. Sure, she had a book in her lap, which had remained unread, but that part seemed trivial. She'd been watching her friend toss a ball for his dog for a little while, blissfully unaware of the time that had passed. It didn't take long before the dog's ball was at her feet and Efe was harassing her, yet again, about an old loss.

To his sister.

It still stung. He was rubbing salt in the wound. Her eyes narrowed.

"I would like both, thank you," she said primly, though warmth leaked in for sure. "And then you can follow it with G-O-F-Y-O-U-R-S-E-L-F. I might have a pen in my bag if you want to write it down." She pressed her lips together, barely suppressing the smirk as she turned her attention to his pup and his ball "And I suppose you wanna go get this?" Eyes back up to Efe. "Okay if I throw?"

[firefighterxefe]

Efe laughed, rolling his eyes before falling into an expression of utter mock offense. "Wow. Okay. Well, the definition is someone who doesn't use swear words in front of poor innocent children. This is practically a baby here. Write that down."

Ducking a bit, he made a show of cupping Badger's ears, as if to spare them any stray curse words that might make them sting. The dog panted happily, seemingly taking the contact for petting.

"As for the language of origin? I don't know. Old English? Latin? It's usually one of those, so we can flip a coin?" Efe shook his head. He sighed before flashing a genuine smile. "Sure. He wants you to. And who am I to get between new friends? I'm sorry if he interrupted you. He's usually pretty well-trained, but he's figured out he gets the treat no matter what he does. Which I guess makes me a lousy dog trainer."

[dvsconocvdo]

Noel made a face at all the papers he had stacked up before walking deeper into the room. Why did firefighters have so much paper to do anyway? "That's both really sad and really admirable. I guess emergencies can't wait, but damn." At his expression, they raised their hands up in surrender. "Dude, I don't get why people are mad at you like you did something so metal." Destroying property wasn't that bad especially given the circumstances, but people would complain about the smallest things. "Besides, did anyone get hurt from that big hole? But sure, sure. I won't burn anything. Maybe I should get those little trashcans that are like fire proof? That could help. But hey, if you ever need some fresh air, give me a text, and I'll have you out of here like that." They snapped their fingers before flashing Efe a grin. It was mostly a joke, mostly, underneath was a very real offer to fuck something up if he needed to leave the station. "You know, I do love a good chili, so I'll take it. Unless ordering in means less stress for you given these unending towers of work. Can't imagine I could be much help with that." A pause. "Nah, it's all good. I just didn't think not being able to do anything would be so infuriating."

[firefighterxefe]

Efe offered a weak smile before breaking into a laugh. "'Sad' feels like a strong word just for working through lunch, doesn't it? I mean, I knew what I signed up for here." Shaking his head, he made a show of burying his face in his hands, perhaps out of embarrassment. "I mean, all I did was make a phone call. You should talk to my buddy Bruce. He drove the thing. Nice guy. Weirdly good-looking in a magazine model kind of way. I don't know." Efe grimaced at that. "No, I don't think anyone got hurt. And at the time, seemed like a better idea than just letting everyone stay trapped inside. For all we knew, people really were getting hurt in there. I understand some people did," he sighed. "But I do have to advise against the trash cans too. Officially. But...sure, sure, we can hang out. I can probably use a little fresh air. Maybe one day after I get off-duty, though. We have to go judge bad ballroom dancers someplace." He laughed once more, rising from his seat. "Nah, nah, come on. Let's hit the kitchen. I make a lot, so the others'll be happy for the leftovers later. All this is just bureaucracy. Government, you know?" He wrinkled up his nose. "You can handle a kick, right? D'you know Marty? Werewolf? He thinks salt is spicy. Whines about it."

[aiylabaysal]

Efe & Aiyla @firefighterxefe The Emerald

Aiyla stood with her hands on her hips, dark eyes peering into the bottom of the hole. Maybe she would suggest to Nyra filling it with water. Make it a water feature; tourists love a good water feature. They could put in a statue, lights, and flowers and let it be a permanent reminder. And still, she groaned, unable to imagine it, a passing employee caught Aiyla's attention, "Excuse me, Miss Fairfax, could you please ask the head of custodial to leave my suite. I forgot to put the sign on the door. Thank you." They began to walk away, "Oh wait, sorry. Also, the Penstemons in the second floor south facing suite would you check their complaints. I'm going to see if I can find some contractors to get with Nyra. Thank you." Aiyla spoke gently; her French lilt was quiet and slow as she turned back to the gaping hole.

It wasn't long before she felt she was no longer alone, and without looking up, she sighed, "Were the Penstemmons still unsatisfied?" She pinched the bridge of her nose and frowned, "They have been complaining about everything from the wattage of the lights to." She turned her expression shifting into a polite smile, "Oh." She said with warmth and surprise, "You are not Miss Fairfax. Forgive my ramblings. I was-" she gestured, "You don't know any contractors good at reassembling rather than dismantling?" She asked with an air of airy amusement tangled with the frustrations of repairs.

[firefighterxefe]

Growing up in Lunar Cove as a human child, from a decidedly human family, with no hope of extraordinary powers appearing at a later date, had gifted Efe something of a hyper-awareness of himself. Without super strength or magic or hyper-speed or wings, he had to find other ways to be useful, other ways to contribute. It led him to an overinvolvement in community service. It led him into genuine popularity, the kind a person earns from being well-liked, not feared. And it led him into apparently calling construction crews into local hotels. His actions that night had been sincere, a genuine effort to free his trapped friends and neighbors from the building's confines. But he still felt badly for the damage he had caused.

"Oh, uh, who are the Penstemmons?" He murmured weakly, standing uncertainly with a fresh bouquet from Just in Bloom in his grasp. He grimaced. "They sound...impossible to please." This remark came dully, and he felt silly as soon as he said it. Still, stiffening a bit, he cleared his throat. "No, uh, I'm not." Efe swallowed before clearing his throat. "About that, I'm kind of the one who called in Bruce. Bulldozer guy? I swear we were just trying to...I know we caused a lot of damage. I hope your insurance will cover it. I wanted to come and apologize in-person for my recklessness and lack of foresight. I'm very glad everyone made it out okay."

[cantfightmoonlight]

"Okay, but I didn't have an embolism? I dislocated my thumb to get out of the restraints and then..." He trailed off, figuring it might be best to spare him of the gory details of how he had broken his wrist from falling on his already injured hand the wrong was as he had clawed his way up the hill and through the mirage as a hunter shot him in the damn shoulder. "It doesn't matter and, it's not like my cousin couldn't have taken a look at some other time. I mean you'd think having a family that owns the hospital, would mean you'd get out of having to spend hours waiting around in here. But, what do I know," He muttered under his breath, knowing that Efe had a point. There could have been complications if he handled it on his own, which was precisely why his parents had insisted that he get checked out. It was just, after what he had gone through over the past eight months being poorly bandaged together only to be tortured again, he had gained a likely reckless notion of how resilient the human body could be. "Was it? And here I was going to say it's sweet," He admitted. His gaze softening ever so slightly as he watched Efe grow flustered at the sentiment.

"Maybe, but I could also say the concept of bad is relative?" He countered. "What's bad to you, may be normal to me at this point." And in truth, it was hard to remember a day when he hadn't been in some form of pain. Even before he had been nabbed, he had a bum shoulder that bothered him on far more occasions than he could count. As fucked as it may be, the pain seemed like his only way these days to differentiate realty from the nightmares that festered on in his head. "Well, frost bite seems debatably harder to wrap, unless you were planning on turning yourself into a blanket burrito," He noted, having a feeling his joke would be less than appreciated at the current moment, and yet, the sarcasm slipped out before he could stop himself. "Yeah, well," He let out a deep sigh as his fingers raked their way through his jet black hair. "You and everyone else I know." But, that was the thing wasn't it? The people in his life's sentiments wouldn't be all that bad if it wasn't a constant at this point. He barely felt like he could breath as is and then shove him into the metaphorically equivalent of a glass tank on display, and people wondered why he seemed so on edge. "I don't want I need anymore," He muttered out after a prolonged breath. His uninjured hand slipped into his pocket as he leaned back in the chair Efe's mother had told him to stay put in, trying not to fidget too much in place.

"Is that an invitation?" His brow shot up in question. His graze drifting back to meet the other man's gaze as his shoulders lifted and fell into a slight shrug. "How's tonight? Though if you try to relegate yourself the couch, I will turn right around and head-" He would have said home, but given that he didn't exactly have one at the present, he went with, "Somewhere else?... You-" He cleared his throat, knowing fully well where they had left things off, but he also knew that a lot had happened over the past eight months, for both of them, even if the sentiment was nice to hear. "You don't have to do that, you know? Switch to present tense? It's okay, really. And ah, well, I would view it as a welcome distraction, but that's me," He admitted, shrugged his shoulders once more before he scrunched his nose up slightly as he watched the other man knit his brows. "Yeah, a boat. And look, I've already heard a mouthful about it, okay? I know it's a fairly dumb idea. I just saw the for sale sign and I don't know." Actually he did know. His intoxicated shit headed self saw the sign and, in a lapse of judgement and moment of inebriation thought what the hell? Why go home when you could just sleep here? "Ah, define fire-safe?" He let out a low whistle at the thought. "And sure? You know, if you ignore the rotting mermaid stapled haphazardly to the front of it, then it may be up-to-code?" It most definitely wasn't up to code, but that was why they called it a fixer upper, right? "Well, for lack of a better word, it's feels like a rather shitty one. No offense?"

[firefighterxefe]

Efe pressed a frustrated finger to the bridge of his nose, chasing away the phantom pressure of a tension headache. "I know, but if a bone is fractured, fat tissue from your marrow can leak into your bloodstream. Rare? Sure. But you keep proving you're one-of-a-kind here. I don't play around with probabilities anymore." He shook his head, voice still insistent, maybe more insistent than he had any right or need to be. But it was the guilt, Efe knew. For a while now, he had viewed the other in such a negative light, through no fault of his own, and Efe seemed now, to be trying to make up for it. "It does matter. You matter." He sighed, ducking his head once more. "You know, maybe it's a good thing you're not getting special treatment. It means your family's running a proper, protocol-driven hospital here." This suggestion came with a weak shrug. "But sure, that's me. Lunar Cove's resident sweetheart."

Efe sniffed at that. "Well...that's all well and good. I'm not going to tell you how to feel. Personally, I feel good trying make normal better every once in a while." A weak smile came to his face, one that flickered for only a moment before fading. "Well, I'm glad you've still got that biting wit of yours," he sighed deeply, but really, there was some solace in it. Still, falling back a bit, Efe crossed his arms, settling into an uneasy silence. "This sucks." It was perhaps all he could offer, but it came sincerely, a confirmation of just how heavy this whole situation felt.

Looking back up, however, Efe met his eye. "Yes. I'm inviting you to my place tonight," he replied firmly, He swallowed hard, and glancing over his shoulder, as if to make sure the coast was clear, Efe leaned in closer. "Fine. Sure. I'd love nothing more than for you to come to my house and get in my bed, okay? Okay. So. It's settled. Fine." The man shook his head, running a hand into his hair. "The present tense isn't to try and...goddammit, Seo-Joon. It's because it's true. Ever think of that? I do like you. I think you're stubborn and mouthy, but you're funny and iron-willed and even all banged up, you're cute. You know you're cute. You know I think you're cute. And I also thought maybe you were starting to like me too. So when you stopped texting...." He trailed off. "I assumed the worst, and I was mad. I'm sorry. But here we are. So, yeah, let me distract you tonight, hotshot."

Letting out an exhale, Efe put his hands up in mock arrest and leaned backward in his seat. "I'm sure you have, so you don't need it from me. But remarks like that don't really inspire confidence, you know? Let me...let me come look. At least give you a sense of what needs fixing?" He grit his teeth, rolling his eyes. "I can't with you. Fine. You did a terrible job of saving yourself and making it to safety. Negative marks. That better?"

[firefighterxefe]

Closed starter for @jonahxrivas Location: The Historical Society

"To tell you the truth, this place has always kind of weirded me out, man. I feel like I'm going to hit the secret button and fall into a trapdoor or something." Grimacing, Efe nevertheless continued to dust around the higher-up shelves lining the museum's walls. While it was currently outside normal operating hours and thus rather quiet, he did not mind volunteering some extra time to keep Coalition initiatives running smoothly. And in truth, he was glad for the distraction; idle hands allowed the mind to wander into unpleasant territories.

He looked over to Jonah and gave a sigh. "How're you holding up? A lot's been going on. You're, uh...newer to the Coalition, yeah? Do you feel like you got everything you need? It's tough being human around here sometimes. Not really knowing what to do or how to help, and I just...You know." He sighed, realizing he was maybe talking too much. Dropping his voice, then, Efe spoke over his shoulder. "There's supposed to be secrets here, I guess. Don't tell anyone I told you. But people talk. Powerful objects hidden away. I don't know what we're waiting for to break them out if they even exist."

[firefighterxefe]

Closed starter for @cantfightmoonlight (Brielle) Location: The Cabaret

"Right. I'm going to need to check out the inspection dates on all the extinguishers." Murmuring as he flipped through his paperwork, Efe gave a weak sigh, narrowing his eyes as he tried to decipher his own handwriting. In truth, his last few fire inspection calls on behalf of the department had been met with incredulousness; things seemed to keep burning down in Lunar Cove anyway, to the point that all this felt like an exercise in futility. But it beat sitting around the station waiting for the next disaster, he decided.

Looking up, Efe offered a polite smile. "That should be it, though. Thank you for making this an easy process," he said with a nod. "So...you, uh, do, like, music shows in here?" He gestured vaguely around the room. The theatre had never quite been his domain, and the last time he had attended a live performance, everyone he knew and loved had been trapped in nightmares. But the question, as pointedly naive as it was, seemed genuine.

[firefighterxefe]

Closed starter @jroycethethird Location: The Optometrist

Efe did not often replace his glasses. After all, most days, he simply wore contact lenses; to that end, the same safety pair had served him well for several years. Nevertheless, a few nights earlier, Badger, large as he was, had bounded off his owner's bed and landed with a crash, causing Efe's poor defenseless frames to splinter under his weight. The man stood now in front of a mirror with a sample pair on his face, realizing, really, that he did not quite know what looked good on him.

Maybe he was too tired. Lunar Cove had been plagued with tragedy, the latest of which had cost an actual life. It felt too mundane, too normal to be trying to shop for glasses. Still, looking up, noticing Royce, whom he knew from a lifetime in Lunar Cove and a marriage to a coven witch, Efe spoke up. He had always taken the guy to be reasonably stylish, more than he was anyway. "These don't...these don't look right, do they, man? They're too big for my face?"

[ernieernieboi]

Yeah, I just moved in not too long ago.” Ernie sat next to the man. “I think we met at FAE-Kea when I was furniture shopping. Efe right? I’m Ernie.” Ernie definitely remembered Efe. He didn’t see much of him at the party though, but then again he didn’t see much of anybody that night. He sure as hell didn’t remember a bulldozer making an appearance.  Ernie felt a wave of heat flush across his face at Efe’s offer, surely he didn’t mean it that way. That didn’t stop Ernie’s dirty mind. 

“A bulldozer?” Ernie said. “I mean, thanks for the help, but this town is full of supernaturals why would they need a bulldozer?" Perhaps Ernie was underestimating this Catalyst thing. If what Efe was saying is true then it must be pretty powerful. 

Why does the Catalyst was us dead? Is there something about this town I don’t know?” Ernie gasped. “Yo, are we on burial grounds on some shit?” His eyes widened, he was only half joking — keyword: half. 

I'm glad you're ok, we can't lose our everyday heroes." He teased, nudging him on his strong, sculpted, muscular shoulder. "Me? Oh, I’m a vampire. Got turned almost 86 years ago.” He noticed Badger sitting, obediently. “Why? Should I be concerned? Does he not like supernaturals either?” Ernie gestured toward the dog. 

[firefighterxefe]

Efe offered a sharp nod of his head, managing a weak smile. "Yeah, that's me. Good to see you again, man. Glad you're still hanging in there." He disliked how frequently expressions of that sort were slipping into his everyday vernacular, casual considerations that no one had been injured or worse in the interim. A sigh rolled through him, a noise of embarrassment.

"Uh, yeah, a bulldozer. I mean,yeah, Lunar Cove is full of supernaturals. But I'm not. Neither is my buddy Bruce...the bulldozer driver. We were tryna help, you know? People were stuck inside, so we thought we could dig through the barrier," he explained somewhat bashfully, swallowing hard. "I mean, mayor's a vampire, but you'd be surprised how many humans work government bureaucracy around here. Maybe not, actually. We rely the most on it."

He knit his brow. "Well, the hunters she orders around just want to...you know, eliminate anyone that's different. That's classic shitty regular human behavior." Efe shook his head. "But...hate to say, but there is a lot of blood here. More than some places. Sorry. Dead don't always rest in Lunar Cove, no."

Efe smiled. "Thanks, man. That's nice of you to say. But, ah, okay. I assume Meena and the others have been showing you the ropes and all? Getting you all set?" Looking back to Badger, Efe laughed. "Oh, Badger? Nah, he likes everyone. Too much, I think. And not everyone likes dogs jumping on them...but my ex-wife was a witch, so he's used to this place in his own way. You can, uh, say 'hi' if you want?"

[moonglowmagic]

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“You’re fine you didn’t disturb me at all.” Elena informed him with a sweet smile, then tried to reach around her back to feel for the sticker only not to find it right off the bat. “Can you help a girl out?” She asked as she attempted to feel around for it still. “You can say that again.” Elena scoffed at his words, she honestly didn’t know how this town was holding it together with everything that had happened. “What little victories are there? I mean besides little kids tagging me?” She asked curiously to Efe. “I mean I’ll be honest it seems kinda hopeless around here.”

[firefighterxefe]

Efe flashed a weak, almost overly apologetic grimace as he tugged the sticker from her clothing. Handing it over, then, flicking the gummy adhesive between his fingers, he managed a nod. "Well, we're still here, aren't we? And you and me are having a perfectly neighborly interaction. That feels like a victory to me. The opposite of hopeless, I'd like to think." The words lacked some conviction, but he did offer them as genuinely as he could, as though he needed something to which he could latch in this moment. "Looking for little moments of normalcy probably feels...underwhelming, I guess. But hey, we still have them once in a while. That's a win, isn't it?"

[cantfightmoonlight]

He tilted his brow up at Efe as if to ask 'do you really want me to answer that?', before he carried onto answer all the same. "Easy, Efetobo. I had already taken vampire blood, which took care of the shoulder, and you don't grow up the way I did, without learning how to wrap a broken wrist." Though he supposed having a trained professional evenly align it had been for the best. "My mom and you both," He murmured. His gaze catching on Efe's as he actually cracked a genuine smile that was quickly covered up as he shook his head in disbelief. "So you still call your mom, mommy, huh?"

"Yeah, well, I've been through worse." He would have said 'believe it or not', but after the grand entrance he had made at the Emerald Hotel, he was fairly certain most would believe it. "Says the man whose devoted his life to helping people?" He pointed out with a curve of his brow, though it wasn't as if he didn't understand where Efe was coming from. As much as he knew the hospital layout inside and out, visiting his family here was always a reminder of how incompetent he was in was in comparison. It wasn't even as if most of his family was smart. Besides a few cousins, majority of his family had chosen to go the cosmetic, entertainment or entrepreneur route. Not a lot of them would have likely made it through Med School. Not like Efe's family. But, they had all made something of themselves in one way or another. While, he was doing what with his life now exactly?

"Oh." His gaze fell back down onto his hand as he felt himself squirming slightly in his seat under the weight of Efe's gaze. "I wish you weren't." Four words he would have typically left unspoken, but given the past few days, he was tired of everyone around him eyeing him like some porcelain fucking doll about to break.

"Oh, is that an invitation?" He raised a brow up at Efe in question, only for the corner of his mouth to lift up once more in amusement as he watched Efe ramble on. "You didn't make it weird. Little hurt that you already decided that nothing would happen, but nah. I appreciate the offer, Efetobo, I do, but I'm good. Not going to kick you out of your own bed and, before you start to worry even further, Daphne's cool and I've already freeloaded enough at hers as is too. Long story short, I might have impulsively bought a boat? But, there's a bed in it, so I'll probably be living there for the foreseeable future?" He offered up with a small shrug, knowing that him saying he was going to be sleeping in some boat tied up to the docks didn't exactly put the minds worrying about him at ease, but that was pretty much where his life was at around now. "I didn't exactly realize staying alive was such an accomplishment, but I guess..."

[firefighterxefe]

Efe gave a very deep sigh, furrowing up his brow. "I mean, you know you can't wrap, like, an embolism, right? I've seen it so many times. People think they're okay, push it, and then...complications." His voice rang with genuine concern, the type he reserved for the people around him who seemed keen on taking care of everything but themselves. Efe scoffed, rolling his eyes as if to hide his embarrassment. "That was...you know, hypothetical, man. Maybe I could shout 'mother dearest' down the hallway instead. That's not the point."

Efe grit his teeth. "Being through worse doesn't make right now any less bad, Seo-Joon," he replied, rolling his shoulders. "I help people out there. Once there here, my work is done. If I'm here, it's because I'm usually the one getting the help. But I at least had the sense to not suggest I wrap my frostbite at home." That first hunter attack had made him realize just how utterly human he was, defenseless in so many ways against the mounting threats targeting Lunar Cove. The people who had captured him had not even had supernatural abilities of their own; they had used him as a pawn to get back at those who did. He sighed. "That's nice, but I'm not a birthday cake. Don't grant wishes, so you're just going to have to live with it." Efe raised an eyebrow, and while there was a genuine challenge in these words, there was no real ire. Softening, though, he gave a weak sigh, retreating. "Sorry. I don't mean to be coddling or anything. I know you don't need to be coddled."

Efe's brow shot up. "I mean, yeah? You're welcome at my place, if you wanted to...you know," he offered, clearing his throat. Trailing off, Efe shook his head from side to side. "I didn't decide anything. I just...you know, don't want to impose or assume. I did...I mean, I do. Like you. Or whatever. But saying, hey, come sleep in my bed with me felt presumptive. But it's fine..uh, a boat?" He knit his brow. "I mean, that could be...good, right? Lots of people live on boats. It's fire-safe, though, right? Up-to-code?" These questions seemed to be an attempt at humor. "Around here? Kind of actually. Every day we're all still standing is an accomplishment, worse for wear as we might be."

[dvsconocvdo]

closed starter for @firefighterxefe

"Dude, please tell me it's time for your lunch break because I'm going crazy over here." Noel said as they looked around the station. "If it's not, I'm about to burn something down because I'm bored. Don't worry, it'll be far away from any life and the forest, but I will burn something down. Did you know it'll take me a fucking week to heal this fucking arm? I can't work out. I can't go to work. I also can't stay still for God knows why. Help me. Let's go eat something together, my treat."

[firefighterxefe]

"Oh...uh, lunch break?" Efe looked up from the stack of papers through which he had been rifling, distracted from the messy desk at which he had been keeping his post for the past few hours. "To tell you the truth, I don't really get a lunch break. Emergencies don't wait, you know? If I'm here, I'm here. I can eat and all, but if those sirens go off...." He trailed off, but his features contorted after a beat. He shook his head. "Please don't do that. If you do, I'll have to drive out there and put it out. And look, everyone's already mad at me about the bulldozer. I'm trying to keep a handle on destruction. It'll be a whole thing. But yeah, that must be really frustrating. I get it. And I'm sorry. Do you...do you want to order something in? I can get the stove on. I make a mean chili. Really. I know it's cliche, but...." He smiled softly. "If it works, it works, right?"

[firefighterxefe]

Closed starter for @frankiejsullivan Location: The Town Green

Bounding buoyantly through the grass, Badger, as large and as overeager as ever, scooped up the ball Efe had tossed him. And hopping in place a few times as if to jump out his excess energy, the dog woofed before trotting dutifully back over to continue this impromptu game of fetch. As he moved through the grass, however, the animal swerved abruptly left, distracted, setting Efe off running. "Hey! Hey! Stay focused, boy!" The man shouted, grabbing the dog's collar as Badger dropped the toy at Frankie's feet and looked expectantly upward at this new playmate. Efe sighed, flashing a weakly apologetic smile. "Sorry. Sorry. He likes making new F-R-I-E-N-D-S. Friends. Would you like the definition or language of origin or...?"