“Where have you been, birdbrain?? Shit’s all out of whack.”
Reese actually knows where he was, sort of, but it needs to sound urgent. They fire off a quick text to one of their Boston contacts in case she’s willing to broker a deal later, and this is a lady they wouldn’t fuck with unless it was something like this. It is something like this, damn. They need firepower.Â
“You know that guy? He’s here. We almost got our asses handed to us yesterday, me and Ciar.”
Because Ciar does not just get his ass handed to him, almost or otherwise–he hands a lot of other people their asses and laughs about it, so it’s a big deal.Â
“In Vermont,” he answers unnecessarily.  Reese knows that, and he’d gotten back as soon as he heard something was going south.  Damn it, he really shouldn’t have left town at all.  Thing had already been weird, and that had been the reason.  He had needed to pump a few people for information, to figure out if any other coven is dealing with something like this. Â
“Damn it,” he swears, eyes cataloguing the bruise high on Reese’s cheek.  It’s not terrible, but it’s still infuriating.  Ciaran must have taken most of it, for which Imari probably owes thanks. Â
“Somebody has been smelling weird lately and I don’t know who it is.”
It’s not something he recognizes, and it’s hard to single out scents in a group–Imari’s he can’t mistake, and Lia’s, too, but when everyone is together it can get overwhelming.Â
Like a pheromone, if he had to guess, slightly primal and objectively seductive. It would be easier, as always, if he could see any subtle differences in the coven that would suggest who it might be.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we’re being targeted now.”
  Imari is actually tired today.  There’s just something wrong in Gloucester, and he hates that it’s happening when any of the coven is away.  He runs a hand over his face and tries to process the new information. Â
“No, probably not a coincidence.  There are a lot of new people filtering in, though.  I don’t like that either; can’t tell who’s here to target us and who’s just pulled in.”  He knows this town has a draw to it; it’s what brought him here the first time.
“A witch came into town a few days ago and tried to kill Amelia.  It was...weird, a really weird kind of magic.  Nothing I’ve ever seen before.  Honestly, if he had gotten through a spell, I’m not sure I could have done anything to stop him.  You could just feel something was wrong.”  He generally doesn’t like unloading things like this on Sunny, but protecting Amelia and the coven is every bit as important to Sunny as it is to Imari.  They both need all the details.
“He did. I’m proud of him, though–he made eye contact with un chupacabra puppy and didn’t cry. But I also managed to convince him swamp vampires were a real thing, so I think it cancels out.”
  “ that settles it.  you are my hero. ”  he’s going to make sure to go over to the westwick residence tomorrow and give aaron a good firm pat on the sunburnt arm.  “ were you able to pick up that book from the sea witch down in apalachicola? ”
   Amelia is nowhere near as powerful as Imari and Sunny tells her she was and will be; as she remembers being. But she is still more powerful than some others and she can stand her ground, she can take on witches or other supernatural beings who wish to harm her or her family. She hasn’t had to do anything fatal as of yet but and she is not sure how to feel about it, even though she considers it almost daily. It’s not an ordinairy thing, having had many lives in the past. She remembers killing, remembers the blood on her hands, staining pretty dresses and she remembers the feeling that came with it. Still, it’s somehow not her own, not something she can grasp. Sometimes, she wonders about her brother, how Aaron is long past this, and thinks that probably she should just get it out of the way, too… It’s probably decided for her now.
   The witch is coming for a fight and she knows that he’s not the kind they can just scare off. It’s a gut instinct which she learned to trust. And it’s not exactly a bad thing, she reasons. Maybe not this kind of battle, but Amelia has fought before and maybe it’s been time she experienced this. With Imari at her side, there is no fear in her. She is ready - or so she thinks. It may be the adrenaline talking, but her fingers twitch with magic.
   But before she can even think of attacking before the other witch could, Imari is already there and the whole ordeal is finished before it could have even started. She takes a step forward out of instinct before she freezes. Not because of the sight, more out of surprise. Amelia is not that easy to surprise. It takes her a couple of seconds to relax, an involuntary sigh leaving her lips.
   “ It’s alright. — Thank you. ”
It’s not that Imari generally doubts Amelia’s ability  He’s seen her do things
he hadn’t even thought possible over the course of many lives.  But he’s also
a realistic guy; he knows where Lia is not.  And he can discern types of magic
pretty well. Â This witch is better off dead before he had a chance to hurt
someone or drain this place of the magic in the land. Â Imari wipes the blood
off his hands as he crouches over the body to get a better look, keeps clear of
the blood where it’s rapidly cooling near his feet. Â
“ You’re welcome, ” he adds belatedly, but it seems like a strange thing to
be thanked for.  He’ll have to bathe quickly, and even so the scent is probably
|going to linger long enough for Sunny to pick up on, and Imari hates to think
about that too.  Damn it.  He’s going to need to get rid of the body too. Â
But first, Imari starts rooting around in the guy’s pockets, looking for some
sort of indicator on who this is and why they’re here. Â
    “ listen, if you want to get out of here, now’s the time. Â
    this isn’t going to be a pretty process. ”
imari really derives no pleasure from something like this.  but he’s
been lenient in the past at the cost of the people he loves.  he’s
assumed the best of people too easily. Â or tried to find a diplomatic
solution where there wasn’t one.  that being said, imari values a
certain level of diplomacy. Â it keeps things in order, keeps them in
this particular life for a little longer. Â
        you get it --- killing is usually his last resort. Â
but this witch is hellbent on tearing through amelia.  it’s not totally
uncommon that a witch gets in their head that bringing about one of
the blood oak deaths is going to bring them more power. Â and maybe
it will.  but usually they’re easily dealt with, sent away with their tails
between their legs.  but this one’s more trained, a legitimate threat. Â
his time with the westwicks means that imari is used to a certain level,
a certain kind of dark magic, but this witch exudes something else
entirely. Â when his fingers are only beginning to spark with a spell, imari
can smell it & it chills his blood.  he has to wonder if it’s someone sent
by the collector he and ciaran have been talking about a little.  it’sÂ
just too strange an area of magic to have wandered into gloucester onÂ
its own.
either way, imari has to act quickly because if he lets her get a spell going,
there might be some actual energy. Â flickering between human and more,
imari plants himself between his witch and the stranger. Â before anyone can
react, there’s a concussive blast in the stranger’s direction that leaves him
on the ground with ears bleeding, no doubt his eardrums have been blown
out.  and then imari is across the few feet and a throat is torn.  it’s a quick,
merciful death, even if it’s not precisely painless.Â
he turns now to amelia, expression guarded. Â
            “sorry you had to see that. ”
If Sunny could do more than toss a deadpan expression in his general direction, he would. As it is, he sticks his nose close to the other’s shorn head and sniffs for dramatic effect, like he can actually lure out the truth that way.
“I don’t remember it being complicated before,” as in, you know, a century ago, “I think I’ll ask her about this. Am I gonna have to split my time between you?”
   “ yeah, that’s it.  it’s been so weird because mommy &
  daddy are getting a divorce and we’ve been discussing
  how to split custody. ”
“ a look shared by two people, each wishing that the other would initiate something that they both desire but which neither wants to begin. ”
The One Where Sav Strays from the Prompt and Writes Too Much.@storhct
   You’re a transient sort of creature; you’ve never settled down in one place for long.  When you go to Salem that first time, it’s just curiosity.  It is in your nature to be intrigued by witches, and even across the world, you can feel magic flowing to and through that spot.  All different kids.  So you go, but you know in a few years you will leave, will go to other witches.  That’s what you do.
   You look at her and see endless potential.  You will guide her to it.  In return, she will keep you still: not a shackle but an anchor.
   But you cannot stop her from dying.  All you can do is your best to honor her, avenge her, remember her.
   It’s a kind of sorrow you never knew you could feel.  it’s almost a selfish kind of grief.  Because without this witch, you must wander.  Must wander in a world where you know the one thing that could stop you, could make you want to stop, is gone and you were helpless to stop it.
   When you feel that pull in your gut back to Salem again, you resent it.  But it is an unrelenting thing, so you return.  And in an instant you are young and ancient all at once.
        When you look at her again, you see an eternity ahead;                              one you can gladly live with.
   You look at her again and again.  You can see the same eyes in the same face for centuries.  For her sake, you look from a reasonable distance.  And she looks at you with defiance because she will not let you alone decide what is appropriate closeness.  A smile takes over your face: because you are reminded again and again how well you have chosen your witch.
   This life is different, though.  You don’t get to guide her through every stage; you don’t get to be her guardian.  You don’t get to be the things you know how to be.  This time she’s half grown before you really get to know her. Â
   And you know you look at her differently.  Maybe because this is the first time the world has allowed you to look at her differently.  Or maybe because you didn’t get to know her as a child you can’t think of her like a child.  Maybe you’ve been looking at her like that all along.  You don’t know.  But you doknow that to look at her like that is to risk everything you’re meant to be to her. Â
     You look at her and see your past, present, future,  Potential and risk and fleeting life.  Her death will crush you this time, but you keep looking at her anyway. Â
   You’ve always looked at her with unwavering loyalty, but this time you look at her with love too.  And she looks at you with....something.  Something worth staying for, just like always.
    “ --- can i help you? ”  from anyone else’s mouth
    it might sound sarcastic, but it’s a genuine question,
    an offer, from imari.
    “ Ouch. This hurt right here, ” she pouts as she
   touches her chest right above her heart. “ That
   won’t be a problem if you make enough. ”
   “ yeah, alright.  you’re a demanding witch;
   it’s lucky you’re cute.  do you want the kind
   made with cool ranch doritos? ”
   “ I’m surprised you even remeber freshmen year.
       — And I’m not using you as a nacho maker, Imari.
       You’re doing it because you’re so nice and you love
       me so much. I’m also cute when I’m high. That must
       be worth something. ”
   “ i’m not the one with the memory problems, ”
   he teases lightly.  “ but you’re right.  i do & you
   are, so i’ll make nachos.  but you have to share. ”
