Shortly after Azriel first arrived on the street as a nobody, but with dreams of becoming a somebody, he’d been told by an older man that if he wanted to gain any power in this ruthless city he’d have to be equally as unkind as the city itself. He had been too young to understand what he was talking about, he could never intentionally hurt anyone he cared about.
Now, on the other hand, as he’s sitting in the bar, laughing mirthlessly at his former friend’s remark, it was clear to see that he had eventually taken the advice of the man. He hadn’t hesitated to betray someone that took care of him and helped him when he was at his lowest, and he hadn’t hesitated to stab her in the back simply to gain the reputation that made some people believe that he and his Ghouls had to be monsters instead of humans.
“ You act as if you aren’t impressed. “ He leaned back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. He had never regretted the things he’d done to get this far, yet he felt bitter about how it had affected the friendship he used to have with Iffy. “ I do care about the city as well… or at least I tolerate it. “ He waved his hand dismissively. “ You should know by now that we are inevitable, people want a change and I’m sorry to say but I don’t think you or the other gangs can give it to them, but we can give them the change they need. Eventually, we’ll be able to change the entire city if we want to. “ He let out a quiet breath before taking a sip of his drink. ” I still wish you would have joined me though, we would have been invincible. “
Iffy’s nostrils flared as she considered him. It was unfair just how hard it made her heart hurt to think of the way things were. They were both so young then, a formidable team if there ever was one.
“You don’t care about anyone but yourself, Azriel, and you know it. You know I know it, too.” she was probably bluffing, but she sounded like she meant it. “You think this city needs a pack of bloodthirsty, murder happy teenagers running it?”
She gave a laugh. It sounded cruel.
“God, Azriel, I know you’re blinded by the pretty boys that run in your pack, but I didn’t think you were that naive.” she tipped back her drink and set the glass down harder than she had planned. “We could have been invincible. But you’re an untrustworthy cunt and I’m glad you weeded yourself out before I had to do it the hard way.”
the dark ⋆ fire ⋆ open water ⋆ deep water ⋆ being alone ⋆ crowded spaces ⋆ confined spaces ⋆ change ⋆ failure ⋆ war ⋆ loss of control ⋆ powerlessness ⋆ prison ⋆ blood ⋆ drowning ⋆ suffocation ⋆ public speaking ⋆ natural animals ⋆ the supernatural ⋆ heights ⋆ death ⋆ dying ⋆ intimacy ⋆ rejection ⋆ abandonment ⋆ loss ⋆ the unknown ⋆ the future ⋆ not being good enough ⋆ scary stories ⋆ speaking to new people ⋆ poverty ⋆ loud noises ⋆ being touched ⋆ forgetting ⋆ being forgotten
“ I was told that that the mighty Iphigenia had crawled out of her lair, and I simply couldn’t resist going to see it with my own eyes. “ A mirthless smile tugged at the corners of his lips once he sat down beside the leader of the Killjoys.
It’s been a while since he had the pleasure of talking to Iffy, not that it mattered. No matter how often the two of them tried to see each other, to hopefully have a civil conversation it always seemed to end in a disaster. Perhaps it would be beneficial for everyone if they would stay away from each other, there was too much hurt between the two of hem.
“ I was starting to believe you’d finally had enough and left, a man can only dream. “
It was infuriating how much she had missed him. How much she missed his company, his confidence, his competence. Whether he’d admit it or not, she knew he missed her too. Or, at the very least, missed something about his life before. Right? He did miss it, at least a little bit. Or at least she had to believe he did.
Didn’t matter. Her fury at him took over that little bit of fondness and ate it the way a wildfire eats a dry forest.
“What? Me? Leave and... what? Let you take this place over? You and your Ghouls,” she said the name with so much distaste it looked like it actually burned her tongue. “I have too much affection for this place to leave it to you.”
She should’ve known. Poet did say outright, after all, that he was going to tell Iffy, but one of the things Nine liked about him was that you never knew whether he meant it. Kept things exciting, you know? Still, she hissed a “dammit, Poe,” under her breath, and cupped her chin in her hands, elbows propped up on the table. “Aw, come on, Iff, don’t give me the ‘again’ thing. You know I’m the best fuckin’ bike racer in this whole dump of a city.” Okay, fine, ‘best racer’ was always a hotly contested topic, but she’d made a name for herself, thank you very much! “I’m just trying to shave down my turn radius so I can bring home those wins. What’s that one saying? Big risks, bigger rewards?” Nine held out the arm that had bore the brunt of injury, wrapped in gauze. “See. I’m all taken care of. I even put uhhh, fuckin’, what’s it called—antiseptic ointment shit on it.”
Iffy leaned forward in her seat and gave Nine a serious look. It didn’t look quiet motherly, she didn’t have that in her. But it did look... oddly caring. “Listen. You’re an adult. Capable of making your own decisions, no matter how bad they are most of the time. I’m just saying I prefer you in one piece, Nine.”
She loathed that name. Who named their child Nine?
“But in terms of something constructive to do, Poet has a grudge to settle. It involves making a building go boom, which sounds right up your alley.”
“Hm, fancy meeting you here,” Iffy purred, though it sounded a bit more like a threat than a greeting when it came out of her mouth. Had she meant that to sound as ominous as it did?
She rarely went out, there were a lot of bounties out on the head of the particularly loud gang leader. But tonight she was feeling a bit of excitement, so here she sat at the most neutral bar she could find.
“I do hope you didn’t come out here looking for little old me.” Finally, she looked away from her drink to lock eyes with Azriel, and where she had once found comfort and promise, now all she could dig up in the pits of her heart was contempt.
“girl is a real killjoy. she’s a threat to everyone, even herself.” ha! he liked that one. his own joke made him snort and then he crossed his arms over his chest, a flash of something bright in his eyes. “you know me. i love a statement. formal or otherwise…” most people knew his proclivity toward making a big boom. “you give me the building and i’ll bring that bitch to his knees.” he rocked back on his heels. “or is it dealer’s choice? because i got beef with this dude who sold me some cut up bullshit and i’m feelin’ like he could use a bad yelp review, as the saying goes.”
Iffy cocked a brow, intrigued. “I could be swayed on dealer’s choice,” she said as she moved a little closer, arms crossing around her chest. “That sounds juicy, though. Who pulled the wool over your eyes? We could use a little excitement around here, around people why they don’t fuck with the Killjoys.”
“Damn, Iffy, someone’s lookin’ hot.” Nine wiggled her eyebrows at the matriarch of their family, threw in a wink for good measure. She leaned over the booth table and popped some stray chicken into her mouth. What? There were leftovers sitting right there. It’s not like she wasn’t going to help herself. “You waiting on a hot date? Shit, I would love to be waiting on anything. I’m so boooooreddddduh.” She slid into the booth, continued picking at random food items on the table—anything that she could get away with eating with her hands. “Give me something to do, won’t ya? I’m beggin’.”
Nine may have been a hot mess on legs, but she was Iffy’s hot mess on legs, and she felt ridiculously fond of her. Also, she was entertaining. That counted for something.
“Hm. Why thank you,” Iffy said with a pinched smile as she leaned forward on her elbows and gave Nine a onceover. “Not too sore, I hope? Poet told me you laid your bike down. Again.” Not that Iffy had any problem with recklessness, clearly, but she did prefer her family in one piece. “Maybe I should assign you to a motorcycle safety course.”
“no, i think it’s been too loud, and i have tinnitus.” nothing about that statement was true. When iffy stepped up to him he turned his head to meet her gaze and the crooked, smarmy grin on his face softened at the edges as he nodded slowly, as if he were in deep agreement. “it has been quiet. i got so bored earlier i was watchin’ some punk ass from the violent delights steal baggies from drunk clubbers. oh, but nine did fall off her motorcycle for the 80th time this week, so that was funny—” he hummed and pulled a piece of jerky from his back pocket. there was never a bad time for dried meats, if you asked him. “why, you got something in mind? i’m down.”
Others might have found Poet’s compulsion to lie irritating, but she always knew what to expect with him. He was a little chaotic. It was kind of delightful.
She winced a little. “She’s going to kill herself,” she clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Our numbers are thin enough as it is without some of us trying to off ourselves.” She seemed to think to herself for a moment, a frown pulling the corners of her lips down. “I think it’s time we pick a building and bring it down, to be honest. Time to make a statement.”
The Diner was her favorite place to be. It nearly always had been, at least after her and her family lost their home in the Heights and all the luxuries that came with it. She sat at her favorite booth in the back like it was her throne, turned just so that she could see the entire establishment. She had a glass of dark red wine to her left and to her right was the remnants of a feast, one that she was happy to share with any of her crew who came by. So long as they had good news, anyway.
She heard someone coming and looked up, smirking almost immediately.
“Hello, darling,” she said in her typical drawl. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Poet?” Iphigenia said his name like a song with a smile on her lips. She was dressed head to toe in a gown that looked plucked from the pages of a history book. As she walked, her heels made a distinctive sound against the floor. She liked everyone in her crew, she found herself even genuinely enjoying the company of quite a few of them. But there were a select few folks who held a special place in her heart. She wouldn’t call it love. She didn’t know how to do that. But she was doting, and that must have been close, right? “D’you think it’s been... too quiet around here?”
(EVA GREEN, 40, SHE/HER) Coming up next on Rebel Radio is BLOOD ON THE RADIO by THANK YOU SCIENTIST. This tune goes out to IPHIGENIA “IFFY” STEEL. Rumor has it they just rolled into town and are fightin’ for THE KILLJOYS. They’re, (focused, dedicated) but also (bloodthirsty, driven by chaos) so watch your backs out there. We wish them the best of luck here in our gilded City of Light. Stay vigilante, stay dirty rock ‘n rollers and we’ll catch you for the next one.
Iffy has more backstory, so it’s more of a read. Love me anyway!
Iphigenia was born into City of Light royalty. The silver spoon wasn’t good enough for her, no, she deserved platinum. She wanted for nothing. It was a glorious lifestyle. But then, when she was just a child, a scandal rocked her family’s world, sending them all tumbling into the shadows with the riffraff.
Her family had been cruel and it wasn’t long before her mother and father fell to the hands of some of the gangs. Iffy was spared, as she was just a child, but she wasn’t given a place in any of the gangs.
So, Iphigenia went out on her own. For a long time, she scavenged to make it work, and eventually she became so ruthless that she began to earn a reputation for herself. By the time she was a teenager, most people in the City of Light knew better than to get in her way.
Gangs tried to recruit her, but she never forgot how she had been thrown away.
Instead, she began to amass a following.
At first, she had no interest in being anyone’s leader. She just wanted to survive. But she realized quickly that the more people she surrounded herself with, the more she thrived. And maybe, just maybe, she’d have enough support one day to take down the city that took everything from her. Brick by brick, asshole by asshole, she was coming for blood.
Iffy is trashy extravagance. She loves luxury, now that she can have it again, and she wants her fellow Killjoys to have as much fun as she does. However, she also rules with an iron fist. If you fall short or disappoint her once, she’ll meet you with a tight smile and a dismissal. If you dare to fuck up twice, you’re out. And that’s kind, in her opinion. After all, she could just have you killed for the inconvenience.
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