Chapter Text
Julian Devorak, the dashingly handsome doctor turned fugitive who was now plaguing your thoughts. He had burst into your shop as well as your head only a few short days before, directly after Asra had fled for another adventure without you. He had been dark, brooding, and mysterious, consuming your patience and peaking your curiosity. He had been intimidating to say the least.
Now was different. Now you stood, a little less dashing, as he roared with laughter in a pub booth with a distinct drunken quality. He equally beautiful sister was stood at your side, huffing. She had her arms on her hips and her lips were set in a dower pout.
“Ilya, get up. You’re going to get caught here if you keep being so loud,” Portia hissed through her clenched teeth. You could see her begin to grind her teeth after he continued to laugh for a while longer. He began to consider her words and then started to gradually calm down. His face was blank and somber but he was clearly buzzed.
“It’d probably serve me right, call the guards in quickly and you won't have to deal with me anymore,” Julian sighed, peering into his half filled mug of ‘salty bitters’. Portia looked slapped, and when Julian looked up he reeled. She squeaked and pushed his mug roughly away. His eye widened in regret. You sighed at this, thinking about Portia’s words from before.
“When he gets like this he needs a good boot to the butt.”
Well, you didn’t have boots on, so you hoped your hands would work sufficiently. You set a gentle hand on his shoulder before giving him a vicious push, letting him fall against the back of the booth. He toppled with relative ease, allowing his eye to pop open in shock.
“Julian, I won’t let you get hurt. I want the truth and I know you and portia so too,” you started calmly but firmly. Julian’s expression sobered, looking down with a sigh, “So Julian, do you want to come with us, or are you going to keep the stench of depression and day-drinking on you until you get caught?”
Portia watched with a small, sad, smile against her lips as she watched Julian take the hand you now offered him, using it to straighten himself in the booth,
“You make a compelling argument,” Julian sighed, “I do want to know what happened that night, too bad none of us have a clue where to start.”
“That’s why we’re here, Ilya,” Portia said with a wry smile to match her brother’s. She pulled up a stool to the table’s end and signaled for a beer to be sent her way. You giggled quietly at the display before pulling up your own stool.
“Now all we need is a plan,” you smiled as you said it, swiftly letting you mind work around the possibilities ahead.
You let your eyes drift to Julian as you thought, taking in each of his features one last time. His eyes, his slender nose, his sly smile that was creeping to his lips, and all of this framed by his soft auburn hair. One look, and you knew everything was going to work out.