Archive of Our Own ^omega

A superhero who has to deal with a super villain who thinks they're best friends.

I sigh, ridiculously loud, as I hear the news station filter through the coffee shop I'm helping out at. Every eye in the place is glued to the screen, but my own, as the newscaster recaps the latest attack on the city. It's as if the citizens of Elfhame aren't used to this arse by now.

Despite myself I glance up at the screen closest to me, the female newscaster is stood at the city plaza. She was on scene, or at least near to it, so you can see all the destruction and havoc in the background. As each new explosion of bright blue goes off behind her, the journalist and the cameraman duck causing an odd jiggle to the video every now and again.

This was filmed last night, it was shown on the evening news as breaking, then repeated this morning and will likely be repeated again and again until he shows his face once more. As if they have nothing better to report on. And it looks like it was just before the hero arrived, it's ridiculous this backwards city needs a hero to fight a villain but hey, this is the world we live in.

I watch as the hero arrives and fights the villain, seeing them shouting at each other and ducking out of the way of attacks, meaning that often their fights cause more destruction, but no one sees that part. Once the hero saves the day it's all forgotten. Like most people in here and around the city, I have no idea what the destruction yesterday was all about. It's usually anyone's guess what has caused him to kick off, but this time it really seems random and more than a little puzzling. 

His main target seemed to be the fountain in the middle of the plaza. Or at least that was the first thing in his sights to destroy. You can see it in pieces with water shooting up at odd angles in the background of the news report. By the end of that report the storefronts and architecture around the fountain will also be in ruins. Nobody gets injured, that’s what all the attacks have in common, there’s no casualties or wounded innocents after most of his attacks – the lab being the exception. No one can decide if that’s on purpose or a lucky coincidence though.

I continue moving around the shop and huff. If that fight didn't happen my commute to the coffee shop this morning would have been thirty minutes quicker. Because the roads surrounding the plaza were closed off because of destruction caused. And this isn't even my real job! My full-time job is at the science centre in the city, but that was attacked by this arsehole three weeks ago, causing major damage and trapping over a dozen staff in the rubble for best part of a day while rescue crews dig for them – myself included. Due to the impact on staff and the damage caused that day it has still yet to reopen. So, I'm stuck helping my older sister Vivi out by covering for sickness on her staff, usually I wouldn't have offered but Vivi gets so stressed out and disappointed when I try to say that I can't help that I cave. I have one sibling constantly disappointed in me, I try to not make the others feel that way too.

Vivi owns this shop and two more like it around Elfhame with her girlfriend Heather, Heather who is so positive and upbeat that it's hard to say no to her or stay grumpy at her or Vivi while she's around. And that's how I ultimately agreed to work for Vivi at their shop while I'm unable to work. Fortunes Coffee. The shop is named so because Vivi was born with The Gift, as she calls it. It basically means she gets senses and feelings about things and its part of how she was able to afford prime real estate in high-population and high foot traffic parts of the city. Not to mention how the whole premise of her shop is basically everything sold here is infused with luck – from the water pumped through the drinks machines to the raw ingredients used for the food on the menu – courtesy of her friend Rhyia. Though Rhyia deals in raw luck, so though she can infuse the place with her luck, it really depends on the person receiving it whether it’s good luck or bad luck.

Over the last 30 years more and more people have been coming forward with similar gifts. Just touches of them, a sense when someone is lying, a feeling when the weather is going to change, a sense of when something bad will happen, someone willowy being unnaturally strong for no logical reason, unnaturally heightened senses -usually only one in each person -, the ability to temporarily change small parts of themselves and others - Heather can do that, currently Vivi has cat eyes and Heathers hair is can't-get-in-a-bottle-pink -.. the list goes on. And it was always something small, non-consequential and usually passive. Until him that is, what he can do seems to go above the touch of magic others possess.    

As I move around, cleaning up after departed customers, I hear the fearful whispers of the patrons.

Greenbriar.

The name itself didn't strike fear into the heart of millions when he first showed up, but since then he's become increasingly more destructive and just generally evil, so the general masses fear him now. His name is always whispered like people fear he'll hear them and come for them. And the fear in here is palpable - even just from a repeat of the coverage from last night. I look back up at the TV and watch for a moment longer as the news report imposes a still image of him from last night. He's stood up straight his chin raised and his black longish hair flopping into his eyes, or it would have had it not been for the domino mask covering them. His head is tilted up, his eyes are narrowed and he's baring his teeth in a mocking laugh, his canines looking slightly longer and sharper than what's usual. The smears of silver he wears on his cheekbones under his domino mask visible even from the distance the image was captured. And his clothes, mid-calf black boots, fitted black trousers that are belted with a silver chain running from the buckle to the belt loop on his right hip. He has a black plain t-shirt on with a fitted formal jacket over the top with silver detailing along the top of the breast pocket, the buttons and the along seams that make up the body of the jacket. His sleeves rolled up to his elbows and the collar popped. And a black glove covering his right hand but not his left. Instead on his left hand he wears a silver knuckle ring on his middle finger that extends into a claw that runs past his fingertip.

This picture was clearly taken from mid-fight as he is holding his right hand slightly in front of him, a ball of blue flame cradled in his palm.

There are so many conspiracy theories surrounding him, and my favourite is that he's genetically engineered. When I first heard that I scoffed and then laughed outright. It's beyond ridiculous, even in this ridiculous backwards city we live in. I've thought so many times about moving away but I can never bring myself to leave my family, so it seems I'm stuck here.

My family consists of me, my older sister Vivi - her shop -, my twin Taryn and her daughter and finally, my younger brother Oak. With no parents to speak of and Oak still in school, he lives with Vivi and Heather, while I live alone, and Taryn lives with her husband and my niece.

The day goes relatively quickly so I volunteer to help with evening clean-up, as I usually do when I cover shifts for Vivi, because I'd completely forgotten about the extra time on my commute today and so I get home late. I enter my apartment dropping my keys noisily into the small, finished clay leaf bowl my little niece made me that I keep by the door. I fish my phone from my bag and place it next to the bowl, shucking my coat and hanging it up on the pegs behind the door along with my bag.

I glance at the clock and debate the benefits of eating dinner now vs. eating dinner when I get home later. If I have it now, I'll be full for my rounds and if I have it later, I'll be full right before bed. If I eat dinner now, I'll use up energy I desperately need on my outing and if I wait until later, I may not have the energy for anything but a dial in pizza or ding Mac and cheese. I keep relatively well in shape during my extra-curriculars - plus I take classes and go to the gym three times a week - but I hate the idea of living off takeaways and microwave meals for other reasons. And least of all is the fact my twin noses in my rubbish bin every time she comes around here, which is increasingly less often.

"You have to eat better Jude; all this takeaway and microwave meals will catch up to you eventually." Taryn says, that’s usually the opener of her lecture. She throws in an "Eva-Lynn won't ever want to come for dinner if this is all you have in." Like, I love my niece to pieces but, even if I were responsible enough to have her myself, I'm not sure I'd have the time. But Taryn doesn't understand that, Taryn will never understand that.

In the end I skip dinner for now in favour of the overnight oats I forgot to eat this morning, eating while I listen to the radio – the local station playing a soundbite of the Mayor condemning Greenbriar yet again for causing severe irreparable damage to Elfhame infrastructure and earnings.

I strip and shower too even though I'll likely need one when I get home later. I take my time scrubbing the day off me, being around so many people in one day is exhausting and I always feel so uncomfortable when I finish shifts at Fortunes. This is usually my main reason for not wanting to cover shifts there, but I can never say no, I would do anything for my family.

As I'm washing the last of the conditioner from my hair, I hear my phone ring. I hurry and squeeze the excess water from my locks before I step out, wrap a towel around myself and rush to get the phone. My eyes flick up to the clock as I pick up my phone, it's 6.45pm which means it's Taryn calling so Eva-Lynn can say goodnight. I answer my phone as I walk back into my room and sit at my vanity chair.

"Hello?" I answer, though I know who it will be responding.

"Auntie Jude! It's Eva-Lynn!" She's another one who is super chipper all the time, even at five years old. And I can't help it as a huge smile spreads over my face when I hear her happy little voice.

"Why hello Eva-Lynn!" I reply, trying to match her enthusiasm even though I feel anything but. "How lovely to hear from you today" I say, this is a game we play, she always calls to say goodnight and I always pretend it's a surprise. On cue she releases a tinkling happy giggle.

"I'm calling to tell you goodnight. Mama says it's bedtime. Because my essmet is tomorrow" She tells me, adorably mispronouncing ‘assessment’

"Well then, mama is right!" I enthuse. "Goodnight, little love. Sweet dreams!"

"Goodnight! Sweet dreams!" She giggles again, and I feel no remorse that I often think of her as my favourite family member, Heather is a close second even though she's not actually related. The phone rustles as I hear her giggle fade as she's taken to her bedroom by her father.

"Jude?" Taryn asks.

My smile and fake chipperness vanishes as I recognise that tone in my twin’s voice. I have a lecture coming. I briefly consider hanging up the phone but wonder which one as I answer her. "I'm still here Taryn." And I try so hard not to sigh as I wait for her to begin.

"How was today?" She asks me.

Oh fun, tonight we’re starting which mindless small talk. "Today was fine."

"Have you heard from your work about when they're hoping to reopen?" She asks me, I can tell from her voice that she's grasping at topics to ask about before she lays into me for whatever reason.

Annoyance briefly flits through me. "Yes, they emailed yesterday that they're hoping to reopen by the end of next month. The damage was... extensive."

"Do they know why?" She asks me, and I can tell she's not the slightest bit curious.

"Why the lab was targeted, you mean?" I clarify, she remains silent, so I continue. "Likely those ridiculous genetic engineering theories."

“And you’re feeling better now?” She asks hesitantly.

“Yes.” I tell her shortly. “You need to stop asking me Taryn. I was barely trapped in there a half day and the hospital discharged me the same day. I’m fine so quit asking.”

"Oh." She says simply, I hear her moving around in her house and then a door opens and closes in the background.

"Spit it out Taryn." I say, any remaining energy draining from me as I steel myself for what's next. I can't help myself as I eye my PJs folded on my bed ready for later. Maybe I should just put them on a have an early night. That would be bliss.

"We're concerned about you Jude." She says.

There it is. "Why?" I ask, not able to hold my sigh in this time. I turn to my mirror, and put her on speakerphone, I might as well use this time to get ready for tonight. I wrap my hair towel around my hair as I am unable to use a hairdryer while on the phone, fun as that would be, and begin my skincare routine. Cleansing, moisturising, toning and exfoliating. It takes a while but hopefully by the time I'm done Taryn will be too. It’s really annoying sometimes having an overbearing twin – let alone one with superior insight. Why did she have to have that gift? And why does she think she can use it on me.

"Because you're so isolated." She says, she pauses but by now I better than to argue with her or interrupt before she's done. "You live alone, you work alone, you go to the gym and classes at the gym most days a week after work. You never date, you don't go out with friends and you very rarely attend family events and when you do, you leave early. You're cutting yourself off and it isn't healthy."

Of all the things she just said I reply to the least consequential. "I date." Lie.

"When was your last date?" She asks, unbelieving and I get why.

"That gods awful friend of your husbands." I tell her, hoping that disaster will shut her up. No such luck.

I hear Locke complain in the background that Valerian isn't that bad and that I'm just high maintenance and difficult.

"Oh hush." Taryn tells him. "Jude, one bad date shouldn't put you off dating again." I scoff at the use of the word bad, but she ignores it. "I have a friend I can set you up with. He's lovely, nothing like Valerian." Locke complains something I don't catch in the background again and Taryn hushes him again.

"No thanks." I say simply. "Besides, I don't work alone, I'm surrounded by people." Mostly a lie.

"Vivi told me you don't speak with anyone at Fortunes except to take coffee orders and I know for a fact you don't even have an assistant in your lab, you are alone there."

"Of course, Vivi told you that. Taryn, you aren't my mother, and I am a grown woman, you don't need to mother me. And believe it or not, I'm happy enough with my life how it is, if that changes, you'll be the first I call." Lie.

Taryn sighs and stays quiet for a moment. "You need to be more involved in the family if you refuse to socialise outside of it. And at least consider a date with Roiben, he really is a very lovely guy."

I may be estranged but I'm not so cut off that I don't recognise that name and know for a fact Roiben is taken. One of my colleagues, Kaye, is currently seeing him. I glance at the clock; I'm running out of time. "I'll consider it." Lie. "Is that all Taryn?"

Taryn pauses and has a hushed conversation with her husband. "We were wondering if you could have Eva-Lynn next Sunday afternoon? We have a friend's wedding to attend and they've specified no children."

For a split second I’m about to make excuses why I can’t but decide against it. "Of course, I will!" I agree quickly, I wasn't kidding that Eva-Lynn is my favourite. And next Sunday is over a week away yet and I know I'm free, so plenty of time to plan something fun for us, it’ll be nice for her to do something fun after her assessment. I smile to myself at the thought of spending time with my favourite person.

But that smile disappears with Taryns next sentence. "You'll need to provide her with dinner, and we would prefer it not be microwavable."

"Damn, my speciality of ding Mac and cheese is out then." I complain sarcastically.

"I mean it Jude. We've booked a reservation for the both of you at the carvery." She tells me and I'm stuck between being annoyed she'd do that and excited because I haven't eaten there in so long. It's no fun eating at a restaurant alone and they don't do takeaway. She still knows my buttons.

"Fine." I grumble. I can't show I'm excited about it because she'll think she can repeat it in the future, and I would rather she not. "Is that all?"

"For now. I have things to be getting on with before tomorrow, but don't expect me to drop this that easily Jude, you need help and we're here to support you. We all are." Taryn tells me. "I love you sis, we'll speak soon."

"You too, talk to you later." I hang up and just stare at my phone for a full minute. The isolation lecture is one of my least favourites and I think that's because I know she's right. I am isolated. I don't go out much with friends or on dates. But how do I explain to her being around people is exhausting, she has no idea how I feel, and she never actually asks. She just sticks her nose in and tries to mother me, tries to fix me, tries to make me more like her.

I let my only just damp hair out and brush through it before getting my hairdryer out and blow drying it until completely dry. I brush it again and French braid it, one braid on each side of my head and running down over the front of my shoulders. I should probably get it cut soon as it now falls most of the way down my back when it's loose, but I never feel like I have the time. I look over at my bed. I'm so tired. So, so, so tired. It would be so easy to put my PJs on, but no.

Instead I leave my phone on charge on my bedside table, dry off, put my underwear on and cross to my wardrobe. I pull the doors open and slide the clothes hanging up to either side so I can get to the small cupboard integrated into the back of my wardrobe. I open that and pull the clothes out. I look to my PJs again as I place the folded clothes on my bed and begin pulling them on.

I made these clothes, I'm no seamstress but it was easy enough to find suitable and sturdy clothes while thrifting and alter them mostly beyond recognition. I just wish it hadn't been after I had seen Sucker punch. It's not in your face but it's very subtly Sweet Pea-esque.

I put on my vest top first, just a plain no thrills black one, it was needed because the top I found to go over the top was a tad revealing. Then I pull on my trousers, high waisted, form fitting and black. They're made of a material I fell in love with as soon as I saw them, they're thick but breathable and they look nice because there's two buckled straps on each thigh integrated into the material. They'd be perfect places to hold knives if I carried them that is.

Next up is the top, it's was a leather look, fitted, top with laces up the length of the front from the bottom of the top to just above the sternum where the material either side arches across the chest and up to the shoulders - hence the vest top underneath - and has a big attached hood. When I found it there was a half sleeve on the left, but the right-side sleeve was damaged. I did consider either patching it up or leaving it as is but ultimately, I cut the sleeve off completely and used the material to make padded, fingerless gloves that go to mid forearm. I managed to get similar material to the buckles on the trousers to make two smaller and thinner buckles for the top of my gloves.

I was also lucky enough to come across a pleated silver metal shoulder pauldron piece that was possibly part of a suit of armour fancy dress of some sort, it's a similar kind of metal and colour as the buckles on the trousers too. I reinforced that and managed to attach it to the right shoulder of my top relatively easy, attaching black elastic straps to go around the top of my arm to help keep it in place. And luckily it covers much of what the sleeve on the left side does. Once I'm dressed, I walk back out to my entryway and pull on my mid-calf boots that have a small wedge heel. I already had these in my possession when this started so I only had to alter them a little, adding black straps and silver buckles so they match with the rest of the outfit. I grab my black pleated, military trench coat from the coat rack and do it up over my outfit and leave my apartment, locking the door behind me. I head to the elevator of my apartment building and press the button for the laundry room that resides in the basement. It's now 7.15pm and I'm unlikely to run into anyone once there. I exit into the basement not surprised to find it empty, and instead of continuing into the laundry room I turn and head to the stairs and climb all the way up to the roof.

I look around to see that no one is around and due to the time of year the sky has darkened, but the streetlights haven't kicked in yet. I pull my hood up, resting it on the top of my head and take a running jump to the east, from my roof to the roof directly adjacent to mine, with only a 2ft gap between the highest point of the buildings it's much easier to jump than the one on the west, that's a 6ft+ jump and while I may be able to do that with enough of a run up it's easier to just go the direction I am. Once I'm a few rooftops away from my building I stop. Moving over to a small hiding hole I found months ago where I stashed the rest of my things in a small black canvas bag. I decided early on it’s risky enough keeping my outfit in my apartment, though it could be explained as cosplay the other things I use, not so much – they would be harder to explain away so I keep them safe, hidden up here instead.

I pull my domino mask from my canvas bag and put it on, the mask adheres to my face perfectly without straps and despite the outward appearance of white fabric covering the eye holes I can see perfectly as though it's not there. I also pull out my baton - currently the same size as my forearm. Stripping off my trench coat I fold it and put it in the bag and shove it in one of the small gaps in the brickwork of the building, it'll be safe there until I return for it later.

I extend my baton and use that to quickly vault me across the remaining rooftops between myself and where I need to go. I didn't always have my baton, and I'm not 100% sure how it works. It’s main function is manipulation of ice, making it a perfect weapon to go on the offensive against fire. As a scientist it feels wrong, even in the world we live in and all the gifts, to say it's magic but I have no idea otherwise how it does what it does. It's strong, unbreakable and can extend more than four storeys and that's only because I haven't tried to make it extend further though it likely can. It can shoot ice, encase objects in ice and cover entire surfaces in ice.

It also came with a handy call and return feature in the form of a chip that I have sewn into the palm of my right glove. It took a lot of practice in my apartment and random spots in the woods and countryside surrounding the city to get used to being able to use it for both offence and defence without messing up or stumbling but months later I’m now competent with it.

I land with a soft thump on a rooftop overlooking the plaza, the entire area is lit up by industrial lighting while the workmen continue and so I make sure I'm careful to not be seen. I move slowly to the edge while I reduce the baton to its normal size and clipping it into the buckle on my right thigh. I was only here last night when he attacked but I carefully peer over the edge to see how they're getting on with repairs - as it wouldn't surprise me if he shows up to destroy everything again and cause problems for them. Usually I would have just drove by after work but the roads surrounding the plaza were still closed off. They're doing quite well with rebuilding, it looks almost all done - No debris anywhere, plaster and concrete drying in broken spots of the buildings and floor. No more randomly spouting water from the destroyed fountain, though that doesn't look repaired yet so they must have cut the water to the whole area.

I'm pitched forward and almost yelp before hands close around my waist and pull me back just as suddenly as I was shoved forward. I allow it until he pulls me enough steps away from the edge and then I feel a mouth by my ear.

"Saved your life." He whispers, his voice low in my ear. If I had hackles they'd be up right about now. I'm annoyed at myself that I didn't hear him approach.

I pull my elbow back and drive it into stomach as I stomp on his foot and then throw my head back, the back of my head makes contact with what feels like his jaw and he grunts as he releases me. I push forward out of his arms; I spin around quickly pushing him away from me and level a narrowed gaze at him. He confuses me. One day he'll be actively trying to kill or at the very least maim me - his hatred enough to take my breath away, and the next he's playing around like this.

"Come on Nightfell, is that how you show gratitude?" He asks, smirking at me as he rubs his jaw with one hand and holds his stomach with the other, the silver of his ring glinting in the light.

I cross my arms over my chest and don't bother to respond to him instead lifting my chin and cocking my head slightly to the side. I chose the name 'Nightfell' for my alter-ego but I'm unsure why, I think it's something I heard my dad mention once when I was small. He never mentioned it after that one time, and I forgot what he was talking about when he said it, but the word has always stuck with me. I almost didn’t choose it though because 'Nightfell' sounds like more of a villain name than 'Greenbriar' does and I wasn't sure I wanted to give off a bad impression. "I had something else in mind." He stops rubbing his jaw and taps a finger on the corner of his lips while he puckers them at me.

I glare at him, seething he’d suggest such a thing. Part of me still thinks he's joking around even though it's clear how much he means it.

"Oh, won't you tell me who you are under there?" He croons at me, looking me up and down. His hand reaches out and his fingers lightly touch the edge of my mask, the cold of the metal of his ring almost makes me flinch but I refuse to, holding steady and not backing down as he runs his finger along the seam.

"No."

"But friends don't keep secrets from other friends" He singsongs, dropping his hand and moving around me. I step back and match him, ensuring I stay facing him with some amount of distance between us. We only threw down yesterday evening but that's no guarantee he won't try again tonight, I must be on my guard.

"We're not friends" I snap, I'm used to this from him. Since the beginning it's been him trying to get under my suit, literally. He hasn't let up about wanting to know who I am, but I know I will never tell him, I know that I can't ever tell him. He might like pretending we're friends but he'll for sure want to get rid of me if given the chance, not so long ago he somehow managed to get the ID of a prolific internet reporter who always posted anonymously and scared him into giving reporting up altogether and moving out of the area. And, thinking about it, in all our fights I'm lucky he hasn't killed me yet.

"You wound me. We're the best of friends." I scoff, with the extra commute and no dinner yet I have no energy for this back and forth with him. Tonight, was supposed to be a routine patrol. “And best friends know each other’s names.”

"So, you can find where I live and set it on fire?" I ask, rapidly losing steam to talk with him. Usually on my rounds, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights, he isn't out, I only really do them to keep him in the know that I watch out for this city and I won't give up. Shoving my mere presence in his face hasn't deterred him yet and now it's too late to give it up without losing a bit of my pride. "Like the reporter?"

"Technically, I didn't set it on fire" He said, crossing his arms and smirking at me as he brings his fore finger and middle finger up to his mouth and runs the tip of his finger and the claw over his bottom lip. "The fire was an unfortunate side effect."

"Because you completely blew it up!" I snap at him. Luckily, the guy wasn't home at the time, but I don't know for sure that Greenbriar didn't know that before attacking his home.

"I would never set your home on fire, bestie. I'm fairly sure that's against the rules." He says

"Setting anyone's home on fire is against the rules." I tell him slowly.

His eyes flash and he takes a step forward as his hands become sheathed in his blue flames. I take a step back again, making sure I keep the same amount of distance from him. "I was supposed to let him post his expose then?" He sneers at me, balling his fists as his fire spreads up his forearms.

"That's why you destroyed his home? Destroyed his life?" I snap, unbelieving. I extend my baton and twirl it, holding it down readying to go on the offensive, relieved I can already feel the chill start to gather within the metal. "Because he knows who you are and was planning to expose you?!"

He smirks at me then cocking his head, pausing dramatically as his flames extinguish. “No. He was planning to expose you.”

My skin prickles and my blood turns cold, the baton bitingly cold under my palm and ice spreading across the glove of my right hand. The reporter was going to expose me. Me? “Do you know?” I ask quietly.

“Do I know what, my love?” He asks me, circling again. Only this time I don’t move with him, uncertainty keeping me rooted to the spot.

“Who...?” I start, unable to voice my concerns as my mind races with options for damage control. Turns out I don’t need to.

“Who you are?” he finishes for me, his voice behind me and a lot closer than I thought he was. I turn my head to the sound of his voice as his fingers touch my face.

It’s not a leap to think if he found out about the reporter and found out about what the reporter was working on then there’s a possibility, however small, that he read that article about me. That he knows who I am.

His fingers brush along the bottom of my mask, the tip of the knuckle ring moves slightly underneath, and I freeze. “No. I discovered what he was writing but I didn’t read it.” He says quietly from somewhere to my left. “Call me old fashioned but when I get to know your name, it’ll be because you told me it.” He withdraws his fingers from my face and steps around in front of me, mere inches away. “And make no mistake, Nightfell, you will tell me your name.”

“No.” I say quietly.

“Oh yes, now, say goodbye and send me off with a kiss farewell.” He says, stepping back around behind me, his fingers ghosting across my shoulder. By the time I recover, deciding for whatever reason that I trust that he didn’t find out who I am, I’m on the rooftop alone. My line of thinking is if he found out, he would have approached me in my civilian life by now.

I quickly make my way home, shaken that someone was looking to expose me.

Once I’m changed and through my front door, I stab the chicken ding meal maybe one too many times before shoving it in the microwave and leaning against my counter. Out of the two of us, a Greenbriar expose would be bigger headlines. I’m just the idiot vigilante trying to minimise that arseholes damage. Why me? I’m not even the only one - Vigilantes have come and gone over the months since he showed up and started destroying the city, some just vanished while others he unmasked or defeated. I’ve even gotten to know some of them, as the longest lasting vigilante I had worked alongside some of the others before they disappeared. Maybe that’s why, while I’m not the only vigilante to have shown up, I am the only idiot who hasn’t left yet.

It’s something I dwell on all night. How close did I come to being exposed? A few days? A matter of hours? Questions circle my mind all night and I sleep fitfully because of it.

------------------------------------------

Headed to Fortunes coffee the next morning on autopilot I’m pleased the damage to the central plaza has been fixed already making my commute in less time than expected. Though where I was saved having to sit in my car for an extra thirty minutes, my luck ended there. I approach one of the spare lockers, tucking my handbag inside and grabbing the apron – inside the pouch is notebook, pen and pinned to the breast is my badge. I put my apron on and walk onto the coffee shop floor.

“…says Caelia only won the bid because she’s an Insear.” I freeze in place seeing Taryn is sat at one of the tables with Vivi and Heather. “Locke says the whole firm is calling foul play.”

“I don’t think that’s true.” Heather replies. “Caelia is a talented artist and designer. She could have won it on her own merit, it’s not necessarily nepotism.”

“Rhyia says Caelia was working hard on her pitch for weeks.” Vivi adds in with a shrug.

I don’t know who or what they’re talking about so I start slowly stepping backwards, as quietly as I can, trying to escape before they see me.

“Jude!” Crap. I look to where they’re sat and smile up at them. “Come here.”

I don’t want to but it’s the lesser of two evils to get this out of the way now. “Morning.” I say as brightly as I can as I sit in the empty chair next to Taryn.

“You look terrible Jude. Are you not sleeping well?” Taryn gasps. Pushing her coffee toward me. I take it and have a big gulp before I answer her. I wince, I hate the coffee Taryn favours. Who needs that much chocolate and sugar in their coffee?

“I just had a bad night is all.” I tell her taking another mouthful of coffee, hoping she’ll drop it because I know she’ll think it’s because her lecture.

“I can fix those bags under your eyes if you want Jude?” Heather offers. But I shake my head. I asked Heather to add an emerald green strip to my hair a few years back, I didn’t like the warm prickly sensation that comes with her magic, and the thought of feeling that on my face makes me shudder inwardly.

“I have to head off, I only popped in after dropping Eva-Lynn off to tell you to look out for something later.” She tells me, grabbing her handbag and standing. I cock a brow at her and she grins brightly at me. “It’s a surprise for you.”

I don’t answer her and honestly have no clue what she’s going on about, it’s months yet until our birthday and there’s no holidays coming up. When she leaves, after kissing all our cheeks with a bye – one that is frankly more cheerful than is warranted this early in the morning - I turn to Vivi and Heather.

“Any idea what that is about?” I ask them. Vivi and Heather exchange glances, obviously coming to their own conclusions but shake their heads.

“I mean, we could probably guess but she’s not told us.” Vivi answers.

I nod. “Yeah, I could probably guess too.” I sigh, finishing off the cold far and too sweet coffee before getting up to begin the opening routine ready for the early customers.

Throughout the morning I’m noticeably distracted. Damn Taryn, because of her warning earlier I feel on edge wondering what she’s up to, until an odd encounter just before the lunch rush.

I finish serving a regular her tall vanilla latte with a shot of lucky strawberry syrup and sigh to myself. When did I start thinking of people as ‘regulars’? This is not my job. I mumble the scripted farewell at the departing customer “Have a fortunate day.” Before I greet the next one “Good morning, welcome to Fortune Coffee. What can I get you today?” I look up and see a tall, black-haired guy staring at me oddly, he cocks his head at me his eyes scanning my face.

“I’ll take a large black coffee and a...” He pauses, looking into the display case, before looking back at me. “A blueberry muffin, to go.” I brush off his odd behaviour as I make his order trying to ignore that he’s still staring, even when I package his muffin and place that and a to go cup on the counter between us, taking the note he already holds out. “Have we met?”

“I don’t think so.” I tell him, giving him his change and receipt while pointedly eyeing the line of customers growing behind him. The lunch rush beginning, and I don’t have time for chit-chat.

He regards me for another moment. Tucking the change and receipt into his suit jacket pocket. “No, we have.” He confirms, nodding slightly. “You know that weasel lawyer. Underwood?”

I sigh. “Underhill.” I correct his mistake on Lockes surname. “But no. You are thinking of Taryn.” He cocks a brow at me. “My twin.”

“Twin?” He asks, amused at something. “This wouldn’t be a brush off would it?”

I narrow my eyes at him and scowl. “No. If you don’t mind, I have customers waiting.” I gesture to the line forming behind him.

He looks over his shoulder before looking back at me, that annoying grin still on his face. “If that’s true…” He starts. How dare he question me about my life. “Then you would be free? Friday night?”

I gape in surprise at him, as I’m not sure what part of my sub-par customer service or my reaction to him so far has made him think I’m interested. And then I have a thought, did Taryn or Locke put him up to this? He has already said he knows them. I’m outraged because continually pushing dates on me is too much as it is, but having strangers accost me at my job – even a temp one - is another thing entirely.

"Can I take you out once night falls?" He asks me, picking up his to go cup. I have a rejection on the tip of my tongue, but I'm silenced by the odd phrasing and realise he must mean a dinner date?

"Thank you." I say hesitantly. "But I have to decline."

"Shame." He smiles once more and leaves the shop without a look back.

I continue serving customers for the lunch rush, clock watching the whole time. After 2pm, as I’m clearing a table, I’m greeted with an ear-piercing squeal. I look up at the source of the sound in time to see a little auburn ball of energy fling herself at me “Jude!”

I open my arms in order to catch her and look up as her little arms wrap around my neck, to see Taryn trailing behind her. Oh good, I can ask about that guy. Taryn disappears out the back as I let go of Eva-Lynn. “Hey munchkin!” I smile at her. She smiles back and wraps her arms around my legs hugging me again.

“Vivi says you’re on break. Sit with us?” Taryn says coming up behind us. I know better to think she asked me rather than telling me I’m sitting with them, no matter how it sounds. I pick Eva-Lynn up and walk her over to the booth Taryn sits herself in.

I put Eva-Lynn down and she crawls across the seat to sit between me and her mother, as her mother pulls out a small pack of crayons for her. “How did it go?” I ask Taryn, not needing to clarify what I’m talking about. Eva-Lynn had her gift assessment today.

The government mandates these at five years old, when the gift should have manifested – even in a small way- in most children. It used to be ten years old in order to give them a chance to grow into them before assessing the children but with the increase in strength of some in the more recent years, they lowered the age for the initial assessment making it a two tier assessment now. They see all children at five years old to get an idea of what their gift is and then they assess the children again at ten to gauge handle on ability and strength.

Taryn smiles over at Eva-Lynn who is currently colouring on one of the children’s menus we have dotted about on each table. “They think Empath.” Taryn tells me. “We’ll get the full assessment in a couple of weeks.”

“Passive?” I ask her as a tray sets on our table. I look up to see Rose unload a kids hot chocolate and cake in front of Eva-Lynn, Taryns usual mocha with sugars and a black coffee with a dash of cream in front of me. “Thank you.” I say as I take a sip.

“Thank you.” Taryn says as Rose departs. “They don’t know yet. It’ll be clearer at her next assessment, but we have to keep an eye out for certain things.” Taryn watches me for a moment. “Do you know that waitresses name?” She asks.

“Yes, it’s Rose.” I tell her.

“Do you know that because you talk to her or you’ve read her name badge?” Taryn asks, taking a sip of her own coffee.

I sigh, this again. “Does it matter?”

She nods and gives me a pitying smile, my non-answer apparently enough of an answer for her.

“Don’t start.” I say. I’m still tired and really don’t want to have to agree with something I don’t want to do just to shut her up about it.

“Very well.” She hums, taking a pinch of the cake in front of Eva-Lynn. “Are you ready for your surprise?” I look at her, confused. “What is that face for?”

“You didn’t send that guy earlier to ask me out?” I ask her, narrowing my eyes. She’s either playing dumb about it or it actually wasn’t her.

Her mouth drops open and she reaches across to lay her hand on my wrist. “Someone asked you out? What did you say? What was he like?” Okay, so maybe it wasn’t her.

“He knows Locke. Did Locke do this?” I ask her.

“No Jude. Now tell me, what did you say?” She asks, visibly still extremely excited by this news.

“I said no.” I tell her.

“What?! Why?” She gasps, pulling her hand back and lowering her brow. “Did you not like him?”

“I don’t know him.” I say. “And he asked me out while I was working. It was weird and I was busy.”

“Jude.” She says rubbing her temples before looking back at me. “You don’t really have the luxury of being picky.”

“It was the lunch rush?” I answer pathetically. I can’t never really tell her why I don’t have the time right now. So, I’m grasping at, increasingly deteriorating, straws and coming off pathetic in the process.

“Did you not like him?” She asks me again, the confusion still on her face but mixed with exasperation now. All excitement gone.

“You mean in the three minutes I served him? That’s not really enough of an indicator.” I answer. “You didn’t send him?”

“No.” She confirms. “Maybe you should have considered going on that date.”

“Maybe I don’t want to.” I mumble, aware I’m being petulant, but Taryn probably expects that by now. “What’s the surprise?”

 She beams at me and pulls a card from her handbag, sliding it across the table to me. I don’t touch it, but I do lean over to peer at the name.

Dain Insear.

What kind of name is that? I look up at Taryn. “Another date?”

“No, silly.” She laughs, as though I’m ridiculous for even asking. “A job interview.”

I almost laugh but she looks so pleased for herself she can’t be anything but serious about this. I glance at the card again.

Dain Insear –

Research Manager – GenTek Laboratory.

I place my forefinger on the card and push it back toward Taryn. “Not interested.” I tell her.

“Not interested in a safe job? It’s also a huge pay rise to your current job.” Taryn cocks a brow at me. “Locke is one of the lawyers on retainer for this place. He says it’s a genuinely nice place to work and it’s safe too. The owner is in with the Mayor, so they get a whole load of VIP contracts your place doesn’t.”

“My job is safe.” I argue back. “I like my job.”

“You were trapped. For twelve hours. Under concrete.” She says slowly, like I could ever forget.

“That was a one-off because of those ridiculous rumours.” I tell her, even though she knows that full well. “I like my job. I’m not interviewing elsewhere.”

“But Jude, if you could just -” Taryn starts.

“No.” I cut her off. “I’m happy where I am.”

“Okay, I’ll drop it.” Taryn tells me, still not collecting the card. “For now.” And knowing my sister that’s the best I can hope for. “So, tell me about this guy. You said he knows us. What does he look like? Describe him?”

I consider not describing him to her, in case her or her husband does know this guy and puts him up to ask again. But ultimately, it’s easier to answer her. “Tall.” I try to think back to earlier. “Black hair, it was slicked back but it didn’t look short. He had a suit on, he ordered a coffee and paid in cash. And apparently he isn’t put off easily.”

She watches me expectantly, and exhales loudly when she realises that’s all I have to say about this guy. “Eye colour? Suit style? Polite? Attractive?” She fires off.

“Light eyes, grey or blue maybe? It was a suit, Taryn, I don’t speak fashion. And he wasn’t ugly.” I admit busing my hands by wrapping them around the warmth of the porcelain mug holding my coffee.

“Is he here much?” She asks as she peers around at the customers.

“Not a regular. I think I’ve only seen him that once.” I answer, trying to remember if he had been in before.

“And he said he knows us?” She asks again.

“He knew Locke is a lawyer and he thought I was you.” I say.

“So, he knows of us.” Taryn muses and it feels like a correction. “I’m not sure who that could be.”

I remove my hands from my cup and drink the rest of my now cold coffee. “I have to get back to work.”

“Ok,” Taryn agrees. She looks at the card between us. “At least take the card and consider it.”

“Fine.” I relent, collecting the card and putting it in my apron, it’s anyone’s guess if I’ll remember to take it out at the end of the day. “Bye little one.” I lean over and peck Eva-Lynn on her chubby little cheek as she grins. “Taryn.” I get to my feet and Taryn catches my hand, immediately letting it go with a gasp.

“Jude, you’re freezing. Go put on a sweater or something. You’ll catch a cold!” She tells me, attempting to mother me again.

“I’ll be fine Taryn.” I sigh, I don’t feel cold though I know she’ll say something to Vivi so it’s best I go put the cardigan in my locker on to avoid being bothered about this later.

“Please consider agreeing next time someone asks you out. If nothing else, you’ll get a proper meal out of it.” I don’t answer, knowing she’ll get into telling me off about the microwave meals again, so instead I just nod and leave. Heading out the back to my locker to shrug into my cardigan, immediately pushing the sleeves up before getting back to work. The rest of the day going slowly and it’s a relief to fall into bed at the end of the day.

--------------------------------------------------------

I see him again Friday morning, I’m a couple of hours into my shift as I’m focussed on wiping tables down while it’s quiet and am not paying too much attention to my surroundings when I hear the ding of the bell at the counter. I continue on knowing I’m not the only one on shift, until I hear ding ding ding. I look around and realise there’s no other staff members on the floor. I sigh and leave the cloth on the table I’m cleaning and walk to the counter as I wipe my wet hands on my apron.

“Good morning, welcome to Fortune Coffee. What can I get you today?” I start, looking up once I’m in place behind the counter.

“A dinner date?” I hear in an amused deep voice; I look up and realise it’s that guy from yesterday.

“I was thinking more along the lines of a drink.” I say, remembering what Taryn said yesterday but not really wanting to date right now.

He looks taken aback, before he composes himself. “I mean, yeah, a drink works too if you didn’t want to commit to a full meal.”

Wait, what? And then it clicks. “No, I don’t mean a drink with you?” I say, but it comes out odd like a question. “What coffee can I get you?”

“Oh. Erm, could I get a large black coffee and a lemon poppyseed muffin? To go.” He replies. I nod and get started on the drink. While the hot water is percolating, I turn back to bag his muffin. “So, that’s a no to the date?”

I look up at him placing the bag on the counter between us. “Sorry, I’m just not dating right now.” I turn back to the drink, clipping a cap on and placing it on the counter too. He hands me a note before I tell him how much. I take it and get him his change and receipt.

“Your friends seem to want you to agree.” He says, cocking his head to the left as he takes his change, dropping it into his jacket pocket. I look to the left and see Vivi and Heather stood to the left of the counter grinning, nodding and flashing me the thumbs up. I sigh and glare at them both.

“My friends shouldn’t stick their noses in.” I tell him. “Have a fortunate day.”

But he doesn’t make a move to go. “Lunch then? Instead of dinner.” He suggests, grin never leaving his face.

“I’m sorry, no. If you don’t mind, I have to get back to work.” I tell him.

He smiles wider flashing his teeth as he looks around the shop before his gaze settles back on me. “It’s empty.”

I’m about to explain my job is more than serving when an arm comes around my shoulder. “She would love to.” My head whips to the left to glare at Vivi, how could she? “Where should she meet you?”

“Vivi!” I hiss at her.

“Taryn would kill me if I didn’t push you to do this.” She whispers, before looking back at the guy on the other side of the counter. I look at him too about to tell him I can’t.

He’s looking between me and Vivi with an odd expression on his face. “Elowyn’s? At around 7pm?”

Vivi gasps and that stops me in my tracks, Elowyn’s is the new Italian place in the city, I’ve heard really good things about the food there, but so far, it’s been impossible to get a reservation – especially after the Mayor was photographed there a few times when it first opened. “That new place that’s always booked?” Vivi asks him.

“That’s the one. I have my ways.” He grins again, looking over at me. “Reservation is under ‘Insear’. I’ll see you at 7pm,” He picks up his bag and coffee, winks at me and leaves before I can question why that’s familiar.

I push Vivi’s arm off of me and turn to glare at her. “I get enough of that from Taryn, now you?”

“Jude, I don’t want to stick my nose in your life, it’s yours after all, but what’s the harm in a date or two with a cutie? I’m not saying you have to marry him, but you should date a bit more. It’ll get Taryn off your back at the very least.” Vivi smiles and walks away, calling to me over her shoulder. “Make sure you wear something hot.”

My cheeks heat as I stomp back to the table I was cleaning, equal parts annoyed at my family and excited about the decadent Italian food I can stuff down my throat tonight. I get through the rest of my shift and the commute home daydreaming about bacon and chicken carbonara, bruschetta and gelato.

-----------------------------------------

I choose to wear a black jumpsuit to the date, it has a sleeveless fitted top with a high neckline that ends just below my collar bones and open sides exposing my underarms to my waist on both sides while covering my bust, front and back entirely, the material gathered by a thin black belt with a small golden buckle. The trousers are full length and flared and I’ve topped off the outfit with a small gold clutch and a pair of strappy black wedges, opting to keep my neck and wrists unadorned of jewellery.

I curl my hair and brush it into loose waves pulling it up into a wispy ponytail. My make-up I do simple, a little blush, some gloss, winged eyeliner, mascara and done. I check myself in the mirror once more before I deem myself ready and walk through to my living room, as I place my phone, my gloss and some notes into my clutch the doorbell rings. I pause, staring at the door briefly questioning if he’s picking me up but soon realise I didn’t give him my address. I shake it off and approach my door, pulling my black mac off the coat hook and shrugging it on as the doorbell rings again, twice in succession this time.

I open the door, surprised to see Heather. “Wow! Jude, you look awesome.” She smiles at me. “Ready to go?”

“Uhm, thanks. Why are you here?” I ask her, grabbing my keys from the leaf bowl and stepping into the hallways as Heather steps back to make room for me to close and lock my door behind me.

“Your sisters thought it better you have a lift to your date and -…” Heather starts to explain.

I turn to her sharply. “Vivi told Taryn?” I sigh, that’s the last thing I needed and there’s a reason I didn’t mention it to her myself.

“Yes. But I managed to convince them both instead of them taking you and having a nose at your date. I can drive you since I’m headed into the city for an exhibition.” Heather explains as she gestures to the elevator and we walk towards it.

“Oh.” I say unsure what else to say about my nosey family that she doesn’t already know, I stay quiet all the way to her car and can’t take the silence anymore as she begins to drive. “Is it your art on display?” I ask, Heather is an artist, predominantly illustrations and comic strips but she has done other media types too.

“Oh no, it’s mainly work by a guy I went to college with. His gift is visual empathy, so he always has such interesting pieces of abstract emotions.” She tells me, explaining how he always tried to put his gift on the canvas for others to see in a literal way but couldn’t manage it until Heather suggested he try a more abstract approach to it. I’m content enough to let Heather fill the silence with talking about the other artists exhibiting their works tonight also, lots of names I don’t recognise except one, Caelia Insear – the artist who is redesigning the town hall – a very prestigious honour for any artist according to Heather. She talks about the exhibition right up until she pulls over to the curb in front of the restaurant. “I should be at the gallery for a few hours but I’m happy to leave when you want to head home, just give me a call.”

I unclip my seatbelt and grip my clutch. “Ok, thanks for the ride.” I tell her as I open my door and step out, closing the door behind me.

I turn to the car as Heather leans over the passenger seat talking to me through the open passenger window. “Enjoy your date!”

“I’ll try.” I tell her as I turn toward the restaurant. I walk through the door taking in the new eatery as I walk over to the hostess stand, quickly glancing at my phone before I put it back in my clutch I’m surprised it’s only 6.45pm. Probably a good thing Vivi told Taryn, that way I don’t have a phone call to take from Taryn tonight.

The hostess, a beautiful, tall, thin, female with blue hair piled on top of her head and wearing a tiny black dress, gives me a bored and annoyed look as I approach her. “No walk-ins available.” She looks down at her podium and the open diary on top, flipping through the pages, stopping on one. “Earliest I can book you in is twelve weeks from now, 8pm on the 15^th?”

“Uhm, no. Sorry. I’m meeting someone.” I tell her, trying to see over her shoulder into the restaurant for the guy I’m meeting. “I’m a bit early.”

She looks me up and down with a cocked brow and a smirk. “Sure you are sweetie.” She lifts a pencil from her podium. “People try this a lot, but we’re fully booked. Did you want me to pencil you in for the 15^th?”

“Reservation under… Insear?” I say hesitantly. Whoever this person is, her scrutiny has me second-guessing that I’m in the right place or at the right time. As I say it aloud I remember how I know that name. It was on the business card Taryn gave me.

“Insear?” She confirms, an odd look crossing her face before she looks me up and down again. I nod at her as she grabs two bound brown leather folder and starts to walk away from the podium into the restaurant. I hastily follow after her, though she gave me no direction to do so. I look around as we weave through the room and am in awe at the place. It’s lovely, the room is decorated well, and it smells so good in here. The lights are low and the conversation and noise from the other patrons and staff is at a minimum which is surprising with how busy it is in here.

The hostess leads me up a small set of steps to an area that has only a few tables that are more spaced out that the ones on the main floor are, it’s even quieter up here and I can see across the whole main floor to the bar at the other end of the building. There’s also a small bar along the back wall to my left, though it’s a lot smaller than the one on the main floor with only one barman. The hostess has stopped in front of a booth nestled into a quiet corner of and I’m so caught up in looking around I almost walk into her but stop just short of impact.

“Mr Insear isn’t here yet, but this is his usual table.” She puts the leather folders down on top of the two place settings. As I take a seat to the right of the booth against the wall, allowing me to see the entire restaurant. “Can I get you a drink while you wait?”

I pause, her words are cordial, but her tone is anything but and that throws me off a bit. “A gin and lemonade.” I tell her. Adding a hasty “Please?” to the end as she walks away. Just because she’s being rude, I don’t need to be. And I hadn’t meant to order an alcoholic drink, but it’s too late now as I see her stop by the bar, exchanging a few words with the barman and then making her way back to her podium.

Deciding not to people watch I pull my phone out and check the local news sites as well as the work group chat we have going for the lab – the news is just reporting the mayoral race, which I don’t care too much about and the work group chat has little to no updates on when they’re hoping to reopen. Just continued speculation on why it was targeted.

I’m still scrolling about to turn off my phone as a large gin glass is placed in front of me and a large wine glass with golden liquid is placed at the other place setting. I hastily turn my phone off and put it in my clutch as I look up to see the guy from the coffee shop sit down opposite me. I take a quick gulp of my drink.

“Good evening.” He grins. “I wasn’t sure you would show.”

“Evening.” I reply. “I wasn’t sure I would either.” I tell him honestly. He opens his mouth to reply but instead I blurt what’s been turning in my head since I arrived. “So, is this a date or a job interview?” I ask him, as I pick up my glass to take another sip of my drink.

“Pardon?” He asks, his brow furrowing at me.

“Insear?” I ask. “Taryn – my twin – tried to set me up a job interview with a Dain Insear.”

“Ah, no.” He laughs. “Dain is a sibling. Older sibling. I guess we never got to names before, my name is Cardan. And yours?”

“Jude.” I answer, smiling slightly, relieved this isn’t a job interview after all – if it were, I would be horribly overdressed.

“Nice to meet you Jude, you look lovely this evening.” He tells me, his gaze dipping to my clothes as he sips his golden wine.

“Thank you.” He opens the folder in front of him and I follow suit looking at all the delicious food this place has on offer. Though I notice there’s no prices listed. I read through it all but decide to stick with what I know, opting to keep the menu folder open in front of me.

We make small talk about traffic getting here and the weather before I ask the question I’ve been wondering since earlier. “How did you get this reservation? This place has been booked since opening.” I ask him, looking around again before looking back at him.

He looks up at me, closing the menu and setting it back on the table. “Elowyn is my sister.” He says simply, taking another drink. I eye the golden liquid as he places his glass down slightly mesmerised by how it moves and glitters within the glass.

“It’s a beautiful place, do you come here a lot?” I ask

He shrugs “A few times a week. Unlike Elowyn I’m not much of a cook.” He mouth tips up at the side. “And it’s a useful perk that she allows standing reservations for family members.”

“Is there just the three of you?” I feel like The Riddler, but I know nothing about this guy and while I hate dating, I’m not bad at dating, I know the drill.

“No, six altogether. How about you? Just the twin?”

“Her and two others. An older sister, who accepted this date for me, and a younger brother.” I smile, thinking of Oak, he’s such a sweet kid. I take the last gulp of my drink, setting my empty glass down as a waiter comes by to take our orders. I order a bruschetta starter, and another gin while Cardan orders a meatball starter, and a bottle of the house wine for the table. The waiter takes my empty glass with him as he leaves and returns to the table quickly with my fresh glass and a bottle filled with the golden liquid Cardan has in his glass. That must be the house wine.

“Have you tried this before?” He asks me, picking up the bottle and topping off his glass. I shake my head watching the near iridescent liquid as it swirls in his glass. “Would you like to try some?”

I almost say no but I am curious about it. “Yes please, just a little.” I pick up one of the empty glasses set by my place setting and hold it out to him as he pours a small amount in my glass. I pull it back towards me, peering into the glass watching it move around, it looks magical “What’s in it?”

“It’s specially grown golden apples that are added into a rose gold Dom Perignon.” He tells me, putting the wine bottle into an ice bucket and taking a sip of his own wine.

I may not be much of a wine drinker – preferring spirits over wine in most cases. But even I know Dom Perignon is a fancy wine, even before specially grown has been added. “Golden apples?” I ask, I’ve seen red and green apples but never golden ones.

“Yes, one of my sisters is a gifted gardener, she actually grows a lot of the produce Elowyn uses in the restaurant. And she has contracts with a few places around the city too” Cardan explains. “The apples are grown and whatever she does to them with her gift turns them golden, that one is actually the one who recommended Fortune Coffee to me. She’s on retainer there.”

Wait. Retainer at Fortune? “Rhyia is your sister?” I take a tentative sip of the wine and the taste explodes over my tongue, it’s sweet and fizzy and I actually really like it, a lot. I take another sip as Cardan chuckles and picks up the bottle, holding it out. I extend my arm so he can pour more of the wine in the glass.

“Yes, Rhyia is my sister.” He says, looking at me in a strange way. “I didn’t think many knew of her role there.”

“Oh, Vivienne is my older sister, she owns Fortune.” I explain. Cardan just nods at that as he sips his wine. At that moment, the waiter arrives back with our starters, as the plate is set in front of me I inhale deeply at the mix of smells from my bruschetta.

The table is silent while we eat and for the most part I try to keep my eyes on my plate but occasionally they stray up to watch Cardan. He’s really not that bad looking, his hair is not slicked back how I have seen it in the coffee shop instead it’s loose but still looks styled, and he has different suit on from earlier too. I ideally wonder what he does for a living. I finish up my bruschetta, it was fantastic, and take a sip of my wine, draining the last of the golden liquid.

“So, you work for your sister?” He asks me as he puts his cutlery down.

“Yes and no.” He raises his brow at me to continue as I take a sip of my gin. “I’m covering for staff holiday and sickness while I’m off from my full-time job.”

“Do you often take holiday from your full-time job to work elsewhere?” He smirks at me, amused at the idea apparently.

“No, not at all. My actual job is kind of on a hold?” I sound so unsure of myself that it comes out as a question. A waiter appears to clear the plates as I continue. “I work at the science centre usually, but that’s closed at the moment while they rebuild and somehow Vivi and her girlfriend Heather managed to talk me into picking up shifts at Fortune while I wait for it to reopen.”

“Oh, I heard about that. It was attacked a while ago, wasn’t it?” He asks, pouring more golden wine into my glass and topping his own off too.

“Yes, hopefully it’ll be open soon. I really enjoy my job.” I try to steer the conversation away from who attacked my work. I’m not getting sucked into the Greenbriar black hole while I’m on a date.

“Yet, you thought this was a job interview. Are you looking elsewhere?”

“No. I’m happy where I am. But my twin – Taryn – she’s concerned or something I guess? And wants me to interview around.” I explain, hating that I’m now borderline venting to this stranger. “Her husband set up the interview with your brother, but I’ve no intention of attending it.”

“Why is she concerned? I thought there were rules and regulations in place that made that kind of workspace safe?”

“When it was attacked, I was inside the building and was trapped for a while. Taryn just likes to mother me, but I’m not moving jobs.” Again I’m getting dangerously close to complaining.

“Didn’t that happen really early in the morning? Like midnight or something?” He asks.

“Well, yeah about 3am. I get caught up in my work sometimes and end up working odd hours.” I explain, there’s no other reason the building would have been occupied at the time of the attack. But it’s so easy to lose track of time when working.

“How long is a while? You said you were trapped for a while?”

“About 12 hours.” I hastily change direction. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m an architect.” He tells me “Mainly out of the city as Elfhame is mostly built up already. But it’s a nice job, and it pays the bills so, I can’t really complain too much.”

He tells me about the places he’s had to visit for work and the kind of full buildings and specific area remodels he does. It all sounds interesting to me, but it startles me that he just sounds bored talking about his work, like he doesn’t enjoy it.

“It doesn’t sound like that’s what you really want to do.” I point out, sipping my drink. I widen my eyes and the golden liquid and put my glass down hastily as my cheeks heat. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

He laughs lightly. “You’re perceptive. No, it’s not really what I saw myself doing. But it was easy enough to get into as my father owned his own architecture firm and it was kind of expected of my siblings and myself to follow that path. While they all branched off into different things, I guess I haven’t really considered anything else.”

“If you could do anything, what would it be?” I ask, still embarrassed from my slip up.

“For a career?” I nod. “I have no idea, honestly. I have a number of…” He pauses. “…personal goals to accomplish before I consider any professional ones.”

“Like a bucket list?” I ask him, I have my own of course.

“Yes, I guess it could be likened to a bucket list.” He smiles as he drinks the rest of his glass.

“And what’s at the top of that?” I ask. “The number one thing you want to accomplish?”

“Ooh, that’s a tough one. I don’t think I have them ranked but somewhere at the top would be travel.” He tells me. “I travel domestically for work but never really get time to do the sights or the opportunity to travel further abroad, so yeah, I would say travelling – as generic as that is.”

I laugh, “It is generic, but it doesn’t make it any less valid as a goal. Travelling is a good one, I’ve never been out of Elfhame.” I tell him.

“Seriously?”

“Yes, my family is all here and as much as I might want to, in order to see the world, I can’t leave them.”

“Familial obligation is a strong one.” How he says that sounds loaded with resentment, but that kind of depth is not for first dates. I’m trying to avoid complaining about my family so granting him the same courtesy I decide against questioning that.

Luckily, that’s when the waiter arrives again to take our mains order. I quickly glance at the menu once more before I close it and finally look up at the wait staff, surprised to see the hostess instead of the waiter from before. I look behind her to the main floor of the restaurant and see another female stood at the podium now. Huh, maybe they have shifts throughout the night.

“What can I get for your mains?” She says in a tone that’s borderline clipped. I look to Cardan who looks completely non-plussed by this waitress.

“I’ll have the chicken and bacon pizza, with extra rocket on top. Jude?” He asks, smirking over at me.

I look up to see her attention still on Cardan as I hold up my menu. “The chicken carbonara, please.” She glances over at me, taking the menu and tucking it under her arm as she scribbles our mains on her paper before she turns to leave.

“Nicasia?” Cardan calls her, he doesn’t even look at her, not taking his eyes off me as he adds “And another bottle of the house wine for the table.”

Without an acknowledgment she turns again and leaves, stopping briefly by the bar before she descends to the main floor once more. I almost don’t question it but I’m far too curious and I’ve had too much wine for my rational brain to filter the inappropriate prying out.

“Is she ok?” I ask, sipping my gin. I look back to where she disappeared on the main floor before looking back to see cardan looking in that direction too.

“She’s likely fine.” He says looking back at me.

I get the sense he knows her outside of this restaurant. “How do you know her? Is she a friend of yours?”

He chuckles under his breath, shaking his head. “I could tell you how I took one straight through the heart but it’s not easy to talk about, and where’s the fun in that?”

“With her?” I ask, wondering if that had anything to do with how she was acting toward me earlier. Maybe she’s not just brash by nature and it’s more circumstantial. He just smiles at me. Okay.

I scramble for topics of conversation, my mind stuck on a loop of ‘I’m on a date with someone while his ex-girlfriend serves us’, but I’m saved by a question.

“Do you have your own bucket list?” He asks me, the barman coming by and replacing the ice bucket and wine bottle with a fresh one.

“Not so much a list. Just a vague idea of things I want to do or try.” I tell him, watching as he fills my glass with golden liquid again. I immediately pick it up for a sip. “At least I can cross this place off now.”

“Ah, the real reason Miss I-Don’t-Date showed up; For the food.” He laughs and I laugh with him.

“That was definitely a deciding factor. But I am glad I showed up now though, surprisingly I’m having fun.”

“Why is that surprising? You really had such low hopes for our date?” He chuckles.

“No, not at all. I’m just not a fan of first dates. They’re awkward and more often than not set up by my family with people I would rather not have to be subjected to.” I say honestly.

“No budding professional matchmakers in your family then.”

“Definitely not.” I say with a scowl as I sip my drink.

“I get it; first dates can be awkward. Wine usually helps with that.” I giggle as I put my glass down.

We talk awkward dating stories then and by the time our mains arrive I’m feeling much more relaxed – and almost two more glasses of golden wine down. We eat in almost silence, except when Cardan offers me some of his pizza and I offer him some of my carbonara. The pizza is just as nice as the pasta, though I’m not sure I would have ordered the extra rocket as he did. He tries the carbonara and says all the times he’s eaten here he’s not tried it before, but he will next time.

I do end up ordering gelato for dessert and Cardan orders the cannoli, but we end up sharing anyway. When we’re finished I shoot a quick text to Heather, we get to our feet, no bill having appeared for the meal and we make our way outside. On the way out, I almost trip as I’m distracted noticing the Mayor is in the restaurant and if Cardan sees him he’s not as star struck as I am at his presence.

Once outside Cardan and I exchange numbers as Heather pulls up to the curb, I tell him I had a good night, peck him on his cheek and quickly get in the car.

For once I can say my day wasn’t so bad as I crawl into bed and smile to myself as the lasting effects of the golden wine help me quickly into sleep.

--------------------------------------

I meet up with Cardan again the following Tuesday for a lunch at the sandwich shop around the corner from the coffee shop. A second date I don’t usually agree to. But we had been texting on and off for three days before he asked me out again. And between his commitments for his work and my own lunch was what we settled on in order to not have to delay our next date. The sandwich shop is a nice one and I take my lunch an hour earlier and so does he so it’s relatively quiet too.

I order a cheese and tomato toastie and side salad, while Cardan orders a ploughman’s lunch, we both get a pot of tea for drinks. We settle into small talk until our lunch arrives and then start talking about things we’ve been texting about - we touch on family, it turns out Cardan has two nieces and a nephew, but I try to steer around that topic, and I get the feeling he is doing the same, so we mainly talk about work, hobbies and movies/TV. We find out we have a lot more in common than I initially thought, including a preference for anime over most other show genres. We both like the cinema and bowling, and we both enjoy an occasional drink with dinner.

Before we part at the end of the hour we arrange to meet for dinner three nights from now on Friday night. He kisses my cheek in farewell and heads off walking the opposite way to where I have to go to get back to Fortune Coffee.

-------------------------------------------

We text in between meetings, agreeing a place to eat. I secretly hope he chooses Elowyns again so I can try something else of the menu and have more of the happy wine, so I’m thrilled when he suggests it and jump into agreeing right away. This time we arrange for Cardan to come pick me up.

To tonight’s date I wear a strapless black lace bustier bodysuit, black high waist ripped skinny jeans, the thin black belt with a small gold buckle, a fitted long length black cardigan and my black wedges. My hair I curl again and brush into loose waves, opting to leave it down this time. My make up I do the same as before and pair the outfit with no jewellery and my gold clutch – with my phone, some notes and my gloss in.

The doorbell rings at 7.30pm right on time. I quickly shove my feet in my wedges and pull on my black mac again before I open the door to see Cardan in a slim fit black suit with a white shirt and an emerald green skinny tie.

The ride to the restaurant quickly goes this time, I spend the time flicking through the radio stations and scrolling through a music player on Cardans phone playing my favourite songs through the car speakers. Surprisingly, we have a number of favourites in common and ones he hasn’t heard of he asks me to add to a playlist for him to listen to again later.

We pull into a small car park adjacent to the restaurant and Cardan exits the car and comes round to my side to open my door for me, offering his arm for me to hook with my arm as we walk toward the entrance. We walk in to see the same hostess as before.

“Regular table Nicasia.” Cardan tells her, plucking two menu folders from her podium and pulling me with him past her without waiting for her to show us to the table this time. We head to the elevated area and as we pass the small bar on the way to the table Cardan holds up a single pointer finger to the barman. He unhooks his arm from mine and takes my hand instead, guiding me into the seat I occupied the last time before sitting opposite me.

He hands me a menu and opens his own as the barman bustles over with a bottle of the golden wine in an ice bucket. Cardan thanks him and pours two glasses of the wine, one for each of us. I immediately pick mine up for a sip.

“I have a question for you.” He says, picking up his menu again.

I put my glass down and look at him expectantly. “Yes?” I ask him.

“What on the menu have you not tried before?” He asks, looking at the pages in front of him. “Or more accurately, what on the menu do you want to try?”

“Oh, uhm…” I look at the menu, assuming we’re going to do the share thing like we did with the desserts last time. I scan all the listed food quickly. “Well, I’ve only tried what I had the last time, I only ever get carbonara when I eat Italian. I do want to try something different though.”

He nods “Do you have any allergies?” He lifts his right hand in the air briefly before he picks up the menu again.

I’m kind of taken aback by his question and shake my head. “No food allergies no.” I confirm.

“Ok, then.” He grins at me and I wonder what he’s up to but can’t help but grin back as the waiter approaches the table.

“Welcome to Elowyns, what can I get you started on tonight?” He asks, polite and patient.

I start to open my menu again, but Cardan reaches over to take it. “Please tell my beloved sister that we want a bit of everything.” My mouth drops open at that. Surely that’s not allowed?

“But, Mr Insear, we have a set menu. If you and your young lady could…-“ The waiter tries.

“Please tell Elowyn we would like to sample everything on the menu, she’ll probably be expecting this, it really isn’t a problem.” Cardan says again, with a smile at the waiter. “Thank you.” He hands the waiter the menus and turns back to me as the waiter leaves to go to the kitchen.

“Everything?” I question, raising my brow.

“Well, yes. How are you going to pick your favourite meal without trying them all?” He asks.

“Is that allowed?” I ask him, watching the kitchen door across the main floor half expecting the waiter to come back and tell us no can do.

“Yes.” He laughs. “I had a word with Elowyn about this earlier this week, she’s happy to oblige.”

“Are you close with Elowyn?” Immediately I regret the question. I’ve now opened the ‘family’ part of the conversation.

“Hmm, date three, so you’ve unlocked the tragic backstory.” He laughs, taking a sip of his wine. “Well, out of all of them I would say I’m closest to Elowyn and Lia. Are you close to your family?”

I guess now would be the best time to get the effed-up family dynamic out of the way and I did start this. “Closer to Oak than my sisters. He’s not so disappointed in me yet.” I laugh, sipping my wine before I hastily put it down, alcohol may make this easier to get through, but it won’t help the filter of what is and what is not appropriate to vent about. “He’s only twelve years old though, so there’s time yet.”

“What about your parents?” He asks

“Both my parents passed away when I was young. Vivi’s dad looked after us for a time after that but he disappeared with his new wife – Oaks mum - when Vivi was old enough to look after us all.”

“You have different dads?”

“Yes, Vivi and Oak have the same dad but different mothers. And Vivi, Taryn and I have the same mother but different dads.” I explain, reaching for my wine again.

“That’s the same with my siblings. We all have the same father and aside from Dain and Elowyn we all have different mothers. The majority of us have taken on our fathers surname though as opposed to our mothers.” Cardan tells me. “My father passed a few years ago and my mother took off when I was very small.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I say quietly. I never really know what to say to people when they’ve lost someone. I know when my parents passed no amount of ‘sorry’ or ‘condolences’ made any difference.

To my surprise he laughs. “Don’t be, he was an arsehole.” I blink unsure what to do with my face as he continues “He basically disowned me just after my mother left. I was much to young to remember why that happened, but I know it was all a misunderstanding and it had something to do with my mother – he permitted me to keep his surname but never listened or gave me the time of day again though.”

“How young were you when he disowned you?”

“About five years old.” He shrugs. “He kicked me out of his house too. He didn’t want me to ‘corrupt’ his other children.”

I don’t hide my shock, who disowns a five-year-old? I imagine Eva-Lynn and her being disowned. It makes my heart ache for him. “What happened to you?”

“None of my siblings who were still at home fought for me to stay at home with them and my mother was gone by then, so my older brother took me in, rather reluctantly.” He tells me, looking at the glass of golden liquid he’s swishing in his hand.

I’m going to regret asking I know I am, “How do you know it was reluctant?”

“Oh, he told me, repeatedly. He was also very vocal that he believed the same as my father, he thought I had been corrupted by my mother and he took steps to…” He pauses looking for the words. “… ‘work’  that out of me. He believes he’s responsible for rehabilitating me into someone respectable and worthy of my family name. He takes credit for who I am now.”

He hasn’t said so but the undercurrent here is he was abused by his whole family, either by neglect – his parents and siblings – or by whatever his older brother had done to him as he was growing up.

“I had no choice but to quietly deal with the beatings and the lessons that I’m ‘above everyone’ like he is and that despite my maternal bloodline I ‘deserve’ better, until I was old enough to move out. Which I did, the day I turned eighteen.” He says, putting his glass down after a sip. “And I’ve been free and alone since. At least his lessons taught me independence.”

There’s a lot there that I’m not going to push him to talk about, so I ask the least troubling question I can think of on the spot. “Why did you go into your fathers business if he disowned you?” I ask, remembering he said he’s the only sibling who followed their father’s footsteps career wise.

“Call it youthful stupidity. Being the youngest, after the others chose different career paths – which I knew disappointed him, I thought if at least I did what he wanted of his children he might warm up to me. That never happened though.” I literally have no idea what to say and thankfully Cardan fills that gap asking me a question. “Why are your sisters disappointed with you? You have a nice apartment, no obvious substance abuse problems or bad reputation, a secure – if not quite safe – career…?”

“That is a matter of opinion unfortunately. They don’t like my job, especially after the trapping incident. They think I’m isolated and cutting myself off from everyone and everything because I don’t like to do certain things.” I explain.

“And are you?” He asks. “Are you cutting yourself off from others and isolated?”

“Yes and no, I don’t go out much socially. I don’t usually date.” I smile at him. “But it’s not because I’m a hermit. Between the hours I end up doing at the lab and my hobbies I don’t really get much time for much else.”

“And they don’t understand that?”

“No. Taryn is very old-fashioned, because I’m not married with 2.0 children and doting on a husband how she is, I don’t think she understands me, she was never career driven. And Vivi just worries because I mostly keep to myself, she says I need to see someone as she thinks I have unresolved childhood trauma from my parents passing and then my stepdad bailing… I don’t know. I just think my hobbies are solo ones and if my hobbies where more group based they wouldn’t be on my case as much.”

“What are your hobbies?”

“I like to run, alone. There’s no better feeling then plugging my music and just running. I did try to join a running group, but they talk so much it was exhausting.” I laugh “I always thought it ridiculous how anyone has the lung capacity to talk so much while running.”

“I get that, running is… freeing when it’s in silence.” He agrees. “What else do you like to do?”

Well, I can’t tell him a hobby is dressing as a backward vigilante and chasing down the arsehole that attacks our city on the regular. So I tell him my other hobby instead. “I like to read too. I buy books at a faster rate than I read them, so I have so many on my list to read.”

The waiter comes by then and clears everything from the table between us except our wine glasses and the ice bucket. I furrow my brow, why are they clearing the table? But I quickly get my answer when three waiters all come by the table with sharing platters filled with bite sized versions of the starters on the menu. I look over the platters as the waiters depart and the first waiter places a few sets of silverware on the table before leaving.

“Anything you like the look of?” He asks, watching me as I look closer at all the food on the table.

“It all smells delicious.” I answer. Unsure what some of the dishes are but wanting to try them all anyway.

“Ok then. So I’ll run you through my ranking of best to not as good as the best, yes?” He laughs.

“Sure, what are we starting with?” I ask.

He points to a small dish that looks kind of like strawberries and balls of a semolina type ball. “This.” I reach forward with my fork copying him as he cuts a small part of the white ball and spears that and a strawberry together on the fork running it through the drizzle in the dish. I put it in my mouth, it tastes amazing! Cardan finishes his mouthful “Burrata with Balsamic Strawberries. This is usually made with tomato and pine nuts instead of strawberry but Rhyia grows delicious strawberries. And Elowyn likes to experiment with flavours. It’s my favourite starter here but I know not a lot of people like savoury tastes with strawberries.”

“That’s delicious! And I frequently eat my strawberries with black pepper.” I admit. Something in the pepper brings a better taste to the strawberries. I eye the plates, excited to try something else. “What’s next?” I take a sip of my wine.

Cardan points to another dish. “Pancetta wrapped halloumi fries with smoked chilli tomato relish.” He spears one of the two halloumi fries and I follow suit, dipping it in the small pot of relish. Where I’m not a fan of smoked foods, again, it’s delicious and the smoked relish definitely adds to it rather than putting me off.

Cardan gestures to another dish. “Arancini cakes, made with leftover risotto. Elowyn makes risotto with bacon, pea and leek. And grated mozzarella on top.” He cuts the cake in half picking half up on his fork while I pick up the other half. I’m not a fan of risotto, but it’s nice enough.

“Bagna cauda.” He continues, drawing my attention to another plate. “This is anchovy and grilled vegetables with a garlic dip.” I take the lead from him and cut a little bit off each piece on the plate gathering them all on the fork and dipping it in the dip. Again, it’s nice enough but I wouldn’t call it a favourite.

From there we try the meatball dish Cardan had as a starter the last time we were here. Along with two types of pizza (A Calabrese pizza and a Focaccia bianco one), three types of bruschetta (One is Mussel and chickpea, a mozzarella and rocket one, and an asparagus, gorgonzola and mint one – the one I had the last time I was here.) And we finish off with four salads (A Parma ham, mozzarella and fig salad, a grilled Italian vegetable salad, a peach, crispy pancetta, olive and mozzarella salad which I loved and a Panzanella, made with chickpea and basil.)

When we’re done a waiter comes by to clear the plates and take our mains. “A sample of everything please.”

“Again?” I laugh, finishing my wine, Cardan drains his own.

“And another bottle of the house wine.” He tells the waiter as he walks away. “Yes again. We’ll try everything. Any favourites so far?”

I think about it as the barman approaches and replaces the ice bucket and wine. “Definitely the balsamic strawberries. I liked the Halloumi fries too, and the peach, pancetta salad was amazing.”

“Apparently I needn’t have worried about you not like the sweet with the savoury mix then.” He laughs, topping off our glasses with the fresh bottle of golden wine.

“Oh no, definitely not. One of my favourite snacks is salty popcorn with melted milk chocolate on top. I’m a big fan of the mix.” I tell him, not a lot of people share my affinity for that snack.

“I’ll have to try that.” He says.

We talk about snacks then and weird combinations we like to eat, then we move onto movies and I somehow end up inviting him to mine for a movie night at some point soon, pointing out that way I can make him the salty chocolate popcorn. He readily agrees and suggests the following weekend. We then move onto movies to decide which one we’ll watch; we’ve seen a lot of the same but there’s some of my favourites I mention that he says he hasn’t seen so I should pick one of them. I unconsciously shift closer to the middle of the booth and Cardan does the same.

The waiters arrive again soon after with the trays of small dishes with samples of each main on the menu. One of the, is Nicasia who glares at me and stares at Cardan, which he ignores, until he dismisses them all. Though Nicasia lingers for a moment longer than the rest.

“Have I unlocked that story yet?” I ask, nodding my head to where Nicasia is making her way across the floor.

He turns his head to see where I’m gesturing. He looks back at me and pauses before answering. “Yes.” He says “But, after we’ve eaten.”

I nod and pick up my fork. He chuckles as he begins pointing out what each dish is as we try them. There’s pasta dishes, spaghetti dishes, lasagnes, pizzas, burgers. Chicken, bacon, steak, lamb, pork, fish, ham. Vegetables, garlic breads, crusty rolls. All kinds of sauces. And I am stuffed once we’ve tried a bit of everything. My favourite was probably the steak bolognaise bake. By the time we’re finished we’ve both moved toward the middle of the booth and are now mere inches apart.

The wait staff come by the table to clear it and Nicasia again stares at Cardan, shooting glances at me sat near to him, before departing with plates. “So, you were going to tell me about that waitress?” I prompt.

“You really want to hear about it?” He asks

“Yes.” I decide. “If you tell me I’ll tell you my worst and funniest dating disaster story.”

“Well, how can I say no to that?” He smirks at me, topping up our glasses. I turn in my seat slightly to face him better now we’re closer than across the table. “She was my girlfriend, for almost 2 years. But then about eight months ago we started to argue a lot, she always said I was distracted and not paying her enough attention, I constantly told her that wasn’t true, but the truth was someone else had caught my eye. I thought by trying to not think of the other person the issues in my relationship would correct themselves but I quickly realised neither of us were happy in the relationship anymore and then before I could bring it up with her to work on it or call it a day - she cheated on me, with my friend and co-worker.”

“Oh.” My short interactions with her and the way she stares at him, it seemed like he was the one that broke things off. “She’s not happy your relationship ended? Even though she cheated?”

“No, she’s tried a few times since to rekindle things, even talking Elowyn into hiring her here, but I’m not interested.” He says.  

“Makes sense. I don’t understand cheaters.” I say, sipping my wine. “Someone caught your eye, but you didn’t cheat.”

“So now I’ve told you, can you tell me your story?” He prompts, turning in his seat to face me better.

“A deal is a deal.” I grin at him. “In my teens I was seeing someone, for a good few weeks. Weirdly enough I actually liked him too. Around the same time my twin Taryn was also sneaking about with some boy.” I pause for dramatic effect. “Turns out he was seeing us both at the same time.”

“Seriously?” Cardan asks.

“That’s not the worst of it. It turns out he was seeing Taryn first and then started seeing me after. I found out and broke it off, but Taryn ended up marrying him.” I laugh at the absurdity of it. “I never would have married someone who purposely dated my twin. But to each their own.”

“That weasel lawyer? Ok, yeah. That was worth telling my sad story for.” Cardan laughs. As a waiter approaches the table for dessert orders. “Sample platter, please.” Cardan asks and the waiter scribbles the order and retreats to the kitchen.

We talk about our bad dating stories I tell him about Valerian and the attempt to set me up with the taken Roiben and Cardan tells me of a few blind dates his sisters set up that ended badly and by the time dessert arrives we’re in fits of laughter.

All flavours of gelato, pastries and cheesecakes. It’s all so nice and I definitely have some favourites coming away from tonight. We finish up our drinks and again no bill arrives as Cardan offers his arm, I hook my arm through his and we exit the restaurant, I’m about to tell him I’m not getting back in his car with how much he had to drink with dinner when he raises his hand to hail a cab.

One pulls up right away and we climb in the back. Cardan gives the driver my address and we take off. I dread to think how much this cab ride is going to cost but Cardan distracts me asking if I’m free for lunch in the week. I tell him I’ll have to let him know when I’m free and go from there and then spend the rest of the ride talking about plans for the coming week.

When the cab pulls up outside my building I exit the cab as Cardan asks the cab driver to wait for him to return and walks me up to my door. I play with my keys on the way unsure how to say the farewell, I’ve done the cheek peck is that protocol for door goodbyes too? In the end the decision is taken out of my hands as I tell Cardan I had a really good night and he leans forward, touching his lips to mine in a quick but firm kiss before he says goodnight and walks back to the elevator, grinning at me as the doors close between us.

--------------------------------------------

On Sunday I pick Eva-Lynn up at midday and we head straight to the entertainment centre, usually I try to avoid places like this, the amount of people and lights and noise is off-putting but I know it’s fun for children and Eva-Lynn will love it, especially as I’m sure Taryn would have never brought Eva-Lynn here before. We start with bowling and then play on the arcade games before we go to see a movie about funny little musical creatures that have to protect themselves from bigger things that suck the life out of them. A bit odd for a kids movie, granted, but Eva-Lynn enjoys it and that’s the main thing.

After the movie we head to the carvery in time for our reservation, I settle into the left of the booth moving Eva-Lynn to the middle and setting her up with crayons and the kids menu to colour on. Once I’ve ordered our drinks I notice Cardan sat at the bar shaking hands with a blonde guy that looks suspiciously like the Mayors aide. Rannoch or something, I think. The blonde guy walks away and Cardan notices me sat in the booth, he grins, and I give him a weird little wave in response. He stands bringing his glass with him and approaches the table.

“Hello, Jude. Funny running into you here.” He looks at Eva-Lynn colouring by my side before raising an eyebrow at me. “And who’s this?”

“Hey, this is my niece, Eva-Lynn.” I nudge Eva-Lynn with my elbow, and she looks up at Cardan then.

“Nice to meet you Eva-Lynn. I’m Cardan, a friend of your aunt Jude.” He holds out his hand and she puts hers in his for a tiny shake.

“Auntie Jude, if he’s your friend, why doesn’t he sit with us?” Eva-Lynn asks, picking up her crayon again.

“Uhm, well…” I stutter. I’m going to kill Taryn if she’s been grooming Eva-Lynn to ‘help’ me in this way. I guess it could just be that she’s five years old and wants to make lots of friends though.

“I would love to!” Cardan exclaims enthusiastically for Eva-Lynn’s benefit. She beams at him and then goes back to colouring. Leaving us to talk, mainly about what we’ve been up to and the like.

The only awkward moment is halfway through dinner when I notice Eva-Lynn staring at Cardan just before she blurts out “What’s your gift? Auntie Jude has Therma sisters.”

“Eva-Lynn.” I scold gently. “Remember what mummy taught you? Gifts aren’t something people ask other people about.” It’s hard to explain this unspoken rule to children who are just learning, because it’s not taboo to ask another person what their gift is, but it’s just not done.

“It’s ok, I don’t mind.” He tells me, putting his mug down and turning to Eva-Lynn. “If I tell you mine, could you explain what ‘therma sisters’ is?” He’s grinning at Eva-Lynn now and it’s no wonder she launches into massive head nods at him, bouncing in her seat in excitement. He leans toward us lowering his voice and looking left and right in an exaggerated manner. I laugh with Eva-Lynn at how silly he’s being “My gift is passive empathy.”

Eva-Lynn gasps and her eyes go comically wide. “Mine too!” She gushes.

“Really? How bizarre.” Cardan says, over-enthusiastically. Eva-Lynn is eating it up though and clapping her little hands together. “Now, what’s that one you said before?” He puts a confused look on his face, and I laugh at how over the top it is.

“Therma sisters.” Eva-Lynn says in a loud whisper. She looks left and right like Cardan did before and leans towards him. “Auntie Jude doesn’t feel too cold or too hot. Ever.”

“Passive thermal resistance.” I tell him, it’s my official gift classification. Thermal resistance means I don’t feel cold or heat, but the passive part means can’t manipulate the cold or heat either. Whereas Taryn was classified with passive water adaption. Which basically means she can hold her breath for a really long time underwater, it’s not really applicable in day to day life like my own but it did give her an unfair advantage when we were doing our swimming lessons.

Dinner carries on without incident after that, though Eva-Lynn delights in telling her mother all about Auntie Jude’s friend Cardan when I drop her off home. Taryn doesn’t let me leave for a half hour, asking question after question about him, the nature of our relationship and future plans.

----------------

The following morning marks the last Monday of my helping out at Fortune Coffee, as next Monday is the 2^nd and my workplace will be open again. I’m very much looking forward to getting back to my day job. And things are pretty quiet for a Monday morning. Until Taryn arrives just before the lunch rush, she approaches the counter and orders her sugary, chocolatey abomination with a fruit salad from the chiller and sits at one of the high-top tables dotted around the walls of the shop.

I note the time and realise I have enough time for a quick bathroom break before the lunch rush, I glance around and see two members of staff on the floor and duck out back. Once I’m done I go back onto the coffee shop floor in time to see Cardan stood by the counter. I’m about to go say hi when he spots Taryn sat at a table on her phone. He walks toward her, and I follow after him, curious about what will happen as we’re identical twins and even our friends sometimes have difficulty telling us apart.

“Jude?” He asks tapping her on the shoulder, she turns to face him a confused look on her face as she sees him. He pauses. “Oh, not Jude. You must be the twin. Taryn?”

“Hi, yes, I’m Taryn. How do you know Jude?” Taryn asks him as I approach the table too.

“Hey.” I direct at Cardan “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

“Hey, you know until right now I still thought the whole twin thing was just how you brush people off. But she’s real.” He laughs.

“Yes she’s real.” I side eye Taryn and see she’s more interested in her phone at the moment.

Cardan smiles at me, placing his hand on my waist and leaning down to peck my cheek, I smile as he pulls back but doesn’t move his hand from my waist. “I thought I’d check in and see if you were free for lunch today.”

“I’m…-“ I start. The phone behind the counter rings and I look around cardan to check it’s being answered, relieved to see Rose is there, so I have a few minutes.

“Who is your friend Jude?” Taryn asks me, putting her phone down before she looks up between me and Cardan.

Oh crap. “Taryn, this is Cardan.” I tell her reluctantly.

“Ah, Cardan. Eva-Lynn has told me more about you than Jude has.” She laughs. “Are you here to have lunch with
Jude?” She asks, like she didn’t just hear him say that.

“Taryn.” I warn.

“I’m here to see if Jude is free for lunch, yes.” Cardan confirms.

I glance at the clock 11.55am and I’m working through until my lunch at 1pm today. I’m about to say as much and find out if he can come back then for lunch when Rose approaches us.

“It’s fine Rose, I’ll be back behind the counter before midday. I’m just saying hello.” I tell her.

“Oh, no. It’s not that Jude. Vivienne just called; and unfortunately, I have to swap lunches with you as she wants to move our development catch-up forward an hour.” Rose tells me. “Are you ok to go on lunch at midday? And I take your 1pm lunch?”

How convenient, I turn to glare at Taryn who is just smiling and looking between me and Cardan. “Yes, that’s fine Rose.” Rose turns and heads to the counter, since I’m apparently on lunch now. “What did you do?” I accuse Taryn.

“Just made it easier for you to have lunch with you friend here.” She smiles wider looking at her phone as it vibrates on the table. “Now off you pop, Vivi says lunch is on her. And get that apron off.”

I turn to Cardan who looks amused at the whole interaction. “Apparently I am free for lunch. What would you like? I’ll go get lunch while you choose a table.”  I pause and look at Taryn who is still watching us. “A table far from this one.”

“Oh, can I have a large black coffee and a ploughman baguette?” He asks, leaning down to peck my cheek again before he pulls back and removes his hand from my waist “Nice to meet you.” He says to Taryn before he crosses to the other side of the shop and sits at one of the high-top tables.

“He’s nice! Handsome too.” Taryn gushes.

“Bye Taryn.” I tell her, walking out back and taking my apron off. I walk back on the shop floor and behind the counter approaching Rose. “Hey, sorry about that.” I apologise to her.

“It’s no problem Jude.” She smiles at me. Rose is genuinely a nice person and now I feel guilty that I never tried to get to know her. “Vivi said your lunch is on the house and asked me to remind you to note what you have so she can adjust stock.”

“Thanks, I’m going to go ahead and sort our lunch and I’ll let Vivi know what I’ve used.” I tell her, I feel bad for taking her lunch hour so the least I can do is not make her serve me.

I start the coffees, I opt for a large black coffee too, but with a dash of cream. While that’s percolating I go around the front of the counter, glad the lunch rush has yet to start, and grab a ploughman baguette and a southern fried chicken salad baguette for myself. I go back behind the counter to see both coffees are done and grab two plates for the baguettes and plate up two muffins too – one poppyseed lemon and one blueberry along with four butter knives and shove it all on a tray. I throw a glance over my shoulder as I grab our coffee cups and see Taryn outright staring at Cardan while he tried to not look directly at her.

For gods sakes. She couldn’t be more obvious if she tried. I quickly put our coffees on the tray, pick it up and walk across the floor. As I pass Taryn I hiss “Stop staring.” at her. And continue on to the table Cardan chose.

I place his coffee in front of him with his baguette on a plate putting the two muffins in the middle I put my baguette on a plate in front of the other seat and the coffee too and take the tray to the tray station. I grab some napkins and sugars in case he has them and return to the table, sitting in the seat opposite Cardan.

He smiles at me as he picks up his coffee. “Your sister is a character.”

“Isn’t she just.” I mutter, looking over at her to see her drop her attention to her phone. Subtle. I’m drawn back to the table as Cardan makes a noise. “Everything ok?”

“Yeah.” He says, quickly putting the cup down. “The coffee is cold.”

What? I pick up my own cup and sip it. He’s right, the coffee is cold. “I’m so sorry, I got distracted with the choice of cakes and pastries at the counter.” I say, I’ll remake them. He tries to wave me off, but I won’t drink a cold coffee and I wouldn’t expect him to either just because Taryn distracted me.

I quickly head back behind the counter with the cold coffees and start to remake them, this time keeping my head clear. Once they’re done I walk back to the table. “Again, sorry, that should be better.”

“It’s ok, Jude. I would have drunk it cold.” He laughs. He picks up his baguette, unwrapping it and I notice he was waiting for me to get back to the table before he started his lunch.

I pick my own baguette up and start to unwrap it. “You know, you could have started your lunch while I was remaking the coffee.” I tell him.

“Call me old-fashioned but I was taught to never start a meal until everyone is present at the table. Especially if it’s a lady.” He chuckles. The phrasing tickles something, but I’m too preoccupied ignoring Taryn and trying not to laugh at Cardan calling me a lady that I quickly forget.

“A lady?” I laugh. I punctuate my amusement by shoving more of my baguette in my mouth than I should have. My cheeks puffed out with the amount of food I’m holding as I smile at Cardan. He laughs back and I quickly raise my hand to my mouth as I chew fast and swallow what’s in my mouth. “I’ve never been called a lady.” I point out.

“How bizarre.” He grins.

We eat in silence. Sneaking glances and when we’re both done with the baguettes I pull the muffins forward. “Which one to you want?” I ask him. “I’m happy to have either.”

“I’m happy to have either too.” He says, looking at the two plates. He looks up at me and raises his eyebrow before he picks up a knife and cuts both muffins in half, switching half of the lemon poppyseed to the blueberry plate and half the blueberry to the lemon poppyseed plate. “Ta-da. Problem solved.” He pushes one plate towards me as he pulls the other toward himself.

“Such problem-solving skills.” I tease. Pinching a bit of the lemon poppyseed and the blueberry muffins together and popping it in my mouth in one go. Blueberry, lemon poppyseed is actually quite nice together.

Cardan sees what I do and copies me, putting a bit of each in his mouth at the same time. He sighs as he swallows. “Wow, that might be my new favourite.”

We spend the last ten minutes of my lunch break arranging the movie night, both agreeing Saturday is the best night for it and agreeing that I’ll supply the movie and dinner and Cardan will bring the snacks. Eventually though the hour is up and we stand to say our byes.

“I have to get back to work, but it was lovely to see you today Jude.” He smiles down at me.

“It was nice to see you too. I’ll text you about Saturday night? Don’t forget you need to supply the chocolate and the salty popcorn.” I grin at him.

“I won’t forget. Now, say goodbye and send me off with a kiss farewell.” He grins as he leans down to press his mouth against mine, I expect him to pull back as quick as he did the first time but he doesn’t and all thoughts leave my head as he slides his hands around my waist. I lift my hands to his neck and shoulder as I kiss him back and then pull back. He smiles at me as he let’s me go and walks out of the coffee shop. I touch my fingertips to my lips quickly before I put our used things on a tray to put away.

Picking the tray up, I start back to the used plate collection, while my head replays Cardans last words. The phrasing was odd but I’m sure I’ve heard that before, perhaps in a song? I turn the words over and over trying to remember how I know them and when it clicks I wish it hadn’t. I freeze, rooted in place as I remember where I was the last time I heard those exact words from that voice. And I panic. My heartbeat pounds in my ears and because the tray starts to feel cold in my hands, my knee-jerk reaction is to let go, I don’t come back to myself quick enough to try to catch the tray so it hits the floor, the cups and plates smashing on impact and drawing every eye in the place to where I’m stood.

I managed to move when Taryn rushes up to me. Dropping to the floor to pick up the larger pieces and putting them on the tray. “Jude?” She presses, bending down too and stilling my hands. I look up at her. “What happened?! Are you ok?”

No, I’m not ok. “I’m fine.” I tell her. “I thought I saw a spider.”

“A spider?” She questions. “Jude, since when are you scared of spiders?”

“It was a big one.” I lie, I look to the plate collection trolley and crane my head to look around it like I’m looking for the fictional spider that definitely isn’t there and that I definitely am not afraid of. “It must have scuttled off.”

Rose comes over then with a broom and dustpan to sweep up the smaller bits.

I finish loading up the tray with the larger pieces and stand. “Are you sure you’re ok?” Taryn asks me again.

“Yes I’m fine Taryn.” I smile at her and hopefully it doesn’t look as odd as it feels on my face, because I’m not fine. “I have some stock lists to alter after lunch and now breaking things. So, don’t wait around for me I’ll call you tonight?”

“Ok, if you’re sure.” She confirms. I smile at her again and duck out the back.

I don’t alter any stock lists, but I do write down on a post-it what I took for lunch and what I broke and leave it on Vivi’s desk for her to sort. Instead I put my apron back on and hide out the back waiting for Taryn to leave and trying to push away my latest revelation so I can get through my shift without any further accidents.

------------------

I manage to get through the rest of my shift, barely and when I get home I check my phone to see a text from Cardan and a text and missed call from Taryn. I ignore them and put my phone on silent. And I brush off patrol not even caring that it’s out of the ordinary for me and there will likely be questions and rumours and theories about why, after almost a year, Nightfell has skipped a patrol. But I couldn’t care less. I’m so tired and I want to go to sleep.

So I do just that, not even having dinner first.

--------------------------------------------

It’s Tuesday and I complete my shift on autopilot as I remember more and more of my interactions with Cardan and Greenbriar. Once evening comes along I’m a whole day late for my patrol. I almost blow it off again, but I can’t give him a reason to look into why I missed it when for, almost a year, I’ve patrolled every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

When I get home I don’t bother to eat or shower instead changing into my outfit right away and heading out before I can talk myself out of it. I go across the rooftops, stopping by to overlook the lab and then the plaza before moving on to city hall, drawn to the huge police presence around it tonight.

I stand on the roof overlooking the hall and watch as the police set up cordons and checks. I’m guessing this is ahead of a press release or announcement of some kind tomorrow. I’m interrupted from my musings by a thump behind me. I spin on my heel while I unclip my baton and hold it up in front of me. Between me and Greenbriar.

“She lives.” He sing-songs. “Someone didn’t patrol yesterday… I was getting worried.”

“I was unwell.” I say lamely, even I’m not convinced by my lie; I very much doubt he is. Especially when he just hums in response. Walking toward the edge of the roof, I turn as he approaches keeping him in front of me.

“Looks like they’re setting up for something big.” He muses, watching the police in the square below us, I take a moment to study his profile, surprised I didn’t recognise Cardan as Greenbriar right away. He has the same nose. The same cheekbones. The same lips. He turns to me and I realise he’s waiting for something. A response, maybe. Without thinking I just hum in the same way he did before. He laughs. “What? No warning to leave them alone? No threat that you’ll stop me from interfering with whatever is happening tomorrow?”

Maybe I would have if I were thinking straight. I didn’t expect to run into him tonight even though he’s been quiet lately. Usually there’s an attack once or twice a week, but there’s been nothing reported since the plaza. He’s up to something.

“You’ve been quiet.” I say, still holding my baton between us as he strides away from the ledge.

“Ah, but have I?” He laughs. “Not everything needs to be so public.”

My mind scrambles. I’ve been so wrapped up in my life that I haven’t even been paying attention to the news, rumours and gossip like I usually do. I have no idea what he’s been up to, or if he’s even been doing anything. He could be playing with me.

I stare at his face, trying to fit what I know of Cardans face onto the parts where Greenbriar is covered by his domino mask. “Why are you doing this?” I can’t help myself but ask.

“You know, in all these months, you’ve never asked me that.” He steps toward me and I’m too caught up that this is Cardan to step backwards.

“Why?” I demand. Cardan is so self-assured, and he seems well adjusted. So I’m having difficulty merging these two people into one.

“People crave my existence.”  He shrugs, the right side of his mouth turning up in a smirk.

“You’re delusional.” I mutter. Though with everything he told me about his family, it makes sense why he would want that.

“No, I’m not.” He grins at me. “I break up the monotony of boring city life.” When I don’t say anything further he continues, taking another step toward me, again I don’t move back, confusion flashes across his face before he masks it with another smirk. “If you think about it, it’s really a public service, making the lives of the city folk easier. A public service this city is deserving of.”

“Delusional.” I repeat.

“That’s one opinion.” He says. “If you were to tell me who you are, I could make things so much easier for you too.”

“No.” It comes out meeker than I expect. Definitely not. I’m more concerned now what he’ll do when he finds out who I am. I’ve told him about my family, he knows where I live. I’ve been so stupid.

Again confusion crosses his features, but he quickly wipes it away in a mock pout. “Pretty please?”

“No.” I feel the ice start to build within the baton and it spreads across the surface of the baton under my palm. Cardans – no, Greenbriar – Greenbriar’s eyes go to my baton watching the ice form.

“Ok, another day?” He says his eyes still on my baton. He takes a hesitant step forward and again I don’t step backwards, instead relying on my baton to keep him away from me. His eyes drop to the floor and I look down too to see the ground beneath me and the baton has iced over too. I throw a quick glance over my shoulder, confident Greenbriar isn’t here to attack with that many police officers present and I extend the baton and take off, running and jumping faster than I have before. I stop a short distance from my apartment building to make sure he hasn’t followed me and when I’m sure I’m alone I make my way to my roof, opening the roof access door, descending the stairs and quickly letting myself into my apartment.

I strip and turn the shower water on, not even bothering to stand up. I just sit under the hot spray, not feeling the heat and not really wanting to move. Things have got so much more complicated now. I have to break things off with Cardan without letting on why, but even the thought of doing that is hard to think about. I was having such fun with him.

I eventually stop my wallowing and shower properly, only towel drying my hair before I put my pyjamas on and turn the lights out. Cardan has text me a handful of times when I check my phone, but I ignore them all not even reading them. My phone vibrates notifying a call as I’m getting into bed too, I look at the screen and see it’s Cardan – he must have just gotten home, but I’m in no mood to talk to him still so I ignore that too. And I try to push him from my thoughts as I drift off to sleep.

--------------------------------------------

I continue to dodge Cardans messages and keep my head down at work trying to get the last of my shifts here over as quickly as possible so I can focus on getting ready to be back in the lab, I very much doubt the management would have set our labs up as they were before so I’ll have to do all that myself again. I miss whatever the city hall announcement was and make it through most of it, but Wednesday Cardan comes in the shop, luckily I manage to spot him before he spots me and I quickly duck out the back of the shop, staying put until he’s gone. But Friday afternoon Cardan comes into the shop again and I don’t notice quick enough to duck out the back this time. Instead I pretend I’m extra invested in cleaning the table I’m wiping down, but it’s not long before I feel him stood by me.

“Is there a reason you’re avoiding me now?” He asks me quietly.

I stop wiping and turn to face him but don’t look him in the eye. “No, sorry. I’ve just been really busy trying to get sorted for work next week. They’re finally reopening.” It’s only partly the truth, but I can’t blurt out I know he’s Greenbriar and for my safety and sanity I can no longer have anything to do with him. And definitely not with as many innocents as there are in this shop. Besides, it wouldn’t take him too long to realise exactly who I am. And I can’t allow that.

“Liar.” He says quietly. And it becomes clear how he gets away with claiming his gift is passive empathy, he’s incredibly perceptive when he wants to be.

“Yes, I am.” I admit looking him in the eye now, I guess I’ll have to be bold with the truth then. “But in all honesty, there’s more going on in my life than you know, and I need time to sort through it all. I’m very confused and you are confusing me most of all.”

He steps forward. “So talk to me. Let me help you.”

“No. It’s not anything I can talk to you about and I don’t want to talk to you about it. I need to figure it out on my own.” I take a step back. “Please, give me space. I need to work through this alone.”

I can tell he doesn’t really believe me, even with the truth. “Fine.” He says and leaves without another word.

I sigh in relief when the door closes behind him and peek around the shop, all the patrons blissfully unaware how they could have just been caught in the crossfire. And it’s a harsh reminder for me that with my extracurriculars I can’t have a regular people facing job or allow others to get too close to me for fear they’d be caught in the crossfire too.

The rest of my last shift passes without incident and by the time I’m unlocking my door I am so ready for bed that I almost decide to blow off patrol tonight, but I know I can’t do that. Even if this is the closest I’ve gotten to not going out. I shuffle inside, running through my mental list of chores I have to get done before I head out, deciding to skip a shower until after I’m home.

I close the door behind me, drop my keys into the leaf bowl and I flip the lights on as I start to shrug out of my coat but freeze in place seeing Cardan sat at my breakfast bar.

“How did you get in here?” I snap, angrily shrugging my coat the rest of the way off and leaving it where it lands on the floor as I step toward him. I thought I had prevented this earlier. Though alone in my apartment is much better than a crowded coffee shop.

“I’m good with locks.” He says, like that’s any kind of explanation. “Why are you being weird?”

“Because you broke into my apartment!” I gesture to him.

“No. You’ve been brushing me off for days. What’s happening here?” His calm voice is probably the most irritating thing about this whole encounter.

“I told you earlier, it’s nothing I want to talk about with you.” I say, closing my eyes and trying to rub away the headache building in my temple. My anger building that he would break into my apartment after I told him I need space. “Leave. Now.”

“Jude, if you would just-“ He tries, standing and stepping towards me.

“Now.” I repeat, opening my eyes and glaring at him. I need him gone so I can calm down.

He stares at me a moment longer searching my face before he shakes his head and brushes past me going out the door without another word.

I stand rooted to spot for a long while after he leaves, half expecting him to return as Greenbriar and burn my apartment down. When I realise he isn’t going to do that, I finally move. I shove a ding meal in the microwave and go into my room to lay out my outfit and strip from my work clothes, pulling a dressing gown on to eat in. I poke at my sweet and sour chicken meal and mostly just move it around the plate, my appetite mostly gone before I give up and bin the rest. My phone rings but I ignore it.

If I’m hungry when I get in I’ll have some cereal or something before bed. I’m in my room braiding my hair and getting dressed as my phone rings again. I half expect it to be Cardan trying to call again but as it rings for the third or fourth time I look at the phone and it’s Taryns number that pops up on the screen – which means it’s Eva-Lynn. I quickly answer noting it’s now past her bedtime.

“Auntie Jude! It’s bedtime.” Eva-Lynn singsongs and it makes me smile.

“Eva-Lynn, it’s bedtime.” I singsong back at her. “Goodnight little one. Sweet dreams.”

“Sweet dreams Auntie Jude! Here’s mummy” She squeaks and then her giggles get quieter and quieter until I can’t hear her anymore.

“Jude?” Taryns voice comes over the phone. I put her on speaker so I can continue getting ready to go out. The longer I take the more likely I’ll talk myself into staying home.

“I’m here, Taryn.” I tell her.

“How are things?” She asks me.

“Things are fine.”

“Any word about work yet?” She questions and something in her tone tells me again she’s grasping for chit-chat before what she actually wants to talk about.

“Yeah, they’re reopening the 2^nd of next month. My boss called earlier.” Overall, three weeks to rebuild in total isn’t long, they’ve done really well getting things back up and running quickly.

“That’s good news, you’re returning there then?”

I sigh quietly hoping she doesn’t hear it. “Yes Taryn, it’s my job so I’m returning there when it reopens”

“Did you even consider the job opportunity with GenTek?”

“I did.” I tell her truthfully. She doesn’t need to know I only considered it for a minute. If that.

 “Ok.” Taryn is silent for a minute and I half think she’s gone. “How are things going with Cardan?”

This time I don’t care if she hears the sigh. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh Jude.” Taryn says, the words dripping with pity. “What went wrong this time?”

“Don’t want to talk about it, goodbye Taryn.” I say, pulling my gloves on and walking over to my phone.

“Jude, plea-…” I don’t hear what she’s going to say, instead hanging up the phone, turning it to silent mode and putting it on charge on my nightstand while I’m out.

I drag my feet to my front door, shrugging on my coat and wedges. I grab my keys and as I open the door I inspect the outside lock, but I can’t even tell it’s been tampered with in any way. Closing the door I take the elevator to the basement and check the coast is clear before I begin the trek up the stairs to the roof access door. With each step I’m more and more tempted to go home and crawl into bed. Opening the door and stepping through I freeze as I realise I’m not alone on the roof this time and the door clicks shut behind me with a bang that sounds a lot louder in the silence. He’s leaning against the wall to the left of the door, my eyes go to my canvas bag in his hands. How did he find that? How does he know?

“It is you.” He says quietly, throwing my bag to my feet, I look down but leave it where it is with my things spilling out of the open zip. I shouldn’t have gone out on patrol tonight, by coming up here I’ve confirmed suspicions I didn’t realise he had. “How long have you known?”

I don’t answer, instead lifting my chin and looking him up and down in his Greenbriar outfit, minus the domino mask, which is in his left hand. It’s kind of disconcerting to see Cardans full face paired with that outfit. All the while I feel along the palm of my right glove with my little finger. My fingertip hovering above the chip that will call my baton as I settle my gaze back on his face. I’ve been so stupid.

“How long have you known?” He asks again, his words coming out harsh through his clenched jaw. His right hand and forearm lights up in blue flame as he takes a step forward. “How. Long?!”

“Since we had lunch at Fortune.” I tell him. No point lying now, he knows who I am and that I know who he is, that he needn’t have left his domino mask off.

He’s quiet for a while and I guess he’s running through our coffee date at Fortune. I see the moment it clicks for him. “Ah.” He says and I guess he realises now what it was that gave him away. “Your behaviour makes more sense now.”

“When you told me your gift was passive empathy?” I almost don’t want to ask but if there’s a possibility he’s hiding multiple gifts I’m definitely over my head.

“I lied.” He lifts his domino mask to his face and presses it in place, his hand dropping almost immediately. I swallow hard, there’s the line then. Between Cardan and Greenbriar.

“That tracks.” I scoff trying to cover my discomfort, even though I’m relieved it’s just the fire I have to worry about. I stoop to grab my own mask, placing it on my face.

No longer Jude and Cardan – but Nightfell and Greenbriar.

I glance around, my apartment is in a too highly populated area, I need to lead him somewhere quieter. If he’s going to blow up it needs to be away from here, maybe the city limits. But I need to choose my moment carefully and I have no choice but to test the limits of my baton, the more I can extend it the further away I’ll get before he catches up. Assuming he gives chase that is. “This changes nothing, I’m still going to stop you from doing more harm and more damage.”

“I would expect nothing less from a goody-two-shoes.” He sneers at me, flames licking along his fingertips and climbing up his wrists. “This changes nothing for me either.”

“And I would expect nothing less from a villain.” I snap back at him. I wonder if I’m able to lure him away with the threat of exposing him? My little finger hovers over the call button, I’ll need to call it, extend it and take off in quick succession if I’m going to be able to get away. Or I can trap him, it won’t last long but maybe long enough to give me a head start.

I press the button and open my hand, the baton flying up from the ground at my feet to my palm, I close my hand around it and extend it in one move. Feeling the ice start to build up inside to channel where I need it to go. I hold the baton by my side trying to make it look nonchalant as I slowly angle the top to point where I need to cover in ice as I try to find the release button without looking.

“You realise I have no choice but to disclose your identity to the authorities?” I ask him. Though I know I can’t do that as I put my own identity and my family at risk by exposing him.

“I can’t allow you to do that.” He threatens, believing my lie. He steps forward and holds his hand palm up, as he summons a ball of fire.

One more step and I can take off. “I don’t think you can stop me.” I risk a quick glance over my shoulder, like I’m looking towards city hall as I wait for him to take another step forward, I’m not waiting long, he steps forward and when I should put my plan into action… I hesitate. This is Cardan.

Here I am faced with a threatening villain, brandishing a ball of fire in front of me and I hesitate?! I look at Greenbriar and I see Cardan. I shake my head, no, I know I can’t think like that.

I press the release button, the ice that built up in the baton leaves in a cold blast encasing his boots up to his shins in a thick layer of ice. His flames wink out in shock and I don’t wait around, instead extending my baton as far and as fast as I can before taking off.

I speed passed city hall, as that’s not my real target and look over my shoulder, he’s free of the ice now and following. I’m only just staying in the lead, using my baton to try to push myself further ahead, as he uses controlled explosions to propel himself forward – I know exactly where he got that idea and I’m annoyed that works without anime physics at play. I run and jump, a million things running through my head from the past couple of weeks as dots previously unconnected, connect with startling clarity.

The revelation causes me to misjudge my movements and I catch the top of a fence with the next swing of my baton, catching on it I careen towards the ground in a country park at the city limits.

Taryn told me that GenTek, a company run and owned by Dain Insear, has connections to the Mayor and gets exclusive contracts.

I had hoped to lead him further away from the city centre but where the current location is more flammable than the city centre, at least the community park is not populated this time of night, the odd jogger and dog walker maybe, but that’s workable.

Cardan himself told me Rhyia Insear has contracts for her produce all over Elfhame, a hard thing for an individual to manage.

I manage to keep a hold of my baton for most of the fall, unfortunately letting it go when I hit the grass under tree cover. I roll a few times, before I come to a stop against a large willow trunk, sprawled on my back and completely winded. I don’t know how much of a lead I had but I know I need to get up, now. It won’t be long until he finds me, especially if he saw me go down.

Heather said Caelia Insear is the designer who won the bid to redesign the town hall and there is rumours circulating of nepotism.

I roll onto my front, coughing and wincing as my muscles protest at the movement. I get my knees under me and push up on my palms. Leaning all my weight on one hand as I grip my ribs with my other arm. It hurts.

Elowyn Insear has a newly opened, wildly popular restaurant that the Mayor frequents. Cardan said that Elowyn keeps a standing reservation for her siblings.

I cough more, using my right hand to cover my mouth to muffle the sound, as I push up to my feet. Gingerly testing my weight on one leg and then the other, my ankles ache but don’t feel sprained or anything worse. I roll my shoulders and neck as look around the floor near me for my baton. When I don’t immediately find it, I press on my glove to call my baton back to me. Gripping it in my outstretched hand as it comes hurtling toward me.

Dain, Rhyia, Caelia, Elowyn, Cardan… He said there’s six of them. The older brother he never named, the one who took him in and abused him…

I extend my baton gripping it with my right hand and use it to lean on as I try to catch my breath, still gripping my ribs with my left arm. My breathes coming in short gasps while I recover from my fall. I walk toward the central space of the park; the huge feature water fountain will be a help if he goes on the offensive. I just break the tree line surrounding the open space and pause as he lands on the lip of the fountain, cracking the concrete underneath his feet where he is stood.

Cardan who was meeting with the Mayors aide at the Carvery that day. Cardan who completely ignored the Mayor the night of our first date.

Already his arms are covered in his blue flame and his face is set in a scowl. He scans the area around him, no doubt looking for me. I retract my baton and take a deep breath, not enjoying how it sends splinters of pain through my chest as I drop my left hand and clip my baton to its regular place at my thigh. And then I start to walk towards him.

Cardan who is Greenbriar, who dresses up as a villain and uses his gift to destroy parts of the city  – ‘causing severe irreparable damage to Elfhame infrastructure and earnings ’ – according to that interview with the Mayor I heard a while back.

I’m not even halfway when his head snaps towards me, no longer scanning the area. He jumps down from the fountain and I struggle to push away the discomfort in an effort to not show him I’m injured.

Cardan who is an architect and incredibly perceptive. Cardan who would know just where to hit to cause the most problems for the Mayor.

I stop when he’s about 6ft in front of me. And he does the same.

Cardan who said his siblings don’t all have the same mother and that the majority of the siblings took their fathers surname. Cardan Insear, Dain Insear, Caelia Insear, Rhyia Insear, Elowyn Insear…

This is so much more complicated now, the previous attacks on the city. The reason no one is usually hurt in his attacks. He’s not targeting people he’s targeting high value parts of the city.

Balekin Grackle. Mayor Balekin Grackle. Cardans abusive older brother.

I reach for my baton but the hesitation from before is back. I don’t want to fight him.. I kind of understand why he’s doing what he’s doing. Does that make me a villain too? I drop my empty hand. I won’t start this fight, especially as I’m not so sure anymore that he’s 100% in the wrong here.

“This is any kind of ‘authority’.” He smirks. “My little liar.”

“I’m not yours.” I say, my voice hoarse from all the coughing before.

His posture goes rigid. “You are so broken. Though, I’m wondering what it was that broke inside you to cause you to become this?” He gestures to me, his eyes dipping to my baton, still clipped away, before looking back at my face. “Could it be the… what was it?” He rubs his jaw in mock thought before clicking his fingers “Ah yes, unresolved childhood trauma?” He steps forward and slightly to the left, so I step backwards to the right.

“What broke inside me?!” I startle as a laugh escapes my mouth and he starts to circle me, I match pace with him. Oh he wants to get personal? Fine, I can get personal. “Coming from the guy who has armed himself with wrongs committed by others as an excuse to do wrong himself. But no it’s not quite the same is it, because there was no one to stop you, was there? No one who cared enough at the start to prevent you becoming this.” I gesture to him in the same manner he just did to me.

He lunges at me and I barely have enough time to dodge out of the way as I hastily grab for my baton. I barely have it in my hands as Greenbriar turns quickly and grabs at it, ripping it from my grip with one of his hands and throwing it across the green while he grips my hand. I try to pull away from him, but he laces our fingers as he pulls hard on my glove with his right hand while he holds my wrist in place with his left hand. I try to curl my fingers to stop the glove coming off, but I can’t move my fingers how he’s holding onto them. His right-hand lights up in flames and I feel a small prickle of heat as the glove comes off my hand and he burns through both the glove and the chip that I could have used to recall my baton to me. I quickly snatch my hand back from his grip and push him away with all my strength, wincing slightly at the pain across my body as I push.

He stumbles back a few steps but doesn’t lunge at me again, no doubt thinking I’m less of a threat without my weapon. I look in the direction he threw the baton but in this dark I can’t see it and unless I go look for it, which something tells me is not possible, I’m going to have to do without this time.

“I’m surprised you bothered chasing me here. Knowing I wasn’t going to the authorities after all.” I tell him as I start to circle around him, he matches my movements circling too, the flames licking up his arms but not expanding out. I can’t pretend amusement like he is, my anger is quickly taking hold of me now. “There’s not much damage you can do this far out of the city. And I doubt your brother cares too much about the community park.”

The flames flicker as his brow furrows. “My brother?”

Oh, that won’t work now. “Yeah, the Mayor. Isn’t this park just another thing he doesn’t care about? Another thing no one cares about?” It’s a low blow and I inwardly wince. I don’t relish the thought of hurting Cardan. But Greenbriar has pissed me off. “Another thing he can forcibly shape as he pleases and then forget all about?”

He bares his teeth, growling at me as he lifts his hands, a blue flame fireball growing between his open hands.

“Do it!” I scream at him. I need him to try a fatal blow against me. I need him to make that move first so that this hesitation, this confusion and incessant wondering will go away, so I can do my job. Minutes pass as we stand locked, neither backing down. Me hesitating to make the first move and him hesitating also.

“I won’t.” He says quietly. He drops his arms, and the ball of flame shrinks down into nothing. I growl in frustration.

I lift my hands calling my gift, ice creeps from my palms up my wrists and over my fingers. He looks surprised glancing from my fists to the direction he threw the baton across the grass. “But…” He starts.

“When I told you my gift was thermal resistance? I lied. That’s a by-product.” I tell him, starting to run toward him. He stands still until I’m closer when he side steps me and I hurtle past him. I skid to a halt and turn on my heel, throwing my hands out, palms down and covering the whole area around us in a layer of ice. I see him slip briefly, before his boots start to melt through the ice under he’s feet where he’s stood.

I try getting close enough for hand to hand combat, fire vs ice, but every time I’m in range to take him down, he sidesteps me or ducks out of my reach. It’s increasingly frustrating, especially when I realise he’s not on the offensive anymore, he’s on the defensive. Dodging my attacks but not attacking himself.

I notice more often than not he dodges to the left so I decide to feint a head on approach, at the last second I duck right as he dodges left and this time I get close enough to him to take him down. I send ice under his feet and over his boots and he can’t melt it quick enough to avoid slipping this time. I run and skid along behind him on my knees, holding my arm out and hitting the back of his legs causing him to fall. I run my hand along the ice by the side of him creating bands of thick ice around his ankles, wrists and upper arms as I quickly stand and place my wedge boot on his chest holding him down.

He’s not even using his gift to melt through the ice pinning him to the ice. “Come on Greenbriar. Melt your way out.”

“No.”

"Who's the broken one now?" I taunt him. I’m angry, so angry at both of us and pressing harder on his chest with my foot. Ice starts to creep over my boot where I’m losing my grip on my emotions and it’s affecting my handle on my gift.

"You are." He nods, breaking eye contact to look down at his chest and my foot icing over. "Still you."

I almost miss what he said, but still don’t think I heard him correctly. "What did you say?" I growl, leaning down toward him, ice splinters across his jacket under my boot as I press down. He groans at the added pressure and probably the chill seeping through his clothes. Finally, flames spark along his hands and arms, causing the ice bands on his arms and legs to melt into steam but he still doesn’t make a move to get up.

"Still you." He repeats, looking back up at me. His face blank as the fire that encases his arms extinguishes. I know I didn’t do that. My ice is contained to his chest. For now. He let go of his gift on his own, he’s giving up.

“No!” I snap at him, “You don’t get to give up now. Fight me!”

“No.”

“Fight me!” I scream at him. But he just lays there, not even melting the ice under my shoe that now covers his entire torso and upper chest.

“No.”

I let out an angry scream and remove my foot from his chest backing up a few steps. I keep my hands iced and ready to go on the offensive or defensive depending on him, but after a couple of minutes he still hasn’t gotten to his feet. I step closer to him again. “If you come near me or my family again, I won’t hesitate to hurt you or turn you in.” I threaten him, I hope he doesn’t realise it’s an empty threat. I probably would hesitate again, that seems to be my thing now.

I linger a moment, but he still makes no move to get up, so I turn and run off in the direction of my baton. It doesn’t take me too long to find it and I hurry home, collecting my things from the roof, stashing my baton and my mask in the bag and taking it with me into my apartment. After triple locking the door and checking the locks on the windows, I close all of my curtains and I quickly strip of my clothes, shoving them in the canvas bag too and shoving it in the back of my cupboard.

Stood in just my underwear I can see bruises blooming across my ribs and over my legs and arms. My body feels stiff and tender as I walk into the bathroom putting the shower on and turning the heat up.

I stand under the spray as long as I’m able to stand, washing the mud and leaves from my hair before I turn the shower off. I don’t bother to dry my hair, instead laying a towel over my pillow as I change into pyjamas and crawl into bed. I reach for my phone on my nightstand and see I have three missed calls from Taryn but nothing else. I put my phone down and turn over, wincing as my muscles protest the movement.

What am I going to do?