Work Text:
Hood pulled over the flash of dark, purple tinged hair; she took the stairs down two at a time to escape the maniacal laughter from the streets above. Breath exhaling out in grey little puffs, she dropped over the edge of the railings and landed heavily. The sound of an argument broke out above her as she slipped round the corner of the grime covered tiles of the Underground. Pressing her fingertips to the round sign, the sigils painted on the tips of her nails glowed bright before the tiles scraped back and revealed the door.
“Nilesy, close the bloody door! You’re not Xephos!” A voice called from inside as she pushed her hood down and held the door open. Owl-like eyes stared at her before the goggles were pushed back on top of the owners head. “Y’alright Nano? Not like you to pay a visit-“ A chorus of catcalls for Kwim to come out and play. “-oh for Flux sake.”
Lomadia pushed her behind her and into the apartment before she stomped up onto the platform where the Garbage Court trespassed. She smiled, wickedly, pressing two flux painted nails to her lips before blowing them a kiss. Smith’s damp hair, tinged with purple, falling in front of his eyes as he glared over Trott at her.
Trott’s voice called out to ‘Scarper mates’ as Lom inflicted her brand of magic and pain on the boys, a little more aggressive than normal but well, that was mostly for stomping on her bloody plants that one time. Lom might’ve been neutral in the rivalries and petty Fae wars but no one stepped on her plants. And Nano knew that well, it was partly why she’d chosen to come here; the here being Hannah’s apartment.
“Hannaaaah, where’s the Great Wood?”
And Nilesy’s apartment, of course.
Since being evicted from their last coastal place, Lom and Nilesy had carved out a piece of territory for themselves in one of the Old Ways. Neutral turf, in one of the old tube stations, close enough to hear and feel the sound of the passing trains- ‘Cat train’s Hannah, think of it.’- and close enough to the surface to feel the warmth on wings and skin. Nano liked it; she liked the roots of their base delving deep into the ground, and the branches that stretched out down the line.
Watching as one of the jars, black and bloodied with small folded wings, rattled on the shelf and threatened to plunge onto the wooden floor, she reached out and caught it just in time. Holding it out for Lom as she came back in, irritation and sweat dripping from her pores, Lomadia took it grumpily from her.
“Bloody hell, do you know how long I spent catching those bloody bat wings. Thanks,” Lom plucked the jar from her hand and tossed it into a chest. Dropping Arthana onto the workbench, she looked up with a question on her tongue before Nano interrupted her.
“Nilesy wanted you.”
“What?” The irritated glare was turned upwards, dark hair appearing timidly over the stairs to stare down at them both.
“Where’s the Great Wood?” Nilesy asked, voice turning quieter at Lom’s glaring before he started to laugh nervously.
“It’s in the chest Nilesy!”
“Which one?”
“The one downstairs.”
“Which one-“ Nano laughed as Lom swore and tapped the stairs before descending into the basement. Smiling up at Nilesy, she pressed her fingers together and gave him a salute. “Y’alright Nano? Hey, hey, have you seen they’ve opened a new pool down the street? What do you think about that?”
“Smiffy’s claimed it.” She hated to be the bearer of bad news. But it was part of the reason; she’d come over and not just to escape the Garbage court. “Don’t worry, I fluxed the water source. Lalna can clean it up; he just needs to find more Silverwood. That’s where I’ve just come from. Should’ve seen his face.”
“Oooh, you bad gi-“
“WHERE DID YOU PUT THE GREAT WOOD NOW?” Lom’s voice called out in irritation, Nano watched as Nilesy patted down the pockets of his voluminous robes and pulled out the block he’d been looking for. Smiling sheepishly down at her, Nano grinned as he called down the stairs.
“Found it!”
“Oh , for Flux sake.”
“Lovely seeing you again Nano!” Nilesy disappeared back up the stairs, the sound of the door slamming above her.
With Lom’s attention firmly back on her, Nano pressed her lips tight together and wiggled her toes in her longfall boots guiltily. Lom was worse than Lalna sometimes, at least he could be persuaded into chaos sometimes with the right subtle hints. Lom was like Mother, always disapproving and never overstepping the treaties and the marks.
“What did you do now?”
“Nothing!” That look could kill, well not literally. She hadn’t actually conquered Death. Not like- “Might’ve fluxed Smith’s water a little?”
“His source? Please tell me you’re joking,” her voice came out in a sigh of irritation making her cringe in her seat. For one awful moment she thought Lom might kick her out onto the streets; leave her to the Garbage Court’s sense of justice. You might mess with the Garbage Court; you didn’t mess with their source or their piece. Whatever it was that made them, them. And even Nano knew that.
“No, just some new territory he claimed. I knew Nilesy would want it,” Nano replied giving Lom a little smile and watching her melt a little. Order restored. Just like that. “Had to hide in a locker for hours waiting for them to leave but it was worth it. Besides it’s not like Smiffy didn’t deserve it. ”
“Mmmhmm,”disbelief in her voice, Lomadia raised an eyebrow at her knowingly. Rolling her eyes, she pointed two fluxed fingers at Lom, infernal sigils flaring on her fingernails as she scowled back at Lom’s knowing looks. Nano raised an eyebrow at the way Lomadia was looking at her.
“It’s not like that.”
“Sure, it’s not.”
“It isn’t!” Her voice took on a slight whine, looking put out at the insinuation that there was anything between them but hatred, inevitable magical nuclear war, and the need to flux each other up. Honestly. She didn’t know what it was with people making insinuations about her and the Sirs. “I just wanted to flux him up a little.”
“Sure, that’s what the kids are calling it these days.”
“Hannah!”
Nano watched as Lomadia smiled, owl-like eyes blinking in the dark as she looked Nano over. Nilesy called her Hannah, Xephos did occasionally but Nano didn’t. Not often. Names had power. And Lomadia was definitely using hers. She did have that crystal ball after all.
“You should get back, Lalna will be wondering where you are. And you know it’s not safe on the lines after dark,” Lomadia picked up Arthana, tucking it in her belt before grabbing her jacket. The lines were neutral territories but that didn’t always mean the stations were. The Garbage Court had already kicked out the Earl to take control there after all. “Come on, I’ll walk you back. Bloody Nilesy lost my broom again.”
“One time Hannah! One time!” A voice called out from upstairs. “See you Nano. Sleep tight, don’t let Lalna bite! No, really don’t. I don’t think he’s had shots yet!”
Smiling to herself, she pulled her hood up and covered her hair. Turning, she stopped as she found Lomadia staring at the dark black hoodie suspiciously. As if she knew. As if time was slowing, her stomach churning, the world ripping apart at-
“Have you done something different... with your hair?”
Oh.
“Nah, just the same old. Same old really.” Nano tucked the edges of her hair beneath the hoodie and rocked back and forth on her heels as Hannah collected her wand and tucked it in her belt.
“Hmmm.”
“You always say hmm so suspiciously.”
“Well, you are suspicious.”
“That I am.”
Walking up the stairs, they hopped over the ticket barriers before Lom gave the Hat Film lads a single finger- gold sigils painted on each of her nails- in response to them waiting for Nano. Smiling smugly as Lom draped her arm round her shoulders, Nano pulled a tongue at the Kelpie who snorted dismissively. Territory was fickle; the Garbage Court would learn that.
Eventually.