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Jack
Rena gets a text one evening:
hey its jack from meetings, the one i was gonna go to tonight got cancelled, u up to get coffee or smth? totally fine if not. if u wanna u can pick the place im good with most things besides bars
Rena
uh fuck yes
i mean i dont do coffee
but id be down to go to some hipster fuckin cafe
and silently judge hipsters
while we discuss real problems
Jack
wherever ur comfy
hipster cafe works for me
Rena
aight
meet me here
[Address of cafe]
Jack
👍 thanks see u soon
However long it takes Jack to get there later, his bike comes purring up the street. Despite the warming weather, he's got a heavy leather jacket on that shimmers slightly rainbow in the glow from the streetlights. His signature scent, that blood and rainstorm mix, rolls out ahead of him as he parks and stows his helmet before making his way toward whatever gentrified hipster spot Rena's picked.
Rena
Rena arrives a bit later, headphones in as she walks on up. She looks the same as ever, her sign language "FUCK" t-shirt and ripped jeans. She stomps towards the cafe when she spots Jack and waves.
"S'up?"
Jack
Jack's bouncing on the balls of his feet - but out of nervousness more than anything else, but he does put a hand up to wave at Rena as she approaches. "S'up yourself, I...fuck me I hate having to change plans at the last minute..." He runs a distracted hand through his hair. "Been a...rough couple days. You been good?"
Rena
"Yeah, been great. Had a, uh, big breakthrough moment about some shit that happened to me. And like finally been able to get pissed at the guy who did it," Rena plops down in a seat, legs going up on an adjacent seat. "I'mma be here when you're ready. No rush." She pauses for a sec. "But if you bail after dragging me out here, I'm chasin' you down."
Jack
"Oh yeah? 'S progress, congratulations." He seems genuinely happy for her, despite his jitteryness, and he eases down into a seat that gives him a full view of the exits, and as much of the cafe as possible, his knees clicking in protest.
"Not gonna bail, I need the distraction, I haven't wanted a drink like this in...a fuckin' while," he grimaces. "'S...a long story, and some of it's gonna be pretty damn vague, just...'cause it's gotta be..."
Rena
"Thanks! N' yeah, I get that. NDAs and shit. I have shit like that for my job," Rena says, waving a hand. "Also like... good on you for goin' for me instead'a straight to drinking about it. Don't think I said that yet."
Jack
"I got...real close. Like...there's-a-full-six-pack-in-a-dumpster-somewhere close." He grimaces and shakes his head. "Basically, I uh...mm. Got a promotion, which puts me more in the line of fire for...shit. And it's necessary, and I know I'm up for it, it just...fuck, you know when you learn after the fact that some real bad shit could'a happened to you? And...that it still might? And it's your job to prevent it happening to anyone else, and..." He cuts off with a grimace and sighs heavily. "I...don't wanna just dump all this shit on you, sorry."
Rena
Rena processes for a second. "Fuck do you do that puts you in the line of fire? You ain't like a cop or nothin', right? Oh and fore I forget, you're even stronger for gettin' that close and pullin' back. If, uh, I had gotten that close with my shit I think I'd'a been past the point of no return."
Jack
"Oh fuck no I'm not a cop," Jack grimaces again. "I...it's...complicated. It's not my job, quite, I just gotta pull my weight in the community I'm in, and I got ambitious and now they want me to do things. But...we think there's people trying to drive a wedge between us and another sorta...affinity group? Like I said, it's complicated." He pauses to take a breath. "Honestly...I kinda went on autopilot for a little. Maybe dissociated a little, wasn't really thinking about shit, I just...went and bought some beer, and then...realized what I'd done. Part of me's still pissed I wasted it."
"And t'be clear, I'm mostly just bitching - if I didn't wanna do this I woudln't've made my way up through the ranks in the first place. 'S just...a lot, to get promoted like this."
Rena
"Oh, I get it. I mean, I ain't exactly super active in the queer community, but it's really cool that you are. And you don't need to hide it 'round me. I'm gay as a three dollar bill." Rena fiddles with how she's sitting, moving her legs to be manspreading into the empty seat next to her. "'S there anything I can go to to help support you bein' the new guy in charge?"
Jack
"It's..." Jack's laugh is mostly humorless. "A little like that, and yeah I'm queer as fuck, but it's something else, that I can't really talk about. I'll talk about being queer all day...it's to the point at work where other people will be surprised if someone doesn't know I'm trans. Work meaning my day job - even if it's not really during the day," he says with a huff of actual amusement.
"I'm not the new guy in charge, though. Or at least - I'm in charge of making sure that wedge doesn't get driven deeper, and that the other affinity group doesn't get wiped out of existence, but...none of us who might be...in trouble are at the top of our respective food chains. Just...the highest-ranking members below that..?" He rubs his face with his hand.
Rena
Rena squints for a second. Jack doesn't ping as a vampire but he's saying some awfully familiar things. It's a shame she doesn't know a goddamn thing about wizards or fairies or wolfmen. "Okay, so, should I be concerned about the fact that apparently people in your club are going to get whacked by the mob? Because like, if you're being harassed, I know some people who can unharass you real quick. My boss and I are kinda problem solvers like that."
Jack
Jack's eyebrow arches. "I feel like this's where I ask if you're part of an Organized Crime FBI unit or something, but I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that...but nah it's...nah. We take care of our own - though in this case we're having to specifically make sure we're taking care of ourselves and everyone else...it's a fucking mess, and damn do I wanna drink about it." A beat pause.
"Who do you work for, that un-harasses people like that?"
Rena
Rena stiffens at that question. "It sure ain't the FBI. I, uh, just sorta work with some people who are okay throwing around their weight to help people. Think like a biker gang but queer. In fact, my boss even has a bitchin' motorcycle. He's sadly a cishet though, which like, yuck."
"And like, I don't know if it's my place to say this but do you think this'll be a consistent trigger for you? Because like, if it is, maybe you should let your understudy take the role. Same way I avoid certain parks where I used to score."
Jack
"Damn, where can I join a queer biker gang? I even got a bike," Jack laughs. "Your boss sounds pretty fucking cool, even if he's not queer himself. But uh..." his smile falters here, as the weight of Rena's question settles into reality. "You let me know how I can avoid any sorta stress whatsoever, an' I'll be able to not get triggered. Wish it were that clean cut. And I wish I had an understudy, but I sure as hell don't, not really. My boss came to me for a reason, you know?"
Rena
"I mean, I bet my boss would be down to ride with you some time. Lemme send you his contact info." Rena whips out her phone and sends over Guy's number.
She sighs. "I mean, it ain't all stress. Just shit that's gonna drive you over the edge. Because like if you're gonna have a breakdown, I think they'd rather go with their second choice. Or maybe you could like train someone as you go so you can step down as soon as they're up to speed."
Jack
"I think...it wouldn't be so bad if...mm. 'S the realization that...I'm not safe, and there's not...any more information than that. The other shit is stressful, and I know it's me being stupid and self-centered, and safety's an illusion anyway..." Jack speaks slowly as he works his feelings out, his brow furrowed in thought. "But I'll...there's someone I can talk to about sharing the load, at least. Dunno 'f she'll be interested, or if she's even up for it..." he trails off with a grimace and a shake of his head. "But I"ll...see."
Rena
Rena frowns as Jack insults himself. It's not a particularly comforting frown; comforting isn't exactly something Rena is used to. "Hey, shut up. You aren't stupid or nothin'. I mean, callin' yourself stupid ain't exactly the best showin' of intelligence, but you know. You need to be self-centered in life or you're gonna end up givin' away everything and starvin' alone in the park. And safety ain't an illusion if you're strong enough." She flexes her noodle arms.
"'nd hell, if you need someone and she ain't down, I bet I can pick up the burden. Or at least do such a bad job they find you someone better. Or hell, I could be your bodyguard." She pauses. "At night at least. I gotta keep weird hours."
Jack
It's always uncomfortable, to be called out on ones self deprecation, and Jack squirms a little as Rena does exactly that.
Luckily, she offers a convenient change of subject. "I don't think my boss would be down with me passing what I gotta do off on you," Jack tells her with a small smile, and pulls out his phone to save that number she gave him. "What uh...what's this guy's name, your boss? Just do I don't have 'Rena's cishet boss' in my phone..."
Rena
Rena sticks her tongue out. "What, high school dropout ex-addict not exactly the resume you want?" She laughs slightly, a loud thing that fits her perfectly.
"Oh and Boss's name is Guy Dagenham. Spelled like it sounds. You could put it in as That Guy too. I think he'll respond to that."
Jack
Jack opens his mouth to respond to the first thing Rena says - and then she continues, and his mouth stays open as he cocks his head.
"...I know a Guy Dagenham. He's...dating the woman I was just talking about. And I'm pretty sure he drives a motorcycle, too."
Rena
"Goddamn, does Boss know everyone?" Rena says, smiling. "Petra's cool too, if it's the same girlfriend. I can't imagine there are two biker Guy Dagenhams running around, but I dunno, maybe Boss has a second girl I ain't heard about."
Jack
"Yeah, Petra, she and I...do some work together. She's a part of all this, at least she was, tangentially, and...fuck, I should really talk to Guy, he's gonna wanna know." Jack sighs again and runs his hand through his hair distractedly.
Rena
"I mean, I'm his protege. Anythin' he needs to know can get run through me." Rena shrugs. "Unless it's like a sex thing. I don't need to know about Boss's sex life."
Jack
"It's not a sex thing - and it's really gotta be him. How much...d'you know about him?" Jack's eyebrows slide upward slightly, and he sits back as he waits for the answer.
Rena
"...wait, how much do you know?" Rena's expression matches Jack's inadvertantly as she looks him over. It's times like this she wished she was a half-way decent Mekhet and knew Auspex.
Jack
"...Like I said, Petra and I do some work together. In..." Jack pauses, like he's not sure he's actually willing to give Rena more information, but after a moment he continues. "...That affinity group I mentioned. We're not close, he and I, I only kinda know him through her."
Rena
"Wait, hold on, are you like Petra? Like, you know," Rena mimes flappy wings. Because how else do you mime fairy that can turn into a dinosaur. She also signs "fairy" right afterwards, but she doesn't know if he knows ASL.
Jack
The question makes him visibly relax, though he doesn't actually answer it yet.
"Are you like Guy?" He signs "vampire" with a small smile, his eyebrows raised.
Rena
"Oh shit, you can sign?" Because to Rena that takes precedent right now. She shakes her head and signs back (her signing is fast and sloppy, just like her speech) "Yeah, Guy is my vampire boss."
Jack
"Sure can," he signs back, his smile growing a little. "Petra and I report to the same person, basically, but I don't know if she'd want the promotion I have, you know? But..." his hands still as he pauses. "Have you been to Maddy's recently? Seen the signs posted about things that didn't happen?"
Rena
"At the very least, just about the entirety of my Double Secret Vampire Club will fight for Petra. Boss isn't the guy in complete charge, but he's pretty damn high ranking." Rena's flurry of signs continues. "And nah, going there depresses me. So many hash browns and I can't eat any."
Jack
"Yeah I know he will. We think there's someone - we meaning the fairies - we think there's someone trying to get us in conflict with the -" Jack pauses again with a frown, as he tries to figure out the right sign. "Wizards? Maybe someone who wants to destroy them completely. So I'm working on finding people who do...large-scale diplomacy, with you guys and the wizards, to try to prevent that. So if you...know who I might try to talk to about it...?" He cocks his head as he finishes the question. "I know Guy is pretty involved, that's why I was gonna go to him."
Rena
"Maybe all this'll make the wizards get off their ass and actually do something to help the world," Rena signs grumpily. Hubris? Who's she? "Boss is involved but he ain't exactly the talky type. You want to go to Floretta. She runs the talky stuff for Double Secret Vampire Club. And then probably to the... S-A-K-I-M-A for big scale stuff."
Rena pauses for a second before switching back to speaking, though her hands are still signing along. "But like this is all kinda secondary right now. You need to take some time for yourself so you don't burn out like a roman candle."
Jack
"Unfortunately this is kinda time sensitive - whoever's behind all this targeted some of us - and some of you. Or planned to, we don't know if there's other people out there to finish what was started." Jack's still just signing. "And yeah, I've met the S-A-K-I-M-A, she should probably know about this. Part of the problem is...we can't keep information from each other. I think the wizards are going to want to keep things to themself, because they'll see it as a 'them' problem, but..." He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. "We need to know what's going on, so we can plan for our safety, you know?"
Rena
Rena goes back to only signing as well. "There's no way its so time sensitive that you don't have an hour to get a cup of decaf and prevent yourself from relapsing. And yeah, wizards are cunts like that. I bet they could just turbo magic all these problems gone but don't want to."
Jack
"No, it's not that time sensitive," Jack admits. "And they turbo magic-ed some of the problems away, but...that just makes new problems, you know?" He sighs heavily. "I'm...yeah I'm gonna get some coffee, d'you - you don't want anything, right?" He stands with a quiet groan after he speaks, his knees clicking in protest.
Rena
"Nah, I'm good," Rena says, waving a hand. "I don't feel like ralphing tonight." She leans back and waits for Jack to return, her leg bouncing as she does.
Jack
It doesn't take Jack long to get his order - for some reason, this cafe isn't super popular in the middle of the night - and he pads back over to their table, that cologne of his mixing with the scent of caramel and salt. Because what's the point of going to a bougie cafe if you don't get a bougie drink?
"So. Tell me something good that's happened lately, I could use the distraction..."
Rena
"Hm. Somethin' good." Rena takes a second to think. "My sibling's been making good friends. The friends they had before were pretty much just me and some assholes. And I ain't much in the 'not an asshole' column. But now they got a person they're datin' and a cute German kid to play soccer with. Least I assume he's cute."
Jack
Jack sips his coffee, smiling at the story. "Aw that is good. Do they know you're...?" His speech trails off and he signs "vampire" again. "I know for me," he continues in ASL, "Most of the people in my life before don't know shit about me now."
Rena
"Yeah, they do. Told 'em as soon as I got out of a..." There's a pause as she figures out how to best sign this. "toxic relationship. I don't really have anyone else from my life before honestly. Just the two of us against the world."
Jack
"And they didn't freak out?" Jack's clearly impressed as he nods. "Good for you. 'S good to have those sorts'a people in your life. 'Specially for people like us, you know?"
Rena
"Turns out the person they're dating also is a vampire. They'd heard everything already. Made me feel like an idiot for not going to them sooner." Rena smiles, though it's not clear if it's a happy smile or a sad smile. "You have family at all? Like good family. Don't have to be bio or nothing."
Jack
"Yeah. Two fiances, couple'a partners, and some...mm. Closer than friends, we all live together. It's a pretty good setup, overall. None of 'em quite understand this, the addiction thing, but...that's what meetings are for. But yeah, all of 'em I consider family, we've all got each other's back."
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