Scene: Going out?
We follow Zeldine's loosely concocted plan, and head for Kvasir's Pub straight after dinner. It's a little walk from Evergreen, towards the city center. Kvasir's Pub is a Fey owned business, so it's one of the safer places to go, when we're out. The owner there is a Kobold - so a very short bearded man, and something of a household spirit, but as far as I've gathered, after The Unravelling not many people are fan of having a visible fey house guest, so many of his kind became homeless, like us. While others try to find new ways of co-living with humans with mixed success, this guy - I think Niss is his name - he chose to open a pub, and make it real homely, so some would consider it as such - a home outside of home. At any rate he's a really friendly sort, as long as you're not insulting him, and few people dare to. He's always been nice to us girls, and in a non-sleazy manner, so I like him.
When we come in, the place is already pretty lively - Other changelings mostly, but there are some vettir here too, I assume - They look too human to be identified by anything other than their bravado and calm response to Fey company, after all. They cut the chatter to oogle at us as we enter, but I can't blame them - When Zeldine picks party people, she has two criteria: Party beasts, and eye candy, and tonight was no different:
Brynja somehow got her tall, muscular frame into a red mini tube dress, clashing well with her light grey skin and long black hair, Kassandra's pale skin lends itself well to her skimpy punk-gothic aestetic, and Zeldines is wearing a tight mini skirt and a bandeau crop top, which doesn't leave much for imagination. All three are the heavy hitters for any untamed boy tonight, I think. And then there is me and Alex - Alex is rocking an androgynous look, leaning heavily into his charming gender neutral face and small frame. He could go for any gender, and some nights that makes him a target, but on others he the most popular one of all of us. I'm more reserved, I guess. I feel comfortable in my looks, and I think my training is paying off on my body too, but I don't feel at home in crop tops, skirts or dresses. Even if I feel a little underdressed next to the others in my sporty tanktop, denim hotpants and sneakers.
We drop by Niss at the bar first. Not to order drinks yet, mind you, but because Zeldine want's to make sure we're spotted, and to scan the room for hot targets herself. It's a whole pattern with Zeldine. Early in the night, she feels invincible, finds a planned target and acts all teasingly seductive, then she gets a few too many and becomes the wild party girl, dancing on the tables and whatnot, then she is gone - either scooting around socializing with everyone at once, or ugly-crying in the bathroom, and at last the night usually ends with her aggressively jumping some random lucky guy, or me dragging her home either vomitting all the way, or drunkly dropping uninhibited sexual cues to me.
Let's see where this night goes...
I'm still a little absent-minded during our little 'parade', so for once I'm not certain who Zeldine has picked for tonight, and I can't get my self to care either. Maybe these are the symptoms of a growing fey mood, I start to wonder, but then Brynja slams the first round of beer on the table. Brynja is more into beer than fancy drinks, but it's also the cheapest choice, which suits most of us fine. She and I are the only ones with jobs at the table, so I assume we'll be the ones buying most of the rounds. Maybe that means I am the one who should get plastered tonight. I decide that I need it, and grab the first glass and take a large sip.
"Somebody's eager to party," Brynja notes, and Zeldine lights up, turning her attention to me.
"There's my girl!" She smiles, lifting her glass across the table and yelling: "Let's get this party starteeeed!"
Our glasses meet enthusiastically above the table, and another large gulp goes down As Brynja shows no sign of dropping her glass, Zeldine and I look at each other, and start chugging too, and three empty glass hit the table, followed by the loudest, longest burp from Zeldine. She has a real knack for that. Brynja looks impressed, Kassandra laughs, Alex, however, seems perhaps a bit absent today too.
"Another round then?" I say readily before Brynja has a chance to. As I stand, Zeldine gets up too, and I know what time it is. She's hyped now that I'm getting in mood, so as I get beer, she follows up with a round of shots. Alex declines, still distantly sipping his first beer, so after we girls all go through ours, I snatch the last one before Zeldine and send her a devilish smile, before downing it. She is beaming, and I'm reconsidering whether this really is a good idea, but quickly decide to drink that doubt away, and hope that Brynja sticks around to carry me home later. I can't remember the last time I really cut loose anyway. Brynja buys the next round, as she's a fast drinker, and Kassandra always starts out slow. I'm out of training, so I'm already starting to feel the first wooziness, as I head to the bathroom with Kassandra. While we take turns sitting, she goes:
"You're in the zone today!"
"I need to get out of my head. Zeldine's got me worried, I've got a fey mood coming," I answer, more in detail than I had intended.
"Shit!" Kassie curses. She had one herself about a year ago. It's something we're prone to due to our fey heritage - a period of several months where we grow semi-catatonic, and every day becomes a walking dream wrapped in a thick fog that keeps us apathetic and dazed. "Well, fuck, if you're going full blast today, then I am too!"
We head back to the bar and order some proper drinks, while I look at the different tables. More people have shown up, since we got here. Alex is alone at our table, but I'm too dedicated to keeping myself afloat, to be inquisitive about it tonight. Brynja is talking to the vettir we saw when we entered - I wouldn't be surprised if she started armwrestling with them soon. There has always something unapologeticly viking about her. And Zeldine is... talking to some boys at another table - first-timers by the look of it. You can tell when humies drop by for the freakshow and maybe hope for a chance to live out some fey kink. And Zeldine is all about being fetishized too. Habit tells me to slow down to better keep watch on her, but Kassie reminds me of our deal by taking a step to the side to block my vision, while lifting my drink to my face.
"She can handle herself," she assures me. "And we are just getting startet."
"Fuck it!" I retort and order two shots. "...better make that four. And send one down to Brynja!" I add, nodding towards her at the other end of the bar. Kassie's right - Let tonight be about me for once.
We make quick do of the shots, and that's the last clear thing I can remember, chronologically at least. I remember bits of us sharing ice cubes mouth-to-mouth with each other and some changeling guy, and staggering around on the streets with Zeldine flashing for some guys in a car. I think we were at Zeldine's human boys' place too, where she was loudly giving one the time of his life in the bedroom, while another was coming on to me, till I projectile vomitted all over his shirt. Then we were back at the bar, maybe? No, a place with a dance floor - I remember dancing. And maybe being shaken awake in the bathroom. My memories start clearing up again on the trip home with Brynja and Zeldine telling off some fucking white chicks starting trouble, while the room is spinning. I try to chime in, but as I stagger, Kassie has to grab me before I trip over myself.
After that little scene, the night is over, and we were wobbling back towards Evergreen. Zeldine and Kassie are laughing at me for being so drunk and sharing moments, I can't recall happening.
I wake up the next morning feeling like dying would be a mercy. I groan loudly as I turn, my entire body acking, but I take notice that my pillow feels dry and vomitless. Feeling like a huge task, I squint at Zeldine's bed to see her trying to slowly and silently get dressed, not to wake me.
"Zel? What time is it?" I manage to let out sluggishly.
"Well, we missed breakfast," She replies. "Happy to see that you didn't Jimi Hendrix during the night!"
"That's a horrible expression" I retort, attempting to stretch my tired muscles. At this point I realize, that shoes aside I'm still in all of my party-stained clothes. "Ugh, I need a shower. And maybe a recount of yesterday."
"You really don't remember much, do you?" she chuckles. "It's been years since I've seen you go so hard!"
"Don't expect me to, ever again!" I answer dryly, and in my current state, I mean it. Fighting through my throbbing headache, I manage to sit up on the side of my bed, the world spinning while I do so, and I have to catch my head in my hands to ground me.
Completely disregarding a statement I have made several times before, Zeldine regales me with a tale mostly coinciding with what I remember. She mentions I was all over a guy called Julian, as if I should know who that is. We also went dancing downtown, where some girl found me getting too acquainted with her boyfriend, and I guess that explains my glimses of a confrontation. I'm starting to feel embarassed by how racy the booze had made me, when she mentions me drunk flirting with yet another guy - a handsome blond in a suit outside the club. That makes at least four guys, I hope to never meet again - a new record I could do without.
"If you are that needy, you need to tell me, Ally!" She finishes. "As your best friend, I can hook you up with the best dick in the Grove!" Classy as always. For a moment I don't doubt that she would actually have purposely tracked down the best dick in our community.
"I can't believe we're having this conversation." I head to the bathroom to be greeted by a dying troll, in the mirror. Oh wait, that's just me looking exactly how I feel.
"And I can't believe my gorgeous friend, who spends so much time training up that tight ass, isn't making good use of it - Give those glutes to someone who'd appreciate them!" she yells from the other room, while I'm stripping down to shower. In response to her compliment, I turn as far as I can in front of the mirror. I guess running track really is paying off, I think proudly to myself. I can feel the warm water running down my face and carrying the worst of the hangovers with it down the drain.
When I return to our room, Zeldine is on the bed, gleefully scrolling through pictures from last night. I open my purse to see the damage yesterday did to my economy, but the first thing I see is a wallet, I don't recognize. A fine leather wallet with the initials T. O'B. I open it, hoping to bring back some memories.
"What's that?" Zeldine asks, and instantly she is sitting beside me with lights in his eyes.
"I dunno.. I found it in my purse," I say, as I look for any kind of identification, actively ignoring the wad of cash, protruding from the top. "Here!" I find a slide pocket holding some business cards with a name that fits the initials. "Tiernan O'B...uhh, I'm not even gonna try pronouncing that". It has an address and a phone number printed too, as well as another phone number added on top with a ball pen.
"Oh my god, there's enough dough in there for months!" Zeldine states gleefully, and I send her a look. "...that we're giving back of course!" She adds with a newfound innocence.
"I don't get why I have this - where I even got it!" I let out defensively. "This could mean real trouble. We're scapegoats enough as it is, and if this comes out-"
"Woah, hey, chill, girl!" Zeldine puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's probably nothing, and you just found it lying around. Hey, maybe it even belongs to the hot, blonde suit you chatted up yesterday." As she mentions him, I can see the realization hit her, sending her in overdrive. "Oh my god, what if it is! And now you get to meet him again. And he'll be so happy, he let's you keep the money. And then he takes you out for dinner and you fall in love, and I move in with you guys - because,how could you live without me - and then you'll never have to care about anything anymore!"
"What? No 'and' anything" I start laughing at the absurdity, while she starts running purposely though images on her phone. "I'm probably just gonna get a mailbox to drop it in, and that's it. This is not one of your chick flicks."
"I got him!" She excitedly yells out, disregarding anything I've said - her brain still trapped in fantasy land. There are a few unsteady shots of me talking to this guy, who I had totally forgotten, but judging from my own completely wasted thirsty look on these photo, I can't blame myself, but I start cringing again, looking at myself in that state. The guy though, looks distinct in his black suit and green shirt and slicked back blond hair. He has a very attentive look on his very pleasing facial features. I guess, I wouldn't mind looking at that face another time, if it really is his wallet.
"You at least have to try - Come on, look at that hottie!" Zeldine chimes in. "If you don't - I will!"
"Relax, I'm calling him, okay?" Better I do this, and do it before she gets herself into unnecessary trouble. "Just... be quiet." I insist, while I'm punching in the hand written number. I can see she's holding her breath in excitement. I'm holding my breath too, but because I feel really awkward about making this call. It beeps three times before being picked up by a calm but firm voice, simply demanding: "Speak!"
Feeling a bit surprised and intimidated by it, I start stuttering:
"Uhm, am I talking to a ...Tiernan O'Buuh.." Shit, I should have looked up that name before calling.
"O Booahanan" the voice corrects, and I look at the card saying 'Ó Buadhachanáin' and start doubting everything I have ever learned about letters and pronounciation.
"Yes, of course...Uhm," Come on - I can do this. "Well, the thing is, that I... found a wallet with the name - your name? - on it, and I just... wanted to return it. To you." I look nervously at Zeldine, who winks at me and sends me a thumbs up.
"Oh yes, I do believe I lost a wallet yesterday." The voice sounds more animated now, more alive. I catch the hint of some dialect. "Was the wallet empty when you found it?"
"No, uh no. There was still - they are still there." I can tell that Zeldine is mentally sighing at that.
"Excellent!" The voice - Tiernan, I guess - proclaims in relief. "Listen, I am caught up at the office today. Could I ask of you to bring it here? The address is on the cards." I try to ignore how much Zeldine is beaming beside me.
"Sure.. I can leave it in the, uh, foyer." I feel uncomfortable even suggesting it. How will they react, when a pointy eared changeling enters with their CEO's wallet in hand? I had recognized the name of his business, of course. It's a big one - they make various sustainable products.
"Oh, no, that will not do. I simply have to thank you in person." Tiernan continues in a slightly pleading tone, without losing any confidence in his deep yet intimidating voice. "I will make time for anyone who shows such courtesy as to return to me what is mine." The way he emphazized anyone - does he know? Maybe this is a bad idea, but it's too late to back out now.
"O-of course! I'll be in town in an hour, maybe, uh, certainly." It's just a short meeting. He'll be courteous but cut it short politely to not get stained by my 'fey cooties', and that will be that - a good deed done, I tell myself.
"Marvelous. Just ask for me at the desk, and they will let you in. See you then." He hangs up before I can answer, but there was something playful in his tone at the end. I look cautiosly at Zeldine, and she is looking at me, ready to burst in excitement.
"This. is. amazing!" she starts. "And he sounds so fucking hot. Omg, are you gonna fuck him? Should I fuck him? ...could WE fuck him?"
"What? Chill out, Zel! He's not gonna want to 'fuck' anybody. Not every situation ends with sex." I chuckle.
"No. But it should - and this definitely should!" she laughs, while pointing at the guy's picture on her phone. Then something clicks, and she jumps into action, starting rummaging through my clothes. "Ugh, you really don't have a single dress, do you? We can't have you meet Mr. Morsel-in-Distress without something that says 'make a Pretty Woman out of me'!"
"No..."
"Something to arouse his alf kink"
"No!"
"Something elegant - yet alluring"
"Nooo!"
"Something that says, 'I'm a strong and independent fey woman, who don't need no sugar daddy'?"
"Yes!"
We end up rummaging through both our clothes, because most of my clothes are more sporty or practical than woman-like. I do find a nice blue tube top that goes well with my eyes, some boots and Zeldine's black mini tube skirt, that luckily looks a bit longer on me. It's a good look, but I still feel wrong wearing skirts - They're awkward to run in and to easy to feel exposed in. Zeldine is sold though, and I guess it doesn't get any better.
When we come in, the place is already pretty lively - Other changelings mostly, but there are some vettir here too, I assume - They look too human to be identified by anything other than their bravado and calm response to Fey company, after all. They cut the chatter to oogle at us as we enter, but I can't blame them - When Zeldine picks party people, she has two criteria: Party beasts, and eye candy, and tonight was no different:
Brynja somehow got her tall, muscular frame into a red mini tube dress, clashing well with her light grey skin and long black hair, Kassandra's pale skin lends itself well to her skimpy punk-gothic aestetic, and Zeldines is wearing a tight mini skirt and a bandeau crop top, which doesn't leave much for imagination. All three are the heavy hitters for any untamed boy tonight, I think. And then there is me and Alex - Alex is rocking an androgynous look, leaning heavily into his charming gender neutral face and small frame. He could go for any gender, and some nights that makes him a target, but on others he the most popular one of all of us. I'm more reserved, I guess. I feel comfortable in my looks, and I think my training is paying off on my body too, but I don't feel at home in crop tops, skirts or dresses. Even if I feel a little underdressed next to the others in my sporty tanktop, denim hotpants and sneakers.
We drop by Niss at the bar first. Not to order drinks yet, mind you, but because Zeldine want's to make sure we're spotted, and to scan the room for hot targets herself. It's a whole pattern with Zeldine. Early in the night, she feels invincible, finds a planned target and acts all teasingly seductive, then she gets a few too many and becomes the wild party girl, dancing on the tables and whatnot, then she is gone - either scooting around socializing with everyone at once, or ugly-crying in the bathroom, and at last the night usually ends with her aggressively jumping some random lucky guy, or me dragging her home either vomitting all the way, or drunkly dropping uninhibited sexual cues to me.
Let's see where this night goes...
I'm still a little absent-minded during our little 'parade', so for once I'm not certain who Zeldine has picked for tonight, and I can't get my self to care either. Maybe these are the symptoms of a growing fey mood, I start to wonder, but then Brynja slams the first round of beer on the table. Brynja is more into beer than fancy drinks, but it's also the cheapest choice, which suits most of us fine. She and I are the only ones with jobs at the table, so I assume we'll be the ones buying most of the rounds. Maybe that means I am the one who should get plastered tonight. I decide that I need it, and grab the first glass and take a large sip.
"Somebody's eager to party," Brynja notes, and Zeldine lights up, turning her attention to me.
"There's my girl!" She smiles, lifting her glass across the table and yelling: "Let's get this party starteeeed!"
Our glasses meet enthusiastically above the table, and another large gulp goes down As Brynja shows no sign of dropping her glass, Zeldine and I look at each other, and start chugging too, and three empty glass hit the table, followed by the loudest, longest burp from Zeldine. She has a real knack for that. Brynja looks impressed, Kassandra laughs, Alex, however, seems perhaps a bit absent today too.
"Another round then?" I say readily before Brynja has a chance to. As I stand, Zeldine gets up too, and I know what time it is. She's hyped now that I'm getting in mood, so as I get beer, she follows up with a round of shots. Alex declines, still distantly sipping his first beer, so after we girls all go through ours, I snatch the last one before Zeldine and send her a devilish smile, before downing it. She is beaming, and I'm reconsidering whether this really is a good idea, but quickly decide to drink that doubt away, and hope that Brynja sticks around to carry me home later. I can't remember the last time I really cut loose anyway. Brynja buys the next round, as she's a fast drinker, and Kassandra always starts out slow. I'm out of training, so I'm already starting to feel the first wooziness, as I head to the bathroom with Kassandra. While we take turns sitting, she goes:
"You're in the zone today!"
"I need to get out of my head. Zeldine's got me worried, I've got a fey mood coming," I answer, more in detail than I had intended.
"Shit!" Kassie curses. She had one herself about a year ago. It's something we're prone to due to our fey heritage - a period of several months where we grow semi-catatonic, and every day becomes a walking dream wrapped in a thick fog that keeps us apathetic and dazed. "Well, fuck, if you're going full blast today, then I am too!"
We head back to the bar and order some proper drinks, while I look at the different tables. More people have shown up, since we got here. Alex is alone at our table, but I'm too dedicated to keeping myself afloat, to be inquisitive about it tonight. Brynja is talking to the vettir we saw when we entered - I wouldn't be surprised if she started armwrestling with them soon. There has always something unapologeticly viking about her. And Zeldine is... talking to some boys at another table - first-timers by the look of it. You can tell when humies drop by for the freakshow and maybe hope for a chance to live out some fey kink. And Zeldine is all about being fetishized too. Habit tells me to slow down to better keep watch on her, but Kassie reminds me of our deal by taking a step to the side to block my vision, while lifting my drink to my face.
"She can handle herself," she assures me. "And we are just getting startet."
"Fuck it!" I retort and order two shots. "...better make that four. And send one down to Brynja!" I add, nodding towards her at the other end of the bar. Kassie's right - Let tonight be about me for once.
We make quick do of the shots, and that's the last clear thing I can remember, chronologically at least. I remember bits of us sharing ice cubes mouth-to-mouth with each other and some changeling guy, and staggering around on the streets with Zeldine flashing for some guys in a car. I think we were at Zeldine's human boys' place too, where she was loudly giving one the time of his life in the bedroom, while another was coming on to me, till I projectile vomitted all over his shirt. Then we were back at the bar, maybe? No, a place with a dance floor - I remember dancing. And maybe being shaken awake in the bathroom. My memories start clearing up again on the trip home with Brynja and Zeldine telling off some fucking white chicks starting trouble, while the room is spinning. I try to chime in, but as I stagger, Kassie has to grab me before I trip over myself.
After that little scene, the night is over, and we were wobbling back towards Evergreen. Zeldine and Kassie are laughing at me for being so drunk and sharing moments, I can't recall happening.
I wake up the next morning feeling like dying would be a mercy. I groan loudly as I turn, my entire body acking, but I take notice that my pillow feels dry and vomitless. Feeling like a huge task, I squint at Zeldine's bed to see her trying to slowly and silently get dressed, not to wake me.
"Zel? What time is it?" I manage to let out sluggishly.
"Well, we missed breakfast," She replies. "Happy to see that you didn't Jimi Hendrix during the night!"
"That's a horrible expression" I retort, attempting to stretch my tired muscles. At this point I realize, that shoes aside I'm still in all of my party-stained clothes. "Ugh, I need a shower. And maybe a recount of yesterday."
"You really don't remember much, do you?" she chuckles. "It's been years since I've seen you go so hard!"
"Don't expect me to, ever again!" I answer dryly, and in my current state, I mean it. Fighting through my throbbing headache, I manage to sit up on the side of my bed, the world spinning while I do so, and I have to catch my head in my hands to ground me.
Completely disregarding a statement I have made several times before, Zeldine regales me with a tale mostly coinciding with what I remember. She mentions I was all over a guy called Julian, as if I should know who that is. We also went dancing downtown, where some girl found me getting too acquainted with her boyfriend, and I guess that explains my glimses of a confrontation. I'm starting to feel embarassed by how racy the booze had made me, when she mentions me drunk flirting with yet another guy - a handsome blond in a suit outside the club. That makes at least four guys, I hope to never meet again - a new record I could do without.
"If you are that needy, you need to tell me, Ally!" She finishes. "As your best friend, I can hook you up with the best dick in the Grove!" Classy as always. For a moment I don't doubt that she would actually have purposely tracked down the best dick in our community.
"I can't believe we're having this conversation." I head to the bathroom to be greeted by a dying troll, in the mirror. Oh wait, that's just me looking exactly how I feel.
"And I can't believe my gorgeous friend, who spends so much time training up that tight ass, isn't making good use of it - Give those glutes to someone who'd appreciate them!" she yells from the other room, while I'm stripping down to shower. In response to her compliment, I turn as far as I can in front of the mirror. I guess running track really is paying off, I think proudly to myself. I can feel the warm water running down my face and carrying the worst of the hangovers with it down the drain.
When I return to our room, Zeldine is on the bed, gleefully scrolling through pictures from last night. I open my purse to see the damage yesterday did to my economy, but the first thing I see is a wallet, I don't recognize. A fine leather wallet with the initials T. O'B. I open it, hoping to bring back some memories.
"What's that?" Zeldine asks, and instantly she is sitting beside me with lights in his eyes.
"I dunno.. I found it in my purse," I say, as I look for any kind of identification, actively ignoring the wad of cash, protruding from the top. "Here!" I find a slide pocket holding some business cards with a name that fits the initials. "Tiernan O'B...uhh, I'm not even gonna try pronouncing that". It has an address and a phone number printed too, as well as another phone number added on top with a ball pen.
"Oh my god, there's enough dough in there for months!" Zeldine states gleefully, and I send her a look. "...that we're giving back of course!" She adds with a newfound innocence.
"I don't get why I have this - where I even got it!" I let out defensively. "This could mean real trouble. We're scapegoats enough as it is, and if this comes out-"
"Woah, hey, chill, girl!" Zeldine puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's probably nothing, and you just found it lying around. Hey, maybe it even belongs to the hot, blonde suit you chatted up yesterday." As she mentions him, I can see the realization hit her, sending her in overdrive. "Oh my god, what if it is! And now you get to meet him again. And he'll be so happy, he let's you keep the money. And then he takes you out for dinner and you fall in love, and I move in with you guys - because,how could you live without me - and then you'll never have to care about anything anymore!"
"What? No 'and' anything" I start laughing at the absurdity, while she starts running purposely though images on her phone. "I'm probably just gonna get a mailbox to drop it in, and that's it. This is not one of your chick flicks."
"I got him!" She excitedly yells out, disregarding anything I've said - her brain still trapped in fantasy land. There are a few unsteady shots of me talking to this guy, who I had totally forgotten, but judging from my own completely wasted thirsty look on these photo, I can't blame myself, but I start cringing again, looking at myself in that state. The guy though, looks distinct in his black suit and green shirt and slicked back blond hair. He has a very attentive look on his very pleasing facial features. I guess, I wouldn't mind looking at that face another time, if it really is his wallet.
"You at least have to try - Come on, look at that hottie!" Zeldine chimes in. "If you don't - I will!"
"Relax, I'm calling him, okay?" Better I do this, and do it before she gets herself into unnecessary trouble. "Just... be quiet." I insist, while I'm punching in the hand written number. I can see she's holding her breath in excitement. I'm holding my breath too, but because I feel really awkward about making this call. It beeps three times before being picked up by a calm but firm voice, simply demanding: "Speak!"
Feeling a bit surprised and intimidated by it, I start stuttering:
"Uhm, am I talking to a ...Tiernan O'Buuh.." Shit, I should have looked up that name before calling.
"O Booahanan" the voice corrects, and I look at the card saying 'Ó Buadhachanáin' and start doubting everything I have ever learned about letters and pronounciation.
"Yes, of course...Uhm," Come on - I can do this. "Well, the thing is, that I... found a wallet with the name - your name? - on it, and I just... wanted to return it. To you." I look nervously at Zeldine, who winks at me and sends me a thumbs up.
"Oh yes, I do believe I lost a wallet yesterday." The voice sounds more animated now, more alive. I catch the hint of some dialect. "Was the wallet empty when you found it?"
"No, uh no. There was still - they are still there." I can tell that Zeldine is mentally sighing at that.
"Excellent!" The voice - Tiernan, I guess - proclaims in relief. "Listen, I am caught up at the office today. Could I ask of you to bring it here? The address is on the cards." I try to ignore how much Zeldine is beaming beside me.
"Sure.. I can leave it in the, uh, foyer." I feel uncomfortable even suggesting it. How will they react, when a pointy eared changeling enters with their CEO's wallet in hand? I had recognized the name of his business, of course. It's a big one - they make various sustainable products.
"Oh, no, that will not do. I simply have to thank you in person." Tiernan continues in a slightly pleading tone, without losing any confidence in his deep yet intimidating voice. "I will make time for anyone who shows such courtesy as to return to me what is mine." The way he emphazized anyone - does he know? Maybe this is a bad idea, but it's too late to back out now.
"O-of course! I'll be in town in an hour, maybe, uh, certainly." It's just a short meeting. He'll be courteous but cut it short politely to not get stained by my 'fey cooties', and that will be that - a good deed done, I tell myself.
"Marvelous. Just ask for me at the desk, and they will let you in. See you then." He hangs up before I can answer, but there was something playful in his tone at the end. I look cautiosly at Zeldine, and she is looking at me, ready to burst in excitement.
"This. is. amazing!" she starts. "And he sounds so fucking hot. Omg, are you gonna fuck him? Should I fuck him? ...could WE fuck him?"
"What? Chill out, Zel! He's not gonna want to 'fuck' anybody. Not every situation ends with sex." I chuckle.
"No. But it should - and this definitely should!" she laughs, while pointing at the guy's picture on her phone. Then something clicks, and she jumps into action, starting rummaging through my clothes. "Ugh, you really don't have a single dress, do you? We can't have you meet Mr. Morsel-in-Distress without something that says 'make a Pretty Woman out of me'!"
"No..."
"Something to arouse his alf kink"
"No!"
"Something elegant - yet alluring"
"Nooo!"
"Something that says, 'I'm a strong and independent fey woman, who don't need no sugar daddy'?"
"Yes!"
We end up rummaging through both our clothes, because most of my clothes are more sporty or practical than woman-like. I do find a nice blue tube top that goes well with my eyes, some boots and Zeldine's black mini tube skirt, that luckily looks a bit longer on me. It's a good look, but I still feel wrong wearing skirts - They're awkward to run in and to easy to feel exposed in. Zeldine is sold though, and I guess it doesn't get any better.
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