Storyteller's Universe // Cloud Pilgrim
Good Face
Long sigh.
I knock on the door and wait patiently.
I look down at the spellbook I’m holding, just double checking that I have it open on the right page.
I knock again and almost instantly the door swings open, undoubtedly in an attempt to clock me in the face, a meerkat stands in the way. She looks me up and down and pretends to have put effort into not grimacing.
“Good morning.”
“He’s not home. He’s busy studying at a sleepover.”
Old bag, we don’t do sleepovers these days anymore. I tear a page out of the book which burns up within seconds.
“Can you tell her I’ll be around?”
She shoots me a glassy stare for a sec before shaking it off.
“Sure.”
She closes the door with just enough force to be ambiguous whether that was an accidental slam or genuinely slamming a door in my face.
I walk around the building and wait in the tiny back garden.
“Carla!!”
I look up startled by the noise — Shae has appeared in one of the open windows on the first floor.
“Hey girl! Catch!!”
I throw her a tightly wrapped plastic bag. She doesn’t catch it and I have to pick it up and throw it again. Second time’s the charm.
“What’s this?”
As she’s unwrapping the package I grab a monobloc chair and climb on top of it to be closer to her and lower my voice.
“Money and contact info; to a doctor who is LGBT-friendly, talked to her at length, she’ll be happy to take you in and get you on hormone treatment.”
I raise my hands in mock-defeat
“And I haven’t done my thingamajig on her, she’s legit.”
“I can’t take this.”
“Don’t worry you little meerkat, your parents won’t find out. She agreed to work with Haji, your medical records will be clean. It will be both safe and under the table.”
“But.. I mean, this is a lot of money.”
I shake my head and smile wide.
“Money’s not a problem anymore. We deserve to be happy, yeah?”
🐈Chat Charlie, Kingsley
Hey Char Char!
puppy!
is carla okay?
It worked out, we’re so back.
Do you need any money?
!!!
oh no lmao were fine
We?
its been a while!!!
remember those two persa guys?
one of them came back and confessed glkjljkfdg
i panicked and agreed to go on a date jlkfdhfgjk
me and asher are together now
That’s weird.
I mean, it’s kind of sudden is all. You sure everything’s alright?
100%!!
hes treating me super well
for once im not worried about money
Is he chill with you being a lycanthrope?
i worry about it more than him tbh
if anything hes very curious about it and is trying to be helpful
btw give that money to our mutuals ok?
i mean it were good
If you say so. But if anything happens, remember you can reach out, okay? We will help you.
i know thanks puppy
Can I at least fund your dinner tonight? Let me treat you, you lovebirds!
🐈Chat Ariel, haji
Man, you could’ve told me you’d start taking a fiver out of my account every day.
Admittedly a price on par with the services rendered, but you could at least be honest about the terms.
Even demons aren’t such tricksy bastards.
// fake transactions // need them there // double-check your balance // money is there //
My account is full of garbage, I’ll see tomorrow if my balance changes.
// let me know // sent 200€ for inconvenience //
I suddenly forgot the last 10 minutes, can’t remember what I was up to. I bet I was busy praising how cool of a guy you are. Speaking of, you’re cool Haji, happy to do business with you buddy!
“I’ve been meaning to ask Haji… You do a lot for us and never ask for anything in return.”
I’m talking to my smartphone and I’m staring at my reflection on the locked screen.
“I’ll be honest, I am suspicious of you. I’d like to know why you’re helping us.”
The screen lights up, phone buzzes in my hand, a notification slides down from the top:
// what you want to hear // owe a favor // paying back // gratitude // obligation //
I raise an eyebrow. Is that what I wanted to hear?
// truth // helping friends live // experience what i cant // just like you //
What’s that supposed to mean? The screen goes dark, I try to unlock it — Lockscreen blocked for 5 minutes. Motherfucker.