(Untitled)

[witch_amy]

In the shower, I just stood with my head under the spray, eyes closed. Now that I was by myself, I could feel a slight edge. Like a slight tiredness was trying to creep in, but was being kept away by something. The bond, I’m assuming. Because with everything I’d done lately, both magical and…recreational, ordinarily I would be wiped like whoa

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[bitter_brother]

As soon as Jezebel left, I called to check my messages. One from Andrew, saying that he wanted to hang out sometime soon with me and my roommate who "seemed cool." One from the admissions office, asking me for tuition and one from a voice I'd never heard before. Lilah Morgan, attorney at law for Wofram Anheart. Neither of whom I knew, neither of whom could possibly know about the shopkeeper this early in the game. How did they get my number? Was it a prank call? Because, if so? Lamest ever. I wrote down the number for the lawyer lady and hung up the phone before I even heard the shower turn off.

By the time Amy had toweled herself off (yum) and perfected the "just out of the shower" look, I was already flipping through the cable spectrum. I settled on news (nothing about the shopkeeper) for a moment before switching to Galavision. Yes. Buxom Hispanic women jumping on trampolines. This was true entertainment.

First thing out of Amy's mouth was about Jezebel. Maybe she did want Jez to follow her in there. Maybe she was more into Jezebel (or girls!?) than she'd previously thought. Part of that idea was alluring and part of it repulsive. I couldn't fuckin' handle it if my girlfriend left me for a girl. A succubus, sure ... but a girl? No. My brain just literally wouldn't wrap around the idea.

"Oh, she went out," I said, casually. Patting the bed next to where I was sprawled out, I glanced at her, "Come lay down. This is fucking hilarious. Do you speak Spanish? Because even though I know about a dozen demonic lanuagues semi-conversationally? I don't know Spanish. How retarded is that?"

Amy didn't move, and I rubbed the bed next to me more emphatically. "Come on, Amy. Come lay down, clean and damp female-type person."

[witch_amy]

I blinked, tilting my head slightly as I looked at him. There was no way I had heard him say what I thought I had, right? Or at least, he didn’t mean what I thought he meant…
I mean, part of the whole point of binding Jezebal to us was so that we could keep an extra eye on her. If she was just out and about, she could be sucking the life out of more shopkeepers, for all we knew. Or some guy she passes on the street. Or random college guys. Or whoever. Point is, she could be out sucking people. Sure, it was all fine and dandy and happy, electrifying, really really great orgasms with us, amongst other things. But I didn’t even really trust her with Tucker, much less the public at large.

“Wait. She went out as in, you let her go out? Tucker, please tell me you didn’t just let her go about her merry little way. She’s dangerous. I mean we- we have to watch her.”

[bitter_brother]

I turned the TV up a little, dimly aware that I was acting like a petulant little kid, but not really caring. You know that tone of voice that females get? The whining, mocking tone? Well, it makes men's brains shut off and that's just what mine did.

"Tucker?" I heard.

I switched the TV off and looked patiently at her. "What?"

"You let her go out?" Amy repeated, incredulously.

I sighed heavily and put my arms behind my head, "I didn't let her do anything. In case you didn't realize, she could snap my fucking neck. Amy."

Fuck. I mean, I know she's dangerous. But, I also felt capable of instructing her. She was our demon. We'd arranged it pretty well. We control her, she wants power, we share the power -- it all adds up.

"I told her not to kill anyone," I said, matter-of-factly. "And I know she'll come back."

[witch_amy]

I sighed as I looked at Tucker. “I know she could snap your neck, among several other things. I am already painfully aware of that Tucker. That’s about half of the reason why I’m so worried. And she could do the same thing to me, you know?” Crossing the room, I sat down on the edge of the bed, glad he at least had the decency to turn off the tv and give me his attention. Cause that turning the volume up to drown me out shit? SO not gonna fly.

“And do you trust her that much? Enough to be confident that she’ll just do what you ask when out of our sight and then come trotting back?” I mean, Goddess, I knew a guy’s penis made up for a good deal of his decision making sometimes, but come on…
Then again, she was a succubus, so that’s what she was supposed to do, but- /Goddamit, Tucker, use the other head for a little while, will you, please…/

[bitter_brother]

I sat up in bed and crossed my legs, indian-style, as best I could. Good god damn, I was sore. And I could feel a headache starting in the back of my skull.

"'Trust'? What? Fuck no, I don't 'trust' her," I shook my head. "Jesus, Amy. I don't know what you wanted me to do. It seemed pretty obvious to me that you didn't want her here. I mean, one second, you were making out with her and the next you were fucking off to the shower and leaving me in the room with her."

Egad, that sounded bad. I added hastily, "Nothing happened. I just talked to her and tried to get some of the power back. I mean, this isn't supposed to work like this. I'm her summoner, damn it. She's supposed to... you know. Obey me. And not question my fucking judgment all the time."

I folded my arms across my chest. It was too early in our --whatever it was-- to be this fucking whipped. I knew Amy was powerful and shit, but I didn't realize she could be this... naggy. She was little miss mixed-messages. No wonder Jezebel wanted to leave.

[witch_amy]

/And I guess I’m supposed to do the same thing, huh? Oh I SO…/ “It’s not that I didn’t want her here- well, now that you mention it, no, she isn’t my idea of the ideal travel companion, so no, I guess I don’t- but I know we need to keep tabs on her, since she’s our responsibility. Since we brought her here. I just- I don’t want anyone else to get hurt. So no, I don’t want her here, but at the same time, I realize why she has to be.”

I looked at him incredulously, shaking my head. “And I did that to get away from her. Sure, we’re all bonded and it’s apparently mutually beneficial, but she still has pull, influence over us. I know you had to have felt it too. And I’m not really all that keen on not being the one to control my own actions. Cause hey- doesn’t it look like I manage to get into enough shit all on my own? I’d think you’d be the same way. Being a fan of keeping your free will and all. Or maybe she’s affection you differently than she is me. I thought it would do for at least one of us here to be completely, or at least mostly under their own influence, especially considering the amount of trouble we could possibly be in.”

[bitter_brother]

"I know you mean that you went to shower to get away from her, but, I'm having a hard time seeing the connection as you were making out with her like two seconds before. Which was also? -- by the way -- four seconds after you jumped off my lap like I was on fire! What the fuck was that all about?" I snapped at her, finally. I didn't mean to be so petty, but it came out that way, anyway.

I swung my legs off the bed and started putting on my socks and shoes, "And she doesn't have any pull over me. Not anymore. So I'm here. 'Completely' -- whatever that means. I mean, it was a fucking blast -- what happened last night and this morning, but aside from that murder thing, it's not like she's running the show. The only person who really has pull with me is you, if you really want to know the truth. And I'm not sure how stoked I am on that. This is all just happening really fast... not even just the Jezebel stuff, but us."

I stood up, not looking at Amy and started looking for my shirt and sweatshirt. I had a vague recollection that Jezebel had ripped something of mine in the process of undressing me. But I couldn't remember what. I hoped it was my sweatshirt pocket, because the t-shirt ... yeah. Anyway.

[witch_amy]

I didn’t say anything for a moment, just looking at him. /I was the one with pull over him? What the hell is this boy smoking? I didn’t have any pull over him at all. Did I? And even if I did, apparently he hates that. So what? I’m good enough for him to bang when he feels like it, but actually developing a bond and feelings of any kind is not an option? I swear to Goddess, he is going to drive me absolutely crazy…/

Crossing my arms, I finally spoke, my face set in a clear expression of annoyance. “If you want the honest truth, I was promptly letting her know exactly what I would do to her if she did anything to you again. Because like I’ve said a million times, I don’t want you to get hurt. Because for some reason, even though things have gone ridiculously fast I seem to care about you. Maybe that was stupid of me, since apparently all you want is a fuck buddy or conjuring buddy or something- whatever. If it’s just gonna be like this, I don’t care.” And yeah, that last bit was SUCH a lie.

Getting up from the bed, I started retrieving my own clothes. If I was going to argue with Tucker, or rather, avoid an argument with Tucker, it would best to do so fully clothed. Besides, I still need to call Kore and maybe try and get our collective asses out of the mess we were in. /I know my purse is around here somewhere…/ I can just hope that I had the number saved in my cell phone like I thought I did.

[bitter_brother]

Amy started collecting her clothes. She looked like she was about to cry and, despite my annoyance at the fact -- my heart broke a little. I was fucking her up. Just like I said I would, just like I thought I would. Just like I think I might have warned her.

I finished tying the laces on my shoes and waited for her to get dressed.

"That's not all I want. And you know it," I said, gently. I wasn't trying to be coy, or manipulative. I wanted her to know what I wanted. It was easier that way, and in the end, I wouldn't be a liar. I mean, I wanted that other stuff, too -- the fuck buddies and conjuring buddies and whatevers -- but, I felt fairly solid in the fact that Amy and I could learn a lot from each other. So I wanted to be with her when it happened. And I'm sorry if that sounds new-age hippy or schmoopy or whatever, but fuck it.

"Amy, look," I started. Then, as she pulled on her pants and zipped her zipper over the creamy skin under her belly button, all I wanted to do was crawl under the covers with her and hold onto her until this was all fucking over. "I'm sorry that everything I do is wrong. I didn't know you wanted her to stay here. I thought you wanted her to go. I just wanted shit to be still for a little bit. I need to make some calls and find someone to help us out. I know we're in deep shit. Okay? I mean, I'm not a complete idiot."

I watched as she pulled a cell phone that I didn't know she had out of her purse. She, apparently, missed the $400 I'd put in there. Convenient. But, what the fuck? We were talking here.

"And now you're calling someone? Are you sure that's smart?" I asked.

[witch_amy]

I sighed, looking at Tucker as I finished dressing. “Everything you do is not wrong. This just- isn’t exactly your standard situation. I’m sorry, I get so upset, it’s just- I don’t know. I guess I worry a bit too much maybe. It probably makes me far from the easiest person in the world to get along with. And stuff- we’re going to have to adapt in our own ways, I guess. You know I care about you, Tucker, I guess- well maybe I just need to figure out someway to keep that from making me react to stuff in stupid ways. Or at least, not so often?” The last sentence had been part promise and part question, and I looked at him with slightly hopeful eyes. Part promise on my part not to snap so much, and part question on his as to whether or not that was something he even wanted…

As I pulled out my phone, I noticed the wad of cash in my purse that wasn’t there before, but ignored it for the moment, deciding to figure that out in a minute. /Wait, did he?/ if so, that was cute. And sweet. And slightly criminal on some level, still, but anyway… I couldn’t help but smile at Tucker as I scrolled through the numbers on my phone.

“If it’s somebody who I think might be able to help us with this mess we’re in it is.” My smile widened slightly into a grin as I found Kore’s number and hit ‘send’

[bitter_brother]

Okay, she was smiling and happy again. Uh, figured -- it'd been 30 seconds since her last mood change. Perhaps I should make myself scarce before the next one.

Amy looked at me quizzically with her ear against the phone as I got up. I grabbed the piece of paper with that lawyer's number on it and pointed at the door.

"Lobby," I said. "I'll be back in less than 10 minutes."

She shook her head silently, like she was sure I was fucking with her. I sighed heavily and did the international finger-circling-temple signal for "you're being crazy, bitch." Looking pointedly at her, I gestured that I was leaving my bag. Amy seemed to accept that, so I exited the room and booked it to the lobby to use the courtesy phone.