the collision doesn't bother elijah. it is the catastrophic ruckus that does. plastic clattering on the floor, salad spilled like a toppled house of cards. it's too much. and some of it has gotten on his pants.

"maybe you should watch where you're going instead." elijah snaps. he stares at the chicken salad, strips of meat dying on the floor. "when you clean this all up, are you going to dry clean my pants too?"

he grumbles. like disturbed sediment at the bottom of a river, his voice rises in gravely disgruntlement.

Katherine Fairburne

"who do you think you are talking to me like that?" elijah snarls.

he has seen her around before. heard things. recently, she had received accolades for her role in littleroot— and similar celebration had been showered upon the unruly intruders to his quarters and home.

"your mess. your responsibility." elijah grits his teeth. "we may be criminals— but this isn't fucking kindergarten."

Katherine Fairburne

elijah stares down at the finger pressed against his chest. his nose is like an arrow— and is sharpened like one too. despite katherine's wit, the green-haired apothecary only voices his displeasure through barbaric grunts.

"so you've been eyeing me." elijah rolls his eyes. "and now you've graduated to touching me. listen butterfingers, i'm not looking."

he steps on a strip of pale white chicken.

"what's your name? i want to make sure we're never placed in a mission together, thanks."

Katherine Fairburne

elijah responds flatly.

"no."

the high school crush act causes his lips to sag at their corners. elijah can't help but be envious of those able to perform. still, he is unaware of the masks and props he uses himself.

"i like to keep it professional." elijah kicks the crushed chicken slice away. a scattering of lettuce sprays from his shoe. "do we even have hr? can we shunt you out of this sub like an alien out of a spaceship?"

he crosses his arms. unwilling to give her the last word.

Katherine Fairburne

"oh. you want to see my plants?" elijah seems sincere. interest in his practice rewards katherine with a malleable moment before the polymer clay face hardens once again.

he grunts again. off-tune notes of an old man— despite his relative youth.

"fine. warning you. you're making it sound like a date." elijah sighs, the breath like a deflating party pipe. "if we do a mission, you'll be watering my plants since i'm doing you a favor."

a tired looking man comes by, brushing the lettuce into a dustpan while ignoring them altogether.

Katherine Fairburne

the gall of this woman. still, at least she stands her ground— and isn't afraid of him. these thoughts remain planted in the dark, buried under the callous glances he stabs with.

"yeah, it would." elijah says. "what do you anyway? aside from hacking up tree roots." he crosses his arms and shakes his head, "i just want to know what i'm getting into."

as the man finishes cleaning katherine's salad off the floor, elijah sighs. a sliver of guilt remains like the food residue left on his shoes.

"let's get you another meal before i have to hear your mouth and your stomach."

Katherine Fairburne

elijah crumples cusses in his palate. through the filter of his hardened jaw, they come out as old man grumbles. the kind that can be heard from a lavaridge hotspring as the elderly leave their pools, their joints creaking with bitter memories and sepia regrets.

"yeah, who's fault is that." elijah kicks the wilted leaf from his shoe. it flops onto the ground. "i'm taking a granola bar." he raises a brow as he surveys the selections, plucking a chewy chocolate chip from a woven basket.

"you know you're eating alone, right?"

Katherine Fairburne