cian_oneill (cian_oneill) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2021-02-06 13:01:00 |
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Entry tags: | ~cian o'neill, ~mikey marks |
Cian updates Mikey
Who: Mikey/Cian
What: Chat
When: 30th January, 2021
Where: Cottonwood Cove
Ratings None?
“Thanks Sylvia,” Cian called over his shoulder as he headed out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Mikey’s office. The two weres hadn’t had much time to talk since the headless vampire had been dumped on Rhiannon’s driveway two days earlier. Cian had sent Mikey some more info at the same time as he’d sent messages to Echo and Abbey. This had been followed up when Mikey had sent Cian a message saying Ronnie had returned the next day.
“Perfect timing,” he’d muttered drily to himself under his breath when he’d read it. Another one who could end up being caught in the middle of this and distract Mikey from what might be coming down on them.
He took the stairs two at a time, a mug fresh coffee in each hand and a bag of freshly baked muffins dangling from his fingers. As he entered Mikey’s office he glanced out the window, seeing Echo on the tractor coming down from the campgrounds, trash trailer in tow.
“She’s workin’ out,” he said, indicating the other were outside as he handed Mikey his coffee and dropped the bag of muffins on the desk before lowering himself into the chair.
Mikey nodded as he took the coffee with a grateful sigh. “Well enough,” he agreed. “Handy, gets her stuff done. Hey,” he added a little belatedly, taking a sip of the coffee. “How’s… you know…” he gestured with his free hand. “Things?”
It’d been a whirlwind the last few days -- news of the hunters in the area had him worried, and while he was glad to have Ronnie back, the timing could’ve been better.
Cian nodded, taking one of the muffins and leaning back in the chair as he took a large bite. His ankle lifted and rested on the other knee as he took a sip of the hot beverage after swallowing the mouthful.
At the mention of ‘things’ the smile left his face. “No movement yet,” he replied, a frown creasing his forehead. “Not like hunters advertise they’re coming,” he added, his mind darting back to the night in Chicago briefly. “We’re lucky they decided to give Rhi a headsup. Not sure if they realise it was also giving us warning.” The next bite of his muffin was a little larger, the chewing and swallowing a little more intense.
“Now it’s a waiting game, and keeping our ears and eyes open. I’ve got in contact with a few I know up in City, at places like Seventh Circle, see if there’s any movement up there.” He hadn’t given anyone any details, just asked how the scene was, if there was any new contenders he’d be interested in meeting in the ring. His contact had said they’d let him know.
Mikey’s frown tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You think they’re after anyone in particular, or just…” he shrugged a shoulder. “You know. Lookin’ for trouble? Does Rhiannon think they’re gonna be setting us in their sights?”
He knew Rhiannon, and after some of the stuff they’d been through, even trusted her -- mostly -- but the concept of Hunters in general itched under Mikey’s skin. While he was glad Rhiannon didn’t think he needed to be put down like a dog with rabies, he knew she knew folks who felt differently, and it rankled him that they felt so entitled.
Cian inhaled some more coffee and grimaced a little, the hot liquid scorching a little as it made its way to his stomach. “Don’t know they have anyone in particular in their sights, but I’d rather not find out when it’s too late,” he replied, the frown having eased a little. It was a question he’d asked Rhiannon and she hadn’t known either. “Rhi reckons they only target our kind when they’re given direction, otherwise they don’t bother us, but I don’t know if all hunters follow the same creed,” he continued. “Just like us, they’re not all the same.”
“Hm,” Mikey replied, reaching for a muffin after getting a permissive nod from Cian. “And she doesn’t know if they’ve been given any. Direction,” he clarified.
“I guess we just… lay a bit low?” He added. “Spread the word to folks we know to do the same and wait it out? ...She know yet?” He added, tipping his head to Echo outside.
Cian’s eyes followed the inclination of Mikey’s head toward the window, the sound of the tractor having headed up the hill to the trash bin location in a compound behind the grounds, out of sight of the guests. “Yeah, I gave her a headsup same time as I told you. You passed it on to your folks, didn’t you?”
Mikey nodded. “And a few other people. Folks who aren’t gonna… you know. See it as a challenge or something.”
He took a thoughtful bite of the muffin. “So Rhi knows ‘em? Sort of?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “Or is it one of those things where like if a new were rolls into town, they sniff us out and sort out territory?”
Cian grimaced as he figured out how much to tell the younger were. “She knows ‘em,” he told him. “Some of ‘em, at least,” he admitted. “The one who made the special delivery the other morning is an old … acquaintance. She made it clear there were others coming. No clue how many, who, or why, just that they’re coming, and they ain’t too happy with some of Rhiannon’s ‘life choices’, let’s say, from the sounds of things.” The remaining piece of the muffin in his hand disappeared into his mouth and was quickly devoured.
Mikey whistled. “Tell me you’re gonna keep clear until we see their tail-lights, dude,” he said. He frowned. “I…” he reached for the coffee. “I know that’s not her,” he said. “...Any more,” he amended. “Also really don’t like that we don’t know why they’re here, but I guess if there’s someone who’s gonna find out, it’d be her.”
He paused. “...You think she’s gonna be in trouble?” He added, looking over at Cian.
Cian’s frown returned. “She says they won’t kill humans, so I’m hopin’ they all live by that creed, but who knows? What if they’ve got something in their heads or they don’t like her paling up with a few of us non-humans?” His eyes lowered to the remains of the coffee in his mug and he shook his head. “If there was one person I’d want at my back in a fight it’d be her. She’s the best fighter I’ve ever seen, but no-one’s invincible,” he replied quietly. “I just have a really bad feeling about it,” he admitted, looking back up at Mikey. “A team’s only as good as its weakest player, and if one of them doesn’t live by the same rules? There’s no telling what might happen.”
“So what’s the play?” Mikey asked. “I get waitin’ til we know more, and, you know, not startin’ anything less we have to…” he shrugged. “But if you need some backup, you know you got it?”
“Yeah, I know,” Cian replied. He had thought of doing some training with Mikey, especially since Ronnie seemed to manage to get himself into some odd situations, but there hadn’t been the time over the summer, and he’d been going up to seventh Circle himself a little over winter, plus spending most of his spare time with Rhiannon.
Mikey frowned a little “And there’s timing. If they stick around until the full moon, things might get challenging,” he added. “I mean, I’m pretty sure we can stay off their radar otherwise, but still.”
Cian nodded. “Only good thing is they came to town just after the last moon,” he agreed, “so we have a few weeks. I don’t like the idea, but we can always head down to the Mountain. Gabe’s put much stronger protections in place, they’ll never find it.”
“Sounds like a good start,” Mikey replied. “You wanna put anything else in place I can help with? Other than, you know, keeping my phone on me?”
Downing the last of his coffee Cian shook his head then stopped. “Well, only thing could be, seeing it’s quiet right now, you and Ronnie look at comin’ down here, stay in one of the on-sites?” he suggested. “Might also help with Ronnie’s other problem,” he added. Gabe had told Cian what had been happening to Ronnie with the texts, and Cian had helped Gabe with the letter Ronnie had found in his pocket and given to Gabe.
“...Yeah,” Mikey replied. “Yeah, might be best to stick a little closer.” He looked down at the table. “Really sucks when you can’t do shit to help,” he added. “I mean, we’ve been through it with the phone companies, and I know Gabe’s lookin’ into it, but… yeah. That sounds like a good idea.”
He paused, looking over at Cian a little cautiously. “The timing is shitty,” he added, “but… we wanted to talk to you sometime. After this? We’ve been talking about… Ronnie’s been thinking about what it’d be like to join the club. There’s no rush,” he added, “like, I want hunters far, far away. But he wanted to talk to you about your experiences? What it was like for you to, you know, change like that? Anyways.”
Cian’s body tensed at Mikey’s words, his throat swallowing then his mouth going dry. He carefully lowered his right leg back to the floor and leaned forward, the now empty mug cradled in both hands as he mentally went through all the things he wanted to say, pushing them all aside and biting back all those words. “No, not a good time,” he said gruffly, reaching over and picking up the empty paper bag, crushing it in his fist and pushing it into the mug as he stood up.
Clearing his throat he added, “I’d better get back to it, refuelling truck should be here soon, gotta go check the number of gas tanks we need filled.”
Mikey nodded, not quite making eye contact with Cian, feeling a little idiotic for not knowing it’d hit a nerve. “Yeah,” he said. “...Sorry,” he added in a low mumble. “...Thanks for the heads up.”
With a silent nod the older were left, descending the stairs the same way he’d climbed them, two at a time. He delivered the dirty mug back to the kitchen, grabbed another muffin from the tray cooling on the bench and ducked out the back door before Sylvia had had a chance to see him and the scowl on his face.