starsmisalign (starsmisalign) wrote in birthrightrpg, @ 2020-08-28 18:11:00 |
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Entry tags: | celeste henry, ronnie milam |
Friend Of A Friend
Who: Ronnie, Celeste
What: Practice/Favor
Where: Searchlight
When: Present
Ratings/Warnings: Low
Celeste made her way cheerfully from the El Rey motel to 450 Lincoln. It was an address that Nesryn had provided to her, after calmly explaining the situation. Her friend Ronnie needed some assistance. Celeste knew him mainly from seeing him around Terrible’s/Denny’s, but as Nesryn told it, he was a good friend and all-around good guy.
It was also difficult to pass up the opportunity to try a spell. The brunette walked up to the white house, and gave a quick but loud knock on the door. Her omnipresent bag was slung over her shoulder, and she stood and waited for Ronnie to answer.
He really did need to get a dog.
Ronnie padded to the door, rubbing an eye with fingers. He’d been huddled up on the couch watching a bit of television when the knock came. That bit of paranoia slithered into his stomach, he hated it and hated himself for it, but a peek through the eyehole rendered not the man from days past but a striking brunette.
With a bit of that jovial nature back the door swung open, “Can I help you?” His smile was warm and friendly regardless of what happened, he couldn’t help it.
“Hi.” Celeste gave him a smile and a small wave. “Nesryn told me about your security issue. I think I can help.” She peered briefly past his shoulder, then at the door. Besides a protective spell, the brunette could probably suggest some physical ways to make Ronnie’s property safer, as well.
She then regarded him, noticing his tired and weary expression that was apparent even through the friendly demeanor. “I mean, only if you’re comfortable with that.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure. Come in,” he didn’t hesitate. Ronnie was waving her in as if they’d known each other for ages. But if she knew Nesryn then the woman was good company. Besides, he recognized her from the diner.
Once the woman was inside he shut the door and waved to the blanket strewn couch, “Uh sorry. Wasn’t expecting company.” He bounced over to the couch and tidied up, before motioning to the only available seating. “Here, make yourself at home.”
“You probably know, but I’m Ronnie. Nice to meet you, friend of Nesryn.”
Celeste nodded in confirmation. “Yeah, you’ve been mentioned.” She slid her bag over her shoulder and set it carefully on the floor before taking a seat. “So, she wasn’t super detailed on what happened, just that someone was harassing you?”
“If you don’t mind me asking...what exactly happened?”
“Sure, sure,” he nodded. Ronnie sat down on the arm of the couch to give Celeste respectful space before beginning his recap. It was the same story he’d told Derek and Mikey. “This young guy, about this tall,” a hand would rise to show her, “brown hair, anyway, he was parked outside the house. Said his car was broken down and he was waiting for a friend to get him. I told him he could come in, he said he was thirsty.” A shrug.
“And then he started asking me if I was Ronald Milam, that I owed someone a lot of money. We talked a little, he gave me a few options that included my immediate demise if I didn’t pay up, and then he was gone. I think he realized he had the wrong person when I told him I wasn’t the one he was looking for.”
Celeste blinked. “Immediate demise?” She thought that one over. Perhaps he was in need of another form of protection, in that case. “Well, you do have other options. Ones I doubt that this guy gave you.” She raised an eyebrow and leaned forward to zip open her bag.
“Option one is easier said than done...for some people, at least. You move.” She gestured vaguely around her. “People know where you are. Unfortunately, this is also a pretty small town. Everyone seems to know each other, and even if you did get a new place here, that might not be effective enough,” Celeste rattled off pragmatically.
“Yeah, he said he was going to turn me into a smoke bomb, whatever that means.” He racked his brain to try to figure that one out as it was a bit of an odd comment.
And then Ronnie’s eyebrows lifted in interest. “I do?” Then he shook his head, “There’s a lot of memories here. And that seems like a cheap way to solve the problem. Running away.” That felt too much like what Rocky did. Maybe that was a dumb answer but he didn’t care, this was his house.
Celeste couldn’t relate to that one. Leaving memories behind sounded okay to her. But it was a fair point. She nodded. “Okay, well. There’s option two, but you probably won’t like that, either.” The brunette took a breath.
“You can choose a weapon and learn how to use it. The thing is, this guy probably knows how to use one better than you. And most likely won’t come back here alone, anyway.” She began pulling out her notebook and supplies.
“Option three. Magical protection. I have a disclaimer for that, too.” Celeste blushed slightly. “I’m still kind of in the learning stage, so it wouldn’t be a guarantee of safety. Also, it would only protect you here. So you can’t get complacent.”
Shit. He sighed. “Like a gun or something? It would be sort of cool to learn to use ninja stars or yo-yo like a world champ. But at least that way I could do more than blubber around like an idiot.” He wasn’t opposed to weapons, it was the time needed to be taken to learn to use one properly.
Then the third option came. “Ma-magic?” Ronnie blinked. Derek had opened his eyes to the possibility of things existing outside of the realm of humanity. He supposed if vampires existed, this woman could also do magic. “Right. Don’t potato. Got it. Uh, let’s try that and I’ll do a follow up on option two? Or buy a dog?”
Celeste gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know it’s all overwhelming, at first. And we can circle back to the weapon thing, later.” She didn’t have the heart, right then, to tell him that a frightened newbie with a gun was probably just as dangerous as the man coming after him.
“You said you have a lot of memories here.You’ve been in Searchlight for a long time?”
“Sure, yeah, cool.” Ronnie nodded, willing to try nearly anything to make sure this was a safe place. While he owned it, so much of his mother and his childhood was left that up and leaving sounded wrong. Like another betrayal.
Ronnie nodded. “Yeah, born here. I left to go to school and came back around twenty fifteen or so. I visited often, when I could. You?”
Celeste stood up, and began laying out supplies where she had just been sitting. “I’m new,” she answered simply. The brunette tried to maintain her confidence as she began thinking about performing the spell.
“So, this guy came looking for a man with your same name, I assume? Is it common?”
“Not really,” Ronnie replied, then he nodded. “Wait, to answer your first question - yes. He came looking for my Pops, we have the same legal name. But he went by Rocky in town. I’m Ronnie. And I haven’t seen him in thirty years. Honestly I’m surprised he’s still alive. Apparently he doesn’t settle his debts.” He scratched the back of his neck, “and no, it’s not common for that to happen, at least not that I know of. This town has strange occurrences but not like that.”
“That’s some bad luck, right there,” she commented. “For what’s it worth, you seem like the exact opposite of him.” Celeste shrugged and brought her hands together, looking down at the display before her.
“Okay, so.” The brunette planned to use the same protection spell that James had shown her. As far as she knew, it remained effective. She picked up a clear bag full of salt. “Magic time.”
“No joke,” he sighed. “Thanks. I try my best not to be like that. We used to have a bit of a reputation around here.” Ronnie made a face but didn’t go into specifics. If she asked around enough someone would tell her.
He blinked and watched with a bit of awe. “Oh cool. Is that like magic powder or something?” He squinted to assess the contents.
Now she looked at him with empathy. Celeste was familiar; the local reputation that her family established had stuck to her until she left. She smiled more warmly. “It’s salt,” she answered. “It has elements of protection, purification, and healing. We’re going to sprinkle it around some places, if that’s okay with you.”
The brunette paused. “You don’t have a cat, right? This can be poisonous if they eat it.”
“Oh! Yeah, I think I heard that somewhere. Maybe in a movie or something.” Or maybe he’d heard it somewhere else and just forgotten until now. “I’m cool with that. And no, no pets. I haven’t even seen any strays around here recently, to be honest.” He probably needed a pet but that was a conversation for another day.
His hand waved around the living room. “Go forth, my lady, and sprinkle as you will.”
“Awesome.” Celeste concentrated on the door and windows before turning to Ronnie. “Any other entrances?” she asked him. She was starting to get into the spirit of things, a smile on her face as she double-checked the area around them.
“Uh, there’s a back door and a couple of windows that way,” he motioned to the door behind them with a thumb and then in the direction of the hallway. It was a small place, a single bedroom with a bathroom off of the hallway and not the master. “You can literally go anywhere, there is nothing here that is worth hiding.”
Celeste gave him a pat on the shoulder as she passed him. “Thanks.” She took care of the back entrance, then the windows. The brunette began doubling back and making sure the correct symbols were in place.
She grabbed the notebook and flipped to the corresponding page. “I know you let me in without knowing me, and that was helpful. But you really should be more careful.” Her tone was gentler than it would have been imparting this advice on anyone else, and she wasn’t sure why. “
There are a lot of bad people in the world.”
With that said, she began reciting the spell.
He knew she was right. He’d promised Mikey he would check in but the young man wouldn’t be there all the time to protect him, nor would his brother from another mother, Derek. Ronnie only had himself to rely on and Celeste said what he had been saying to himself - be more careful. “I will.” It was a promise he would do his best to uphold.
Staying quiet, he listened as Celeste spoke the incantation. It sounded like another language - obviously it was - and in her tone it was beautiful, almost like a song.
Celeste stood in silence for a few moments after it was done, then looked up at Ronnie. “And done.” She closed the notebook and returned to the sofa, carefully returning her things back to her bag.
“If you want to use a weapon, I could help you with that,” she said, touching back on the subject from earlier. “As long as you understand that you have to put in the time and work to learn how to handle it properly.”
“That was quick,” he mentioned, obviously impressed. “So that just keeps people out or ..?” He was no expert on magic. “And thanks. I feel way better now.” He needed to do something nice for Celeste, but he wanted to think about it first.
“Really? I’d like that. I think I’d feel better if I knew how to defend myself. I promise to practice, scouts honor.” Two fingers would be held up as if to illustrate the point. “You just tell me when and where and I’ll be there.” Which meant he’d have to go buy a gun.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re welcome. Call it even for your great hash brown making skills.” Celeste moved away from the couch, grabbing her bag.
“Plus, Nesryn vouched for you. Seems like you make quite the impression on people.”
As she laughed, he did too. “Hey, hash browns are like presents from potatoes. I just do what I’m made to do.” The next part made him smile. He didn’t know how he’s gotten such good friends but lately they seemed to come in waves. “Thanks. She’s a good kid. And it looks like she has good taste, too.”
He got up from the arm of the couch and moved to the door, opening it up for Celeste so she didn’t have to bother with it.
She headed to the exit, pausing in the doorway before leaving. “Be careful, okay?” Celeste shot him another smile and a wave as she walked out the door and back into the brilliant sunlight. The brunette slid her sunglasses on and returned the trip back to what she called home these days.
“Will do,” he replied, also offering a wave coupled with a grin. “Thanks again.” He hadn’t gotten her number and hadn’t even thought about asking but if he needed help he could always ask Nes for a go-between. He shut the door once she was gone and then turned to plop down on the couch. What a day.