Private Getting to Know Her

"Not much. I've put up a little side hustle recently where I do the spell formulas for people's needs, but business is slow. Moved up a year too in uni, even though I've basically just been going through the motions there. I've already completed most of the heavy work so it's easy breezy times now."

Adelaida was someone who did her work seriously and well, regardless of what it was. Even her job at the burger joint, mostly a thing she took up to have something to do instead of for the money, was handled with a level of effort typically not seen. Even the finger foods, aside from the chips, were home-cooked.

She took a drink of whiskey again. "I was considering calling you out earlier but I figured you'd be busy with work. Also couldn't settle on what was best to do with you around. I don't know enough about what you like yet to arrange a proper date, but hopefully that'll come around."

Good to know that a date wasn't out of the books. Adelaida wanted to go on one with this woman, though the reason why wasn't quite clear to her. She'd grown used to having impulses string her attention along though, so she was comfortable enough following the urges when they showed up.

"You'd look fine in a skirt, but yeah, there's something about a tough lady in easy-to-move in things that hits the spot," Adelaida said, taking more drink.

Adelaida leaned back as well and let herself be comfortably soaked in good company. "Sounds like a nice day to have. I keep busy and hit the nightlife quite a bit, but sometimes you just can't beat sitting on the couch with someone nice and watching some highly improbable science."

"Safe, huh. I guess that's at a premium, considering how risky your job is." Adelaida nodded and made noises in agreement. Aliasse led a very different life than her, with very different risks. "Can't say this place is completely safe, but nothing bad's happened to me even with the door unlocked. Could lock it if you felt antsy about it though."

Adelaida thought briefly about her tendency to be lax with security. She was perfectly fine with it as it was, but if she was to make the place more comfortable for her guest, she would have to reconsider that.

The question came, and Adelaida took another drink before answering. "No, I used to be from outside. Came here after an incident burned my family and my home down."

There was a brief pause where she considered whether to tell the full story, and then decided that it was fine to share. With another drink, she continued. "Well, was my fault. Accident and all that. Mostly moved past it, and sometimes I think I handled the loss too well. Moved here after that because it wasn't safe to be in the outside world while I was struggling to bring my new fire powers under control. And then... I just decided to stay."

"Part of it's the magic I studied. It's closer to hard science and math than magic in style and it teaches you how to always have your mind under control. I've gotten so used to it that even when I'm plastered I always remember what I'm doing and I never cross the lines I don't mean to," Adelaida said with another drink. They were coming faster and faster, and she smiled under the light buzz.

She thought of how strange she felt back when the reality sank in and yet she didn't cry a single tear. "I'm a little too not sentimental, I feel. Sentimentality's got its places. Means certain moments have a lot more weight."

Adelaida sped up her intake of alcohol, seeing that Aliasse was knocking them down quickly without looking any worse for wear. For a moment, she excused herself to get ice from the fridge and a second bottle from the full liquor bar. She came back with them, and more chips. "I can cook if you're interested in something heavier. Course, I'll have you help out. More excuses to interact and all that."

She bit her lip briefly and thought. "Your family huh. You've mentioned a sister and that's all I know. I don't actually know a lot. 'S what's tonight's for. What's your story like? And by all means, you don't have to get even with me telling you what I've been through. I'm comfy with my past. Not everyone is."

Seems like there was quite a bit of baggage there to unpack, and Adelaida, as much as she would have liked to be, was not the way to get that done. All she could do was be present, after all.

"I don't know what you've been through, but this island... everyone's welcome here, for better or for worse."

She offered a bit more drink and lowered the volume on the TV a bit. Adelaida knew that you couldn't force people this way unless you were extremely good at saying the right things, something that she rarely was.

"And for what it's worth, you're welcome here specifically. Your sister too. I bet she's nice."