Work Text:
The freshly made hot chocolate poured smoothly into your mug, a distant wisp of cacao filling up the room as you curled your fingers around the handle.
The television was on as you exited the kitchen, static humming as you sat yourself on the couch.
Blackrock was not exactly your favorite place, but since the incident with that random student—borders were closed tight. Anxiety from the higher ups were definitely high in fear of a rebellion sizzling up… especially since the dude somehow hasn’t been found yet.
You flicked through the channels, giving only a mere second for the show to catch your eye. Sadly most of it was just a nothing burger, so resorting to the weather forecast it is.
Glancing at your watch, 8:02. You gotta bail out soon.
Working as a ‘professional collector of organic material’ or well, just grabbing whatever the hell the scientists in your department section needs. Basically an errand boy. Not too bad at the very least, as well as you investing in not having to be a nerd to get cash. Quite the pleasant experience!
Glancing again,
» 8:46
Jeez, who knew thinking would kill time so easily?
You shuffled over to your door, throwing on your boots, putting on your jacket,and slinging your bag over your shoulder, clicking your tongue at each movement completed.
Grabbing your keys, you sent out onward to clock in.
» 7:22
Shitty cheese and meat sandwiches, probably rotten by now tuna and crackers, blah blah blahh.. you scanned over barely hanging on shelves of the convince store. A pale sickly artificial light blared overhead, already making you colder than you already were. Why did you waste a chunk of your break chatting with a co-worker? Only Swords know.
You reached out for a particularly nice looking slice of strawberries and cream cake, through in the process you accidentally bumped into someone else.
“O-oh— my apologies!”
You glanced up, awkwardly having to strain your neck to fully eye the other inphernal.
They were shockingly tall, bordering on being taller than the shelves themselves. His clothes followed along, thick with the hood pulled over, barely revealing even a dent of identity. Especially hiding were their hands, there were definitely a more than normal amount of gloves and mittens on those things. His large scaly wings definitely interested you as well. Yeah, animal features were rather rare—but a possible spawning attribute. One of your co-workers is apart of that group, but you’ve never seen a pair like theirs.
Though, contrast to his menacing stature; they stood hunched. Wings tucked in to avoid even slightly bumping into something.
“.. Ahem?”
Oh yeah, you in fact weren’t just a disembodied voice.
“My bad. Didya’ need this? I was just searching for a snack.” You said, grabbing the container and offering it to the stranger.
“Oh no, no, no, no- I was simply peering for something interesting as well. You may keep it. I insist!” The inphernal gave a warm smile, hands waving off your offer.
“Alrighty then.” You tucked it into your pocket, saving it for the register up front. “So uh, what’s up with the attire? Never seen any common civilian wear stuff like that without a big deal.
The stranger gulped. “I simply get cold easily, haha… too bad I live in the coldest place of the inpherno, eh?”
You suppose, not like you were any different with handling weather. “Other than that… what’s your name? You seem like a new face.”
“Oh uh,” they toyed with the furred cuffs of their sleeves. “Phoenix, yes. My name is uh, Phoenix.”
“Y/N. (😵)” You flickered to your watch. “Well, I gotta bounce, Phoenix. Cya.”
Right as you were about to run off to the check out, your wrist was caught. His hand was quite warm.
“Hey—hey wait! Could I er—uhm. How do I word this.. join beside you…? I don’t exactly have anything to do..” They mumbled, their other hand toying with a hoodie string.
“Sure…? Don’t kill me or something though, heh.” Saying that flashed distress upon Phoenix’s face, making the inphernal nod his head profusely.
They followed behind like a lost puppy. The entire time, they peered over your shoulder ominously till you reached a bench right outside the store. You sat upon it, holding your cake neatly in your lap. Phoenix followed suit, plopping right beside you. Snow begun to quickly melt around where his shoes were.
“If I am so dear to ask, why have you arrived here?” Phoenix asked, head tilting along.
“I’m just on break, needed some fuel for the last few hours left.” He nodded after you spoke. “How bout’ you, big guy?”
“Oh! Well, I was simply looking around. I uh.. moved here recently.” You answered with a hum before going back at it with your cake.
As you ate, Phoenix eyed your lunch a bit too hardly…
“Hungry?” You quipped.
Phoenix looked away as soon as you noticed, fingers swindling around in his lap. “… perhaps.”
He looked back just as quickly when you brought the fork up to him. “Take some, cafeteria food in the main hall is too gross to make ya suffer.”
Phoenix beamed, immediately taking your offer and taking a bite. He hummed as he took it in, almost giggling during it.
“Wow… I’ve never tasted something so delicious. My diet is usually quite bland.”
You chuckled, patting his shoulder as you took back the utensil. “Dang, you eat slop all day or sumthin?” He’d sigh, only offering a shrug.
“Perhaps I shall shift it to more of this delectable.” He murmured before the conversation went into silence. A quiet that didn’t feel too empty, nor too loud.
You checked your watch one last time,
» 8:00
Oops.