“Alex!”

  Akio thunders from somewhere downstairs, jolting Alex from her doze. Deciphering the voice for a split second, she realizes it was in fact his 'I'm in dire need of help' tone and bolts out of her room, descending the steps three at a time.

  She rounds into the Living room, poised for a fight, halting instead when she sees;

  “Viktor?”

  The man is a funny sight, cowering at the far end of the wall in a three piece suit, hands raised up high in surrender. Akio stood in front of him, fists alight with energy and ready to blast.

  “Please tell your brother, I'm here peacefully.” Viktor implores.

  “You know this clown?” Akio asks, eyes not wavering from his target.

  “I actually do.” Alex says, lowering her hackles. “His brother shot you.”

  Viktor's raised hands slump to massage the side of his head in silent vexation, while Akio suddenly looks positively murderous. All in all, it was shaping up to be a rather entertaining day.

  Alex glances from Akio--seated on the farthest end of the couch she's on, back rigid and face set in stony anger-- to Viktor--seated across from them in a tiny chair that cannot at all be comfortable, and wishing with everything that he were anywhere else but here--with an amused smile in place. Her annoyance at being woken up abruptly long since disappeared.

  The atmosphere is getting too frosty for her liking, so she breaks the silence.

  “Take your time.” She addresses them both, “You only woke me up from sleep. Something I'm hardly able to do.” she finishes, crosses her legs.

  Viktor exhales audibly. “I thought to check up on you, seeing as the last time we saw each other you were defying the laws of … everything.”

  She shrugs, “Tiny bout of nausea that passed soon after. Nothing more.”

  Akio's head whips to face her, “That was him? Are you kidding me? You were with him?” The volume of his voice is increasing with every question.

  “In my defense, his coven member tried to kill us, and I had to go find out--”

  “What?” Akio's voice is dangerously low now, Viktor shrinking in on himself, and Alex tries to backtrack in search of what exactly-- Oh. Oh dear.

  “He was not trying to kill me that time.” Alex placates, and Akio's eyes are seconds away from causing something to combust. She cringes. “The coven member was simply following outdated orders.”

  Words were hard. Empathy it seemed was even worse. Anytime she opened her mouth, she seemed to dig a deeper pit for Viktor. Why she was concerned for Viktor, she couldn't say. Perhaps the concern was instead for Akio. Yea, definitely Akio. She would try her very best to preserve his untainted--fine, semi-untainted, which was still leagues better than hers--soul.

  Which apparently involved standing between some poor idiot and an energy blast that would probably have vaporized said idiot, if the state of her now smoking face and shirt are to be believed.

  She winces a bit, as the skin on the side of her face dutifully stitches back together. Charred flesh transforming into third degree burns; third degree burns healing into unblemished skin at the speed of light. Viktor stares mouth agape, while Akio looks to be gearing up for round two.

  “Okay, time out.” She declares as soon as her her sinews have reformed, and her jaw can properly clamp shut once again.

  She points a finger at Viktor, ordering him to sit still, before marching a still seething Akio upstairs, by the shoulders.

  The click of her room door closing shut seems to snap Akio out of whatever trance he slipped into. Because he's reaching for the door knob, once again.

  “Akio, if you touch that door, I will suspend you from the ceiling by your pant zipper.” Alex warns. And how did she even know? Her head is buried deep inside her closet, rifling for a new shirt.

  “I'm sorry, what are you in love with the guy? Because that would explain the stupid stunt you pulled downstairs.” Akio slashes, intending to fully offend.

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  “Don't be exhausting.” It doesn't sound like it worked, though her head is still in the closet. “It was for your own good.“

  “My good?” he spits. And she finally emerges from the closet victorious, with a shirt.

  “Yes. Since when do you vaporize first and ask questions later?” She inspects the shirt in the light. “Usually you tend to analyze, and understand, and whatever other pacifist crap I swear you mostly make up on the spot.”

  She steps into the adjoining bathroom, making sure the door doesn't shut all the way.

  “I don't know. Must have been after I died from a botched mugging!” he snarls.

  The bathroom door swings open, and out steps Alex, face soot free and sporting a new shirt. She squints at him, before crossing her arms.

  “I'm just asking you to think for a moment. He's seated in our living room right now, and you are attempting to kill him. Do you not find it odd?” she asks.

  “Alex, I don't have time for riddles right now.”

  “In an ideal world, he'd already be dead. Long ago, the first time he stepped foot in this house--”

  “He's been here before?!” Akio asks incredulously. What the fuck else was he missing?!

  “He gave me the spell I used to bring you back.” she says.

  Akio works his jaw. “Only because his brother killed me in the first place.”

  “Agreed.” she concedes, “So, why did he bother to rectify the problem? He didn't do it, it wasn't his blunder, he might as well have let his brother face the consequences.” Alex asks.

  Akio watches her, and she watches him in turn, if she was waiting for an answer from him--

  “I don't know.” he sighs, “Why did he do it?”

  “I don't know.” Alex says, eyebrows knitting together.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Clearly he hates the boy, with a burning passion.” Alex recollects, “Why go through this amount of trouble for someone you absolutely despise?”

  Akio scrubs a hand down his face. “Because they're still brothers at the end of the day?” he tries.

  Alex's eyes gleam. “That …” she starts, “is utter horse crap. Have you never read the story of Cain and Abel?” She shakes her head in utter disappointment, before opening the door and striding out. Leaving Akio more confused than angry.

  When he gathers his composure and gets downstairs a couple of minutes later, Viktor has a cup in his hand. Alex looking particularly smug for reasons unknown.

  “I made him soothing tea.” she says with an air of competence. “Poor thing was on the verge of passing out when I got back downstairs. Had to rectify the problem.”

  “Watching you reconstruct your face ligament by ligament will do that to a person.” Akio says, taking his seat by Alex.

  “I-I thought” Viktor stutters. “I've heard stories, but I never quite understood …” He stops, makes the decision to sip on his tea.

  Akio stares with an unimpressed air, while Alex wracks her brain for a non-irritating Akioesque way of solving the issue on ground.

  “A trade. You love bartering.” she addresses Viktor, and he nods like a spooked child. “You ask whatever it is you want to know about me, and I'll answer sincerely.”

  Viktor nods quickly, opening his mouth to fire.

  “Ah, ah, ah. If you answer my question first.” she finishes.

  Viktor pauses, seems to will some small level of professionalism into himself, then sets down the teacup.

  “Deal.”

  “Alright. Why exactly can't you let your brother die?” Alex asks, straightforward, mail on the head, the Alex way. Viktor sighs.

  Akio watches the gears turn in his head, clocks about three different times when the man considers lying, eventually deciding on the truth with a pained cringe. Suddenly he takes off his jacket, and starts unbuttoning his shirt.

  “What is happening?” Akio can't stop himself from asking.

  “If you're hot, you could have said some … thing.” The words die in Alex's mouth the moment the gnarly scar is exposed.

  Even Akio can't help but lean in to inspect. Shockingly, it looks like …

  “A binding spell.” Akio says, everything adding up neatly in his head. “That's why you stole the Tome.”

  Alex turns to look at him, Viktor makes a sound in his throat.

  “Ironically, even the oldest Warlocks in my Coven can't seem to translate the texts.” Viktor muses in defeat.

  “That's because it's not yours.” Akio scolds. “Only members of my bloodline are able to access the secrets of that book. Do you have any members of my bloodline in your coven?” he adds sarcastically.

  “That would have been a helpful piece of information to know before the attempt to steal the book.” Viktor shrugs his shirt back on and reaches for his tea.

  “I know, it's almost like stealing is wrong or something.” Akio retorts.

  “Be honest, if I had walked up to you and asked for your help, would you have entertained me?” Viktor asks in irritation. And where did he get off being irritated?

  “I do know killing me worsened your chances.”

  “That's quite enough of that.” Alex interjects. And the room is plunged into silence.

  She grabs Akio's wrist, peering at his watch for a moment.

  “Chris will be back soon with the kids, and I'd rather they don't meet you here.” she gestures to Viktor.

  “My questions--”

  “You will ask, and I will answer. I gave you my word, rest assured I will deliver.” she says, then turns to Akio, “You on the other hand have to decide whether you want to help him or not.”

  “Help him? Have you lost your mind?”

  “Or don't help him. I don't care.” Alex shrugs and stands, and Viktor looks chagrined. “I owe him an answer, and he owes me a witch. Once our transactions are over, my hands are clean of this mess.” She mimes washing her hands for effect.

  “You owe me a favor.” Viktor says rising to his feet.

  “I do.” Alex agrees, crossing her hands behind her back. “Is this honestly what you want to cash it in on?” she angles her head at Akio.

  “Again, I do not care. You say the word, and I'll spend the rest of the day, or week if I have to, wearing Akio down into helping you.” she continues, “But he is right here.”

  Viktor stands considering for a second, Akio the only person in the room still seated, Alex swaying diabolically on the balls of her feet, waiting for a decision.

  Viktor perks up suddenly, bending to whip out a pen and tiny notepad from his Jacket. He scribbles something down and slides it across the--brand new--table to Akio, who peers down at it.

  “Meet me at this location at 6 pm, tomorrow.” he says, and Akio laughs.

  “You must be deluded, if you think I'm inclined to do anything for you.”

  “My brother will be there.” Viktor says, and Akio's eyes darken.