Chapter 125: The Talk

We need to talk.

That was a statement I expected much, much later down the line. Some time maybe after the dust had settled, when all problems had been resolved, certainly didn't expect it to be soon… I certainly didn't expect it to be now.

Hadn't even had that bath yet…

The last time I was in a bedroom with a Succubus, my heart went pounding and thumping against my chest harder and faster than any stick to a drum, with rationality and common sense merely hanging on by a thread.

Not a surprise that these things stayed unchanged the second time around. Right here, right now… I felt all that and more -  because not only did I find myself alone once more with that very same succubus… that succubus now looked just as mortified as I was about this whole thing.

Could feel the tension between us pulling me down so hard, frankly I'm surprised it didn't just outright replace the gravity of the planet. 

I stood by the door there for what seemed like an eternal eternity of eternalness, before something substantial even happened… if you even call it that.

Irene cleared her throat, and veered her gaze sideways from mine. "Could you… could you make sure the door is locked?"

Her voice was soft, but it wasn't gentle… spoken in a way that fitted more like an order than a simple ordinary request. Or maybe I'm just simply overthinking everything, I don't know… with her, everything was either-or. 

Decided to throw my hat into the ring, and hear how I sounded myself, starting with a simple, "Sure… why?"

I'm surprised I still could sound so casual about things. Guess that's a good thing, wasn't it? Much better than how she was faring at least.

Never heard a sigh brimming with so much exasperation 'till she sent hers funneling my direction, the stare she gave had very little patience in it, that's when I knew pointless stupid questions wouldn't be tolerated.

Did as I was told, reaching behind me, and twisting the lock until I heard that little click.

"Done," I said.

Another sigh sounded, not as irritated as the last, but much wearier, if anything. 

"So," I heard myself swallow hard. "Talk?"

"Yeah," Irene's voice remained as stiff as ever. "So… about us…" 

"What about us?"

The way she kept twisting and grinding her feet into the floorboards, not even the cold, aloof centuries-old detective was immune to the effects of pure, raw, untamed awkwardness. 

Would have been an amusing sight if only I hadn't been her partner in crime.

"There's no beating around the bush, is there?" She muttered so quietly, I had to strain myself to even hear her. "I want to… can you tell… do you - do you resent me for what I did last night?"

What. Wait. Resent?

"Of course not," I said immediately. "It was weird, yeah… arousing, yes… not what I signed up for, most definitely… but I'm not gonna hold it against you. You weren't yourself."

"Yeah, in the same way, a drunkard isn't held accountable just cause he had too much to drink -  I wasn't myself…"

"If you feel guilty for it, don't. I don't think of you as any less for it."

"You should," She said, nodding her head with narrowed lips. "I fully knew what I was doing and I still did it. It wasn't right. I took advantage of you and I augh - I even called you 'darling', oh by the Divines, please kill me."

"It's over and done with, Irene. It happened but it's over. No harm, no foul. Nothing happened. See - you're even back to yourself now." I felt eyebrows furrow. "How are you back to yourself now?" 

Irene stared down at the floorboards, squirming still, unconsciously stroking her fingers in her palms. 

"I was done with the trance-breaking before dawn broke. I wanted to see you, I guess I wanted you to praise me, so I went to your room - forgot you were sleeping." 

She slowly raised a hand, and pocketed it into her breast pocket, from it, she pulled out something small, something square, and something that strongly hinted of spice and everything I abhor in an odor.

My nose understood it before my eyes did, scrunching up like shriveled leaves. The cologne Ria so generously gifted me had found its way into Irene's slender hands.

"Found this instead," Irene said.

Guess she finally found the ultimate nullifier for her trouble-stirring pheromones. Good on her. Glad to see that skunk in a bottle actually be put to good use.

"So long as I keep applying it every once in a while for a day or two, I won't be coming on to you anytime soon."

"That's good," I said, smiling at her as encouragingly as I could be. 

Yet she didn't look too encouraged though. "Yeah…"

Though perhaps the discussion had run itself dry, and I wasn't too keen on letting silence fester about… so I went on, talking about the first thing that came to sight and mind.

"Adalia…" I muttered, pointing a finger to the bed. "Don't suppose you still could…?"

"Sorry Darl - " Irene blinked, grimacing heavily. "Sorry, unfortunately, I've exhausted all I have already. Anymore… and I'll just turn red again, and this whole process would repeat… and the cologne can only do so much. Plus, it'll take too much time, time we really don't have."

"Oh," I was expecting that, doesn't make it sting any less though. "It's okay. I'm just glad you managed to get someone back." 

She shook her head. "Couldn't get Ria."

"It's okay," I said. "You tried."

Didn't realize I was throwing her own words back at her until I've already said it. She noticed… obviously she did, 'least she knew that she did try, it's more than I can say for myself.

"Yeah," Irene nodded, brushing loose strands of hair back with a swipe of her hand. "Thanks."

It was plain to see how obvious the guilt was eating at her. Still refusing to look at me, still writhing and squirming, that strong, stern indifferent demeanor has all but left the building.

Maybe I should do her a solid.

"Do you want me to forget about what happened?" 

Her head cocked upwards, her eyebrows too. "Huh?"

"Forgive and forget," I elaborated, leaning myself against the closed door. "Except there's nothing to forgive and everything to forget. What happened between us - ancient non-existent history. You don't say anything, I don't say anything."

Irene continued to stare, her eyes finally for once making contact, but what I got in one aspect in communication, I traded for another. Irene didn't say anything to it.

It's fine. Gestures exist for a reason.

"Good deal, no? We can go back like nothing ever happened in the first place. So, uh… I guess… nod once for yes, shake twice for no?"

Thought to myself that this might be get-out-of-jail for the both of us. I was wholly committed to the idea if it'd bring her comfort. I thought she'd be too, thought she'd jump at the opportunity in a heartbeat, thought what I'd ended up seeing from her would be a firm resolute nod.

Irene shook her head twice.

Guess not…

"I… rather you didn't," She whispered to me, her hazel brown eyes no longer straying from mine. "No deal."

I sighed, I asked, "Why?"

"I don't know."

"So you really like me, then?'

"I don't know," She said again.

"It's complicated?"

"It's complicated."

Fucking hell, it's complicated. Got me itching my scalp here at the utter complicated-ness of it all. But whatever, alright… I won't forget. She won't forget. Like always, I'll just do as she says. 

Gave another smile, and nodded again. "Okay. Forgiven but not forgotten. All well that ends well, hm?

Apparently not. She was still squirming, still standing in place… for some reason or another, the guilt only intensified. That's when I had a feeling that this was much more than just a talk.

"Maybe not," I said, taking a step towards her. "Is there anything else?"

"There is," she said, hanging her head. "Good eye, detective, very good eye."

"Not good news, I presume?"

"Presume away."

"Is it still about us?"

"It's still about us."

I took a second step closer, there wasn't a chance for a third one. Irene retreaded back, her face burning into her palms, hissing the most infuriating breath I heard in a while.

"I'm an IDIOT!" She yelled through her hands. "What was I even thinking?!"

"What were you thinking?" I said calmly, both arms out towards her trying to get her to do much of the same. "What's up?"

"Pinkie promise."

"What?"

"Pinkie promise!" Irene swiped her hands down, unveiling a flustered expression so unlike the stoicness I've come to know of her. "That stupid promise I made you do!"

Had to jog my memory for a bit to understand what exactly she was referring to, then it just popped in out of nowhere and I finally remembered. 

"Oh, you mean, loving you, ravaging you, embracing you - "

"Do not repeat it!"

Irene was staring daggers, and I was as lost and confused as a kid in a shopping mall. "What about it?"

Pointless stupid questions wouldn't be tolerated. I forgot. And Irene heaved again, rubbing her forehead with her palms.

"You promised a demon. You bargained with a demon." 

Oh. Oh shit.

"You know the phrasing 'a deal with the devil'? Well, you just formed a pact with one - you'll have to fulfill it… one way or another."