✧ unexpected complication

[quicksilverwings]

[This was supposed to be an easy con. Well, easy-ish.

Taking down the entire IPC is a bit of a far-off pipe dream for Wing and his team (he's still marveling that he's ended up with a team, some days), but particular nasty individuals within or working with them is fair game. Just, you know, make sure picking them off is few and far between.

This was supposed to be a relatively routine takedown of a shithead of a mark. But there's been a wrench thrown into the works--one that the mark refuses to refer to by a name, and it leaves Wing seeing red. A slave.

This fucker has a slave.

Wing maintains his perfectly polite facade, the one meant to lure the target in, so that Wing can lure him into acting against his own best interests, too blinded by what he has to offer. Wing's all smiles, but for anyone really paying attention, he's seething.

Once the mark has left the room--he'll be out for a while, if a couple of Wing's teammates have anything to say about it--Wing makes his way over to get a better look at that slave.]

Comments

[quicksilverwings]

[And Wing flops next to him, grinning.]

You were amazing, Kakavasha!

[takesitall]

Was I?

[He smiles, though he does not sit up.]

It wasn't that hard, he was way too interested in my chest to care about what he was agreeing to.

[quicksilverwings]

Still, I don't think that would've gone even half as smoothly without you.

[takesitall]

He's not kidding. That was the cleanest in and out we've ever had.

[Kakavasha jumps when Denzel, who had been outside of the whole thing, steps into the room and flops down on the floor.]

It's amazing what we can do when we're not trying to juggle ten different balls all at once.

[quicksilverwings]

[Wing nods in agreement.]

Definitely. We couldn't have done it without you, Kakavasha. With your plan and you helping distract the guy...

[takesitall]

I vote we make him a permanent member of the team.

What?

[quicksilverwings]

That's up to him, Denzel.

[He looks over as he takes one of Kakavasha's hands in his.]

Do you want to, Kakavasha? Join the team permanently.

[takesitall]

You think I'd be helpful?

[Soft, almost shy.]

[quicksilverwings]

[A gentle squeeze.]

Yeah, I think so.

[takesitall]

...doing what, though?

[quicksilverwings]

Handling the plans, mostly. Maybe some of the interacting with marks like I do, like you did earlier, if you want-- Just. Doing more of what you did this time. You're already really good at it.

[takesitall]

If you're sure...I think I'd like to join up.

[He could help Wing finally. Pay him back.]

[quicksilverwings]

[Wing smiles and nods, pulling him into a hug.]

Welcome to the team, Kakavasha.

[So that's that. Aella and Eike are just as happy to find out Kakavasha's joining the team permanently.

They pull a few more jobs as the months pass, each one wildly successful thanks to Kakavasha's help. It's amazing, even if Aella privately teases Wing a little about how Kakavasha remains practically glued to his side during team meetings.

It's after these few months that Karma texts Wing with something real interesting he found while nosing around in his parents' belongings while looking for something else: a handwritten book of Avgin recipes that his mother put together ages ago. He's kind enough to let Wing have it--his mom won't miss it, he doesn't need it, and hey, Kakavasha deserves a taste of home, right?

So Wing quietly prepared, then picked a day to ask Kakavasha to run errands with Nagisa for a while. When Kakavasha returns, Wing's nearly done. The apartment probably smells incredible.]

[takesitall]

[Kakavasha gets used to the work and really does thrive, able to react on the fly to sudden changes and get people where they need to be. They start really pulling off things they have no right to pull off. It's amazing.

Kakavasha comes home after those errands and stops right in the foyer.]

Wing?

[quicksilverwings]

[From the kitchen:]

In here, Kakavasha.

[takesitall]

Why does it smell like Sigonia in here?

[He comes into the kitchen, wary and unsure but somehow also eager.]

[quicksilverwings]

Akabane found something interesting a few days ago.

[He holds the book of recipes out to Kakavasha for him to take.]

This.

[takesitall]

What...

[Kakavasha takes the book, looking through it confused.]

What is this? It looks like a cookbook, but...

[quicksilverwings]

Akabane said his mother put it together a very long time ago, when she visited Sigonia herself. She'd spent some time with the Avgin people and recorded as many recipes as she could.

[He pulls something out of the oven--food from earlier that he'd stashed in there to make sure it stayed warm.]

... He said his mother wouldn't miss it, and that we'd get more use out of it.

[takesitall]

[Wing pulls the dish out and Kakavasha nearly drops the book.]

That's...what recipe was that? Did it say where she got it from? Who?

[quicksilverwings]

It's on the page I marked with the blue sticky note. She included a photo of the folks she got it from.

[takesitall]

[He flips to see--

And he just drops the book as his knees give out.]

That...Mama.

[quicksilverwings]

Ah-- Kakavasha--! [He will set the dish down on the stove so he can come over and fuss a bit.

His expression softens a little.]

... The photos are pretty easy to remove, if you want to take it.

[takesitall]

Please? That...that's us. In that photo. I'm the baby, Mama's holding me, there's even Grandma, she died when I was really little...

[quicksilverwings]

Of course, Kakavasha. It's rightfully yours anyway.

[As he wraps his arms around Kakavasha's shoulders.]

... The book is, too, really.