✧ 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

[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.

[takesitall]

Are you sure? She won't miss it?

[As he pulls the photo off the page to look at it better.]

[quicksilverwings]

From what Akabane said, it hadn't been touched in years anyway.

[takesitall]

If you're both sure.

[He holds the photo close.]

...that dish was my favorite, when Mama could make it.

[quicksilverwings]

Is that so? I'm glad I decided on making it, then.

[He briefly squeezes Kakavasha tighter before letting go.]

Go sit down and I'll bring everything in?

[takesitall]

Alright. Oh, if you have chai? It's best served cold with milk, with this.

[quicksilverwings]

Alright!

[Luckily, he had prepared some earlier, so he brings that out as well.]

Technically, I couldn't find it, but I could find what's used to make it.

[Once everything's set on the coffee table, he sits down on the sofa.]

[takesitall]

[Kakavasha is still looking at the photo when Wing comes in and sits down. He sets it aside, safely under his phone, and smiles.]

It all smells amazing. Do you know how to eat this? It's kind of spicy.