[PRP] a fire put out (shun & jeremiah)

[azuredreams]

The door to his office, his new one as Chief of Police, was opened and Jeremiah was working at his desk. There were a pile of requests that he was working through as well as an official statement that needed to be released later to the press.

He was, more often than not, quite swamped but he navigated it and his life with a surprising ease. So far. Thankfully he had not had to make use of his couch (that had been moved from his other office) but he had gone through more tea of late and had to get restocked from Eve's store.

Jeremiah was in the process of getting up to stretch his legs, eyes cutting to the panda frame photograph that was turned away from him and now faced those who looked at his desk, to get another cup of tea.

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun had a little bit of downtime from his cases, as he was waiting on a thing or two before he could proceed. As he was walking by Jeremiah's new office, he noticed his boss up and about within. He was reminded that he had a few things to talk to and ask about.

"Chief Mercer," he greeted, poking his head in, "I would like a word with you once you are free. After work or otherwise."

He figured the older man had enough on his plate right now. The detective noticed the small stack of papers on his desk. All the paperwork that Jeremiah had to do now must be a pain.

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"Now is as good as ever, Sergeant," Jeremiah replied, in the process of pouring himself another cup of tea from the electric kettle he had in the office.

It was better than nothing and at least was palpable (because it came from Eve's shop) than the things that they had in the breakroom.

"Close the door, if you would?" Even if it was just related to cases for work, it was still better to discuss things behind closed doors.

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Tilting his head at that, Shun nodded and went on into the office, closing the door behind him.

"I mostly wanted to check in on you since... I recall you mentioning that you had made a deal or promise regarding the three teens," he stated, placing his hands onto the back of one of the chairs before the desk.

Making a deal with Sunny and failing to complete it sounded like it would spell trouble.

"Have you received any trouble from Sunny?"

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

Jeremiah noticeably stiffened and Shun was treated to a sharp glowing eyed gaze. It faded almost immediately but it was there.

His cup chilled in his hand and he let out a sigh. It would be drank anyway.

"The deal is broken, Shun, and she takes her price in blood or worse."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun met that gaze. It seemed that something had happened after all, but he wasn't able to pick up on much more beyond that.

"Yes. So are you alright? That is what I am asking."

He saw no visible injuries on the man. The Chief seemed somewhat stressed, but that could be from a number of different things. From Sunny to that stack of paperwork to something else completely.

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I went to see her and she shoved her hand into my chest and threatened to take my heart, Shun." Jeremiah gestured for him to have a cup of tea if he wanted. It was strong and the rest of the kettle was warm even if his own glass was now chill.

"I'm as alright can be given what happened after that."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

The detective stared at Jeremiah for a moment. His gaze shifted down to his chest, then back up to his eyes. That sounded incredibly uncomfortable and he was honestly surprised that he was up and about seemingly just fine after having someone's hand in his chest.

"What the ********> he breathed out before glancing to the tea kettle. After some consideration, he went ahead and poured himself a cup.

"And what exactly did happen after that?" he asked warily. Because apparently having the hand in his chest wasn't the worst of that encounter.

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"... as trite as this is to speak of," at least to Shun because he was not aware the man had someone who was important to him, "there are those who you could call a heart, Shun. It wasn't the heart in my chest that she took as payment but someone I greatly care for instead."

Jeremiah sighed, taking a drink of the cold tea. "I had no problem with her taking mine as payment. A deal is a deal but the other?" It was obvious it was something that it was far more costly.

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Jeremiah was right in that regard. Shun didn't have anyone he held close to his heart like that. He never had, either. So while he had heard of the concept, he had no actual experience with it.

"...Is Algernon okay?" he asked slowly. The man's husband was the first to come to mind as who could potentially be important enough for that. The detective was trying to think of what might have happened exactly. It was a little hard for him to wrap his head around this.

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"My husband is alright, Shun, but thank you for asking." That Shun asked after Algie meant something but what it meant could not be said. Jeremiah took a seat at his desk, leaning back in the chair a moment before he continued on.

"It was my son," he said after a quiet moment, "Zac." Though he was not officially his son, Zac had been considered his for years even before he had gotten legal guardianship. "She did not do anything to him," Jeremiah continued on, "but to me. To my eyes, to ... everything."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

So it hadn't been Algernon. Shun wasn't actually certain who else was that close to Jeremiah. He went on and took a sip of his tea, pausing momentarily as the Chief explained more of what had transpired. What that meant, though, he wasn't sure.

Something had happened regarding Zac, but to Jeremiah rather than Zac. He could rule out memory loss being the culprit here.

The detective tilted his head as he tried to figure it out. When it came to magic, though, there were so many different possibilities.

"Do you see him differently now or something?"

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

"I can't see him at all." Jeremiah eyes were hard, the blue-green darker than usual. His chill was often tied to both mood and stress and this was one of those moments.

At least his tea wasn't an ice cube.

"Or hear him," he added, "or feel him if he touches me."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Shun furrowed his brow at this. It was a little hard for him to imagine being unable to completely sense someone. This did have him wonder if Jeremiah could feel pain from any injuries inflicted by Zac, not that was likely to happen. It was just a thought that crossed his mind.

"I see..." he murmured. He imagined it was not easy having something like this happen with someone he cared greatly about. It was one way to lose someone, he supposed. The detective just couldn't picture the scale of it.

"That is... unfortunate."

To him, it could have been far worse. But it was easy for him to think something like that. He didn't have anyone like that.

"I doubt there is anything I could offer to help in that regard."

Azuredreams

 

[azuredreams]

It could have been worse, far worse, but it was - in it's own way - the worst thing it could have been. Jeremiah could have accepted his death for failure, could have even met whatever the cost would have been in blood with ease, but this?

This was just another way of Sunny twisting the knife in without actually killing him.

"If I learn of anything that might change it, I may request your assistance. As it stands, apparently this is something she's done before." Which was not reassuring in the slightest. If anything it proved that Sunny was not human. To strip people of relationships like this was-

Jeremiah set his tea cup down and drummed his fingers against his desk. "Mind you, I may have made it incredibly clear that I've no issue with killing her if that becomes necessary so that likely did not help matters." He had offered her protection in the same breath but he had been making a point then.

Blade Kuroda