Warslave

Chapter 15: Anticipation

The Wolf

He'd barely slept, but still felt strangely refreshed.

Wolf already fell back into the routine he'd gotten into while first staying over at the bar, except that Phil was actually entertaining customers now, meaning there was more work for him in the kitchen as well.

Felt like a more productive thing to do while waiting for the next set of instructions. Weiss hadn't joined them later either, and something told Wolf that wasn't a good sign. It meant something was brewing.

He'd decided that for once, he wouldn't allow his thoughts to dwell on it and instead had kicked Phil out of the kitchen, taking over. The barkeep had jokingly called it a mutiny, before letting him.

It was only noon, but there was enough work to go around, especially when customers noticed that Phil wasn't the one cooking, which led Wolf to conclude two things. First off, people had very little faith in the bartender, and second was that it was a miracle that the bar was still standing after all this time with such a seemingly poor cook.

But then, that was probably because it was the one place in the city where there was no chance of gangs shooting the place up. That and cheap, drinkable booze were a combination that would draw a lot of people in Hellpit.

He heard movement.

Iph still sounded half asleep.

"You making breakfast."

"Did that until four hours ago. Then I started making lunch, and in another two I'm starting on dinner. You always sleep in this late?"

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, shaking her head.

"It's a sunday and I don't have to work, okay? Besides, we had a busy night, how are you up so early?"

Wolf shrugged, moving from the oven to the stove.

"Force of habit. You're just late. Greyhound's already out and about to figure out why Weiss hasn't called it a wrap yet, and Harkon's already working on a little project I asked his input on. You need coffee?"

"Can't drink it. You have tea?"

"As it so happens, yes. And yes, there's eggs and toast."

"I thought my mind wasn't there?"

He placed the food in front of her, while using a flame in his palm to heat water for tea.

"It isn't, educated guess."

She shook her head.

"Really?"

"About a tenth educated, the rest is guesswork..." He stopped when she made no effort to move from the kitchen. "You're eating here?"

She motioned to herself.

"I don't usually look blue in public..."

"And I've fangs and claws, I don't think anyone's gonna give you weird looks-"

"It might cost me my job. I don't advertise that I'm an alien."

He thought about that, and had to admit that she was correct.

"Sounds way too complicated. But honesty would most likely get you killed, one way or another."

She smiled, taking a sip of the tea he gave her.

"Nice and morbid. I knew we were friends for a reason."

"I thought that was because you offered. As to why you did that, I'll have to take your word for it."