Ensconce

Prologue: Don't Be an Idiot Without a Jacket

AMAPOLA sat up in bed.

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Her mornings began like this...unbreachable silence that can only be attained at 4 AM. As she stared across her room to the small window that hung above her dresser. The wooden shutters gently tapped the window, swaying from the small gust of crisp morning air that had snuck through the crack in the window.

She blinked.

She had been meaning to get someone to fix it.

She blinked again.

Winter would soon be on its way and her little window draft might soon be replaced with water leaks from rain or snow.

She sighed.

If she had time and extra money she would replace the window. Rather the window than her hardwood floor.

With that resolved, she pushed back the covers and went about her morning routine. Work began in an hour and she didn't wish to miss the bus or her chance at breakfast.

After setting her coffee machine to brew, she hopped into the shower and opted for a quick hair wash. She didn't smell bad, as far as she could tell. And it wasn't like she actually interacted with anyone, minus a few of her fellow co-workers. Glad that she wasn't the face of the bakery she worked at, she washed and moisturized her face. While she had little concern for what others thought of her, she was a woman with standards of hygiene.

She put her hair back in a ponytail as she looked for her boots. After that she leisurely sipped her coffee.

At the door she displayed great emotion! Should she or should she not wear a thicker jacket? Maybe even a beanie. The deliberation paired with the lack of time broke through Amapola's calm and she tilted her head to the side and scrunched one eyebrow.

'Might as well...', she thought. 'I'm not going to be an idiot that complains of the cold.' And with that she gathered her belongings and rushed out into the pale morning.

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RAZVAN hated waiting. It made him feel pathetic and restless. And that was exactly what that fool Micah was doing. Making him wait. He had been up all night driving through the city, and then on foot, trekking up endless blocks; between all those skimpy alleyways that you knew you are better off avoiding. And now this...

He leaned against a dark brick wall and tapped his toe against the cold sidewalk. It was the beginning of autumn and he was rebuking himself for not wearing a thicker jacket. He was an idiot.

And in more ways than one. He should have known Micah would screw up somehow and he would be up late trying to fix it. The kid was too new. Too bright-eyed. Too bratty. 'As soon as he comes back, I'll--!'

'Find a coffee shop or something to warm up in...', he thought.

He rubbed together his naked hands and blew his hot breath on them. No use. He kicked some fallen tree leaves. Then he stomped on them, just once. Just to hear the crunch of the leaves. Just because he knew that he wouldn't be able to hear the crunch of Micah's arms snapping in two, because Boss would skin him alive for laying a finger on his dear sweet nephew. That was fine by Razvan. There were other ways tormenting the kid. He began to think deviously.

'I'll drive him all the way to the zoo, cover him in fish guts, throw him into the polar bear exhibit, lock the door and--'

"I'm BAAAAAAAACK!", Micah bolted out of the front door. "Oh, Razzzzy! How I missed you, baby!!!" Before he could launch himself onto him in a hugging frenzy, Razvan socked him in the face, then, grumbling, stormed to the car, which was parked in a dodgy corner, and slammed the door on his way in.

Micah, hand to his face, eyes downcast, sullenly trod to the car. Razvan honked the horn of the car impatiently.

"You didn't HAVE to do that. I know I fucked up the deal..." Micah muttered as soon as he got to the car.

Through gritted teeth, Razvan stiffly turned to Micah from the driver's seat.

"I didn't do that because of the deal. It was my mistake for trusting you. That's on me." He started the car and veered out of the sketchy neighborhood.

"Then what the fuck was that for?" Micah yelped.

"BECAUSE YOU MADE ME WAIT OUTSIDE FOR 3 FUCKING HOURS!" He exhaled deeply and kept his eyes on the road. "And it was cold..."

"So what? You're the 'tough' idiot that doesn't wear a thicker jacket in the middle of September! So stop complaining." Micah pulled out his phone and checked for missed messages.

They traveled in silence. "Hey do you think we can stop at that, coffee shop up ahead?"

Razvan grudgingly slowed down, both for a young boy to cross the street and to look for a parking space.

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There you have it. The beginning.

This idea is rather odd and I'm trying to imagine the best possible way for them to meet. But they are such contrary characters that I can't seem to picture them meeting. All I will say that we shall see where the characters take the story... I am a firm believer that I don't hold all the stories in my mind, they are real and alive, and the characters beg me to bring them into reality. I only try my best to make it the most accurate and told from the right perspective. I'll try to publish the official first chapter soon. Who knows? Maybe Amapola and Razvan want me to gift it to the Wattpad community for Christmas.

I hope you got some semblance of pleasure reading this prologue. Ciao now.

-Miace Valztoro