Ashen

Part Three

Where we left off:

"I look forward to working with you."

Her new partner was silent for a moment, as if he didn't enjoy speaking. When he finally did, she watched his Adam's apple dip past the scar of an acid burn on his neck. "Jasper. Drolden." His voice was low, his words like plucking strings of an upright bass. The sound inexplicably made October's ears feel hot. He didn't spare a glance from her eyes as he stuck his hands in his pockets and added: "What you said."

Next!

Without willing them, October's fingers rose to tuck her hair behind her ear. Catching them on the way back down, she cursed herself and tried to remember the last time she fiddled with her hair like a school girl. Probably when she was a school girl. She shook it off, and worked to continue the conversation.

"So, what precinct were you at before?" Did her voice get higher? Mentally she kicked herself.

Jasper, for his part, had the generational gift of an inscrutable poker face. This man didn't have a single tell to his name. He answered her simply, "Forty-Third."

"I was Forty-Fifth!" October beamed, but Jasper just sort of... stared. She gazed back unflinchingly, blocking the thought that her new partner was way too close to just her type, and wondering what cogs were turning behind those brilliant red eyes.

At that moment, Jasper's cogs were putting two and two together. Exceedingly rare violet colored irises, last name Hauntings- if this tiny woman, who seemed to really enjoy looking at him, wasn't related to the famous Captain Hauntings, then he'd give up his badge.

Subsequently, after reaching this conclusion, he finally realized he'd been staring just as much as she had, except with worse addition of having spoken less. He tore his attention from her strangely captivating eyes, but before he could make some lame attempt at small talk, his new Captain called to them from the doorway.

"Hauntings. Drolden." October's head spun to find Captain Ross across the room, loose strands of her dark hair bouncing, causing a faint aroma of citrus to float up to Jasper's nostrils. He almost sighed. Smelling that all day instead of sweat and musk was one of the best upsides of having a woman for a partner. The Captain grinned and beckoned them over. "Time to meet the rest of the team."

Jasper continued to silently analyze October as they walked across the bullpen. Her step was so sure, so confident, you wouldn't even notice she had to take two for every one of his. Impeccable posture, the kind you get from years of training yourself, straightened her form so anyone, at any time, could look at her and see that she was comfortable in her minuscule frame, and knew exactly she was doing. He wouldn't expect any less from someone who shared the genes of Captain Hauntings.

Ross began his spiel as they made their way. "As I'm sure you know, you two have been brought on because we just don't have enough bodies out there doing confrontational work, as-is. We have two shifts, day and night, but only had four teams to work them." The new Captain clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Used to be we could have one team per shift, but that's just not enough anymore."

October's brows scrunched together in thought. "You mean they had no days off?" She hurried her pace slightly to keep up as Ross led them to another separate room, similar to the briefing room, but with shining medals wall-to-wall. This was the home of Wrathfell's finest, the last line of defense between the Feral and the good people of both sides of the city. If there was one thing humans and Ashen could agree on, it was that the Hunters of Precinct 32 were the greatest heroes this city had ever seen.