Nanowrimo Bits - 11/6/19 (Patreon)

A snippet from today's Nanowrimo - 

“So you do magic, too?” Flannery asked, just blurting it out. 

“Yeah, some.” Ashe shrugged. “Not as much as Aunt Fae does, though. I’m not that powerful yet.” She glanced Flannery’s way, and Flannery swore she saw a little bit of jealousy behind her eyes. “I’ve been here a few years, now. Came to live with my Aunt Fae after my dad started talking about getting married again. My mom passed when I was like, six. I didn’t…I didn’t want to live with a woman who could possibly replace my mom. Or a woman who would try. I didn’t trust that she wouldn’t resent me, you know. So I basically ran away. Came to visit Aunt Fae one summer and just, never went back. I see my dad on holidays now, and we talk over the phone and stuff, but that’s kind of it.”

Flannery nodded in understanding, stuffing her hands into her pockets. “It kinda sounds like you let the lady you don’t like win, though. I mean, you didn’t want her to replace your mom, but you left. So she basically replaced both of you. She have kids?”

“Two daughters,” Ashe answered, sounding bitter. “She spoils them rotten.”

“Yeah. You, like, let her win, man. Even if she didn’t actively resent you or want to replace you, you kind of made that choice for her. And, like, your dad is allowed to date people. He’s allowed to find someone to help him not be lonely. Yeah, you’re his daughter, but it’s not the same thing. And what good are you at keeping him from being lonely when you just up and left?”

Ashe bristled at that. “Yeah, well, who asked you?”

“Man, nobody. But you brought it up!” Flannery argued. “You don’t bring up shit like that to someone you just met. And don’t tell me I’m not allowed to have an opinion about that shit, because you just had your hands all up in my energy. Maybe I was trying to be helpful. You know, since you went out of your way to help me. I’ll just mind my damn business and keep my mouth shut next time. Damn!” 

The tram pulled up, and Flannery hopped on. “You don’t have to come with me. I got it.”

Ashe glared, a scowl pulling at her lips. “No. I promised Aunt Fae I’d get you home.”

“Man, you didn’t say shit when she told you to do that.”

The tram was, luckily – or perhaps unluckily, empty. Flannery flopped onto a seat, crossing her arms. She took back everything she said about Ashe. Who the hell brings up that kind of baggage with someone they just met unless they either wanted advice or pity? And Flannery didn’t “do” pity. She was more the kind to try and help, or at the very least give her perspective on something. Sometimes an outside opinion on things was helpful, at least so she found. 

Ashe sat across from her, glaring daggers into Flannery. “How the hell did you manage to be so powerful anyway? You hardly spent anytime in this town. I’ve been here for years and I’m not even half that sensitive to other people’s magic.”

“I don’t know, bitch! You tell me. You seem to know so much about this town and the people in it, but your auntie isn’t saying shit! I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t even want anything to do with these Grimm assholes or this weird ass magic bullshit! I just wanted to spend my summer in a nice tourist town before going off to college and disappointing my dad by not being a damn lawyer or stock broker, okay?”

Ashe growled, near feral sounding. “Are you kidding me? You just want to ignore this amazing gift you have? To what? Run off and get a degree you’ll never use? To get a job that’ll make you miserable?” 

Flannery turned to face Ashe this time, her eyes burning. “Hey, if I’m not allowed to say shit about your life choices, you don’t get to say shit about mine! At least I was trying to be helpful! You’re just being a bitter asshole.” 

Ashe inhaled sharply, her face pinching like she’d eaten something sour. Then, amazingly, Flannery could see her hackles falling. She sighed. “You’re right.”

Flannery blinked owlishly, taken aback. “What?”

“You’re right,” Ashe said, running a hand through her ashy blonde hair. “I’m being a bitter bitch. I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you. Aunt Fae has always said I the one who brings the most negativity in my life. I just. Can you imagine? Like, imagine I came in out of nowhere and picked up your camera, having no training in my life, and managed to win some kind of Pulitzer Prize or something with the first photo I take. This…feels like that.”

Flannery shrugged. “Photography is a lot about luck. Lucky that the weather is good; lucky that whatever you wanted to photograph is where you expect it to be; lucky to capture it just at the right moment. I’d be amazed, yeah, that someone without training managed to win a Pulitzer. But I don’t think I’d begrudge you that. Though, I might be concerned what you stumbled upon your first day with a camera that you were able to take a Pulitzer winning shot of.” 

Ashe groaned. “God, stop sounding so damn humble and wise. You’re making me feel worse.”

“Sorry?”

“No, no. That was a joke, I promise.” Ashe smiled, a little quirk of the corner of her mouth. “Sorry, my humor is a bit hard on new comers sometimes. Yuki says it’s too flat for people to pick up on.”

“Mine’s the same way, don’t worry about it,” Flannery assured her. “Now that I know, I’ll keep an eye out for it.”

“If you want, I guess.” Ashe looked out the window. “This is your stop. The shop should be just across the street and like, four buildings down. Think you can make it there without me?”

“Probably. I’ll just punch anyone who looks particularly Grimm.” Flannery grinned and waggled her brows, proud of herself for that one.

“Ugh, you’re officially the worst!” Ashe groaned loudly. “Get off my damn tram.”