Faefalling (working title)

13- Daemon calls about the expiration date on my friends

"Pop the lid off." She tossed it over.

I caught the object and twirled it around for a moment before casting Lazuli a clueless glance. "The... lid?"

She sighed. "Just... yea, it's that thing right there. The little ledge. Yea, you got it. Popㅡ open it. Yup, sorta like that, but maybe actually do it properly this time."

Just to clear things up, I did know what a lid was. I wasn't an idiot. The whatchamacallit in my palm just really didn't look like any container I'd ever seen. If it was, I couldn't find the lid. The jumbled explanation only made things worse. As she spoke, her fingers acted out what her words were trying to get across. I copied the movement, flicking my thumb upwards. It caught what must've been the lid. In a flash, a fire sprouted from within the box. My eyes widened. Tentative, I reached a finger out. My skin met the flame, and I drew back with a hiss, dropping the gadget.

"It's... it's real fire?" I mumbled.

"Well, of course it's real, dickhead. It's called a lighter. Now pick it up and get shit going. It's kinda cold," Lazuli smirked.

The box, or lighter, had shut during its tumble, extinguishing the flame with it. The whole popping it open part was a lot easier once you knew what you were doing. Once more, I was caught like a moth by the mesmerising apparition. I approached it to our pile of twigs and leaves, taking care to shelter the flickering flame from the wind. A couple of breaths later, it took hold.

"Eww. You're covered in zombie gunk. For real gross. No way in hell you're sleeping anywhere near me."

She had a point. Green patches stained my arms and clothes, even after our walk through the rain. I took a whiff. Gods, a thousand skunk sprays didn't come close.

"Might I point out, you're not much better yourself."

The watery sludge dripping from her hair and fingertips spoke for itself. Lazuli gawked at the goop, and I spotted the shriek building in her throat before she even knew it was coming.

"You seriously need to stop with this whole screaming when you're scared thing, leannán," I remarked, slapping a hand over her mouth.

She returned the favour with an actual slap. My hand snapped from her face to mine.

"And you seriously need to stop with this whole I'll just cover Lazuli's mouth whenever I please thing, dickhead. Real unnecessary."

The slight frown on her face eased my flash of ire, and I smirked. A torrent of chuckles was about to bubble over, and I was more than happy to let it through. Soon, I was rolling on the floor, hand pounding the dirt. At first, Lazuli was visibly confused. Rightfully so, I was being an absolute doofus. But, hey, you gotta let it out sometimes.

Apparently, doofus syndrome spread quick. She tried to hide it at first, a hand over her wide smile, but the laugh-attack was persistent. Lazuli was soon folded over, raked with giggles. I paused, gasping for air, and wiped damp locks out of my face as I stared at the beour. Her laugh was halfway between a twitter and a chortle.

"What?" Lazuli asked between snickers.

My eyes snapped away, heat climbing up my neck. I got to my feet and stepped from under the tree's berth. The rain hit like a thousand soft pebbles. A streak of light flashed off in the distance, illuminating the night. A thick layer of dark grey coated the sky. The moon wouldn't be able to make an appearance anytime soon. As the light faded, a nighthawk swooped into view. It dove straight into a cluster of insects. With a nasal shriek, it chomped down on the mouthful before heading off in search of a larger dinner. I closed my eyes for a moment. There was a quiet gurgle in the air, nearly hidden beneath the pitter patter.