It would have been an understatement to say that Ira was in a very bad mood for the next few days at work. Her concentration was completely lost, as most of her time was spent watching Elijah at a distance. So, it did not come as a surprise when Ira was caught by her one and only friend. 

“So... which ex of yours is that?” Jordan craned her neck to peer towards the mysterious stranger that seemed to have her friend’s attention. 

“Wh- what?!” Ira sputtered, whirling back almost immediately to stare at Jordan. 

“I know you, Ira.” Jordan cocked an eyebrow at her flustered friend. 

“Do you?” Ira crossed her arms as heat prickled the back of her neck. 

“You go for the ‘broken’ ones because you think that’s the only type of people you can love.” Jordan’s lips lifted up into a smirk, teasingly, as her gaze drifted to meet Ira’s own.  “And you only believe that because you’re just projecting.”

“When did you come to this conclusion?” A lump began to lodge itself in Ira’s throat. 

“Since your last break up.” 

Ira swallowed thickly, her pulse fluttering underneath her skin as a surge of emotions overcame her. It’s not the same, she wanted to say.

“Oh...well...” Ira let her words drift as she stole a quick glance at the topic of their conversation.

It had taken Ira months to move on from her ex-girlfriend, especially since their relationship ended on a sour note. Even now, despite everything that she went through because of her, Ira would let her back into her life in a heartbeat. Elijah was no different and Jordan understood this.

“He definitely looks the part.” A low wolf whistle came out of Jordan as her eyes raked Elijah’s form. 

“I get it though,” Jordan went on as Ira forced herself to listen, “you miss what you guys had. The person they used to be before everything happened. But that’s in the past and-“

“No, you don’t get it. It’s complicated.” Ira retorted almost too quickly.  “I mean- sorry. It’s just… I feel so dumb.”

Ira chewed the bottom of her lip as she casted her gaze to the floor. 

Jordan remained quiet, patiently waiting for her friend to explain herself. 

“It’s been years since I felt like this. And, it’s so stupid because we were teenagers. I don’t know why it hurts so much or why I’m holding such a grudge.” With a sigh, her shoulders sagged along with her body.

“It’s ok to still have feelings. I’m guessing he was your first love?”

Brown eyes met one creased red eye. Ira looked away in shame after a moment.

“It’s complicated.”

“I know. You’ve already said it. And, your state of denial is very entertaining. But I get it. Not the part about you and him, though. This doesn’t feel like your typical teenage-love drama.” Jordan allowed herself a fraction of a smile at her teasing. 

“Ahaha, not unless your crush tried to kill you and then disappeared without a trace.” Ira said without hesitation. 

“That seems oddly specific… I mean, I wouldn’t know much about teenage drama anyways. I literally spent most of my youth studying the dead.” Jordan replied with a shrug. 

“I swear, you can’t go a minute without mentioning that you work with people who aren’t alive.”

“What? I’m passionate about my job.”

“Obsessive more like it.” 

Jordan gasped with a faux, offended expression on her face. 

“I could be so mean-“

“When are you not ahaha-“

“Ok at least I’m not obsessive as you are when you like someone.” Jordan jabbed, lifting an eyebrow as Ira gave her a crown. 

“Ouch, right where it hurts.” 

“But you know why I work with dead bodies right?”

“Not really. Honestly, I don’t see why you chose this job. But, I think it’s cool that you knew what you wanted to be when you were so young. Especially since you stuck with it until now.” Ira admitted, leaning back in her chair. 

“Aw, thank you. Anyways, my form of necromancy is used to bring the original soul back to its body for at least a minute. And in that minute, the victim has a chance to tell me what might have happened to them or who they want me to inform of their passing.” Jordan began, pushing herself off from Ira’s desk.

“That minute is precious because it’s all the time they have left on this plane of existence, and it’s my job to give them either closure or a chance to say one last thing. But sometimes, it’s wasted. Whether it‘s because of regret or it’s just not enough time for them to say what they want.” 

Jordan took her job seriously, and Ira could see the love in her gaze as she spoke. 

“So, my job isn’t just being a medical examiner. I’m the voice of the thoughts that went unspoken.”

Ira struggled to keep her mouth from hanging open in awe.

“Wow. That’s… amazing.” 

“Now, I didn’t mean to bore you-“

“You didn’t-“

“Ira.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m telling you this so hopefully you realize that you’re here right now, alive and breathing.” Jordan said, allowing Ira a moment to process her works. 

“Ok..?”

“And he’s here as well.”

“I don’t-“

“Go talk to him.”

Ira blinked. 

“I know he might not give you the closure you’re looking for, and he might leave you with more questions than answers...But, at least you know you took the chance. I’ll be here if anything happens ok?” Jordan said with a smile. 

Ira tilted his head, her ruby colored eye raking Elijah’s frame in the distance, contemplating. 

“Yeah. Ok. I think I want to talk to him.”

“Don’t be stupid ok!”

“Sorry, can’t hear you!”

Unconsciously, Ira began walking away. Jordan was right about one thing, she was not going to put up with anything Elijah had to throw at her, that’s for sure. She wanted to try and have a civil conversation, at least. Ira quickly made a turn down the hall, passing by the interrogation room, unnoticed. She bound towards the break room with the idea that a cup of coffee would ease the tension. At least, she hoped it would. Elijah always took his coffee with creme and three packets of sugar. It always disgusted her how much of a sweet tooth he had. She hesitated. Was she doing the right thing? If she wanted to work alongside him, they’d have to work through a lot of issues. 

Trying to suppress her anxiety, Ira turned her attention to the coffee marker. Nothing needed to be prepared, it was an enchanted self refilling coffee pot. So, she quickly poured herself a cup, added what was needed and left. Ira paid no mind to the people around her.  With the cup in hand, she strode unsteadily towards him. She could feel herself start to shake once Elijah finally acknowledged her presence. Ira grimaced as she approached, reassuring herself that, given time, this would sort out itself, if she didn’t mess this up by lashing out. 

He wrapped his hand around her wrist, relishing its warmth while he pulled her forward. Ira struggled for a moment as he raised her hand, guiding it towards his mouth as he took a sip of coffee. Once it left his lips, he spat in her face and she set the cup aside. Ira let her mind wander, at what she could possibly do next. 

She turned her head towards him as anger and hurt bubbled inside of her. She saw the chance to fire off at the other, and stepped forward. However, she was interrupted before she could do any real harm.

“Whatever you have to say or offer, I am not going to fall for it. I refuse to let someone make a fool of me again.” Elijah spoke as if venom dripped from his words. Ira’s shocked expression was nothing compared to the lethal, stricken darkness of Elijah’s glare.

Ira raised an eyebrow at his statement, aware of how Elijah’s ears lowered defensively. He looked so vulnerable. She wondered what could have possibly happened to him that caused such a pained expression. Who had the power to hurt him in such a matter? She’d ask him when she wasn’t soaked with his spit and coffee. 

“Why don’t we talk this through like adults?” Ira offered, unbuttoning her vest and using it to towel off her face. 

“Fine.” 

She picked up the coffee cup, and what was left in it, as she led Elijah to the interrogation room she found him in, days earlier. Just as she settled herself by the table, Elijah leapt. Ira , with great force, tore Elijah off and slammed her opponent into the wall beside her. A cry of pain reverberated through the room as blood spurted from Elijah’s nose. Ira wasted no time and drove a knee into his ribs, forcing the air from his lungs with a single blow. For one second, she truly thought she’d managed to end the fight. 

But, he sputtered, backing away slowly before regaining his balance in an almost inhuman fashion. Before Ira could even follow through to her next attack, Elijah pulled back his arm and slammed it down onto the right side of Ira’s face.  The bruises burned where they flourished, quickly picking up color on her light skin. She scrunched her face in pain before pushing herself onwards. 

Each blow after that seemed to favor her right side, exploiting her blindness and depth perception. Yet, it wasn’t enough. He expected Ira to dodge or move out of the way, but she kept taking each hit with little, to no hesitation. All it took was for him to raise a bloodied, sweat-soaked fist to make contact with her temple. It wasn’t until the sixth blow when Ira decided she had enough and tackled him to the ground. The two of them wrestled, and Ira fought with everyone she had. 

Ira eventually pinned his arms above his head and sat on his waist to prevent him from pulling away. She leaned down far enough to feel his breath against her face. It was warm compared to the cool air that came from the room around them. She wondered how long they stayed like that, staring at each other, neither one moving or speaking. The temptation to lean further down was deafening, but she resisted. 

The room continued to be filled with painting breaths, heart beats racing back and forth like a samba. Elijah’s teeth were gritted, holding back pleas that he kept on his tongue. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of begging for mercy. He started it and he’d let it end by her hands. 

“Fuck, what the hell was that?” Ira spat, blood dripping down her face. She glared at him with callous fury. “Were you trying to kill me?”

“And what if I was?”

Elijah cocked his eyebrow and waited for a response from Ira. She quickly glanced away like she had drawn a blank on what she was going to say. When she gave no indication of initiating a conversation, Elijah shook his head and chuckled at Ira. 

“Am I dreaming or did you really just fight back and pin me down?”

“Yeah I did, don’t cream your pants.” She said, though, the longer she analyzed his face, the more it taunted her. 

“I didn’t know you were this good at fighting.” 

Ira laughed. 

“Is that a genuine compliment? Are you complimenting me right now? No sarcasm? At all?” 

“I know, I'm as shocked as you are.” Elijah said, merely giving Ira a quick nod.  “Seriously, I didn’t expect it from you.”

“Ouch, ok. Asshole.” 

“If you were this good at showing off, maybe everyone here wouldn’t hate or look down on you. Imagine the look on their faces if they knew you could have fought the Night Crawler and won.“

Ira said nothing as she dragged Elijah up with her. 

“Maybe, you should keep your mouth shut on matters you don’t know about.” Ira hissed. 

Her head throbbed ached, hideously. She could hear her own pulse in ears as she let out a strained sigh. 

“I know, plenty.”

“Like what?”

“No one likes you.”

“Fine, ok fair point. I don’t even like myself, but that doesn’t prove anything.” She snapped. 

“Seriously, what is your problem?” Elijah voiced, narrowing his eyes. 

“That would take way too long to answer.” Ira said as she took a deep breath to calm herself.  

“Well, we have all the time in the world.” He sneered, waving his hand dismissively. “So, get to it.”

“Ok, smart ass. You just wasted at least 5 minutes of our time fighting me, physically.” She quipped, her brow drawn into a scowl. “Then, you failed to escape.” 

“And?”

“And? I made you coffee.” Ira deadpanned. 

She gestured towards the table in the middle of the room where the coffee stood, somehow, unspilled. 

“If you poisoned it, just know it’s going to take more than just a cup to take me down.” Elijah warned. 

Reluctantly, he brought the beverage to his lips. To his surprise, the taste of coffee left a familiar feeling in his throat; Ira remembered the way he liked his coffee. He had been too occupied with trying to escape earlier to even notice it. Elijah was distantly aware of the way she was staring at him, eyes curiously searching his face for a reaction. He refused to admit that her kind gesture affected him greatly.

“How… how did you remember how I liked my coffee?” He questioned as his voice deepened with a roil of emotions he could not place. 

“Because I know you. Or I did…. And I remember what you look like when you enjoy something.” Ira said with a tender look in her eye. 

It had to be a trick. 

 “Do you wish to see me at my weakest? Is that what you desire? If I get on my knees for you, if I beg, if I—“ Elijah felt his breath escape him. 

What was he talking about? The world pulsed with every word uttered by Elijah and Ira’s panic grew. He snarled in an animalistic way, something Ira hadn’t seen in many years. As he backed away from her, he bared his fangs and knocked over the chair to further distance himself from her. Ira winced at the sound of the chair scraping over the floor as he surged upright. Gently, she leaned over and cupped the side of his arms. She wondered what Elijah could have said if she hadn’t interrupted him, but her curiosity could wait for another time.

“No! I just want to talk. Just talk. Is that ok with you? Are you going to be ok? Do you need anything? Besides medical attention from that nosebleed I gave you. I hope your nose isn’t broken.” She breathed, shaking her head and squeezing his arm softly before loosening her grip. Ira watched as puzzlement clouded Elijah’s eyes. “I don’t know why you would think I’d make you do something as horrible as that...you know me. Well, you knew me. I…cared about you.”

When her comment elicited no response, Ira began to worry. 

“Look, I don’t know why me making you coffee has gotten you so riled up, but I see that you’re upset. Maybe it’s the adrenaline from us fighting that’s slowly wearing off… but I promise, I didn’t do it to sway you. I just… I just wanted us to be comfortable with each other and relax. And, I thought caffeine might help, but I could be wrong- I’m always wrong.”

Elijah eased a bit. 

“I could be tempted with a bit of lunch.” 

“Don’t push your luck, pretty boy. I will kick your ass again, I’m still very pissed off.” She warned. “For good reason, too. You literally just said none of my coworkers like me, and though you’re not wrong, I didn’t want to hear that from a guy who spent the last few minutes beating me up. Oh, and also, you attacked me!” 

Elijah’s ears lowered in embarrassment. 

“You still won, though.” He mumbled. 

“Anyways, I just… want to talk about something that happened a couple years back, when we were at the academy together.”