“Umm I have to file all of this.” 

“Every single document. Should take you to the end of this week at least.” 

Aiden’s face was like an open book as Eve watched it twist between betrayal, regret, and pity in a brief little cycle. You could tell he regretted what he had done but backing out now was out of the question. That would give too much chance that he would change how severely he thought about doing what he had again. Instead Eve sighed and struggled to form the right words to make this smoother for him. 

“Look Kid. I know it might seem harsh but how would you feel if a stranger kissed you while you were unconscious.” 

“Violated.” Saying it to someone else brought home what he had done again. He held his gaze low to the floor unable to lift his now heavy head. 

“Yes. Keep that feeling there so you never do that again.” She placed a blank piece of paper on top of the pile. “Ruby has asked for a written apology. Think about it carefully and give it back to me when you’re done. That’s all the family has asked for and Mrs Sutton has said that she will be speaking to your Mother properly about this today.” 

“So we’re not really going to sit and do paperwork all day?” Aiden asked a mixture of hopeful and confused. 

 “Paperwork is to hammer the point in. Though look you’ll still get to sit in on my consulting sessions and the other guys sessions too. Bit of learning thrown in too, like you asked.” 

Ah so she had taken what he had said to heart. Aiden relaxed a little then as he got back to the paperwork before Eve’s first drop in appeared in the doorway. 

The drop in looked eighteen, possibly in her last few months at college. And at that moment she was covered in several kisses of different colours like a rainbow formed skin rash. The most prominent being a bright shade of blue and another matching purple one on the other cheek. 

“Hang on what’s he doing in here?!” She snapped freezing in the doorway. 

“Aiden is my apprentice for the week and he will not be telling anyone what happens in the consulting room.” Eve stood her ground her hands carefully positioned loosely at her sides. “Though of course if you are uncomfortable with his presence he can go work in another room for the duration.” 

“It’s fine. I’m just a bit jumpy… Though if I need to strip…” 

“Don’t worry I’d be long gone.” Aiden piped up his voice cracking a little, something that had not happened since he was fifteen.  

“As my apprentice, has put a little roughly he will leave the room.” Aiden swore he caught a small eye roll from Eve as she moved to pick up a form from the desk passing it to him. 

“You can take notes while we talk. That is if you can keep up.” 

Aiden gave her a glare grabbed the paper and straightened himself into his best dictation stance as Eve shut the door motioning for their client to sit down in one of the available chairs. 

“So, Miss I’m Eve Lagarde, I will be your Curse-Breaker today. We need a few details from you and then we can begin to look at identification and treatment.” 

“Okay. Though shouldn’t it be obvious why I’ve come here.” 

“You could be very surprised. I tend not to presume what a curse is upon appearance.” 

Eve took off her sunglasses that had been resting over her eyes in that old cliché style that the cool guys in movies tended to do. It was a little ridiculous considering that Aiden had watched her put them on for this reason just before their new client entered. 

“I can indeed see the magic that has affected you. However, I need to know if there are any other incidents you would like investigated, when you believe the curse was placed and if you are allergic to nuts.” 

“Err nuts?” 

“We can leave that question to last. It relates to the possible treatment method.” 

Eve waved her hand, before waiting again. 

“Well I only want this looked at.” The girl waved to her face. There were three dominant colours, finished up with a glowing gold on her own lips. 

“Do you have any idea when the curse could have been administered?” 

“I can tell you a two-hour window and even which idiot prankster who thinks they’re a goddamn genius did it.” 

Eve waited giving a small go on motion with her hands. One day people would finish sentences without the added drama of a pause. The pause was not very practical when you were coming to someone for assistance and needed you to answer questions but they all did it. It was as if they needed to extend the time of their suffering to make it a better story later. 

“It was at the party last night. Jason slipped it in the punch at least ten of us I know of got blotches from anyone we came into contact with. A few Mums have been helping out some of the others but...” 

She petered off cheeks going red as her mouth set in a grim line. More dramatic pause time. 

“Don’t worry I don’t need that information and I won’t be telling your parents as your ID confirms you are over 16.” 

“I guess I knew that. So, what else do you need to know?” The girl’s words were short and her gaze sharp as she finally seemed to trust Eve and have fully forgotten Aiden’s scribbling presence. 

“Nothing right this second but I need to do one thing to confirm your curse. Could you please place your fingers on the back of my hand? If you’re uncomfortable with this I will have to check another way but this will give an immediate result.” 

“Here.” 

She touched Eve’s hand nervously, her fingers brushing lightly against the scarred skin. The whole motion though gentle appeared like a swift slap as though playing a game of slapsies. When she lifted it away there was surprisingly no reaction. Eve nodded with a small smile. 

“Okay this is known as Rainbow Kissing curse. It’s a popular one with your party pranksters and only leaves marks of contact between those who have ingested the curse mixture. Its less annoying than the contagious version that can spread through any contact.” 

Eve paused rubbing her own hand. It was a little stupid to risk getting infected but other methods involved magic and it was rare that it was ever the second kissing curse. Still, she was never telling Aiden the truth of this if he didn’t know the safe test. Eve had more than a little pride after all. 

“The most common treatment for this curse is an application of a particular paste made out of almonds among other ingredients.” 

“So, that’s why you wanted to know if I had an allergy.” 

“Indeed Miss.” 

“I’m afraid I am allergic… Does that mean I can’t be cured?” The girl was calm but there was a slight twitch in her facial muscles that suggested that could change rapidly. 

“Not at all. It will mean that you will have to wait a little while at the clinic. The other procedure to remove the curse needs a sorcerer level incantation which I cannot provide. However, Damien my co-worker can. Just have to wait for a free slot with him.” 

“Well, that’s a relief.” She breathed out the twitch fading away. “You’ve settled my nerves for the day.” 

“No problem. I will send Aiden here to ask Damien to come see you while I show you to a private waiting room.” 

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask for my name.” 

“A lot of my clients who drop in tend not to want to share their name.” 

“Mine is Laura.” Her whole body rippled with a sigh. “Thank you, Eve.” 

 Eve motioned her out before turning back to Aiden raising her eyebrow. 

“Got all that Scribe?”