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[right][code]Harbour[/code][/right][hr]
Linqian could feel someone’s gaze on her.

It was probably just some guy who’d walked past and was checking her out, understandably. She took another drag of her cigarette, smoke blowing away with the sea breeze, and looked up to tell whoever it was to fuck off-

The words died on her lips as she caught sight of Sloane… actually dressed for halloween. For a moment she was speechless. It was completely (discordant) with her image of Sloane. Who even was she? Linqian squinted. It wasn’t some kind of spooky, generic costume… Something from a show or book? Linqian hadn’t watched television properly since she was a kid.

Wait, why did she even care? 

Linqian’s lips twisted down into a scowl, and her dark eyes narrowed into a glare. 

[color=CD5C5C]”What the fuck do you want, [i]Sloane[/i]?”[/color]  

Sloane had already begun to turn away, anticipating the outcome of any conversation with Linqian, yet she couldn’t stop herself from rearing back towards the woman as Linqian called out to her. Sloane glared at Linqian, the harbor becoming nothing more than a backdrop as the boardwalk shifted and became a fencing strip with Linqian squaring off across the piste from her en garde. A phantom referee called for the match to start and as predicted Linqian had opened the attack with a lunge of vulgarity. Sloane was quick to answer with a harsh parry and a wry riposte.

[color=silver]“With you? Absolutely nothing. Ever,”[/color] said Sloane, her eyes vacant and dull like those of a fish from this morning’s catch. Her tongue flicked out a puff of air—a scoff, maybe, or perhaps Sloane’s best attempt at scathing laugh. [color=silver]“I was just checking to make sure that I wasn’t about to be blindsided by the Quran or a copy of Dianetics. This area is rampant with violent nutjobs assaulting people with scripture.”[/color]

She coughed into her glove as if Linqian’s cigarette was bothering her despite being upwind and moved, ready to score her point and abandon her imaginary epee in the water as it once again became part of a harbor. However, Sloane’s feet wouldn’t budge as if they were encased in concrete, and nowhere near were they as heavy as the thing that was weighing upon her heart. She shifted the tilt of her head ever so slightly, her chin lowering by a handful of millimeters. Perhaps Anya would’ve been able to determine what the look meant, but to Linqian it might as well have been an imperceptible shift in demeanor. 

[color=silver]“No, there is one more thing,”[/color] said Sloane, sounding like a courtroom stenographer reading back the record over a heated property line dispute between two neighbors who happened to be insurance agents. She slipped her hands into her coat pockets. The ink must’ve not dried on the transcript and gotten blurred as her words became staccato. [color=silver]“She’s wrong. Lynn is, I mean. You don’t deserve it. Nobody does.”[/color]

How earnest Sloane was could only be guessed, but Linqian would know immediately that she was talking about Jinhai. 

Linqian rolled her eyes, preparing to deflect Sloane's riposte and lunge back in for a vicious strike of her own- when Sloane completely shocked her. Her eyes widened, her jaw went slack and her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. Was Sloane dying? Had she finally seen a doctor about the massive stick stuck up her ass? 

[color=CD5C5C]”Wow, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me,”[/color] Linqian laughed in disbelief. She was going to take it as being genuine - not because she thought Sloane had stopped being an uptight bitch, but because she hoped the relationship Jinhai had built with her was worth enough for Sloane to believe it wasn't deserved. She took another drag of her cigarette just to cope with Sloane being 'nice', turning her head away from her to blow out the smoke. She wasn't so much of an asshole to force second hand smoke on a non smoker. [color=CD5C5C]”You're right, for once. I don't deserve it, and nor did he. As if he deserved to die just to make my life shit… Fuck, people are quick to forget what Jinhai did for everyone here- at least you haven't. Nice to know some of his friends don't forget him as soon as he's gone.”[/color]

It was obvious Linqian was being genuine with what she said, with a completely neutral expression - compared to the harsh scowl that never left her lips around Sloane. She may hate her, but she could also appreciate that she hadn't just abandoned Jinhai like most of his other friends had… friends that hadn't had the same problems with her. It was a single point in Sloane's favour. 

[color=silver]“I never will. Jinhai was special,”[/color] said Sloane, looking out across the harbor. Linqian was right: people were quick to forget about everything you did for them. When Sloane had been kicked out of the Coven, Jinhai was one of the few people who had treated her like she wasn’t dead. Even before all of that he had seen that she wanted only to help and had appreciated her dedication. Jinhai had made Sloane feel accepted. It didn’t matter now what people thought of her, or at least that’s what she told herself,  but when she was a teenage girl it was the only thing. She had wanted nothing more than to be around someone like that, but Linqian had made that impossible.

 [color=silver]“He was my friend. One of my few friends. I cared more about him then you would ever know,”[/color] she said, turning back towards Linqian and closing the distance between the two by just a couple of steps. The air was still chilly, but Sloane felt uncomfortably warm in her jacket. [color=silver]“So I am sorry for your loss.”[/color]

After Jinhai had been murdered there had been no phone call, no funeral invitation, not even a publicly listed gravesite to visit. Sloane didn’t need any proof when she had a decade of circumstantial evidence that said it was Linqian’s fault Sloane never had a chance to mourn. 

[color=silver]“But you say that Jinhai’s death made your life shit and I just can’t agree with that,”[/color] said Sloane. [color=silver]“Jinhai’s death was a tragedy. Your life is a comedy of errors. Start taking some responsibility.”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”Are you fucking with me?”[/color] Linqian's lips twisted back down into a harsh smile, eyes glinting with cold rage. There was the Sloane she knew and hated. All the good words she'd said about Jinhai were blown away just like that. How dare she? [color=CD5C5C]”Do you think you fucking know me? All you have is a twisted idea of what I'm like based of your initial fucking judgement. Do you have [I]any[/I] idea what I've been doing for the last ten years?”[/color]

Linqian pushed herself off the wall and closed the remaining distance between them, smoldering cigarette hanging at her side. She didn't push into Sloane's personal space, but she was close - glaring down at her with a near murderous gaze. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I dropped out of highschool to support my family. I've worked non stop for ten years, paying to keep a roof over our fucking heads, to keep my brothers fed, and for Jinhai's education. I sacrificed [I]everything[/I] for him. I would do it every single fucking time, no matter what, but don't fucking come at me about taking responsibility! I've been responsible my whole fucking life. All I wanted was someone to share the bills. A fucking break.”[/color] She bared her teeth, suppressing the hot tears that formed in the corners of her eyes. Fuck. She was not going to cry, even out of anger. She wanted to punch her, but suppressed it by dropping her hand to a trembling fist at her side. [color=CD5C5C]"You don't fucking know me or what I've had to do for my brothers, and continue to do for the one left to have the fucking life I'd hoped he would without Jinhai's help.”[/color]

[color=silver]“You’re right, I don’t understand what it was like.”[/color] Sloane didn’t step back as Linqian approached, her hands still buried in her pockets. [color=silver]“I don’t know what it’s like to have a family worth sacrificing my life for or to have brothers I want to protect and [i]choose[/i] to take care of. I wish my life was so simple. It sounds nice. All I have are obligations. You think I want to spend every single hour of my life worried about what’s happening to this city? You think I want to invest all of my energy in protecting you people from a serial killer when you people wouldn’t give a shit if something bad happened to me? I don’t want to. I have to. I have to because nobody else will.”[/color]

[color=silver]“But when I say you need to start taking responsibility, I’m not talking about taking responsibility for other people. I’m talking about you. I’m talking about your behavior. I’m talking about that.”[/color] Sloane’s eyes flicked down to Linqian’s shaking fist. [color=silver]“What? You want to hit me like you did Lynn? To what end? Because you missed your chance in the church? Because it’ll make you feel better? Because I can’t relate to your [i]tragic[/i] history? Or is it just because you’re selfish and violent and pointlessly bitter?”[/color]

[color=silver]“Take your best swing, but before you do it ask yourself: when everyone in this Coven is wiped out because people like you made it impossible to work together, will you take responsibility for your brother having nobody left?”[/color] asked Sloane, her lips parting in a sneer. 

Linqian wanted to. She wanted to slap Sloane so badly. Her fist clenched in a ball so tight her nail started to dig painfully into her palm, her temperature slowly ticking downwards. It radiated out from her, a creeping chill that would have Sloane shivering as close together as they were. She thought Linqian's life was simple? That hers was so much harder because of her ridiculous want to be the city's saviour? Fuck.

[color=CD5C5C]”I won't give you the satisfaction,”[/color] Linqian spat, keeping her shaking hands at her side. What would happen after she hit Sloane? She'd just be proving her right. Fuck, she wanted to prove her right. And what would Henri think if he somehow found out? [color=CD5C5C]”Nobody needs your protection. Nobody's making you worry about the city when you could live a great fucking life, sad and alone. Fuck off.”[/color]

Linqian took a step back, chest heaving up and down. Sloane had taken a knife and stabbed it right in her weak point before twisting it viciously. She [I]didn't[/I] want to die. Not because she cares for her own life, but because she didn't want Henri to be left with no one. [color=CD5C5C]”Fine. I won't have my brother lose someone else just because you're a stuck up bitch who can't keep her mouth fucking shut. But you think I'm pointlessly bitter? I have plenty to be fucking bitter about. Jinhai died fucking three weeks ago and I'm saddled with fucking debts,”[/color] shit stop talking, [color=CD5C5C]”while dealing with bitches like you so I don't fucking die, while barely sleeping in a house with,”[/color] no, no, shut the fuck up, [color=CD5C5C]”Jinhai's ashes in a fucking cupboard because I can't afford to fucking bury him! But I'm just selfish, violent and pointlessly bitter.”[/color]

[color=silver]“What?”[/color] The sneer wiped itself from Sloane’s face as her eyes widened, a light of real emotion flickering in their darkness. In that moment Sloane realized that there existed a reality where Linqian had been correct in her accusation and that Sloane had profoundly misjudged Linqian.  Her voice shook as she spoke, [color=silver]“I thought you just didn’t invite me to his funeral. I didn’t know.”[/color]

Sloane’s eyes broke away from Linqian in a panic, darting to and fro like a frightened rabbit as she felt her pulse quicken. The thought of Jinhai being stashed away in a cupboard with the tupperware because Linqian couldn’t afford a burial service shot a wind of reality through Sloane that was so strong it was able to momentarily lift the veil of privilege that often blinded her. Desperately a part of her jumped out and tried to pull the veil back down, saying that it was a lie put on by Linqian for some pathetic angle that was beneath Sloane’s understanding, but Sloane knew it wasn’t. A strange thing happened at that moment: Linqian’s behavior suddenly became understandable. Sloane still didn’t believe that it was right—driving the already divided Coven further apart had its repercussions—but it was understandable. The idea of Jinhai being in a cabinet was unbearable and Sloane hadn’t even dealt with it for more than a couple of seconds. Linqian had to carry that for weeks.

[color=silver]“Linqian, I…I…”[/color] Nothing Sloane said would matter. Her words had no value to Linqian and she knew it, having been the one running her mouth as their stock tanked. Her vision blurred, tears threatening at the border of her eyes. She felt powerless. Useless. She made up her mind and blinked away the tears.

[color=silver]“How much?”[/color] asked Sloane after she system rebooted. [color=silver]“For a funeral, for a tombstone, whatever. How much do you need?”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”I'm not such a terrible person that I wouldn't invite people who cared about Jinhai to his funeral, even you,”[/color] Linqian snorted, looking away. There was no satisfaction in seeing Sloane show some true emotion. Like always her explosive rage left as quickly as it arrived, and she was just left feeling defeated. This was something she was ashamed of and it ate away at her every day. Her brother deserved better in death and she couldn't give it to him. She kept failing him over and over again. She'd already let it slip to Leon and Britney, and now she'd let it slip to Sloane too. Fuck. [color=CD5C5C]”I don't want-”[/color]

She cut herself off with a frustrated groan. Her hands were still shaking, cigarette ash dropping to the floor from the almost burnt out stub, but it was no longer because she wanted to punch Sloane. For the first time she was considering taking the money. Why shouldn't she? But then she'd be in Sloane's debt. She hated the thought, and had been too stubborn to accept any help up until this point. She still didn't want to. But she thought about Jinhai, in a cupboard she couldn't bear to open, and Henri, who kept asking when they'd be able to bury him. 

She'd do it for Jinhai. It wasn't like everything else. Sloane, and other coven members, had known him. It was fair to accept contributions. She wasn't going to do it for anything else. Just the funeral and burial. It wasn't the same as getting a handout, it was a donation for someone they'd cared about. Yes, she could tell herself that and ignore that disgust twisting deep in her gut. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Around five thousand for everything. Just burying is one thousand five hundred. But I'm not just going to accept your money.”[/color] She finally looked back over at Sloane, but there was very little emotion in her gaze. No anger, no sadness, just emptiness. She hated herself for this, and she was still pissed about everything Sloane had said, but above it all she just felt numb. None of those emotions would bring Jinhai back. Her stubbornness wouldn't see him buried. [color=CD5C5C]”I'll let everyone else know, and anyone that wants to can contribute. With my new job I can cover some. Britney already knows, anyway. It's only fair to everyone, so they can attend something for him. Otherwise I would just have him buried with family present.”[/color]

Sloane had fully anticipated Linqian to just outright refuse her and had readied herself to explain to the woman that it wasn’t an offer. She showed no hint of satisfaction as she nodded her head at the price point. It was less than what she imagined. Perhaps Linqian was lowballing her, but she wasn’t going to push. Sloane was less happy about the idea of getting the others involved. She could just imagine someone calling for a vote regarding what kind of food would be served at Jinhai’s wake. What she couldn’t imagine was Linqian going around asking for contributions to a funeral fund, although it was quite clear to Sloane now that she couldn’t imagine much of anything about Linqian accurately. 

[color=silver]“Don’t be stu—”[/color] Sloane stopped herself and shook her head. 

[color=silver]“Are you sure? I can just take care of it.”[/color] Sloane knew Linqian was sure. She had never seen the woman act so clinical and objective before. It was clear that she was only even toying with the idea out of love for her brother. [color=silver]“I mean, let me help. Are you sure you want to talk to everyone about this? I can let them know. I can take care of setting up the collection.”[/color]

Linqian really didn't want to talk to everyone. She didn't want to talk to anyone about it. But she'd already told the worst person she could… no, second worst. The worst would hear it from Sloane no matter what. The more she thought about it the more she wanted to take it all back… but she couldn't. For Jinhai. He deserved the funeral she couldn't afford. 

[color=CD5C5C]”You know what, sure. You let them know. Doesn't even need to be everyone. Britney, Jack, Stormy, Anya.”[/color] It was difficult to hide the disdain in her voice when she said that name. But she was part of the list that had been friendly to Jinhai, and Linqian had already forced him to cut her off in life. It wasn't fair to do the same in death. [color=CD5C5C]”I can't see anyone else contributing. Definitely don't tell Leon, or his cult might get involved.”[/color]

She took another step back, head turning to the side and laughing bitterly. She couldn't believe she was having such a civil conversation with Sloane. Jinhai would be amazed. Was this maturing? No, it was just a necessity for him. [color=CD5C5C]”If you take care of the collection nobody can accuse me of using my brother's death for money.”[/color]

Because she was sure people would.

[color=silver]“Oh, I’m sure they’ll fabricate some horrible ulterior motive to be the reason why I’m doing it,”[/color] said Sloane with a huff.

Sloane allowed her hand in her pocket to finally release her Channeler that she had been holding since the start of a conversation. Sloane wasn’t naive enough to believe that having one conversation with Linqian that didn’t end in a violent eruption meant they would suddenly resolve any of their past problems. At the end of the day, Sloane was bleach and Linqian was ammonia—on their own neither were very palatable and when forced to mix together they could wipe out an entire room with their toxicity. However, Sloane hoped that the next time that Jinhai’s recycled pile of recessive traits went to beat her outside the head with a book she’d pass by King James and grab a brochure instead. 

She caught sight of the ferry approaching out of her periphery. As illuminating as speaking with Linqian had been, Sloane had come to the Halloween festival with the intention of enjoying it, which required being around someone who at the very least had a GED. 

[color=silver]“Don’t go hunting the Big Bad Wolf without the rest of us, Red. There are plenty of other people who want him to pay for what he did to Jinhai. Try and enjoy the festival,”[/color] said Sloane, turning away and heading towards the dock. She had gotten to the spot she had originally stopped upon and paused again to look back at Linqian. There was something else extremely important that she had to say and she had nearly forgotten.

[color=silver]“Also, you should really quit smoking,”[/color] said Sloane, waving her hand in front of her face. [color=silver]“It’s awful for you.”[/color]

Linqian was so close to being the nicest she'd ever been to Sloane and telling her to enjoy the festival too, however someone without the ability to have fun enjoyed it. She choked on her words when Sloane went and completely ruined the civil moment they'd had. Linqian didn't have the energy to get back up to aggressively pissed again - instead she just wanted Sloane out of her sight as quickly as possible. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Oh fuck right off.”[/color] Linqian flipped Sloane off, half wasted cigarette held beside her middle finger. If she had another packet on her she would have lit another purely out of spite. She fucking needed it. [color=CD5C5C]”I don't need your approval to smoke myself into an early grave.”[/color]

Rolling her eyes, Linqian stepped back to the wall she'd been beside before. She twisted her body to lean her shoulder against it so that she didn't have to look at Sloane, effectively cutting off any further conversation. One hand agitatedly went to her lips, shoving her remaining cigarette in between them - as if there was anything more than the butt left. She sucked on it aggressively, lips twisted back into a scowl but dark eyes still devoid of much emotion. She was making it clear that she wasn't willing to listen to anything else Sloane had to say, beyond the conversation they'd just had about Jinhai. Hopefully she'd quickly fuck off so Linqian could have a moment to collect herself before Edict appeared… which would hopefully be too late to catch this ferry, so they didn't have to get the same one as Sloane. 

Sloane held her gaze steady on Linqian, her hand slowly rising to her mouth as if to cover another fake cough. Beyond her fingertips the corners of her lips turned up and were pulled tight by rarely exercised muscles as Linqian made Sloane not only smile but laugh, the sound like the sudden loud screech of untuned violin strings used to provoke a cheap jumpscare. It was drowned out by the sounding of the ferry’s horn as it pulled into port. She called out to Linqian over her shoulder as she turned away, [color=silver]“Fine, but I’m not going to pass around a second collection plate.”[/color]

Sloane gingerly raised her hand in a half-hearted farewell as she walked away, her fingers dropping until there was just one left.