Pass the test, t-taste the flesh (scrooge x magica)

[blackmagicduck]

 One of the disadvantages of immortal youth was that it sometimes limited her options. If she wanted something fresh and young, she needed to be where the fresh and young people where, and gods, their music was awful. What happened to the good old days of violins and organs?

So imagine her surprise as she viewed the buffet to find one snack that looked older than most. She raised an eyebrow - he didn't seem to be in any midlife crisis. The exact opposite, in fact - like if he had any real choice, he wouldn't be here. Well... she could fix that for him.

She licked her lips, and then made her way across the room. A gorgeous beauty like her, it was like parting the ocean waves with a hand. She was by his side within seconds, sizing him up.

Nice, very nice. He even smelled delicious.

"Congratulations, you're the most miserable person here, and I think that includes the janitor."

Comments

[richestduck]

"It's not your fault. I did a lot of stupid things last night it seems. Thank you for putting up with me," he told her. "I promise I'm not normally like that."

[blackmagicduck]

She leaned in a little.

"There's one way to make sure that's true."

[richestduck]

"And that is?" he asked nervously, swallowing but not entirely because of the leftover nausea.

[blackmagicduck]

"Seeing more of you without the booze, of course." She then pulled back.

"Do you think it was only booze that made you stick around?"

[richestduck]

"No. No, not at all," Scrooge told her, holding up the hand occupied by his cellphone in what he hoped was a placating gesture. "I just...I'm a little surprised you'd give me more of a chance after last night."

[blackmagicduck]

"What can I say? You make an amazing first impression."

She stood up from the bed. "It'd be a shame to make this a one night stand."

[richestduck]

"I'd certainly hate to be the cad that treated you like one," Scrooge told her. "You're a very kind lass who doesn't deserve that sort of ill treatment."

[blackmagicduck]

She could almost laugh. No one had called her kind in... Well. No one had ever called her kind.

"What a sweet gentleman you are. I'm already liking the sober you."

[richestduck]

"Not going to lie: I like sober me better, too." Largely because he could remember the sober him.

He put the cellphone back in his pocket. It was pretty much useless without a charge.

"May I borrow your phone? There are people who are likely panicking over my whereabouts right about now."

[blackmagicduck]

"Certainly." She went over to a nearby desk drawer to pick it up. Even this had been perfectly crafted for the ruse - apps about money, news, business. Only social contact was her family. Wallpaper, roses.

"Here you are."

[richestduck]

"Thank you."

He dialed the number of the Money Bin, waiting patiently.

"It's me."

And he jerks the phone away from his ear at the surprised shouts from the other side of the line, all garbled together as little tinny voices that stab at his hungover brain.

"I know, I know. I wasn't feeling well last night so I left early. I appreciate the invite but...Everything is fine, lads. Again, I appreciate you lot bringing me along but I think I'm going to pass in the future." He paused to listen again. "I'm borrowing someone's phone. My battery's dead unfortunately."

The one-sided conversation continued on like that. He might have no family left, but at least his Bin employees cared. That was enough.

Right. Yeah. That was enough.

[blackmagicduck]

Magica pretended not to eavesdrop, heading to her closet as she picked out an outfit for the day. He really was the perfect patsy.

A few small conversations over the phone over the next couple of days. Build up a friendship. Then all she had to do was wait for an invitation to his house.

She always hated that rule, felt it was the most ridiculous - yet she lacked the power to defy it.

[richestduck]

"I'll see you all tomorrow. Thank you." Scrooge ended the call and put Magica's phone down on the dresser. "Thank you for letting me borrow your phone. I should probably head back home."

[blackmagicduck]

"I do think you forgot one last thing." She said, walking back over to him.

"When were you going to ask for my number?"

[richestduck]

Scrooge blinked before he groaned and touched his head.

"Right. I'm so sorry."

The hangover wasn't letting him think straight at all.

[blackmagicduck]

She tsked. "Well, your phone's dead so I can't exactly put it in... we'll have to do the next best thing."

Which, to her, was taking out some eyeliner from her make-up drawer, then coming to his side, taking his hand, and writing it down on his palm.

[richestduck]

He stared, bewildered, at the phone number written on his hand, hardly able to believe it was really there. Meanwhile he tried to figure out how things had ended up like this: He'd gone to a bar, gotten plastered, ended up going home with a stranger, did not have sex with her, and now had her number.

"...Give me your phone. I'll put my number in there. That way you'll know it's me when I call."

And now he was giving out his personal cell number to someone who was more or less a complete stranger.

"Fair warning I might not be able to answer at times. My job keeps me very busy."

[blackmagicduck]

She cocked her head at him, amused all over again.

"Do you think I have no idea who you are?"

[richestduck]

"I figured you did, but at this point if there was a chance you were still in the dark, I'd rather you didn't know." He gave a rueful smile. "It was nice to be just Scrooge for the night...even if I got pretty much blackout drunk."

[blackmagicduck]

"Then, in that case... maybe I can be your secret hiding spot."

She smiled at him as she fetched her phone.

"I don't know if you remember what I told you last night, but I have no interest in money. So I have no reason to treat you the same as others might."

[richestduck]

"Everyone's got an interest in money to one degree or another," Scrooge said with dry resignation. "And, no, I'm sorry I don't remember you mentioning that last night."

Though it would be nice...if only to pretend...Something Magica could probably see in his face.

[blackmagicduck]

"True, I can't offer much proof of my intentions... But lack of proof of something else can be its own truth."

She offered her phone to him.

"I could have easily lied to you, said we went at it like rabbits, took photos, and then demanded to be paid for my silence."

[richestduck]

"That you could've," Scrooge admitted. "Particularly since even if I didn't care if it got out, the board would likely pay you a tidy sum to keep such a dalliance quiet."

He took her phone and started typing in his number. He spelled out his name in the contact list, grateful that his name was often times used interchangeably with "stingy miser". Likely nobody would think some random woman would have his personal cell number.

[blackmagicduck]

She watched him a bit, quietly deciding her next tactic.

"That said... if you do get tired of me, I won't hold it against you. Compared to the things you've seen and the life you lead, I might seem terribly boring in comparison."

[richestduck]

"Lass, if you've been keeping up with the papers, you'll know I'm not doing much of the adventuring anymore. Last night was the biggest adventure I've been on in ages," he told her honestly.

He handed the phone back to her.

"I appreciate you letting me enjoy a more mundane adventure. It's...it's been a while since that happened."

He'd honestly had fun at points of the part he could remember.