Power over me

Place: Ellison Avenue
Date and time: 23/10/2021 at noon
Weather windy
Dedicated to @Mariella

According to Anthony, Cyrus was loyal to him and could walk around like it was nobodies’ business. Having that perk did make Cyrus go look for Jack. There was no hope in tracking him down, so he just had to walk around to the people who knew Jack and ask them if they had seen him or anything alike. But of course, he couldn’t just do that out loud, so he was dressed as if he was working and drove his car out to Ellison Avenue. Last time he asked for Jack, someone had said that they had seen him there, or knew that he might visit this place. As any mechanic who missed customers, he picked up a stack of papers and started walking from door to door, ringing the doorbell to see if anyone was home. He would study the person as they answered the door and ask if they were interested in a checkup on their vehicle. Most often, he was just met by a door which was shut in his face. Especially a tall dark-skinned man who only just looked at the paper once and closed the door in his face. One would almost believe that he either didn’t like sellers or couldn’t read.

Cyrus reached a door and knocked on it. He was starting to lose hope about finding tracks to Jack. Even though it was getting cold, he was wearing a white t-shirt and had wrapped a dark-green hoodie around his waist, covering his black pants a bit. He could hear the door open, and he looked up. His smile was wide and welcoming and his hands slightly dirty as if he had been working earlier the day with oil and soot. “Hello miss. My name is Cyrus and I’m a mechanic,” he said. His rant about how to sell his work continued and the lady in the door took a piece of paper before she nodded and closed the door. He licked his lips and lowered his head a bit. He couldn’t really figure out who or where Jack would seek shelter with.

At the next door he did the same as with every other. He placed himself in front of the door and knocked on it. While he waited he rearranged his papers so they were presentable to the person who opened the door. The door opened and the wide teethy smile appeared on his lips as he looked up. “Hello Cyrus. My name is miss-” he realized what he had said, and his mouth stood open for a second. “I’m sorry,” he said and frowned a little. The eyes of this woman was comforting his soul and he could feel butterflies spread in his stomach, but not the ones he had had while knocking on the other doors. No, he believed this woman was incredibly beautiful and it made him nervous. “Hi miss. My name is mecha-” he stopped himself again. “No… I’m sorry…” he exhaled and looked down at his papers. He grounded himself for a moment. He looked up at her again. Instead of selling his work and try and read her, he jumped right to the bone and asked for what he wished to know. “Have you seen Jack Robin?”

Outfit
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It had been a crazy few days, after Scarlett had texted Irina and told Southside wasn't safe. It wasn't really that factor that had been the most alarming, it had been when Jack had turned up here and explained what had been going on, at least to some detail. That boy was good at hiding his feelings behind a mask, sadly for him, masks and walls couldn't keep Mariella out, at least not by that. She had the house to herself, Irina and Mila had been invited by Daisy, Maya and Katelyn over for some tea in Grounds of Lily. Ella had been invited too it wasn't that, she had just made it home from work. Nigel over to help Jack fix that roof, she had heard Nigel complain about stuff before, but that roof sounded like one big disaster. So, for once in a long time. Mariella had the entire house to herself, which was just what she needed after an early day with all the costumers who believed she could only do wrong. For someone with so much empathy, it was days like this where she almost lost hope in humanity.

The last hour, she had been sitting in the sofa with a cup of coffee, just enjoying the silence to a point where she almost had fallen a sleep, till it knocked on the door. Mariella blinked a little bit sitting up, she took a quick sip of her coffee before placing the cup on the coffee table as she half ran towards the door. Then opening it, and she smiled automatically. It didn't take a lot for her to pick up on little kick of nerves that played out, far from keeping her from  smiling. A soft chuckle left her lips as he once again seemed to stumble over his words once again, "it's okay. Take your time," she replied tenderly as she tilted her head a little bit to the side. But then it changed when he asked about Jack. She pressed her brows together a little as she held her breath. "Depends on who is asking," she replied narrowing her eyes a little bit. There was no emotion or thought that seemed to come to show that this guy was here to cause harm to anyone. She would have picked up on that before opening the door if it had been the case.

He immediately noticed how her brows frowned as he asked about Jack. She narrowed her eyes and told him that it depended on who was asking. Who did she think she was? No matter what, she knew who he was, but didn’t intend to speak about it if it was dangerous. Gotcha.
So, this was a jackpot. Someone had seen Jack around this area, and this had been the house. He shortly looked to the side licking his lips before he stepped towards her. With one hand he made sure the door didn’t shut, with the other he pushed her inside. He didn’t care that his hands were slightly dirty. He made her turn her back to the door and pressed her up against it, so it shut behind her. His hands were placed straight on each side of her, framing her so she couldn’t leave him that easily. He hushed her quietly. After all, he didn’t know if there was anyone home and he didn’t wish for trouble. Neither Jack or Anthony wished for that.
“It’s a friend asking,” he assured her calmly and as little threatening as possible. “I’m in the inner circle of the Serpents right now and I am trying to find him so I can update him,” he said without giving too much information. “Do you know where he is?” he wondered slightly exhausted.

Something in the water changed, after she had replied to his question - or not that she had given him anything he could use. And it wasn't like she was going to spill anything. Attempting to close the door as he took a step closer, he stopped her, pushing her inside making her tense up a bit. Making her turn so her back was pressed against the door, hearing the door close. Mariella didn't take her eyes off him as she lifted his chin a little, and raised her brows a little. He wasn't even brave, he was just stupid, as he stood there framing her. Hushing her to stay quite, Mariella narrowed her eyes a little bit. She wasn't scared of him, not yet anyways. "Oh, that is so sweet and generous of you," she replied keeping her eyes at him, as her eyes started to glow with it's orange like glow, and he would begin to feel his body heat up. Just like a warm summer day after having stayed out in the burning sun without water. Standing to close to the bonfire. "Rule number one, never go uninvited into someone's house," she took a step forward, closer to him, keeping her eyes locked with his. She wasn't messing around, not when someone was just acting like this - no matter the reason, this was her home. "I'm not going to tell you shit, you can tell me the updates - and I will make sure he gets them, if not, get the fuck out," she took a deeper breath in. She still didn't lower the temperature - despite it was really only him affected by it. And she wasn't scared of adding a little bit of fire. It didn't matter how calmly or truthfully he spoke, it was a matter of just invading the home, and her not having known about anyone invading - mixed with all the trouble there had been around lately.

She raised her chin. Anger. Interesting. Had he stepped on her toes? Majestically. He saw how her eyes changed and he immediately sighed. Was she really going to use her abilities on him? No, he didn’t know her abilities, but he had an idea of how abilities could look on people when they activated them, and eyes changing color was certainly one of them. All of her started to heat up and he could feel how she almost radiated with the heat.
Rules. Fucking rules. Rules didn’t even make Anthony stop. He kicked another serpent’s ass without reason and shredded his skin. He told a stupid siren to eat another serpent’s finger. Cyrus didn’t like how things were going, but he knew that one had to take what they wanted, and Anthony was such a great example of that. He wanted people to fear him, so they were loyal to him, so he showed them what power he possessed. This woman wasn’t going to tell him anything. Fucking shit. She gave him a choice to tell him the news and tell them herself. Good. Cool. “So, you want to hell him about how his pet-siren bit a finger of his former right hand? How his best friend was put in a basement, and how everyone was being threatened?” he wondered not minding how close she stood, even though he could feel sweat starting to build up. He was used to sweat. Cyrus wasn't really showing it that well, but he feared that if he was caught talking to a friend of Jacks that he would be the next in line. Even though Calliope was his mother and was helping Anthony with everything, he knew that she wouldn't even care about what happened to Cyrus. She had thrown him out once and always told him that he was the source of all of her problems.
“If I gave you all the information, I am still very certain that he would ask questions that you wouldn’t be able to answer,” he said and leaned a little closer. Gosh she was so hot when she was angry. He had given her some of the news, but far from everything. After all, he didn’t know how well she knew Jack and he didn’t want her to be in trouble if she didn’t have the answers Jack wished for.

Mariella narrowed her eyes as the guy started talking again. Now, Mariella didn't know much about Jack, she knew the basics from what he had told everyone, she didn't know what this guy meant by "pet-siren" - but people getting thrown into basements and lost their fingers, Mariella blinked a little as she exhaled. At least he wasn't lying. Mariella lowered the heat, well no need to make anyone too uncomfortable, if needed to she could grill him within seconds, he should just be thankful she had been the one opening the door. Her eyes changed a little but not back to her natural eye color, it was her other powers that pinned onto the sensation of fear, making her narrow her eyes a little bit. Mariella blinked a little letting her powers back in check, or at least she tried to. Mariella raised her left brow a little, not that the guy was wrong, she didn't know anything about Jack and his relationship with the serpents. Mariella clicked her tongue a little and snorted at him. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean you earn the right to know his whereabouts," she pointed out, still keeping her eyes locked on his. "If you were friends with him, wouldn't you understand that, keeping his location from strangers who clearly has no respect for personal space?"

One thing was she didn't know Jack that well, but Jack was family now. Jack was her brother's half brother, which meant in her eyes - her brother as well. And there was no fiber in Mariella's body that would ever betray her family or put them at risk. "If that was everything, I suggest you leave again, unless you have anything else you would like for me to tell him?" Then again if she truly wanted to know what was on his mind, she could just access his thoughts, she rarely did use that part of her powers. "Cyrus right?" She narrowed her eyes a little, Mariella had picked up the meaning on his ramble of words when she had opened the door, and out of everything he had said, she had jumbled the sentences to the theory of it being his name. "Great, then like I said, it's time for you to leave."

She seemed to get a little overwhelmed by how serious all of this was and even lowered the temperature that she radiated. He noticed how her eyes changed but he couldn’t feel anything change – so it had to be something mental, right? She then told him that he still hadn’t earned to know Jacks whereabouts. Fine. But maybe this gal could contact him so Cyrus and Jack could meet? No matter what, this ginger lady knew where Jack was.
She asked for personal space, which made him narrow his eyes a little. He let his hands push him off the door, and he didn’t frame her anymore. His thoughts were running around about how he could make her tell him the whereabouts or arrange Jack and Cyrus meeting up. “Tell him not to get too comfortable,” he added. He had seen how bad Jack had been treated, but he also knew that he healed quickly. He had to know how far in the process Jack was. He licked his lips, still not taking his eyes of the lady. She repeated his name and he frowned slightly, “Yes,” he replied only to get told to leave. He raised his brows a little clearly not thinking they were done.
He looked over his shoulder to look for any furniture he could sit on. He looked back at her, “I’m not going to leave just yet,” he said and started to back a couple of steps away. “It really does seem like you know a lot about where he is,” he said and rearranged some of the equipment he was carrying. Everything could’ve been used as weapons. But Cyrus wasn’t aggressive, or at least that was what he told himself. He sat down on the stairs when he was sure his butt wouldn’t get hurt. “People a looking for him. People who want’s to hurt him and everyone who stands in their way to get to him,” he said and looked up at her interlocking his fingers, while letting his elbows rest on his knees. “The way you greeted me could put you in great danger, miss,” he said, still not knowing what her name was. “I don’t know what you’re capable of, but I think you should know, that when a whole gang is stepping carefully, you probably should too,” he narrowed his eyes a little and nodded. He looked around for a moment before he let his own fingers go and placed his hands on his elbows and leaned a little back. “Maybe you can arrange a meeting for me with Jack?” he suggested and looked at her. “I won’t know where he stays and he can choose where and when to meet up,” added.

Her eyes scanned him as he finally left her and the door alone. Mariella clicked her tongue a little bit, if anything she knew where Nigel was hiding a few weapons in case of a surprise, and if she didn't have time to get those, she could always just attack with her powers - she wasn't defenseless after all, even though she did look more like that part. Mariella just raised her brows as he sat down in one of the chairs. She did know people were out for him, it also wasn't the first time someone had it out for one in her family. She chuckled a little bit dry and shook her head slightly before returning her eyes to him. "Well, if I sensed you were more than just a pain in my ass, I would have made sure to spread your ashes in the air," she replied and crossed her arms while keeping her eyes on him. She didn't like that he made himself so comfortable. Gangs, mafias, hunter tribes there was no rest for the wicked.  Well, at least one thing that got out of him being so comfortable and spending time here was the scent he left in the house, it would be so easy to track him down - not for her, but he had placed himself in the wrong house if he thought behavior like this was accepted.

There was no need to throw around what she could do, how she could read his emotions and him like opening up a book. The less he knew the better, it gave her the upper hand when gaining information. Mariella could however arrange a meeting between the two, or she could suggest it. Then if Jack seemed like wanting to, then there was no big deal about it. "If I do, does it mean I never get to see your face again?" She then asked and tilted her head slightly to the right.

Cyrus brows raised a little as she almost threatened him. “Thank you,” he said with a wide smile even though it was dripping with sarcasm. Yes, he didn’t know who lived in the house with this gal or who she knew besides from Jack, but he knew that he wasn’t out for trouble. He was simply a messenger. A rude one of course. Besides, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to stand like normal people in the doorway and talk, but if someone had been spying on Cyrus, he would much rather be standing inside than outside. He didn’t want to put a target on an innocent girl, nor himself. He had to stay on the good side of both his mother and Anthony if he wished to be able to deliver updates to Jack. Cyrus was after all way more in the warmth than Victoria, Lauren, Eric, and Pearl. Pearl was still being tested.

A smile appeared on Cyrus lips as it seemed like she was starting to cooperate, even though it hurt how she directly said she wouldn’t want to see his face again, “Well, if you don’t want to see this handsome face, I can try and stay away,” he said and gestured to his face and stood up again approaching the door, but slowed down as he got closer to her. “But I might have to speak with Jack more than once,” he said and looked her up and down, “And I wouldn’t mind seeing you again,” he said pulling a slight smile.

She pressed her brows together by his first comment, as she stood up again, walking closer to the door and thereby coming closer towards her as well. Mariella lifted her brow slightly by the comment, if he needed to talk to Jack more than once, it didn't seem like something that needed to be on her. She held her breath a little as he looked her up and down. "I'm sure you wouldn't," she clicked her tongue and sighed a little bit. "Are you always this cocky when talking to people, or am I just a special case?" The fire fairy wondered tilting her head just an inch to the side. "Maybe you are just out looking for trouble, huh?" Mariella kept her arms crossed, not sure how to place him, she found him impudent. Even if she could understand him to some levels, not wanting to catch attention for the public eye, wanting the least amount of people to know what was going on. And if he really was just looking out to inform a friend, which she sensed he spoke truthfully about, she wondered if she was actually the one being rude.

"I'm sorry to hear what happened in Southside," she then said. Mariella hadn't been blind to Jack's emotions about it, but he wasn't the only one who knew people about the Serpents, Maya did too as was worried as well. "But with everything going on, you can understand why I'm not keen on giving up any information, right?"

She commented on him being cocky and the slightly crooked and flirtatious smile stayed for a little while he thought of his reply moving a little from side to side. But he didn’t get time to respond that she was indeed a special case before she added if he was only looking out for trouble. His smile disappeared completely. That was one way to turn down the mood. He didn’t really know what to reply to it and simply licked his lips before he pulled a little back and was about to turn to leave when he heard her condoles. He glanced over at her and turned his body completely towards her. Now it was his time to cross his arms. He took a shorter breath in as she explained why she wasn’t giving up any information. “Yeah,” he exhaled. “I’m glad someone can make sure the wrong people won’t get to him,” he said and pulled a sad smile. He pulled a visit card up. On one side it had a wheel with a red text reading mechanic on it. On the other side it contained he phone number and opening hours. “Be cautious of what you text, ‘kay?” he said offering her the card. His dirty fingers had left a fingerprint on the card – not to say on the door.

"Yeah, the perks of family," she replied and exhaled a little slowly, seeing, feeling the pain behind the sad smile. Then he pulled up a card, and she took it letting her eyes wander to it, mechanic. They didn't really need a mechanic, but she assumed or theorized that it could be a cover. Mariella pushed that thought out of her head, looking at the dirty print of his finger on the top corner. She sighed a bit returning to reality and looked shortly towards the door. God, she needed to clean that up before Irina or Nigel for that sake came home. "Don't worry too much about it sweetheart, I assure you that I will be pretty direct with what I'm writing," she gave him a bigger smile, fake, but at least it was bigger. "And next time, wash your goddamn hands -" she sighed and walked over to open the door. "Leaving them like this, makes it easier for the police to catch you," and easier to hunt him down, her eyes turned to him as she gestured him to walk out the door. "Now, would you  please get your ass out of my house, thank you," she took a deeper breath in, still holding on that slightly fake smile.

Family. He envied that; he couldn’t hide it. It hurt in his chest to know that people got blood-related family that they could turn to. Even though the Southside Serpents was meant to feel like a family, he simply knew that tit wasn’t going to be the same as a mom, dad, and their children.
She had warmed up to him a little, calling him a sweetheart now. Interesting. It made a little smirk appear shortly, “Good,” he said clearly somewhat relieved that she would be cautious and direct. Her smile was clearly only put up for show. He frowned a little as she mentioned that he should wash his hands next time. He didn’t even look at his hands, he knew quite well how they looked. His eyes followed her movements as she opened the door, “Are you calling the police on me now, miss?” he joked and approached the door. He would be getting out of her hair soon enough. He had caused enough trouble for her.
She told him to get the fuck out. He could feel how she tried to speak politely, but the way she put pressure on her words told him that he could go fuck himself. He licked his lips, folded his hands in front of himself. As he reached the door, just about to step out of it, he looked towards her. “Wet the stain with water. Use a nailbrush and scrub with a paste of baking soda and water. You’re welcome, ‘Ella,” he said before he exited the house. No, she hadn’t presented herself, but he believed she reminded him a bit of Cinderella.

Mariella could feel her words stung in his chest, but she didn't change her thoughts about it. It had just been a reminder of that Jack had a family here who cared about him, and she wasn't going to show the cards she had on her hands by apologizing or asking why that would hurt him that she spoke the way she did. "Oh, I have something way worse in mind for you than the police, but I don't think you should stick around and figure out what," she replied blinking a little bit, or well the longer he stayed the less time he had to get away before either Nigel and Irina returned, or Jamie swung by for his almost daily visit - none of the scenarios were really in Cyrus interest. But he approached the door, so it seemed like things were going to go well enough. At least he she got him outside, raising her brows at him as he told her how to clean the door. "Aw thank you for mansplaing it to me," she replied to him, wondering why he called her Ella. For a stranger that she hadn't told her name, it was rather odd to her that he called her by her nickname - however, as he wasn't acting secretive about his reason behind it and she didn't pick up on anything, she chose not to go into more conversations with him. Otherwise, she had a feeling she could be standing here all day with him. "But bye, you will hear from me or Jack within a few workdays, ciao," she told before closing the door not to give him the satisfaction of speaking to her more today. She locked the door as well before having her work to do with getting the traces of the strange man erased - but compared to cleaning up after hunters being out in the dirt and having rolled around in blood - this was close to nothing. Despite since this was something with Southside and Jack, it wasn't like she had to trace that the person had been here completely, but she reckoned she could get Maya to trace the number to find out more information about the guy before they made any new move.