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[tarnishedbadge]

Levi feels like he's coming unraveled with this latest case. Every time he digs a bit deeper into the disappearance of Wulfric and the death of Edbyrd it feels like he's going down Alice's rabbit hole. The M.E.'s report on Edbyrd's death was filled with weird stuff. The knife wounds looked like they were caused post mortem, like they were trying to cover up other wounds of a different nature.

Possible claw marks, that's what Levi had been told. Not like any known animal though and the more Levi dug the more he had to admit that this might be a weird case. A magical case. He researched every magical creature that might exist and he kept running into one name: siren.

Given where they were, it wasn't much of a leap. So he had been discretely putting out feelers that he wanted to talk to someone about sirens. He made sure that it didn't seem connected to any case and he lumped it in with other information requests as well so sirens wouldn't feel singled out. But of course, no one would come forward. No one would talk to him about it. Levi didn't know if it was his family name or the fact that he was a detective or if it was just because he was (as far as anyone knew) human.

Whatever the reason, no one was talking and he was getting frustrated. He'd gone out to grab a cup of coffee and a walk through the park to walk off some of his anger. The caffeine wouldn't help his mood but it would help keep him alert despite the loss of sleep he'd experienced ever since Monday. Every morning his reflection in the mirror looked a bit more rough than the day before but while a man had been murdered and another was missing, Levi couldn't bring himself to care.

When his phone rang he answered it quickly. It was a short call though, just one more person telling him they wouldn't help with his request for information. Not that they couldn't. They wouldn't.

"You've got to be kidding me," he hissed. Levi flung his mostly full coffee into a trash can out of a need to expression his anger somehow and immediately regretted it.

"Alas, poor Cappuccino, I threw him, Horatio," he said with a sigh, for a moment wondering if he could still salvage the cup out of the trash.

ooc: come be a witch or siren telling Levi to back off or someone to distract him or... whatever you'd like.

Comments

[callmeemily]

Things that Raleigh didn't know: That Levi was having a really shitty week.

Things that Raleigh did know: That there was Stuff Going On At The Police Station, and that Levi had been the one who had helped Joel and Spencer last week. And that's why (among other reasons) she'd been messing around and made what she'd made.

She walked in the door just as Levi threw his coffee into the trash, and she just sort of paused where she was, staring at his back since he wasn't facing the front door. "I'd say I'd come back, but this is warm out of the oven and is going to be a congealed mess if I do. Can... I help with anything?"

[tarnishedbadge]

Emily was one of the bright spots in Levi's week. He never quite knew when or if she would show up or what she might bring but whenever she did it was always amazing. Not only did she bring delicious baked goods but she was always a welcome distraction from whatever he was doing. Right now he could definitely use a welcome distraction.

"No, no, it's fine," Levi said, waving a hand dismissively. He highly doubted that Emily could give him any information about sirens. "But something smells delicious, like fresh baked carbohydrates."

[callmeemily]

She moved to sit in the chair across from his death, and she hesitated before she passed him the ceramic bowl that's warm to the touch, and has a spoon in it. "I told you I owed you one."

It's weird; it's a bowl, almost, made out of a sticky bun, and the inside? In the well? Is a delicate sauce of pecans and caramel; it's not only on the top of the bun, but there's a good bit that he can actually eat with a spoon, and because she'd figured out the right consistency, it hadn't all just soaked into the roll making it a soggy mess.

"Give it a go. You look like you need it - just let me know what you think, okay?" She's worried, a bit. He looks even more stressed than the last time she'd seen him - but that's not going to stop her from feeding him the still-warm pastry.

[tarnishedbadge]

"You are some kind of angel," he said, meaning it. He didn't really go in for comfort food usually but right now? Right now he could really use any sort of comfort he could get. Also, this looked absolutely amazing.

Breaking off some of it with the spoon, he made sure to dip some of the dough into the sauce before taking a bite. It was absolutely amazing and he couldn't help the almost obscene moan that came out of his mouth as he chewed.

"This is so good."

[callmeemily]

"Well, I'm some kind of something," she said with a laugh, and her brows actually shot up when he made a... sound. He made a sound, and that's how she was going to think of it. A sound.

Because that sound?

Right.

"It is? I mean- It is." She nodded definitively, and took a deep breath. "Right. So good. Very good. Exactly." Even though she'd made it as a one-off and didn't actually know until right this moment.

[tarnishedbadge]

"This is easily one of the best things I've ever put in my mouth," Levi mumbled through another mouthful. It was a blessed distraction from everything he had been dealing with, a moment to indulge in a simple pleasure and be a little ridiculous. Raleigh was the absolute best.

"And I have put a lot of things in my mouth."

[callmeemily]

Her brows furrowed and she actually tipped her head to the side, opening her mouth, closing it, opening it.

Confused.

"Well, that's good, then," she says first, but thwn she hesitates. "You know, if I didn't think you had no interest whatsoever, I'd possibly think that you were hitting on me. And she says it in all seriounss, even as she waits for him to freak from her teasing.

[tarnishedbadge]

"Despite your obvious baking skills and the fact that you're very attractive, I promise right now this is all just an overabundance of emotions about how much I love this," Levi said. He wasn't worried about her thinking he was hitting on her. Like she said, she was sure he had no interest whatsoever, but he also flirted with a lot of men and women just as a way to keep people off their guard. It was kind of second nature by now.

[callmeemily]

Raleigh laughs. "You're not the first one. I've gotten a couple of marriage proposals." She's mostly joking, but there had been one, last week - apparently the cakes she'd started making were pretty good.

"Although if you were thinking proposal just to keep the baked goods coming, I think at this point I'm looking for some sort of title to come with it. Duchess of somewhere, maybe? You're not secretly a duke, are you?" She's smiling at him, and she's glad he seems a bit less stressed than he had earlier.

[tarnishedbadge]

"Title? No, I'm afraid the only land and title I'd be able to offer are a little beach house and the standard 'Mrs' one you'd get anywhere. You'd be better off holding out for something more befitting a woman of your culinary skills."

He was pretty sure that Emily would hate being an actual Duchess, but maybe not. And she was definitely teasing but in Siren Cove weird things happened. He wouldn't be surprised if a prince looking for a bride popped up.

[callmeemily]

"See? That's why I only bring you things in a professional capacity. No kingdom, no nothing." She's definitely joking, because for her? The thought of anything like that (anything like it, to be honest) is so far from a possibility that that's all it could be.

"But professionally? Detectives get baked goods. It's in the contract." She's making it up, but getting him to smile - that's the goal here.

[tarnishedbadge]

"My kingdom for a kingdom," he said, dramatically. It was good to see her smiling and joking though. It was completely different from their first two conversations in the best sort of way. He hoped that it was a sign of good things happening in her life.

"What is in my end of the contract? I didn't read it very carefully."

[callmeemily]

"Oh, you know. Protecting the innocent, working for the greater good, responding to the Bat Signal. You know the drill." She was, in general, happier. She'd been seeing success with the bakery, she actually was sort-of-maybe-really going on dates, she was doing all sorts of things, and... making friends. Finally making a home.

She really was happier, and it showed. "Oh, and the chicken suit. But you know all about that, right?" She raised her brows expectantly, the smile growing wider.

[asharpertongue]

Lara was worried about Corry. She'd been wandering the park for an hour now and wracking her brains as to how Corry might have gotten into such trouble. She couldn't report her missing yet... It'd barely been 12 hours but she was fighting the urge to go to the police anyway. But that brought it's own problems. This might be a siren specific issue.

That's when she saw him. Levi was wandering through the park on his phone. He was clearly annoyed with the response he was getting, especially when he threw the coffee he'd been drinking straight in the trash. Maybe she could at least get her concerns out in the open. She didn't want to use her relationship with him for something so personal and more still, something that might relate to siren business. She'd have to be careful but she wanted very much to speak to him, to have him tell her she was overreacting, that there was nothing to worry about. It wasn't true but at that moment she just wanted someone to tell her believable lies.

Walking over, she moved into his line of sight. The last thing she wanted to do was spook him.

[tarnishedbadge]

When Levi caught sight of Lara his entire body relaxed. He hadn't seen her as much as he'd like to lately, although he never saw as much of her as he wanted. Maybe once this was over, and it would be over, they would take that weekend vacation they had talked about. He really, really wanted that right now.

"You're getting better at the stalking thing," he told her, giving her as much of a genuine smile as he could. "If I had known you'd be walking behind me so much I'd have worn tighter pants for you."

[asharpertongue]

She couldn't help the way she swayed towards him, leaning against him for a second, forehead pressed to his collarbone, just breathing him in. He was a sight for sore eyes and she hadn't realised how much she'd missed being around him since their date.

"Luckily I've been practicing. I wouldn't want you dressing up for me and then distracting passing drivers or anything, causing accidents."

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi breathed deep and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He hadn't realized how much he missed her, how much he needed her, and that terrified him. Right now though he was too worried about other things to be properly scared. Right now it just felt nice.

"Sorry I haven't called or anything," he said. "I've been busy. I should have I just- this relationship thing is new. I'm kind of terrible at it."

[asharpertongue]

She sighed, relieved just to be around him. But he was stressed out and worried and she needed to give him a little space.

She stepped back and nodded. "It's fine. It's not like I'm any better at it. It's new for both of us. And I figured you were busy. I heard there were a few people found dead. Is that your case?"

[tarnishedbadge]

"One dead, one missing," he said, running his fingers through his hair. He didn't really want to talk shop but he appreciated that she was giving him an opening. And really, she deserved an explanation.

"Both homeless so no one but us are looking for him. The body that was found was... well, you know how Siren Cove can be special."

[asharpertongue]

She knew what he meant. Siren Cove wasn't exactly ordinary when it came to horror stories. "It could be more like-..." her phone buzzed in her pocket. "Sorry. I have to get this. I'm waiting for someone." She hoped it was Corry.

When she looked at the phone a flash of disappointment washed over her face. It was a friend from the medical examiners office.

"Hi... " She said quietly. The woman on the other end of the phone talked a mile a minute but Lara got the gist of it. Levi had been asking questions. Specific questions about sirens. Things just got more complicated.

"Thanks. If you could tell the others to speak to me if they get approached..." The woman agreed and hung up.

Lara turned to Levi and shrugged. "Not the call I was hoping for." She said honestly. "You were saying?"

[tarnishedbadge]

"It's nothing," he said with a shake of his head. He could tell that she was concerned about something and he didn't want to worry her too much. Siren Cove would always be Siren Cove.

"You know how the town is. Everyone has a secret and no one wants to share it, which just makes my job harder. I get a whiff of something unusual but when I dig deeper... no one wants to talk."

[asharpertongue]

Lara nodded. She did know. Of course she couldn't tell him how she knew, not without giving herself away. Guilt settled low in her stomach. She wanted to tell him what she was...What this town was but doing that put more people at risk than just herself.

"Maybe them not talking doesn't have anything to do with your case. Maybe it's more about protecting themselves." She said gently.

[tarnishedbadge]

"I'll be sure to tell Wulfric that. If he's alive. If not I can say it at his funeral. Here lies Wulfric, but at least the others protected themselves," he said. There wasn't any bitterness in his voice, just exhaustion and defeat. It would be hypocritical of him to blame others for keeping their secrets. But his secret hadn't damned people. At least not yet.

"But it shouldn't matter. I should be good enough to solve with without their help."

[asharpertongue]

Levi looked exhausted, clearly beating himself up over this. Lara bit down on her instinctual response to protect her people and their secrets. She had good reason but that wouldn't help now.

She stepped closer, offering her support without being pushy. She might be conflicted about keeping her secrets but from what she understood of Levi, he was a great detective that shouldn't be blaming himself for things that were out of his control.

"Is there nothing physical you can use? No evidence?"

[tarnishedbadge]

When she stepped forward he instinctively wrapped his arms around her and held her there. If he didn't think about it, for just a split second, the world was perfect. It was only a split second, but it was enough to help him feel better.

"We have some leads, not much but some. And I'm not giving up on this magical angle either. Eventually, I'm going to get my answers."