The Magpie's Death

The Bigger Issue (1)

"What the hell, Maggie! You can't just..." The animated scolding trailed off into silence. Squirrel's jaw dropped, eyes wide and staring at the tightly wrapped body hanging from his shoulder.

He didn't wait for his frozen friend to process. Shutting the metal door behind him, he stepped around to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. The loft wasn't large, but the open layout made it seem spacious, with a single wall hiding the bedroom from view. Sunlight streamed in through tall windows and the exposed brick made it feel rustic and warm. He wasn't sure why he liked that so much. It was an odd contrast to his own cold demeanor and shady line of work. Perhaps it gave his life a false sense of normalcy.

Snapping out of their stupor, Squirrel came rushing to his side, neck craning to examine the package he carried. At only five-four, the height difference was significant. His friend stood on tiptoes, gently trying to remove the jacket. When it was gone, a gasp escaped Squirrel's lips.

"Maggie..." Their dainty voice hesitated again, unsure of how to react to the ridiculous sight. "Why is there a small child attached to your neck?"

The Magpie turned to look down at his young friend, showing no concern for the question. He wasn't even sure of the answer, so he stared, letting his mind empty instead.

Today, Squirrel wore a white, long-sleeved blouse, loosely tucked into a pink, mid-length skirt that sat high on the waist. Their currently pink and blue ombre hair highlighted smooth, porcelain skin and light blue eyes, hanging just above the tiny shoulders of a tiny frame. With eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss, black flats, large hoop earrings, and black painted nails, anyone would think they were an attractive young woman. Yet only a month prior, his friend had sported fitted t-shirts and jeans, heavy black boots, a clean face, and blond hair piled messy on top of the head.

Aside from the smallest bump of an Adam's apple and what was well-hidden beneath their clothes, a close inspection wouldn't reveal this person's sex. Even their voice held no clues. Light and feminine, but still not quite female. Squirrel liked the term gender fluid, freely moving between gender expectations. Though they were usually more feminine, sometimes they weren't. Sometimes they weren't for weeks, sometimes for months. Regardless of their current place on the gender spectrum, they rarely explained, happy to leave the world guessing. At the end of the day, Squirrel was just Squirrel – sweet, but take-no-shit, blunt, and always playful.

Fingers snapped in the Magpie's face. "What are you staring at? Did you hear me?"

"Huh?" He had drifted into a daze, replaying the morning's events back in his mind. All the distractions and questions had piled up and finally found a free moment to break through. "What did you say?"

Squirrel let out an irritated sigh, pointing to the girl in his arms. "This thing you're holding. Where did you get it?"

"Ah. This is the bigger issue."

From the soft breathing and still body, the child seemed to have fallen asleep. He carried her over to a long couch by the windows, but when he tried to lay her down, little arms circled further around his neck. With a groan, he collapsed into the cushions. The small creature stuck to his chest, now squeezing tight enough to press against his throat. Squirrel joined him, one leg crossed over the other and arms folded, waiting impatiently for an explanation.

"I'm guessing this is Charlotte's daughter," he coughed out, shifting a tiny elbow away enough to breathe.

He watched as his friend's shining eyes widened again. "Charlotte? The mark? She had a daughter?"

With a nod, he used his free hand to scratch at his scruff. "A daughter, and something else the Suns are desperate to find. The place was torn apart."

"If they sent Lost Horizon, it can't be anything minor." Squirrel had already moved past the shock, focused on this new dilemma. "And if they don't find it, they'll be coming after the girl."

Shaking his head, he glanced down at the child. "They were surprised when they found her. Rising Suns doesn't know she exists and the two in the apartment are dead. They won't be telling anyone."

His friend hummed, a hand placed on their chin and finger delicately tapping their cheek. "Give me a moment." Squirrel danced over to a bank of monitors on the far side of the room. Taking a seat, they began typing away.

As he waited, the Magpie closed his eyes and dropped his head back into the couch cushion. He had worn an oversized sweatshirt to conceal his identity, but after an hour with a warm body pressed to him, he was beginning to sweat. It was tempting to tear the child away, but he couldn't force himself to move her. Instead, he groaned again and laid a light hand on her back. The rapid clicking of keys echoed in the quiet, open space. The rhythm of the girl's breathing was obvious against him and without thought, he matched it with his own.

* * *

"Time to wake up, sweetheart."

The gleeful teasing drifted into his ear and his eyes squinted open. Squirrel's blurry, grinning face was only inches from his own.

He flinched, then let out a heavy breath, more annoyed now than before he had dozed off. "Shit, Squirrel..." Scratching at his scruff, he groaned yet again. His neck and back were stiff and aching. Everything had tensed, hoping the girl would drift off. Now every movement felt like pins and needles stabbing into him. "How long was I asleep?"

"Three hours." They giggled and backed away, sitting on the low coffee table in front of him. "I finished in two and a half, but you were just too precious. Don't worry. I have pictures."

Squirrel's energetic and playful nature led to a constant teasing of the large, stoic Magpie. Mostly because it had never made an impact. He was like stone and never once showed that he was bothered by his friend's joking.

"You should've woken me," he said, not feeling particularly bothered by this either. He only wanted to figure this out as soon as possible. The sooner that happened, the sooner he could return to his life.

The arms around his neck were lighter now, hanging slack over his shoulders, with the girl fast asleep on his chest. Trying his best not to wake her, he shifted her over onto the couch. She didn't budge, sleeping peacefully. For the first time, he saw her face. The same fair skin, with pink cheeks and lips. Her ears and eyes were slightly too large for her face and her nose was small and round like a button. He huffed out a silent laugh, thinking she looked exactly like a mouse. For a brief moment, he wondered what color those big eyes were.

Another little giggle brought him out of his daze. Squirrel was still grinning from their seat on the table. "Look at you, you big softie. You like her."

"I'm not attached to her in any way."

They nodded but flashed a few white teeth as their smile spread. They didn't believe him. "I know you." Leaning forward, Squirrel stared. "Your eyes are smiling."

"Tell me what you found." His palm easily covered their face as he pushed their tiny head away. Then he felt the playful flick of a tongue, immediately pulling back.

After a third giggle, Squirrel held out an elegant hand. It latched onto his and shook. "Congratulations, my warm-hearted friend. You're now the proud father of a beautiful, three-year-old girl."