blood moon, marc spector

eight.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT." lilith mumbled once she was in frenchie's car. she'd given him a basic run down of what marc had said to her.

frenchie glanced over at her. "what do you mean? of course i was going to do that." he replied. "does he say that shit to you all the time?"

she shrugged. "pretty much. yeah."

he gripped the wheel a little tighter. "lil, i know.. i know i said i didn't understand why you hated him so much. but holy shit. if he does that again.."

lilith chuckled a little, shaking her head. "french, seriously, it's fine."

"it's not." he argued. "you're.. you're too damn good of a merc to have some guy keep telling you that you're only getting jobs because your boss is into you. that's.. god. marc really is just jealous as hell of you, isn't he?"

"yeah. i guess that's what it is."

frenchie shook his head. "he's wrong. you know that, right?"

she nodded. "yeah. i know. still pissed me off, though. hearing him just.. shit on my whole career like that."

"you should've told me what he was saying."

"well, you were talking with charles and remy."

frenchie glanced over at her. "oh, so you're into formality now all of a sudden? trying to be polite and not interrupt? come on. if he's calling you a bitch and shit, you tell me. okay?"

lilith felt like a child getting scolded. "french, seriously. i'm fine."

he dropped it, looking back at the road. 

jean-paul duchamp had never had a sister. he didn't know what it was like to have someone make fun of his habits, or mock his subtle french accent or mannerisms.

frenchie felt overly protective of lilith as a result. she was closed off and difficult, he knew, but he was one of the few people privileged with making her smile or making her laugh. the only person allowed to sit in the same row as her on a plane. and frenchie had, quickly, developed a brotherly love for her that had carried on throughout the few years they'd known each other.  

but lilith really wasn't too upset about what marc had said. was she pissed off? yeah. but it wasn't like she was extremely hurt or suddenly self-conscious, like frenchie seemed to think. and she certainly didn't need frenchie to fight her battles for her, making her look weak in front of a man who was already accusing her of being so. 

not another word was exchanged between the two (except for a small thanks from lilith) as frenchie returned her to her apartment.

she was met, as always, with the silence of the gray space. 

𓀨 𓀩 𓀪

lilith went into jabez's office a few days later, ready to be given an assignment for her next mission. she was itching to do a solo mission after the disaster that was her trip to crete.

"james." jabez answered cooly. "i see your crete mission went well?"

she almost wanted to argue on that point, but decided against it as she nodded. "more or less. got the job done."

jabez nodded. "i trust you're rested enough for the next one?"

"sir, yes, sir." she replied, her voice unimpressed and unamused.

"good." he replied, looking down at some files in his hands. "i've got another good one for you. a big one, i must admit." 

jabez grabbed at one of the manilla folders in front of him, handing it to her. lilith opened it to find a briefing on the location and overall goal. turkey. two parts. "is this a solo mission?" she asked, looking up.