Reflections of Light

Ignition

"You alright, Nyx?" Travis greeted as she entered the bar.
She pulled up a chair besides him, dropping down into it as 'Chris' went behind the bar to talk to Dec, without even a word to her.

"No, I'm in a bad mood." Nyx muttered.

"Trouble in paradise?" Luci crossed to them behind the bar and hopped up to perch on the countertop, having been listening in.

Nyx shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

Travis narrowed his eyes at Luci. "Where's your son? Is he in the back room? Or did you leave him alone at the hotel?"

"He's with Lila and Mina at Declan's house." Luci replied simply, ignoring the suggested accusation. "Looks like we might be staying there tonight. We... fell out with Loretta. Partly because her nephew kept finding them in places they weren't supposed to go. So we're staying at Declan's until he can smooth things over. Which, thinking about it, was probably William's diabolical plan all along." She chuckled, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the thought of her son's antics.

"You don't sound too cut up about it." Travis observed.

"So I'm taking some stuff over there tomorrow." Luci continued, ignoring him. "You can come help if you want something to do." She said, nonchalantly placing a hand on her pregnant stomach to make her point known.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Travis said uncaringly, taking a sip of his drink.

***

"What is in this suitcase?" Nyx groaned, the bag weighing heavy in her arms.

"Some of my clothes." Luci said simply. "Be careful, don't bash them about. You mess them up, I'll make you clean them."

"Lady, I am doing you a favour." Nyx grumbled. "I don't have to."

"And let your twin know that I'd like my lipstick returned." Luci continued, unfazed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll put you on the list right after Selene, Rachel and myself who have all had our make-up routinely raided."

"Did she take that silver one you lined your eyes with? Because if not, you need to wear that more. It looked really good."

Nyx was taken aback at her words, which could almost be taken as a compliment. "I... think I borrowed that one."

"Well, I liked it. I like your hair decorations too."

Nyx put a hand up to her hair, feeling the metal of Alysha's hairpins holding together her messy bun.  "A birthday present, these were."

"Silver and gold. Nice."

"Watch it, she's buttering you up to do this in reverse once she goes back." Dec teased.

"You're assuming she's planning on going back." Nyx murmured, wicked amusement in her eyes.
Not looking at her, Dec hoisted a suitcase out of the boot and up under his arm, striding into the house.

Billy greeted him at the bottom of the stairs, the green snake practically glued around his arm as was becoming particularly common in recent days. "That's my suitcase! C'mon, I'll show you where I want et put in my room!"

"It's not..." Dec started, as Billy charged up the stairs, then stopped. He couldn't do it- he couldn't tell the small boy that the room wasn't his, particularly when, for all intents and purposes, it basically was. "Slow down!" Dec chuckled. "I'm coming. It's heavy!"

Luci walked into the kitchen and put a large carpet bag down on the worktop, unpacking a few things from it as she checked through the contents. Nyx came in behind her, lugging the suitcase which she dumped unceremoniously down on the floor. "Tell me where you want it; I'll take it up in minute. Once feeling has returned to my fingers."