Like Real People Do

3 - Daybreak and Deals

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

Lucretia leaned against the counter in the back room, cupping a fresh cup of coffee in her hands.

She checked her watch. Six am, perfect. The shop didn't open until eight, so plenty of time to talk.

Aurora roused herself and yawned deeply.

"Sleeping beauty?"

"You know, like the movie? Disney made it?"

When Aurora continued to stare at her blankly, she crossed her arms and shook her head in mock horror and exasperation.

"Oh, of course, Satan forbid that heaven knows what a Disney movie is. I mean, it's only been a cultural icon for the last century or so."

"Heaven is quite aware of the advances humans have made," she responded primly, "we simply do not engage in their culture."

"Maybe up there, that works," she countered. "But down here? You'll stick out like a sore thumb."

Aurora narrowed her eyes.

"How so?"

"How so? How so? You talk like a Victorian, you don't understand any tech that was invented more recently than the 18th century, and the first day you were here you got mugged! Not only that, but afterwards, you managed to stumble into the only shop in london run by a demon. If I hadn't helped you, you would have been sent back to heaven before you ever even got started."

She was pacing now, gesturing wildly as she berated the angel.

Aurora stood up, heavenly fire flickering in her eyes and fists clenched as she prepared to show off exactly what she was capable of.

But, before ten seconds had passed, she sagged down again, pinching the brige of her nose between her fingers.

"You're right. I wasn't prepared for this. I should just go back up and explain."

She seemed resigned to her fate, ready to leave as soon as she could. She stretched, closing her eyes and beginning the spell that would send her back to where she belonged.

"You don't have to leave. Not necessarily."

The words of the spell died on her lips as she looked at Lucretia in confusion.

"I don't need angels poking around my business, and you need someone to teach you about earth. How about we help each other out? You tell your head office, or whoever you report to, that London is one hundred percent demon-free, and I help you understand humans a little better so you can do your job without getting assaulted again."

Aurora pursed her lips, looking over the deal in her head, trying to find any kind of loophole, any vague wording the demon could exploit. Finally, she gave up.

"What's the catch?"

"Nothing. Even I couldn't fit a catch in a deal this simple. Tit for tat. You help me, I help you."

"You'll forgive me if I don't immediately believe you."

"Of couse I won't forgive you. Demon, remember?" she responded, the snark more automatic than anything.

It took another few minutes of contemplation for Aurora to come to a decision, during which time Lucretia finally drank her now-cold coffee.

"Fine. We have a deal, demon."

"I did tell you my name, yes? I didn't dream that?" She raised an eyebrow at the angel over her cup.

"My apologies. We have a deal, Lucretia."

She shook her head, absently setting down the cup.

"Not that simple. I'll write up a contract and you can look over it."

She rolled her eyes at the look of alarm that crossed Aurora's face.

"Relax, I don't want your soul. All I need is your signature."

She stepped carefully around the mattress on the floor, over to a safe set in the left-hand wall. She pressed her palm to it and fire spread out, coating the metal surface with a thin sheet of blue-white fire.

Just as it seemed that the safe would melt entirely, the lock clicked and the fire died. The metal was still red hot, but Lucretia opened the door without even a hiss.

She reached in and pulled out a bundle of what looked like old-fashioned vellum, along with a pot of black ink and a red feather quill.

Aurora, who had been watching the proceedings with mouth agape, could only stare in fascination as the demon quickly and precisely drew up the terms of the contract, handing it to her with a flourish the second the ink had dried.

She read through the contract no less than ten times, brow furrowed as she tried to discern any hint of a hidden meaning.

After the eleventh read through, she had to concede. There was nothing there that Lucretia hadn't already disclosed, and she took the quill and signed the parchment with onlly the barest hint of reluctance.

The second she did so, everything changed. It was like two hundred years of experience had been downloaded into her head, all in one go.

...Download. She knew that word now. And every other word that mortals used to describe their newest advances

...Good Lord, had they really leapt that far forward? No wonder Lucretia had called her out of touch, she'd missed perhaps the most pivotal years in human history - if you don't count the discovery of fire, which she didn't.

"I see what you mean...I need to talk to the other angels about this. Hopefully they haven't sent anyone else down yet."

Lucretia checked her watch again - the whole conversation had taken nearly half an hour.

"You know, if you really want some experience talking to humans, I could use some help around the place."

"Really?" Aurora asked, her interest piqued despite herself. "You want me to stick around?"

"Why not? You're a nice person, especially now that you don't talk like a eighteenth century noblewoman anymore. The only other help I have is Bethany, and she's better at tattooing people than talking to them. I need someone to work the desk."

"Well, I guess this is as good a way to meet people as any other."

She shrugged and smiled, the two of them heading to the front of the shop to begin organizing for the day ahead.