Without Further Consideration

"Can you tell us a bit about your situation?"
"Uh, yeah. I'd like to preface it with my belief that this is utter bullshit. So, douchepants over here is bound to me and we have to keep each other from dying or getting hurt so that we can save our own behinds. Some kinda genie-voodoo crap."
"At least it's getting you out of the library for once."
"That's not the point."
"It's A point."
"If only your life had one. Anyway, we're trying to figure out how to stop this stupid curse so that I don't have to hang around Jackass anymore."
"Ditto to you."
"Careful, Jack-Jack. You'll fall in love with me."
"Doubt it."
****************************

Calliope Becker was fine. Fine without relying on anyone else. She had herself and her plans, and that was all she needed. Artists don't need anyone to hold their hand while they paint.
Jack Lequeshin was content. Working part-time at the local comic book store sufficiently funded his hobby of building computers from spare parts.
Then she pulled the fire alarm.
All of the comfort and apathy crumbles as they try to keep the other person from getting hurt. They seek to destroy the spell placed on their family decades ago.
Stupid ancestors.