You let the Devil in 😈

[nifties]

Ever since he agreed to go on this trip with Zari, his mind's been turning over and over about it. Technically, yes, the Legends are adults. Some of them even managed to survive for years without them aboard (which seems miraculous now.) But that doesn't make it any easier for him to leave his hatchlings, no matter how many speeches Sara has about how they only live once and they should go enjoy themselves. And he knows Ava has pulled Zari aside to essentially say the same thing just in a more Ava type way.

The thing is, even when John is running away, it's never for long and he's usually only pretending to dick off. As he thinks back over the years, has he ever taken a real vacation? Ever? Something creepy or crawly always manages to find him wherever he goes and that's weighing heavily on his mind as well. If the team will be safe without him, will Zari be safe with him?

He keeps starting and stopping packing, not like it matters when he knows Zari is going to make him get a whole different wardrobe the second they're alone. He's been avoiding that one for long enough so he's kind of resigned to the whole affair honestly. Packing means leaving though, indefinitely the way his life goes. What if they damage the timeline by being out there together? And again, what if the Legends really really need them??

Yeah, so he's spiraling. When Zari finds him, he'll be pacing the length of his room back and forth - back and forth. Every time he crosses his suitcase, he drops something new in and/or takes something out so that the job never actually gets finished. He's so absorbed in his weird, manic ritual that he doesn't even notice her coming in until she's right in front of him. Her sudden appearance (from his perspective) actually makes him jump before he manages to focus his foggy gaze on her.

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[nifties]

He glances at the totem when her hand closes over his, squeezing her palm like a lifeline as his wide eyes crash back into hers. John winks, trying to affect his usual confidence like some kind of magical 'fake it til you make it.'

"Right, that book you almost didn't let me bring should have answers. But we have to be careful, the room could be booby-trapped."

John tugs on her hand as they get closer, eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary.

"Best team ever, right?" He's still nervous, but finally starting to calm somewhat even if he insists on taking a lap around the cabana before going back inside with her. He immediately beelines for his bags, trying to ignore the ringing in his head trying to convince him all hope is already lost. Just barely remembering to let go of Zari, he drops the heavy tome onto the bed and starts thumbing through it until he finds the page he's looking for, illustrated horrifically of course. "These ingredients might be challenging to acquire here, though I think I brought some toad's skin and wolfsbane..."

[influenceher]

"Okay so maybe I was wrong to be so minimalist with your demon stuff." Zari admits so reluctantly that it actually hurts. She quickly nods in the affirmative. They are the best team ever. She is confident they got this.

Her confidence does waiver some when she sees what she is facing. Zari's mouth screws up the illustration. "Ugh... did it have to look so rape-y?" She moves a little closer to John as if that will make him safer from something that has clearly latched on hard. "Of course you did. Is this a bad time to remind you that this is my playground? I can literally get us anything we want." Granted her way might take too long. How would Leslay even find something like toad's skin? Good thing they already have it.

[nifties]

John appreciates her proximity more than ever right now, leaning against her side the best he can without getting distracted.

"Actually... maybe that's how we find our restaurant worker, too." He taps the list of ingredients for her edification, trying not to focus on the one item he doesn't want to collect. "I think the totem may be giving you a natural immunity. It's unlikely the beast would target me and not you - it isn't that intelligent besides."

Which means something else or someone likely sent it after them. John swallows, crouching down again to dig through the bag until he finds a rather handsomely bejeweled dagger.

"Do you trust me?" he asks softly, turning to look up at her and deliberately making himself appear small. Not that he's a particularly large man anyway, but they have been wrestling with power dynamics in bed and unlike literally every relationship he's had before this one; John doesn't want to take advantage of Zari's faith in him.

[influenceher]

Zari scans the list, already going for her phone to send some texts to Leslay. Her bodyguards are in the town over. She pays them too well for them not to be willing to play glorified delivery boys just this once. "That makes sense. Warrior Zari always protects me, but never wants to help you." She glares at the totem for a second. Other Zari knows what she did!!!

She is quickly raising a brow at the question. Her mind doesn't even go there. John stands there with a dagger in hand and she doesn't blink more than usual. She let this man stop her heart once with complete faith he'd bring her back. It's almost a little insulting to her that he is trying to seem less threatening. Does he really think a little manhandling she asked for is going to put her off? Zari knows he'd never hurt her. God he'd probably hurt himself if someone or something found a way to force him into it. That's a scary thought.

"You still have to ask?" Zari lets her offense go quick. He is under the influence of a fear demon. She needs to cut him some slack. "I trust you, John. Whatever it is, I'm in. Let's do it."

[nifties]

It's more because he's under the influence than anything else in the column above, but it's still the answer he expected and he nods before rising back up.

"No," he assures her, coming closer with the knife held at his side, letting their natural attraction draw him in until his temple taps hers. "But I still will. Ask." So yeah, cut him some slack!!

"You know the story of the Angel of Death? Passover?" Of course she does, but here's where Warrior Zari can help more than just them. He glances down at the knife and tries not to remember carving up Gaz's face or any of the other horrible things he's had to do to people he cared about. Next to that mountain, this is barely a mole-hill, but he still hates that he has to do it at all. "This is an ideal hunting ground for a succubus like this, even if it was sent after little old me it probably hasn't returned yet because it got sidetracked. But we can use immune blood - your blood - to keep it away from the other guests and route it back here."