The morning light found its way through a gap in the curtains.

The city slowly woke itself, but I let her sleep on. I contemplated much. Immortals. Mortals. Elders and Founders. Now I was among them..? My eyes were filled with more gold than ever before. The burn in my throat was such a distant thought it was not even a hunger. Quinn's overwhelming scent barely stirred the demon, despite her tangled limbs woven through my own. Naturally she barely wore anything now. 

A small smile took my lips. She was past risk. Past treading carefully with our relationship–if it could be called such a thing. No... Quinn and I were more of a chance meeting. A matching of souls that stumbled upon one another in some god forsaken place.

I considered what sort of life we could build once more in this city. I'd likely had my credentials wiped by Paragon so that left many professions open to me once more. I was never one to sit still for too long anyway.

I liked being a part of something that wasn't immortal. That wasn't a society that deemed itself endlessly higher. The simplicity of aiding was never overstated. It was fulfilling. 

Quinn's leg shifted and the smooth warmth of her skin cooled my blood as I felt her calf graze my own. A deep breath left her before she hummed against my skin. I raised my hand before she stole it with her own and placed it back on her hip.

I snorted.

"I thought you liked early starts–"

"Not many start like this." She mumbled simply.

I had to agree with her there.

"What profession do you think would suit me?" I blurted after a beat.

She took another slow breath before chuckling against my skin. "So, the case is closed on detective?"

"I blew up a building." I reminded her. Twice. Thinking of the last job I had with my partner before a pang of remorse swept over me. Quinn trailed her fingers along my ribs and took the darkness away.

She hummed considering.

"Professional fighting?"

"Yes, that should really keep a low profile, Adams." I drawled back.

She giggled. Enjoying this prospect far too much. "And those tight shorts–"

"You had me in gym wear once–that is enough for this lifetime."

She moved her fingers over my lips slowly. I turned to face her only to have my jaw turned back to face ahead. I grinned and she tapped the side of my jaw. "I'm thinking."

"Yes, ma'am."

The tapping paused.

"A firefighter?" She said with no small irony.

"Too risky to the ones I pull out."

"Police work really was a nice middle ground..." She mused. "–then again you're not exactly slow so something intellectual wouldn't be a stretch–"

I rolled her off me in a flash and pinned a plump pillow over her head with a satisfying poof.

"A stretch?" I asked incredulously, "You mortals and your audacity–"

The pillow stopped dead in my hand when she tried her own attack. So she pushed it aside and stole my lips before I could react. Quinn enjoyed my momentary stunned silence and rolled back to consider me.

She lingered on my eyes. 

"You are. Beautiful. Fletcher."

My smirk darkened. But my heart stopped at her words. "I wasn't before?"

"Not even slightly." She deadpanned, leaning in and kissing me harder.

I shook my head against her and leaned back. Always that ready, sharp wit.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" I prompted, thinking of her actual career over my fantasy of one.

"I'm having a late start." She answered with a shrug.

"Something tells me your boss has no say in the matter–"

"Not many people have a say in what I do or do not do, Fletcher. You know that better than anyone. " She winked.

My blood froze and I would have blushed like a fool if I could.

She turned and flicked her bare legs onto the carpet. I watched the loose tank top cling to her figure and tried not to let the scarcity of clothing trigger anything darker. I swear she did it on purpose now. The sway of those hips as she padded across the carpet. 

I protected myself with a t-shirt and her sweats. I couldn't entirely trust that demon yet.

"Coffee." Quinn stated over her shoulder. 

I tore the sheets off me and trailed after her at a leisurely pace.

"What about a professional snooker player?" I quipped behind her.

"Boring."

I grinned at her back as she descended the stairs, pulling her hair up into a high and messy bun. The curve of her neck and dancing strands that escaped her hands were enticing–I didn't notice her stop on the last step in my distraction and almost collided into her.

She threw me knowing look.

"I'll think of something. Or you'll surprise me." She noted, rounding the stairs and heading for the kitchen. The coffee machine was already well trained in its art and the smell filled the hallway in rich hues and a hint of...

Vanilla.

I shuddered the thought away and focused on Quinn who filled a cup.

She flicked on the screen above her head and scanned financial headlines with half a thought. I realised this was a natural ritual she likely held long before I entered the picture. The corner of my mouth pulled up as she started cutting a piece of fruit. But when her eyes returned to the screen they widened and whatever took her focus also made the knife in her hand slip over her finger.

I shut my eyes and cut the world off.

Quinn's gasp of pain was nothing compared to the realisation she had from the simple, harmless action–

Yet. There was no annihilation upon my senses. 

No red wave to claim full control over my being and send me charging through a window to escape her. I didn't dare open my eyes. This was surely a fluke–a tsunami waiting to break through...

"Fletcher–are you? Your'e not moving..." Her panic was likely heightened by the lack of my response. "I'll go–"

"No."

I opened my eyes slowly and finally saw the edges of it. But it was different. The red tint wasn't a rich, violent thing. It was muted. The scent still slapped me wide awake and drew sharp points into my mouth but it was laughably easy to get a hold of. It was night and day compared to the immortality I was accustomed. Fresh blood–no matter whose–was enough to send seasoned immortals from themselves.

But this was an Elder's reaction. My reaction.

"Wow." I muttered.

"Wow?" Quinn repeated, raising her brows and sucking the blood from her finger. "You just–you've had to tear yourself away from me for far less and this–" she raised her hand, "–Is just... wow now?"

"Things changed a little while I was away." I admitted, watching her inspect her finger and seeing it clean.

She levelled me with a steady gaze and pinned her hands on the counter.

"I knew those pretty eyes weren't just a makeover." She muttered, watching me warily. "–But I can only see the positives over how calm you are..." She frowned. "What?"

I shook my head.

"My status has changed." I hedged, watching her closely. To someone as sharp as Quinn, she knew everything came with a but or a cost.

"I'm an Elder."

She blinked.

"Come again?"

"An Elder. Usually an immortal that's evolved after centuries of existence." I supplied in a murmur, not quite believing it myself. But I knew what that power felt like. That strength to take on so many and walk away.

"But you–you're barely a century... how–what changed while you were working with them?" She demanded, rounding the counter and standing before me. Her caution was warranted, but her fear wasn't there. It never was with me.

I stood straighter and levelled her.

"This might be a conversation better had later, Quinn..." I finally answered.

She crossed her arms and I tensed. But the conflict didn't happen.

"I want a nice bottle of red to go with that."

I grinned. 

"I'll raid the vault."

"You can host." She answered, turning for her coffee.

It was a good thing it had been fully furnished once more. The only collection that needed to be reapplied was the concealed weapon shelf. But the prospect of Quinn gracing my apartment once more was excited, if not mildly terrifying.

So much had changed between that Lawyer and that Detective that were first crossing each other's paths.