it's a little bit funny
Character: Jade Tempest
Summary: Or perhaps, it is not.
She is a fool.
A beautiful, dangerous and smart fool but a fool nonetheless.
She harshly berates herself as she empties another glass of whiskey, wondering how long it will take her to get utterly intoxicated this time. This is foolish. She should not be here – but she is. She should be in her room, miserably sipping coffee while going through a few files instead of sitting in a questionable establishment somewhere in Central City, dressed in her best (and most revealing) dress. But even she who has been always the most rule-bound person she knows – and she knows many people – has her moments when she acts entirely out of character.
"Another whiskey, gal?" the woman behind the counter smiles, holding a cigarette in her hand and smiling the smile of a woman who has seen heartache thousand times before.
"That'd be nice, aunt," she says as she holds out her glass. "It's a calm evening, huh?"
"The alcohol finally loosened your tongue, huh?" the older woman asks as she pours the drink into the glass. "Seriously, I'll never get why you and Roy-boy drink that stuff, gal."
"It's bitter enough for us to remember what we are here for," she replies, placing the glass in front of her. "What has he been up to lately, anyway?"
"Running after Elizabeth and dealing with old man Grumman's antic," the woman in red says amused, wiping the counter. "How about you? Heard Phil lost his hand…"
"He had his automail surgery yesterday or so I heard," Jade says, drawing circles onto the wood of the table. "He's not one to call me everyday – I get most information from Lynn because Rena calls frequently…" She sighs and shrugs. "As long as he is fine, I won't complain."
"You never complain, gal," the aunt says, frowning and pursing her lips. "You were attacked by that killer, weren't you? The first state alchemists to survive an encounter…"
"We were lucky," she replies. "I … I nearly got myself killed that night – that was when Phil lost his hand. We were unprepared and nearly paid with our lives for our assumption that he'd go for those who actually served in Ishbal first."
"Did you tell Roy-boy? He has asked about you the last time he called…"
"He shouldn't worry about me and no, I haven't called him yet," Jade says with a faint smile. "He has enough problems without me adding to it. Plus, he could come to this conclusion without my help if he would think about it – there aren't many of us in the West." She scowls as a dark shadow falls over her face. "Plus, I'm in the South now, too."
"That's what depresses you, huh?"
"Of course," she admits freely. "I have been working for Llewellyn since I got my qualification. To be forced to go to SouthCity now is absolutely painful for me! I love WestCity, the South is too dusty for me. Plus, Phil is in NorthCity now. He will catch the cold of a century over there."
"You worry too much – typical older sister after all."
"Please, that boy will get himself killed one day if Serena and I stop looking after him," she says, fists clenching by her side once more because hell, the last time, he has been the one to look after her and this is so ironic that it might be nearly funny – only that she does not kid about life-or-death-situations.