#bergen_county

He considers. "I bet I can find out from the local game shops or bulletin boards what's going on in the area."

"She's kinda a jock, though. Does she still play ball?"

"I'm not sure."

"She's also a runner. So... maybe a running club? Maybe I should see if Piper knows any satyrs."

"Well, there's options. Maybe a local theatre group Like Sylvi used to have. That's like, writing, isn't it?"

"Totally."

"I can go pretty much whenever you want. S'long as I have notice to get someone to cover my shifts."

Brow furrow.

"Shifts?"

How did she miss this?

A shrug. "Just a summer job. I didn't know I got it until this afternoon when they texted back. Midnight shift at the Guzzle-n-Go." Naming one of the seedier gas stations in the area, the kind where there is no inside store, just a kiosk with the attended behind bullet-proof glass.

"Hey, that reminds me. When I was cruising the job boards, I saw a few you might like. Just, you know. If you're looking for some summer cash."

"I've been picking up some shifts at Dad's store..." She bites on her lip. "If I'd known you were looking..."

"I mean, high odds of Connor visiting you at work at the weirdest hours. But definitely not the worst thing."

"Nah. I thought of asking Jaymes. but I figure your store operates on pretty tight margins, especially with the Walmart over in North Bergen. This is quiet, and I can study in off hours."

"But there were openings for pool attendants, like- life guards? Camp counselors, and stuff like working at pet stores. Not for me... but I figured I'd mention, just in case."

"The gas jerk job actually pays pretty well. It's hard for them to keep people on for that shift."

"Seems like a shift that would suit you, though."

"No talking to people."

"...but pet store?" A little smile.

A toothless smirk. "And it's quiet." He shrugs. "Not for ME, but like... I dunno, you like animals, right?" He looks a bit sheepish. "Maybe not that one."

"I like animals, yeah."

"Maybe not enough to be a vet. I don't think I could deal with the ones that are hurt too badly."

"...Did you know that there's a Fire Science degree?"

"Ever think of learning healing from the Hearth?" He considers. "Being a vet is a medical degree. My dad would approve. "

Curious. "Fire science? Is that like, fighting fires, or tracking down arsonists?"

"Fighting fires, yeah. There's all kinds of stuff, how to predict what they're gonna do, how to contain it in different environments - forest versus industrial versus residential..."

"I have thought about working on my Primal. Magic isn't my strong suite."

"Strong is your strong suite. But you're no slouch at cantrips."

"Maybe not the kind of... direct stuff. I have a theme." She smiles.

"I think you could learn any cantrip you put your mind to." He says, earnestly, though adding, "But it would take time away from the jousting, the horse-riding, and all the other crap you do. So I see the trade off. Think of being able to heal your animals, though. There won't always be handy cookies available. Or at the scene of a fire."

Brow furrow and a nod.

"And oakenshield can protect others, too, from getting hurt in the first place."

"Lilly mentioned that Connor was talking about learning new things. Maybe he's going to get some Hearth training, he's always hanging around the Lodge kitchen looking for handouts anyways. Or maybe that means he smelled a dead squirrel in the woods. Can never tell with pooka."

"Good. He's a smart kid."

"So things all smoothed over with wolf-girl too?"

He snickers a little at where May is holding a pastry out of Lupe reach - judging from the look on the shorter girl's face, she might take May out by the knees. All in good sport, of course.

"Yeah. Things weren't as bad with Lupe - she had a lot of wolf stuff."

"Nothing that spills over into our territory, I hope?"

"Doesn't sound it."

"Good. I've heard of the things they fight. More power to them, but I don't want to get caught up in it."

Lupe did come in looking tired and wore out, but the chat with May (And earlier dagmar) seems to have recharged her

"Some of it doesn't sound far off our nastier stuff - nocstina and the like."

"Yeah, but fighting the physical embodiment of like, toxic pollution? Gross."

"Some of the mutants sound cool." He allows.

Brow.

"Like, aesthetically!"

"Sluagh." Affectionate.

A huff of amusement. Then, he straightens, catching sight of Cairrean returning from the washroom. "Hey, I gotta check in with Cair'. You let me know about that trip, okay?"

To her credit, she only stiffens up a little. "Sure."

A clammy hand brushes her arm. "If you get bored, come by the station later, I'll be there midnight to 5am. I'll sell you a lotto ticket."