Chapter Text
With a defeated huff, Jaina sunk down into the thick couch cushions, tucking her feet up with her.
Four libraries. She had tried a total of four libraries across the city in order to scour out the next textbook in the semester's reading list.
It had taken her rushing between those four libraries to realise she could have simply phoned them to check their stock lists in advance.
Usually, she kept a step ahead of most of her peers with the library books. Since her first year at college had been so difficult to find said books after a few days of the term starting, she'd made a point to write up the reading list as soon as it was uploaded and scamper into the library on the first available day to drag the heavy textbooks back to their temporary home. It had then become a thrice annual tradition over the past four years. However, this semester she hadn't noticed that she'd skipped over a volume of the Practice of Clinical Medicine - until she went to grab it from her bookshelf only to not find it, of course.
After accusing her baffled roommate of stealing the book and receiving a rather heated response, Jaina eventually checked the neatly folded paper she had written her list onto that she'd kept at the front of her notebook. Only to find she had, in fact, missed it off herself.
And here she was. Four libraries later and still one textbook too light. At least after her embarrassingly late realisation she could continue her hunt at home. Or, the place she currently called home.
"Here," after rummaging around in her handbag for a moment, she tossed a bar of sea salted chocolate at Alleria. The high elf, who was sitting in the lounge chair opposite with her legs strewn over the padded arm, snatched the projectile from the air with lightning reflexes. "For taking you to court earlier."
"You're forgiven," Alleria flashed a quick grin at her before ripping into the plastic with her teeth. Those sharp, elven fangs could be particularly useful. Alleria may have a particularly fiery temper at times but this was easily rectified with a little consideration, Jaina had learned over the years.
A light pressure atop her shoulder encouraged her to look up, finding Arthas peering over her expectantly.
"Bring anything for me?"
"Of course," she answered, handing him a similar bar, only in richer, dark chocolate.
"Thanks, babe," he responded, squeezing her shoulder before stepping away. Jaina tensed at the term. Pet names had never really been her forté - yet, she grit her teeth and went along with it. For the sake of appearances.
Forcing herself to relax back against the cool leather, Jaina whipped out her phone in order to find the respective numbers for the few other libraries in Dalaran. "What are you drawing?" She questioned her roommate as she scrolled, who was scribbling delicately onto a grainy drawing pad. Alleria spun her sketchbook around, the chocolate pinched between her lips.
"A cross section of an eye." She muttered behind her snack. And it very clearly was. Over the years, Alleria had learned to combine her love of art and her quick brains into an attractive hobby - medical illustration. And she was damn good at it. Her expert penwork popped from the paper, the gentle strokes and dotted lines absolutely mesmerizing. "Still needs a fair bit of shading, though."
"It's beautiful. As always."
Alleria hummed in gratitude before returning to the careful stippling of the optic nerve.
No luck with the first library that Jaina tried - only to receive a similar response from the next. Her third attempt, however, eventually had her desired outcome.
"Finally," she sighed, relieved. "They said they'd set it aside for me as long as I pick it up today."
"Which one has it?"
"It's in Northern Dalaran, across the bridge."
Alleria met her eye again with a wary look. “If you’re going to that part of town I’d recommend taking your ring off," she then nodded to the white, designer tote that sat beside her on the sofa. “And maybe switch to another...less expensive bag."
"I'll take your word for it," Jaina muttered, slipping the platinum off to place it in a trinket dish on the glass coffee table, its temporary home. She stood up with a soft sigh, eager to finally complete her textbook collection, moving to the coat stand by the door to shrug the shearling back over her shoulders.
"No fur, either."
Seriously? Jaina thought with a huff, yet followed her friend's advice. She opted for a less obvious, cream trench coat, to which Alleria offered a nod of confirmation.
“And take pepper spray," Arthas spoke through the archway adjoining their kitchen and lounge. Jaina merely rolled her eyes.
“Now that’s just overkill."
Thunder rumbled, clouds hanging low over the tall city streets. They were dark and mottled, the colour of fresh bruises, and Jaina watched as lightning flashed, a purplish tinge to it against the darkened skies.
She pulled her thick coat tighter around her, the chill of the wind bitter against her skin. Dusk had begun creeping in sooner and sooner each day with the onset of Winter, and by early evening it was as good as night. Dim lights lit her way through the murky streets, their pale, orange glow offering little comfort as she peered down the alleyway to her left, a deep void staring back at her. She sped her pace up, partly wishing she'd actually listened to Arthas and brought that damned pepper spray. Just as a fail safe.
The majority of Dalaran was a fairly wealthy city, bright and compelling, with one dull corner that rotted the map. It wasn't a particularly luxurious place and Jaina had never had an excuse to visit. Until now. She hadn't exactly been given any reason to feel unsafe since arriving on the underground, but the way that her friends would talk about Northern Dalaran as if it were plagued left her skeptical to trust it.
The library was an old building to the side of a small park, its windows slightly murky and its walls faded, but the warmth inside offered some brief comfort from the elements. Jaina hurried to the desk to retrieve the textbook that had eluded her all day, before slotting it into her handbag with a relieved sigh. At least she had that damn book, finally.
Although, it had been right when she left that the rain had started. It lashed at her, fierce and heavy, droplets streaming down her face and neck to dampen her collar under the layers she wore, chilling her ever further. She attempted to quickly stride through the streets, her hair clinging with water, strands sticking to her forehead and cheeks. She walked until the wind picked up and nearly knocked her over, and she decided then and there that ordering a taxi would be the most sensible solution.
The overhang of a dingy looking bar offered a small amount of shelter and she ducked under it in a feeble attempt to protect herself from the aggravated weather. Before she called the taxi service, Jaina reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out a small packet of cigarettes. Only very occasionally would she find herself itching for one - she attempted to resist smoking them regularly, however sometimes they were a welcome stress relief. It was ironic, she thought; a future doctor wilfully inhaling highly toxic fumes at will. The art of practicing what you preach, and all that. However, the snowballing events of the day gave her enough personal permission to take the edge off with just one.
The last one in the packet. She made a mental note to pick more up next time she passed a corner store, before extracting it and placing it between her lips. After a few, pathetic attempts to light it, she turned to get a more sheltered angle against the storm. Only to have the cigarette knocked from her as the wind picked up once more. It bounced a little as it landed on the wet pavement.
Of course.
"Fuck me," she grumbled with taut frustration, pinching between her furrowed brows. The cigarette rolled off the curb and into a stream of water, rendering it completely useless.
"Let me," a silky voice cut through the fierce barrage of raindrops, startling Jaina for a moment. Turning, she found herself met with a pair of striking, cerulean eyes that sliced through the dull gloom of the street like headlights in a thick fog. She blinked at the high elf before her. Shaggy, blond hair framed her angular face, draping over her leather-bound shoulders; a small, sharp smile upturning her lips in an oddly endearing manner.
The woman raised a curious eyebrow when Jaina failed to respond, and it was only then that she noticed an outstretched arm in her direction.
A cigarette.
"Oh!" Jaina went to pluck the offer from her, however before she had the chance the stranger moved, hovering it just centimetres from her lips. Hesitantly, Jaina lowered her mouth to the paper, the bitter taste staining her tongue almost instantly. The elf used her free hand to block the howling wind as she sparked a weak light from an old, embossed clipper and Jaina took her cue to inhale. She flicked her gaze across at the woman as she did so, a light, steaming heat tickling her cheeks as she noticed that she was watching her. In the close proximity, Jaina scanned the thick layer of dark eyeshadow that she wore, a stark contrast to her bright eyes and pale skin. It suited her, she thought.
Once lit, the woman took a slight step back from her and worked on her own cigarette, the light catching a spiked barbell of an eyebrow piercing. She had a small tattoo of an arrowhead on her thumb, and Jaina found herself fixating on it. "Thank you," she said genuinely, turning her back to the storm as she exhaled the smoke through pursed lips.
"Don't worry about it," she flashed her teeth into a wickedly gorgeous grin as she replied. "Happy to help."
A long, yet strangely pleasant silence stretched between the two. Jaina rolled the cigarette between her fingers, attempting to focus her flitting attention solely on getting through the deadly little thing before she'd need to get a cab and brave the mercy of the rain once more. In her peripheral vision, however, the elven woman seemed to be watching her. Not directly, no, but with regular, fleeting glances. And Jaina realised she felt oddly comfortable under her scrutiny.
After a short while, she grasped onto a shred of confidence to meet her eye, and this time the blond held her gaze. "Are you here with friends?" Jaina attempted, her words accompanied by a loose gesture towards the ominously dark bar hiding away behind them. Now she was standing out of the rain, she actually looked at the building for more than a moment. It had a mysterious aura about it; she could hear the deep, fast beat of unfamiliar music and a chorus of lively voices in the distance, but they sounded like they were a couple of rooms away - certainly not simply behind the door. It captivated Jaina's interest in an instant.
"You could say that," the woman replied cryptically. A puzzled look must have contorted her face, as she grinned and shook her head before elaborating. "Sorry. I work here. The regulars are practically my friends."
"Oh," Jaina relaxed into the conversation a little more. "What's that like?"
"Chaotic. But I love it." The elven woman regarded her for a moment, her cool eyes flicking down her frame and back up again in an instant. "What's your name?"
"Jaina."
"Jaina," she echoed, her name rolling fluidly from her tongue. "Pretty."
She tried not to think about how enticing her name sounded from the elf, how her subtle accent complimented the sloped syllables beautifully.
"And yours?"
"Sylvanas."
The woman pushed herself from the exposed brick, snuffing the butt of her cigarette out on the lid of a bin before depositing it inside.
"Care to come in for a drink?"
"It's...not really my usual scene." Jaina inwardly winced as the response escaped her automatically. She wanted to go in, to try this new experience. So why had she turned the offer down so quickly?
Habit, she could only assume. That underlying fear of breaking appearances that forever simmered under the surface of her skin. It had been so firmly implanted into her psyche due to her strict upbringing, after all.
Thankfully, Sylvanas shot her another alluring twitch of her lips, seemingly unfazed by her statement. "I can see that," she said, taking small steps backwards towards the entrance, her hooded eyes watching Jaina closely. "But it's good to try something new once in a while. It's on the house."
"You're very convincing, you know?"
"I've been told." The woman turned and faded into the dull light inside. After a short moment of consideration, Jaina trailed behind her.
She had to admit, the way Sylvanas glanced over her shoulder to see if she were following was particularly warming.
And the pleased smile she offered her even more so.
"Cute name," Jaina nodded at the battered, ebony stained, wooden sign above a downward staircase, a curled arrow paving the way down into its depths. 'Undercity' was carved out in thin, spikey print, the indents of the font painted a bright acidic green.
"Can you believe this place used to be called Lorderon?" Sylvanas shook her head with a playful scoff as she began to descend the spiraling stone. The music and chatter of voices grew in volume as they continued on, provoking Jaina's enticement ever further. "I suggested the change a while back. My boss seemed to like it enough."
"They were missing out on clever wordplay." Faux, flickering torches lined the grey masonry giving a warm, medieval feel to the room. It reminded Jaina of the antique parts of Stormwind Keep that they had kept ancient to coax tourists in, preserving its history.
"I'm glad you agree," Sylvanas reached the end of the staircase and shoved open a wide, timber door adjourned in metal plating, as if removed straight from a castle. Raucous music heavy in bass spilled from the open room, the lively atmosphere unlike anything Jaina had ever experienced. She felt sorely out of place the moment she stepped through the door, her refined appearance ill fitting amongst the rowdy patrons.
And yet, it was immediately enthralling.
Jaina trailed behind Sylvanas as they walked towards the bar. As they brushed past a table of orcs arm wrestling with a mix of draenei, drinking merrily, Jaina watched with curiosity as Sylvanas accepted a fist bump from one of the burly orcs, the other members of his group nodding to her with undeniable respect. A couple of night elves sat on the little stools in front of the taps, deep in conversation about something that seemed particularly important, and Sylvanas gestured to an empty space beside them.
"Take a seat if you want, I'll be right out," Sylvanas spoke, before she slipped behind the counter and away into a back room.
Jaina took the free moment to survey the bar properly as she sat. It was large, spacious. Despite only being early evening, the place was near filled. There weren't as many other humans present as there were trolls or elves alike, yet Jaina noted a distinct sense of community. As if she would be happily accepted into the scene in an instant.
Just as she was greeted by a tall, shaggy man behind the bar Sylvanas re-emerged, this time without her tight, leather jacket. The immediate feature Jaina fixated on were the flurry of blackwork tattoos forming a sleeve up her left arm, some sort of grunge theme from what she could gather. Jaina found her gaze flicking over the woman's slender frame. Perhaps only an inch or two taller than herself, though her long, thin legs clad in dark, ripped skinny jeans made her appear far more agile and coordinated. A tight, washed out gray tank highlighted the dip of her waist and the gentle curve of her breast, and Jaina averted her eyes lest the action be interpreted as anything but admiration for the blond's alternative sense of style.
"I've got this, Nathanos," Sylvanas waved her co-worker away with a smooth swish of her wrist, and he followed her command like an obedient puppy. "What's your poison?"
"Guess," Jaina teased experimentally. She had decided to throw herself into the experience, and she thoroughly intended to try. Her mediocre life ached for a sprinkle of excitement, and attempting to befriend this mysterious barmaid seemed sufficient enough for the time being.
Smirking mischievously, Sylvanas clasped her hands in front of her and leaned against the counter top, closing in slowly on Jaina. She met her eye levelly, staring Sylvanas down with a surprising amount of confidence. "Okay I'll bite," the elf spoke, flashing her fangs as she did so. "Let me see." A few moments of scrutiny passed and Jaina held her flickering stare with a small smile of her own. "You like to pretend you drink wine. Red, of course. And yet, you'd really rather have something strong. Bold and smoky. Bourbon; on the rocks?"
"Holy shit," Jaina muttered, her eyes widening. "You're right."
Sylvanas slapped the counter with an open palm, her bright eyes shimmering. "Fuck, I'm good," she beamed with genuine pride, spinning around to pull down a clean tumbler from the sturdy shelf above her head. Her tank rode up a little as she did so, just enough to expose a sliver of pale skin at the small of her back atop her low waisted jeans, which Jaina couldn't help but glance at.
"How did you know that?" She stuttered out, more than a little bewildered at her accuracy.
"It's written on your forehead," Sylvanas answered ambiguously with an amused grin.
"Seriously, how?"
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"You dress like a good girl outwardly. But there's hints of something...defiant." Slowly, she pushed the drink across the bar, lingering for a moment before retracting her touch. "It's nice."
"That's...quite a judgment.”
"It's part of my job to figure these things out," Sylvanas quipped, before moving slightly further down the bar to listen to a troll's lengthy order across the counter.
Right. This was just her working, of course. Jaina was merely a customer, a way to bring money in. Surely Sylvanas had no real reason to befriend her - she didn't exactly class herself as appealing. Particularly to someone like her, in this kind of scene.
Except, Sylvanas had offered to pay.
She quickly drifted back towards her as she prepared the glasses for her customer. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods? You don't look the type to be prowling these streets."
"College," Jaina said, taking a short sip from the bourbon. It burned delightfully, the dry spice alighting her palette as she swallowed, instantly refreshing to her cluttered mind. “The library nearby had the only copy of a textbook I needed.”
"What are you studying?"
"I'm at med school. Fourth year." she took another, prolonged sip from her drink, the rich alcohol simultaneously cooling and fiery. It was decent quality, she'd noticed, and admittedly she hadn't expected that.
"Smart-ass, huh?" Jaina shrugged at that as a light heat tinted her cheeks. She didn't view herself as particularly intelligent. Merely good at taking in and retaining information. Her clumsy lack of street smarts could be obvious at times, she knew. "You want to be a doctor?"
"Yeah, eventually. It's a damn long process. I was thinking of becoming a medical examiner further down the line."
"Like... autopsies?" At Jaina's confirming nod, Sylvanas raised her long brows a little, genuine interest evident in her features. It was a strangely familiar look, somehow. "Fuck, that's cool."
"You think? Most people find it odd that I actually want to do it."
"Seriously, it's interesting. You should go for it, if it's what you want. Plus the urge to slice up corpses helps you fit in around here."
"Well, that's a bonus. I don't seem to have the aesthetic appeal right now," she gestured to herself, the cream and white tones jarring against the dark bar.
"It doesn't take much to dress the part. Slap on a bit of eyeshadow and a leather jacket and you'd be halfway there."
"I don't think I'd suit it."
"Oh, you would," her eyes narrowed, darkening as she spoke, and she flashed her teeth into an enchanting grin. That almost sultry look she gave her sent a jolt of heat down Jaina's spine and she internally scolded herself for the reaction.
"You think?" Jaina replied automatically, the suddenly heavy air stealing her breath away and making her head swim.
"You'd be surprised.” Sylvanas turned to reach for a couple of bottles of spirits at a customer's request, the glass clinking as she poured the liquids. "So why Dalaran?" She asked, offering her quick glances between the flurry of drinks. "Why not Darnassas, or Boraleus? Their schools are good too, right?"
"They are. But I love this city. It's so vibrant. So lively." Jaina paused for a quiet moment, speaking up again when Sylvanas met her eye. "Besides, I moved here from Boraleus. I wanted a change."
Sylvanas's ears shifted. A subtle change in the angle of the tips that she would have missed if it weren't for her roommate. Over the past few years, she had loosely grasped the concept of elvish body language. She wasn't an expert, not at all - though she had become much more adept at picking up minute shifts in their emotions. "Shitty family?"
"No...not shitty," Jaina watched herself circle the rim of the tumbler for a moment before meeting those striking, blue eyes again. "I love them. They're just so...overbearing, I suppose."
Sylvanas hummed quietly with a slight nod, her attention split once more by another order. Again, she spoke as she prepared it. "You don't sound like you're from Boraleus."
It was a strange sort of privilege for her to be holding their conversation so intensely as she served her customers. Jaina wasn't entirely certain why Sylvanas was giving her that extra time, she wasn't anything interesting compared to the people she likely interacted with on a daily basis, yet she allowed herself to appreciate it regardless.
"No," she admitted. "I grew up in Stormwind."
"I guessed," Jaina furrowed her brow, the elf's seemingly psychic abilities beginning to freak her out a little. She must have looked visibly confused, as Sylvanas's lips curled into a smirk. "Your accent."
"Oh. Of course," Jaina refrained from rolling her eyes at herself. Her original accent had been muted slightly from her years in different cities, yet her genuine Stormwind dialect had still held strong throughout. "You're from Eversong?" She asked despite knowing the answer, the elf's own distinct accent clear.
"Yeah. Not far from the city." Before Jaina could even open her mouth to respond, they were interrupted as a burly orc gestured to Sylvanas from the distant end of the bar, and Jaina felt a distinct disappointment as she stepped away, that thick atmosphere between them dissipating as quickly as it had settled.
Her phone chimed once as Sylvanas left her alone, and she was planning on ignoring it until it alerted her again a moment later. And then three more times. Startled, she pulled it from the pocket of her coat. The signal was weak, barely even a bar. The texts must have all come through at once - a muddled mix of Arthas and Alleria demanding her attention in their group chat.
How's it going?
Have you been murdered yet?
Okay Jaina we're actually kinda worried now, please answer
Jaina??
Okay we're on our way
"Fuck," she muttered, typing out a quick reply insisting that she was indeed alive and that they really didn't need to find her. Only for the signal to drop again, leaving her text unsent.
Reluctantly, she peered sheepishly up at Sylvanas, who was pouring the drinks for her current customer. She knocked back the last of her own glass and slipped from the stool to meet her by a second set of taps further up the bar.
"I really have to go. Early lecture tomorrow, chores to do, and so on," she rambled a little, a pathetic attempt to prolong her stay. "Thank you for tempting me here, though."
"Anytime," she spoke gently, a hint of a smile upturning her lips. Jaina could have sworn she detected a slight sadness in her voice, though she put it down to her own reluctance to leave. "I mean that, by the way. I'm here most nights. Never Sundays, though."
Jaina reached into her purse and after sifting through her wallet pulled out a couple of notes. She placed them on the counter to which Sylvanas went to reject them, but she pushed them towards her regardless. "A tip. For your company."
"If you were paying for my time I don't think I'd be a barmaid in the situation," Sylvanas winked, yet accepted the cash. The jest stole a surprised laugh from Jaina, and sparked her chest with an unfamiliar, yet pleasant fluttering.
"I'll see you later," Jaina took a step back, the cold loss of her company already evident.
"I hope so."