Eddie: “Jackson, will you be home soon? I have something I need your help with.”
Jackson: “I’m on my way back now actually. Is everything ok?”
Hakeem: “Everything is fine, Eddie brought some friends over to ask a question about the binding magic we’ve been practicing.”
J: “What does that require me for? Hakeem is the expert on spell composition.”
E: “My friends Bernie and Ozzy we’re joking about how they could have broken out of your chains cause they had shifter strength on their side. I said pure strength had nothing to do with it since I could bench as much of them even without shifting. Then we got into it about whether magic blessings of shifter magic affected muscles to the point of breaking out of magic. Then we came to the house to hang out and play some video games and Hakeem was there and we asked him the same thing and Hakeem said the only way to confirm for sure was to repeat the conditions of the previous chain incident and try to break free of them. And that needs your mana.”
H: “It’s for science.”
J: “I don’t know what to say. Isn’t that dangerous and don’t we need to go to the store?”
E: “We were gonna just chill at home till we had to go but this is a matter of pride and science.”
H: “Nothing dangerous about it actually. Your control has been improving and the spell itself is innately harmless. The spell binds but doesn’t tighten when pressure is applied. That spell is more complex.”
J: “Do you get anything in proving your friends wrong?”
E: “Ozzy and Bernie said if they can’t break out of your chains they’ll buy lunch before we head out to the store.”
This is ridiculous. Jackson doesn’t want to bother using his magic more than he needed to. It’s not a meant to be used for foolish bets and entertainment.
On the other hand, the thought didn’t annoy him, it actually sounded kind of fun? Jackson smirks, huffing a breath through his nose.
J: “Fuck it, sure. I take no responsibility if this goes wrong and saywe get burgers if we win.”
H: “Ooh, burgers sound good actually!”
E: “The terms have been agreed upon. Thank you, see you soon!”
* * *
Jackson arrives at the apartment shortly afterwards, box in hand. He finds Hakeem cheering on Eddie from behind him on the couch as he button mashes a controller. A large hairy man in a tank top with a full beard and dark skin has the other controller, tongue sticking out slightly in concentration. A muscular man with hairy arms wearing a matching tank top, twin scars across his chest peaking through the top, has his hands on the large man’s shoulders, cheering him on. Jackson peeks at the screen and sees they are playing an arena fighter game.
“Hi, Jackson, Eddie and Bernie are in the last round of their match. It’s tied so far and this is the tie breaker.” He points to the muscular man next to him, the one cheering on Bernie. “This is Ozzy, Bernie’s mate. Get him Eddie!”
“Slice him apart, honey bear!” Ozzy shouts out towards the screen. “Hey man, Oswald Rivers, how you doing?” He waves at Jackson from his spot behind his mate, Jackson offers a wave back.
Jackson puts his stuff and the box down on the kitchen island, he hears Eddie cry out in what he assumes in defeat. He turns back around to see Bernie jump up in victory, pulling Oswald into his arms for a kiss. Hakeem pats Eddie on the back gently and chuckles. “Good game, big guy, you almost had him.”
“He just got lucky.” Eddie grumbles.
Bernie sticks his tongue out at Eddie’s remark, Eddie flips him off in return. Bernie just laughs and waves over to Jackson. “Bernard Woods, hi!”
* **
Eddie lines up next to his friend in front of the terrace doors. Jackson faces them from a few feet away, stretching out his arms. “You guys sure about this?”
Oswald nods his head with a chuckle, “At first we were just joking but now we’re genuinely curious, and a little competitive.”
Jackson turns to Hakeem who has his grimoire open to the proper page. “Hakeem, do I need to cast this three times or can I do a mass target casting?”
Hakeem scans the page, glasses sliding down his nose slightly. “If you make the somatic component using a wider birth and channel an appropriate amount of mana, three targets should be possible with one casting.”
Oswald and Bernard exchange a confused look. “Hand Gestures,” says Eddie and Jackson in unison. Hakeem snorts as he tries to cover a laugh at the embarrassed look his roommates give each other.
Eddie and Jackson chuckle, a bright sound that fills the apartment, as a slight blush fills their cheeks, hands rubbing the back of their necks. Oswald and Bernard exchange a knowing look that goes unnoticed by the three roommates.
