But Cass has a plan for how to handle that. He’s already perfected a second identity for Desi, and he’s almost done putting the finishing touches on JJ’s. Once the paperwork is filed, he’ll just has to set up the most important part—the bank account in JJ’s new name—and it’ll be ready for…
For whatever JJ wants to do with it, really.
But that’s a worry for another time. “All right,” Cass says, critically surveying the spread of chopped veggies in front of them. “Fillings are done. Ready to learn how to make an omelet?”
JJ gives him a small smile. “Ready,” he says, and Cass smiles back as he guides JJ through the rest of their cooking lesson.
JJ hefts the weight of his escrima sticks in his hands, checking the grip. “So you’resurethe corrosion spell is gone?”
Ez’s eyes narrow dangerously. “Are you doubting my skills, Jackson?”
“Not at all,” JJ says hastily, tempted to hug the escrima protectively to his chest. “I just want to, you know, make sure I’m not misunderstanding anything. I wouldn’t want Desi or Cass to get burned, after all.”
Ez looks suspicious of this reply. JJ resists the urge to fidget. Even though he firmly believes Obie is the most dangerous of Cass’s little trio—after all, Obie refuses to even say when he was summoned, so he’s definitely at least five thousand years old—Ez is the one who frightens JJ the most.
Plus, Obie just seems so unaccountablynormal.He has strong opinions on the merits of Samosa Spot versus Sambusa Stop, competes in a weekly bowling league every Wednesday, and is the landlord for several apartment buildings around Redwater. Ez, on the other hand, is intensity incarnate.
And it’s not even because of her impressive spellcasting skills, either. Her baseline personality is just intimidating. Like, Cass’s weapons skills are just as impressive as Ez’s magic skills, but JJ doesn’t feel nearly as close to death around Cass as he does around Ez.
Although that might tie into JJ’s current preoccupation with Cassius Chin in general. He shoves the thought determinedly from his mind. “In any case,” he says, “thank you for this. Sincerely. Even though I’m not planning on fighting anymore, I’ve always loved the routine and control of escrima drills. Making these sticks safer for Desi and Cass is really helpful.”
“Hm.” After a moment of consideration, Ez nods once. “You’re welcome. Don’t expect too many more favors like this, lackey.”
Cass scoffs. “Oh, please. You’re a huge showoff, Ez. You’ll do extravagant displays of magic for anyone who can’t run faster than you.”
“Shut up, Chin,” Ez says, and she checks her cell phone. “All right. I’m headed out to grab bibimbap with Obie. You three need anything else?”
“I think we’re all good,” Cass says. “Thanks again, Ez. We really appreciate it.”
“Thanks, Auntie Ez!” Desi chirps from the couch.
“You’re welcome, sweetie. Later, guys,” Ez says, and with a final wave, she snaps open a rift to Lakeside, steps through it, and vanishes from sight.
Cass nods at the escrima in JJ’s hands. “Well, Jackson, I think I remember something about you owing me a lesson.”
JJ rolls his eyes. “Please. Like you don’t already know Filipino martial arts twice as well as I do.”
“I might be rusty,” Cass says defensively, and he tugs one of the sticks out of JJ’s hands. JJ holds his breath until Cass settles on a comfortable grip, revealing that the corrosion spell is definitely gone. “C’mon, JJ. Show me what you got.”
Desi claps her hands. “I want to see, too!”
Cass’s smile falters. JJ fights back a wince. The two of them have had long conversations about whether they’re going to teach Desi about weapons and fighting and warfare, subjects most demons are forced to learn when they’re first summoned. They’ve settled on basic escrima drills for now—if the sticks are going to be in the house, she should know how to use them safely—and general self-defense techniques when she gets older. Nothing too difficult, nothing too dangerous.
Nothing that would expose her to the dark side of humanity too soon.
JJ knows that Cass wants to give her the chance to be a little girl for as long as possible. “You can always watch us practice, Desi,” he says, “but remember, these sticks can be dangerous, okay? You can’t touch them unless one of us is with you, and even then, you have to be really careful with them.”
Desi nods seriously. “Okay!”
Cass flashes JJ a relieved smile as he leads the way to their punching bag. “All right,” he says, and he pokes the bag with the end of his stick. “Like this, right? We’re poking people to death?”
“You’re gonna give me an aneurysm, Chin.”
“Thenshow me,Julian.” Cass gives JJ a crooked grin, and JJ fights back a shiver at the sound of his full name in Cass’s voice. “I want to see what you can do.”
JJ dutifully steps forward, focusing on the bag. He’s always liked the challenge and focus of double-stick sinawali—the weaving patterns that serve as drills and exercises—but single-stick movements are always threaded with nostalgia for his earliest days of training, Chester by his side while Sawyer watched their technique with a critical eye. He starts with his most basic pattern, tracing an “X” in the air in front of him, the familiar sensation of his stick hitting the bag sending a satisfying jolt up his arm?—
Within a minute, he’s relaxing into the rhythm of the strikes, time blurring and stretching around him. He flows into different drills as he hits the bag from every angle, gradually making his movements faster and more complex, staying light on his feet and loose in his arms?—
