5

"You and me both," Ronan said, kissing the top of his head right as the van pulled to a stop.

Groaning, Match climbed out of the van and headed back into the building where his life had just very nearly been ruined.

Up the stairs, back to the room they'd been in before—but this time there was a whole ass feast waiting.

From like, at least three different restaurants.

One of them the diner that had thrown him out.

Match's stomach churned at the idea of eating anything from that place ever again, but also he was starving and it wasn't like he'd paid for the food.

Whatever, he could spite them starting tomorrow.

For now, he just wanted food.

Stripping down to his tank top again, just so Wright would be forced to look at all his witchy tattoos, he went around the long table piling up plates one at a time, taking the full one to his seat before starting on the next.

When he finally sat, he had five plates of food, one of which was just rolls and butter.

Benny and Ronan had seven plates apiece, and Traci was drawing even with him.

Penelope looked at them with fond amusement before setting to work on her measly two plates.

At the opposite end of the table, as far from them as he could get, was Wright, drinking a glass of whiskey with a bitter, resentful expression.

Around the room, hugging the wall like they were afraid they'd fall if they didn't, were member of the city council, Luna, and… and all the people who'd thrown him out.

Maddy.

Eric. Heather. Ronnie. He'd been so zeroed in on the food he hadn't noticed. There were more people, too, from other shops and restaurants in the area. They'd probably been told not to do business with him, too.

Feeling nauseous, he dropped his gaze to his food and kept it there while he ate.

Ronan's hand rested heavy on his thigh for a moment, warm and reassuring.

When Benny had cleared half his plates and drunk an entire pitcher of water by himself, he pushed the empties away and focused a hard gaze on each and every person in the room, until they were practically cowering.

Except Wright, who just looked more pissed off than ever.

"So you've been apprised of everything, council?"

"Yes," one of the women said.

There were seven council members total, three women and four men.

"We understand.

We contest nothing. The papers have been signed and will be notarized after Mr. Willow signs."

Match eyed them warily, then looked at Benny.

Probably just the papers to hire him back, but something was fishy.

"What's going on?"

Benny smiled like the first rays of spring sunshine after a long winter.

"After brief but important discussion, the city council has decided to hire you back as the witch of the local Guard.

Per the new terms, you'll be paid $125,000 a year with a reimbursement budget of five thousand."

Match choked on his food.

"Come again?"

"And they'll be paying for your house, to make up for the fact they never subsidized your housing like they always have ours."

"That isn't—"

Benny held up a hand.

"It's done, save for your signature.

This is more than fair and they all fucking know it.

You're not a C-class anything.

Without you tonight, the wards and the fire, people would have died.

We spend every single day risking our lives or training to risk our lives.

Paladins have been burned alive, gutted, eaten, torn in half, turned into zombies, and a thousand other terrible fates.

Werewolves get slaughtered like dogs every year, and every person on this trash council has an ancestor who tortured a witch and burned them alive.

We risk a lot, and give a lot, to this town and the surrounding counties. A reasonable salary and help with housing is the least they can offer and they damn well fucking know it."

He jerked his head and Jeannette came over with the papers and a pen.

Numb with shock, Match signed all the papers, and went back to his food as everything was notarized and all the necessary copies made and whatever else.

A hundred and twenty-five dollars.

His house would be paid off in full.

He still had so much money from the termination. "Wait, what about the termination money? It seems—"

"Nope, you were wrongfully terminated, the money is yours, that was also agreed upon," Benny said, his smile all teeth as he looked over the council.

"You're free to go now."

They filed out like reprimanded school children, even though as the council they were technically his boss.

But that was Benny, moon bless him.

Still smiling with all the menace of a pissed off honey badger, Benny looked at Wright.

"Elections are in ten months.

Enjoy your last year in office.

Get out of my face."

"You'll pay for this," Wright said, but even a child could tell that the threat had no teeth.

When the door had closed behind him, Match pushed back his chair, stood, and turned his full attention to Luna.

"Why in the hell would you think my wards could just be handed off to you?"

"That's what Mr.

Wright and my mother said could be done," she said sulkily.

"That's what my mother always does when she hires people to help or, or is hired to help others."

"You don't even have proper tattoos that I can see," Match said.

"You're not properly trained or licensed.

Magic isn't a game.

Not knowing what you're doing could get people killed."

She flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"My mother is a witch."

"Your mother is a sloppy, lazy jackass who's probably gotten people killed.

I'll deal with her, never fear.

For now I'm dealing with you." He pulled out a match, struck it, and lit his left arm aflame.

Sucking on the burnt end, he touched the needed castings, twelve of them total, forming the spell in his hand, holding it close—then slammed his hand against her sternum, casting the spell. It sank into her, spread like blood in water, leaving her shrieking and reeling back in shock—and then screaming.

As she was sitting on the ground whimpering, he asked, "Where did you and your mother get the jack frosts? Because I think it's safe to assume you brought them here and released them, part of the scheme to get me thrown out and replace me."

Luna looked as though she was going to refuse to answer for a moment, but then sagged in defeat.

"I don't know where my mom got them.

I wasn't involved in all the planning and stuff.

My job was to transport them, release them, and then take your job. Wright promised it was mine."

"Thank you." Match used another spell to put her to sleep.

Ronan whistled.

"What did you do?" he asked, coming to take her and set her gently down in a chair.

"Sealed her magic, and after I've gotten some rest, I'll return her to her mother and deal with her as well.

After I deal with them, I'm going to find whoever licensed them and remove their skin." He raked his hands through his hair.

"I'm tired."

Benny grunted.

"Come eat some more while I deal with the last group of clowns, and then we'll all go back to my house to sleep.

Have a big ass catered breakfast in the morning."

Match looked at the shame-faced group staring anywhere but at him, sighed, then did as Benny said, filling a new plate as he went.

"So he threatened to take away your shops and restaurants, do I have that right?" Benny asked.

"Yank your license, bribe health inspectors, all of that?" There was no reply, but Benny continued talking so they must have nodded or something.

"You could have come to me.

This town isn't a police state, he didn't have cameras and goons watching you. He doesn't have your phones tapped. I understand you feared for your safety and livelihoods, but you had options.

"Nothing stopped you from sending a text, or an email, or sending a fucking letter through the mail.

Nothing justifies the way you abandoned not only a friend, but a Guard who was asking for help in a time of crisis.

People could have died because you cared more about a building than actual lives.

I'm not some fucking duke or whatever, and being a selfish asshole isn't a crime, but you've lost faith and goodwill with every single one of us. We're sworn to protect you, and we'll do that without hesitation, but that's about all you can expect for a very long time."

"We're sorry," Maddy whispered.

"Sorry isn't good enough when I begged you for snowdrops to activate the wards and you told me to get out.

When I was forced to finally steal.

When I asked for a cup of coffee because I was dizzy with exhaustion," Match replied.

"Just leave."

They left, some of them crying quietly, but as much as he hated that he'd hurt them, people he'd called his friends all these years, he couldn't forget the hurt they'd caused him either and when he had most needed them.

Maybe after he was rested and settled in his new house and not so stressed he'd feel more forgiving.

He didn't know.

Whatever happened, he wouldn't be able to trust them again for a long fucking time.

Benny handed Luna over to a couple of summoned officers, who'd take her to a warded hotel room where she'd stay until he could take her home and deal with her and her worthless mother.

Food finished, he pushed away the empty plates.

"Thank you, all of you, for doing so much for me.

I don't think it's really sunk in that I have a house and a real paycheck now.

I never thought I'd get either of those things."

"I'm sorry we were clueless, oblivious dumbasses for so long," Traci said.

"You deserved better, and you should have punched all of us a long time ago.

Thanks for sticking with us anyway.

We all know you could get hired onto a Guard anywhere in the country with your skills."

"I like it here, and I don't want to work with any other Guard.

Anyway, my boyfriend might cry if he had to drive his car long distance to see me."

Ronan rolled his eyes.

"On that note, I would like someone to drive us to where I can sleep for at least eighteen hours."

The van that had brought them, according to Jeannette, was still waiting to take them home.

Thankfully, the jack frost-induced snow had faded down to something far more typical for that time of year.

In a couple of days, when he had properly recovered, he'd have to go shut down the special wards.

Thankfully, there was no rush. The wards kept out dangerous creatures, in particular right now dangerous winter-oriented creatures, so having them up wouldn't impede anything.

Despite all they'd just eaten, they all piled into the kitchen for snacks before finally going to their separate rooms.

Though he was exhausted to the fucking bone, Match dragged himself into the shower.

He might not be all that dirty physically, but fuck did he need the cleansing mentally and emotionally.

When he was out of the shower, Ronan was lying in bed still warm and flushed from his own shower, burrowed beneath the blankets half-heartedly messing around on his phone.

He tossed it aside as Match climbed into bed, and put out the light on the nightstand.

"Long fucking day."

"Finally over, though," Match said with a sigh.

"I still can't believe it all.

Never had so much change in one day.

Gonna help me decorate my new house?"

"I know better than to get in the path of a hedge witch with plans, but I'll build, haul, and move whatever you want."

Match smiled against his chest before lifting his head.

"I definitely think we should at least pick out a new bed together."

Ronan kissed him softly.

"Yeah, definitely that."

When they woke up several hours later, it was to find another feast waiting for them downstairs, in the form of breakfast from what must be every last damn coffee shop, diner, and breakfast joint in Harper Valley.

There were also bouquets of flowers, and a beautiful wooden box filled with hundreds of types of seeds.

Match sighed, filled a couple of plates, and sat down to eat.

"So what's everyone's agenda for the day?"

"I am going to lay on the couch and do absolutely nothing," Benny said.

"When my parents bring the kids home this evening, we're all going out for pizza and ice cream."

Traci took her empty plate to the sink.

"I'm going back to bed.

See you all later."

Match grinned and finished his coffee.

"I'm gonna copy Traci," Penelope said around a yawn.

"Then I'm going to be a vegetable on the sofa with Benny.

Then I guess I'll go home and do something undetermined, rest up for wearing a miniskirt to the pizza place tomorrow."

"Good luck," Match said.

Ronan nudged him.

"So what are we doing today?"

"I'm going to pick up the van I rented, get the pixies into a temporary enclosure, empty and clean my apartment, and then we're going to your house and relaxing the rest of the day.

Tomorrow or the day after I'll shut off the wards.

Mostly I want to do not much for a couple of days, until my reserves are built back up." He smiled.

"Though obviously we can do some window shopping for our new bed."

"Your wish is my command, witch."

"Then let's get moving." Match kissed him, put their dishes in the sink, and then they were on their way.

End