The purple figure of doom stepped into the sunlight to reveal a lot less imposing woman. She was still ridiculously tall with Eve having to tilt her face upwards to meet her eyes easily but there was a warmth to her from her rosy cheeks to the purple gingham apron she wore covered in cookie batter. 

“I’m sorry dear but I’m going to have to ask who you are first.” 

“Ah I do apologise. My name is Eve Lagarde, I’m a Curse-breaker currently on a job which I feel Dani may be able to help me with.” 

Eve peeled back the fold of her blazer that covered the badge that was her licence. The woman before her brought up a pair of reading glasses from the chain around her neck. 

“That does look in order. Are you sure Dani can help you with this? He’s a good boy I can’t see how he would get involved in something as nasty as a curse.” 

“He knows Ruby next door though and I believe he may be able to help me find who cursed her.” It wasn’t technically a lie. Eve didn’t officially have proof that Dani had cursed Ruby. Not yet in any case. 

The girls name seemed to work more effective magic than the glow of the official badge. Eve was ushered into a cosy living room and planted in an ancient armchair covered in swathes of blankets. After a while, cookies and a dark clad teenager were ushered in as well before the door was shut with the threat of more drinks soon. 

Where Ruby was Pink and Fluffy Dani was Dark and Spikey. He wore dark robes loose but coated at the edges with matte black studs that had worn through to scratched silver. Under the robes like a lot of teenagers he chose to wear jeans over the more traditional leggings, though these jeans were almost as tight in black again. His hair was short, spiked on top with the sides buzzed close. 

“Hello Dani. My name is Eve Lagarde...” 

“Mum told me your name and your job.” 

“Good makes this bit faster.” Her happy expression didn’t reach her sunglasses covered eyes. Eve had left her sight on and what she saw made her feel more than a bit annoyed. 

“So, do you know exactly how damn illegal it is to place a sleeping curse on someone.” 

Eve reached forward for a biscuit not bothering to watch him. 

“Because you should have probably looked into that before giving Ruby Sutton that lip-gloss and making yourself the freaking cure mechanism. I’m guessing you’ve got a crush on her right. This is high up an incredibly nasty list of stupid ways to show it with Romeo and Juliet style manoeuvres not too far ahead.” 

When she brushed the crumbs away Dani was sitting watching her with his mouth agape.  

“Shut your mouth kid before I get tempted to knock your front teeth out. Sure, your Mum might kill me after but it won’t stop your pain.” 

His mouth slammed shut.  

“Now I am going to tell your Mother but it is up to Ruby whether she presses charges. So, what you are going to do to get in her good book and mine?  I can tell you part of it is coming with me to wake her up goddamn now.” 

Eve didn’t need to drag Dani up physically the words seemed to act as effective enough puppet strings yanking him along to follow her footsteps. 

“Ms Sillitoe I’m going to have to ask you to come with me and Dani. I’m afraid he has been less well-behaved than you may like.”