Per 
The man leaned back on his chair while inhaling sharply. He stared blankly at the document as he scratched an eyebrow. Great numbers raced through his mind as his other hand tapped lightly on the sprawled paperwork. Then he paused.
In one continuous motion, he took a pen, scribbled a note beside the document, made a small gesture with his finger and finally used the third red candle to heat and pour wax on the parchment. He put it aside, took one of his seals to the cooling wax and clapped twice, his gaze unmoved since the beginning.
Nothing happened.
He glanced to his right, then beyond his table to the bookshelves across the room. He blinked once and spoke.
“I was wondering when you would present yourself.” Darke eyed the interloper’s hands as their fingers lightly touched his grimoires, seemingly unaffected by their miasma.
“My, I did say I would drop by.” The figure turned his head to look at him.
“If that was your idea of an introduction, it was in poor taste.”
“Ah, and here I thought it could tease Iris a bit.”
“Unwise as well I see.”
“Confident, if nothing else.” smiled the figure.
“Foolish perhaps. Still, to what do I owe this pleasure, boy?”
The figure comes out of the shadow with precise and long strides. Wherever the sepia light touched his skin, the tones would change from a dark sea of stars into a pale brown hue. Walking with both hands clasped on his back, he comes to a full stop just a couple of meters away from Darke’s table.
“Where do your guests sit?” the young man asks.
“They don’t.” Darke places both elbows on the table and rubs his hands. “They don’t come at all.”
“Quite the popular guy, as always.” The young man retorts as he tilts his head. He stretches his right arm and hand. The fires suddenly dim and the room becomes cold for a moment. A wooden chair quickly materializes under the young man’s hand. “I hope you don’t mind if I use your firewood.” And the young man takes his seat.
“Used.” Darke takes a short sigh. “Enough with the pleasantries, boy, you haven’t answered me.”
“Is it so hard for you to comprehend a simple gesture? I came into town, thought I’d drop by and pay my respects. That’s all to it, old man.” He replied casually.
“If you’re done, return my servant and be off with you. I have matters to attend to and I need hi-”
“Oh, I got rid of him. I’ve been carrying this house, er, basement, whatever gift that I wanted to give you, so I got rid of the old help.” The young man interjected as he quickly leaned forward and pulled something out of his right pocket. He produces a small bell and proceeds to throw it gently to Darke.
“What in-“ Darke stops as he notices the letters "S.J.W." on the small silver bell. "I see. I suppose I can make better use of this than they ever will." Darke loosens up and leans back again. "Fine, you've bought yourself into my good graces, for now."
"Again, as I said, I was just dropping by to pay my respects."
"Respects? Boy, you haven't even told me your name."
"But you can clearly see it, right?''
Darke taps on his table as he looks inside the young man. "Dark? How d- wait, it's changed? Now it's 'Banana'? How are you doing this? You can't rewrite your True Name." Darke snaps straight.
"You know how to Read. I know how to Write. The Future is now old man." The young man chuckles. "Chill, I'll fix it."
"Fine. Let me look again. It says, 'Sorry'? You're 'Sorry'?" Darke was rarely confused, but he was at the moment.
"Aaand, he doesn't get the joke. You're supposed to say 'Hello Sorr-' ah fuck it, it's messed-."
Darke was not amused, and it showed on his face.
"Fine, fine, let me fix it, for reals." he said as he put up his hands.
"It says Nacht."
"Well I can't go around being 'Dark', can I? That's her job, not mine." Nacht smiled again.
Darke sighed. He rarely sighs, and today seemed to hold the record for quantity.
"Now it is clear why I cannot see you. If you can write your True Name, the Fates have no hold on you. You are a wild card, a risk, through and through.''
Nacht smirks. "Don't be like that, we're family after all. You, me, Iris, Uncle Nightmare. You never visited actually."
"Is that how you got out? Stowing away on Iris?" Darke asked.
"Perceptive. Not bad. Yes, Iris was so busy reveling in her dreamy acquisition she didn't realize I've piggy-backed on her. Her paratech also helped a lot in teaching me about this side of the veil. Her memes are lit."
"I knew Brother was hiding something, though I sincerely wasn't expecting something like you." Darke motions toward Nacht.
"Impressed?"
"Hardly."
"Proud?"
"Annoyed."
"Tea?"
"Agreed. Somehow." Another sigh.
"Might as well try out my gift." Nacht raised a brow.
Darke gently picks up the handle of the silver bell with his right hand and slowly shakes it as if it had a ringer. The soft ring travelled across the room without fail. A voice clears its throat on Darke's left side.
"Good afternoon, Monsieur Darke. How may I be of service?" Darke immediately realized the slower pace of this new interaction.
"Would you kindly get us some tea Deeds? I'm awfully cold from the London weather." Nacht beamed with his request.
"Of course Master- Odd. Pardon my rudeness, but I seem to have no recollection of your name."
"No biggie Deeds, I'm used to it. Please call me Erick." Darke raises an eyebrow.
"As you wish, Master Erick. As I was about to ask, what kind of tea would you prefer?" inquired the butler.
"Darjeeling, First Flush. Chamong with 2 cubes if you don't mind. How 'bout you Grandsire?" Nacht pointed his smile at the person looking at him from beyond the table.
Darke smirks in turn "Darjeeling, Autumn Flush. Straight. But I want it from Super Fine."
"But of course Monsieur Darke, I only use the best of Whole Leaf. Now, if you'll excuse me." Mr. Deeds steps backward into the darkness as the two seated men take no notice of his absence. Mr. Deeds returns within a moment along with a tray of two cups and two pots.
"For you Monsieur Darke." Mr. Deeds as he hands a cup to Darke. He merely nods to Mr. Deeds and the butler efficiently makes his way to Nacht.
"And this is for you Master, Baiter?" Darke rubbed his temples hard as Nacht tried to stifle his laugh.
"Sorry about that Deeds. It's Erick. And thank you for this fragrant tea." Nacht waved his right hand as his other one took the cup. A motionless body materializes on the floor, recognized by Darke as his former servant. "And Deeds, would you kindly dispose of this on your way out?"
"Of course Master Erick." Mr. Deeds bowed, swung the body on his shoulder and bowed again before disappearing around a corner.
"Now don't tell me you can't appreciate my gift." boasted Nacht.
"The old one was quiet and always available at my side." Darke retaliated.
"I'm confident you'll find a way to survive, old man."
"Are you finished?"
"With my tea? Yes."
"Are you finished here?"
"For now? Yes."
"You should go."
"Agreed. Completely." Nacht stands up and places his cup and saucer on the chair. "Wouldn't want Iris to catch me this early, especially after she found out what I did." Nacht lets out a small laugh. He places his wand above the chair then makes a fist. The chair, cup and saucer slowly disintegrates into the air like paper ash.
"To be fair, I enjoyed this little tea of ours, Grandsire." says Nacht as he puts on his gloves. "I'm keen on dropping by again if the Fates permit. Well, I don't really ask permission from them anyways, but still, you're family." Nacht smiles as he walks into the darkness, his skin turning into a facsimile of the night sky. "Later, old man."
Boy.
And just like that, the room was silent again. Darke finished the remainder of his tea and set it on the farthest corner of his table, away from his documents. He shook his head as he had trouble admitting that the change of pace was timely.
He looked at his timepiece, agreeing that Iris was due to report to him any minute. He wanted to give her another book as a primer for her next assignment, and give her another letter of recommendation. He looked to his right and was about to clap when he remembered the recent change in personnel. Another sigh, hopefully the last one for the day.
He gently took the small bell and gave it a shake.
