Penny Picker

Three a penny.

"Okay, okay, okay. If he were to kill me. He would've done it already… or he might now…" I spun around with as much agility as I could muster and was met with the closed bathroom door. I'd been pacing back and forth in the small room for ten minutes now and time was ticking to get to work. "I have a f*****g stranger in my house and I have no clue who or what they hell they are." I pressed my ear up to the door and listened intently for anything. Silence.

I thought about the hero stories I've read in the newspapers and everyone played out mostly the same. They victim saved by a brave passerby, they'd call the proper authorities, followed by wonderful media attention sometimes. My story hadn't matched the criteria for anything normal. The guy had powers and for some reason he chose to save me and take care of me. He just had a dash of… displeasure to him.

I looked at myself in the mirror and it was a blurred reflection. My hair looked like a light puffed up hairball and I could make out the dark circles under my matching dark eyes. Grabbing my jaw I went inches from the mirror trying to look for any little marks that I'd truly been punched. "I should've grabbed my glasses. Maybe he wants something from me…" I thought about what a person with magic would want from a plain and ordinary guy like myself, but nothing came to mind. "Maybe he's a… demon?" The shrill of fear buzzed in my ears. "What if he wants to devour my soul!" My eyes crept back to the closed door half expecting him to burst through and confirm my wild accusations. Once more, nothing.

"He certainly acts like a demon…" But I didn't see a demon wanting to take care of anyone and feed them food… unless… "Oh geez Avi, he woulda killed yeah by now." I mocked myself trying to calm my wild mind. I took in a large deep breath before placing my hand on the knob and bracing myself for what may be on the other side. The door creaked as I pulled it open.

"Final-fuckin-ly man. Thought I'd have to take a piss in the sink." The copper eyed man pushed open the door and me to the side. "You didn't even take a s**t or a shower? What the hell were you doing in here?" He came close making me freeze, his hand up to his cheek and a side glance in the opposite direction while he whispered. "Were you choking the chicken?"

"What? You liste-" I was cut off by the fact that the man had started to unzip his pants and pull his d**k out to take a piss. I went rigid and turned to leave the bathroom the next second.

"What's wrong never seen another man's d**k Avi?" I could hear his laughs soon after.

"What a f*****g anno-irritating piece of work…" I gave a look back to see if he'd heard me and my grumbles but no sign came that he did. I heard the flush of the toilet before he came waltzing out zipping himself up while his belt buckle hung loosely open. "Hey." I glared over. "Who the hell are you? Huh? What are you? I-I want answers or you can get the hell out!" My voice had climbed steadily in volume.

"Well I sure ain't no demon." He'd made an exaggerated goofy scary face. "Booga, booga." He walked to me with only a few strides and flicked my nose.

"Hey." Just as I was bringing my hands up to grab my nose the copper eyed man stole my hand and pulled me close by the waist. He was dancing with me. Gliding me along through the small apartment. "W-hat are you doing!?" I couldn't control my own body as I synced in step with him.

"Alright, you want to know who I am?" I nodded as we spun around. "You want to know what I am, yes?" I nodded again as I was being dipped back. "Well… I'll tell yeah what I want. What I really, really want!" He threw me onto the couch as he danced a bit more laughing at his own joke.

"You're an ass." I sat up. "Are we still going to get along if I call you that?" I was losing my cool and it certainly took a lot for that to happen. When I stood I was face to chest with the man. "Get out." I glared up at the mischievous man with fiery eyes.

"Awe, is that really how you're going to treat your savior." He pushed a finger under my chin and I smacked it away quickly. "Tcht, touchy." The little touch left an imprint of his heat and it made my face flush. Something I was getting annoyed with quickly.

"Grab your crap and start moving." I pushed past him, with intended force and made my way to the bedroom to retrieve my coat and glasses. I came back to a relaxed intruder running his hands through dark copper locks. He was dressed and ready to leave. I glared at the aloof ass leaning against the small hallway wall leading to the front door. I was shoving each foot in my shoes with more energy than I should've then got up and checked myself over to make sure I had everything I needed piled into my pockets. "Why haven't you left yet." He'd been standing and watching me the whole time.

"I wouldn't want to miss a single look that crosses that adorable little face of yours." He reached out to pinch my cheek. I pulled my cheek from his grasp.

"Seriously, who they hell are you?" I shook my head at him and gestured for him to open the door so we could leave.

He opened it, but turned to look at me straight in the eyes. "I'm just a man, standing in front of a boy." He gave a wide toothy grin.

"Asshole." I pushed him out and locked the door behind us. "Why would you save someone and then be so stubborn to tell them anything about yourself?" I walked hurriedly down the hall to the elevator.

"Maybe I've been burned a few to many times." He was keeping in step with me quite easily. "You sure are a mean little twig when you get stressed out."

I mashed the elevator button and stood back to wait. I was being hit with an abundance of emotions starting with the irritation of being near this tall copper eyed man. Next had come the stress of having to deal with one of our biggest clients because the man that'd gotten the promotion I'd worked so hard for couldn't handle it. At least I'd gotten the stubborn, annoying stranger out of my house, my eyes shifted over to give a secret look at him. I couldn't help but feel like I should thank him for everything he had done for me. My eyes shifted back and I clenched my jaw anxiously.

The ding of the elevator arriving came and the door slid open, I quickly stepped past the threshold into the small box. I was fiddling with the hem of my coat, mustering up the courage to say the thank you to the man, even if I'd get a smart ass answer in return. "T-thank you…" I mumbled.

"Huh? I'm sorry, what was that?" He leaned over putting his hand to his ear in an exaggerated gesture.

I gave a huff and crossed my arms. "I said thank you." I barked.

"Awww, wanna make it a real sweet thank you and give me a kiss." He leaned close to my ear making kissing noises.

"Gawd damnit, person. Don't you ever stop?" I shoved his face away from me.

"Say, if you had to guess my name. What would you guess?"

"Anno-tony…" I bit my tongue, I didn't feel like testing the limits of his magic abilities. Maybe he was some kinda wizard…? I gave a glance over to the man who was standing there with a scowl on his face.

"What a wonderful save! Didn't even catch on to what you were going to say." He rolled his copper eyes and ran a hand through his smooth locks again.

I felt a pang of guilt hitting me, it didn't settle well in my stomach. "Sorry… I don't know what your name would be."

"Well guess idiot." The elevator had come to the main floor and with a ding it settled and opened its doors. I gave a quick glance at my watch and I had exactly half an hour to make it to work.

"I-I don't know. Look I only have an half hour to get to work. I can't waste time." The only way I'd make it is if I didn't have to wait for any red lights… and if I didn't stop or slow down to hunt the ground for a new treasure and that would be a true miracle. I started a quick stride to the front door and the man was still keeping in step with me. "Are you seriously going to make me guess?"

He gave a half look over with a smile playing on his lips. "Yes."

I pursed my lips together and huffed out. "Fine, but if I guess you need to leave me alone."

"Just guess." He shoved my shoulder making me stumble into the door ahead.

"Ronald." I walked into a fresh crisp breath of air and I took a moment to enjoy it. Until the fool responded.

"Eww, no." My eyes hit the ground, searching in strokes.

"Bob?"

"Hahaha. Right, real original." I looked up to see a wide smile on his face.

"Alexander." It was chilly out today and I hugged myself as I kept my pace and throwing out names.

"No."

I had no clue what I was doing really. Shouldn't I more scared or something? I was trying to guess the name of some random magical guy that could turn me into a toad whenever he wanted to. "Well what does it start with?" I asked starting to get into the little game. My eyes fell to the ground again trying to pay attention.

"The D." He was laughing at his own joke again and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.

"You're an i***t. Could that be your name?" I teased.

"A-ha, spitting the fire. I like it Avi." He gave me a friendly punch to the shoulder and it hurt a little more than I'd like. I stopped at the first corner and sighed. "Damn lights... Hmm…" I started to think of all the names that started with the letter 'D' and quite a few came to mind. "Douglas?"

"What? No, the f**k you get these names?" The light switched to green and we were free to continue our hustled walk.

"I'm guessing. Like seriously, you're not giving me much to go on. You got some weird name to match your personality like, like Dancer or Delta or Devi or-or Delinco!?" The little interest I had in guessing his name had vanished now. I was looking ahead at the next set of lights.

"Devi?" I looked over to see him looking thoughtful about the name.

"Yeah one letter away from being the devil." We came to another cross walk and just when I thought the little white crossing man would switch to the blinking hand it held steady and we crossed without pause.

"I like it. You can call me Devi." He puffed out his chest, like a proud child.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "I'm sorry. You sound like you're sticking around." I stared on trying to read his face.

"Well you got my coin." We crossed another street with ease. "So I won't be leaving until you toss me or pass me on. Or whatever you f*****g plan on doing."

"Y-your coin?" I was dumbfounded.

"Yeah in your jacket." I started to check my pockets, rummaging around for the coin he spoke of and then I grazed a cool rigid edge. It felt like a nickel when I first pulled it out, but looking at it. It was clearly not. I ran my thumb around the circumference of the small coin, it wasn't a nickel it was a large cent. My father had shown me some of the first, what we'd consider today, pennies and underneath the raised Liberty bust were for little number that read 1797. I was stopped in awe, running my finger along the uneven face. I got that feeling again as I stroked it, my heart started to thunder in my chest. This was the coin that was calling me. The one that I found before… I was snapped back into reality with the sound of copper man's voice.

"H-holy it's just a coin… s-stop rubbing it like t-that." His face was flushed and he looked at me with heavy copper eyes. It made my body sing with electric licks of heat, but then my heart sank. He said it was his coin, I looked down and rubbed the coin again. I didn't want to let it go.

"This can't be yours. I found it!" I clutched the coin again and started my quick paced walk to work, leaving the man apparently named Devi behind.

He was quick to catch up, putting a hand on my shoulder to stop me and turn me around. "I never said I wanted it, but seriously. Are you not getting the fact that I'm attached to that coin?" I searched the copper eyes trying to figure out if he was telling the truth or not. It wasn't like he had any reason to lie about it.

"So… this means… you're some kinda genie?" I gave another look at the old penny in my hand and back to the man in front of me. I couldn't help but give him a poke and he watched as I did. "Aren't you supposed to be like, floaty? Or see through, or something?" I squinted up at the man.

"Yeah like that wouldn't attract a s**t ton of attention. Com'mon don't be a f*****g dumbass." This time he'd given me a flick to the forehead. "It's called blending in. Not like I want to be someone's slave all the time."

"Quit being an ass!" I demanded before continuing the route to work. This was a lot to take in. I had a literal genie in my hand. I'd never thought they'd even existed until now. I was only another block away from the office and I stopped to look at Devi. "Why'd you ask me to guess your name?"

"A curse doesn't usually come with a lot of perks." He had a despondent smile as he tried to play it aloof.

"Well… what happens now then?" I was still holding onto the penny.

"You go do your work thing. I'll be back when you're done." I nodded not really sure about the plan at all. "Oh and I recommend you stop talking to yourself. Makes you look... well, crazy Avi." He gave me a flick to my nose, making me glare at him.

"d**k!" He walked off, back the way we'd come and I turned to make my way to the office.