c0exiist

[c0exiist]

Desmond smiled back at Nazli once she mentioned his softness, there’s no denying it especially when it’s shown to her out of all people. “The proof is in the pudding baby,” he said with a grin. “I mean without you I wouldn’t be like this and you know me…I give credit where it’s due.” He then squeezed her side for validation before reaching in to grab a bit of popcorn to munch on and watching the spectacle before them. Despite the simplicity of their date, he had to agree with her that these moments where they get to spend time together were not only worth their time, but valuable as well. He continues to fall in love with her each day and her presence was what offsets the chaos that they experience in the junction. 

“You make it easy for me to let loose and have fun. I feel comfortable being myself regardless of where we are and what we’re doing.” He then pulled her and kissed her cheek before letting out a laugh and saying, “Judging comes with the territory at some point Naz, but you really don’t have to thank me. The way I see it, it’s the bare minimum and I can confidently say that I fell in love with all of you.” Desmond then shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal and added, “You don’t have to pretend with me. As long as we stay true to ourselves and grow together, then we roll with whatever comes our way. We may not be perfect, but we're well worth it to be with each other.” He leaned in to eat the popcorn out of her hands and smirked before returning his gaze back to the performance. 

Nazli popped a piece of popcorn into her mouth, eyes glinting as she studied him, a soft smile tugging at her lips. How is he still managing to make me feel this calm in the middle of an actual circus? she thought, shaking her head with a tiny smirk. “You know,” she murmured, nudging him with her knee, “if being soft is your secret weapon, congratulations. It’s working. But don’t let it go to your head.” She grabbed the lemonade, taking a sip, pretending to ponder seriously. “This moment? Way better than any crazy trip I’ve had. Morocco, Europe… none of it compares.” And truly now that she was thinking about it Nazli knew that the next crazy trip she went on--she wanted this very man by her side.

Her gaze softened, and she let her voice drop just enough to make him lean in, “It’s you, Des. You showing up, being ridiculous with me, letting me steal all your popcorn… it’s the little things that make it feel like magic. And yeah,” she added with a teasing glint, “I’m keeping score. You’re soft, but you’re mine, so I guess I’ll let it slide.” She leaned back, letting a quiet sigh escape, feeling herself relax fully into him. “Thank you,” she murmured, more to herself than him. “For this… for us. For letting me feel like I can just exist with you and not have to worry about being perfect. It’s… rare. And I need that.” She grinned mischievously, lifting a piece of popcorn between them. “But don’t get too comfortable. I’ll still judge you for something or the other later.”

[c0exiist]

“It might take a few days for me to even believe it…It just feels so surreal!” she admitted with a laugh before showering him with kisses. Once she pulled away, she took a look at their official marriage certificate and could practically feel her heart beating straight out of her chest from the excitement and happiness that she felt overall. “Tatiana Valois.” she said out loud. “I love this and I love you.” When he agreed to their date idea, she nodded and took his hand as they began to walk out of the courthouse. “At first I wanted to text her, but now that I think about it, I prefer to let her know in person. It’s meaningful and big news that I want her to hear me out about what happened.” Her gaze softened as she squeezed his hand gently, “I want this day to just start and end with us. Besides, we might as well revisit the topic of our actual wedding ceremony and decide on a couple of things. What do you think?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Mrs. Valois," Cedric said with a laugh, catching her when she jumped into his arms and spinning her around once before setting her back down. "We actually did it, can you believe that?" He was still holding the marriage certificate in one hand, this official piece of paper that made everything real, made them husband and wife after thirty years of friendship and dancing around each other like idiots. Her suggestion about burgers and the haunted spot made him grin because of course she remembered every detail of his ridiculous date idea, down to that old plaid blanket he'd been meaning to wash for months but never got around to it now it was going to be part of their first official date as a married couple which made it seem special instead of just lazy. "Hell yes, let's do it, but I'm driving because I know you're going to want to call Rhea on the way and tell her we eloped without her elaborate wedding planning committee," he said, already grabbing her hand and heading toward the courthouse exit because he wanted to get out of this stuffy building and celebrate properly. "I need to stop by the house and grab the blanket anyway." This was perfect, this was exactly what he wanted their first day as husband and wife to be like, just them being themselves without any pressure or expectations.

[c0exiist]

For every time she had to deal with the cats going up their god damn tree, Catriona was sure she would be able to retire by now. Taking a couple of steps forward, she glanced up and squinted to see how far up they were. "You know, I hate to be that person...But moving forward we're taking them in and they're being leashed. They're becoming a liability claim at this point." She then stepped back to return to Sammy's side and met his gaze with a cheeky smile, "Now what kind of boss would I be to do such a thing?" She paused before chuckling softly and saying, "I will definitely call the fire department, hell even the news outlet to showcase your heroic act of kindness. I feel like it's time that we take them in, there must be a reason why they tend to gravitate towards here."

CLOSED STARTER FOR @c0exiist FT. SAMMY & CATRIONA

"-they're up there again," sammy started, glancing at the woman next to him, "last time they got themselves down but this time, it's not looking as promising." he was more than concerned about the cat that managed to get itself in that predicament and there was no way he was going to leave it up there. "look, if i get stuck up there trying to get them down, you're not going to sit there and laugh, right? you'll call the fire department, won't you? i just want to make sure they're okay. maybe we can even find them a home."

[c0exiist]

“Def on brand, if anyone can give a brutally honest review—it would be you.” replied Marisol with a playful grin. Taking another toke, the youngest Solis gave Alina a bewildered expression as if she was crazy for accusing her of such a thing. “Hey, the way I see it…You’re using your free will. No blame game here.” She then shrugged and took a look around as she assessed their surroundings, “All I’m saying is that you never know what might happen. On top of that, I don’t hang out with ugly people, so if anything this is a good sign. Now what were you thinking of doing without your sleazy date?” 

Alina let out a low laugh, smoke curling from her lips as she passed the joint back. “See, that’s the kind of logic I respect. Quality control in the middle of a circus—honestly, feels on brand for me.” She tilted her head, eyes narrowing in mock suspicion. “Though now I’m a little concerned you’re secretly recruiting me as a test subject. If I start juggling flaming batons, I’ll know who to blame.” She gave Marisol a playful side–eye at the last bit, her smile softening. “Alone and pretty, huh? You do know how to make a girl feel looked after. Guess I should be grateful I had you around—don’t think I’d last long in a ring full of clowns without backup.”

[c0exiist]

“And suddenly you’re a wiseman in all of Devil’s Junction.” Marisol sarcastically replied before crossing her arms and leaning against the pillar. He had a point, whatever decision or action being made would always leave a mark. When he spoke about her father, she gave him a look that translated to how she was finding it hard to believe he could deal with him. However, who knows?  She wasn’t involved in the Six Families’ dynamics and she would rather keep it this way, everyone at the top needed a backbone anyway and to her that was not only too troublesome, but a lot of unnecessary work for an ego off. “Yeah…Yeah…” she muttered under her breath. “I mean, I do gravitate towards a good time. So I feel like I got that down.”

Now when Zayaan offered her advice on how to handle their client, Marisol did her best not to pout as she preferred being dramatic as fuck, but this was Siddique territory and she needed to respect that. “Got it.” she said while giving him a salute. “I will try not to disappoint.” She didn’t want to make any promises just in case things went south and so, she pushed herself off the pillar and began walking towards the idiot that owed her money. Greeting them with a fake smile, she immediately went in for a hug as if they had known each other from before, but what many didn't know was that she pulled a switchblade out and placed it near their groin to get her message across. Within seconds, the patron played it off because he did not want to cause a scene and as soon as Marisol pulled away, she pocketed the blade before following them to the ATM to receive the money that was owed. “Add another $500 on top for my gas money and inconvenience bestie, it’s my day off and it was no fun playing hide and seek with you.”

Zayaan chuckled under his breath, shaking his head at her grin. “Comparisons are just how I make sense of things, Marisol. Some people drink, some fight, some gamble—I talk in metaphors.” He leaned back a little, his expression shifting to something more measured. “And you’re not wrong. We all adapt. Some of us learn to move with the blade, others brace against it. Either way, the cut always leaves its mark.” At the mention of her father, his smirk returned, a little sharper this time. “I don’t scare easy. Your old man might be a different beast, but I’ve wrestled with worse.” Still, the glint in his eye softened when she whined about never catching a break. His tone dipped, almost as though he was confessing something. “Truth is, breaks are rare around here. You learn to take them in stolen moments—in a laugh, in a drink, in knowing you’ve got someone watching your back. That’s as close as we get to breathing room.” When she circled back to business, Zayaan tilted his head, studying her. “No guns blazing. Not this time. My client needs to be reminded, not threatened—there’s a difference. Keep it sharp but professional. You’re not there to start a fire, you’re there to make them sweat just enough to remember who holds the leash. Think you can handle that?”

[c0exiist]

Noticing Demir approaching him, Adem rolled his eyes and muttered, “Oh, fuck off.” As if he was an inconvenience at that very moment. It was unfortunate that he lucked out on revenue, but that’s the way of the game sometimes. “If it brings in money, then I do what I need to do. Otherwise I wouldn’t go to great lengths for it. Besides, it’s a very niche market and technically I’m giving back to the broke ass community who can’t afford it.” 

Hearing Demir’s warning had Adem shaking his head, disagreeing with him completely. “You don’t get the vision.” he said while pointing at his head. “You see these as toys, I see them as a business opportunity. This is why you remain as a driver and not at the stalls.” It wasn’t an insult, but Adem stated it as a fact seeing as they didn’t see eye to eye when it came to the use of the plush. “It’s a niche market, one that’s booming and it’s perfect for contraband. Easy transport and storage.”

Demir leaned against the hood of his car, watching the scene play out like it was some poorly written street play—Adem yelling, merchants scattering, counterfeit trinkets left behind like confetti after a parade. He didn’t even flinch when the gun came out. That was the Solis way: quick to anger, quicker to brandish power. He knew this of course since he'd been trying to get an in with the family from the start. It was how he and Adem knew each other as well. “Tripling the amount, huh?” he said finally, voice low but edged with a wry amusement. “Bold strategy. Shame they chose flight over fight—you might’ve actually made enough for coffee money.” He nodded at the pile of knockoff Labubus—Lafufus, whatever nonsense branding they were trying to pass it off as—and shook his head. “Only you would nearly start an international incident over stuffed animals.” His mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile. “But hey, maybe you’re onto something. These fakes might actually sell better than the real thing. People love an illusion, costs less to believe in it.”

He picked up one of the counterfeit toys, turning it over in his hands, studying the crooked stitching and cheap fabric. “Funny. Whole district fights for control of gems, guns, trade routes… and here you are holding a plush toy like it’s worth pulling a trigger over.” He dropped it back onto the stall, brushing his hands clean like even touching it left residue. “Careful, Adem. One day you’ll forget which battles matter—and by then, you’ll be the one standing in front of a gun for the wrong reasons.” His gaze lingered a moment longer before he straightened, as if shrugging off the weight of his own words. “Still… I hear Lafufus are collectible. Maybe you’ll make a killing yet.”

[c0exiist]

Cynthia let out a soft laugh, tilting her head as her fingers trailed down the front of her boyfriend’s shirt, “Really? Even if I let you become the teacher's pet and instruct you with…let’s just say only an apron on?” She made it seem like that would motivate him to do better, but they both knew that she was pushing it at that point and honestly, they might not even get any cooking done. “I’m just saying it might be worth the mess to watch you try.” She missed this, the way her body fit easily against his as if she had never left, like a month a part hadn’t stretched between them like forever. Her gaze softened when she caught the flicker of relief that he didn’t quite hide fast enough, the distance between was a true testament of how much they missed each other and she didn’t blame him for wanting her right then and there. 

Her hands slipped back up to his neck as she followed his gaze and her heart began to beat a little faster when they locked eyes on each other, “You and I both know we're not easy individuals—we're complicated from the start. Besides do you want slow or do you want real?” she whispered, the words slipping out between kisses. When Ezra pulled away slightly, a wicked smile crept onto her lips as she rolled her eyes playfully, “Screw taking it slow because I know what I want, do you?” And as he deepened the kiss, she returned it with equal passion—deep, hungry, like the last month had been building to this moment.

"With you as my teacher? I'd probably still burn water," Ezra said with a laugh, his hands settling on her waist as she wrapped her arms around him. "But I'm willing to learn if you're patient enough to deal with kitchen disasters." Her touch felt perfect, like coming home after weeks apart. When she mentioned not planning to leave, relief flooded through him even though he'd been trying to play it cool about the whole staying over thing. Yeah, he'd kept her toothbrush and pillow exactly where she'd left them, but hearing her say she wanted to stay made everything feel solid again. Her promise about tiring him out sent heat straight through him, and he couldn't help but grin as she kissed him. "You know, I was planning to be all smooth about this," he murmured against her lips, his voice dropping lower as his thumbs traced along her sides. "Maybe ease back into things, take it slow." But slow was the last thing on his mind right now with her pressed against him like this—the month apart had been torture, and having her back felt like he could finally breathe again. "Screw taking it slow though," he said, pulling back just enough to meet her eyes before capturing her mouth again, deeper this time.

[c0exiist]

It was a blessing and a curse whenever Lizeth’s exhaustion was a driving force on how she’d take on the day. Today it worked out in their favour as she was sound asleep and she was able to do the last finishing touches to her party without any distractions. Nodding to her boyfriend’s response, she was just about to continue trimming the floral arrangements, but stopped to meet Akash’s gaze. She held a blank expression, taking in what he said and to be fair, all this preparation didn’t give her the time to process her feelings about what happened.

“On the surface level it looks like that, but if you want to know the truth—my mind has been on autopilot mode. Prioritizing Lizeth is what’s getting me by.” When he took a step closer, she observed his tone and behaviour, allowing to hold space as he expressed how he had been feeling these past few days. “I don’t blame you for feeling that way, especially after what you saw…But like I had said before, it wasn’t my intention to shut you out. I learned my lesson and based on that, I honestly didn’t want to push you away despite the rift between us—hence why I’m okay with you staying, especially when you’re showing up for Lizeth.” 

This time she took a step forward towards him as her gaze softened, “Akash, you were always meant to be here, that never changed. It’s not about what you’re doing right or wrong, it’s about you wanting to show up that counts…And I appreciate that even after everything. Regardless of how you feel about me—about us, I’m more than okay if all your focus is on Lizeth today. She’s going to expect those uppies to make it seem like she’s flying like a princess fairy and you got all the arm strength for that.” She then let out an airy laugh before shrugging and huffing a sigh, “Is there anything else you want to talk about?” 

Akash lingered by the doorway, his posture a little more rigid than usual, the weight of the past few days pressing on him. “She’s still asleep, thankfully,” he said, voice soft but edged with something heavier—guilt, frustration, and a stubborn sort of longing all tangled together. “I didn’t do much, just kept an eye on her—and made sure she didn’t wake up early and discover any of your… fairy princess magic before you were ready.” He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a low breath. “Honestly, seeing you handle all this… how effortlessly you make it look, even with all the details and the pressure—you make me feel like I’m always two steps behind. I should probably take notes—or just resign myself to being forever outclassed in the party planning department.”

He hesitated, then took a step closer, voice quieter now. “The truth is… I’ve been on edge lately. Being here with you and Lizeth today—it's everything I ever wanted. But that day when I saw you together, my chest… it just tightened. I felt out of place, like I wasn’t part of this small world I’m supposed to care about the most. And yet… being here now, watching you prepare everything, it reminds me why I stay. Even if I’m still processing everything I saw and felt, being here with you, helping even in small ways—it feels like the one thing I can do to make it right. Like I’m exactly where I should be.”

[c0exiist]

more candids of lizeth's bday - ft. @akashxbedi

[c0exiist]

@𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝟎𝐧𝐚: 🥳 🎂 maligayang bati to my two cute of daughter! mama loves you!~  💖

[c0exiist]

❛ ☾ ◟━ LOCATION: cat's home - backyard for lizeth's 2nd birthday party

❛ ☾ ◟━ TIME: mid-morning

❛ ☾ ◟━ STATUS: closed for @akashxbedi

Entering her home in silence, Catriona was focused on getting the tasks from her to do list completed. Luckily there wasn't really anything major to complete as it was more so the finishing touches to the decor for Lizeth's backyard birthday party. Despite the themes she had originally thought of, Cat decided to keep it a mix of simplicity, princess and fairy-like celebration as it was not only easy for everyone involved, but she could at least give her daughter the best of both worlds without having to decide between her current obsessions.

With the bouquet of flowers in her arms, Cat headed to the backyard and began to prep them for display. Humming softly, she trimmed the stems and leaves before placing the flowers in their respective vase along the table. Midway through the preparation, she noticed Akash approaching and as she glanced up, she greeted him with a faint smile and asked, "Is the birthday girl still asleep? I should be almost done and then I can get her ready...Thanks for watching her while I stepped out." Things had been civil between them and while he had been staying by her side, they both hadn't had the time to fully address where they were at with each other.

[c0exiist]

Catriona felt a headache coming along as she couldn’t bear to see, let alone hear Akash and the weight of her actions hurting him this whole time. It pained her to see him, but she was now fully aware of the consequences of her choices and decisions that impacted him too. It should have been be said and not hidden. “Okay.” she softly confirmed with a nod. Walking up to him, she tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his cheek, “I love you and I’ll be here when you’re ready.” She was all out of apologies and rationale at this point that she was ready to just bury herself under the covers and probably cry herself to sleep. 

Her expression was empty when she pulled away and murmured, “I’m gonna head to bed, whether you stay or not is up to you. I understand either way.” She then wiped whatever remaining tears she had and began to head to her room, but stopped as she went to check on Lizeth. Luckily her daughter was sound asleep and more at peace than any other person in this home. To Cat, it was a win, as long as her child didn't see her cry then that’s all that matters to her at this point. With a heavy sigh, she went inside Liz's room and quietly cleaned up her toys before tucking her in properly and sitting on her bed to find solace in her company. The day was coming to an end and being in her presence was just what she needed.

[c0exiist]

Catriona felt a headache coming along as she couldn’t bear to see, let alone hear Akash and the weight of her actions hurting him this whole time. It pained her to see him, but she was now fully aware of the consequences of her choices and decisions that impacted him too. It should have been be said and not hidden. “Okay.” she softly confirmed with a nod. Walking up to him, she tiptoed and placed a light kiss on his cheek, “I love you and I’ll be here when you’re ready.” She was all out of apologies and rationale at this point that she was ready to just bury herself under the covers and probably cry herself to sleep. 

Her expression was empty when she pulled away and murmured, “I’m gonna head to bed, whether you stay or not is up to you. I understand either way.” She then wiped whatever remaining tears she had and began to head to her room, but stopped as she went to check on Lizeth. Luckily her daughter was sound asleep and more at peace than any other person in this home. To Cat, it was a win, as long as her child didn't see her cry then that’s all that matters to her at this point. With a heavy sigh, she went inside Liz's room and quietly cleaned up her toys before tucking her in properly and sitting on her bed to find solace in her company. The day was coming to an end and being in her presence was just what she needed.

Akash let out a slow, quiet breath, his shoulders tensing as he struggled to put the storm inside him into words. He ran a hand through his hair, then met her gaze, his eyes raw with both hurt and longing. “Cat… it’s not about walking away. It’s about feeling like I was left out of something that mattered—to both of us,” he said, his voice low but steady. “I get it, I do. You thought you were protecting me, and maybe you were trying to do the right thing, but it didn’t feel like that to me. It felt like I was standing on the outside of my own life, and that… that cuts deeper than you can imagine.” He stepped closer, though still keeping a careful distance, as if the space between them mirrored the weight of their words. “I’m not mad at you for trying to shield me. I’m hurt because I wasn’t trusted enough to be let in. Love isn’t just about intentions, Cat. It’s about being in it together, even when it’s messy. Even when it’s hard.”

His hands trembled slightly as he added, voice cracking just enough to betray the depth of his feelings. “I need time, yeah… but not because I don’t care. I need time because this… this matters. You matter. I want to get through this with you, but I can’t pretend it didn’t shake me. I can’t just sweep it under the rug and move on. And I’m telling you that not to push you away, but so you know—every choice we make from here, every word we speak, it needs to be real. Transparent. Honest. That’s how we fix this. Not by hiding, not by trying to protect each other from the truth.” He swallowed hard, letting the words hang between them. “I love you, Cat. And that doesn’t disappear because we screwed up. It doesn’t disappear because it’s complicated or scary. It just… needs to be fought for. And I’m willing to fight. But I need you with me, not just in pieces, not just in parts, but all of you. Even when it’s hard.”

[c0exiist]

❛ ☾ ◟━ LOCATION: nathaniel's client location site

❛ ☾ ◟━ TIME: evening

❛ ☾ ◟━ STATUS: closed for @destrvere — NATHANIEL KESSLER

The drop off site wasn't what Adem expected it to be and it was in that moment that he knew one of the dealers he was helping out gave him the wrong address. This is what he gets for being a team player and cooperative, let alone charitable to the cause. Another reminder time and time again that he should have let others suffer and not fix their mess. Texting the buyers, he provided them with an address and waited for them to arrive. Luckily they were only a few blocks away and it wasn't a hassle to do the hand off. From the looks of this area, it was a construction site and he doubted that there was anyone present.

The hand off was straight forward, he gave the buyer their delivery and he was provided with a duffel bag filled with cash. Opening it up, he began counting the bills and nodded in satisfaction as this looked like the right amount. "We'll have the accountants look this over, if you end up being short don't be surprised if I come over and shoot up the place. Anyways, let your boss know it's a pleasure doing business, we'll be in touch." They knew better than to respond back and simply nodded before driving off. Sighing heavily, Adem continued to inspect the cash, not realizing that a civilian was not too far off in the distance seeing the whole transaction go down. The feeling of being watched was a known sentiment and as he glanced up, Adem narrowed his gaze before kissing his teeth at how much bad luck he was having tonight.

"—The fuck you standing there for? If this was a game of hide and seek, you'd suck ass."

[c0exiist]

Catriona laughed as she took Lizeth back and placed her into their stroller. "Don't blame me if she out-egos you when she's older." She then took her daughter's hand and waved alongside her as they bid the Zhao heir goodbye. "Of course! Sounds good, see you next time Uncle Kai!" she exclaimed while Lizeth laughed with glee.

[ END. ]

Kai chuckled softly, nodding in agreement at the comment about covering their daughter's ears. "You're right. We don't want her to pick up my ego just yet. We've got plenty of time for that when she's a little older." He glanced down at Lizeth, who was watching them with wide eyes. Her innocence was a stark contrast to the adult conversation happening above her head. He then turned his attention back to Catriona, noticing the time. "Of course. I'd love to hang out sometime too and catch up some more. I’m not sure about the playdate part, but if you brought this little one along I wouldn’t complain."

[c0exiist]

Hearing a familiar voice call out to her, Tatiana turned around and greeted Tyrese with a bright smile before pulling him into a hug. “Ugh, yes I did. Thank you sooooo much! It was very thoughtful and definitely what we needed.” she mused before pulling away. “Ah, so I’ve heard from everyone and even the man himself.” Tati laughed and gestured a nonchalant wave as if it wasn’t a big deal. “He always has a special place in my heart and if you ask me if I would do it all over again? I would, but I would have probably saved everyone the trouble and confessed sooner than later.” 

CLOSED STARTER

LOCATION: Somewhere in DJ FOR: @c0exiist

He was almost to his car when he spotted her across the parking lot. Perfect timing - he'd been meaning to check in anyway. "Ah, there's the new bride," he called out, changing direction to intercept her path. "Did you get the package I sent to your office?" He'd put some thought into that gift - newlyweds always needed quality sheets and decent cookware, and he knew Cedric well enough to guess the man probably hadn't thought that far ahead. "Congrats by the way, and thanks for taking care of that man. He's never been happier." Cedric had been walking around like he'd won the lottery lately, and it showed in everything from his work to how he carried himself. Good for business when people were settled.

[c0exiist]

“—Did I stutter?” Adem rhetorically asked. “Apparently and look lady, I don’t care what’s cute, what’s ugly, what’s in trend—thirteen dollars, take it or leave it.” The more questions she asked, the more he was becoming like a customer service help desk of the Trade District and it was ruining his vibes. “No, I pull out a gun because I want to. Now what’s with all the questions? I literally told you I own the place. If that’s hard to believe then get out before I make you leave and trust me lady, I normally don’t give out warnings, but clearly you’re new here…Don’t. Push. It.” 

It was a warning that held heavy meaning, one that she may even regret if she chose to defy him. What felt like a lifetime, Adem finally received the cash and pocketed it right away to make sure that she didn't ask for it back. “You would have regretted that,” he said at first. “And I'm not a forgive and forget kind of guy."

she  gawks  at  adem,  “ huh!?  excuse  me?  fifty  dollars? ”  saia  looks  down  at  the  plushie  in  her  hand.  ruined,  small,  ugly.  and  definitely  not  worth  fifty  dollars.  “ are  they  the  new  beanie  babies  or  something?  i  mean,  at  least  those  are  cute … ”  saia  blinked  at  him  now,  her  lips  parting  like  she  was  about  to  argue  but  then  hesitating,  caught  between  nerves  and  disbelief.  “ you  really  just … pull  a  gun  on  people  like  it’s  a  handshake? ”  the  words  came  out  softer  than  she  intended,  almost  incredulous  —  not  angry,  more  confused.  she  hugged  her  tote  closer  to  her  chest,  like  it  was  some  kind  of  shield,  though  her  wide  eyes  never  left  his. “ as  if  i’ll  take  advice  from  someone  who  doesn’t  even  know  what  goes  on  around  here.  besides,  i  do  what  i  want.  i  own  the  place. ”  the  man  tells  her.  and  honestly,  this  was  a  lot  to  take  in,  in  the  moment.  one,  she  didn’t  like  his  tone.  two,  sure,  she  was  a  little  out  of  the  loop  with  what  goes  on  around  devil’s  junction,  but  she  wasn’t  stupid  enough  to  miss  that  something  was  always  happening  here.  three,  shit!  he  owns  the  place?  —  “ wait,  which  place?  like,  this  place?  this  whole  place? ”  saia  asks  the  last  part  out  loud,  eyes  widening  slightly  as  she  takes  a  quick  moment  to  look  around. “ thirteen, ”  she  repeated  slowly,  tilting  her  head,  a  frown  tugging  at  her  brow  as  her  eyes  move  to  meet  adem.  for  a  moment,  she  looked  like  she  might  bolt,  but  instead  she  exhaled  a  shaky  laugh,  the  sound  too  light  for  the  weight  in  the  air.  her  hand  fished  for  her  wallet  anyway,  clumsy  fingers  fumbling  with  the  zipper.  “ fine.  thirteen. ”  she  places  the  money  in  his  hand  and  watches  him  take  it.  " …  what  where  you  going  to  do  if  i  decided  not  to  pay  the  thirteen  dollars? "