nohousedog

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Their reunion was overdue but of course, Buster was looking forward to elongating that for as long as possible. The duo had unfinished history and his current path had given Tramp a perfect landing into the present. Somehow Bennet Rottman took over the life that was once occupied by the other; he was sleeping next to someone every night and actually considering a future with a real family. After so many years of spitting at the idea, refusing to even believe that one was worth anything, he'd been proven wrong. He came through the sea of people like a snake and Buster stood awaiting him on the other side. "I don't think it's the same thing when my fist isn't through her drywall," the man replied nonchalantly. Buster couldn't deny the strangeness he felt in his own skin that night, pulling at the collar of the costume Atta had picked out for him. While he'd put in a few no-gos when it came to his attire he trusted her to not make him look like a complete fool. "Not really my color, is it?" His eyes went down to the uniform he'd dawned for the evening with a shrug. "You've never been able to keep your mouth shut before, I don't expect you to start now, Tristan." It was a long time coming. Buster couldn't deny the turning of the tables and how strange they'd ended up on each other's side of the fence. "No one knows how they end up here, they just do. You'd know that better than anyone as a deadman. You're just lucky to still be walkin' topside if you ask me."

closed starter for @nohousedog location: hotel transylvania halloween party

This was a potential death wish, approaching the man that Tristan was slowly coming up upon, and the logical part of his brain knew that. It screamed how bad of an idea this was. But since when did Tristan Tramp ever listen to that side of himself? Rarely if ever, and certainly not when he was a good three or four glasses in on whatever alcoholic concoctions the hotel hosts had provided in bulk. So here he was, stopping to stand right in front of the man he had once called brother. The man who, last time they had seen each other, had nearly beaten him to death. But with the large crowd surrounding them and the knowledge that Oogie was just a shout away, well, Tramp far more confident than he probably should have that nothing would happen. Or if it did, this time around it wouldn’t be him laying on the ground in agony.

“Bennet,” he greets with a grin, hands shoved into his pockets as he looks the other man up and down. It was strange, seeing him wearing an actual costume, but he’d seen Atta running around with her sister wearing a very similar outfit and it suddenly made perfect sense. “Look at you. Here with a wife, wearing a couple’s costume and everything. I remember a time when you were ready to rip my head off for wanting to settle down and make a decent life with my own girl, remember that? The shit you gave me for trying to win Lilah back after you blew it all up in the first place.” That wasn’t exactly what had happened - the fault actually falling entirely on Tristan for lying to his girlfriend for so long, but it was always easier to place the blame on anyone else whenever he could. And Buster had been right there, an easy target to throw all the shit at instead. “Funny how that was an issue but now you can run around with Atta, playing house and no one’s supposed to say a word.”

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Buster stuck to the sidelines of the conversation, being nothing more than a bartender as the women did some much-needed catching up. He knew his place that night for maybe the only time in his life. Most of the time he would find a way anywhere he wasn't wanted but when it came to social aspects he preferred to stay quiet. Instead, Buster continued the meal that was to be served and kept his ears open to the chat going on behind him. It wasn't a secret that things had been all quiet on the Hopper front which was as much of a relief as a cause for alarm. Whatever he had coming was to be discovered soon enough but at least Buster tried to use the time to prepare for the future now that he had a family to protect.

"Dinner is served," the man eventually announced, coming over to the ladies with their plates balancing on his arm. That came as the perfect opportunity to slip in his thoughts on the matter while Dot probably didn't want to hear them he wanted to make his intentions clear. "When he comes back we'll be ready." That being the tip of the iceberg for what Buster wanted to prepare for Hopper's inevitable return. "Atta's got my entire crew in the palm of her hand, just like my dog, they like her more than me," he laughed as if it was a surprise they preferred his wife. He was smart enough of a man to know when he'd gotten something worth holding onto and Atta was a one-of-a-kind woman. "Can't blame them when the other option is me." Maybe then he could find mutual ground with Dot if she knew he understood the gem he'd found in her sister. @blueberrydot

Despite any bitterness or resentment or any other ugly boil of emotion she currently felt towards her sister and her husband, having Atta’s arm wrap tightly around her felt as comforting as it always has before all of this mess. It hurt, being separated from the older girl, but it was just so hard being around the two of them for a reason that Dot has yet to fully break down and get over. Putting space between them was just easier than dealing with the confusion of it all. “I missed you too,” she breathes out, returning the embrace with an equal firmness. And she genuinely meant it, she missed her sister and the way that things used to be between them more than anything in the world. Maybe it was that longing for the past that made it so hard for her to accept the present and actually move forward with the future that seems to be pretty permanent. As they pull apart rather than verbally accepting the offer to spend time just the two of them, Dot simply nods her head a few times and puts on a very clearly forced smile as she looks back over in Buster’s direction.

His mention of the Junkyard immediately had any tension that had been eased by her sister’s hug forming right back up in her shoulders. It was a reminder of exactly why it was that Dot was struggling so hard to trust him and welcome him into their family - his life of crime and the circle that he ran with, the trouble that he was involved in that felt all too familiar to the other man that had been slowly ruining the Dreyfus name. She doesn’t comment on it though, knowing that doing so would only start a legitimate fight - and that wasn’t something she wanted to deal with, not tonight. It was going to come eventually, she could practically feel it bubbling under the surface as they all tiptoed around each other, but not tonight. “Yeah, I’ll take a drink. Whatever Atta’s having is fine,” she agrees with a small nod, looking back to her sister and feeling so wrong for struggling with what else to say. “So, uhh, how’s work been?” It wasn’t the type of question she ever asked before, hardly getting involved in the business in any way at all, but it felt like a safe enough start. And it was at least a bit more personal than bringing up the weather, which had been her other option. @attaant

[nohousedog]

Henry Cavill as Logan/Wolverine/Cavillrine in DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (2024) dir. Shawn Levy

[nohousedog]

Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) dir. Christopher McQuarrie Deadpool and Wolverine (2024) dir. Shawn Levy

[nohousedog]

Henry Cavill as Clark Kent / Kal-El | Man of Steel (2013)

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

A family wasn't something he'd ever had or understood. In fact, most of his life had been spent detesting the very thought and gathering who felt like nowhere could be home for them. Maybe that was why it had initially been so strange falling into a routine with Atta, never expecting to fall in love but certainly not get married. One woman, one woman who accidentally stumbled into his life, had changed everything. He felt like he was becoming a joke to the old version of himself after everything he used to hate had become his normal. Now every night he went home to someone, kicked off his shoes at the door, and sat at a dining room table to enjoy a meal with his wife. Bennett had miraculously turned into the very thing he said he never would. Still, this new life wasn't one he wanted to alter in any way. It was kept quiet from his co-workers, his contentment with this white picket fence lifestyle but Buster knew they could see the changes in him.

It hadn't all been good, knowing it was him that drove a wedge between the sisters. While he wanted to give Dot the time she needed to adjust to his addition she'd made it clear that she didn't believe his intentions. "Good, dinner's almost done," he chimed back from the stove as he smiled proudly down at his roast that had been smoking for the majority of the day. A good meal wouldn't convince her but he figured it never hurt to be well-fed, not to mention the fact he'd become quite obsessed with grilling and smoking since turning into a failed foster. When the younger Dreyfus entered her comment made it clear how she'd felt about Buster joining them that night. "Don't worry I'm just here to cook and then I've got to get back to the Junkyard anyway for a delivery," he replied holding up his hands in defense, giving his wife an unsaid acknowledging nod. That way the girls were still able to have their time alone but he at least put forward the effort in seeing her since the accident. "You want a drink?" The man offered Dot before pouring himself a glass of bourbon, Atta her current favorite wine, knowing they'd need it with the way things were starting. @blueberrydot

closed starter for @attaant & @nohousedog location: atta's home

After the attack of the festival and her failed attempt to get any new dirt on her sister’s supposed husband, Dot had needed a break from it all. Spending time with Atta meant being around Buster, and she still just wasn’t ready to do that - not even after he took a literal bullet for her. There was a guilt there, of course, that she couldn’t seem to just get over it and start liking him for that one simple act alone - but it wasn’t strong enough to actually get her to take the time and effort to change her stance on the man. Instead, she put another forced amount of distance between herself and the couple and focused entirely on the upcoming school year. So much had happened over the summer that she’d barely been able to prepare anything for her classroom, and after what felt like a failure of last year, she was determined to come back stronger than ever this time around.

But now the first two weeks were done, the routines were starting to be built, and every major task to prepare for the year had been completed. Of course there was still the day to day amount of busy work and tasks at hand, but none of those were a good enough excuse to keep up the distance between herself and her sister. And the guilt of not spending any time with her, of barely giving her more than just a few quick phone calls over the past month, that was one that was starting to truly eat away at Dot. Which was what led her to agree to a dinner at Atta’s place, despite the fact that she knew Buster was likely going to join them at some point. Avoiding the two of them forever wasn’t a possibility, not if she wanted to keep a relationship with her sister - which she absolutely did. So it was probably about time she sucked it up and just faced the couple head on.

Arriving with their mother’s famous honey cake in hand, Dot waited for the door to open after she gave it a good few loud kicks with her foot. Thankfully it was the eldest Dreyfus that answered, and a bright and genuine smile grew on her face at the sight of her sister - but it faltered after just a moment at the sound of a distinctly male voice calling out from the kitchen. She shouldn’t be surprised that Buster was here already, but she had been naively hoping to get at least some time alone with Atta before he made his presence known. “I brought dessert, like I promised,” she states the obvious, holding up the round tupperware as proof before stepping in and making her way through the house to the kitchen. And there he was, just like she’d heard, but the sight of him feeling so familiar and at home here was different than simply hearing his voice. Taking a breath to steady herself, a forced smile was plastered on her face as she stepped into the room and set her container down on the counter. “Didn’t realize it’d be a full house tonight - I would have made a bigger cake.” It was her not so subtle way of trying to jab at Buster’s presence here tonight, and while she’d play it off as being completely innocent if either one of them called her out on it, she also knew they’d know exactly what she really meant.

[nohousedog]

[nohousedog]

Walter Marshall - A.K.A Little Ray of Sunshine

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Buster kept an arm around her, never having craved the closeness of another being besides his dog who had since taken a backseat to his wife. In fact, it had seemed like the animal had also chosen the woman as his favorite, having the same taste as his owner or so it seemed. "Even mafia bosses get busy," the man half-heartedly jokes while they both know the fire the other could rain down if he so chose. "You can't worry about that now, we don't know what's going to happen when that shit opens up." It wasn't that Buster hadn't been thinking about what could come of the changes to the Isle but he knew they'd make it through like they always did. He hoped some space might do his home some good, along with his newfound family. "We'll figure it out whatever comes out of it." Whatever was to come Buster wished to face together or as much as she'd let him, never forgetting his wife's fierce independence, it being one of the reasons he'd fallen for her. "Might even do us some good if we're lucky."

Though she wished he was right, that the borders opening would shift Hopper's focus, Atta feared that the change might've had the exact opposite effect. It wouldn't be long before she heard something from him about wanting to demolish her warehouses on the mainland, or take them over for his own use. But, she was tougher now, and knew what it took to earn his respect. "I don't know about that, I'm actually shocked he hasn't called me already, to try and draw up some sort of agreement for all my resources on Echo." Perhaps he was doing that just now, behind her back, or, even less likely, dealing with injuries his men had faced. "I don't know, honestly. I'd just gotten used to feeling like I had some sort of control over what's going on here, and now, things are going to change again." At least, now, she had someone else with her--she was now part of a team of two. "I just hope it doesn't get worse, with all of these people who are going to flood in. They all know what's here, just as well as we do."

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

They hadn't met under normal circumstances, most relationships begin on a date and not marriage like his with Atta had. It wasn't how he'd expected to fall in love either, but he wouldn't complain with the cards he was dealt. There was someone else Buster had been trying to prove his loyalty to since their first meeting and that was none other than Dot. It wouldn't be something that happened overnight, he understood her desire to be protective of her sister in the same way the man was too. That didn't mean Dot fell through the cracks and she was considered family in the same way as his wife. He hadn't thought twice before using himself as a shield to protect the younger girl. Whether it had been her or her elder sister, Buster would've put himself in harm's way instead of them all the same. "As fine as one can be right now, I assume," he hummed in response to her. It wasn't worth either of them pretending what happened hadn't taken a toll while still having a silent agreeance to hold their own. The sight of the bottle brought a smile to his lips as Buster went to pour himself a glass. "Now we're talkin'." He poured some on ice, pushing one of the glasses over with his own, nodding for her to take. "You probably need it as much as I do right now." Even if it was Buster who took the physical brunt of the day, he knew it hadn't taken the weight of the situation off the other's shoulders. Dot had been through enough to not be a stranger to these sorts of things but that didn't necessarily make them easier to swallow. "Doesn't hurt to take the edge off," the man said before taking his first sip into its numbing escape.

On any other given occasion, any other day, Dot would want absolutely nothing to do with her sister’s supposed husband. And even now, after everything that had happened back at the festival, there’s a part of her that still wants to continue avoiding him. To just have Atta pass along her appreciation for the action he had taken to save her. But that seemed a bit too rude, and kind of wrong, given the fact that he easily could have died from the bullet he took in her place. So after a prolonged visit with Molt and a drawn out walk around the hotel itself, she decided she’d put it off long enough and made her way to the room she knew Buster was holed up in. It took a moment or two of standing outside the door, bottle of vodka in hand, simply working up the courage before she actually entered and once she did, she forced herself to put on at least an attempt of a smile. “I’m fine,” she lies, knowing that her internal scars and trauma of the festival were nothing compared to what he was dealing with. This is where she should ask how he’s doing, if he’s going to be alright, but the words get stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. So instead she takes the change in topic and runs with it, taking a few steps further into the room and setting the vodka bottle down on a small table. “Myles found some for me. I… I thought maybe you would be wanting something stronger than whatever’s in that monster juice they were handing out.” Whiskey was likely what he actually wanted, or at least that’s what someone had said he had asked for, but it reminded her too much of the other terrifying man that had been forced into her life. Vodka was a much safer route to go.

[nohousedog]

Henry Cavill as GUS MARCH-PHILLIPPS In The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024), Dir. Guy Ritchie

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Buster had better things to worry about than how his wounds would heal now wondering what was to come. He'd been prepared for something of this caliber but for hunters to come for those who weren't magic was far too personal. That was the thorn in his side and not the stitches from the bullet pried from his flesh. The intentions behind it had him feeling its presence long after the ammo left his body. Now that he had something real to protect there were motivations Buster never experienced before, only feeling whole with her beside him now. A content hum came from his lips before the future was brought back into the light and his eyes flickered down. "And what do you think of that?" His opinion only mattered to some extent when it was Atta who had the most to lose. "At least it's keeping Hopper off your tail," Buster mused out loud. He had been grateful for that at a time like this when he wasn't in the shape to properly protect his family. "About damn time if you ask me." Buster's own business was looking for expansion and now also the safety of those he'd come to care about more than himself.

"I know, and I'm glad you are." Atta would've returned the sentiment, that she would've done anything to save him, too, but she feared that she'd never get the chance, if he could help it. Even if they were family on paper, he didn't have to care about them like this, and yet, he did. She knew the reason, he'd said so before, but to have witnessed the action that solidified what he'd meant was another thing entirely. "I think Hopper's working on getting the borders back open," she told him, switching the subject back to business, away from the thoughts of losing either him or her sister. "I had thought maybe it was coming before, but then, people in the lobby were talking about other rumors they'd heard, so ... I don't know if he's responsible, but after tonight, I don't think it'll be long before it happens." There weren't many personal implications for her, besides having to figure out how to handle additional resources without her boss getting his hands on them first. She hadn't planned on leaving the island before, and she still didn't want to now, but she had someone else to think of, now, when it came to a decision like this one.

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Most of the time Buster was a man who kept to himself, that was the case until he met Atta Dreyfus. Now he was not only putting himself into the light but in the line of fire in order to protect this newfound family. These were actions that most of his crew would've laughed at if they'd been told he put himself in harm's way for someone else. While they had been his closest friends and employees it was widely known that Buster wouldn't be putting himself in front of them if a bullet came their way. That was different for the girls he'd come to call his family, even if Dot hadn't been entirely supportive of his union with her sister. At first, all he was able to give was a nod from the uncertainty of how to accept the concern that came along with his actions. To Buster, it was a simple decision but he knew there were bigger things at hand now, not thinking twice before putting himself in front of her sister. "But I am," he assured her again, making sure to keep the severity to himself. The last thing Atta needed right now was knowing how close he'd come to a much darker ending. "You don't need to thank me, Atta." The man adjusted so that his arm was able to drape over her shoulders and pull her into his broad chest. "You know there was no question, you two are my family now and I'm just glad you're both safe."

- timeskip -

⨯⨯⨯

While to Buster it was good enough to go back to the Junkyard to use vodka to numb the pain and pour in a little for disinfection, his wife didn't seem to agree. He'd protested going to the hospital immediately, arguing that he was fine compared to others who would require a doctor's hand. That being said the throbbing in his back spoke for itself, even he was unable to keep a pained scowl off his face. They'd found a middle ground in the Hotel Transylvania where everything could be handled privately. It was a strange woman who spoke far too much while she sewed him up who removed the bullet and informed him how close it had been to severing a nerve. Buster thought he'd keep that minute detail to himself to not worry Atta more than she already was. Once the makeshift nurse left, his favorite blonde entered as he pulled himself up to lean on the headboard, needing its support more than he wanted to admit. "See? Totally fine, as good as new," the man said with a nonchalant smile that he had worn a thousand other times. A groan slipped as he shifted uncomfortably after grazing his freshly bandaged wound, his hand holding his side for reinforcement. He nodded for her to sit beside him, craving her presence for a comfort only she could give. "Dot doin' okay? I know she'd just started going back out again." Buster felt responsible for protecting him, at least as much as he could. While the threat up until then had been a cockroach of the earth, there were other evils afoot on the Isle.

[nohousedog]

- timeskip -

⨯⨯⨯

While to Buster it was good enough to go back to the Junkyard to use vodka to numb the pain and pour in a little for disinfection, his wife didn't seem to agree. He'd protested going to the hospital immediately, arguing that he was fine compared to others who would require a doctor's hand. That being said the throbbing in his back spoke for itself, even he was unable to keep a pained scowl off his face. They'd found a middle ground in the Hotel Transylvania where everything could be handled privately. It was a strange woman who spoke far too much while she sewed him up who removed the bullet and informed him how close it had been to severing a nerve. Buster thought he'd keep that minute detail to himself to not worry Atta more than she already was. Once the makeshift nurse left, his favorite blonde entered as he pulled himself up to lean on the headboard, needing its support more than he wanted to admit. "See? Totally fine, as good as new," the man said with a nonchalant smile that he had worn a thousand other times. A groan slipped as he shifted uncomfortably after grazing his freshly bandaged wound, his hand holding his side for reinforcement. He nodded for her to sit beside him, craving her presence for a comfort only she could give. "Dot doin' okay? I know she'd just started going back out again." Buster felt responsible for protecting him, at least as much as he could. While the threat up until then had been a cockroach of the earth, there were other evils afoot on the Isle.

It was to a bit of shock that he agreed with her stance on how to move forward with Hopper. She hadn't had to explain the rationale behind her approach with him before to anyone, and now, Atta had both Buster and Dot to answer to. She hoped approaching with honesty could keep them both safe, and, with her husband, could afford her some of the same honesty on his end. "I don't want to hurt anyone, though," she confessed quietly, her head finding his shoulder. It was perhaps the biggest difference between herself and her husband: he could seemingly stomach taking care of that kind of business when he had to, while Atta wasn't sure if she could pull the trigger if it came to it. For Buster and Dot, she wanted to think she could, but Hopper was nothing if not unpredictable. "I don't think so," she sighed, "I've been trying so long and I don't think I've ever gotten there." Atta looked up at him, curiosity getting the best of her. "You weren't ever like that, were you? Angel said you were different now. She thinks you're going soft, you know," she teased.

[nohousedog]

Henry Cavill as Gus March-Phillips THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE (2024) Dir: Guy Ritchie

[nohousedog]

- timeskip -

⨯⨯⨯

Buster went into autopilot when the attack happened; nothing else mattered besides making sure his family was safe. Up until now, he hadn't a worry in the world besides where his next deal was coming from. As it turns out getting married changed a lot more than his marital status. Now he was sitting in a bed at the Hotel Transylvania with the worst back pain of his life waiting for his wife to bring him a few necessities from the Junkyard. While he'd also asked for someone to bring him a glass of whiskey Buster was beginning to think that request wouldn't be fulfilled. He was rummaging through some of the dresser drawers when he got a visitor, expecting it to be Atta but instead finding her younger sister at the door. "Dot, how you feelin'? You doin' alright?" While it had been he who took the shot aimed at her, he felt the need to make sure she was recovering well. "You don't imagine they hide liquor around here anywhere, do you? I don't know about you but I could use a drink."

While things still weren’t the best between the two Dreyfus sisters, and Dot still wasn’t even entirely sure how she felt about everything going on in Atta’s life and the secrets that had been kept from her, she wasn’t petty enough to skip out on their weekly dinner. Though as she enters her sister’s house and finds an empty living room, she can’t help the relief that flushes through her at having a bit more time to herself before being confronted with her sister. Unfortunately, that feeling lasts only a brief moment as she rounds the corner into the kitchen and finds Buster standing there, working on what she can only assume is tonight’s meal and acting as if he fully belonged and fit in within Atta’s home. Perhaps she shouldn’t be surprised that her sister’s husband was here, but some kind of warning would have been welcomed rather than the blonde letting Dot just wander in and find him by surprise. Then again though, it wasn’t like Atta was up to telling her anything lately, which was the whole reason for the tension still ripe between them. She has half of a mind to just turn around and leave, but then Buster opens his mouth and asks about what she’d want to eat and it’s clear that while she hadn’t been expecting him to be here, he’d known perfectly well that she would be attending tonight. And running off now that she’d been noticed would only likely make things worse in the long run - plus, she liked to believe herself at least somewhat stronger than to give up so easily. “I’ll eat whatever,” she finally answers, after a moment of silence had passed between them. Setting her work bag onto the island counter, Dot climbs onto one of the barstools and takes out a stack of papers to work on until it’s time to eat. “I’d say that I didn’t know you cook - but I don’t know anything about you, really, so I shouldn’t be surprised.” There’s a bit of edge and bitterness in her tone, the comment meant to be more of a sting at her sister who wasn’t even present than at Buster himself.

[nohousedog]

- timeskip -

⨯⨯⨯

It wasn't a secret that the surprise of a husband had taken Dot aback. While Buster had actually come to fall in love with her sister, it hadn't been the initial plan. They should've been thinking about divorce by now but instead, he'd been playing with the idea of incorporating his own life into hers. A man who had refused to change for so many years had found the only person who ever brought him to bend. Dot was the most important one in Atta's life and he knew her approval of him wouldn't come easy. That didn't stop him from at least trying to show her his good intentions, which still surprised even him. Buster was at their home that evening after offering to grill some of the fish from the Jolly Roger for dinner while Atta worked late. It also provided a good opportunity for him to talk to her sister who happened to wander through the kitchen as he was marinating. "You want me to throw anything else on the grill for you? I could put some veggies on with the fish." One thing that he hoped they could all agree on was good food. "Or I can throw some chicken in the marinade if fish ain't your thing," he suggested knowing it wasn't for everyone regardless of how fresh it was.

The theory that Angel worked for Buster was easily confirmed and while on the one hand it was nice to finally be given at least some kind of answer, she wasn’t the biggest fan of the fact that it was coming from her sister’s new husband rather than from the woman herself. While this wasn’t necessarily the biggest secret that Atta had kept from her, it still felt like a small betrayal - another way in which she had been kept in the dark, another piece of the bigger puzzle at play that she hadn’t been trusted enough to hold. As more and more was revealed, it all just made Dot realize how stupid and naive she had been all these years. She hasn’t felt like such a child in years. Before now she had always thought her lack of involvement in all of Hopper’s business had been her own choice, but now she was starting to see that maybe she’d been pushed out of it without ever even being offered some kind of spot.

Well maybe it was time that she demanded one. Or at least pulled her head out from the sand and stopped allowing herself to be pushed around like some little useless girl. “He’s angry at Atta, not me. She’s the one who wronged him, if he’s coming for either of us tonight it’s going to be her,” she argues, refusing to back down on her original point that it was her sister that the focus needed to be placed on. At Buster’s promise that they’d somehow be prepared for the eventual attack that was going to come, Dot let out a harsh laugh - one that sounded foreign even to her own ears. But the thought was just too funny for her to not let it out. “We’ll never be prepared. He makes sure of that. I don’t know who you are or what you do - maybe you can protect us for a few weeks, maybe you can keep Atta from having to get married, but nothing’s going to be enough to really save us.” It was a harsh and nihilistic view of their situation, one that she didn’t often vocalize, but after everything that had happened it was starting to feel more and more like the truth.