#but they've been tied for most of the week so it's not THAT surprising

[mechsbrackets]

The last nightly update for the Most Gender Mechanisms Character Bracket is here! In the end, we had 76 responses and 85 unique characters!!! I would like to thank everyone who submitted a response again, this has been a very fun process and I'm very glad so many people want to participate in my silly little bracket!!

And now, the list of characters! I will be putting all 85, but only characters with 6 or more nominations made it onto the bracket

Ashes O'Reilly 47 Gunpowder Tim 46 The Toy Soldier 38 Loki 33 Lyfrassir Edda 31 Mordred 27 Jonny D'ville 26 Ulysses 25 Nastya Rasputina 24 Drumbot Brian 21 Marius von Raum 20 Dr. Carmilla 19 Ivy Alexandria 18 Raphaella la Cognizi 18 The Aurora 18 Frankenstein's AI 15 Yog-Sothoth 11 Iphis 10 Majors Hatter & Hare 10 Orpheus 10 Galahad 9 Guinevere 9 Captain Joseph Robert Mathea 8 Lancelot 8 The Octokittens 8 Odin 7 Alice 6 Arthur Pendragon 6 Blogbot 6 Comsat Cheshire 6 Rose Red 6 Scuzz Nishimura 6 Ariadne 5 Briar Rose 5 Hereward the Wake 5 Narcissus 5 Pellinore 5 Sigyn 5 Bertie 4 Cinders 4 The Pendragons as a unit 4 Arachne 3 Dormouse 3 General Snow White 3 General/Caterpillar 3 Jack Spratt 3 The beast Pellinore was tracking 3 The spiders operating Aurora 3 The Stranger 3 Thor 3 Actaea 2 Daedelus 2 Dr. Capelli 2 Dr. Gretel 2 Dr. Hansel 2 Dr. Pilchard 2 Frankenstein 2 Gawain 2 Gunther the Octokitten 2 Hades 2 Marquis de All the Knives 2 Oedipus 2 Old King Cole 2 Prometheus 2 Squamous Things 2 The Acheron 2 The Bifrost 2 The phoenix planet (Redeath) 2 The Rose Reds 2 The saxophone from Lucky Sevens 2 The scorpion from HNOC 2 Tom Thumb 2 Whatever that stringed instrument Marius is playing in DTTM 2 A drunk space pirate 1 Dorian Grey 1 Ector 1 Heracles 1 Icarus 1 Penelope 1 Persephone 1 Scheherazade 1 Siegfried 1 Stowaway 1 The Moon Kaiser 1 Vivian Nimue 1

[mkkk12345]

Divus Crewel x Wife Reader How they met

Sorry this took so long to write, I was once again procrastinating lol Feel free to request situations (I write slowly and I’ll be pretty busy for the next while sadly, but please do request if you would like to! I'll do anyone in twst for the most part with your usual restrictions) (side note I got the names for the dogs from the 101 Dalmatians)

1.2K words

------

Oh how Crewel would come to regret what he had done that day, he really should have seen it coming. “Hey! Professor Crewel, tell us how you met your wife!”

This had all started when Crowley had approached him with a challenge. “If you manage to raise the class average of the first years to let's say~ 80 percent? I'll give you a raise! Am I not so incredibly generous? Hahahhahaaaa” He cawed to himself as Crewel walked away absolutely done with the crow mans shenanigans

Rolling his eyes he responds “I guess there is no harm in attempting it”

As an encouragement to study harder he had told his students that if they were able to raise the class average to 80 percent by the next semester he would allow them to ask one question about his personal life. Of course all of the students had jumped at the chance to glance into the oh so mysterious and strict teachers personal life.

And that is why we are here now.

Professor Divus Crewel, now being forced to tell the oh so embarrassing story of how he had met his lovely wife.

“Well it's not the worst question you lot could have asked. I would rather not share this story but if I must I will do so…”

—----

Divus was around 17 when he first met Y/N It was a bright and sunny day, the weather was perfect and it just so happened to be a long weekend, a rare opportunity to visit home in the Queendom of Roses.

It was also a perfect day to take his beloved pet dalmatian Perdita for a nice long walk in the nearby park for some long deserved bonding time.

When Crewel was home from NRC he would often take Perdita to the park. Whether it was actual exercise or for some relaxing time outside to sketch new fashion designs, Perdita never really minded. But today was different, the minute the pair stepped out of the door the spotted dog went bolting in the direction of the park. “Hey! Slow down girl, why on earth are you in such a rush today?!” he said, trying to keep all his sketching supplies from falling to the ground.

Luckily for young Divus, the dalmatian did eventually slow down once they reached the park. “You act as if no one has been bringing you to the park since I left for school.” he said exasperated from the impromptu run.

Soon after catching his breath Divus and his companion walked over to a nearby bench so the boy could start sketching, but right as he put his sketching equipment down there was another sudden tug on the lead and once again they were off “hey! Slow down! What has gotten into you toda-” CRASH he had been cut off suddenly, crashing into another person as Perdita and what seemed to be another dalmatian were running circles around the two very effectively tying the two together.

When he finally pried his eyes away from the dogs he finally realized the full situation he was in, tied up with a very beautiful young lady. “Oh my god I'm so sorry he doesn't usually act like this, Pongo would you stop that already?”

“Don't worry it was neither of our faults really, I guess these two have taken quite the interest in one another” he said as he pulled his arm out of the leashes to awkwardly scratch the back of his neck a blush forming on his face as he looked at a very interesting tree behind her.

“They've actually been like this for weeks!” she laughed as she finally met his eyes, “Oh you must be Divus! Your mother talks about you very often.” He was surprised, not only was this girl absolutely stunning but she already knew him. Although he would never admit it, he practically fell in love with her right then and there, the way she beamed with joy, the slight blush on her cheeks, her laugh even in the strangest of situations.

In an attempt to calm himself he averted his gaze again and began to untie him and his new developing crush from the entanglement of leashes they were trapped in “Oh you must have met mother while she was walking Perdita I do hope she didn't tell you anything embarrassing” a strained smirk appeared on his face, knowing how his mother liked to tell the most embarrassing stories of his childhood.

“Well I cant say she didn't say anything” she laughed softly again drawing Divus’s attention for a moment the blush on his face growing ever brighter.

Snapping out of his short trance he asked “Might I ask for your name then since you already know mine?” With blush remaining on the tips of ears he held out his hand like a gentleman, both with the intention to give her, her dogs leash back but also to lead her over to a bench so they could hopefully continue their conversation.

“Oh my apologies how rude of me, My name is Y/N nice to finally meet you.” She bashfully took both the leash and his hand, walking over to the bench.

“The pleasure is mine”

—-

“And whilst that was all happening I looked over to our dogs, only to find them looking at each other with what seemed to be a grin on their faces like they planned that all out.” Crewel sighed as he recalled how proud those little devils looked. “After quite a long conversation that ended up in me never actually starting a new sketch, we traded contact information and left the park.” he looked up at his students now regretting all his life decisions.

“And that is how I met my wife, now it seems like class is over, please leave quickly so I can question why I ever became a teacher in the first place.”

“But prof how did you ask her out?” “Yeah yeah! Who was the first one to confess!” “How did you propose????”

Frustrated crewel quickly answered “If I recall correctly you were all only given the privilege of asking one question, now if you don't stop pestering me I will be giving you even more homework.” a completely very unnoticable blush began to form on his face.

“Sorry sir!” Everyone shouted in unison, but on their way out the students did not miss the slightest hint of red that dusted their professor's cheeks as he pretended to sort through papers.

Once everyone had left and silence had fallen through the classroom a laughter could be heard coming from the Professors phone. “Awwwww darling, you retell that story so fondly~” Crewel sighed as he finally looked over at his phone

“I honestly can not believe I let you talk me into letting you listen to that.” he said with a hand firmly planted on his face covering any sign of pink that appeared.

“Consider it as repaying me for when I dropped those papers off for you. Now hurry home our two rascals of dogs are looking at me like I should thank them for getting us together.” she laughed nervously

“Yes yes honey see you soon” ending the call with a small smirk as he muttered “I should buy some more dog treats on the way back.”

[thalialunacy]

[for the @calaisreno May Promptadoodledoo; land o Goshen, this was a tough one, so thanks for sticking with me]

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) 12: family (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) (28) (29) (30) (31)

Breach imminent

MH

Sherlock groans, shoving his phone between couch cushions and drawing a sleeping Rosie closer to him. 

'Bad news?' John asks from his chair. He looks over his reading glasses at where Sherlock is curled around his daughter, and feels affection sting so hard in his chest that he absently rubs at it.

'The worst,' Sherlock answers sullenly

John runs through the likely options in his head, then goes with his gut. 'Your parents are coming to town?'

Sherlock opens his eyes and stares at John, his expression full of surprise, then affection, then shammy casualness. 'I have been a good influence on your deduction skills, clearly.' 

John chuckles. 'That, or your brother advised me to clear my calendar and clean the flat.'

'Meddling queen,' Sherlock mutters into Rosie's hair. Then his phone pings again. 

I haven't told them.

MH

John doubles down. 'He knows, I take it? About our… development?' 

'You are doing very well today.' 

'Feelings, Sherlock. I'm good at people and their feelings.'

'Yes, yes, that's why I keep you around. Of course he knows; I let him keep the surveillance up in the stairwell in exchange for having none in here.' 

'Ah.' John had suspected as much, though admittedly he had not considered it at the time of the first (very unplanned) tryst. 'Has he told your parents?' 

'Apparently not.' 

Silence stretches. They've come a long way, but John feels too keenly the risk/reward scenario here, and is undecided.

This time it's John's phone that pings. 

It's up to you, of course, but rest assured: they would be inordinately pleased. 

MH

John's eyebrow quirks. 'Your parents like me?' he finally says, going for casual but missing, and he knows it. 

'You're very likeable.'

'You know, from anyone else that would be a compliment.' 

Sherlock doesn't answer beyond a grunt. It's somehow safe to have this conversation in this arrangement, with the comforting stretch of the room and the gorgeous sleeping toddler between them. They're connected, but not so much as to overwhelm. 

'How much time have we got, do you reckon?' John asks, almost to the air.

'Far too little,' Sherlock grumbles.

'Right, but from you that could mean three months.'

'Yes, well, seeing as your birthday is in two weeks, but tis the season of primroses so they have to schedule us in between, I'm surmising it to be about three hours, in actuality.'

John snorts. 'That's a bit harsh.'

'No, no, they're beautiful primroses.'

'Hang on,' John says suddenly, running back through what Sherlock has said. 'They know when my birthday is?'

'Of course.'

'They care when my birthday is?'

'Don't be daft.'

'I'm trying, but they hardly know me. And what they know of me is not altogether flattering.'

'I said don't be daft.'

John can't stop a frustrated noise. 'Then explain it better.'

Sherlock opens his eyes, considers him for a moment, then he breaks eye contact and buries his nose in Rosie's hairline. 'They know of my affections for you. And that's enough for them.'

John's breath deserts him for a moment. 'Sherlock…'

'Don't let's make a big thing out of it, please.'

John wants to laugh. It's already literally the biggest thing in his life. 'Alright,' he says instead. 'But... let me be the one to tell them, yeah?'

Sherlock goes very still, not lifting his gaze. 'You'd be amenable to that?'

Sod this, it's been long enough. John shunts his reading glasses aside and stands, listening to his bones crick as he crosses and crouches in front of the two most important people in his orbit. 'Yeah, course.' He presses his lips against Rosie's forehead, then Sherlock's, without hesitation. 'Try and get rid of me.'

Sherlock finally, finally meets his eyes, and John feels so much he wants to tackle both of them and just cocoon for a little while. Tell the world to bugger off.

So, of course, there's a knock at the door. Sherlock groans, and Rosie's face scrunches up in the universal expression of, "How dare you wake me up, you rude creature."

'Three hours?' John says while scooping his daughter out of Sherlock's embrace. She needs a change. Maybe he should use that baby magic and let Sherlock's parents do it, he thinks with a grin.

'I am not in control of all variables, unfortunately,' Sherlock mutters into the sofa, where he's pressed his face.

John's mouth curves into a smirk as he heaves up (bloody hell, getting older is not for the weak) and turns towards the door. He wishes fleetingly that Sherlock was behind him, in solidarity if nothing else.

Then, suddenly, he is, his mouth pressing against Rosie's sleep-rumpled cheek over John's shoulder. He doesn't turn to John, but he doesn't have to. 'Into battle?'

John nods, then reaches for the door.

[❤️]

[lullabyes22-blog]

Snippet - Jayce Goes Sleuthing - Forward, but Never Forget/XOXO

In the wake of Vi's departure, and Viktor's defection, Jayce's life falls apart.

Forward but Never Forget/XOXO

"Consider carefully. The Man of Tomorrow, Piltover's brightest mind, would look pretty dim in a prison jumpsuit."

Snippet:

Caitlyn—

I got your message this morning. I'm sorry it's taken so long to write. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. Not sure where to begin, so I guess I'll start with the most important thing:

I've resigned from the Council.

As of last week, I'm no longer a Councilor. Just a regular citizen. I know the news isn't official yet. There will be a special announcement later this week. It's pretty short-notice. I'm sure the media will have a field day.

Your Mother knows; I'm surprised she didn't tell you. Then again, the Council's been busy scrambling to find a replacement for Professor Heimerdinger. They've been hogtied in a bunch of other issues since Zaun's independence, too. There's been nothing but emergency sessions with the Zaunite Cabinet. So it's possible she didn't get a chance.

The motion for me to step down was unanimous. It's the right choice, and I'm at peace with it.

I'm sorry to hear about yours and Violet's split. It sounds like the two of you had a good thing going. She and I didn't really see eye to eye. But you seemed to care for her a lot. I had no idea there was a Peacekeeper Exchange Initiative happening—or that she'd been reassigned to Zaun. I saw no preliminary memos on the matter. If I had, maybe I could've done something to prevent it.

Then again, I've been so distracted lately. It wouldn't have surprised me if a hundred things slipped under my radar.

I understand you're concerned for her safety.  Near as my old contacts in the Council can tell me, her transfer has been approved. They've already conducted the ceremonial swearing-in, and the inaugural Peacekeeper Exchange Initiative has officially begun. They've been granted interim residency until the next rotation, six months from now.

There's not much that can be done to stop it. At least, not in the legal sense. My authority to intervene has run its course. And if the Council's being tightlipped, then Silco's people are pathologically silent.  The details of Violet's reassignment—where she'll stay, her duties, her work schedule—is all being kept private.  

I'm sorry, Cait. You're the last person who deserves this kind of heartbreak.

You've asked me to confront Mel. To convince her to stop Vi's transfer, or pull the plug on the whole project.

Sadly, I can't do either of those things.

Mel and I are no longer together. It was a mutual decision. She's no longer my mentor, and I'm no longer her protégé. She's made her position on forging diplomatic ties with Zaun's First Chancellor clear. I've made equally clear my distaste on trying to spin blood money into gold. We're both determined to follow through, and I don't see a way of changing that.

Guess it's heartbreaks all around, huh?

Maybe it's necessary. Maybe we're supposed to hurt so we can grow. I think I've gotten a little too comfortable in my cushy Council chair. It's high time I got back to the grind. I wanted to build a better world. That means I need to put the work in at HexCorp to make it happen.

We'll get through this, Cait. You and me. Let's meet up once things have calmed down. I miss our talks. I need some sane company after weeks of listening to politicians bicker.

If there's anything I can do, please let me know.

Fondly,

Jayce

*

Cait—

Viktor's gone.

He's been missing since last Wednesday. The reason the Enforcers haven't been informed yet is because the Council is keeping it under wraps. But they've alerted the Wardens, and they're conducting a private investigation. Viktor's notes are gone from the lab. His apartment has been ransacked. All the Hex-tech prototypes are missing. 

So is the Hexcore.

I'm worried. Not because the Hexcore could be turned into a weapon of mass destruction. Viktor's been under a great deal of strain. He's not well. I don't want him getting hurt. The fact that all his research has been taken—it makes no sense. He could've been abducted, but there's no ransom note. None of his assistants noticed any signs of foul play. 

There's also been no sightings of Sky Young. Or any traces of her remains.

Cait—I don't want to add to your troubles. But I don't know who else to share this with. I trust you. I value your insight.

And the truth is, I'm a little scared.

The Wardens are suggesting Viktor's gone rogue. More than that. They're speculating that he may be linked to Sky's disappearance. Their inquisitor told me that his behavior during their last interrogation was erratic. That he'd showed signs of paranoia. That he'd withheld key details about Sky's last hours, and lied about the last time he'd seen her.

They're considering the possibility that Viktor was involved in her disappearance.

Cait—I think it's bullshit. Viktor wouldn't harm a fly. He's one of the gentlest souls I've ever known. He's dedicated his life to serving Piltover, and making it a better place. And he’s known Sky since they were children. I never saw anything but respect between them. Her disappearance hit him hard. I was with him when the preliminary investigation was being conducted.

I can tell you: he wasn't faking his grief.

Something else is going on. I don't know what.

But I'm going to find out.

In the meantime, I'm sorry I can't be of more help with tracking down Violet. I don't have any pull with the Wardens, or Silco's administration. And my contacts on the Council won't talk.  Try reaching out to your mother. She's the only one I know who can reasonably intervene. At the very least, she can get her sources to conduct a quiet search.

I know it's not the solution you wanted. I know the stakes are high.

I just want you to know you're not alone.

Warm regards,

Jayce

*

Caitlyn—

It's late, and I know you're probably sleeping. Still, I had to write. Something happened tonight.

The Wardens found Viktor.

He's been located in Zaun. Specifically, at the headquarters of First Chancellor Silco. They're claiming he's defected. What's more, they're stating that he's in collaboration with a notorious chemist, formerly known as Colin Reveck, but currently known as "Singed." The doctor has a record for performing unethical experiments.

He's also rumored to be responsible for the creation of Shimmer.

The Wardens received clearance to access Viktor's medical records. They found traces of Shimmer in his blood samples. Apparently, Viktor's been on the drug for months. He's been hiding the side-effects. There is evidence that he's been taking massive doses. It's been compromising his mind.

And now, according to the Wardens, he's a wanted fugitive.

Sky Young's DNA has been found on his personal belongings.

I can't believe it, Cait. This isn't the man I know. Viktor would never harm Sky. Never. And with his medical condition, he'd be too weak to physically attack her. As for the Shimmer—he's always been adamant about never touching drugs. Or stimulants of any kind. One cup of caffeine was enough to get him buzzed.

He wouldn't take that poison, even in his darkest hours.

Something isn't adding up.

The Council are currently in talks with Zaun's Cabinet. They're demanding that Viktor and the Hexcore be handed over. The Wardens are pushing for extradition.  Mel has been trying—unsuccessfully—to reach First Chancellor Silco. He's been unavailable since last afternoon.

This is bad.

I've got a sinking feeling. Viktor's research—the Hexcore—it's the key to unlocking a whole stratum of potential weaponry. The fact that he's now in Zaun, under Silco’s aegis, isn't a coincidence. Silco's notoriously secretive, but we know that he has an extensive network of spies and informants. If he saw a chance to use Viktor's illness against him, and profit off his genius, he'd seize it without a second thought.

That's exactly what I think is happening.

Viktor's not a criminal. And he didn't disappear of his own volition. Silco must've had a hand in it.

I'm going to figure out how.

Take care of yourself, okay? Please. I've already lost my brother. I can't lose my best friend too.

Be safe. I'll keep in touch.

Jayce

*

Cait—

Sorry I took off so early yesterday. There was no time. The Council had an emergency meeting with HexCorp, and I was summoned as its representative.

Things have escalated. Zaun's Cabinet has denied extradition. They claim that Viktor's entry into Zaun was perfectly legal. What's more, they state that the Hexcore, as one of Viktor's primary inventions, is his to take wherever he chooses. They even claim that the Hexcore is a prototype and, therefore, not an official piece of HexCorp's patented technology.

I'd expected the Council to push back. Instead—and I can't believe I'm writing this—they've acquiesced.

I was speechless. 

The Council's position is that, as a scientist, Viktor has a right to his intellectual property. I argued that we'd both worked on the Hexcore as a team. Therefore, it was ours. They pointed to our original patent agreement, and the fine print that gives us equal, but not joint, ownership. They also reminded me that, as Viktor was from the Fissures, he was legally a foreigner under Piltover's laws.

I remember, during my tenure as a Councilor, pushing for months to get that stupid provision removed, and having my proposal shot down.

Now it's bit the entire city in the ass.

Cait—I'm ashamed to say it. But I lost my temper. In the middle of the meeting, I slammed my fist on the table and demanded to know why the hell they were backing down. Didn't we have the resources, and the right, to protect those who'd served us? Even if Viktor had exited under a cloud, didn't his deteriorating health and the danger the Hexcore posed justify both their retrieval?

Why, I wanted to know, weren't they summoning Silco here to account for his actions? Why weren't they threatening his administration with military force if he refused to cooperate? Didn't he owe us an explanation as to how our greatest innovator had come into contact with him?

It was Mel who answered. She explained that Silco's administration is a sovereign entity. We don't have the authority to demand an audience, nor the leverage to force his cooperation. We're not even legally bound to warn him. Zaun's Cabinet has the right to act independently of our influence. And, as for Silco's personal agenda, that is beyond the Council's purview. He's not obliged to share his secrets. It's his prerogative, not ours.

In other words, we don't have a leg to stand on.

I was so mad. So mad. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe them. It was the same shit I'd had to deal with when I'd first been nominated as Councilor. Except that time, it was the bureaucracy that was hamstringing me. This time, it's the people who I worked with. People who swore to protect our citizens. Who pledged to defend Piltover's principles.

And who are now acting like cowards, unwilling to do what's necessary.

I called them on it. In front of the entire assembly. I asked them where their courage had gone. Why they weren't fighting. Why they weren't even trying. Was this what Piltover was going to become? A society that allowed its greatest minds to be suborned? What the hell were they planning to do when the next inventor came under Silco's spell? Were they going to give up then, too?

The meeting ended shortly afterwards.

 Mel tried to catch me in the hallway, but I was having none of it. She cornered me by the stairs. She wanted to know if I'd reconsider resigning. If we could talk.

I'll admit I was tempted. I haven't seen her since our split, and it's been hard. I miss her. It'd be nice to just hold her, even for a few minutes. To feel sane again. Safe. I know we can't rekindle things. Not with her position, and mine. But a hug, a kiss, some conversation...anything would've been good.

I turned her down.

I said we had nothing to discuss. That she'd made her position clear, and it was not one I agreed with. I asked her what the point of continuing the conversation was if we couldn't agree on the most fundamental matters. If we'd end up arguing over the same things again. I didn't have time for it. My focus had to be on Viktor. On finding a way to bring him home. And if she wasn't willing to help, then we had nothing else to talk about.

She told me I was being foolish. That I'd let my emotions blind me. That my stubbornness was going to be the death of me.

I told her I was fine with that. Because the alternative would be dying inside. That I wasn't willing to let Silco's take everything from me.

Especially not Viktor. 

Cait, let's meet. Soon. We've got a lot to discuss. And I can't do this alone.

Jayce.

*

Cait— 

This is going to be a quick one.

The Council and Zaun's Cabinet have arranged a summit. It's slated for next week. Silco is going to attend. We'll be discussing the terms for Viktor's return, and the repatriation of the Hexcore. Mel has been working to make it happen. It's the first sign of progress. It gives me hope. And it's a chance for me to confront Silco directly.

I'm not going to rest until Viktor's back where he belongs.

I'll ask Silco about Violet. I'll corner him in private, if I have to. I'm not sure how the two of them are connected. If they are, at all. But it can't hurt. And the more I can get him talking, the more opportunities I'll have to figure out what the hell is really going on. What he wants. And why.

I'll send a follow-up letter once I've got more information.

Stay strong. And, whatever happens, please don't lose faith. Piltover needs your courage. So do I.

Jayce.

*

Caitlyn,

I'm so sorry. I need to vent. Too much has happened.

Viktor's staying in Zaun. 

So is the Hexcore.

Negotiations fell through. I don't know why. Silco showed up, and he was civil. More than that, actually. He was polite. He shook hands. He thanked the Council for reaching out, and expressed his appreciation at their willingness to compromise. He'd brought along his Deputy and a few members his Cabinet. They were well-dressed, professional. I was impressed. I was relieved. I'd come prepared to do battle, but he seemed determined to cooperate.

Then it all went to shit.

Cait, I can't explain it. But the whole thing felt... staged. Like Silco already knew how it was going to end. Like the Council had already signed off on some private deal, and were simply going through the motions. Mel opened with the usual pleasantries. She asked Silco about his health. His administration. His relationship with Zaun's citizens.

The latter question was a nod to me. A subtle signal that she was leaving the floor open for me to address him.

I did. I'd been preparing for weeks. I'd even gone over my questions with some of the other Councilors. They'd all agreed that the issue had to be addressed. If the Council was serious about building diplomatic ties, and creating a sustainable rapport with Zaun, then Silco's conduct had to be taken seriously. And he couldn't be given an inch.

He needed to be confronted.

So, as soon as the pleasantries were finished, I asked him what his plans were for the Hexcore. For the Peacekeeper Exchange Initiative. Why, if he was a man of the people, was he taking a magical relic that was potentially volatile out of our control? How was it serving his citizens, or the people who'd been entrusted to his care? How was it serving his principles?

And, most importantly, where the hell was Viktor, and what the hell was his game?

Silco smiled.

The bastard actually smiled.

Then he showed me a letter, in Viktor's handwriting, addressed to the Council. It stated that, because of his deteriorating health, he'd chosen to relocate back home. He wrote that there was only so much treatment the doctors at Piltover could provide. Eventually, he'd need more intensive care. And, as a Zaunite, he was entitled access to the physician of his choosing.

His physician was Colin Reveck.

Singed.

Apparently, if Viktor's letter was to be believed, Singed had known Viktor for years. As a chemist, he had a keen understanding of the disease affecting Viktor's lungs. And he'd been working with him on an experimental treatment. That was the reason Shimmer was in Viktor's bloodstream.

It was an integral part of the therapy. Without it, he'd have died long ago.

Silco also presented records of his conversations with Viktor, during which Viktor had confessed to feeling ostracized in Piltover. To having been made to feel bypassed, not only by the Council, but by his own peers.

By me.

Sky's disappearance had hit him hard, and the strain of maintaining his career and his health had left him emotionally depleted. He'd been forced to make a choice, and he'd chosen life.

He'd chosen Zaun.

I demanded proof. I said there was no way Viktor would write a letter like that. That there was no way he'd willingly choose to work with someone like Singed. He'd always despised putting morality aside for progress. He'd never approved of using animals as test subjects. Or people. I accused Silco of lying. Of blackmailing Viktor, or worse.

Silco showed me a photo.

I'll spare you the worse details. It was Viktor, yes. Definitely him. But the man in the picture looked nothing like my friend. He was... augmented. All over. He had metal plates across his face. There are mechanical appendages in place of his hands. There's gears, and cogs, and wires, on his torso. His throat is encased in a tube, and there is an equalizer outfitted to his chest.

Even his eyes are different. They're no longer his natural color. They're yellow and black. Like hazard lights.

And they glow.

Cait, it was like something out of a nightmare. He looked—he looked like an automaton. Like a cyborg. It wasn't a person anymore. It was a machine. Something created by a mad scientist, and brought to life by evil sorcery.

The timestamp on the photo was two weeks ago. When Viktor was first reported missing. That meant that, between then and now, Viktor had undergone a terrible transformation.

He'd become something inhuman.

Cait, I've known Viktor for years. I've known him better than anyone. But right then, I didn't recognize him. Not even a little bit. And, when I looked up at Silco, I saw him watching me. Watching the horror in my face. Smiling.

Smiling like the Devil himself.

I could've hit him. I would've hit him. Right then and there. But the Councilors intervened. Their security pulled me back. Mel tried to talk me down, but I was too furious. I couldn't believe what I'd seen. I couldn't believe he'd had the nerve to show it. To shove it in our faces. I couldn't believe the Viktor he'd shown me was real.

But it was.

The photograph's been vetted. It's the real deal. So is Viktor's signature. His handwriting hasn't changed. It's been matched to several official documents. His letter, which was accompanied by a medical report from Singed, has also been examined. And, while we've been unable to corroborate its contents, the letter itself has passed a rigorous authenticity test.

Viktor is alive.

And he's staying in Zaun. Under Silco's care.

He's been provided an apartment, a generous stipend, and a state-of-the-art lab. He's been placed in charge of an expanding Hex and chem-tech research division, and given a team of assistants. He's been granted unrestricted access to Zaun's medical facilities for his treatment, and all the resources necessary to conduct his experiments.

All of which are in collaboration with Singed.

There's nothing we can do, Cait. Absolutely nothing. Silco's got him locked in a golden cage. He's using Viktor's genius to advance his agenda, and the fact that he's been augmented is proof that he's not above forcing him into compliance.

Viktor's a casualty. And we're the ones who lost him.

It's all my fault.

They've scheduled a forty-five-minute recess. We'll take a break, then resume for the next session. After that, there'll be a dinner. And more discussions. I can't. I just can't. This is all wrong. Everything. My best friend is gone. Mel and I are no longer together. And the Council. They've failed. Failed us. Failed the city. Failed Viktor.

And something tells me it's going to get a whole lot worse.

Cait, please be patient. I still need to ask Silco about Violet. And I'll do everything I can. You have my word.

Jayce.

*

Cait—

The summit's over. Silco and his people have left.

 And good riddance. I never want to see his rotten face again.

Cait, the whole thing was a sham. A total sham. From beginning to end. Nothing meaningful came out of the meetings. Silco didn't answer a single question. The Council wouldn't hold him to account.  Instead, they started discussing the crisis as if it was a business merger. As if it was some kind of deal to be brokered, and a mutually beneficial arrangement to be made.

Silco had the gall to suggest a compromise.  He said that Viktor, as a Zaunite, should be allowed to continue his research on the Hexcore. In return, the Council will be permitted to oversee his future Hextech projects. Both cities will collaborate to conduct a monthly audit via a joint Oversight Committee. They'd guarantee a set number of patents, and a share of the profits, and even provide funding for further innovations.

I argued that this was unacceptable. It would give the Council no actual leverage, and would only make them complicit in Viktor's subjugation. That they'd be signing a blank check. And that, by working with Silco, we'd be condoning his crimes.

The Council said nothing. They didn't support me. They didn't even try.

Mel agreed with Silco.

I couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it, Cait. She sided with him. With him!

She said the Council had to think long-term, and that, if we wanted peace, we needed to start acting like the world leaders we claimed to be. She pointed to the economic benefits, and the opportunities the new alliance could create. She reminded everyone that Viktor was a free man, and that he was the one who'd made the decision.

As far as she was concerned, it was his right.

I was outraged. I told her this wasn't the time for political theater or corporate speak. This was a human being's life we were talking about. And Viktor wasn't free. He was a hostage. If the Council really wanted to serve their citizens, they'd stand up to Silco. They'd demand the repatriation of the Hexcore. Then they'd demand Viktor's release.

And they'd use every means possible to get him back.

Then Silco dropped a bombshell.

He said, as thanks for the Council's cooperation in facilitating Viktor's "return" to Zaun, he'd make a gesture of goodwill. He'd draft legislation to outlaw the production of Shimmer as a narcotic, and to ban its distribution for recreational purposes. And, to prove his intentions were sincere, he'd have the new law approved by a vote, and the legislation made public. Only medicinal uses, he stressed, would remain legal.

The Council, he went on to suggest, could enact a blanket embargo on Shimmer's importation. Points of entry would be monitored, and Piltover would take steps to crack down on illegal trafficking. It would send a message to Piltover's allies, that Zaun was serious about pursuing the path of legitimacy. And that its partnership with Piltover was a symbol of that intent.

I was shocked.

So was Mel. And the rest of the Council. This wasn't what anyone had been expecting. This wasn't the Silco we'd known. He was offering to put himself in our debt. To cut ties with the illegal drug trade, and to allow the Council the opportunity to enforce sanctions against bad actors.

It was a major concession.  It would effectively eliminate a key revenue stream in Silco's operation, and cripple the underworld's most valuable market.

Cait, I'll admit it.

I didn't see the trap until it was too late.

Silco doesn't need to distribute Shimmer within his city anymore. Because he's got the Hexcore. And it's capable of making breakthroughs in science and magic, beyond anything we've ever known. He's got some of the world's greatest innovators under his thumb. The only limits are their imaginations.

With the fruits of their labor—and the Council's backing—investors will flock to Zaun. Capital will pour in. The city will grow. Its economy will flourish.

No drugs needed.

I was the only one who spoke out against it. I felt like a complete jerk. But I had to state my case. I argued that the Council had to consider the risks. That we couldn't trust Silco, no matter how immaculately he dressed up his proposal. Who was to say he wouldn't take the Council's investment and put it into other ventures? What if he began funneling the investors' coin, and used it to finance bioweapons? What if he turned Zaun into an armory, right under Piltover's feet?

And, even if he did give up the drug trade, what about his human trafficking? His smuggling? The brothels, and the illegal casinos, and the underground fighting pits?

What about his ties to organized crime?

The Council dismissed my concerns.

They were eager. Eager to shake hands. Eager to sign on the dotted line. Eager to move forward.

The deal, Mel explained, would be the cornerstone of a lasting relationship between Zaun and Piltover. The Council's approval was vital. It would lend a stamp of legitimacy to Zaun's new order. And, she stated, it was the only way to avoid future conflict.

I was disgusted.

She was trying to sell the summit as a success. Like we hadn't given up a critical piece of our national defense, and put it into the hands of a foreign dictator. Like Silco hadn't blackmailed Viktor, or taken advantage of his illness, or exploited his vulnerability. Like he wasn't an abusive tyrant who ruled by fear, and murdered in cold blood.

Like he hadn't just gotten away with everything.

Cait, I can't tell you what happened. I don't have the words. I was angry. So, so angry. And disappointed. With the Council. With Mel. With myself. I couldn't stand to be there a moment longer.

So I walked out.

After the summit, I waited to catch Silco in the lobby. He was heading towards his limo. There were no security personnel. Just him and his Deputy Chancellor and a blackguard. He was smoking a cigar, and strolling like a man with all the time in the world.

I didn't say a word. I didn't hesitate. I grabbed him and pinned him against the wall.

I told him he had a choice. Either he could hand over Viktor and the Hexcore, or I'd beat the truth out of him.

The bastard smiled. He smiled at me.

Then he said, "Pet."

Someone grabbed me from behind. An arm went around my throat. A hand wrenched my elbow behind my back. I struggled, but couldn't break free. The grip was like iron.  I half-turned, expecting to see Silco's Deputy. It was the blackguard.

Cait...

It was Violet.

She was in a full-on bodyguard get-up. Black suit. Black shirt. Black visor. Black boots. Her was cropped short, and she'd gained muscle. She looked lean, and hard, and strong.

Like a soldier.

She didn't say a word. She kept me in a sleeper hold, until the Deputy arrived with security. I don't know how many Councilors saw me in that position. I don't know what they must've been thinking, or what they must’ve been saying.

I was seeing stars. I was dizzy. I could barely breathe.

Then Silco said, "Drop him."

Violet obeyed.

When I came to, I was on my knees. My neck hurt. My arm hurt. My head was pounding. It was hard to focus. Then two steel-tipped boots materialized in my line of sight. I looked up, and there was Silco, staring down at me.

He was calm. Collected. Completely at ease.

"You'll have to forgive her," he said. "She's still being trained."

Cait, he knew.

He knew I'd ask him about Violet. He knew you'd placed inquiries looking for her. He knew we were concerned for her wellbeing.

So he'd had her accompany him to the summit, as a deliberate provocation.

He was taunting us both.

"I'd advise you, as a personal favor, to not try this again," he said. "If you do, you may find the outcome... less forgiving."

I told him to go fuck himself.

I think he smiled. It's hard to remember.

With a fingertip, he gestured Violet over. She came. I'll never forget that. The way she obeyed. Without hesitation. Without question. Not once did she acknowledge my presence. I still remember when I'd drop by for tea sometimes at your flat, and she'd scowl when she saw me. Or roll her eyes. Or say, "Oh, look. Pretty-Boy's here."

There was none of that. Nothing. Just total silence.

Total obedience.

Then Silco took her by the chin.

"There's a good girl," he said, and stroked her cheek.

 It made my skin crawl.

I told myself it was because of Silco. Since the Siege, I'd been looking into his past, and there's enough material in the dossiers to turn your blood to icewater. I can't imagine the psychic price of serving that monster. I can't even imagine the pressure of being a blackguard at his beck-and-call.

I told myself it was the thought of Violet at his mercy, night after night. I told myself it was because she'd lost her autonomy. That she was trapped. That she was under duress.

I told myself that's why my gut was churning.

I'm sorry, Cait.

That's not the truth.

The truth is, I wasn't scared of Silco.

I was scared of Violet.

No—I was terrified.

Cait—there was a look in her eyes. I don't know how to describe it. A coldness, almost. Like she wasn't seeing me, or the Deputy, or anyone. Only Silco. She didn't flinch when he touched her. She didn't even blink. She was completely unmoved. Like a soldier on the parade ground.

Like a weapon waiting to open fire.

The limo pulled up. Silco and his Deputy got inside. I remember Vi holding the door open for them. And I remember her turning, one last time, to look at me.

There was nothing in her face. No emotion. No recognition. No regret.

Just empty.

Then she got inside, and the door swung shut. They drove off.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. Cait, it's all I can think about. How different she looks. How hard she seems. And that stare. That terrifying, horrible stare.

What the hell did Silco do to her?

Cait, I'm coming to visit. We have a lot to talk about.

Jayce

*

Cait—

I have news.

Big news.

After I left your flat, I went straight home. A courier had just dropped a missive off at my place.

It was from the Wardens.

Their theory on Viktor being responsible for Sky's disappearance is crumbling. Despite their suspicions that Viktor was the last man to see her, their investigation has been unable to locate a single shred of evidence.

Viktor's laboratory is clean. No fingerprints, no signs of foul play, no indication of a struggle. Even the cameras, which the Wardens have accessed using a subpoena, showed no signs of her leaving with him. Her clothes, and belongings, were still inside the building. And her bike was still parked outside.

They're still not sure how she vanished. It's like she was swallowed up by a black hole.

As for the DNA—a secondary lab test revealed it was a mistake. Just a case of cross-contamination. They'd mistaken an old sample from a previous search in Sky's apartment. The report had gotten mixed up with Viktor's case file. The mistake had been made by an intern, who'd mislabeled a sample, and the senior investigators had simply repeated the error.

All in all, it was a complete botch-up.

The evidence is circumstantial. There's nothing that implicates Viktor.

For now, they've dropped charges.

I should be thankful. I know Viktor hasn't committed any crimes, and there's no concrete evidence of his guilt. It was a stretch to accuse him of involvement in Sky's disappearance.

But now there's a nagging doubt in the back of my mind. The timing's too convenient.  First the Council caves to Zaun, and lets Viktor remain as Silco's prisoner. Now the Wardens have decided, of their own accord, not to press charges.

It makes no sense.

Worse, my own mind's playing tricks on me. I keep replaying the night Sky was reported missing. How distraught Viktor was. How he could barely speak. Barely look at me. He was a wreck, and I believed his distress was sincere. I'd told the Wardens, time and again, that there was no way Viktor had done anything to harm Sky.

I'd vouched for him.

Now, though...now, I'm not so sure.

The thing is, we still don't have all the facts from that night. Sky was last seen exiting her office at eight o' clock. The cameras see her walking down the main corridor. Then, at nine thirty, her assistant goes in to check on her, and finds her gone. Her bike's still there. Her street clothes are still on the rack. All her possessions are still inside.

But no Sky.

Where the hell did she go?

The cameras don't show her exiting the building. Which means she must still be in there. Except there's no trace of her. None. 

Then it hit me.

The Hex-lab—mine and Viktor's workspace—had no cameras. A security camera had been installed, but Viktor had requested it be removed. He'd said, and I quote, "We are scientists. Our work necessitates a degree of privacy." It was part of our terms with the Council, and an addendum to our patent agreement. The lab would be kept off-limits, except to those involved with the project.

Viktor, Sky, and I were the only one who had the keycard.

And Viktor was the only person in the lab that night.

Caitlyn—I'm worried. It's possible I've made a terrible mistake. I've been so fixated on finding Viktor, I haven't stopped to ask myself why. Why would Viktor disappear without a word? Why would he take all his notes, abandon his post, and go into hiding? Why wouldn't he ask me for help? Or at least leave a note?

I've been thinking—what if he doesn't want to be found?

What if something bad happened between him and Sky? Something so terrible, he had no choice but to run?

Cait, please—help me figure this out.

Your friend,

Jayce.

*

Cait,

I had a fight with Mel.

I'm ashamed to say it. To be honest, it's embarrassing. I've never raised my voice at her before. Or sworn at her. Or, frankly, behaved like such a prick.

Here's what happened.

After my talk with you, I went straight to her penthouse. I was in a bad place. I'd hit the bar—awful idea, I know—and then gone for a walk. It was raining. I ended up in one of the city's parks. It's near her place. I sat on a bench and tried to get my thoughts together. Everything—why Viktor could've left, why Sky might've disappeared, why  the Council were so willing to negotiate with Silco—was running through my head.

I just wanted to talk. I wanted a friend. I wanted her.

Cait—you told me how hard it's been since Violet left. How much you've been hurting. Not the everyday stuff. I know about that. But it's the other things, too. Like how you don't feel like yourself anymore. Like there's something hollow in you, that only she can fill. And nights are the worst. You miss the closeness. You miss the warmth.

And, Gods help me, the sex.

That's the part I miss the most. I can't tell you how many times I've woken up at night, dreaming about Mel, and I've had to stop myself from calling her up at four o'clock in the morning.

It's hard, Cait. Being apart. It's really hard.

I know how you feel. So you'll understand perfectly why I went to see Mel. I know we broke things off. I know it was my decision. And, no, I didn't expect us to pick up where we'd left off.

I just wanted someone to talk to.

Before I knew it, I was at her penthouse. I was soaked, and cold, and drunk. It was the middle of the night. But the doorman recognized me. He let me in, and called ahead to let her know.

She was waiting for me.

I'll never forget how she looked, Cait. She was wearing a silk robe.  One of my favorites: all white lace and gold brocade. Her hair was loose, and it smelled like hyacinths. You know, I've never told you this, but I used to comb Mel's hair before bed. I wasn't very good at it. Sometimes I'd end up pulling too hard. But she'd smile, each time, and show me the trick to gently working through the knots. She'd kiss my hands. Then she'd kiss me.

Then—

Well, I think you know.

Seeing her again. Seeing her so soft, and warm, and lovely. It took my breath away.

It took everything.

Cait, I'm not going to lie. We ended up in bed. She said she'd missed me. And, damn it, I'd missed her. So much.

So very, very much.

I can't say I don't love her. How can I not? She's smart, and gorgeous, and funny. She's passionate. She's fearless. And I admire her. She has a way of commanding a room, but also of making every single person feel heard. She makes me feel heard. When I talk to her, I feel like I can say anything. Do anything. Be anything.

I needed that. I needed her.

She felt the same.

It was beautiful. Intimate. Wonderful. Sure at first, we were both a little awkward, and clumsy, and I'd forgotten to shave the past few days. But, after a few minutes, we were like two people who'd never left each other. Two people who'd never been apart.

Two people in love.

When we finished, we held each other. Then she kissed my cheek, and whispered in my ear, "Jayce, darling... you're home."

And, Cait, it felt like it. Like I'd finally come home.

It's not until after I'd showered, and was heading back into the bedroom, that the doubts crept in. Those nagging little doubts. Things I'd pushed down. Things I didn't want to confront. Like how the Council and Silco seemed to be on the same page in advance.  Like how they were giving him carte blanche to exploit a man's genius, and use it for their own gains.

Like how Mel, out of everyone, seemed to know exactly what Silco was thinking.

Like she was expecting it.

I slipped back into bed with Mel, and I held her. Still, the questions came in my head. They came quietly, at first. Softly. Then, as the silence between us grew, they began to gain volume. Until I was sure she could hear them too.

Then I asked her the question.

"Why didn't you fight?"

At first, she pretended not to understand. So I said it again, louder.

"Why didn't you fight, Mel? Why didn't the Council?"

She turned. She was looking at me. Searching my face.

"You had a chance," I told her. "You could've fought for Viktor. You could've fought for me. Why didn't you?"

There was a long silence.

"I didn't have a choice," she said.

"Bullshit."

"It's the truth. I didn't. Jayce—you don't understand. There's more at stake than just the Hexcore. It's a small piece of a bigger issue. That issue being—how can we maintain our peace with Zaun. You have to understand. It's not only about your friend."

"Viktor. His name is Viktor."

"Viktor, yes. But we need to think of the whole picture. It's not just him. It's our trade agreements. It's our economic stability. It's our reputation as a city. As the City of Progress."

"So it's not important, what's happening to him. Because he's not a Piltovan, he's expendable."

"That's not what I'm saying. Please. Don't twist my words."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that a single man, or his personal rights, cannot eclipse the good of a city. You've been obsessed. You've been chasing shadows, instead of addressing the real problems."

"Like the Council selling out their best innovator to a dictator."

For the first time, her eyes disconnected from mine. "He isn't a dictator."

"Isn't he? What do you call someone who murders his way to the top, and uses his power to enslave his citizens?"

"We've held discussions, Silco and I. He wants prosperity for his city. Freedom for his people. I want the same for ours. To achieve that, we must compromise on certain issues. He's no model of merciful leadership, I grant you. But he's a pragmatic man. A visionary. Someone who can bring lasting change."

"He's a monster."

"Jayce. Darling. Your anger blinds you. I know he's committed terrible crimes. And yes, we've made deals that neither of us is pleased with. But, in the end, the outcome is worth the price. Our cities will grow together. We'll create a lasting, sustainable peace."

"At the cost of my best friend'."

"Viktor chose to leave. It's his right."

"Only because he had no choice. He couldn't stay in Piltover. Not with the Wardens falsely accusing him."

"Jayce—" A shadow fell across her face. "Please. Stop. This isn't getting us anywhere. Can't you see that? If you keep on fighting, you're only going to make things worse."

"Worse for who? The Council?"

"For Viktor. And... for you."

There was something in her eyes. Something... dark. Almost desperate.

"Please, Jayce. You need to trust me. I have your best interests at heart. I've been working to protect you. You've no idea the things I've—" She cut herself off.

I asked her what she was talking about. I asked her what the hell was going on.

That's when she told me.

Cait, the Warden's investigation? Mel is the one who called it off. Not because of inconclusive evidence. Not because of the waste of resources. Not because the security camera footage was inconclusive.

She called it off, because the Wardens had irrefutable proof that Viktor had killed Sky.

It wasn't just the fact that he was the last man to see Sky alive. Or the fact that she was last seen near the corridor to the Hex-lab. 

It was the fact that, in the lab itself, they found Sky.

Or rather, her bone dust.

It was everywhere. Motes of it, on the floor. On the chairs. On the workbench. Someone had tried to clean it up, but not thoroughly. Not enough to remove the residue. And the forensics team had been able to confirm, using chemical analysis, that the samples were mixed with Viktor's DNA.

His, and no one else's.

The Wardens were set to launch an arrest warrant. Then Mel had intervened.

"It would've been a disaster," she told me. "A disaster for him. A disaster for Zaun. And for us. I had no choice, Jayce. None."

I was shocked. My brain couldn't comprehend what she was saying. It was impossible. Viktor wasn't a murderer. He couldn't be. He just couldn't.

I asked her if Silco knew.

She admitted that he did. He was the one, in fact, who'd tipped the Wardens off. Apparently, a remark Viktor had made during a conversation with his Deputy Chancellor had caught Silco's attention. He'd sent a blackguard to Viktor's lab, on the pretext of collecting leftover notes. During a search, the blackguard found traces of bone dust. He collected the sample and turned it over to the Wardens.

There were no signs of tampering. The evidence was months old.  And it was damning.

"I can't believe this." I whispered.

Mel put her arms around me. She held me tight.

"Jayce," she said. "I'm sorry. Silco and I—we decided that the best thing would be for Viktor to remain in Zaun. For the charges to be dropped. So long as he confines his work to the Fissures, he'll have complete freedom. But should he return to Piltover..."

She didn't finish.

She didn't need to.

Cait, the Council and Silco. They've conspired against Viktor. Against both of us. They're letting him remain in Zaun, so that he can continue his research on the Hexcore. But, should he return, he'll be arrested.

And I'll be forced to testify.

It was too much. The idea that my best friend could be a killer. The fact that Mel knew. That she'd been complicit. The betrayal, by the Council, who'd gone along with it all. The duplicity. The corruption.

It was just too much.

I couldn't stop myself. I lost control. I leapt out of bed. I shouted. I called her a liar. I asked her how she could do it. How she could let him stay, and put him in danger. How she could be so calculating. So cold.

So much like... Silco.

She didn't answer. She was crying. I've never seen Mel cry. Never.

And, Gods help me, I didn't care.

Cait, I stormed out of her flat. I left her there, in tears.

I can't go back. I can't forgive her. I can't forgive myself.

I'm writing you now from a bar. It's three o' clock in the morning. I can't go home. I can't bear to sleep. I can't stop thinking. About the summit. About Mel. About Viktor.

About the future.

Cait, please help.

I'm lost.

Jayce

*

Jayce—

Destroy this message the minute you read it. You're being monitored.

Your apartment is being watched.

Your office, too.

I know, because so is mine.

Silco knows you're trying to make contact with Viktor. He knows I'm trying to reach out to Vi. The only reason he's permitted you to communicate with me is to bait a trap. I've gone back and deleted every missive I've written to you. Do the same. You need to watch your back. If the Wardens find out you've been trying to make contact with a suspected killer, it's not just your career.

It's your freedom.

You're a private citizen now. They won't hesitate to arrest you. And I won't be able to stop them.

Jayce, this is serious.

You're a hero. You're the face of Hextech. You've changed the world. You can't afford to throw it away. If you get caught, it'll be catastrophic.

Please. I'm begging you. You have to stop.

We can't contact each other via missive. Not until I can figure a way out of this.

Caitlyn

*

Caitlyn,

Don't worry. I won't put you in danger. I've found a workaround. I've created a secure channel, which will allow us to correspond without being intercepted. I've also modified the pneumatic tubes. It will take some time, but I can rig a system, which will ensure the messages are delivered directly to your desk.

I need a favor.

Your department has access to the Warden's database. How high is your clearance? Can you get access to their records on Sky? I'd like to have a look at their files.

I'll explain when I see you.

Jayce

*

Jayce,

I got in.

Here are the files.

Hurry. I don't know how long the clearance will last.

Cait

*

Cait—

Thank you.

This is incredible. You're amazing.

I've been reading through the records. It's difficult, because a lot of stuff has been redacted. But I've managed to piece together the timeline of Sky's disappearance. It's hard to believe, but the case has been open since the day she went missing. It's bigger than the Wardens let on to the Council.

There's more here than I expected.

According to the records, the Wardens were already investigating Viktor.  He'd been placed on their Watch List, under suspicion of having ties with the Undercity's chemists. It was a flimsy pretext, and he wasn't a suspect. Just a person of interest.

They were tracking his movements, to see if he had any known associates belowground.

Then Sky was killed.

By now, I know she was killed. It's hard to watch. There's security footage, from the night she went missing. It's in black-and-white, and it's grainy. You can see Sky, exiting her office, and walking down the main hall. She's still in her lab coat, with her notes under her arm. Her hair's up, but her ponytail's slipping. She's got a smile on her face, and a spring in her step.

It's strange, Cait. But I can tell, even though she's just a shadow on the screen… she's happy.

She's going to see Viktor.

I know she's going to see Viktor, because the security cameras are tracking her movements. And they show her walking down the main hallway, past my office, and into the stairwell. From there, she goes to the third floor. The cameras lose her there. There's no coverage inside the Hex-lab.

It has no cameras, remember.

But something happens six minutes later. There's a—a fluctuation, almost. In the video. The image blurs. It's like the camera's glitching.

Except it's not the camera.

Cait, I've seen that fluctuation before.

It's a Hex-field.

I can tell because, while the image distorts, the edges of the hallway remain sharp. Which means the field's expanding outward, in a dome pattern, from a central source. The source, in question, is the Hexcore.

It's been activated.

I've checked the timeline. The hex-field is only active for a few seconds. Then it's gone.

But Sky never returns.

I've been over the footage a hundred times. And the conclusion's always the same.

Sky entered the lab. She met Viktor. Then he killed her.

Why, I can't say.  Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was something else. The point is, her remains were never found. Only traces of her bones.

I've got to find him, Cait. I've got to talk to him.

I've got to understand what happened.

Jayce

*

Cait—

It's a trap.

You were right.

I did something stupid. I didn't think. I took a risk, and it's backfired. 

I went into Zaun. I had no formal dispensation; no notarized travel pass; no clearance from the Council. I was, effectively, trespassing on foreign soil.

I didn't care.

I was going to find Viktor. I needed answers on what had happened. I wasn't going to let him stay down there, hiding from what he'd done. I was going to make him tell the truth. Then, maybe, we could figure out how to fix this mess.

So, in the middle of the night, I armed myself with my hammer. I went down to the harbor. I was careful to avoid the usual checkpoints you'd told me about. I headed for a small, out-of-the-way pier, where the patrols were less frequent. I'd borrowed a friend's boat. It was small, and not the fastest, but it's quiet. I managed to sneak past the harbor's first buoys.

Then, I crossed the border.

 Zaun's different now.

I remember the last time I was in the Fissures to get supplies. Back before the Siege. It was rundown. It was rancid. The streets were in disrepair. The people were sullen. There was poverty and sickness, and a sense of despair.

Things have changed.

The Promenade's undergone a transformation. It's like a state-of-the-art motherboard framed in multicolored neon. They've repaired the streets, and the buildings are lit up like stars. They're clean. Pristine. Even the air smells different. Less acrid.

It's almost... pleasant.

It was late, but the shops were open. The crowds were out in full-force. They were mingling in the plazas, drinking at the bars, dancing in the squares. I passed an upscale club, and there was a line snaking all the way around the block. There were people of all classes and creeds, and they were dressed up, and celebrating.

Like it was a holiday.

I couldn't believe it. After everything that monster's done, the people of Zaun are out, and living it up, like it's the greatest carnival in the world. Like they're grateful. Grateful to have Silco in charge.

Cait, it's surreal.

It's as if, after years of fear, they're finally free. Not only free from Piltover's control—from its judgment, its oppression, its prejudice. It's like they're free in their souls. They're happy. Joyous.

But I can't shake the feeling that they're in a trance. As if, with the bright lights and poppy colors, Silco is hypnotizing them. He'd holding them in thrall, so they'll worship him, and not notice the bodies he's left in his wake.

That's how I felt, walking through the Promenade. Like I was following a parade of automatons, fueled on sensory ecstasy.

I tried talking to a few passersby, and they seemed nice. Friendly.

Some of them, too friendly.

I'm not sure how, but they knew I was a Topsider. A couple of them offered to give me directions. Others were eager to buy me drinks. A few asked if I'd like a dance.

One thing's for certain: they're much more welcoming now. Like, now that Zaun's nearabouts Piltover's equal, bygones can be bygones, and no one cares about a bit of old history.

I wasn't there to debate history, though. I was there to find Viktor.

I asked a few of the locals if they'd heard of him. It didn't seem to ring any bells, though a few said he sounded familiar. Then I mentioned he'd worked on Hex-tech, and a chorus rose up.

"Oh! The Machinist!"

That's what they call him in Zaun. They've forgotten his name. Or maybe they don't care.

What matters is that he's terraforming the urban landscape. Changing the city. Bringing the Fissures up to par. Creating a new Zaun, and building it up from ground-zero

I was shocked. He's already begun work? It's only been a few weeks.

But it's true. Apparently, Silco has put him in charge of a full-scale revitalization project. He's using the Hexcore to create new infrastructural designs. Changing the way the city is laid out, and making the Fissures over from a mud-hole into a metropolis. He has a whole team of engineers, and an entourage of blackguards. Every week, they're working on a new layer of the city.

A fresh coat of paint, if you will.

This week, they were overhauling the turbines. The next, the power grid. The one after that, the sewage system. By the time the Expo's begun, Zaun will be a chromed-up paradise.

And Silco will be lauded as its liberator.

The irony.

I was told he'd be working on the turbines this week, and to head toward the eastside. So, that's where I went.

The zone was a hive of activity. Tremors from power-drills under my feet; sparks from welding torches in the air; bodies swarming over scaffoldings. It looked like a small army had been drafted, and was working their hands to the bone. The entire sector had been cordoned off. 

The turbines stood on platforms, towering over the street. They were colossal works-in-progress: rivets the size of hubcaps, steel girders dense as concrete blocks, pistons the width of my chest. They were astonishing, Cait. The scale of them was unreal. Their alloy-shelled interiors seemed to be a combination of metallurgical compounds and Fissure-seam crystals, the two meshed together into a seamless matrix with a shimmery-green tint.

There were runes, too.

Hex-runes.

They were inscribed all over the turbines. And, judging by the way the technicians were treating them, they weren't simply decorative. They were a critical component of the new design.

I'd never seen anything like it.

I couldn't help but admire Viktor's work. He'd done all this in less than a month. Except it wasn't just him. Here and there, I saw a familiar monkey motif scrawled into the blueprints, or decorating the turbine's frame.

It was Jinx's signature.

It hit me, then, like a gut punch. Viktor hadn't done this alone. Jinx was collaborating with him. Her notes were scattered throughout the designs. This wasn't a solitary operation with a spur-of-the-moment breakthrough. This was a joint venture, between two rogue agents. One that must have been in the works for months.

Or longer.

I felt a chill go down my spine.

Silco had likely planned this—this coup—from the moment of the Peace Treaty.

And there was no telling what he had planned next.

Cait, I had to stop him. I had to find Viktor.

I asked a few technicians if they'd seen him. I was directed to the south end. I didn't have a plan. All I knew was that I had to find him. Confront him. Demand an explanation.

Then I saw him.

He stood in the middle of the mayhem, directing the crew.  At first glance, he seemed the same. Same height. Same build. Same accent. But that was a trick of the eye. Like my memory was a distorting medium, and my mind had supplanted an old image onto a new reality.

Because, when he turned, it was like he'd been replaced by someone else.

Someone I barely recognized.

He seemed taller, somehow. His movements were more fluid; his stiffness less pronounced. He didn't walk. He glided. The balls of his feet seemed to float a bare millimeter above the ground, as if the air itself was propelling him forward. And the way he carried himself, with such confident assurance—it was like his world had expanded, in the span of a few weeks, from a sickbed to a stage.

That's when I noticed his cane was different.

It wasn't the ergonomic model he'd designed for himself, as his mobility declined. This was a prong-tipped rod, polished black, with a barb at the base. Like a javelin. It was a definite case of function over form. No aesthetic appeal. No concession to comfort.

Just a weapon.

But, Cait, that's not what unnerved me the most.

That was Viktor himself.

Because he wasn't Viktor. He was some unnervingly close approximation dressed in patches of Viktor's skin, with steel seams running through the missing spots. His skull, torso and limbs are half-cybernetic. The right leg—the one that 'never behaved' as he'd sometimes put it—has been replaced with a mechanical prosthesis. It's got a titanium exoskeleton, and a carbon-fiber frame, and a hydraulic heel. The knee's a ball joint. The thigh's an articulated piston. It's like a work of art. The most horrifying work of art you could imagine.

But it's not just his leg.

His right hand—the one he'd taken to wearing a glove on—is now a four-fingered steel claw. It's hinged at the wrist, and the phalanges are articulated, and the palm's been fitted with a projectile port.

I know, because I watched him fire it.

It was a blackguard, one of the many onsite. The guy was being a dick. He was bullying some of the workers, and shouting at them, and generally harassing everyone within earshot.

Then Viktor walked up, and calmly ordered him to stand down.

The blackguard laughed.

Viktor didn't hesitate. He didn't say a word. He lifted a hand. The steel palm opened, and the projectile port spun, and the muzzle flared, and a blast of hot green light shot out, and blasted a hole straight through the guy's sleeve. It must have singed his skin, too, because the blackguard let out a howl.

Then he fell to his knees, groveling apologies.

Viktor, with terse instructions to the rest of the crew, turned, and left.

I couldn't believe it.

He'd shot at a man.

Without flinching. Without pausing to consider the consequences. Without even acknowledging the guy's pain.

He'd changed, Cait.

The Viktor I knew was gentle. He had a self-effacing slouch, an earnest smile, and an uncanny ability to see the best in people. He was always questioning, always second-guessing, always willing to learn. 

This man was nothing like that.

This man was... hard.

As if the softness had been drained from him.

Just like Violet.

As he strode off, I was able to catch strains of conversation. Cait—his voice has changed completely.  He's got an equalizer attached to his mouth, which runs on a small internal pump, and has an integrated voice modulator. It's the reason his accent's less pronounced. His tone's deeper, too. It's more authoritative. More commanding.

Less human.

The rest of his face is the same as the photograph. There are sensors on his cheeks, and his jaw is augmented with a cybernetic clamp. Then there's the eyes. The sockets are lined with a copper alloy, and the lenses are bionic. No pupils; no sclera. Just two reflective orbs with a glowing core.

Golden and black. Like looking into a pair of glowing embers.

Except they're cold.

I followed him. He wasn't going far. There was a trailer nearby, where blueprints were spread out over a makeshift table. He stepped inside. I'd expected to see Jinx. I was sure she'd be there. After all, she was collaborating with him. She'd drawn up half the diagrams, and, by the looks of things, had helped him implement them, too.

But the trailer was empty.

Viktor was alone.

Then I realized Viktor knew I was there.

"Jayce," he said, without turning around. "You are trespassing."

His voice, even through the equalizer, was the same.

Except it wasn't.

It was cold, too.

"Viktor," I said. "We need to talk."

He still didn't turn. "If the blackguards find you, they will arrest you. And, should they do so, I cannot guarantee your safety."

"I don't care."

"You should."

"I know what happened to Sky."

There was a prolonged silence punctuated by the distant sound of power tools. Then, very slowly, he turned. Our eyes met, and even though every muscle and nerve ending in my body fought it, I couldn't stop myself from flinching at the totality of his transformation.

At the eerieness of it.

"Sky," he said, at last, "is gone"

"I know.  She's dead. The Wardens found her bone-dust in your lab. You killed her."

"Jayce, you don't understand."

"Then explain it to me."

"I didn't kill her. Not in the way you think."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Viktor, you were the last person to see her alive. She was last seen near the Hex-lab. There are traces of her DNA mixed in with your own. What the fuck am I supposed to think?"

He said nothing. His breathing rasped like an iron file through the air. It was a strange, grating sound. His lungs, I understood, had been augmented, too. The extent of the mechanization, in such short a time-frame, couldn't be man-made.

Then I understood.

"Magic," I said.

He didn't answer.

"That's what happened, didn't it? You were using the Hexcore's magic. Not on tools. On yourself. And you didn't want anyone to know."

Still he said nothing.

"But it went wrong, didn't it? The Hexcore did something to her. She was in the lab, and something happened, and she got hurt. Badly. So badly that you had to dispose of her. And you thought, if you were careful, no one would ever find out. That you'd get away with it."

"Jayce—"

"Is that why you left? Because you were afraid of being caught? Dammit, Viktor, answer me!"

He looked at me, and the stare was preternaturally calm. But I could feel an intense heat cooking the air around him. He didn't raise his voice, or gesticulate, or make any move against me.

He kept on staring.

"Jayce," he said at last, "before I left Piltover, I was working on a theory. One involving the Hexcore. I had discovered that, with the right runic sequence, it was possible to channel its subatomic energies into living flesh. Through an organic compound as the catalyst, and the correct sequence as a stabilizer, the Hexcore's powers would no longer be tied to its physical matrix. We'd use it to augment living things. Restore damaged muscle. Heal sick tissue. Repair a faulty organ. Even..."

"What?"

"Prolong life."

Dazed, I shook my head. "Viktor, that's impossible. That level of transfiguration—"

"Can be achieved. All that's necessary is for the Hexcore to sustain the right frequency, at the correct resonance. A harmonic pattern, if you will."

"We tried, remember? We tried, with plants and fungi. We couldn't even manage to make a weed grow. The results crumbled, or rotted, or—"

"—died. Yes." His breath shivered like a metal grate in a storm. "That is because the runic sequence is incomplete. To channel the Hexcore's power, a keystone rune is needed. Something to anchor the harmonics. Act as the focus. Without it—"

"Viktor, please. You're not making any sense—"

"I was trying to extend life, Jayce!"

For the first time, the flat dial tone of his voice shifted. I heard, subaudible but discernible, a quaver of grief.

"Extend life," he whispered. "Not take it."

It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. My breath came hot, nauseous. "You messed up. Didn't you?"

"Jayce—"

"You screwed up. Something went wrong. You did something to Sky. You killed her."

He gave a single jerky nod.

My guts turned over. The fear had been replaced with disgust. With anger. I couldn't stand to look at him. To see what he'd done.

What he'd become.

"Where's her body?" I demanded.

"It's gone."

"Gone? Gone where?"

He rubbed his jaw, the bones grinding side-to-side. It was old gesture. The one he'd make, whenever he was uncomfortable. Or guilty.

"It was consumed."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Jayce, please. You must believe me. I—I did not intend for her to die. I did not even realize she was there until after—"

"After?"

The glow in his bionic eyes dimmed. "The Hexcore, when it opened, created a feedback loop.  The catalyst in my blood was to be the sensor, absorbing the concentration of the energy's signals. The runes on my body were the integrating centers, the medium through which the feedback would be channelled.  But—but there was not enough of one to balance the other."

I understood. "The Shimmer. That's why it was in your bloodstream. It interacts with the Hexcore's harmonics. Instead of destabilizing the resonance, it amplifies the feedback. It's what allows you to maintain a stable connection."

"Yes."

"And the runes. They're not for stabilization. They're for augmentation. For transmutation."

"Yes."

"And Sky? Where did she fit into all this?"

 A strange darkness filmed Viktor's bionic eyes. "She was not meant to be there. I should have—should have locked the door. Should have—but no, I did not think. It was too much, the moment. The chance, too great. If it had worked—" He broke off. His head drooped, slowly, as if his neck was made of wires stretched too taut. "She was there. The Hexcore's field was activated. It took her."

"Took her."

"Blindly. As a mouth takes in food. She was trying to pull me away. She was saying my name. Viktor. Viktor. She did not understand." His cybernetic fingers flexed around his cane. "I could not stop it. Could not shut down the Hexcore. The energy—it was too strong. Too much."

"You're saying the Hexcore absorbed her?"

"Her flesh. Then her bones. Then her essence. Until nothing remained." His chest vibrated, like an engine winding down. "Nothing but dust."

A cold fist gripped my heart. I thought of the security footage. The fluctuation, and the blur. It hadn't been a camera glitch.

It had been the Hexcore.

"Viktor," I breathed. "My Gods."

His head remained bowed.

"This is why, isn't it? Why you asked me to destroy the Hexcore. You knew, then. Knew how powerful it was. How dangerous. You wanted me to shut it down."

"Destroy it," he whispered. "Yes. But that was before—"

"Before, what?"

"Sky. In her notes. She'd left me a—a message. Only, it was never intended for my eyes."  He unstuck his jaw with effort, as if his teeth were glued together. As if the words themselves were too heavy to shape. "Sky was working on a project. One I'd encouraged. Every week, she would show me her findings. I would provide suggestions, or offer assistance, as needed. She was a brilliant researcher, Jayce. And unlike myself... she never forgot her roots."

I swallowed. It was hard, around the knot in my throat. "What—what was her project?"

"Life." The word was soft, almost reverent. "Here, in Zaun. She'd designed blueprints for a Hex-filtration plant. Something to purify the water. Sewage removal. Runoff collection. All to make the streets where she—where we both—grew up, safer. A habitable home for the people who needed it most."

"And now... you're building it."

"Yes."

"With Silco's blood money."

He lifted his head. The contours of his expression iced over; robotic, remote. "The blood money is the Council's. Silco is only the siphon."

"What—?"

"Or do you not hold the Councilors complicit in the Undercity's degradation?"

"That's not—"

"Not the same?" Something in his bionic eyes crackled. It could've been anger, or amusement, or a thousand other emotions, and I wouldn't have known the difference. "Tell me, Jayce. Why are you here?"

I was taken aback. "Because—because I needed to know the truth."

"You know the truth." The last humanity dissolved out of his voice, leaving a mechanical buzz. "You wanted to hold me accountable."

"If you'd killed Sky—"

"You've killed too, Jayce."

A stone lodged in my chest. It was cold. It was hard.

It was the truth.

Cait—only you, Violet and Mel know what I did. That night, at Silco's Shimmer factory. The boy caught in the crossfire. The boy who'd died because of my recklessness.  I've lived with the memory of his face ever since. It's haunted me. Night and day. No matter how much I've tried to justify it. No matter how many good deeds I've done.

The fact is, I took a life.

And Viktor knew.

For so long, I'd kept it from him, out of shame but also fear. The fear of him judging me, as no different from the other Topsiders. The same ones who'd mistreated him as a boy; who'd buried his city under their refuse and left the people to rot. I was afraid, Cait, of him hating me. Of him realizing how little I deserved his friendship.

And now he did.

 Silco, I thought, icy splinters of rage in my gut. He knew too.

He knew—and he'd used the knowledge to turn Viktor against me.

"Viktor," I began.

"Jayce." His voice was dead as the grave. "Do not."

"Look, please, I—"

"You should not have come. Your presence will be construed as hostile. There will be consequences."

"Then let's leave. Come back with me. I can protect you. The Council, they'll—"

"Forgive me?" His lips approximated a smile. "No. That, I think, will not happen."

"You can't stay here. Not under Silco's thumb. He's using you, Viktor. Using the Hexcore. You can't trust him. Can't you see?"

"I can. You cannot."

 "Viktor—"

"I cannot return to Piltover, Jayce.  My mistakes have made it impossible. I understand that." The mechanical ruthlessness returned to his voice. "You, in turn, must understand. I will not return, because of your own."

My entire axis tilted. I couldn't believe my ears. I was reeling.

"You—you don't mean that."

"I do."

"You'd really choose Silco, over Piltover?"

"I choose neither."

"But—HexCorp. Our research. Me. Us."

"I am sorry, Jayce."

And for the barest moment, the briefest heartbeat, his bionic eyes seemed wetly sheened. As if he was still human.

Then it was gone.

His cane tapped, twice.

A heartbeat later, blackguards melted from the darkest corners.

I counted four. They'd been posted all around. In the shadows.

Waiting for him to give the signal.

I knew, then, that I'd been set up.

Silco had goaded me into coming. He'd known I'd confront Viktor, and Viktor would reveal what had happened to Sky. Then the blackguards would appear, and there'd be arrest warrants. Public censure. Tarnished reputations.

All the while, Viktor would remain in Zaun, free to pursue his work.

I'd played right into his hands.

"Viktor," I said. "Please. Don't do this."

"Goodbye, Jayce." He turned. "You must not return."

"Viktor—"

"Take him."

Cait, I barely had time to react. The blackguards closed in, and my hammer was out, and the energy pulsed, and I managed to get off a shot, and send two of the men flying back, until—

A blow to the back of my skull.

The ground rose up, and slammed into my face.

The world went dark.

When I woke, I was in a holding cell. A dank, cramped space, with a barred door and a cot, and a bucket in the corner.  My head throbbed. My hammer had been confiscated. My wrists were chafed from old shackles.

But, other than that, I was unharmed.

I wasn't sure how long I was kept there. Time passed strangely, in a fog of disorientation. It felt like days, but couldn't have been more than a few hours. Finally, a guard appeared. He escorted me out. We took a lift down to an underground garage, where a limousine was waiting. He shoved me in, and I braced myself for the worst.

Maybe Silco would have me strangled. Maybe they'd put a bullet through my skull. Maybe they'd dump me in the river.

I had a dozen scenarios running through my head. None of them ended well.

None of them came close to reality.

Mel was sitting inside.

Silco had informed her, via a confidential courier, of my entry into Zaun. That I'd gone across the border, unsupervised, armed, with no clearance. That I'd trespassed, and threatened Viktor. And that, in doing so, I'd violated the terms of the Peace Treaty.

Politically, it could've been catastrophic. Months of negotiations—the careful cultivation of trust, the fragile bonds of diplomacy—all put at risk. If Silco had decided to press charges, to use the incident as leverage against Piltover, or retaliation for a perceived slight, the Council would've been hard-pressed to respond.

But he hadn't.

Mel told me, afterward, that the crisis had been resolved behind closed doors. She'd taken the ferry to Zaun, requested a private meeting, and met with Silco in his office. There, after some back-and-forth, she had convinced him to drop the charges. In exchange, the Wardens had agreed to a temporary suspension of my duties at HexCorp. It was, in effect, a forced sabbatical. One I was to spend, for three months, under house-arrest.

During that time, I was forbidden from entering Zaun.

Mel told me all this later. In that moment, sitting beside her in the car, I couldn't bring myself to speak. I was too ashamed—too overwhelmed—to say a word.

We rode in silence.

Cait—I've been such an idiot.

I've gambled high, and I've lost. And because of that, Piltover had nearly lost, too. I'd put myself before my city. Before the safety, the security, the future of our people. I thought of how I'd exploded at Mel, that night in her flat. How I'd left her there, in tears. How I'd jeopardized everything she'd worked so hard to achieve. Everything I'd fought so hard to create.

All because of my own blind, selfish, outsized ego.

All because I thought I could swoop in and save the day.

Gods, what an ass I've been.

Throughout the ride, I kept looking sidelong at Mel. She sat, straight-backed, her hands in her lap, her eyes cast forward. Her dress was pristine, her hair was coiffed, her makeup was impeccable. To the untrained eye, she looked flawless.

I knew her better.

I saw the way her hands were a white-knuckled twist. I saw the subtle quiver of her lower lip. I saw the lavender shadows under her eyes.

The guilt was suffocating.

She'd saved me. She's always saved me. And how have I repaid her? With scorn. With mistrust. With disrespect.

I wanted to fall at her feet. Beg her forgiveness. Tell her how sorry I was, and how stupid I'd been, and how wrong.

I didn't.

Instead, I sat there. Staring at my shoes.

We pulled into her driveway.

"Jayce," she said. "Go. Rest in the guestroom. I'll have the maids send up some tea."

Her tone was polite, but distant. Reserved.

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Jayce?"

I paused, halfway out of the car. "Yes?"

She turned, at last, and met my stare. Her eyes were dark, and sad, and tired.

"I'm glad you're safe," she said simply.

Cait, I couldn't say a word. I could barely breathe. I hesitated for just a second, then pulled her across and into my arms. She embraced me, and as soon as I felt her warmth, smelled her perfume, I couldn't stop myself.  The past few weeks—Viktor's departure, the truth of Sky's death, the realization that I'd nearly ruined everything—everything came rushing back.

I broke down.

I was crying, Cait. Crying in her arms. Like a child. She held me. She didn't say anything. Just held me.

I don't deserve her.

I truly don't. But having her close, and knowing she cared, was a lifeline. Since the Siege, it's like I've lost a tiny bit of my reality. My grasp on the world. Every day, it's been a little harder. Then Viktor left, and Sky died, and the pieces of my world started falling apart.

Mel is the one of the few pieces still anchoring me.

I wanted to tell her this, Cait. I wanted to tell her, how much she means to me, and how sorry I was, and how grateful. I wanted to tell her, over and over, that I didn't deserve her, and how, despite it all, I was never going to leave her side.

I didn't, though.

I kissed her.

It wasn't planned. It just... happened. I kissed her. She was still in my arms. We were still in the car. I was still crying.

Then I was kissing her.

She let me, for a little bit. Then she broke, gently, and turned her head. Putting a palm on my chest, she nudged me back.

"No, Jayce."

"Mel..."

"You need to rest. We'll talk, later."

"Mel, I..."

"Later," she said softly.

It wasn't a request.

And so, I let her go. I walked into the penthouse, and was escorted upstairs. But, Cait—it was the loneliest walk of my life. Because I realized why, when I'd kissed her, she'd withdrawn.

Not because it was the wrong time.

Not because I was in shock.

Not because she was mad.

Cait, she's seeing someone else. I can't say how I know. Just that I can sense it. And, the worst part is, I can't blame her. After the way I've treated her—blowing hot, then cold; pushing her away, then pulling her close; accusing her of things she'd never do, then expecting her to help me when the shit hits the fan—it's no surprise she's moved on.

And how can I expect this gorgeous, sophisticated, brilliant woman, with her head screwed on straight, and her heart in the right place, and the courage to speak truth into power, to stick around?

Especially when I'm acting like a spoiled, sulky, immature, selfish asshole.

She's better off.

But not me.

I've fucked up, Cait. I've hurt people. I've hurt my friends. I've endangered Piltover. All because I've been too caught up in myself. Because I've let my pride run wild.

Because, at the end of the day, maybe I'm still just a boy meddling with things I don't understand.

I think it's time that boy grew up.

It's time he made the world a better place.

P.S.

This will be my last correspondence for a little while. I'll be going upcity to my mother's place.  I've got a few projects in mind, and if I'm going to be under house-arrest, might as well put my time to good use.

Before I go, though, I want to thank you.

For your support. Your honesty. Your friendship.

For everything.

Cait, you're the best.

Your friend, always,

Jayce

*

 To Jayce Talis, Esq.

Sir,

You will oblige me to ask the following: Are you out of your fucking mind?

First, you attack the First Chancellor in plain view of half the Council. Then, you decide it would be a good idea to traipse across the border, unescorted and armed with Hex-tech, without a notarized travel pass. Then, not satisfied with having broken one law, you have the gall to threaten one of our citizens—our brightest minds—with abduction and bodily harm. Then you injure two blackguards, and thereby put yourself, and the integrity of the Peace Treaty, at risk.

Now, you have the balls to write to me—demanding an audience with the First Chancellor, once your house-arrest has expired.

Your arrogance knows no bounds.

Read carefully, sir. Because I will only say this once:

No.

No, you will not have an audience with the First Chancellor. No, we will not divulge the address of the Machinist, Viktor. No, we will not disclose blackguard Violet's current location. And no, you will not be given leave to enter the Fissures, unsupervised and with your hammer.

That is final.

Your last letter, demanding a 'sit-down' (you have, evidently, been reading too many tabloids) is not only a grave presumption. It is also a threat against the integrity of this office. Your future letters, from here on out, will be marked as "Return to Sender." The prior ones, we've already compiled and forwarded to the Council, who have assured us will investigate.

I trust they will take the proper disciplinary actions.

Janna knows, you deserve a slap on the rear. A hard one.

Given your tenure as a former Councilor, we are prepared to show a degree of leniency. You are a prominent figure in the public eye. We recognize the emotional impact of your mentor, Dr. Heimerdinger's, passing. We also know that you have suffered the loss of Viktor's partnership, and are under intense strain in your private life. 

In light of these facts, the First Chancellor has agreed to overlook your invective. We will not press charges, and will not seek punitive action, so long as you cease any and all communication with the First Chancellor. You are also instructed to desist any further inquiries into the whereabouts of the Hexcore.

If you continue to persist in your obstinate line of inquiry, the First Chancellor will no longer be inclined to clemency. You will find yourself facing multiple felony charges, which may carry a term of imprisonment.

Consider carefully.

The Man of Tomorrow, Piltover's brightest mind, would look pretty dim in a prison jumpsuit.

Kindly refrain from further correspondence. Unless it’s in the form of an apology. A similar letter of warning has been forwarded to Enforcer Caitlyn Kiramman. In light of your close personal relationship, we request you relay the message next time you meet.

Regards,

Sevika M.

P.S.

The First Chancellor has also requested we share the following message:

"The boy's letters are charmingly feisty. The girl's, surpassingly eloquent. I am delighted to know that two such exceptional individuals are among our neighbors. My only regret is that they spend more time throwing rocks, and less time building bridges."

"When their aim improves, they will be welcome to visit. Until then, they are advised to keep their distance."

[shi-daisy]

Spring Beast and Silver Queen

Day 6 and here we have the second otp! Like Tamcien (or Feylincien) and Neris own my heart but Neslin has so much potential that I wouldn't mind them being endgame in a Canon. So here's a little oneshot for them with some Fairytale tropes. Hope you like!

@tamlinweek

Tamlin Week 2024- Day 6- Fairy Tale AU

Spring Beast & Silver Queen

Nesta walked onto the decayed manor, it was just as destroyed as the rest of the court.

Lucien might be the only one to come here out of genuine care, but if the mild mannered redhead couldn't do more than this that meant the High Lord was all but dead inside. She understood. Nesta felt the same way.

She found Tamlin sleeping. The male was in his beast form, like that day when he came to their cottage and took her sister. There were times she wished that hadn't happened. Now, she just wished she'd ran when she had the chance.

It didn't matter anymore. It was either Spring or a lock up on Night, and she'd take her chances with the wilted flowers.

Nesta came into the room slowly. A bird that slept on Tamlin's mane woke up, and left out the window, sparing her one last glance.

She kneeled on the floor and gently patted the man. He was alive, just deeply asleep, and he looked so very weak.

'Guess they've broken us both.' She thought.

Who had once been a monster to her now looked so very defenseless and sad Nesta felt compelled to be kind. Maybe being here wouldn't be so bad, at least Tamlin wouldn't bother her about her drinking if the empty wine bottles were any indication.

She didn't know why, but Nesta decided to plant a soft kiss on the beasts forhead, and wait for him to wake. Nesta didn't have to wait long.

Tamlin turned from beast to fae form in a flash, and when his emerald eyes fell on her their bond snapped.

***

A deep silence fell upon the room as he sat up and stared at Nesta who was equally surprised and stunned.

"I...Think you know what this means."

"Yes..."

"Wait! Why are you here, Lady Nesta? Is this another strange dream?"

"Afraid not. I'll explain."

She told him of her downward spiral, of her sister's betrayal and the choice she was given. It nearly made his magic spiral in a rage.

"Stay here I'd that's what you want. I swear I shall protect you." Tamlin managed to say.

"...What about the bond?"

"If you keep it, they cannot take you away. Once we're certain they won't hurt you, then you may do as you wish with it."

It hurt to say, to denounce something he'd once wanted, despite knowing of it worst sides thanks to his parents, and yet...he wanted to prioritize Nesta's free will. It was clear she needed it.

Especially when her frown turned into a slight smile. "I appreciate it."

Baby steps, in time they could be friends.

***

Lucien had come to visit. After she explained the situation the redhead not only returned to stay with his partners but he cut off all ties to Night.

"We will help you rebuild this court!"

That was all they needed to let the Band of Exiles become part of the Spring council.

The Spring Library was a marvel after it was cleaned and she took to devouring every book she could. It helped fix the court and bring back the population.

In a few months things were already looking up, and Tamlin wouldn't stop thanking her. "Lucien did most of the administrative work. Vassa is in charge of diplomacy and Jurian is training the sentries. Why are you thanking me too?"

"Because if you hadn't arrived that day. I wouldn't be here right now. Your silver flame is what kept me holding on and made me rebuild what I shouldn't have left crumble. Thank you."

His gentle hand on hers gave her pause. Despite the slow friendship they'd cultivated and the bond that kept her safe, sometimes Nesta doubted a man like him could want her if it wasn't because of the mating bond. Still, she didn't want to break it. Her safety was at stake but also...she didn't want to hurt Tamlin further.

Nesta felt a tear slide down her cheek, but it was soon wiped away as Tamlin kissed her forehead. "You don't have to say anything. If I have to wait forever I shall. You're worth waiting for."

Worth. She hadn't heard that from anyone.

"There's a lot I still must deal with, but when I do. I'm certain you'll be who I want to spend my time with."

"I'm honored to hear that."

***

Tamlin often thought that beyond any person music would remain his ultimate love. Perhaps that would've been right, as he played his fiddle before the Calanmai celebrations and everyone danced with joy.

Then she stepped into the scene wearing the long sleeved silver dress he'd gotten for her and the glass shoes he'd seen her eyeing at the boutique.

Nesta was a delightful dancer. He knew she loved music as much as he did when she organized all his sheets and instruments with great care, probably more than the books.

Nesta danced beautifully for him, and he didn't remember the last time he'd played that well. By the time the song ended and she stopped dancing, Tamlin had picked her up in his arms and they shared a kiss.

"I love you." Nesta said, and he couldn't help but cry.

"I love you too."

No other Calanmai had left him as breathless and full of joy

***

Eventually they came for her a little over week after their bond was sealed and their frenzy over.

Nesta nearly barbecued the entire inner circle when they tried to get close to Tamlin. He'd wrapped them in thorned vines.

"We are mated. We are happy. We won't bend to you if you're trying to get the crown. Leave!" He said.

Cassian glared at her and Nesta regarded him with indifference, she had the man of her dreams right by her side and wore a crown of roses rather than chains of stars. The only ones she'd mourn for were her sisters, but she was free and she wouldn't apologize for it. Let the. Make their choice for themselves.

And they did. Because when shadows took her to the House of Wind and she was locked in its tower, Nesta could hear a battle far away in the Velaris palace. By now she'd realized Morrigan was the traitor and that Feyre had joined her, but she couldn't wait for them to rescue her. She had to get out herself.

Rhysand had brought her back to fight for Night's side. She wouldn't and so he locked her up. But he forgot she had power and she had read enough to figure out the end of the tale.

Nesta used her power to create thin threads of silver. They grew from her hair and she made sure to tie them onto the balcony rails. It wasn't enough to reach the ground safely, but she wouldn't need to. She saw a figure of green and was aware he High Lord came to save her.

With rope of hair in hand she jumped from the balcony of the tower and safely mounted Tamlin, who was now a dragon.

"My silver flower"

"My fiddler lord."

They flew away as the Obsidian castle in the distance was swallowed up a black hole in the sky. Both of them were worried until the event passed and the castle was nothing but rubble left away.

After landing they spotted Lucien in the distance with the healers. She saw Feyre and Mor with them, out cold but alive.

Tamlin and Nesta both breathed a sigh of relief. Then they looked at eachother. Nesta smiled at the sight of her mate, her beloved and the man who'd come to her rescue.

Tamlin pulled her close, holding his savior, his queen and his beloved.

Nesta kissed him, using words he'd once said to someone else yet were never returned until now. "I love you, thorns & all."

"And love you, my queen Nesta Acheron."

Two birds flew over them as they shared a kiss, into their happily ever after.

[bp4545]

Our Happy Ending (Deadline pt3. Angst to Fluff)

Word count: 1.2k

Warnings: Swearing? Just forgiving past relationships and recovery. Angst, jealousy, insecurities. (PLEASE READ PART ONE AND TWO BEFORE THIS!! THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO THE STORYLINE OF THIS, AND THEY ARE ALL ANGSTY, BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT <3)

Summary: After Theo ended things with you, it was hard to face life again. Loneliness consumes you as you realise that there are no such things as happy endings. Theo has already moved on, but the question is, have you?

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

---

It had been just about two weeks since Theo had broken your heart. Left you crying, drowning in remorse, kneeling by the astronomy tower, for the second time.

What was worse than going through heartbreak? Going through the same heartbreak twice. 

You'd skipped most of the classes you had those two weeks, at least any that either Draco or Theo were in. You couldn't face them. Not in this state, where everything felt so empty, hollow, like someone had scraped out every piece of love in your heart and placed the empty shell back into your chest. 

It was dull. Life had never seemed so grey, to the point where you would cry yourself to sleep, hugging your pillows, pretending that someone, anyone, was there.

You hated it, you wished you were stronger. Wished you could show people that nothing could hurt you, nothing could break you. But love has it's ways.

As you sit at the (your house) common rooms, you contemplate on your next step.

What do you feel? You still love Draco, but you knew he deserved someone much better than you, someone who knew exactly how they felt, someone who would hold a strong relationship for him and give him the world, just like he did for you. He deserved so much more than what you could offer.

But maybe the next step wasn't to jump back into love, after all, it's never ended well for you. Maybe it was time you started to work on yourself. Treat yourself. Show the world that you were strong, that you could get back up again after the fall.

---

So that's exactly what you did.

The next week and you felt so different. So alive.

You were glowing. 

As if you had found something long lost, dug yourself out of a deep hole. 

The door creaks as you walk into your potions classroom. Hair tied, not let down, glasses on, contacts out, smile proud, frown gone. You looked like your second year self, and you loved it.

It reminded you of those simpler times, where relationships didn't matter, only school and friends. 

Eyes darted your way, surprised to see you after two weeks, and you seem so different, maybe not just how you look, but the aura around you.

You make eye contact with your friends, not sparing anyone else a second glance. They smile at you and make space at the table, while their smiles seem happy, they are still worried about you and where you've been.

You don't have to look around to know that people are staring at you, but you don't mind it at all. You feel safe, at ease.

That's until a familiar head of brown hair walks through the door, the same one that broke your heart just a few weeks ago. Your mind was set to panic, as you see Theo, but what hurts more is he's not alone. 

There's a blonde girl, she's beautiful, hanging off his arm like they've been in love forever. 

He makes eye contact with you, cold gaze, no emotion, but you feel tears prick your eyes as memories come flooding back from that night. You weren't upset that he broke up with you, you were upset about how he made you feel that night. So alone, helpless.

Little did you know, there was a pair of eyes boring into the back of your head. A pair of blue eyes, watching the interaction, making sure you were okay. 

Draco.

He never stopped thinking about you. Not ever, since the night you two had broken up. He didn't want to stop thinking about you, it was like everything he ever loved was taken away from him when he lost you. 

You were his love. There was no replacement, not when he gave everything to love you. You were everything that Draco was taught to hate, you weren't in Slytherin, you weren't wealthy, you weren't a pureblood, and yet, Draco still fell for you. He fell for your smile, your carefree eyes, you calm scent, your warm embrace. He grew to love everything about you, you changed him so much, and for so long, he thought that you were his happy ending. 

Draco was forced out of his thoughts when he heard a chair abruptly scrape against the wooden floor. He looked in front of him to see his love run out of the classroom and burst into tears. 

It tore him. To see you like this, knowing that if he never left you, none of this would've happened. 

He didn't know why he did it, why he broke up with you in the first place. Even though you were clearly falling for someone else, Draco never expected that he would actually break your heart, he always thought you would be the one to break his. Maybe he just did it because he wanted to prove to himself and you that he was capable of living without you by his side. But, oh, was he wrong.

He didn't know why he did it.

But his feet took him where his heart wanted. And he found himself leaving the classroom to look for you, scared that he might see something that would break him.

But there you were, knees to you chest, and face low, body shaking as you cried to yourself. 

You thought you were ready, ready to face the world again. But you thought wrong.

It hurt. 

But it hurt less as you felt a warm embrace envelop your small body. Part of you hoped it was Theo, running back to you to apologise, but more of you knew that it was Draco. Because you knew that boy inside and out, and you knew his touch, his breathing, his cologne, his tall, towering body. 

There are no words exchanged.

Yet the silence is so comforting, like something you've been missing for so long.

You look up, face hot and tear stained, but you don't care, neither does Draco. Its been so long since he's looked you in the eyes, been this close to you. He missed it, and he missed holding you like you were his everything.

Draco looks into your eyes softly, and hold his gaze for a few seconds, leaning into you.

The two of you share a short sweet kiss, igniting a fire that long ago burned out. The kiss is soft, but it holds so many feelings, and a hint of desperation. Being away from him for so long was damaging, and you didn't realise how much you needed him until he was gone. 

"What was that for" you whispered, as you broke the kiss. He smiled and held your hand lovingly.

"My love, that was for our happy ending"

---

a/n: sorry this part took so long to be published, I was really unhappy with how I wrote it for so long, and tbh it's still bothering me because I don't like how I ended it. This will definitely be the last part of this series, so I hope you enjoyed all the parts:)

[sunfudge]

I really do hope Sunday joins the Nameless. I think putting him on that train would help him heal from Everything

Also I wanna see him get involved in the Trailblaze Trio's shenanigans so bad

I agree! I really think he'd get along with Dan Heng, also I don't think March would give him a moment of peace either which would be so funny to watch lol I need to see her call him every single day of the week apart from Sunday

I have a lot of new thoughts about Astral Express Sunday that I want to put into a big post, but I also haven't had the time to as of yet because of work

To be brief about how I feel, I've been thinking about it a whole lot and one of the things I love most is how the members of the Express are reborn in a way which ties very well into Sunday's character.

Dan Heng doesn't want to be associated with the actions of his prior incarnation and is following a new path with the crew, March 7th doesn't know her past but is happy to travel with the express and live as she is now learning more about herself along the way, Welt comes from another world entirely and is now treading a new path in his current universe, the Trailblazer has had their memories wiped by Kafka and are discovering themselves aboard the Express, and Himeko started this all by paving the way for members of the Express to move forward via fixing the train. Sunday moving forward from his past and joining the Express really fits in with the crew, and even Dan Heng himself told him not to be shackled by the past, something he would really understand

Also the 'you have a noble soul...' ;_;

Sunday can't go back to the way things were prior to the Penacony storyline, that's over. His entire life has changed. The life he lived before is gone. He has no option but to move forward towards a new future which is exactly what he can do with the Express.

Robin has been able to travel to other planets, meet a wide array of people and form her view on the world based on those experiences. It's one reason why they have such differing viewpoints. Meanwhile, Sunday has been caged in the Dreamscape, rarely venturing into reality (as we see Robin encouraging him to please spend more time in reality in one of her letters) and the only views he was exposed to since childhood were that of Gopher Wood who had a vested interest in shoving the teachings of Order on him the moment he noticed his uncertainty, his kindness and his hatred of suffering, and pinpointed this as a weakness. This is especially evident when Sunday says, about the Dove, that he wants the bird to live 'no matter what'.

Joining the Express would give Sunday the chance to really experience reality. It fits into the idea of him being the bird that can't fly - what better way to spread his wings than with them? With how his reply to Robin saying they were meant to fly into the sky together was 'If only... I could...' him joining the crew would make me actually cry like a fucking baby lol

It would give him the chance to travel to various worlds just as Robin has, to meet different people with different perspectives on life, and then decide for himself what he believes based on his own life experiences and not on the grooming of his adoptive father. If it is a Paradise he wishes for, and he says he still wants to achieve that goal at the end of 2.3, then maybe he'll find one in travelling to help others.

I still really believe that the Death of a Crow readable is from Elio about Sunday, however knowing that Elio and the rest of the Hunters try to aid the Express, and with Firefly calling them the dark to the Astral Express's light, I wouldn't be surprised if the poem itself was about Sunday joining the Astral Express instead of the Stellaron Hunters. Elio's aim is to support the Express, so him pushing Sunday towards joining the Express would be in line with the Stellaron Hunters and what they've always done throughout the story - provided us with their help.

Sunday has had rebirth themes around him for such a long time now that him totally changing outfit and walking a new path to travel the stars when he's only ever been stuck in the Dreamscape, now being able to create a new life for himself, would be very fitting. Sunday's lightcone animation has him saying 'the end is also the beginning', along with the description for his sticker which also points towards rebirth.

ALSO the whole fallen angel rebirth thing, etcetera etcetera, right down to Jade offering him a deal that's super comparable to the forbidden fruit, but that's pretty clear, yet I thought I'd throw it in there

In my opinion, the Astral Express would welcome him. They thought he was trying to resurrect Ena at first, but they then realised he wanted to create a world without suffering. He was also willing to listen to what the Astral Express had to say, and I really think he would welcome them challenging his views. I do believe they'd welcome him with open arms, as someone who is willing to move on from his past.

Also Sunday talks about the Trailblaze like this

So there's that too

I... really want this to happen lol. And I'm so happy current leaks point very strongly towards it

[eventinelysplayground]

Enveloped In Darkness

This fic was inspired by a part near the end that's like 100 words long the rest of it is just what I needed to get there. Again not much about Victor is out on English so time will tell just how in character this story is but I tried to use what little they've given us especially his wrapped in wickedness story which I kind of reference but as always don't need to have read it to enjoy the fic. This fic is NSFW so minors do not interact. After a ball Victor poses a question to you that leads you down a blissful path. WC approx 2290, spacer done by @natimiles.

The night had been magical. Your navy blue dress mimicked the night sky, its skirts unfurling like petals as you twirled across the dance floor. The citrine jewels encased in silver sparkled like stars while seeming to cast a magic spell to enchant. As the night was coming to an end you found yourself thinking how it had all been like a fairy tale and could help but smile at how appropriate that was given what had happened over the last few weeks. However instead of dancing with a prince like in most fairy tales you found yourself dancing with a villain.

“What are you thinking about that would make you smile so beautifully?”

You look up into Victor's curious gaze and familiar smile, his long black hair tied back with a ribbon.

“I was just thinking how this night has been like something out of a fairy tale, that's all.”

Victor's smile widened and he let out a short laugh.

“Haha how fitting! Though in fairy tales the fair lady always dances with the dashing prince not the villain. The ball's not quite over so there's still time to find your prince.”

“No I'm fine, plus I don't think any prince would be as fun or dashing as you are.”

Your tongue had moved before your brain caught up to it and your eyes widen in shock and horror at the realization of what you just said as you look away. Sure over the weeks you had been with Crown you'd grown close to all of them, especially Victor. You found him mysterious and alluring as well as kind and devoted and it wasn't long before he had stolen your heart and your thoughts began to go where they shouldn't.

“Umm what I mean is…”

Your words trailed off as your brain desperately searched for anything that would make what you let slip anything other than what it truly was. Just then you felt Victor's hand tighten around your waist as he pulled you closer.

“I warned you before little robin, when you make that face I want to take this further. So I suggest you stop, unless that's what you want?”

You turn your head back to look at Victor and for a fleeting moment you could swear his bewitching eyes were filled with an intense heat.

“I…”

Your tongue feels like lead in your mouth and you swallow hard. The rest of the dance is spent in silence while Victor’s gaze seems to hold you under a spell. You're grateful when he suggests leaving, it's only slightly early and the last thing he wants is for you to exert yourself too much. You leave the glittering ballroom behind and as he offers you his hand to help you into the carriage you could swear you saw that same flash of heat as you did on the ballroom floor.

It was late when you returned to the castle. You and Victor walked side by side when he came to a stop at the bottom of the staircase.

“Victor?”

“This is where I asked you to accompany me tonight.”

You remembered, it was only four days ago after all. Admittedly you were surprised when Victor asked you but he said it would be better if he had a companion for this particular ball as he flashed you a dazzling smile and you couldn't help but agree.

“I remember.”

“Perhaps I can pose another question here then, since the first worked out so well.”

Victor gave you that same dazzling smile and you nodded. He reached out and touched your cheek before trailing his fingers down your neck leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

“You have the freedom to do anything or go anywhere you like but…”

Victor leaned in his voice low as he whispered in your ear.

“Would you give into the darkness tonight?”

Victor kissed your earlobe and your breath hitched while your heart beat at a frantic rate. Was he truly asking what you thought he was? He stepped back from you and when you gazed into his eyes this time the heat in them wasn't fleeting.

“I have something minor I need to take care of first but if you agree…”

Victor took your hand in his and placed a kiss upon it.

“Wait for me in my room, little robin.”

It happened so fast but Victor's lips brushed softly against your own for the briefest of moments before they pulled away, an all too short but oh so sweet first kiss.

“As I said you have the freedom to do as you want, but I hope to see you shortly.”

Watching Victor's back as he walked toward his office you brought a hand to your lips running your fingers along them, the lingering heat from Victor's kiss causing desire to spark and grow inside you. Climbing the stairs you came to the landing and peered down the familiar hallway. You walked slowly down it passing several doors until you reached your own, hand resting on the handle.

You have the freedom to do anything…

You turned your head and looked down the hallway to the very end, to Victor's door. What did you want to do, did you want to give fully into the darkness or just stay dancing in between the light and shadows? Slowly your hand comes away from the handle and you turn away and walk towards Victor's door. You pause only long enough to take a deep breath before entering his room, shutting the heavy door with a quiet thud.

As your eyes adjust to the minimal light let in from the moon you begin taking in your surroundings. Victor's room feels warm yet mysterious like him, a desk covered in paperwork, a sofa and table, a neatly organized bookcase, a not so neatly organized open trunk that seems to hold various props for his magic tricks. As you step further into the room you run your fingers along the side edge of the huge four poster bed that's covered in black silk sheets with an intricately embroidered comforter spread along the bottom edge. Of everything though your eyes are most drawn to the massive windows along the far wall, not just because it's where the light is emanating from but because the view is breathtaking.

Standing there lost in the beautiful view of the gardens submerged in the moonlight, a familiar scent reaches you and warm arms wrap around your waist before you've even realized you're no longer alone.

“You always look lovely, but even more so in the moonlight.”

A gentle kiss lands upon your ear followed by more down your neck and out along your exposed shoulder. You shudder from the sensation of his kiss and your stomach starts to flutter along with a faint throbbing between your legs.

“Victor.”

Your voice is breathy and he lets you go as you turn around to face him.

“Are you ready to freely give into the darkness?”

His voice is like you've never heard before, deep and seductive and something inside of you lit in response to it.

“Yes.”

A mischievous smile lit up Victor's face and he offered you his hand.

“Then take my hand and entrust yourself to the Grim Reaper completely.”

You don't hesitate to place your hand in Victor's and he pulls you towards him, encircling your waist with his free hand as he captures your lips for a kiss. Unlike your first kiss not even an hour before this kiss is neither brief nor gentle but fierce and hungry.

Your lips move together as his tongue slips between them and begins to explore your mouth. His hand that held your waist now slowly makes its way up your back, his dexterous fingers undoing the lacing on your dress along the way. With each kiss, each touch to your bare skin the heat inside you grows.

“Mmm Victor.”

Your kiss may now be broken but Victor's lips don't stop. They travel over your jawline and down your neck sucking and nipping while leaving faint red blooms behind them. Your knees feel weak and your arms instinctively wrap around his neck to help steady you. The laces now all undone Victor slowly removes your dress while continuing to rain kisses upon your bare flushed skin. Everywhere he touches you he leaves a burning fire in his wake and you let out soft moans of pleasure.

“It feels that good already little robin?”

Victor's lips clamp onto the swell of your breast sucking hard.

“Ahhh…yes it…does.”

Your body arches into him as your arms tighten around his neck and fingers weave their way into his still pulled back hair. Before long the rest of your clothes are laying on the floor and quickly joined by Victor's jacket and shirt. Another hungry kiss and then he pulls away from you, his jewel-like eyes roaming lustfully up and down your naked body.

“You're practically glowing. The flush upon your cheeks and that wanton look in your eyes, the darkness becomes you.”

“You really think so?”

Victor reaches out his hand for you and you dutifully comply pressing your body up against his.

“Absolutely.”

You smile up at him then stand on the tips of your toes to plant a kiss on his lips. He groans into your kiss and you can feel his bulge pressing against you. Suddenly your feet leave the ground as Victor lifts you into his arms and carries you over to his bed. He places you gently on the edge before his lips leave yours.

“This is your last chance, you can still go back to the light if you desire right now but any further…”

You reach for him, wrapping your arms around his waist and pulling him closer.

“I desire you Victor.”

Warm lips crash against yours hard and hungry. The way his lips move against yours, his tongue pushing it's way further in and claiming every part of your mouth leaves you breathless. He pulls away quickly and you look up at him to pout. His eyes are dark, consumed with heat and desire for you and they draw you in. His hands begin removing the rest of his clothes and you shuffle backwards on the bed.

“Trying to run away now?”

Victor's smile lets you know he's teasing you but even still you shake your head.

“Never.”

You return his smile as he climbs onto the bed and makes his way towards you, his firm body leaning over yours as he claims a kiss before pushing you down onto the sheets.

“Wonderful.”

He begins exploring your body in earnest now, his hands mapping every line and curve of you as his mouth and tongue follow their own path. Your own hands follow his example as you wrap them around his back then lightly rake your fingernails across it. At first he's gentle with you but he grows bolder and hungrier by the moment. The differing sensations make your head spin and your body arches under his talented touch as the throbbing between your legs only grows.

One of his hands grabs onto your hips, his fingers digging into you as his mouth latches onto your nipple and lightly bites. Your head falls back in pleasure and you moan out his name. His tongue swirls around your nipple before lapping over his bite. He kisses and nips his way across your chest stopping at your other nipple and doing the same to it. Your panting and your body feels like it's on fire, kept in check only by the coolness of the sheets.

Victor's lips begin moving down your stomach and you shiver in anticipation. His pace slows as he kisses across the top of your thigh and his hand leaves your hip to slowly glide across your most sensitive spot. Your hips jerk towards him and you can feel his lips curve into a smile.

“It seems dancing isn't the only time your body just naturally follows my lead.”

He punctuates his words with a kiss to your inner thigh as he slides his fingers into your wet core. Your head snaps back against the pillow as your hips buck.

“Victor!”

Soon his lips have made their way over to your sensitive nub, his tongue lapping at it hungrily as his fingers slowly move in and out of you. The different places make you feel as if you'll go mad and you place a hand on his head, fingers gripping at his hair as you cry out. As your pleasure is coming close to its peak Victor removes his fingers and draws his tongue along your slit before sitting back and you whine at the absence of him. You manage to gather yourself enough to look at him just as he removed the ribbon holding back his hair. He slowly moves over you planting kisses over your skin along the way. He cages you in between his arms and stares into your eyes. His long black hair falls around you blocking out what little light the moon had offered and enveloping you darkness.

“I told you before that I'm a very greedy man, little robin.”

You feel Victor's heat plunge into you in one swift motion, filling you up and stretching you out. Victor waits what seems like an eternity, but in truth is only a moment, for you to adjust to him before the hard and quick thrusts begin.

“And now that you're mine I will take every part of you, forever.”

Victor's lips meet yours in a passionate kiss and you moan into it from sheer ecstasy. You've never been so blissfully happy as you are right now, in the arms of a villain and enveloped in the darkness.

[humankarkat]

@zebsfloppyears asked for more details on Kallus' arc in the MOTW au, and I'm more than happy to oblige.

Kallus starts off as your run-of-the-mill FBI agent sent off to the butt crack of nowhere for a wild goose chase of an assignment, but pretty quickly gets tied up in the whole "monsters are real and the government is collecting mediums for unethical experiments" deal. His arc progresses fairly straightforward for the first bit of the AU, but then we reach the problem of, well. The US government is bad, but it's not "obliterate whole planets just because they looked at us funny" bad.

So when he ends up stranded on the side of a mountain outside a Utah ski resort called Behryn along with a handsome man who also happens to be bigfoot in disguise, that breaks some ice (haha) but it isn't quite enough to fully radicalize him.

But it does mean that, when he wakes up several weeks later handcuffed to the same radiator as Kanan Fucking Jarrus, he's a bit more equitable to working together to get out. Sure, it's a bitch off, how could it not be with those two, but they don't kill each other, and Kallus lets Kanan go once they've dealt with their captors.

So when Hera makes eye contact with him at a party they're both under cover at the next month, she remembers how he spared Kanan. It's not like she could say anything, anyways, since confronting him would break her cover, and if Kallus confronted her it would break his cover, so instead they silently agree to a truce, and unfortunately have a great time together.

And see, now he's fallen into the trap. Now he's actually a bit fond of these people. Now he's willing to give them grace when before he was only doing his duty. Unfortunately, he does still have a duty to perform, so he begrudgingly works with the CIA agent he's been paired with to finally track down and corner Ezra Bridger. Except, then the CIA agent pulls his gun, and Kallus reminds him that Ezra is 16, still a minor, and that they're to take him in alive, because why on earth would they kill a child? But then the CIA agent tells him that his orders were to eliminate their target, and Kallus sighs and pulls his own weapon, but it isn't Ezra he points it at. And Ezra makes it home safe, and he tells them what happened, and oh, maybe that FBI bitch isn't as bad as we thought?

Which is Sabine's first thought when she comes home one day to see a familiar car parked next to the Ghost, the one Ketsu had been driving last year when they'd reconnected, but Sabine really isn't ready for that conversation yet so she turns around and goes back into town to clear her head. And when she sees a familiar mutton-chopped fed sitting on a nearby park bench she remembers how he'd treated Ezra, and she really needs someone to talk to besides the spectres (she's sure they wouldn't understand, since they were the ones who were probably eating dinner with her sorta-ex girlfriend right now), so she plops down next to him. He's confused, yeah, and he asks her if she wants to be arrested, but when she shrugs and says might as well, it's better than going home right now anyways, well, Kallus has sisters of his own, and she's so small sitting next to him, and god dammit if he doesn't ask if she's hungry, tells her there's a pretty good diner around the corner. And Sabine grins at him and says as long as it's on your dime, fed, and all of a sudden they're eating together and talking about their exes and, well. It's all over from there. The spectres have caught him, hook line and sinker.

None of them are surprised, later, when Kallus helps Sabine break those poor cadets out of the Air Force testing facility, or when he tells Kanan and Ezra in the weapons factory that he's been the one supplying their most recent leaks. He may be a fed, but he's their fed.

[artificial-sleep]

Denki and Hitoshi that share an apartment and try to collect all of the stray cats nearby.

They have a system down pat: putting fresh food and water out for them every evening and trying to sweetly lure them in with "pspsps"s and light pats to slowly gain their trust.

They've been trying overtime recently to catch a particularly skiddish orange tabby. But Hitoshi  hasn't even managed to get close enough to pet it yet. But he sees its cute lil eyes from behind a bush or beneath a car and continues his relentless pursuit nonetheless.

"Did you see Pumpkin this morning?" Denki asks that night as they both settle in after their shifts. Hitoshi laughs.

"Really? You're going to the name the orange cat we found in October Pumpkin? How very original of you, baby," he teases, and Denki pouts.

"Shut up. I think it's cute!" he whines, crossing his arms in mock distress.

"Yeah, saw him lingering around the dumpster. Went under the fence before I could get close enough. I had to skip my run so I wouldn't be late," he says with a sigh. Denki looks sympathetic.

"It's starting to get colder out," Hitoshi says quietly, and Denki nods in understanding.

"It's okay, Tosh. We'll get him," he reassures with a small smile.

They continue setting food out each night and find it gone by morning, so at least they can hope Pumpkin has been fed.

But still no luck in luring her inside, bathing her, making sure she isn't sick, and is well-watered, fed, and nurtured.

After a few weeks, the entire community is in on the hunt. Hitoshi had a reputation for being the apartment complex's "crazy cat lady" even before Denki moved in and became his accomplice. Everyone sends strays his way and asks him questions about their cats and kittens since he probably has the answer. He's always eager to help.

But no one has been able to catch Pumpkin.

Days of this turn into weeks, and Hitoshi starts to lose hope.

But then one night, Hitoshi getting home a little later than usual having been tied up with a particularly challenging villian with a quirk that gave his opponents something like hives when making contact, something changes.

Hitoshi is sore, itchy all over, and tired, but that doesn't stop him from sweeping the parameter with the hope of finding Pumpkin. The cat is nowhere to be seen.

He sighs, feeling defeated as he makes it up to his doorstep.

He is taken aback when Denki squeals as the door opens, startling Hitoshi a bit, but Denki hardly notices, coursing with excitement.

"Tosh! You're home! Guess what?! I have the most amazing surprise!!" he beams, and Hitoshi can't help but smile. "You're not gonna believe it."

Hitoshi is about to say something like, 'Aww baby... What? You didn't have to do anything special" when he hears a very distinct "meow" that has him tilting his head and squinting his eyes, trying to listen closer.

That doesn't sound like any of his cats. "Who was that?" he asks Denki, confused, looking around him to see what new friend Denki had brought home.

And as soon as he sees it, Denki nearly bounces off of his feet, shaking with enthusiasm as he exclaims, "IT'S PUMPKIN! TOSHI, I GOT PUMPKIN!!" Hitoshi's mouth drops in surprise, and for a moment, he can't speak until the sweet cat meows again and an automatic "aw" falls from his lips as he drops to his knees and extends his hand to the cat.

"She's still a little stand-offish, but..." 

"She?" Hitoshi asks, looking up at Denki with watery eyes like he's just seen their daughter for the first time. Pumpkin very hesitantly bumps the tip of her nose against the ends of Hitoshi’s fingers, smelling and getting a feel for if she wants to get any closer.

And then she does, nestling her head under his hand, and Hitoshi nearly sobs. She's so darn sweet.

"Yeah, she's a girl! And she's wild for wet food. I laid some out this morning, the real fishy smelling one since Princess doesn't like that kind, and I thought maybe we could just get rid if it, and within the hour, I caught her on the porch."

Hitoshi is just beaming with joy.

Denki and Hitoshi spend the night playing with their cats, sprawled out on the floor together, watching Princess and Bonbon, their two domestic, in-door cats, swatting at toys and showing Pumpkin the ropes as she watches hesitantly.

Within a few days, Pumpkin is happily adapted, and they allow her to go in and out freely as they do most of their foster kitties once they're sure she's clean, but Pumpkin prefers to stay inside, close to her new family.

She even gets along with Princess and Bonbon and she stays plenty warm all winter long under the pumpkin-print throw blanket Denki insisted on buying for her. Oh, and she of course gets ALL the pets and tuna-flavored wet food her heart contends.

- E N D -

Bonus: Just imagine when it gets really cold out and Hitoshi lets ALL of the feral strays come in, and it's just him and Denki in a one bedroom apartment holed up with like 12 cats. 🤣 I LOVE them ugh (also Denki is responsible for naming all of their cats)

~meow~

[yuus-sentient-teddy]

Balloons for the Ramshackle Prefect

The First Year Squad has noticed that Yuu is spacing out more often and that they've been sporting a vacant, almost dead expression. Grim says that whenever they're back in Ramshackle, Yuu keeps looking out the window with lost eyes. Heck, they didn't smile as wide when Grim did his homework by himself nor when their teddy bear brought home fresh flowers. In conclusion: something was up with Yuu.

The squad tried asking what was wrong, but Yuu kept saying it was nothing and offered a small smile, which didn't really reassure them.

Now in the library, a hushed discussion took place. How do they cheer up a Ramshackle Prefect?

The best and most simple answer: food. Ace noticed that Yuu had been eyeing a slice of cake when the group passed a bakery last week and they really enjoyed the egg dish Deuce had attempted a few weeks prior. There were also some of the things from Jack, Epel, and Sebek's hometowns, like the jams and curry.

"Yuu-Yuu likes balloons too!" shouts a tiny voice, causing everyone to yell in surprise. The teddy bear is standing next to their table.

"How long have you been there?" Ortho asks.

"When squad talked about food! Can [insert teddy's name] help?"

"At this point, we might as well hold a party," Ace says, sighing.

The idea to write messages on the balloons came from Cater, who had seen someone do it online.

It was decided that there would be 7 balloons, one from each boy, monster, or teddy bear, and each would be signed by someone they and the Prefect knew. Grim and the teddy's balloons would be kept safe in Heartslabyul.

Unfortunately, the day before the party, two balloons pop. Between completing assignments, making final preparations, and attending clubs, there wouldn't be enough time to regather the messages.

At least. . . there wouldn't be enough time for those who were students.

The Savanaclaw Dorm Leader is not in the botanical gardens. The teddy bear eventually finds him taking a shortcut through the courtyard with Ruggie and some other students, chatting about new Magift strategies. "Hey, it's the cub!" one of the students says.

Leona sighs, already feeling tired. "What do you want?"

"Can Leona and Ruggie write a nice note for Yuu?"

"Why? Was one not enough?"

The teddy shakes its head. "Balloon popped."

"If getting a nice message for Yuu was that important, the balloon should have been kept in a better place. I'm not going to write another message if you didn't treat the previous one carefully."

"Awwww, come on, Leona. You don't need to be so cold," Ruggie says. "But I can't say I disagree, you can't leave important stuff out like that."

"[insert teddy's name] and Yuu-Yuu's friends know. Balloons will be safe."

"Actually, is there any reason why you need us to write on them? Aside from being their upperclassmen."

The teddy nods, smiling. "Leona and Ruggie are Yuu-Yuu's friend!"

The two blink. "'Friends'? I don't recall being that herbivore's friend," Leona says.

"Yeahhh, I wouldn't call us friends either," Ruggie agrees.

"But Leona and Ruggie signing the balloons would mean a lot to Yuu-Yuu," the teddy insists.

Leona stares down at the teddy before sighing. "If this balloon pops, don't bother coming back. I mean it." He takes the marker the teddy bear is carrying and grips the balloon, hastily scribbling something on its rubber surface. "Ruggie, sign this too."

The Magift team is perplexed. "Huh?"

"Don't be too surprised. The chew toy takes after the herbivore's stubbornness. It'll stop being a pest when it wants to."

What no one noticed was that Leona subtly enchanted the balloons so they wouldn't pop.

The balloons are pretty big, and the teddy finds that it can jump really, really high and descend at a safe speed. It uses this newfound ability to look through windows from the outside.

Imagine you're in a classroom working on something and it gets a little dark. You look at the window and see the Ramshackle Prefect's teddy bear, tied to three balloons and slowly drifting upward. It notices that you noticed it and waves happily to you.

When this happens to Rook, he smiles and waves back. Behind him, fellow clubmates quietly laugh or wave as well. The second time the teddy bear passes the window, Rook opens it and asks the teddy if it is looking for someone.

"Jade!"

Those within earshot freeze or spin around to incredulously stare. One of them whispers "Really? One of the Leech twins?"

Even Vil is a little surprised, but then understands upon seeing the balloons tied to the teddy bear's overalls. (He remembers Epel approaching him and Rook and explaining the situation, and lightly smiles. As stubborn and improper as that little apple can be, there is a sweet side to temper it all.)

"Regretfully, I'm unable to provide a direction for you to search," Rook says.

"One of his club members told me that he found a poisonous plant yesterday in the mountain. He may be trying to identify it in the library," Vil offers.

Jade is a little startled when he hears a tiny voice call his name. He was sure he wasn't being followed when he left his seat to browse the shelves. He turns around and is face-to-face with a weird, tinted reflection of himself.

Oh, it's a balloon. Looking down, he finds the teddy at his feet holding a marker. "Oya oya. What's this? Are you requesting me to sign one of the balloons?"

Floyd told him the other day that Ace brought out a balloon from his bag after basketball practice and asked him and Jamil to write a nice message for Yuu.

(He remembers last week when Yuu bumped into Floyd and didn't realize it until he called to them, annoyed. "Oh, sorry," they said tepidly. Neither had seen such a blank face on the Ramshackle Prefect. It wasn't like the times where they would be lost in thought, either. This was different.

"What's wrong with little shrimpy?" Floyd had asked Ace.

"That's the thing. They won't say.")

"There you go. I'm quite honored to participate in a collaborative and interesting experience on the surface. Thank you for thinking of me."

The teddy smiles at him. "Jade is Yuu-Yuu's friend, so [insert teddy's name] can't forget."

Jade's eyes widen. "'Friend'? Is that how the Ramshackle Prefect views me?"

The teddy nods. Interesting. Although, the teddy bear is a rather innocent creature. Half the time, it doesn't realize the danger it is in until after the fact.

"How touching. I'll be sure to keep this in mind." He might leverage this later on.

"Excuse me, are you a VIP?" An Octavinelle student had stepped in front of the teddy bear.

"Teddy is teddy," the teddy bear states, looking up at him innocently.

Great Seven give me strength. "Do you have permission to use the VIP room? What about an appointment with Azul?"

"No... but [insert teddy's name] need to ask Azul an important question!"

"Azul is meeting with someone right now. If you seek an audience with him, you must make an appointment."

"But the question is important."

The Octavinelle student sighs and crosses him arms. "I'm sorry, but--"

"Hey, what's happening here?" Floyd sidles up next to the Octavinelle student and eyes the balloons and teddy bear.

"Ah, Floyd! I was just telling it that it needs to make an appointment to see Azul."

"[Insert teddy's name] needs to ask Azul an important question," the teddy adds.

Floyd hums. "Okay. You can go in, but you're gonna need to wait first."

"HUH???" exclaims the Octavinelle student as the teddy cheers.

"Azul didn't say he didn't accept walk-ins, so little sea sponge can go. Besides--" Floyd flashes a sharp-tooth smile--"I'm sure the next customer wouldn't mind waiting, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm sure too!"

The teddy occupies itself with staring into the aquarium, face pressed against the glass. Floyd takes a moment to point out a sea sponge sitting beside a rock and a few shrimps meandering about, and at some point, it jumps to better see some of the sea life near the ceiling. The sight has caused a few patrons to laugh and take pictures.

Azul doesn't expect the next person to enter his office to be the Ramshackle Prefect's teddy bear, but he guesses who allowed it in and why it's there. He puts on a professional smile. "How thoughtful of you to bring me balloons, although, I'm afraid it does not excuse you from entering out of turn. But seeing as you are eager to talk to me, I won't be cruel and send you away. So, what is it that you're here for?"

"Can Azul write a nice message on a balloon?"

"You. . . want me to write on a balloon? Why?"

"Yuu-Yuu feels sad and because Azul is Yuu-Yuu's friend, Yuu-Yuu would feel happy if Azul said something nice!"

Yuu's friend. . . it's a strange concept to him, but he's definitely keeping it in mind the next time he talks to the Ramshackle Prefect. As for signing a balloon, he remembers Floyd mentioning something like this the other day and wonders if Jade has signed a balloon too. This whole thing is definitely a land thing; perhaps he can capitalize on it.

"Very well, but first, what can you tell me about this. . . concept, for the balloons?"

The teddy is leaping back to the main building when a sudden gust of wind swoops down and lifts it up into the sky. It yells in surprise and soon becomes entangled in the strings.

Meanwhile, Cater and Kalim are on a magic carpet ride. "Jeez, where'd that come from?" Cater wonders, recovering from the sudden strong gust of wind that had momentarily tipped the carpet. Maybe it was a good thing Lilia skipped out.

"Don't know. Do you want me to move us closer to the ground?"

Cater is about to say yes when he notices something tiny in the distance. He opens the camera app and zooms in. "What is it?" Kalim asks.

Cater's eyes widen. "It's Yuu's teddy bear!"

"What?!"

"It's tied to three balloons and it's getting carried away by the wind."

"We have to go save it! Hang on!"

Meanwhile, ADeuce and the Ramshackle Duo are walking away from Sam's shop. Ace almost drops his bag when Grim's claws catch onto his pants. "Ace. Look up!" Grim hisses.

Ace has to squint a little before realizing what it is. "Oh, shit!"

He looks around for a distraction before sighing and suddenly bumping into Yuu. It works as intended: they stumble forward and a container of sour cream falls out, its contents spilling when it hits the ground. They sigh tiredly and look over their shoulder to weakly glare at him. "Ace. . ."

"It was an accident! Here, if we go back to Sam's right now, I'll pay for a new one."

Yuu sighs again and nods. "Okay." It's a little depressing to see them like this, no usual vigor and a gloominess that could almost rival Idia's.

They lead the way after picking up the dropped sour cream container and Deuce slows down to talk to Ace, Grim taking his place beside Yuu. "How did you bump into them so hard that they dropped something?"

"It wasn't like I wanted to! Just. . . look up and don't say anything."

"Gotcha!" A warm pair of hands grab ahold of the teddy bear. When it's turned right-side up, it happily exclaims the name of its rescuers. "Kalim! Cater!"

As they untangle it, they ask if had gotten hurt and are glad when it tells them no.

"It's a good thing we were here, though. Otherwise, you might have been blown out to sea!" Cater jokes.

"Are you getting more messages for Yuu?" Kalim asks. He had been approached by Jack two days ago while the Pop Music Club were rehearsing. He offered to bring some animals and decorations, but Jack declined, saying that they weren't really needed.

The teddy bear nods. "[Insert teddy's name] also helping getting messages again! Two balloons popped."

"Sorry to hear that. Since it's so windy, how about we bring you to the next stop?"

The other people that the teddy got messages from:

Crewel: a short message, one that advised them to talk to someone.

Trein: also a short message and signed on Lucius's behalf after the teddy asked Lucius if he wanted to sign too.

Vargas: his signature took up the biggest space on the balloon for the staff. He also included a little cartoon of a winking face giving a thumbs up.

Sam: knew what the teddy was there for when it came into his shop. He was more than happy to add something to the balloon. There's a little doodle of a skeleton tipping its top hat.

Crowley: absolutely delighted to partake in this comforting gesture between friends--educators too seeing that Yuu's teachers and Sam had signed the staff balloon already. No, he's not jealous he wasn't the first one. Absolutely not!

DING DONG

When Yuu opens the door, their eyes widen at seeing their first year friends holding food and balloons. "Surprise!" they yell.

"What's all this for?"

"We noticed you weren't yourself lately and we wanted to cheer you up," Epel explains.

"We got you that cake you were eying the other day and some balloons with some nice things said on them. It was Cater's idea, but it was your teddy bear that said you liked balloons," Ace says.

"I also made you eggs in purgatory," Deuce adds, holding up the container. "Everyone else made you something too. Remember that spread from Sebek's hometown and the jam from Epel's?"

"Hey, Yuu, are you gonna let them in or not?" Grim says from behind. Stupefied, Yuu stands to the side to let their friends pass and follows them into the lounge, where they set the food down on the table and the weighed-down balloons next to the couch.

"Did you know about this?" Yuu asks Grim and their teddy bear.

"Know about it? We were part of it!" Grim says. "It's been weird seeing you walk around like a zombie for the past two weeks. We were thinking you'd never get back to normal."

"We were worried too." The Ramshackle Ghosts were suddenly at Yuu's sides.

"Since you weren't you, the house started to feel lonely."

"We will say, you made us worry a little those five times you forgot to turn off the stove."

"The stove?" Sebek yells. "Human! You know better than to endanger yourself and your housemates like that!"

"Sebek, cool it, will you? Ace says. "I'm pretty sure Yuu won't do it again after this. Right?"

"You guys did this for me?" Yuu asks, still stupefied.

"It's just what Grim said. It's been weird seeing you not yourself."

Everyone's eyes widened when Yuu suddenly burst into tears. Questions were flung, asking what was wrong and if they did not like any of this. "Maybe we should have let Kalim bring the animals?" Deuce wonders.

"No, it's not that!" Yuu sobs. "I'm just so happy you guys did this! I didn't know you guys cared about me so much."

"Well, I mean. . ." A few of the boys rub the back of his neck or head and look to the side bashfully. Ortho pats Yuu's head, remembering the times his brother did this to comfort him and when some of the other students praised him for something like he was their younger brother.

"Of course we'd do this! Anything for a member of the First Year Squad!" That only made Yuu cry harder.

After the party, Yuu came back to school with a sunny presence and clearer eyes, accompanied by their friends who were in equal high spirits.

Happy New Years, TWST fandom!

[oh-my-may]

I GOT ARLECCHINO AND HER WEAPON!!

Had to lose 50/50 to Qiqi tho, of course. At least it qas early. Also for some reason I had like 20+ pity on weapon banner already. I can't actually remember when I pulled something there... i think it might have been Neuvi's first banner?

Anywho as usual I got a bit overwhelmed with the new version content and I was quite sad I couldn't immediately get to her Boss :( of course they had to tie it to a world quest...

I started it but then got too tired after work. What I played of it so far was very cool tho! I can't wait to get into Remuria and King Remus lore, it already got me so excited at its first mention during world quests in 4.0.

I also love Arle'a playstyle! She definitely reminds me of Neuvilette in a sense that she doesn't really need any teammates. She can only receive healing through herself and so far she's the only character who's got the Bond of Life mechanic in her kit. I remember that a bunch of the craftable 4star weapons from Fontaine applied it to characters too tho, right? I wonder if there's gonna be mlre charaxters with that mechanic now? Although it feels quite late now. I don't look at leaks anymore so I'm assuming Sigewinne is a healer and a hesler with that mechanic seems weird to me? And for Clorinde I also think it wouldn't make sense? I mean it would also be cool if she wouls be the only character that had this... since it's unique and all.

Also this update came with quite a few cool quality of life changes! The map index looks different now and there's a bunch of new teapot stuff that makes it less of a hassle :) also the expanded inventory for enhancement ores... it was getting on my nerves. Now all I need to be happy is for them to add artifact loadouts and pre-set parties for the spiral abyss. I mean like... the game should save the parties you used in the previous reset in game, kinda like HSR does it for Memory of Chaos. I find it annoying to keep remembering what teams I used. It's not like other teams couldn't clear those floors, but after a few weeks floors 9 and 10 feel like a chore because they never change until big versions... yeah

Gonna dive more into the world quest tonight. Idk if you habw to finish it to get the boss, but usually that's the structure of the world quests... I just hope it's not too long. I wouldn't mind it if unlocking the boss wasn't tied to it. They've done this before and I just don't get it... make the boss accessible normally on the map and then just make him appear during the world quest at the end, is that so hard? This way most people are gonna forcibly skip through all the dialogue and the actual lore of a good quest just to level Arle as quickly as possible... i thought we were done with this but guess not. Or why would they give quick access to the Arle weekly boss but not the other one that is arguably a lot less spoiler-y? Idk man.

Aside from this though I like the update so far. The new map looks gorgeous and I didn't expect them to add a new city to Sumeru out of the blue? Guess it was to fill the map hole properly but I was still quite surprised to see they gave all of Northern Sumeru a coastline. Can't wait to go there :)

Will keep you updated with my thoughts on version content later.

[sailxrmxrs]

blacksmith milo many thoughts head so full. this has been floating around in my brain for like a month it's been agony in all the best ways. throwback to playing l4d2 in vc and going wild over blacksmith milo crumbs. anyway it was so powerful i had to go and make it a reality if only to stop the screaming in my brain. milo with his hair tied back and sleeves rolled up......sensational. mc is a travelling mercenary currently between jobs and they've just arrived in a town nearby the capital. before going on to find work, they come across a blacksmith with a face far too pretty to be anything other than some rich noble's son. the two get talking and the rest is history.

A gentle pattering of rain thrummed rhythmically against the deep green hood of your cloak. Since reaching the northern lands of the capital, the climate had shifted drastically from the generous sunshine of the southern desert. Even the town's cottages and taverns looked as gloomy as the skies above, thatched roofs one bad thunderstorm away from falling apart. Coming here directly after weeks of watching the sun reflect off crystal windows and sprawling oases was like being doused in ice water. Almost quite literally, given the light downpour that only seemed to worsen with every step your horse took down the muddied path. The sun was nowhere to be seen despite the early afternoon hour, hidden behind knitted clouds so heavy and grey they looked almost ready to burst. You hoped to find the local blacksmith's soon if only to find cover from the inevitable impending storm. There was also the matter of your sword's blade growing appallingly dull; if you didn't get it tended to soon you'd barely be able to cut a loose thread from your tunic.

It seemed fate was on your side today, the familiar sound of iron against steel like a metronome leading the chorus of town life. Tucked away just behind an inn was a blacksmith's workshop. The exterior looked a little more lively than the rest of the town's infrastructure, as though its owner had taken extra care to keep it in optimal condition during the harsher weathers. An orange glow from the fiery furnaces came from the open doorway, letting out a mild warmth to fight against the cold rain. Luckily for your horse, there was an awning canopy sheltering the side of the workshop complete with a water trough and a place to tie their reins. As you made your way inside removing the dampened cloak hood you were met with the sight of who you presumed owned the place. He seemed tall even when leaning over the anvil to inspect his work. His long hair was pulled back and tied with a strip of leather loosely atop his head. His sleeves were rolled back to reveal his forearms, no doubt in part to combat the raging heat of the furnace. Surveying the room was enough to tell you that he was no beginner to his trade. It may have been a small workshop, fitting for a small town you supposed, but it was cosy. The place was lit with amber lanterns, their warm light reflected in the metal sheen of swords and axes and shields. He just might sell his stock on to the capital judging by the sheer quality of it all. It seemed you'd struck gold coming across this small rural town.

Your fingers chimed the small bell sitting on the desk by the entrance, its tinny ring echoing against the walls. The blacksmith turned, seemingly surprised to hear a visitor. Whoever this man was, he was no ordinary blacksmith. Most held rugged faces, worn with age and wizened under the roaring heat of constant fire. No, this man looked more like a rich noble's son who'd been deposited in some poor, desolate town as punishment for mistreating one too many maids. His eyes were a rich purple and his skin surprisingly held a gentle tan, clear and smooth save for a few stray swipes of coal from where his fingers had brushed loose strands of hair away from his face. The man could only be described as pretty—beautiful even. Certainly a rare trait for one in such a profession, at least as far as you had encountered. Still, even if he did not quite look the part, his handiwork was enough to tell you he was no beginner. Even the small blade he held looked far more ornate and well-made than some of your own back home.

"Afternoon," he called out, setting aside his current project and pushing his hair back from his face, smearing another streak of charcoal across his forehead. It took a great deal of self-restraint to not let slip a bemused smile.

"Afternoon. I assume you're the one to go to for sharpening weapons?" You asked, removing the scabbard from your waist and setting it atop the counter.

The blacksmith didn't crack a smile, unwilling to put on the pretences most tradespeople offered visitors. "About the only one in town who knows how to hold one of these, let alone sharpen one. Just passing through?"

"On my way to the capital. Although I shall likely have to extend my stay if the weather doesn't ease up. Is it usually this dreary around here?" You leaned against the counter, watching as the blacksmith took your sword to the whetstone, hands working deftly to sharpen the steel. He was sat directly under a lantern, using the light to inspect his handiwork every few moments. His focus was as razor sharp as your blade's edge was soon to be, taking utmost care to ensure no room for mistakes.

"If you're planning to wait for the rain to clear then you might as well move here. No getting to the capital until a day or two in the summer season when the sun deigns to make a rare appearance."

You grimaced, chin resting on your hand. You'd thought as much but the confirmation was not on your list of favourite things to hear. It seemed you had a long, and damp, journey ahead of you yet. Today might be a choice day to invest in another spare cloak. One that was perhaps a tad more waterproof that what you currently wore.

"Anything else you need sharpening up? Low on arrows, maybe? Got plenty of stock so feel free to take your time. Stay out of the rain a little longer." You were not one to spit in the face of opportunity, especially given the bonus pay you'd received from your previous employer. So you went and retrieved your reserve weapons from the shelter in which you'd left your horse and offered them up to the blacksmith whose name, as you'd learnt, was Milo. Surprisingly, he made for rather pleasant conversation, asking after your line of work and where you'd travelled from. In response, he'd offered up a chapter or two of his own story. He'd been born and raised in the small town to grocer parents but had spent most of his time in the local blacksmith's workshop, bothering him with all sorts of questions about everything had worked until the old man had taken him on as an apprentice. Once he was old enough, Milo was taking requests and eventually took over the business once his boss was too old to work as proficiently as he once had. Since then he primarily did business with palace officials, supplying new stock and revitalising damaged weapons and materials.

As the day drew to a close, the sky somehow turning darker, you pulled yourself away from the workshop and its rather pleasant company. You'd tossed a few silvers onto the counter, leaving an extra as payment for the afternoon shelter despite Milo's protests. He had been in the middle of forging a formerly broken sword and couldn't pull himself away to try and refund some of your coin. When you peered through the window, Milo was shaking his head as he returned to his work, a whisper of a smile tugging at his lips. The first and only one you'd seen from him all day, no doubt because he believed no one could see. Still, it warmed you inside to know he had not thought of your presence as a complete bother.

After leaving town, it became a somewhat regular routine to revisit that little rural town whenever your travel plans allowed it. Every time, without fail, you'd spend a day sat inside the workshop, telling Milo all of your ventures to various corners of the realm. In turn, he'd tell you of the local goings on, most of it trivial and uninteresting in his eyes but the normality of it all was a welcome change of pace for you. Hearing about the friendly competition between the various townsmen or other affairs that took place was a far cry from the types of jobs you were taking on, leading you to all sorts of unsavoury characters hiding in dark places. Spending that time with Milo was a highlight of your journeying, even if those visits were few and far between. He would always welcome you in and offer up a seat in the workshop, sometimes even volunteering to cook a hot meal. He was a rare constant in the ever changing routine of your life and at some point along the way you began to wonder what life might look like if you had a more permanent place in town, as opposed to your constant moving from place-to-place with each job that came your way. It was easy to let your mind wander in the silence of solitude that your travels offered, daydreaming of scenes of you and Milo where you could greet each other whenever the desire struck, rather than waiting weeks or months for a job that sent you in that direction. Whether he wondered of the same or not was a complete mystery.

Despite the growing closeness between the both of you, Milo remained a mostly closed book, keeping his innermost feelings to himself. Any time you mentioned in passing that you had missed his company, Milo would merely hum in acknowledgement and not offer up his own feelings on the matter. If you tried to press for more of an answer, he'd change the subject or make a teasing remark about how you were growing attached. In spite of his apparent disdain for sentimental comments, Milo would always be trying, and failing, to suppress a smile that suggested he was not quite as emotionally guarded as he pretended to be. Usually you'd let it pass without acknowledgement, but it was rather satisfying to watch him scramble for a response that didn't implicate himself for enjoying your company.

As time passed by, it had been a good many months since your last visit to that little workshop. Circumstance had kept you away and busy with a larger job than usual from your latest client. It had been so brutal that you were already planning a few weeks of rest before taking on another job if only to recover from the various aches and pains you'd acquired along the way. Even if they were only minor injuries you felt deeply in need of a good long rest. Thankfully, as fate would have it, you were coming to the end of this particularly gruelling job and the end was on the horizon along with your long-awaited freedom. And with that oncoming freedom you intended to make your way toward that same old town. Naturally, by the time you reached its borders, the skies grew gradually more grey and bleak as though there was some vengeful god overlooking the people and deciding the enact their frustrations in the form of dull weather. Still, it wouldn't feel the same without the sharp winds and constant threat of rain at all times.

As the workshop came into view, you could feel all the tensions that the last months of work had instilled within your body evaporate as if by magic. Dismounting and walking into the familiar wall of warmth felt like it took hours, the anticipation of seeing Milo again building with each breath. But as you breached the threshold of the doorway, you were met with an empty workshop with no blacksmith in sight. There were signs of half-finished projects lying on the wooden benches and the fires of the furnace were still keeping the place enveloped in its usual heat but Milo was nowhere to be seen. It was hard to ignore the sting of disappointment that you had missed him. He was unlikely to be too far but there was always the chance Milo was away in the capital delivering his latest assignments. Still, it wasn't as if missing him today would mean you had to wait another number of weeks. You could easily return in a few days now that you had a moment's peace to breathe before continuing on to the next place. Sighing to yourself, you made to turn for the door when a familiar voice struck your ears.

"Long time no see. There was me starting to get worried you'd forgotten all about me." Milo was stood in the workshop's entrance, carrying a large box filled with materials. He set the box down and stood with one hand leaning against the counter while the other sat on his waist. His hair was loose over his shoulders, a rare sight given his usual spot by the furnace, but it suited him. Somehow made him seem even more princely than before.

"If anyone was to forget someone, I'd imagine it'd be you forgetting me," you teased, smiling at his exaggerated gasp of shock.

"Me? Forget my favourite visitor? Never. I'm appalled to hear you think so poorly of me."

You raised an eyebrow. "Favourite, hm? Interesting—" Before you could finish speaking, Milo stepped closer, raising a gentle hand toward your eyebrow and subsequently robbing you of your voice.

"What's this?" His thumb gently grazed over a small cut you'd sustained during your last job. It wasn't anything fatal nor did it hurt anymore, but the remnants still remained as it hadn't quite healed. You playfully swatted away his hand, putting a few steps between you both.

"Nothing you should be concerned with. Plenty more where that came from."

"That does not instil me with a great deal of confidence." His voice was deadpan once more, the slight hint of alarm having now dissipated. Despite the distance you'd put between the both of you, the air felt heavier and warmer than usual. Had it really been so long since you last saw him? And had that time somehow made him seem even more beautiful? Maybe it was just the lack of charcoal and dust that made Milo's appearance that bit more striking than usual.

"At least let me take a closer look," he murmured, eyes diverted from your gaze as a rare quietness seeped into his voice. You nodded, sucking in a breath as you stepped toward you, cautiously inspecting the minor wound. Seeming satisfied that you weren't at risk of toppling over, Milo removed his hands but didn't move away.

"Any other injuries I should know about? Aches or bruises to tend to?"

You hesitated for a moment, contemplating if you should answer honestly or not. There was a stubborn ache in your ankle that had worsened in recent days. That slight hesitation was enough to give Milo his answer. He sighed, taking your wrist gently in his grip and leading over to a workbench and sitting you down with a stern look on his face. "Where." It wasn't even a question, more of a demand than anything. Still, you didn't object nor deny its presence and silently held up your ankle. Milo was careful in his ministrations, making sure not to aggravate whatever ailed you and halting his movements whenever you made any noise to signal discomfort.

"Hope you don't have some fancy event in the capital planned because this ankle looks sprained to me. Granted I'm no doctor, but I'm still prescribing you a week or two of rest. At least. Definitely no adventuring for a while." Milo looked up at you, almost waiting for you to argue that you'd be fine or that you couldn't pass up on an important client. Any other time you might have done so. Might have protested that your horse could carry you with little need to use your injured ankle. But this time you knew it could wait.

"Then it's a good job I'm on break. Indefinitely. Well, not quite indefinitely, but at least until I feel like going off adventuring again. Think there's somewhere in town for me to stay?"

Milo offered a rare, genuine smile, one that he'd kept for himself after your past visits. He rose from his stool to sit beside you, eyes fixed on yours as he took your hands in his. Everything about his movements was gentle and soft, entirely removed from the usual strength of his smithing work. He reached a hand your cheek, smile still lighting his face as he whispered, "I think I might know someone."

[sophieswundergarten]

New Idea:

You know how Miss Perumal makes a point of Reynie wearing matching socks? What if, as a joke, she starts gifting him purposefully mismatched socks? What if that became a little tradition of theirs?

Whenever there's a gift-giving occasion like a holiday, an important/exciting event, or maybe just because, she'll give him purposefully non-matching socks. The boy doesn't even own any matching socks anymore. The white ones he wears when they have to dress nice have very different patterns below the shoe line.

However, the other kids see this, and get quite confused. It's an inside joke, so Reynie and Miss Perumal don't explain it, because they don't think about it. Everyone else just watches it happen the first couple of times, and by then most of the adults have shrugged it off as simply a Thing those two do. But not the kids.

Kate, Sticky, and Constance take it upon themselves to figure out what the socks mean (In the most complicated way possible). So, after a lot of theorizing and observing of Reynie's clothing (He wears pretty average stuff, aside from his collection of sweater vests), they conclude that he must like strangely patterned things. (No, they can't ask him directly. That ruins the point of the whole mission)

It starts with Kate giving him a truly hideous tie (Because it was the most unique looking one she could find). Reynie accepts it with puzzled gratitude (He hardly ever wears ties), and moves on, expecting it to be a one-time thing. But it's not. The next holiday that rolls around, Sticky gives him a scarf (He's been practicing knitting with Number Two) that has so many patterns on it it's twice as long as it needs to be. The last straw is when Constance gleefully hands him a box with one red and blue sneaker and one purple rain boot. (She took things a bit too far, according to Sticky and Kate, but could not be dissuaded)

After he confronts his friends about the increasingly strange and worrying trend, Kate and Sticky sheepishly confess their plan and subsequent wildly inaccurate guesses. Reynie, being the good-natured kid he is, bursts out laughing at this. He explains the significance of the joke, and tells them that, in the future, they are welcome to just ask.

Once they've processed this, the other three laugh as well (Or, at least, Sticky and Kate laugh. Constance just looks smug that she was able to slip the shoes in before the truth was found out). Thus begins the tradition among the Mysterious Benedict Society to keep a running list of gift ideas. They have a notebook (Kept in Kate's desk, as she's the least likely to misplace it with how neat she keeps everything) that whenever one of them finds a new interest, or hears about a certain book/article of clothing/product they like, they'll write it down. This way they are all able to look at it if they need help choosing a good gift, but it still allows the present to be somewhat of a surprise.

(As time goes on, they use it less and less, because they are better able to predict each other's preferences, but there were at least a few times in the beginning that it saved one or the other members from being stalked through the air vents for a week while Kate practiced her spy skills in order to choose a gift)

[atw2006]

I've been in enough fandoms to know that hoping for an actual asexuality plot line in 911 is a fool's errand. Even the more likely queer plot line (which would also make me happy) would seem so out of left field for a chunk of the viewers I'm not sure it's worth hoping for. But each episode that happens queerplatonic end game becomes more and more likely. You can only stick Buck with some many perfectly nice girls that leave him because he chooses Eddy and his kid over them. You can only watch Eddy's friends and family strong arm him into so many romantic relationships where he has panic attacks or uses his did as a human shield. I can't date I have a child. Honey, lamb, baby, single parents do in fact date. We've established that Buck is a perpetual roommate at his own loft, but home at Eddy's house, and that was HALF a series ago. The first episode of the season basically involved Eddy being like our son is a player because you used to be, go fix him. At the end of the day, even if no ever says queer platonic on the show that's what they are. They are each other's most important person, they get jealous in a way that suggest exclusivity, they engage in tasks usually done in romantic partnerships do together (laundry, child rearing, holidays), they are assumed by their coworkers to be a package deal in the same way the couples in the show are, and they even have legal ties binding them to each other. Also, we've established that when Buck is traumatized he can only sleep on Eddie's couch. Don't even get me started on the way that Eddie is always just a breath away from fighting Buck's parents, Buck would probably still yell at Eddie's parents if he let him even though they've made real efforts in that department, and Buck is besties with Eddie's abuela and tia. So, I know I'm going to be wrong. But I still have most of a week before whatever this 100th episode with an intimacy coach and a title which has Buck's name combined with a queer musical number in it proves that I'm wrong. To be fair, Buck's queerness is cannon to me. There is literally a scene where both a cannon gay man and Buck thought Buck's sister set them up on a date, and Buck is not surprised at all. But I'm all for it being MORE cannon for the ones in the back.

[elliepassmore]

A Place for Vanishing review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: horror, fantasy horror, ghosts, spooky reads, haunted house

Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

TW suicide attempt, suicidal ideation

I read Fraistat's debut, What We Harvest last year and really enjoyed it, so I was excited when this book was announced. Both of them fall into that middle category of 'horror' and 'fantasy' that I can tolerate without getting (too) freaked out.

This story focuses on the new house Libby and her family move into. Or, rather, the old house that's new to them. The house has been in the family for generations, but was left largely abandoned after Libby's grandparents died when her mom was a child. From there the mysteries grow. Doors that close on their own, stained glass windows as beautiful as they are creepy, the bugs that just don't seem to die, and, of course, the way people seem to simply vanish from the house itself. The main plotline revolves around the mysteries of the house. It's 'haunted' in an odd sort of way, but there's a magical sort of wonder to it as well. I enjoyed learning how the bugs and the masks and the disappearances all tied together, and was surprised at the mystery.

Libby, despite her many misgivings, wants things to be alright. Her family has already had a rough time of the past couple of months, and while everything in her rebels against staying in the house, she's determined to do it for her mom and younger sister, Vivi. Vivi and Libby are, or were, clearly very close, and it comes through just how much Libby loves her younger sister. Libby is struggling with more than just the house though. After weeks/months of spiraling that culminated in a suicide attempt, Libby is now trying to find her way back to stability. While she's enrolled in therapy and taking medication to help with her cyclothymia, there's no quick road to recovery and Libby still has moments when those darker impulses intrude.

Vivi is several years younger than Libby, and has a fairly bubbly, optimistic personality. She's eager to still believe in magic, and while she's as wary of the house as Libby, she's also captivated by the strange masks around the house. Despite her loving nature, she's fairly angry at Libby at the start of the book, though part of this anger is a desperate attempt to reach her sister and try to understand and reconnect. Vivi has a ferociousness about her that comes out as the book progresses, and it's clear she has a deep love for her mom and sister, with the bravery to prove it.

Flynn, the next door neighbor boy, immediately gives off weird vibes. He knows more about the house than he should, and more about the spirit world than he lets on. It was kind of hard to like him at first, what with all that gaslighting going on, but he ended up being a good guy. Once they're past all that, Flynn comes across as someone who genuinely cares and has a softness about him that peeks through even when he's not at his best. His connection to the house is similar to Libby's, and once they've teamed up, the secrets of the house begin to reveal themselves.

This book is definitely a haunted house book, and like all good hauntings, the ghosts of the house mirror the ghosts in the characters' heads. I enjoyed the symmetry between the masks and the personal demons each character had to face inside themselves. I also appreciated how the haunting acted alongside and in conjunction with the internal character arcs for most of the characters.

Overall, this is a nice spooky story and I'm glad I got the ARC around spooky season. The story mainly deals with a creepy, haunted house and mental health. There's some light possession but honestly....that's kind of the least of anyone's worries, lol. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a good fantasy horror story.