CUNO — “You look like shit.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Leave me alone, Cuno.”
“Astute observation. Real detective shit.”
CUNO — “Cuno’s always on that detective shit. Observant shit. Putting pieces together like nobody’s business.”
The boy sits down beside you with a creaking of old wood. He grimaces slightly, as if doubting that the steps to the shack will support both of you at once, but then shrugs and settles into the bowing plank.
“Saw your piggy friends pack up and leave. Ditched you, did they?”
PAIN THRESHOLD — His words cause an unexpectedly sharp pang, like a blade shoved between your ribs.
COMPOSURE — You try to breathe through the pain and the creeping dread. Your lungs feel shrunken and certainly not luminous.
“It’s none of your business. Fuck off.”
“They left me to die. I’m going to die here.”
“Maybe they’ll send someone for me. Maybe they’ll come back.”
CUNO — He laughs, but it’s not his usual cackle. It’s quiet and cruel. “You stupid, or something? Nobody comes *back* to this shithole. Fucking pit. You either get out or you die here. They’re gone.”
EMPATHY — Gone like his mother, his father, his only friend in all the world. Gone like his one chance to get out.
INLAND EMPIRE — You failed him, just like you fail everyone.
“You don’t know that. You don’t know anything.”
“I’m sorry. I’m such a piece of shit. Now we’re both gonna die here.”
“Kim might come back.”
CUNO — That gives the boy pause. “…Maybe,” he admits reluctantly. “If he doesn’t wimp out and die.”
PAIN THRESHOLD — Another pang, cold and sharp. It doesn’t bear thinking about.
ESPIRIT DE CORPS — Somewhere else in Revachol, somewhere that feels so very far away, the lieutenant is standing on a fire escape, fingers playing at a pack of cigarettes in his pocket. Thinking about another cigarette on another balcony with another person.
You do not know where he is. You do not even know if this image of him is the truth or just a fervent wish. You may never know, now.
FISHING VILLAGE — The sea is a soft roar in your ears, waves brushing the shore like your hand trailing through a dead man’s hair. It’s getting dark now. Dark and cold.
“I’m tired. Goodnight, Cuno.” [Leave]
“Why are you here?”
CUNO — “The Cuno goes wherever the fuck he wants, pig. Cuno’s town. Cuno’s village.”
LOGIC — He probably came to see if he could figure out a way to make you and the other officers take him with you. Then he saw them leave you behind and realized that there was no hope for either of you.
EMPATHY — And then he got scared. He’s afraid you’ll die and leave him all alone in the world.
CUNO — He wipes his nose on his sleeve, bundling his jacket more tightly around himself. “Cuno oughta trash your dumb shack while I’m at it.”
PERCEPTION — He said “I.” He’s still off the speed.
EMPATHY — He’s thinking about a lot of things. He feels small and sad.
INLAND EMPIRE — Like something that no one ever comes back to. Like Martinaise. Like you.
“You can have the shack when I’m gone. I won’t last long.”
“Fine, trash it. Kick me while I’m down. That’s all anybody does, anyway.”
“Please don’t trash it. It’s not mine, it’s Isobel’s.”
CUNO — “Only joking, baconman. The Cuno’s an honorable guy, you know? Not gonna pick on the elderly.” He glances at you briefly, and then away. “Or Isobel.”
DRAMA — Was that… a joke, sire? Did he mean to make you laugh?
“Fuck off, Cuno.”
“Har har.”
CUNO — Another brief glance out of the corner of his eye, and then away. His hands are restless in his lap, wringing themselves, tapping tattoos against each other. He’s rocking back and forth just a little.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY — On top of everything, the withdrawal is starting to hit him hard. You know the signs all too well.
COMPOSURE — He’s trying not to let on just how scared and alone he feels without Cunoesse. The world feels big and silent to him now.
VOLITION — He needs you. And you need him.
CUNO — “So…” He clears his throat, wrapping his arms around himself and shivering as a cold wind sweeps past. “What are you gonna do? Even the pigs don’t want you. Rotten meat.”
“I’m gonna die. They know I will and they left me anyway.”
“Fuck them. I’ll tear shit up, then. Burn this town to the ground. Fuck everything.”
“I’m gonna get so drunk I forget that I ever cared about them.”
“I’m gonna keep on solving cases without their help, just like I solved this one. I don’t fucking need them.”
“I’m gonna find change for the pay phone and beg them to come back for me.”
“I’m staying right here in Martinaise. I’m not going anywhere, Cuno.”
CUNO — He wipes his nose again, but says nothing. His expression is difficult to read.
EMPATHY — He doesn’t know what to say to that. Doesn’t know if he believes you, either. But he’d like to.
FISHING VILLAGE — Seagulls call to one another in the distance. The ocean continues its gentle ministrations. The sun sets and the day ends. Still, life goes on.
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Rizzless? Rizzess?? My Darling Pierre has the most Rizz in the universe beacuse you can't deny the way he could hold you close and whisper the most sweet, bashful and heartstring pulling little things into your ear!
Did I go off on a Pierre Tangent? Yes and I shall do it again if I hear any slander for this beautiful Cherrub😭 (also hi bestie :D)
-💌
well to us, yeah, he could look at me and i’d be falling to my knees 😮💨 but within the context of the show?? look at him:
absolutely pathetic, rizzless, and chronically bitchless™️
lmaoooo, but i agree, i too won’t tolerate any actual pierre slander ok i am a pierre bezukhov stan first and a human being second !!!!
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Hi! On the series mentioned on the sequels poll who did you romance?
hello! Hope you're doing well anon! 🎵
The post anon is mentioning is this one
TRR: Hana Lee always! ❤️ She's my forever obsession! My absolutely end game, my wife till the end of time lol
Desire & Decorum: Annabelle Parsons ❤️ my 2nd favorite playchoices LI, I dare say if D&D had as many books as the TRR, she may even had surpassed Hana 🫣
Blood bound: My first play through I romanced Kamilah but Lily has been my LI ever since then.
It Lives Series: In ILITW, I've romanced Stacey once but choose Ava always, love my witch lol. In ILB, I've flirted with Danni but I've chosen Imogene every time. In fact I think I haven't took every diamond scene with Danni or done an end game with her. I may do that next time I read ILB.
Endless Summer: I've flirted with Quinn but Estela is my end game LI, but I've only read the entire ES series once so maybe I'll choose Quinn if I ever reread the series again.
High School Series: I've romanced Maria once but I always choose Emma in my other play throughs. In HSS:CA, it's the same with Rory and Skye. I've romanced Rory maybe 1 or 2x but Skye is my usual end game.
Blades: My elf mc romanced Imtura, Nia and Valax but I gravitated more towards Imtura and Valax. Then I created an orc mc that romances Nia and Valax. I'm wondering if I want to create a whole other mc just for Valax lol, but that's a lot of mcs for me 😅
In my tags I brought up Baby Bump so ofc I chose Myra Dixon, Clint was sweet but Myra won me over rather quickly.
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