#threebreaths

[noblehcart]

@threebreaths

"- oh do let me take a guess. marcus has gotten himself into a situation again, hasn't he? "

he was dreadfully tired of cleaning up his brother's messes and yet here he was. taking marcus' call and upon hearing a distinctly unfamiliar voice he could only surmise a handful of options. when it wasn't buying the silences of his numerous partners, it was paying off officials and buying out various 'items' in order to get his notorius sibling out of trouble. it was damn lucky that they had a variety of incomes aside from their generational wealth because at this rate they would be bankrupt at the year's end.

he was very close to just leaving marcus to fend for himself- if he didn't have a heart that was.

unfortunately he dearly loved his little brother.

his last of kin and felt the ire flare up at the fact that he would be once again dragged into rescuing him. so he stood at the balcony of his penthouse overlooking london and held the phone tensely waiting to hear what nonsense his brother had gotten into.

"what has he done now, hm? something to your person? property? finances?" jaw ticked slightly as he thought over the possibilities. "wife or sister, perhaps?" he had been meaning to get his brother neutered eventually.

[painofhumanity]

“Get angry about it.” - bullying the traumatized / to Morgan, maybe dream!Isen?

bullying the traumatized

"Oh, I'm already there." Morgan slugged Isen as hard as he could. "I've been there for a while." There wasn't much left in him besides the anger, at this point. It felt like it was a creature consuming him from the inside out. Isen had to know that already. Surely that was his plan, to break Morgan so thoroughly that he could then build him back up as some sort of pet he could use on his whim. And Morgan hated him for it. He hated Isen for keeping him from Yuki, for cutting and burning and breaking him over and over again, for showing him that no matter how much it hurt, he could never actually escape the pain, even in death. Hate and anger. It was all he had left. Well. Maybe not the only thing.

"You wanted the monster, right, Isen?" Morgan felt a change come over him; Yuki had tried to describe what he looked like when he got like this, but Morgan had a feeling nothing did it justice. Not if the looks on people's faces when they saw him were anything to go by. Yuki could never quite explain how dark Morgan's eyes became, or how the planes of his face shifted until he didn't look human any more. "You wanted the monster," Morgan repeated, relishing in the power he felt. "You got him."

[arealmunited]

@threebreaths

It was supposed to be a simple drop off, in and out with no problems, that’s what Yamamoto was told at the meeting.  He should have asked more questions, like why did they need someone of his skill to drop off a briefcase of information.  While the client didn’t say who he was giving the information to, just that Yamamoto would know once he saw them, he already knew that they had some power to them as soon as he saw the men in suits standing outside the hotel he understood why. 

There was just something about these men that put Yamamoto on edge, while he couldn’t place his finger on what it was, he knew that he shouldn’t let his guard down at any point during this transaction.

“Couldn’t make things easy for me,” he mumbled adjusting the sword that he had strapped on his back, Yamamoto made his way into the hotel.  Inside were a few more men in suits, though none of them stuck out to him as to who the drop off would be.  His grip tight on the briefcase, he took a seat in the far corner of the lobby as he continued to watch the room.

Out of the corner of his eye Yamamoto noticed that one of the men near the door was now on the phone, hopefully to contact the drop off.  

[thiefofcrows]

       ❝Then beg,❞ said Kaz, tilting his head with a shrug. ❝No one's stopping you.❞

"I beg your fucking pardon?"

[soulfulempathy]

# SOULFULEMPATHY - Yuki Hashikawa, an independent original character, an empath, a broken man clinging to his compassion for dear life. Extensive original lore, a companion blog to @threebreaths. May contain triggering content. Est January 2024. Written by Lily. HOME | ASK | CARRD

[joyffree]

[painofhumanity]

"Get up." /To Morgan or Miranda, I'll let you fill in the context lol

always accepting random things!

"Go to hell," Morgan groaned, making no move to get off the floor. His body felt like it was on fire; he'd never been so acutely aware of his body stitching itself back together before Isen's little experiments, but now. . .he could feel the nerves reconnecting. Morgan's body twitched while his wounds healed and he groaned again.

[feilien]

 “Plenty of chances, but no real reason. Unless you’re infringing on Black Dragon territory, disrespect him, or publicly declare war with the clan, he’s not going to waste his time or energy. There’s a reason the clan has been so successful and undefeated for so long. He keeps his strength stacked where it matters, and doesn’t bother with unnecessary gangwars like so many others do just to prove a point. It makes our—” Long Zhi paused, then sighed, “their territory so impenetrable.”

 Why exactly he felt the need to become defensive, he didn’t know. Old habits, perhaps. The clan had been his entire life, and although he knew he was no longer a part of it, it was difficult to get rid of that mindset. But he knew he had to, sooner or later.

 Most likely sooner than not. Because there it was, the offer. A generous one at that, despite the polite warning. And it was too good to be true, really. Long Zhi was naive at times, but not naive enough to believe that they were talking about simple gang related work. There was a hook, and it had to be a big one.

 Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait too long to learn what it was. This time, he tensed up visibly and shifted in his seat. How the fuck did he know? Isen, a man he’d never even met before knew something no one else knew, not even Xiao Dan. Of course, he could’ve simply been referring to Long Zhi’s skill of being able to kill without a trace, but there was something about the way he said it that made it very clear to Long Zhi that that was not what he was talking about. He knew.

 And suddenly, he felt terrified.

 If a complete stranger had been able to learn about his abilities, who else knew? What did that mean for him? Would they be coming for him? With things worse than a very generous offer? Had word gotten out to Xiao Dan? Was that why the price was so high? He thought it was purely because of the betrayal, but—

 Swallowing hard, Long Zhi tried to pull himself back together, tried to appear confident and casual. None of which he was. “What are your terms?”

It had been difficult, impressively so. Hardly anything escaped Isen in this city. And yet, Long Zhi had been elusive, smart, evading capture while the full might of the Dragons hunted him down. Clearly he was someone Isen wanted under his command, even without his expertise.

Still, the answer Long Zhi gave was cowardly. Isen tsked. "I'll admit your former clan is strong. However, don't you think there's a reason Xiao Dan hasn't started a war with me? He's had plenty of chances, and I would certainly humor him."

Now he leaned back. That ring around Long Zhi’s iris had caught Isen's attention right away, and it aligned with the intelligence he'd gathered. It was the only thing keeping Isen from throwing Liu Long Zhi to the wolves and reaping the reward from the old man himself.

"But I'll get to the point. You have a very valuable skillset that I could use. Believe me when I say I've considered the benefits and consequences of this arrangement. I want you to work for me, in exchange for protection from the Black Dragons and anyone else who may cross you. In addition, I am willing to offer a generous wage, and provide you with an apartment within the city limits for the duration of your employment with me."

As he finished, he tilted his head, taking a moment to let the words sink in. "In the interest of transparency, I'm also aware of the full spectrum of your capabilities. That makes you uniquely qualified for this position." Isen gestured vaguely. "But I will not beg. If you refuse, I'll let you walk out without retaliation. Xiao Dan will not hear of your location from me."

[soulfulempathy]

Introduction

Independent fandomless OC blog, est. January 2024. Welcome! I am OC friendly and love playing with both OCs and canon characters! This blog is paired with @threebreaths, where I play my other OC and the main antagonist of Yuki's story, Isen Reiou. Please visit my Carrd below.

About the mun: Lily, 27 ♑︎ / ♒︎ (cusp), she/her, white.

Previously lostxtosunlight

home | ask | carrd | memes

[painofhumanity]

". . . The fact that I don't know, and you do, is all that's protecting you," Morgan growled. He forced himself up with a groan and had to blink quickly to clear his vision when it went spotty. Blood loss or exhaustion? He wasn't sure.

"'m up," he grunted. "Whaddya want, now?"

He told Isen he'd cooperate, but never once did he say that he would be pleasant. If that pissed the man off, well. . .he was already killing Morgan slowly.

Isen regarded Morgan with the kind of disapproval one would give a child throwing a tantrum. If the boy thought he held any leverage, Isen would already be dead. Everything hinged on the fact that he'd kept Yuki's location a secret to most everyone, save for a few servants who occasionally checked in. After all, why take the chance that Morgan would simply kill him and torture his way through each of his men to find his little boyfriend?

No, Yuki would wait until Isen had broken Morgan for good. He may claw at the walls of his damp, dark enclosure, wearing his fingers down to the bone. He may be too weak to move by now, with the occasional meal and just enough water to keep him breathing. Regardless, he was trapped until Isen decided otherwise.

"Tell me," he began, unwilling to even call Morgan by his name. "Where is Yuki now?"

[thiefofcrows]

     Kaz made the same observation as he entered, letting his eyes scan the man before him as he approached. It was obvious by his attire that he had a great deal of money — and the way he wore it, moved in it, the way he held himself and even the choices he made in how to put it all together ... it was instantly clear to Kaz that Isen had always had money.

       He'd never gone hungry, never had to be careful and deliberate about spending, lest he end up on the street. He had always wanted for nothing. Of course, Kaz already knew that from the information he'd gathered on the man, but even without that ... he could see it written all over him.

       So, when Isen made the concious choice to use Kaz's first name instead of leading with his last, it didn't surprise him in the least. The fact that he'd initiated this meeting in the first place told him that Isen at least understood that Kaz was dangerous, not to be underestimated. Regardless, Isen did not see him as an equal and Kaz wasn't about to bow his head and submit. He saw the slight for what it was and he would rise to meet it in kind.

        ❝Isen,❞ Kaz rasped once he came to a stop opposite him. His right brow arched slightly higher than the left and his lips curved in a smirk that was almost unsettling. As if he knew Isen were just about to step into a trap. He wasn't interested in small talk, but ... despite Isen's apparent inclination to take Kaz seriously enough to try not to underestimate him, he still managed it anyway.

He stood with his cane placed in front of him, leather clad hands resting atop the ghastly crows head.

        ❝Likewise. I hope my punishment for Raito didn't start us off on the wrong foot. He drew first blood and trespassed — I gave him the chance to walk away unscathed, but he didn't heed the warning. I couldn't let that slide, I'm sure you understand.❞ Kaz already knew that Isen likely didn't care and, if he was as intelligent as he suspected, he'd long-since cut Raito loose because of it. Isen knew the rules and, while Kaz believed most of the old rules from Per Haskell's time were useless and naive, there were still some he utilized. Even so, he was always prepared for someone to disregard them all.

@thiefofcrows

Only a fool would believe Per Haskell was anything but a figurehead, an old man teetering on the edge of his grave. Not that Haskell had been worth a second thought even in his prime. No, The Dregs had only become a threat very recently, under the command of someone else.

Kaz Brekker was quickly making a name for himself in this city. A skilled thief and respectable fighter, with an affinity for scrounging up leverage against any unlucky soul who crossed his path, Kaz was not to be underestimated. As long as he could take a breath, Kaz was a threat.

It was a miracle that Raito's idiocy hadn't brought his wrath down on Isen, and his ex-henchman ought to count his blessings that Isen hadn't finished the job.

Raito was far from Isen's biggest issue right now. Another, often defiant henchman had been causing problems ever since he abandoned the Blades. Nakoudo Sakasha. He had directly challenged Isen's position, and Isen had responded in kind. Bloody and bruised, Isen had allowed him to limp out the door. Ever since then, Nakoudo had been annoyingly persistent with his little vendetta.

Perhaps, should Kaz offer some assistance, this problem could benefit them both.

He checked his watch. Kaz wasn't late, but Isen had come to this warehouse a few minutes early. The buildings on this street belonged to neither Dregs nor Blades. Just as Isen would not accept an invitation into a lion's den, he was sure Kaz wouldn't, either. If the message had truly been passed on, it shouldn't be much longer.

The door opened and he heard the sound of a wooden cane tapping with every other step. Isen turned to face Kaz. He was dressed in an expensive suit of solid black, with a heavy overcoat. Isen was dressed the opposite, an off-white suit with no tie, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. It was an...interesting contrast.

Kaz seemed to be young only in years. There were heavy dark circles beneath his eyes, the lines of his face aging him far beyond seventeen. He was as tall as Isen and thin, his gait uneven. But knowing Kaz's reputation, that didn't seem to be much of a hinderance.

"I appreciate you meeting me here, Kaz," Isen said at last. He did not extend his hand to shake. "It is nice to finally put a face to a name."

[malka-lisitsa]

Katherine wasn't exactly known for staying in once place very long, but that didn't mean she ever dropped a city for good. Especially not one she really enjoyed. LA was full of low risk feeders, high risk feeders, vampires, and plenty for the vampire to keep busy with. To drown her thoughts out with.

It was no surprise when she got his invitation, she had left the bread crumbs for him to find her on purpose. She loves games after all, and she wanted to see just how his resources and influence had grown.

Sitting in the offered seat, Katherine crossed her arms and smirked at him. Head held high as usual. You see for every year his reputation grew, hers did too. And she's got about five hundred years on him.

"Why not?" She mused easily as she took the drink that was poured for her. She isn't worried about vervain, it hasn't affected her since 1864, and she hopes he's not that stupid. "It's not like this city is in danger of lacking things to do."

She took a sip, clean, good boy.

Katherine set her drink down and leaned forward a little bit, taking control of the conversation. Like she does.

"But I'll cut to the chase, you have a guy- a guy really good at what he does right? A guy who sets up fake identities for your people. I want that guy's services."

Why settle for less than the best when she knows the man who has the best in his back pocket? The vampire expects the usual price. He helps her out, she kills for him. It's such a useful tool to be invincible, stronger and faster than everyone else.

@malka-lisitsa

When he was informed that an old friend had reappeared in LA, of course Isen had arranged a meeting. It was a useful position, to be on the good side of Katherine Pierce. Nearly fifteen years later, Isen intended to stay there.

That was, if Katherine still held him in her favor.

The restaurant had a steady flow of customers, not too busy, not too slow. It was unassuming, a rare gem with good food and a suitable atmosphere for negotiation. Isen had sent one of his men to give Katherine the invitation. The idea that she would refuse did not enter his mind. After all, their agreement hadn't been one-sided.

A small woman with brown hair sauntered into the restaurant. She hadn't aged a day since the last time Isen had seen her -- but he had a feeling that, though the exterior remained the same, this may not be the Katherine he knew before.

As she came toward him, Isen stood. To offer a hand to a vampire was unwise. So he settled for a slight inclination of his head, a polite, barely-there smile on his lips.

"It's nice to see you again, Katherine." He gestured to her seat before sitting down himself, a silent invitation. From his seat he studied her. The set to her shoulders was slightly different, though there was still a spark in her eyes. Her face had always been expressive. He had seen her poised, and he had witnessed her bloodlust. She'd stayed consistent, strong and intelligent. Such things had quickly earned Isen's respect.

"I wasn't aware you were in the city." His voice remained cool and calm, but that didn't mean he was at ease. And evidently, he wasn't interested in beating around the bush. "Why come back?"

[feilien]

 There was no denying that the heir to the Black Dragon's throne had fallen, and he had fallen deep. Liu Long Zhi was no longer the heir; hell, he was no longer even a Black Dragon. Sure, it had been his own choice to leave, to not only abandon his clan, but his family, too—but that hadn't made it any easier. It didn't matter that he had a barrel full of valid reasons, and a suitcase full of childhood trauma. In the end, he was still riddled with guilt over the fact he had left his own family. 

 The only thing that stopped him from going back was the knowledge that he had done the right thing. He didn't want to be a part of what the clan was doing, not now that he knew the truth. The real truth. It was disgusting and unforgivable, and he'd rather live on the streets with no money in his pockets and a stomach that hurt from a lack of food. Which was exactly the way he was living now; he never had his own money, and what little he'd stashed away had been wiped clean within a few days. There were no friends he could fall back on, no other family. The only thing he had was Bao, and a dingy little safehouse without water or electricity the clan had forgotten about. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing at all. 

 Long Zhi tried to stay under the radar by taking on odd jobs here and there that paid under the table, nothing that left a paper trail. Other than that, he didn't leave the safehouse much. So it was fair to say he was beyond surprised—perhaps even a little scared—when he was approached by a couple of thug looking men that identified themselves as working for Isen Reiou. A name he recognized, but admittedly didn't know enough about to truly understand what it meant. All he knew was that Isen wanted to meet with him. 

 Up until the very last moment, Long Zhi wasn't sure if he was going to show up, or not. Isen belonged to a world he had just left behind and never wanted to return to if he could help it. And if his hunch was right, that was exactly what this meeting was about—an offer to join. And Long Zhi was, without a doubt, a valuable asset to any criminal enterprise. For multiple reasons. In the end, he figured it couldn't hurt to at least listen to whatever Isen had to say or offer. 

 To say Long Zhi was nervous to set foot into what would've been considered enemy territory not too long ago would've been an understatement. But he had learned a long time ago how to put on a mask and appear far more confident than he truly was. And the last thing he wanted was to show weakness. So he walked into the room, tense, but head held high, and taking in every minute detail in case he had to react. 

 "I wasn't entirely sure I would. But I have a feeling I might not have had much choice in the matter, anyway. You've already gone through the trouble of tracking me down, I doubt you would've been happy with a refusal. Impressive, by the way. I thought I did a fairly good job at covering my tracks." 

 After hesitating for a moment, Long Zhi finally made his way over to the chairs and sat down, appearing casual, but ready to reach for his weapons at a moment's notice. Isen's gaze made him feel uneasy, as it was oddly reminiscent of the way Xiao Dan used to look at him. It didn't feel quite as cold and calculating, but it still seemed to peer straight into his soul, and it took everything in him not to shudder.

 "I think I do." Though the suggestion that he'd had plenty of other invites made Long Zhi smile bitterly. Regardless of if he would've wanted them or not, no one was willing to touch him with a ten foot pole. Xiao Dan had put a price on his head, and anyone caught fraternizing with him would be caught in the crossfire. Highly skilled or not, no one thought it worth the price. Apart from the man sitting across from him, apparently. That, or he was simply oblivious of the implications. Which Long Zhi sincerely doubted. 

 "So since we're already skipping the small talk, let's just get to the point. What exactly is it you want from me? If you're looking to recruit me, I wouldn't bother. It isn't worth the trouble. The amount of enemies you'd gain far outweighs the worth of my skills. There's plenty of others with a similar skillset as mine that don't come with all that added baggage. So unless there's anything else, I apologize for wasting your time and I think it's best if I leave before word gets back to the clan."

@feilien

It had been fairly easy to get word to Liu Long Zhi. It seemed uncouth to hunt the disgraced Black Dragons heir down himself -- and so, Isen tasked a couple of his men with delivering the message, a simple request to meet. Thankfully, Long Zhi had spared him the trouble of escalation by agreeing.

Isen filled out paperwork as he waited, checking his watch sparingly. On the off chance Long Zhi didn't walk through the door, either he would have to pay for wasting Isen's time or his own men would shoulder the blame. To be fair or merciful was to be weak. Especially with...these people.

Two minutes before 3pm, the afternoon sunlight peering through the cracks in the curtains and casting dots on the ceiling, there was a knock on his door.

"Come," Isen called without looking up, and the door carefully opened.

"Sir," Tanaka said with a small bow. "Liu Long Zhi is here to see you."

"Send him in," Isen said, his tone almost bored, though he was anything but. He set the pen down and stood, having just buttoned the suit of his jacket when the heir himself appeared in the doorway, two of his own nervous henchmen lingering in the background.

"Close the door behind you, if you would."

Once Long Zhi turned away, Isen scanned him in less than a second. By the way he moved, he was attentive, a man poised for action, clearly trained to be a fighter. That would serve Isen well, and he expected nothing less from a man who had been groomed to take the Black Dragons' throne. Of course, if his intelligence was accurate, Long Zhi was unlike any of the other men under Isen's employment.

"Thank you for coming," Isen said, inclining his head to the other, a corner of his lips quirked up in a gesture of peace. To shake the hand of someone with abilities was unwise, and Isen kept them behind his back. "You may call me Isen. Please, sit."

He gestured to a couple chairs and circled back to his own. Isen rested his hands on the desk in front of him, fixing Long Zhi with a neutral gaze, the harsh black of his eyes having warmed a bit. Intending to seem benevolent, perhaps even trustworthy, though a glint of that old sharpness still lurked beneath the surface. The kind that caught every detail, every weakness. The kind that made it clear why Isen was the boss.

"I'm sure you know why you're here," he began, always loathe to engage in small talk. "I would assume you've been invited to plenty of meetings, in light of recent events."

[painofhumanity]

Despite the pain he was in, despite how weak he was, Morgan's eyes flashed black at the thinly veiled threat towards Yuki. "Except you know that if you don't," he started through gritted teeth, "there's nothing stopping me from killing you."

Morgan didn't have much in the way of control, but he knew two sure triggers for his ability to drain the life out of anything around him: fear and anger.

He pushed himself upright and grabbed Isen's wrist. "I let you do whatever sick tests you want, and you keep Yuki safe. The second that stops being true. . .you'll find out just how much Yuki's kept me in check."

Morgan's hand fell to his side and he closed his eyes for a moment before finally moving to get his feet under him. Isen still didn't seem to get it; Yuki's safety wasn't just keeping Morgan compliant, he was keeping Isen alive. Part of him was tempted to show Isen what he was capable of, but he was afraid that without Yuki around to soothe his anger, Morgan wouldn't be able to stop, and then he'd never be able to find Yuki.

@painofhumanity, continued from here

It had long since occurred to Isen that Morgan didn't just have an ability, he was something else. The way he healed so effectively had proven that. His skin stitched itself together unconsciously, as effortless as a heartbeat.

That, and none of his test subjects had consistently come back from the dead.

"I won't repeat myself." His eyes narrowed slightly as he felt a prick of irritation, watching Morgan writhe in pain and yet still defy him, knowing the consequences. Isen knelt down, gripping the collar of his ruined shirt and yanking him forward. A corner of his lips picked up, not interested in hiding his amusement.

"We had an agreement. If you can't hold up your end, I'm afraid I can't hold up mine."

Not that he would kill Morgan's precious Yuki -- not if he valued his life -- but the location of the boy was his insurance, just in case he met the wrath of this immortal being. Isen was reluctant to call him god.

[thiefofcrows]

       Kaz is enjoying this far too much. ❝Not for as long as you live, no.❞

       ❝Then beg,❞ said Kaz, tilting his head with a shrug. ❝No one's stopping you.❞