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Ever in a hurry, Caesura would continue to scurry down the roads of Akuma Castle. She had a bale of rice in each arm as she hurried her way up towards the castle’s main kitchen. Another feast was in the making, and they needed their rice for some of the nigirizushi. The young woman kept running and running for what felt like forever, but she unfortunately didn’t take notice of the man on her immediate right stepping out of the inn with a bottle of sake in his hand.The rice bale collided effortlessly into the man and his bottle, the only thing saving him being the doorway. “Watch where y’r goin’, lady!”Oh no, oh no, he was drunk. That stench was unmistakable on his breath, that sway in his steps. That alcohol was dripping out of its jug faster than Caesura’s feet ever carried her. Her heart was accelerating and everything within her wanted to get away at all costs. But when he cut off her path with his burly form, she winced. She was about to say she was sorry, but the words escaped her.Fear struck her like lightning. What was going on!? Her eyes looked every which way and the world around her started to dissipate, the only things being her and a man that was slowly but surely reminding her more and more of the man that held her captive for years. She could feel her throat closing tightly and gripped for dear life as she searched for something, anything to say.“Well, what have we here?” A deep, baritone voice soothingly questions as it slowly makes its way over. A man with jet black hair and carmine highlights made his presence known, his chest exposed in the cool, autumn air save for his haori, and everything became clear. The tensions settled in an instant. The man who had been wronged bows in his presence. “How are you both doing today?”The man waves a finger at the poor girl. “Sh-She tried n’ dropped muh-my sake!”Vox tuts and shakes his head at Caesura, whose leaf green eyes plead with him to see reason. “Well, we cannot have that, can we? You just got that bottle the other day for all your hard work, didn’t you?” The drunk nods his cherry red head. “Mm…what a pity. Well, only one thing for it.” He turns towards Caesura and waves his hand towards the man. “Say you’re sorry, darling.”Caesura knew she couldn’t. Tears pricked her eyes and she lowered her head down as far as it could go further to try and emphasize her sincerity. Her ponytail drooped all the way down below her knees. Vox hums once with a smirk and gestures with his calloused hand towards her. “There you have it. Now then, allow me to figure out a proper means of repayment for you. If you’ll excuse us.” The two of them turn around and Vox says, “Would you mind taking those to the kitchens?”“O-Of course, milord, whatever y-yuh-you say!” The man bids the two of them farewell while slowly picking up his sake bottle first, sticking his tongue out and trying to take even a drop out of what remained. Vox grips just her sleeve and tugs on it as he walks her towards an alley.“What the hell were you doing?” He whispers in a shout. “No more of this running around at night nonsense, it’s dangerous as is. Now you’re bumping into drunkards? Are you mad?” Caesura squeezes her eyes shut and bows once more. Vox sighs and shakes his head. “What am I going to do with you?” He gestures for her to lift up and she stares in awe at him.She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her eyes searching for a sign of what she should do in his own. Green met yellow and pink and almost made for spring colors in the gaze shared between them. She sighs and is about to speak up when he says what she was about to mouth to him.“It was an accident, I know. You’ve nothing to fear, little one. Just…please be more careful.” He carefully parts a hair from her face, but it felt as though he was trying to avoid touching her face. “For me.”Caesura, bewildered at his gesture, slowly nods her head.“That’s a good girl. Alright, better head back to the kitchen and help Ina-san. I’ve a banquet to host, and you've got food to prepare, do you not?”She nods weakly. As Vox is about to leave, though, she finds herself compelled to reach out to him. His haori nearly blew in the wind, teasing her to take hold of it. She instinctively clung her fingers to it, stopping him dead in his tracks.Vox slowly turned towards her, a look of confusion and…almost fear in his eyes as he observed her hand. It dissipated when he looked into her eyes again. “Yes? What is it?”Caesura bit her lip and tried to think of something to say or do. She clasped her hands together in front of her, then gave a quick bow, her ponytail moving about every which way when she did. She mouthed the words, “Thank you, milord.”And with that, she ran off to be ever helpful to her hero.
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“Excellent work today, Officer Akuma!” One person cheers. The streets were surrounded by luscious, grassy meadows filled end to end with bright, white daisies. The spring breeze tickles the man, leaving a rosy-cheeked smile on his face.“Oh, thank you,” He replies, waving a hand flippantly at them. More and more people kept following him around with every step he took. The town was peaceful save for the happy mob of people behind him, citizens he’s helped through the years of his career.“You’re an inspiration to us all!” Another one swoons. These people were starting to climb over each other just to get closer to him.“Thank you, thank you, you’re far too kind.” He hums in delight and waves at them, as well. He tried his best to not look behind him to see just how desperate these people were for his attention.“They should make you the police chief!”Now that one, he couldn’t ignore. He wiggles his index finger at this. “Aww, that’s an elected matter, it’d be no fair otherwise…” The crowd was so big that he couldn’t even see the meadows anymore. They just kept trampling whatever flowers they were near all for the sake of being so much as a step closer to him.He chuckles with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes as he slowly closes the door behind him, ridding himself of all the fanfare that crowded around him each and every day. He sighs in relief and takes off his hat, setting it on one of the hooks by the door.It was his home, but it didn’t quite feel like home. Not right now, anyway. It had all the amenities and knick-knacks that he was used to, and the sunshine pouring in was a nice touch, but it wasn’t quite enough. Noooot yet. He undoes his necktie, takes off his vest and latches that onto a hook, as well. He takes a glance or two around and notices the yellow, orange, and green tiffany lamp on the console table beside a few framed photographs; there was one of him in his first officer’s uniform, one of him shaking hands with the chief as he’s handed an award, and one of him in a tuxedo beside… He stretches and starts walking towards the kitchen, where he’s long overdue for a glass of water.He walks over to the refrigerator with some photos held on by magnets of him and someone else at a handful of venues: the beach, some canyons, a marathon, even Gettysburg on segways. He dispenses some crushed ice, followed shortly after by some cold, filtered water, then proceeds to chug it. He does so for a short while until he feels a pair of hands gently rub up and down his pecs. The left side of their face props itself against his shoulder, bucking into him and nearly clinging to his muscular form. “I missed you…”Now he’s home. That feeling of this person always puts him at ease. He sighs through his nose with a smile, finally feeling relief for the first time today. He sets the now empty glass down, turning around and welcoming them with open arms. He leans against the kitchen counter as he embraces them, holding them tightly. “I missed you, too, darling.” He inhales the scent in their hair, moaning softly before he starts getting a bit more handsy with their body. He loved the way they practically molded into his body, melting into his embrace.Their hips buck into his again and again until they inevitably sit atop his lap. He growls and tugs on their hair, leaving sharp marks over their exposed neck. He shuddered at the sound of their cries and whimpers, reaching a hand up their shirt to tease them further. They wrapped their arms around him, clinging to his top, which he took as an invitation to take it off right then and there. He leaned back a bit, allowing them to undo each button until they started pecking his exposed chest. He roars and effortlessly lifts them atop the counter, spreading their legs apart to–“Officer Akuma, sir?”He startles awake, lifting himself up from the arm he propped up to try and relax. He glances around for a moment to get his bearings, then sighs. “Yes? What do you want?”“We found the suspect that’s been making the rounds, assaulting men across the country. They’ve been apprehended and are now in hold-in for questioning.” The officer yawns and smacks his lips after hearing the explanation.Right, the case he’d been on for a number of months now. He could feel excitement building in his pants at the idea of finally putting this wretched person in their place. He shuffles some of the paperwork on his desk and sees the photograph of the person he was just getting frisky with mere moments ago in that dream. “Ah, the Kindred case, right? I’ll be there to perform an interrogation soon. Just let me finish up what I’m doing here.” He stands from his seat when he sees the man about to leave. “Oh, and Duffy? I’ll get to them before the end of the day. I have a lot I need to take care of here, so please make sure there’s no interference until I get there. This is an important matter, we can’t let just anyone get involved here.”The patrolman nods his head and steps out the door, going back to whatever business he had to attend to next. The officer stared down at the document that had their photo and description on it, a smirk creeping onto his lips. He cracks his knuckles, then stands up, puts his hat on, and heads to the cells.Tonight was going to be unforgettable.
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Another boring day at the office. You sigh as you make your way inside and head over to the payclock, swiping your card over the logo of the machine. In a tone that some joke sounds like your voice, it says on a muffled speaker: “Clocked in!”“Hm.” You shudder at the sound of the familiar voice. You smirk a bit when you find the one saving grace of this place standing right behind you. “It's about time you finally clocked in. Listen, I've got a very simple job for you to do today.” You roll your eyes at this. “I know you're not the kind of person to follow instructions easily - as we've seen from the reports on your behavior and progress - but I do need something from you at the moment.”He takes a step closer to you. “There's a file in the back of the fourth cabinet, the one behind you in the left hall. If you can grab that for me, that would be really excellent, okay? It might be a little hard to find, so if you can go and seek it out for me, bring it back here, I'll have a little discussion about your performance. After that, uh, maybe I'll decide not to be so harsh on you. Okay? Go on, get out of here!”A far shorter man with a bowl cut stands side by side with him, his arms behind him in a relaxed military stance. He had a black tie with thin, yellow stripes draped over his red buttoned shirt. “I would’ve given up on ‘em.”Vox rolls his eyes at this. “I know you would, but…I see a lot of potential here. They showed so much promise during my interview with them.”“Didjya talk to them about it?”Vox ponders it for a moment. “You know what? I intend to. Cover for me until I get back, won’t you?” With that, Vox takes long strides in his Italian dress shoes towards the left hall where the file cabinet was. The file in question was for a project that had been on the backburner for some time, but even he knew not to keep this client waiting for too long. Maybe while you were likely struggling with finding it, he’d get an opportunity to confront you about your work ethic in a way that you can understand.You scurry over to the cabinet in question and retrieve the file. Before you turn around, you’re pushed into a broom closet by two large but dainty hands. He closes the door behind him, turns on the light, and stares you dead in the face. He takes a deep breath, and he starts with his pitch.“Right. Let’s have a talk, you and me. Okay? I try to run this place like a tight ship, as strict and as orthodox and as well-organized as I possibly, possibly can. Okay? The issue that I’m finding…” He clicks his lips and exhales. “I don’t think you treat it like the tight ship that I do. Now, I know I don’t always – but even if I arrive late – it’s because I’m spending time working elsewhere, you understand? Now you…” He tuts. “You, unfortunately are late more times than you are on time.”He sees you nodding your head and smiles slightly, likely at the prospect of your comprehension. “You’re very often late. And, when you do show up, your attendance and work ethic leave a lot to be desired. Do you understand?”He takes another deep breath. “Now, I – listen, I’m not the kind of person who wants to berate you, because you’ve been here for a while, and I understand you’ve been through a lot and want to make things better. I understand, okay? I’ll do my best to turn a blind eye for the next week or so, alright? But in that time, I want you to put your chin up, and I want you to act like you want this job. Okay?”Your eyes trail down to the floor, but you nod your head.“Now, the people outside, they can’t hear me right now, nor you. So they don’t know I’m giving you this little chat. What I want you to do is stay in here. I’m gonna walk back outside. When you do, I want you to walk back into that environment that I so graciously hired you into, and I want you to do so with pride. You understand? Pride in the career that you work in, pride in the job that I gave you? Because otherwise, I don’t see much point in keeping you here. And I know you don’t have many prospects elsewhere, do you? You’re very lucky to have this career, very lucky indeed. Perhaps it’s that luck that let me corner you in here to give you a chat rather than firing you on the spot, which I’ve been very, very tempted to do. Okay? Alright…”He exhales and turns around. “I’m going to take a step outside now. So remember, follow what I say, and play by my rules. You understand?”You nod your head. He unlocks the door and it opens effortlessly. You blink in surprise at the sight of it. Something about it seemed off. This didn’t feel right. Why did you get the feeling it was supposed to jam? Why did you suddenly have these images in your head of a bunch of bizarre fantasies being fulfilled on both of your ends? He catches you zoning out and asks, “Everything alright?”You lift your head up and meet his gaze. You feel like you missed out on something by having this conversation go as smoothly as it did. But that was probably just your imagination. “Yeah, I’m…I’m fine. Sorry, I’ll… How about I go out first?”You hurry ahead of him and make your way out the door. Vox’s brows furrow as he watches you make your way back over to your desk, greeting your referral to this place, Lina, in the process. You head over to your desk which is across from a fellow interior designer by the name of Chris. And just like that, you seemed to be honed in on your tasks.“Oh, Mr. Akuma, I’ve been looking for you!” A woman with a bob of brown hair smiles up at him before adjusting her oval glasses to get a better look at him. “Mrs. Chen left you a voicemail yesterday and wanted to discuss that project. I put the number to call her at your desk.”Vox nods slowly. “Thank you, Grace. I’ll be sure to give her a call soon.” Vox can’t help but set his sights back on you. He realizes you had set the folder down on the side of your desk, and he sighs once again. He was hoping your work ethic would remain intact after his input. He wasn’t saying anything to belittle you or hurt you. He just made it apparent how much this job means to him, and then he moved on. There was no reason to be too emotionally invested in that discussion.But that being said, why did he feel like something was wrong? Like he misstepped somewhere on the path of life?He was probably just imagining things. Maybe this would be another opportunity. He hovers over to your desk and taps your shoulder. “Do you have a minute? I believe you have the chart I needed, and…do you mind if we go over its contents? I was considering involving you in this project in some way.”You nod your head and hand him the file, then proceed to scooch out of your chair and stand up to follow him. He takes you into his office, closing the door behind him.
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Deep in the bowels of a highly active volcano was a hollowed out cave with a massive stairwell that led to a crater that had been indented into the rubble and rock over the years, magma oozing around it on all sides. With no safe steps to trek, there was a tunnel that would take one directly to an altar with runes embedded into it on all sides. Further still was a crouching dragon-shaped hole leading to a treasure hoard over ten thousand years in the making.Beneath a restless, hulking form lies gold, jewelry, weapons, and trinkets in piles nearly stacked to the heavens. All that glittered and shined, no expense was spared. Not that the one who collected them had to pay for them. The being above them stirred and quaked, unable to get proper sleep. There was a stench in the air, one he could swear he had smelled roughly a decade ago. Time was of no consequence to this being, but he had to admit that he took great solace in his mind, remaining as sharp as it was the day he was born.He stretched his rigid body to the best of his abilities, bracing himself for the inevitable ducking he would have to do as he made his way out of the tunnel. Once that ritual was done, he opened his pyrite eyes, his slit pupils adjusting to what little light he gets in this place. He glanced around for a spell, not particularly searching for anything. Although, it had been some time since he had a proper meal.That scent was the only indication he needed that a meal was on its way. With that in mind, he may as well welcome it with an open mouth. He was about to do exactly that when his talon scraped along some metal. A blade he’d long since forgotten about. He growled and kicked it aside, the cavern rumbling from his efforts. He then trekked out of the tunnel past his altar and up, up, up towards the crater, the cliffside where any visitors would inevitably visit him. The beast was roughly ten stories tall, the cliffside itself a meager seven. Though try as the dragon might, he was too large to leave this domain. But given food came right to him, what good would a departure from this place do him? He’d be easy prey anywhere he could possibly go.His temple was a sanctuary, and it was all he needed. He had everything he needed. Everything but a meal, for the time being. But that would change when he set his sights on his uninvited guest."Ahhhh... There you are. I thought I smelled something crawling around my temple. Come here. Who are you, and where do you come from?”This human was small, not even the size of his weakest talon. She had silver hair in a braid across the top of her head and pigtails that poured over her shoulders like waterfalls. She had a burgundy dress with a unique pattern on each of the sleeves, one the dragon had some familiarity with. Over her shoulder was a satchel that’s clearly seen better days, dingy and beaten with its apparent fair share of uses. It smelled of leather and…something else. Something sweet.But her eyes, her eyes made her unmistakable. There was not a doubt in his mind who this child was when he saw that fierce gaze the shades of a sunset. She took after one of them quite a bit, but that paleness to her skin and that hue of iridescent light that peered at him in some semblance of awe…“M-My name is, um…”“Speak louder, little one.” He grumbled. He didn’t have time for any nonsense. Whoever this person was, they wanted something. Nobody is pure of heart, no matter how much they insist otherwise. This little weakling, this child was no exception. Although, he knew that symbol. About a decade ago, a foolish little lord and their beloved Sir… Oh, what was it? Eh, it mattered very little who the father was. He just knew that this morsel would taste very delicious.He was just waiting to hear the words slip out of her mouth that she was royalty.“My…My name is Plum,” She said, a bit more clearly this time around.It took the dragon a moment to register what he just heard. “Plum…” He repeated. What, that was it? No mention of royal lineage, no homeland, no the second or the third or the whatever? Just...Plum? That’s impossible. Her one parent had far more pride than that, enough to have the gall to stand toe-to-toe with a fire dragon in a volcano. Their kin had to have been raised to follow suit, surely.“Y-Yes, O Great and Mighty Dragon,” She confirmed further with a nod of the head. “Like the fruit…”Like the fruit, she says… How adorable. He couldn’t hold in his chuckle, which started with a closed mouth before increasing to an open-mouthed cackle, his jaws open wide as he mocked her. “You fool no one, child. You brandish their symbol on your linens. None other than the crest of the Kindred Clan.”The child blinked in surprise at this, now observing the symbols herself. This little game of hers where she feigned shock was getting old very fast. “I… I knew not of this. Pop never told me of such things, he–”“Ah, yes, your beloved ‘Pop’.” Another rumbling laugh escaped him. “Oh, how cruel fate can be to have the daughter of a man who owes me his life standing right before me, ready to give me hers. You are the child of Lord Kindred, are you not? Princess Plum of the Kindred Clan. Such lovely titles…titles that serve no purpose in my domain, as you will soon find out.”The shock on the little girl’s face was priceless. To think that she came crawling back to a place that likely haunted her father to this day. He was practically grinning from horn to horn at the thought. He watched her face go through various emotions. It was so precious how easy a read she was. Far easier to read than that wretched Lord Kindred, that was for sure. “I…am not here to repay you for what you have done for my father, then. I come here on my own terms.”This made the dragon quirk a scaly brow. “Oh?” He snickers. “A pity that they did not warn you of the most dangerous beast in all Seven Worlds. I suppose it is their funeral. Or rather, it will be yours.” He cackles, roaring in amusement at the turn of events. “But before I kill you, I shall give you the honour of toying with you. What offering have you prepared for me?”It takes her a moment to figure out what he’s asking her, but he sees her timidly shuffling through her belongings shortly after. Only now, she’s not presenting him some little thing. This is…a scent he’d not sniffed in quite a few millennia. “These are peaches from my family farm. Fresh from the orchard and brought straight to you. Though,” She opens the satchel and winces at the sight, a very juicy aroma literally dripping out of it. “They may have seen better days in this place.”It would appear so, as the intense heat was strong enough to practically cook them in her leather bag. Although, it had been quite some time since he feasted upon a good peach. Perhaps he could have one’s cake and eat it. His tongue slipped out of his mouth and lingered towards the bag that the little girl held up for him as high as she could. He curled his tongue into the bag and snatched the first peach and consumed it without so much as a gulp. The taste remained on his tongue for a short while, but it lasted a mere moment.His pupils dilated ever so slightly, the warm, melty taste of it feeling so refreshing on his weary tongue. He had to have another, but he didn’t have to tell her they were delectable, the best fruit he’d ever tasted in years. Perhaps it was its summery colors that reminded him of magma molting into a flammable liquid. Perhaps it was the fuzzy texture as it slid down his tongue like a chute into his gullet. Perhaps it was its firmness despite the juice that was slipping out of it from every side. Or, perhaps their land had favorable soil. Whatever it was, he wanted more.He wanted all of them.This little Plum clearly couldn’t get a read on him, as she was getting paler than her own skin would allow, quivering in place. “I-It is the finest in the Mortal Plains. They sell out first at the farmer’s market in our local town square. Humans from all walks of life come to have a taste!”“Is that so?” He taunted, not buying that for a second. She was afraid of him rejecting her offering. Luckily for her, he enjoyed it. Unluckily for her and him, she didn’t bring enough peaches for his liking. He curled his tongue around the inside of her bag once more and hoisted up all of the peaches that remained one by one before hoisting them up into the air and into his mouth. “Your offering pleases me. Bring more.”She gasps at this. “I beg your pardon!?”His head leers over hers now, his maw mere inches from her face. He could feel his breath bouncing back off of her skin. “Bring. More.” He slowly eases back, eyes narrowed. “Or do you intend to demand more of me? Wishes are not to be given so freely, little one. Your literature would be wise to teach you that.”“That is not true! Anyone’s wishes can come true when they put the work in! My father and I worked very hard to grow our own peaches and perfect them. I brought them here as a gift to you!”He shakes his head with a weary laugh. “A gift, you say? What rubbish. That is no gift, that is an offering that will soon demand something of me. You are no different from any other human that sets foot in my temple. Come now, speak your truth. Tell me honestly what your intentions are.”“I-I speak the truth, these are a gift!”He rolled his citrine eyes and turned his back to the girl. “You waste my time with your childish nonsense. Away with you, before I become testy.” He flicked his tail against the crater, causing some of the rubble up above to crumble down.“See here, I– Ahh!”That sound, that smell, that euphoria of tasting yet another human. He simply cannot resist. He knew she would take after Lord Kindred and come after him, but here she was playing right into his mouth with an excuse to eat her. He had the whole thing planned out in his head the moment he smelled the blood of the little girl. He slowly turns back towards her, a wicked gleam in his eye. He watches her struggling, wincing and breathing through the pain of having injured herself on a rock or two. Her leg had been cut, the wound gashing just below her left knee.It was almost too easy. Like taking peaches from a child.“Little one, it is unwise to run in someone else’s home. Lest you break something, or hurt yourself.” He shakes his head slowly, tutting on several occasions at the sight before him, the pleading look in her pink gold eyes. He slowly saunters up to her and leans his eye towards the girl, examining her injury. “That is quite the cut, my poor, little Plum.”She hurriedly searches her bag for something only to retrieve an empty elixir bottle, which likely contained medicine she would have used in this scenario had she not done so on the way over here. The dragon had to hold back a laugh at the display before him.“You know, my dear Plum,” He starts, turning on the charm and preparing to blow her mind with smoke and mirrors. “I am a fire dragon born in the far off realms of Enat Aadanaha, lying far beyond what we know as the Seven Worlds. There are hundreds of caves like mine in those lands, some far larger, deeper, scorching hot. But those dragons have a gift: the gift of healing.” Plum’s eyes widened at this news. He loomed his head just a bit closer to her. “Are you interested in this technique?”Her eyes examined her injury. She turned her head back towards the entrance, causing her pigtails to swish to one side. They returned shortly after when she made eye contact with him again. “For what reason?”The dragon smirked at this. She may be a child, but she was clearly no fool. Her parents may very well have had a hand in that. She was foolish enough to visit a dragon, but not foolish enough to believe what he said right away. He’d be the one to give her the push she needs to take that leap of faith, though. “You may consider it as me granting you your wish. You are out of potions, are you not?” He watched her stare down at the empty bottle that was now rolling on the rubble. “The path home must be quite difficult for someone your size. I do believe that you are out of better options.”The girl sighs, pursing her lips and looking back towards him. “Very well, but please be quick. I need to return home soo–”His carnelian gaze sharpens as he curls his tongue slowly around her leg, snaking it all the way up towards her thigh. In no time at all, he binds her by the leg and hoists her up into the suffocating, brimstone-scented air. He can feel her delectable blood outpouring from the wound and dripping onto his tongue. He almost moans from the taste alone. But none of those things came close to the satisfaction he felt at the sound of her cries.He picks her up by the claw, dangling her to meet him at eye level, but far enough away that she can’t attempt to lunge at him like Lord Kindred once did. She was clinging to his claw with both arms, whimpering and choking on her sobs. “Aww, what is it? Is the little one crying? Tut tut tut, poor baby. Poor little thing about to die for entering the dragon’s lair.” He chuckles wickedly while dangling her just above his teeth.He hears sobbing, whispering, but he doesn’t hear her pleading for her life or anything of the sort. He turned his head just a bit to hear her better.“I will be dying alone…”“Hm? Cease your mumbling, little one. Say that louder.”He brought her close to his eye once more to get a proper look at her, to better understand her suffering and take satisfaction in it. “If you eat me, I will have died without making a single friend…”A sensation he never felt before lurches in his chest. What was she blathering about? She was a princess, was she not? A farming princess, mind you, but a princess all the same. What business would she have in not having any friends? She would surely have too many friends to count. Something was clearly wrong here. “You lie.”“I do not!” Her eyes watered and her voice cracked at her defensive shouts, which reverberated in the crater of the dragon’s creation. He felt about as hollow as it did. Whatever this feeling he was experiencing was just from watching her cry like this, he was not fond of it, not one bit. He growled and felt himself overheating on the inside. Get it out, get it out, get it out! He clicked his tongue a few times after he carried her back over to the top of the cliff. With an enormous roar that shook the entire volcano, he ignited his throat and emitted intense, furious flames that licked at every surface of the cave.When he was through, he snarled at the sight of the little girl that gave him this feeling, one that made him feel something he hated. How dare she garner pity from him. How dare she be so sensitive, so little, so…strange.Stranger still, she didn’t run off when he attempted to burn the place. That look in her eyes, that slight sparkle in them despite her tears, it felt…warm. Warmer than any flame he’d ever emitted. In his over ten thousand years of existence, not once had he felt this way before. It was not love, no, it was…hope.And gods willing by some miracle she walks out of this situation alive, she will have to go back home to experience that miserable feeling of isolation, one he never knew he was feeling all this time. Her need for attachment brought her all the way here. But would he offer her such a thing? How could he turn this around in his favor in some way? How could he benefit from this strange dynamic of a decamillennium old dragon and a mortal child that had yet to experience her teen years? He looked into her eyes again and then…Those peaches. He could have all the peaches he wanted this way. He could have whatever crops grow in her farmland and all he needed to do was ask. Provided she’d give him enough at a given time, he would never experience hunger pangs again. Oh, this would be great. But how to get her to trust him?His eyes glanced at her dress and noticed the Kindred Clan crest once more. He knew what he had to do. “Plum, wait here. Do not leave this domain.” With that, he hurries downward into his tunnel, deep into the cave until he finds it in its dingy, pain-inducing glory: that knight’s sword. One that stabbed him in the underbelly. Thankfully not beneath the neck, or it would have certainly been fatal.But he could still feel the sting once in a while. Not the sting of the sword, but rather…the sting from having lost for the first time in all of his existence. He got cocky. He underestimated that little lord. And if it were up to him, he’d never see them again. Although, he wouldn’t mind seeing their kin once more. This was the only way to bridge the gap after everything that transpired. And it was the only way the dragon could get everything he wanted from this poor, little girl.He returns with the sword held between two claws, clattering it to the ground in front of Plum, who startles and examines it. “I do believe that is your father’s.” He doesn’t believe that, he knows that. His blood has dried into its steel. He tried to hide the wince in his expression as he watched the girl hover over the sword and practice swinging it herself. “It is not a toy.” He chides. “Take it with you on your journey–” Another thought silences him. Her inventory was empty. Going out there without any gear would be certain death for the little one. He couldn’t allow that. “Come here, little one.”He makes his way into the altar. Plum drags the sword along with her, clearly unaware of its significance to let it hit every etching of rock on the way down seven figurative stories. He moves a few stones aside and motions with one of his talons to have Plum enter first. She does so, carrying the sword in both hands now and she holds it close to her chest. “What is this?”“This is my altar, where the wishes are granted. Should I be given a proper offering and should I deem it so, my flames will ignite the runes, allowing them to cast whatever magic spell I see fit.” He blinks and looks towards her. “The only reason I am allowing you in here is because I have willed it. If it were not for my kindness, you would be stumbling down a volcano to your inevitable demise. What do you say?”Plum turns her head towards him, clutching the sword a bit tighter. “Thank you?”He grinned, showing his many fangs before clicking his tongue a few times. He ignited his insides and roared out the flames once more, the runes glowing from the intense heat. A ring of fire manifests and creates a portal to what appears to be a small cottage in a wooded area. A man is waiting there with his back turned, rubbing sweat from his black and crimson hair. He still wore his cape the way he did when they first met, but the rest of his clothes were those of a hard working peasant: dingy, but sewn in various parts to indicate a prolonged use.He lowered his head to meet her at eye level. “Well then, shall you be off, little one?” The dragon’s pupil gazed upon her once more.“You cannot join me?” She inquired with a tilt of the head. The dragon shook his head, and he could feel that ache that only she could give him with that pout.It is what it is, but surely she deserved an explanation. “These portals are much too small for me, and cannot sustain me. I would be trapped between them in no time at all, and that could be catastrophic, or even fatal. I can only observe from here. Do you understand?” He stared at the man working hard to maintain the fields, but then he caught sight of something moving in the window: a head of silver hair. Ah, so they live, after all. With how little dear little Plum spoke of them, he surmised they had passed. Was he to feel relief, or disappointment?He didn’t have time to think about it as a tiny little body makes its presence known against the scales on his mandibular jaw. He feels his heartbeat accelerate before his eyes finally draw towards her to discover that she had attempted to hug him. “I will be off then. Take care, my friend. I will visit again soon.” She steps up atop the altar towards the portal.“With peaches.”Plum chuckles. “Yes, with peaches. Take care, Dragon!” With that, she turns around, hops down into the grass, and scurries over to her father, who gets down on one knee and greets her with open arms. The two embrace before the man admires the sword and begins having a conversation with his daughter.The dragon whisks his hand across the portal and it closes instantly, remnants of its magic keeping the altar room rather warm. He just…sits there for a moment, wondering about the events that took place. It all happened so quickly, and he felt like a whole different dragon. He needed more sleep. That had to be it.He took step after step back into his hoard room, where a bunch of material goods were resting where they always had, but…with his talons now digging deep into the piles upon piles of his treasure trove, the precious metals never felt so…cold. He tried over and over again to get comfortable, but…the most he could do was submerge himself as best he could, feeling everything rattling along with every attempt to get into a position that felt just right.He eventually settled, curling his long tail around the hoard, but this time, inching it just a bit closer to his body.Deep in the bowels of a highly active volcano was a hollowed out cave with a massive stairwell that led to a crater that had been indented into the rubble and rock over the years, magma oozing around it on all sides. With no safe steps to trek, there was a tunnel that would take one directly to an altar with runes embedded into it on all sides. Further still was a crouching dragon-shaped hole leading to a treasure hoard over ten thousand years in the making, but only now did it feel like it didn’t have everything it needed.
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“You’re mine.”The words echoed through your head as you felt air rushing out of you, your temperature plummeting towards the injury in your back. He finally released his tight grip on your hair, but him letting go forced you off balance, made you fall to your knees. The shock was too great and you could hardly hold yourself up when your upper body collapsed to the kitchen floor. The whole room felt like it was spinning. You crawled away from him as fast as you could with a knife in your body, but your husband was far too angry with your rejection. Far too afraid to lose you, to the point that he made it apparent that nobody else could have you alive.He knew not to take the kitchen blade out of you. He was smart enough for that, at least. But he wasn’t smart enough to realize what he was doing, how badly he was hurting you by comparison. He wanted to bring the dead back to life, he was too far gone. You remembered shouting at him that you didn’t want to live with someone who saw no value in human life. He insisted you were wrong, that what he was doing was just and a sign that he did care about life. You called him a psycho and were about to pack your things and leave, but…The chill of the tiles beneath you was almost inviting. You stared at them as he pinned you down by his knees and wrapped his hands around your neck. You wanted to fight back, but you couldn’t. That pain in your back left you nearly paralyzed, and the most you could do to combat him was glare into his eyes and hold one of his hands while he choked you, not even trying to force it off.You were more clever than this, more capable than this. And while you knew this, you were so tired. So tired of his obsessions, so tired of this relationship, so tired of this life. If he wants to play god, fine. Maybe this will be the reality check he needs that what he’s doing is wrong. Maybe he’ll finally realize just how crazy he’s being by trying so hard to hurt you when he has no idea the amount of agony he’s put you through with all of his research. He just needs to let go of you, hold you, apologize, and the two of you would talk things out. Maybe go to couple’s therapy. That’d be nice. You were due that for a while now.You finally focus on the events taking place and watch as the room around you grows dim, as the last thing you see is that cold stare that made him look more dead than alive. “You’re mine! Do you hear me?” You could hardly hear anything with the muffling in your ears. You were starting to feel numb, almost relieved that he was taking you out this way. His fingers around your neck were starting to hurt, but it felt almost fuzzy with how little air was forming in your lungs now.You saw what you could only assume was a tear in his eye and watched it drip onto your face as you gave what little effort you could to take your last breath. Your vision blurred and you blinked your last. You could no longer feel anything as he embraced you, sobbing into your motionless form. He couldn’t even bring himself to look at you anymore; he hurried down to his damned study.
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It was such a lovely idea. The two of you would get bundled up and walk through Central Park together, maybe get some hot chocolate, check out the Christmas village in the center of the city that was like a party that’d never end. Folks from all walks of life would come together to get festive and bask in the joy of giving that was so whimsical and could only be provided by this time of year.“But wait,” Vox heard you start upon receiving the invitation. “Why do you like the holiday so much?”Vox couldn’t contain his own joy. “You don’t feel it in the air, darling? The brightness of the city streets? The chill of the cold Winter wind that’s just begging you to cuddle up with someone? The warmth that each person’s smile brings? The cherished time spent with loved ones? You were at the Christmas party, surely you saw it!”You shook your head no, but squeezed his hand closer.“Christmas is such a magical time of year where you demonstrate how much you care about the people around you. It’s about togetherness, love, and the joy of giving. I find myself far more jolly even at the sight of Santa Claus at a shopping mall.”Vox mused over the conversation the two of you had earlier today, held hand-in-hand while walking through the park. Each pine tree was decorated with colorful baubles, tinsel, and strings of illuminated bulbs. The snow from the day before was still fresh on the ground, but the sidewalks were properly salted and allowed for a smooth, leisurely stroll.Everything was going great.“Kindred?”For a while.That voice was clearly all too familiar to you; he practically saw your ears perk up like a dog. You turned around and couldn’t believe your eyes when you saw that you weren’t dreaming. You ran over and embraced this man that he did not recognize: a gentleman with similar physical features, though he looked thinner than he did. He wore rectangle frames over the bridge of his nose, a creamy turtleneck, a beige peacoat, some gray slacks, and brown dress shoes.This guy was clearly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Those eyes gave him away. He was a predator of sorts. But rather than going after them, he played the waiting game and went after his targets when they provoked him first. When he had their guard fully lowered, that’s when he’d take advantage of them.And here you were with your arms around him. That smirk on his face made him sick. When you finally pulled away from him, you went on and on asking him how he’s been, what he’s been up to, what you’ve been up to, but you appeared to do most of the talking between the two of you. The fellow adjusted his glasses, and you turned around. “Oh, uh, this is my, uh…boyfriend.”What, did you regret informing him? He stepped closer and the two of them met eyes. They looked almost identical save the glasses. “Hm.” Was all he could muster. He adjusted his chesterfield coat. “Well, this was nice, but I believe we should be going.”“Already? You said we’d get hot chocolate after this,” You whined, squeezing his hand tighter.He did agree to that, yes. He had planned to take the next few days off for the holiday, even having Grace forward all of his business calls to voicemail or just asking them to email it instead. With the Christmas party long over and your visit with your parents done and over with, that left time for the two of you to just enjoy one another’s company, possibly for the first time all month.And now here this asshole was trying to do something about it.“Pardon me, though, if I may–” The man started. Yes, he did mind. He minded so damn much. He wanted to yank you by the wrist and never have to see this guy’s face again. “There’s a masquerade ball this Saturday at Madison Hotel, is there not? I happened to win a few tickets in a raffle. Would you two be interested in accompanying me?”Vox grumbled. He was a VIP and was given access with a +1 in attendance. What made this sap think he didn’t already have a ticket? Surely one good look at him would indicate that he was the CEO over at Niji Enterprises. He had a lot of nerve talking him down as though he wasn’t familiar with this particular event.“As a matter of fact, we already have our tickets!” You clarified with a grin on your face.The young man seemed to share it alongside you. “Excellent! In that case, I shall see you both there. I very much look forward to it!”“That makes one of us,” Vox growls. The man waves with a weak smile as he departs from their little gathering. “Jesus Christ, I thought he’d never leave.”You blink in surprise. “Who, him? You’ve got nothing to worry about, we’re long over.”“Is that so?” You nod your head. “He looks exactly like me. And knowing he’ll be attending this masquerade, I think perhaps we should inform Mrs. Chen that we won’t be there…”You wave a hand nonchalantly at his protest. “Oh, stop. It’ll be great! I’ve been dying to go to this. C’mon, we can’t bail out of it now. Pretty please?”That look on your face was all the convincing he needed to realize that, yes, you wanted this. More than anything else, you wanted to go to that ball. Not just because your ex-boyfriend would be there, either. You were so excited that you haven’t even shown him your dress or mask yet. He couldn’t wait to see how far out of your way you went to prepare for him.He sighs with a shake of the head. “What am I going to do with you? Alright, we’ll go. If that’s what you want, we’ll go.” He saw the way your eyes lit up. You squealed and jumped into a hug which left him stumbling for a second. He chuckles and embraces you, rubbing a hand up and down your arm. “So, darling, if I may. Who was he?”“Oh, he’s the local librarian over at Hopper Library, near where I live.”Vox felt uneasy about the whole thing. He sighs. “I see…” You probably felt his resolve, as you now had a hand on his shoulder. He turned to you and gazed into your eyes with a smile. “Let’s get you that hot chocolate, hm?”
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆
Vox offered that the two of you go in separately to further immerse yourselves in the entertainment. There you stood by the hors’ d'oeuvres, helping yourself to whatever was on offer. The venue was a proper area cleared out for guest activities with several gorgeous empire chandeliers, only three of which were needed to illuminate the space. The entire room was bathed in a soothing yellow glow that felt like the star on a Christmas tree.You couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with joy at the sight of it. You’d worked in interior design, but not in a million years did you think you’d bear witness to actual empire chandeliers in person. They had a gold finish and poured from a star-shaped attachment to the ceiling, the crystals almost dripping out of it like a fountain. Just looking at it felt forbidden, like you were sneaking into your mom’s jewelry box as a kid and clutching her pearls.“There you are. It seems you wore red for the occasion.” A familiar voice pulls you out of your trance. You turn your head towards it and see a man with pitch black hair, both hands on his hips and leaning his head towards you. His mask was white on one side with a silver trim of constance wheat, the other side black as night with silver weaves that curl in varying directions. That pattern was still visible on his suit jacket, which was also black, but also had the constance wheat looping around on the collar and the sleeves.The dress shirt he had on underneath was a charcoal gray and further leaned into the intriguing theme this look had going for it. You could swear the whole ensemble was intentional. It was very pleasantly coordinated. You gazed into his pink gold eyes, hoping to never pull away from them again. You smiled warmly and bowed. The curious man reached a hand to you. “Come with me, won’t you? This first dance shall be mine, will it not?” You extend your hand to meet his. He takes it and holds your palms together, placing his other hand just below your opposite shoulder. “Fancy yourself some Viennese waltzing?”The song begins, and you find yourself mutually moving forward and back towards him, both of you rotating to your right to create a more fluid, meaningful motion. You almost lost yourself in the moment, never once looking away from him. The one time that you did, he raises your hand up and allows for you to spin around. He takes hold of you once more, giving you a proper dip. He then hoists you up by the hips and whirls you across the dance floor before returning to the waltz the two of you were so focused on before.The song comes to a close and everyone in the crowd applauds the live performance. A woman in a green mask with yellow feathers steps onstage and speaks into the microphone. “Welcome one and all to our tenth annual Christmas Ball, right here at Madison Hotel. I am your host, Lufeng Chen. How is everyone this evening?”There’s uproarious applause, the occasional whistle. She waves a hand flippantly at the kind gestures. “For those of you that are new to this tradition of ours, we kindly ask that all attendants do not remove their mask unless absolutely necessary. The food is first come, first serve. Our catering company, as well as Bradshaw Bakery, will be providing the remaining food for this evening. I urge you to nibble on those appetizers while there is still time to do so.” There’s the occasional chuckle. “Now then, without further delay, let us proceed with the next song! Please find your next dance partners, and we shall proceed!”The older woman steps offstage with a warm smile before she starts mingling with all of the guests. There’s a tap at your shoulder, which makes you turn around. You’re then greeted by a man with a hand behind his back being held at the wrist by the other. His mask looked like a gold finish was dripping down on it, leaves weaved into its design just beneath each eye. The center of it was black and cut off at the nose, giving an implication of an unfinished look.As for the attire, he had a gray turtleneck beneath a black suit with gold detailing. Around his wrist was a gold bracelet with a matching leaf charm. His eyes were reminiscent of a sunset, like the view between a couple in a movie. Those eyes had so much to say, but not the courage to say them. You take his hand and are led towards the middle of the dancefloor. His eyes are set on yours as he spreads both of your arms wide apart with his own. He crisscrosses his fingers between yours and the song begins. He begins moving you rather thoughtfully about the room.You giggle and tilt your head back with a laugh, watching the people around you bear witness to the wonderful time you’re having. “Eyes on me. Don’t look at anyone else.” You lean your head back up and you see something in his eyes that you can’t quite place. “Very good! That’s it. We’re almost done. Here.” He takes hold of your hips and hoists you upward, your hands now resting atop his shoulders as he lifts you and spins you in a couple of circles. When he’s done, he finishes with a dip. Your lips were mere inches apart from one another.“I…”“Alright, I think you’ve had enough dancing with them.”The one in gold chuckles coldly and turns his head. “Whatever could you mean by that? The night is young, and so are we.” He turns his eyes towards you with a smirk and a playful wink.“Are you implying something with that statement? They’re mine. Now, hands off.”“Oh, come now. It’s up to them to decide who’s the better man for an encore. And it goes without saying that I have far more going for me than you do. Isn’t that right, my love?”You were beyond conflicted and confused. It was so hard to tell which one of them was Vox, and which was your ex. They were almost identical in every possible way. You find yourself being tugged back and forth until one of the other guests makes her presence known.“I believe it’s my turn to have a dance with them.” A woman announces. The two of them both turn towards the source, one far more terrified than the other. She is in a black Venetian mask with all of the usual frills, but with a butterfly wing on each side. Her forest green eyes were far more envious than those of the two gentlemen standing before you. Her gold razor bob hair bounced a bit with each stiletto-heeled step. Her lips were colored gray and her dress was adorned with butterflies at its singular dress strap, at one of her hips, and one just above the thigh portion of a garter belt.You saw the gentleman with the silver mask's heart racing at the sight of her. What was that about? Maybe you weren't the only one here encountering an ex.With the way she cocked her chin up, had a hand on each hip and bent the knee with the garter, it was very obvious this woman didn’t mess around. Then again, neither did the two men standing at each side of her and staring directly at you. But this begged the question: who would you have a dance with? And why were you scared to find out the outcome of each choice?
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There was a nip in the air as the outlaw snapped open one of the doors to the saloon, hearing it quiver back and forth until it came to a full stop. Everyone lifted their heads and began talking amongst themselves upon his arrival. He glanced around at all of the patrons and frowned when he found that his darling was nowhere in sight. He leans over to the counter and beckons the bartender over. “Hey there, fella. Mind pourin’ me a glass of whiskey while I ask ya where my darlin’ is? They’re about yay tall, got a smile warmer than the sun, n’--”The bartender nodded and poured some of the good stuff on the rocks. “Yeah, I seen ‘em. They’re up in yer room fer the night. They stopped in fer a meal n’ headed up shortly after.”“Ah, thanks, partner.” He shakes his glass around a bit before taking a sip, feeling the whiskey shoot into his mouth and straight down his throat, giving him a strong, powerful gulp of warmth that coursed through him. “Hoooey… Thank ya kindly.” He pats the counter a couple of times and makes his way up the rickety stairwell, holding onto the railing while taking a few more slow sips of his drink as he goes along.When he finally reached the farthest end of the rentable rooms, he set the glass down on a table and knocked on the door, his glove quieting the sound just a bit. “Ya in there, darlin’?” He nearly whispered, slowly turning the knob to open the door. The lights were off, and he saw your form melding into the blankets. You were resting your head on his pillow with your back turned, your figure catching in rays of moonlight from the window.He smiled softly and stepped closer, kicking his boots off first, then taking his gloves off and tossing them onto the dresser. He removes his hat and sets that down right beside them. The routine continues as he takes off his vest, ropes his lasso over one of the drawer handles, and drapes his gun holster over the foot of the bed. Once he’s finally comfortable enough, he gently places a hand on your shoulder, rubbing down and up your arm slowly, tenderly, before you take the hint and let him settle into bed for the night. “I’m home, darlin’. I missed ya so much.”“Mmm…” Something was different about your voice. “Missed you, too…”“Hey, darlin’? Can ya look at me right quick?” You shake your head no, for some reason. “Darlin’, what’s wrong?”“Nothing, I’m–” You flinch when he reaches to touch your cheek from behind and feels something wet. You reluctantly turn over and reveal that you’ve been crying. “I’m… I didn’t feel right today.”He pulls you in for an even closer embrace, holding on tightly to you and warming you up in the process. He hums and starts stroking your back, his other arm holding the small of it. “I gotcha, darlin’. Ya wanna talk about it?” You shake your head no into his chest. “Heh, want me to do the talkin’, then?” You give him a nod. “Alrighty, then, where do I start? Hmm… How ‘bout I tell ya ‘bout my day? Make ya forget all ‘bout how bad yers made ya feel.“I was campin’ near a target a bit southwest of here n’ woke up to a raccoon tryna eat my supplies! Had to get outta my sleepin’ bag real quick n’ scare it off. He wound up gettin’ into mixed nuts! So I had to go n’ throw those away, but I was feelin’ hungry, so I went huntin’. Decided to help myself to some roasted rabbit, n’ then I was on my way to hunt this guy down.”He takes a moment before asking, “Ya ever had roasted rabbit before, darlin’? It ain’t exactly the best meat to have ‘round these parts, but it’ll suffice ya if yer hungry out in the wild. I think it’d be good if they put seasonin’ on it or somethin’. Ya know they put sesasonin’ on ev’rythin’ nowadays. I heard some folks put it in their soups n’ it makes somethin’ called chili. I ain’t never had no chili before, but it sounds mighty tasty. They put stuff like beef n’ beans n’ stuff, it’s s’posed to be real fillin’ n’ good fer ya… But anyway, there I go talkin’ yer ear off, darlin’, I’m sorry. I’m s’posed to be tellin’ ya ‘bout my day!”He adjusts his position with you and kisses the top of your head. “So there I go huntin’ down my target, some real mean fella. He runs a bookstore, but he’s been kidnappin’ ladies. Now, I remember seein’ that wanted poster n’ thinkin’ to myself, what kinda business does a man got goin’ round n’ kidnappin’ folk? Don’t make no sense…”“Handsome, can you–”“Right, right. So there I am, out on the hunt fer this guy, n’ the bounty on his head is apparently a lot cuz it had four numbers.”“Four digits!?”Handsome chuckled at your sudden interest in the discussion. “That’s right! N’ I found this guy tryna take advantage of someone else n’ take their money, but I shot ‘em square in the head. He ain’t gon’ hurt nobody no more, darlin’, that’s a promise. So I took an item of his to prove I done did it, n’ I hopped onto Juanita, n’ we were outta there.“She took me all the way back here to Crapshoot n’ I dropped off the item at the new sheriff’s office. He’s a nice fella, this new sheriff. Got him a wife n’ kids, I hear. Folks ‘round here like him. Well, ‘bout as much as the law can be liked ‘round these parts. So he goes, n’ gives me my reward fer huntin’ him down n’ takin’ him out. I go n’ head to the saloon, n’ then I realize ya ain’t here. Bartender said ya done n’ got yerself somethin’ to eat, though, right? What’d ya have?”You shrug your shoulders. “Steak?”“Mmm! Love me a good steak! I like when they cook onions on ‘em, make ‘em all nice n’ brown n’ sweet. Did ya have any sides with it? Some mashed potatoes sound mighty good with them, if ya ask me. Maybe some green beans fer a real hearty meal!” You nod in response. “Ooo, maybe I should get me one of them later. I ain’t had dinner yet, but…”His tummy grumbles, but he inches closer to you. “I wanna make sure you’re feelin’ okay, first.”“I’m…feeling a lot better knowing that you’re here, Handsome.”“N’ I’m happy you’re happy. I keep you safe, you keep me smilin’, right? N’ darlin’, I’m gonna tell ya, some days’re better than others. But a good buddy of mine always told me that tomorrow is another day. N’ I think he’s right! Cuz you dunno what the next day’s gonna be. Well, I know what day of the week it’ll be, but I dunno what the day’s gonna have. It could be a good day, could be a bad day, could even be a silly day. But ya won’t know if ya don’t go n’ greet it, right?” He kisses your temple. “N’ I’m gonna make sure every day goes swell fer you, best I can. I love you, darlin’, n’ I always will. My desert flower. My little keeper. My sunshine.”You turn towards him again and smile weakly. “I’m thinkin’ I need a drink.”Handsome makes no effort to hide the big grin on his face. “I’ll take ya down there, n’ we can help ourselves. Lemme just get my stuff together, n’ we’ll go.”