declan-west-blog

[declan-west-blog]

“I don’t mind waiting,” he said. “Should go without saying, but you’re worth waiting for. I’m with you no matter what, Thana - that won’t change. It sure sounds like you’ve got your hands full right now with...everything going on.”

“Fair enough,” he replied. “So….what now?” He doubted they would be able to realistically hide out for very long before a hero or Carter came knocking.

Thana sighed and looked down. She didn’t have a plan. If she cleared her stuff out of the tower, Lib would find it suspicious and she’d be found out. She’d kill her. “I… I don’t know. It’s easy when you say it out loud. But the actual logistics are hell.”

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Neither Sara’s abilities nor her demeanor lended particularly well to combat.  She was learning, of course–it was a necessary part of being a hero, but for the moment her strengths lay more in the subtler aspects of heroism.  Planning and prevention, strategy, organization, problem solving, and most of all, listening and learning.  In short, investigation and detective style work.  With war apparently on the horizon, then, she’d stepped out to put those strengths to use, gathering what information she could.  As usual, she started with the professionals.  “Right, hello,” she greeted, hands shoved in the pockets of her sweatshirt. “I’m um, I’m with the Heroes’ Union.  I was wondering if you’ve m-maybe heard anything about what’s going on?”  Okay, so her investigation skills could use work, too.

He sized her up, then replied, “Not much more than you, I imagine. Shadow Society declaring war, evacuation, that sort of thing. You said you’re with the Heroes Union - I take it you’re investigating?”

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“Fair enough,” he replied. “So....what now?” He doubted they would be able to realistically hide out for very long before a hero or Carter came knocking.

He couldn’t help but smile at that. “Partners in crime, huh? That really does describe us…”

Thana chuckled. “There was ever a doubt? Dec, we’ve been through too much to be anything less.” She gripped his hand and played with her ring a bit. “Perpetually two sides of the same coin.” She added.

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He couldn’t help but smile at that. “Partners in crime, huh? That really does describe us...”

“You wouldn’t lose me,” he assured her. “No matter what happens, you’re stuck with me.” He couldn’t tell if his attempt at a joke went over well. He hesitated, then added, “I guess I’m having trouble believing I’m worth you not being a hero…”

Thana chuckled and took a grip on his hand. “We’re the two sides of the same coin Dec. We are, as the song always said, thick as thieves us, we stick together for all time.” She said with a grin. “And I was your partner in crime before I was ever a hero.”  She added. 

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“You wouldn’t lose me,” he assured her. “No matter what happens, you’re stuck with me.” He couldn’t tell if his attempt at a joke went over well. He hesitated, then added, “I guess I’m having trouble believing I’m worth you not being a hero...”

“Skip town?” he repeated like he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “What about your responsibilities to the Heroes Union?” he asked. “Thana, I can’t ask you to give up being a hero for me.”

“Well I can’t be a hero and keep you around. I’m willing to not be a hero,” She said. “Love, I can’t let you be around when this all goes to hell.” She took his hands and squeezed them. “They won’t let you join the Union, and I…” She let out a sigh. “Fine, I won’t lose you again.” 

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“Skip town?” he repeated like he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “What about your responsibilities to the Heroes Union?” he asked. “Thana, I can’t ask you to give up being a hero for me.”

“So, what? I’m just supposed to leave, not knowing if I’ll ever see you again?” he asked, his voice soft but honestly he just sounded tired. Tired of the uncertainty. What was so damn difficult about just wanting to stay? Why did they have to keep being driven apart?

She didn’t want to say yes. She didn’t never wanted to give up on her and Declan ever again. She dropped her head. “What’ll we do,” she muttered. “I’m tired Dec, I’m tired being the moon to your sun.” She whispered. She hugged him, tightly pulling herself into him and gripping him for dear life. “Let’s skip town,” she said, looking up at him.

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“So, what? I’m just supposed to leave, not knowing if I’ll ever see you again?” he asked, his voice soft but honestly he just sounded tired. Tired of the uncertainty. What was so damn difficult about just wanting to stay? Why did they have to keep being driven apart?

“You’re not dragging me anywhere - I’m here with you because this is where I want to be,” he said. “I just…” He let out a sigh. “I feel like if I leave, and something happens to you, that’s on me because I wasn’t here for you. I can’t leave you, not again.”

“Lib will have your head if you stay. She’ll off me too, I’m not just dealing with villain hostilities here.” She said. Thana didn’t want Declan meeting Liberty, it would be a death match waiting to happen. Thana didn’t like dealing with her at her best 60% of the time. Having Declan, who’s more anti-establishment than her, deal with Liberty: the pinnacle of the Establishment? Well let’s just say Thana liked Declan’s pretty boy face too much to watch it get bashed in.

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“You’re not dragging me anywhere - I’m here with you because this is where I want to be,” he said. “I just...” He let out a sigh. “I feel like if I leave, and something happens to you, that’s on me because I wasn’t here for you. I can’t leave you, not again.”

“And what do you think they’ll do to you if we don’t have your back, if we let you go it alone?” he asked, but he didn’t want to even think about that. “You may be a necromancer, but if you get in over your head, you’ll…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. “Just let me help you, Thana. Let us help you. Please.”

“I’m not going it alone! Lib’s gonna have me on house arrest along with the others. Despite the fact that we’ll probably still have to go to war at some point.” She muttered. Thana looked at Declan. And she meant really looked at him. From his curls to his eyes and down to his boots. “Dec, I can’t and won’t drag you into this ancient grudge match. Not when there’s a chance you could die. I need you alive. So when this is over, we can skip town, go underground, grab a shitty apartment and live. Just a little bit.”

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“And what do you think they’ll do to you if we don’t have your back, if we let you go it alone?” he asked, but he didn’t want to even think about that. “You may be a necromancer, but if you get in over your head, you’ll...” He couldn’t finish the sentence. “Just let me help you, Thana. Let us help you. Please.”

“I know, love,” he said, his tone turning ever so slightly more serious. “But, think of that as a reason to keep me around. What better way to make sure nothing happens to me than to have me at your side?” he suggested. “At any rate, you need someone else watching your back besides just your brother, as I imagine he was too stubborn to leave the city.”

“Of course he is, and I’m gonna throttle him later, right after I throttle you,” She muttered. “Dec, They will kill you. They’ll torture you and then kill you and I’ll be not too far behind.” She said. “This isn’t some idiot with a gun, these are assholes who’ll tear the world apart for shits and giggles because they think it’s fun. And we’re gonna be stuck in the crossfire. I’m not keen on losing either or my brother.” Thana said. This was too much. She wanted to hold him and skip town together, but damn her duty and needing her here. 

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“Au Contraire, I have to worry about you. Dec, you’re a liability, even you’re not stupid enough to ignore that.” Thana said, partially insulting him to hide her pain. She couldn’t be doing this again. She looked over both of their shoulders, making sure no one saw them. “I couldn’t handle if you became-“ she didn’t dare finish the thought, instead dropping her head while still having a death grip on his shoulders

“I know, love,” he said, his tone turning ever so slightly more serious. “But, think of that as a reason to keep me around. What better way to make sure nothing happens to me than to have me at your side?” he suggested. “At any rate, you need someone else watching your back besides just your brother, as I imagine he was too stubborn to leave the city.”

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Thana nearly sprinted to Declan when she saw him. Screw it, she thought. She ran over and nearly collided with him. She gripped onto his shoulders. “Dec,” she said. Thana didn’t have her pin, and looked a little scared. “I know what you’re gonna say, but I need to ask you, nay beg, please skip town.” She stated. War was good for business for her, but she had just gotten him back and she absolutely did not want him gone. Or for any of her many made enemies to get him.

Declan couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. “I’m touched, really. But you don’t have to worry about me,”  he assured her. “I have no intention of leaving you again, love.”

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Declan had been looking forward to a peaceful day after finishing his latest case, but apparently the world had other plans for him. The Shadow Society declaring war didn’t surprise him, to be honest. He’d suspected that they’d been plotting something ever since he heard about them. He was wandering the city aimlessly - even with civilian evacuations starting up soon, he sure as hell wasn’t planning on going anywhere. How was he supposed to just leave when things were getting interesting? He glanced around the area and noticed someone that looked like they were walking towards him. Raising an eyebrow, he waited to see what they wanted.

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Declan nearly let out a groan as that band’s music came on. If they were anywhere else, he would’ve demanded someone turn it off, but this was Carter’s turf. “This case ties into her hero work - we’re helping each other.”

“If you’re asking if I’m keeping her busy, let me say this - we’re investigating the same case, so we opted to do so together,” Declan replied. “Apologies if that mean she hasn’t been able to keep you in the loop, but why do you think I came by?” 

Carter raised his eyebrow. That was new. His sister, the queen of holding grudges, forgave him that easily. He was a bit surprised, but really he shouldn’t have been. Her soft spot for Declan would forgive everything except genocide and Declan suddenly becoming a neo nazi. “I was more concerned about her hero work than her working with you again.” He said with the most of the malice gone from his voice. Though he did smirk when EMI by the Sex Pistols came on and he made no movement to change it. 

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He shrugged. “I didn’t have much planned for today, honestly. But, I’m still not that familiar with the city. You know a good place to get dinner?” he asked, tilting his head.

“I haven’t yet, but I set up a meeting to speak with them tomorrow,” Declan replied. “I take it you’d like to come with me?”

Thana nodded. “What do we do in the meantime though? You’ve already talked to the person you’ve hired, and unless you’ve got a lead I’m not obviously seeing, we’re kinda staring down a lot of guesswork.” She said. Not that she would’ve minded that too much. That would’ve meant beer and hair-brained theories that ultimately weren’t gonna pan out but were still fun to think about and six seconds of actual detective work.

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“If you’re asking if I’m keeping her busy, let me say this - we’re investigating the same case, so we opted to do so together,” Declan replied. “Apologies if that mean she hasn’t been able to keep you in the loop, but why do you think I came by?” 

Declan didn’t expect a warm welcome from Carter, and honestly he was surprised that he didn’t get something thrown at him. In response to his question, he replied, “She does. We’ve made our peace.” He put his hands up. “I take it she didn’t tell you?”

Carter was taken aback by that. She had managed to track him down and made her peace with him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His sister always was a sucker for Declan, even at their worst moments she couldn’t say no to him. He sort of got it, envied it even, whatever their dynamic was on any given day. “She’s been busy.” He replied still carrying a bit of a glare. “I’m sure you know all about that.” He muttered to himself. 

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“I haven’t yet, but I set up a meeting to speak with them tomorrow,” Declan replied. “I take it you’d like to come with me?”

“That, too,” he replied. When she looked up at him, he said, “That’s fine, we always did work best starting from square one. Investigating together, it’ll be just like old times.” The thought made him smile, try as he might to hide it.

Thana grinned and closed the case file. “Where are we starting? Have you already spoken to the person’s friends in the city?” She asked. “Or like, do you have another mode of going down this road?” She added. The idea of going on a case with Declan again gave her a little bit of joy.

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Declan didn’t expect a warm welcome from Carter, and honestly he was surprised that he didn’t get something thrown at him. In response to his question, he replied, “She does. We’ve made our peace.” He put his hands up. “I take it she didn’t tell you?”

Carter was in the back making another cup of coffee when he heard the door open “Hey! Welcome to Radiance, I’ll be with you in a hot sec.” He said. He poured his cup and wandered out. He then proceeded to make sure he didn’t drop his coffee cup as he recognized who was in the shop. “What the hell. Does she know you’re in town?” Carter asked with a little bit of a glare, not going full Dark Older Brother, but was six seconds away from it.

@declan-west