attaant

[attaant]

Whoever it was that had Tristan out in the wild, kidnapping young girls, Atta wanted no part of it. She had enough of people bossing her around and making her do things she didn't want to do, including turning people's lives upside down. She'd seen the effects firsthand of what being taken from someone's home could do to a person--all she could hope was that Tristan had left her unscathed beyond the trauma of the night. "That's debatable," she teased with a smirk, the title of monster being one she was certain she'd heard used to describe him in the past, even by his own children. But, the focus was on her family, not his: he was too eager to convince her that everything she'd been growing accustomed to would be ripped out from beneath her soon enough. "That was a long time ago," she pointed out, "you don't think people, or circumstances, can change? Yourself included." They both knew just how drastically his life had changed since he'd asked Buster to pull back from the yard for his family. Now, he hardly had one left. Tristan knew how to capitalize on someone's insecurities better than most, finding exactly where she'd been apprehensive and twisted the knife. Though she hoped her husband was in it for the long haul, she was still skeptical at times when it came to just how much he was willing to shift the scales from professional to personal with his life. "Do you even know him anymore? What makes you think his priorities haven't changed?"

Given everything he knew about Atta, her rejection of the offer to meet his new boss wasn’t at all surprising, even if it was likely the wrong move. If there was anyone that you might want in your corner when dealing with men like Colin Hopper and the world he worked in, it was the god of the underworld. Not even Buster could compete with the type of protection that Hades could potentially offer. Of course it went without saying that he would need to get something out of the blonde as well, but Tramp was certain she could figure out some kind of deal they could strike up together. “Your loss,” he states simply, knowing that one day she would likely come to regret this decision. A dry laugh escapes him as he shakes his head in disbelief. “Of course. I’m not a monster, you know. The boss man had a chit chat with her and I dropped her right back on her front porch. No damage done.” Or at least physically there had been no damage done - emotionally and mentally, well, the young girl would probably be dealing with that trauma for a good long time to come. But oh well. In his line of work a little bit of stress over a minor kidnapping was nothing really, Tristan had seen and dealt with plenty worse over his years. And so had the man that Atta seemed so certain was satisfied and content with the little game of playing house he was currently involved in. But he knew far better to think anything like that could truly last for a man like Buster. “Oh please,” he lets out with a snort. “He nearly killed me when I tried pulling away to be with Lilah. Nothing and I truly mean nothing, not even your cute little ass, will ever come before the yard and his work. He might be playing along now, letting you think he’s all in, but even you gotta be smart enough to know this little game has an expiration date coming up on it.”

[attaant]

Atta shook her head at him, all too unbothered by his offer to let her meet whoever it was that he was supposedly working for now. She'd had her fair share of men in her life who thought they knew everything on the planet--the last thing she needed was another one. "I'm okay, thank you for keeping me in mind," she declined nonchalantly. The dichotomy of his determination to win back Lilah and also want her dead was a complex Atta was never going to understand, no matter how hard she tried. Unfortunately for his family, it did sound like the usual for Tristan, including the casual mention of kidnapping a girl for this new boss of his. "Did you at least give her a ride home, or is she still currently being held hostage?" she asked with a raised brow, unsure if he even knew the details once he'd done his part of the dirty work. Atta rolled her eyes at him, having already figured this would be coming. "Bennett and I are happy, thanks for asking. You know, he's great behind a grill. I think domestication might be meant for him, after all," she remarked, knowing it was the kind of comment that could get under Buster's former best friend's skin. For all they seemed to know each other inside and out, the ways they'd grown apart proved to leave the two men at vastly different places in life now.

A snort leaves his lips at the thought that business talks were off limits at an event like this, a ridiculous notion and they both knew it. Though he hadn’t originally approached the blonde with the intention of striking up any kind of deal, he can’t help but take the opening that she offered by bringing it up herself. “You know my offer always stands. I work with people that are more powerful than you could even begin to imagine. One life taken in exchange for contact with my boss seems like a fair enough deal to me,” he points out, though it probably means nothing to her considering he isn’t willing to actually admit just who his said boss was. It was the biggest card Tristan held and he wasn’t going to show it to just anyone - the only person he actually fully told in any major detail was Oogie, and that was only because the vampire had violently demanded an answer as to how he was alive again. As Atta agreed to the dance and took her position, he lessened his grip and moved the hand to rest on her waist. “Oh you know, the usual. Trying to win my wife back, spending time with the kids, kidnapping a young girl for work. Nothing of major note.” There was a smirk on his face as he listed each item, as if he were actually proud of everything he’d done over the past few months. Which, honestly, he kind of was - as horrible as that may be. “What about you? How have you and the wonderful new husband been? Still going strong or has he finally realized the settled down life isn’t for him?”

[attaant]

For a moment, the tight embrace of her sister made Atta forget all about the largely unspoken conflict that had been between them for the past few months. They felt like themselves again, like they had before she'd met Buster. Maybe they could be again, maybe after tonight, but Atta didn't want to let her hopes get too unbelievably high. It was good enough, for now, that Dot was here, and that she hadn't made any kind of backhanded comment or denied spending time with her sister after dinner. Atta was going to have to take what she could get, and she simply accepted the wordless gesture with a smile of her own and a kiss to the top of her sister's hair.

"Wine for you, then," she announced, taking the two glasses from the counter and handing Dot one of them. Atta didn't think her sister had ever willingly asked her how work had been going, but she supposed it was a good thing she had, especially if she was wanting to know the truth about what she did every day. "Actually, it's complicated, right now," she admitted. "We hare warehouses off the island, and they've always been more difficult to manage, especially when the borders were closed. But, now that they're open, naturally, Hopper wants something to do with them." She hated having to bring his name up anytime in conversation, but especially now, when she was trying to keep spirits high. "I'm hoping other things are keeping him busy enough, for now, so I have time to prepare. I think we'll be fine: I've been in contact with the managers of the warehouses, and he hasn't tried to threaten them, or anything, so." Atta paused, feeling sheepish in offering the truth to her sister for the first time. @nohousedog

⨯⨯⨯

A family wasn't something he'd ever had or understood. In fact, most of his life had been spent detesting the very thought and gathering who felt like nowhere could be home for them. Maybe that was why it had initially been so strange falling into a routine with Atta, never expecting to fall in love but certainly not get married. One woman, one woman who accidentally stumbled into his life, had changed everything. He felt like he was becoming a joke to the old version of himself after everything he used to hate had become his normal. Now every night he went home to someone, kicked off his shoes at the door, and sat at a dining room table to enjoy a meal with his wife. Bennett had miraculously turned into the very thing he said he never would. Still, this new life wasn't one he wanted to alter in any way. It was kept quiet from his co-workers, his contentment with this white picket fence lifestyle but Buster knew they could see the changes in him.

It hadn't all been good, knowing it was him that drove a wedge between the sisters. While he wanted to give Dot the time she needed to adjust to his addition she'd made it clear that she didn't believe his intentions. "Good, dinner's almost done," he chimed back from the stove as he smiled proudly down at his roast that had been smoking for the majority of the day. A good meal wouldn't convince her but he figured it never hurt to be well-fed, not to mention the fact he'd become quite obsessed with grilling and smoking since turning into a failed foster. When the younger Dreyfus entered her comment made it clear how she'd felt about Buster joining them that night. "Don't worry I'm just here to cook and then I've got to get back to the Junkyard anyway for a delivery," he replied holding up his hands in defense, giving his wife an unsaid acknowledging nod. That way the girls were still able to have their time alone but he at least put forward the effort in seeing her since the accident. "You want a drink?" The man offered Dot before pouring himself a glass of bourbon, Atta her current favorite wine, knowing they'd need it with the way things were starting. @blueberrydot

[attaant]

Knowing that Tristan was present in the hotel was, per usual, a bit unnerving, but Atta was attempting not to let it get to her. She had Bennett with her, and it was all the protection she could ask for against his former business partner. She shouldn't have been surprised when he approached her, quickly taking ahold of her arm with the kind of grip that left little room for resistance. A small part of her was intrigued as to what he could possibly want from her now, especially since she'd so firmly declined his request to have his ex-wife murdered. It was with a tight-lipped smile and a knowing look that she reluctantly agreed, letting him lead her toward the dance floor. "Tristan," she echoed, "if this is to ask me about doing something for you again, you know that parties aren't supposed to be places of business." The statement was hardly true, and she didn't expect him to obey her request if that had been his mission in finding her, but it was the least she could do to try and save herself from striking a deal with Tristan right now. Atta placed one hand on his arm and the other in his, beginning to sway to the band playing in the front of the room. "I'm honored that you want to catch up with me. Actually, you're right, it has been a while. What exactly have you been up to since I've last seen you?"

closed starter for @attaant location: hotel transylvania halloween party

After an attempt at dancing with his wife turned sour, resulting in Lilah practically running off into another man’s arms, Tristan wasn’t exactly in the best mood of his life. Downing another cup of whatever red alcoholic mixture the closest server was carrying around on their tray, he tried his best to calm the rising temper within him. It wouldn’t do to cause a scene, not with so many people here who hated him. Laying low was the name of the game tonight. Or at least, that’s what he was trying to tell himself he needed to do. In reality, he hardly knew how to do anything other than create some form of chaos everywhere he went. A point that was proven the moment he looked around and spotted a familiar face, one that had his feet moving before his brain even realized where he was going. “Atta,” he greeted as soon as he was close enough, hand reaching out to grip firmly on her arm to keep her from trying to run away the way his ex-wife had just minutes before. “Dance with me. It’s been too long, we need to catch up.” Not that there was really anything new going on in his own life, but like hell was he going to just stand around like some kind of loser. And the blonde had been the first person he noticed that was actually worth spending any time with. Maybe he could get some information about Lilah and his kids out of her, since no one else ever seemed to be willing to tell him anything these days.

[attaant]

Though she'd played it off as simply being inundated with the start of the school year, Atta knew her sister better than perhaps Dot gave her credit for. Their lack of communication since Buster had gotten shot had been no coincidence, not when Atta had seen what the beginning of a school year brought for her sister in the past, and it was nowhere near as busy as this could be. Atta was trying to tell herself that Dot simply needed space--whether it be from Buster, Atta herself, or both of them. If she wanted Dot to come around eventually, Atta was going to have to let her do it on her own time, even if that meant denying practically every request to spend time together over the past month. It was just before Atta was going to begin to lay off that Dot had agreed to come over for dinner: a welcomed surprise, despite little confidence that it was going to end well.

"I'll get the door," she called behind to Buster at the stove, knowing exactly who was at her front steps. It was with a smile and a breath of relief that she actually showed up that Atta opened the door for her sister. Her grin faltered, though, as it seemed Dot couldn't even manage more than a sentence without making a dig at her husband's presence--Atta thought she'd mentioned that it would be the three of them. "I think it can still be a cake for two, right? We'll just forget to leave out a third fork." Atta's arms wrapped tightly around her sister as she set the dessert down, eager to squeeze in a hug after one of the lengthiest periods of absence between the two. "I missed you," she told her, "I want to hear all about your first few weeks. We'll hang out, just us, after dinner?" Atta asked quietly, hoping the offer was one Dot had wanted to hear. @nohousedog

closed starter for @attaant & @nohousedog location: atta's home

After the attack of the festival and her failed attempt to get any new dirt on her sister’s supposed husband, Dot had needed a break from it all. Spending time with Atta meant being around Buster, and she still just wasn’t ready to do that - not even after he took a literal bullet for her. There was a guilt there, of course, that she couldn’t seem to just get over it and start liking him for that one simple act alone - but it wasn’t strong enough to actually get her to take the time and effort to change her stance on the man. Instead, she put another forced amount of distance between herself and the couple and focused entirely on the upcoming school year. So much had happened over the summer that she’d barely been able to prepare anything for her classroom, and after what felt like a failure of last year, she was determined to come back stronger than ever this time around.

But now the first two weeks were done, the routines were starting to be built, and every major task to prepare for the year had been completed. Of course there was still the day to day amount of busy work and tasks at hand, but none of those were a good enough excuse to keep up the distance between herself and her sister. And the guilt of not spending any time with her, of barely giving her more than just a few quick phone calls over the past month, that was one that was starting to truly eat away at Dot. Which was what led her to agree to a dinner at Atta’s place, despite the fact that she knew Buster was likely going to join them at some point. Avoiding the two of them forever wasn’t a possibility, not if she wanted to keep a relationship with her sister - which she absolutely did. So it was probably about time she sucked it up and just faced the couple head on.

Arriving with their mother’s famous honey cake in hand, Dot waited for the door to open after she gave it a good few loud kicks with her foot. Thankfully it was the eldest Dreyfus that answered, and a bright and genuine smile grew on her face at the sight of her sister - but it faltered after just a moment at the sound of a distinctly male voice calling out from the kitchen. She shouldn’t be surprised that Buster was here already, but she had been naively hoping to get at least some time alone with Atta before he made his presence known. “I brought dessert, like I promised,” she states the obvious, holding up the round tupperware as proof before stepping in and making her way through the house to the kitchen. And there he was, just like she’d heard, but the sight of him feeling so familiar and at home here was different than simply hearing his voice. Taking a breath to steady herself, a forced smile was plastered on her face as she stepped into the room and set her container down on the counter. “Didn’t realize it’d be a full house tonight - I would have made a bigger cake.” It was her not so subtle way of trying to jab at Buster’s presence here tonight, and while she’d play it off as being completely innocent if either one of them called her out on it, she also knew they’d know exactly what she really meant.

[attaant]

MEGHANN FAHY. Vanity Fair Magazine.

[attaant]

She shouldn't have been surprised that Hopper would've taken such a stance with Scamp--Atta shouldn't have even asked. Despite working closely with him now that he was further away from Hopper himself, Atta knew he had a long way to go until he might actually sever any real ties from their boss. "Understood," she said simply, figuring it would be a decision that wouldn't involve Lilah whatsoever, despite his mother likely desiring her opinion to be heard.

"A long time ago," she confirmed, "but he still ... despite my current relationship status, he thinks he might have a chance of rekindling that, so." Atta cut herself off, not caring to dive too into detail with him before his amusement could grow. "Either way, I think I could probably get him to talk, or at least, get him to tell me enough until I can get a meeting between the two of you on the calendar, if that's something you'd want." Atta could only imagine being a fly on the wall between the two of them, and, unfortunately, she would probably have to witness it sooner than later.

"It's for Scamp to decide," Hopper said, taking the papers back and returning to his work. "If he wanted Lilah's permission, he could climb back into her womb." This was the way with the Locusts. Hopper respected his mother, but in the world of men, all decisions and responsibilities rested solely on them. Their job was to protect and provide by any means necessary. Atta had to understand that, yet she still asked foolish questions.

Hopper paused when she mentioned Gaston. "You had a relationship with him, eh?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. He didn't know the details or if anything was still going on between them, so he watched her reaction closely. "What makes you think he would cooperate with you?" he continued. "Unless he's still into you, in which case, by all means."

[attaant]

Atta nods, affirming the answer to her sister's question. "She was. I don't know to what extent--I didn't want to ask, and make Myles any more upset," she explained. She hadn't had to ask him about the state of anyone for whom he truly cared like this--it had only ever been Hopper, and Atta usually knew about the status of his brother before Myles did. "I think she's going to be okay, though. At least, I don't think he would've spent so much time with me if she was in imminent danger, you know?" That much made sense to her; if Buster was about to take a turn for the worst, she wouldn't be anywhere else but by his side. "No one else, I don't think, besides one of the Tramp sisters, but I'm not sure which one." Atta wasn't even sure that her sister had met any of Scamp's, but they were the only other people who she could think of that might resonate with Dot.

There was probably more that she should say, regarding the topic of Buster and the bullet he had taken for her, but in complete honesty… there was nothing else Dot wanted to add. He was going to be fine, that much was just confirmed, and really that’s the end of her caring at the moment. Anything else she might say would only open doors for further lines of discussion that she wasn’t ready to have. Not after everything that had happened earlier in the day. Not on the one night she just wanted to be near her sister, without any of this newfound drama and tension that had developed between them. So she drops it. Nods her head to show that she heard Atta’s reply and took a small sip of her wine.

It’s not until her sister keeps going, this time about Mavis and Myles, that she’s really brought back to being fully alert and paying attention. “Wait Mavis was hurt?” is the first thing out of her mouth as she sits forward and sets her glass down on the table in front of them. No one had told her about the older girl being involved in the attack and Dot had been too nervous about seeing Buster to go anywhere near the room holding everyone that had been injured. A wave of guilt washed over her for having been so sucked into her own issues that she hadn’t thought to see who else might have been hurt, but she tries her best to stifle it, knowing there’s nothing she could really do now. “Is she going to be okay? Was anyone else hurt? That we know, I mean. I.. I only knew about Buster - no one told me about anyone else.” Then again, she hadn’t really spoken to anyone to have been told about them in the first place. It was also a bit telling, the amount of concern she had for Mavis, a girl she barely knew other than through stories Myles had told her, compared to what she’d shown for the man who had quite literally taken a bullet to save her life. But that’s not something Dot was going to think too hard on.

[attaant]

Though she had a feeling her sister would stay with her, it still came as a bit of a pleasant surprise when Dot agreed. It was unfortunate, that it took a deadly, traumatic event to get her sister to spend time with her, but Atta would take what she could get, at this point. It had been made abundantly clear over the past few weeks that she was still upset with the decision to keep her husband around. No matter how many times she'd tried to convince herself that this was temporary, that Dot would get over it and learn to understand the choices Atta made, especially ones she thought were beneficial for their family in the long run. And, if the day had proven anything, it was that Buster was committed to the word he'd given, that he would keep the Dreyfus sisters safe.

Atta wasn't even going to mention him, so it came as another surprise that Dot herself was the one to bring up her husband, who was still very much in recovery from taking the shot that had nearly gone to her sister. It was the sorest spot of their relationship, and though she could gush about how heroic it had been, or how impressed she'd been by what he'd done for her, this certainly wasn't the time, nor the audience, to do that. "Yeah, he will," she confirmed simply, keeping it at that. Atta wasn't sure that the brunette cared to hear more than that, anyway. "So will Mavis, I think, thankfully. I mean, it's terrible, obviously, that she was hurt in the first place, but after all Myles has been through … I can't even think about if he lost someone so important to him." It was the first time she'd seen him happy, building a life for himself that didn't involve his brother, and Atta was simply thankful that it hadn't been ripped away. "I offered to let him stay over at the house, if he just needed some space, but I think he wants to stay here."

“I know who Mavis is,” are the first words out of Dot’s mouth when her sister begins explaining why Myles was even here. She’d known about the vampire in his life for a long time now, back before the wedding and everything that imploded afterwards - but it says a lot that Atta just assumes she wouldn’t. A part of her wants to point out that not everyone in her life keeps secrets from her, but she keeps her mouth shut. No need to start another fight, not after everything that’s happened today. Even if it is kind of true, she bitterly thinks to herself.

Going to bed does sound like the better option of the two - because for all she wants to be near her sister, she doesn’t necessarily want to actually talk to the older girl. But that would be rude and it’s clear that Atta wants this, wants to spend time together like they used to before Buster swooped into their lives and decided to stay. “Yeah, I could drink a glass,” she finally agrees with a small nod, knowing that neither of them were likely going to stop with just one but not wanting to out herself or the blonde on that fact quite yet. It probably wasn’t healthy, the way they sometimes turned to alcohol to help them in tough times like this - but could they really be blamed? After all, they’d been through a lot these past few years. These last few months even: this island wide attack not even being in the top three worst situations.

As Atta pours them each their drink, she knows she needs to ask about Buster. Not because she actually really cares or even wants to know - but because it’s what’s expected of her. Because if she doesn’t she’s going to seem like a bratty little bitch that refuses to talk about him just because she’s upset. Or like she’s not beyond grateful and appreciative of the bullet he had quite literally taken in her place. So as she reaches to take her offered glass, bringing it to her lips for a hefty sip, Dot lets out a small breath of a sigh. “How’s he doing? He’ll be alright, right?” Even though she can’t bring herself to say his name, they both know exactly who she’s talking about.

[attaant]

Though she wished he was right, that the borders opening would shift Hopper's focus, Atta feared that the change might've had the exact opposite effect. It wouldn't be long before she heard something from him about wanting to demolish her warehouses on the mainland, or take them over for his own use. But, she was tougher now, and knew what it took to earn his respect. "I don't know about that, I'm actually shocked he hasn't called me already, to try and draw up some sort of agreement for all my resources on Echo." Perhaps he was doing that just now, behind her back, or, even less likely, dealing with injuries his men had faced. "I don't know, honestly. I'd just gotten used to feeling like I had some sort of control over what's going on here, and now, things are going to change again." At least, now, she had someone else with her--she was now part of a team of two. "I just hope it doesn't get worse, with all of these people who are going to flood in. They all know what's here, just as well as we do."

⨯⨯⨯

Buster had better things to worry about than how his wounds would heal now wondering what was to come. He'd been prepared for something of this caliber but for hunters to come for those who weren't magic was far too personal. That was the thorn in his side and not the stitches from the bullet pried from his flesh. The intentions behind it had him feeling its presence long after the ammo left his body. Now that he had something real to protect there were motivations Buster never experienced before, only feeling whole with her beside him now. A content hum came from his lips before the future was brought back into the light and his eyes flickered down. "And what do you think of that?" His opinion only mattered to some extent when it was Atta who had the most to lose. "At least it's keeping Hopper off your tail," Buster mused out loud. He had been grateful for that at a time like this when he wasn't in the shape to properly protect his family. "About damn time if you ask me." Buster's own business was looking for expansion and now also the safety of those he'd come to care about more than himself.

[attaant]

Going out at a time like this seemed hardly the answer, but life unfortunately went on for people who either weren't personally affected by what happened at the festival, or were too rich to care. Atta was by herself, knowing she would find Kit at some point during the evening to take her husband's place. It didn't take long, as there was only one person she truly wanted to seek out and spend her time with. Though she knew nothing had hurt Kit physically, she still knew how difficult something like this could be, having experienced her life blowing up in her face more times than she cared to remember.

"She's okay," Atta assured him, "just a little scratched up. Buster actually took a freaking bullet for her, which was … wild." Atta was repeatedly in awe of what her husband had done for her sister; despite promising that he would take care of them, it was another thing entirely to watch him keep his promise in such a drastic fashion. "No, I had no idea, I mean … Hopper's been trying to get the borders open, for business purposes, for a while, but nothing successful. He wasn't behind this, though, I know that."

-timeskip-

It had been hard to get hold of the blonde girl lately. Kit felt like something big was about to happen, with major shadows moving around. There were whispers of the borders opening, an idea he found insane. Who would want to risk such an unknown? And hadn’t this island been enough for them in the first place? Of course, Kit only knew luxury, as he was, well, Kit. The bombing at the festival confirmed his suspicions—there was indeed a lot happening in the background. With Dot hurt and several others injured, he knew Atta must know more.

When he finally caught up to her at an event, he sat her down and began, "How's Dot feeling?" Kit asked, his voice filled with concern. "I've been hearing things, but this is all new to me," he remarked. Kit had always been more occupied with his work, and the sudden influx of gossip was overwhelming. "Have you known about this for a while?"

[attaant]

Atta wasn't entirely sure what she'd done to deserve the kindness he continued to show her, especially when she'd gone out of her way to actively not spend the rest of her life with him, but there was a strange sense of bonding she knew they shared after seeing his brother at his absolute worst. It took a particularly strong person to feel like they had any semblance of control when it came to Hopper. Any person who would look out for her, she would gladly return--and, now, so would Buster, with the physical strength that could probably outweigh both Atta and Myles ten times over. "I'm glad you are, too, and that she's okay. There's nothing you can do with something like this, though, you know that," she reminded him, hoping that he could recall the same helplessness they'd felt before with his brother.

With her arm in his, Atta followed his lead toward his room, Myles seeming to feel even more at ease the more time he spent at the hotel. "So, is the plan to just stay here for as long as they'll have you?" Atta teased, leaning into his shoulder with a curious raise of her brow. Atta couldn't tell the exact nature of the relationship between Myles and Mavis, but she did know that she'd never seen him so happy. While she knew that was partially due to the new freedom he had from his brother, Atta also had a feeling that the girl in his life had something to do with it, too. "If it's too much chaos here, you know you're welcome to come stay with me, too."

▴▴▴ 🦗 ▴▴▴

After the way his day had gone, it was nice to see a friend, especially now that he was certain she'd stayed safe. Those he was closest to would be okay but that didn't forgive the actions done against them. He'd failed to protect Mavis once before from his own blood, and now there were more dangers to her than just Hopper; next time he swore would be ready. Myles had never been the merciless man his brother was but he was beginning to understand why he'd been prepared for carnage from such a young age. In fact, he thought Colin would be quite proud to know that his little brother had finally decided to use the skills he'd grown up being taught. A gun on his hip had never felt right until now, wanting more than ever to expect the unexpected.

"I'm glad you two are safe," he said allowing himself to smile a little now that he'd gotten the confirmation. Her hug had been exactly what he needed at a time like this and feeling uncertain about what the future held more than ever. "You and your family are always welcome here, you know that." While her husband hadn't been someone he'd gotten to know well anyone that Atta considered family was cleared in his mind. After all they'd been through together Myles trusted her more than just about anyone else, their trauma from his brother bonding them eternally. "I just wish there was more I could've done. Seeing her like that..." His voice faded off, not wanting to replay the scene again in his head. It had already been on repeat until she walked in and he didn't want to restart the reel. "Of course, follow me." Myles nodded towards the hallway to lead them to his room where they could speak privately and get cleaned up after the day they'd had.

[attaant]

Atta hadn't necessarily expected any kind of rejection from her sister, but it came as a pleasant surprise that there were no questions from  Dot regarding her decision. In a strange way, it was how things had used to be between them: Atta made decisions, and there was no one to answer to, sometimes not even her mother. Not easing into things like this might have been her cardinal mistake, followed by a string of others that brought the Dreyfuses to the most tumultuous spot they'd ever seen. She'd never intended for things to get this way when she'd decided to stay with Buster, or even when she'd chosen to take him up on his offer to begin with. All Atta could hope now was that, maybe, one day, her sister might understand why.

With a nod, she confirmed her sister's question, having just seen the man who'd made this place his second home. He was the reason they'd come here; Atta wasn't sure how she'd ever be able to thank him for their safety, especially when she felt like she'd hardly done anything for him to deserve it. "He is, his girlfriend, Mavis, was hurt, though. I don't know if she's officially his girlfriend, but it kind of sounds like she is," Atta explained with a shrug. As long as they were happy, she wasn't going to question it. She hardly had her own relationship figured out. She could tell Dot was struggling, but trying to be strong--the last thing she wanted was to push too hard in the opposite direction. "Do you want any of this?" she asked, holding up the bottle of wine. "I was kind of thinking we could hang out, just the two of us … if you're feeling up for it, that is. I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to go to bed, either."

It had been automatic, the way that she had searched for her sister amongst the chaos of the attack. No matter what was going on between them, no matter the drama or upset feelings she had, Atta was the most important person in her life. She was the person that made Dot feel the safest, even at the worst of times. So it was no question that she’d be following along wherever the blonde wanted to go. The only time that she had allowed for them to be separated was when Buster was being brought in, giving the two of them space despite the fact that he was in no real condition to do much of anything. It had only been brief, Atta returning quickly once she was certain her husband was being cared for, a bottle of wine in her hand.

Despite her annoyance lately at how many decisions keep getting made without her input or even a warning offered to her, Dot was actually okay with staying the night at the hotel. The last thing she wanted was to go back out into the open, where more hunters might be waiting. Of course, the logical part of her brain reminded her that if anywhere was going to be targeted actually, it would be the hotel, the known safe haven for magical creatures and beings. And if Hopper was the one behind the chaos at the festival then his next mark would surely be here… he’s shown before that he has no issue with aiming an attack at Hotel Transylvania. But she tried her best to shut those thoughts down. If everyone else said they were safe here, she’d just have to believe it. And it’s not like she’s really felt safe in her own home lately, anyway. So rather than fighting she just gives a small nod. “Okay. Is Myles here? Is he okay?” It’s not the person she should be asking about, considering Buster had been the one to save her life, but Molt’s the person she cared to know the answer for the most. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” Because she has no other choice but to be fine. It was the same thing that happened after the kidnapping - life had to just keep on going… whether she wanted it to or not.

[attaant]

The questions she had were left unanswered, though Atta should've known to expect anything more. His silence about her sister meant that he wasn't able to give her a name yet, but she could at least tell that he had some idea. What was said and left unspoken were a kind of language they had, one that Atta was still working on becoming fluent in. She knew now what silence meant, and what warranted pressing, in a way that she hadn't when they'd first begun to work together. The little respect she'd built in his eye was shown now, as a paper was slid her way--a stark difference from the kind of unwarranted, sporadic action Hopper used to take when it came to using her resources. This was a warning that she'd once before dreamed of getting.

Sliding the paper toward her, Atta was unsurprised with his terms: he'd never been known to leave her with much for herself, at the end of the day. But, it was a better deal than she'd gotten in the past. The only word that stuck out to her was a name, one that she should've foreseen on the short list of people Hopper wanted on this. "Scamp? You think Lilah's going to let him?" It wasn't her business, though--this was between the two men, and Scamp's mother, so she simply scribbled her signature on the bottom of the page in approval. "I can speak to Gaston, if you need me to. See what he's willing to tell me."

Hopper actually had a good idea who might have targeted her sister, but without certainty, there was no point in answering her question. What mattered was that it would happen again if neither of them acted quickly. This shared interest between them was unforeseen. Hopper wanted to open the borders for his own benefit, and Claire was driven by her need to survive. With Gaston leading the Hunters and another new face causing havoc, they were more unpredictable than ever. Gaston's cunning and unpredictability made him especially dangerous. Hopper hadn't anticipated that the Hunters would sacrifice their own kind for the hunt. This was no longer a game to them; it had become an obsession for blood and power. Hopper could relate, though on a different level.

"No promises," he replied. He cared little for Atta's demands; his priority was getting his artillery distributed for their offensive. This temporary alliance served his purpose, but once the borders opened, Hopper intended to seize her properties to expand his domain. For now, this was the plan. Hopper threw her a paper with numbers on it, the amount of vehicles he needed, and three people in charge of distributing it. "They would know what to do," He stated, leaving her out of words again.

[attaant]

"I know, and I'm glad you are." Atta would've returned the sentiment, that she would've done anything to save him, too, but she feared that she'd never get the chance, if he could help it. Even if they were family on paper, he didn't have to care about them like this, and yet, he did. She knew the reason, he'd said so before, but to have witnessed the action that solidified what he'd meant was another thing entirely. "I think Hopper's working on getting the borders back open," she told him, switching the subject back to business, away from the thoughts of losing either him or her sister. "I had thought maybe it was coming before, but then, people in the lobby were talking about other rumors they'd heard, so ... I don't know if he's responsible, but after tonight, I don't think it'll be long before it happens." There weren't many personal implications for her, besides having to figure out how to handle additional resources without her boss getting his hands on them first. She hadn't planned on leaving the island before, and she still didn't want to now, but she had someone else to think of, now, when it came to a decision like this one.

⨯⨯⨯

Most of the time Buster was a man who kept to himself, that was the case until he met Atta Dreyfus. Now he was not only putting himself into the light but in the line of fire in order to protect this newfound family. These were actions that most of his crew would've laughed at if they'd been told he put himself in harm's way for someone else. While they had been his closest friends and employees it was widely known that Buster wouldn't be putting himself in front of them if a bullet came their way. That was different for the girls he'd come to call his family, even if Dot hadn't been entirely supportive of his union with her sister. At first, all he was able to give was a nod from the uncertainty of how to accept the concern that came along with his actions. To Buster, it was a simple decision but he knew there were bigger things at hand now, not thinking twice before putting himself in front of her sister. "But I am," he assured her again, making sure to keep the severity to himself. The last thing Atta needed right now was knowing how close he'd come to a much darker ending. "You don't need to thank me, Atta." The man adjusted so that his arm was able to drape over her shoulders and pull her into his broad chest. "You know there was no question, you two are my family now and I'm just glad you're both safe."

[attaant]

It was all the confirmation that Atta needed to know a few things to be true: Hopper had, in fact, had some level of involvement, he'd somehow either gotten her sister targeted or knew someone who had, and the borders were going to open soon. As she ran the list of facts through her head, Atta nodded to herself as she quickly processed before another question was posed, this time at her. Before she could answer, what mattered most to her was her sister, more than herself, even more than the public. "Who targeted her?" she probed, "Do you know?" Though she was fine, it didn't matter--whoever was out to hurt Dot would try again, probably when Buster wasn't around to protect her.

This move was one of the first Atta could actually agree with. Not only were there personal benefits in going against the Hunters, having known a certain ex-boyfriend of hers had something against magical beings, but she knew this was actual good that she would be doing. "I can do that," she agreed easily. "I have trucks at a warehouse on the other side of the border. You can use them, as long as they remain intact by the end of their use," Atta added, in reference to how many he'd blown up in the past.

Hopper didn't look back at her, his eyes fixed on his payroll. The list of names he had recruited for the impending war was long, and the festival chaos had arrived sooner than expected. Colin hadn't anticipated that the Hunters would dare to launch a full-scale attack, especially after he had made it clear he wouldn't supply them with weapons this time. His dealings with the Hunters had always been strictly business, but with Claire involved, he had been cautious—perhaps to the detriment of his connections with them.

The Locusts, busy planning their own offensive, were not part of the festival. "There's more to come," he stated matter-of-factly. "I've heard your sister was targeted. They will continue to be so," Hopper said, taking a sip of whiskey, his head still bowed over his desk as he scribbled notes. "Some factions of Hunters are provoking, no one is safe until the borders are opened."

He continued to explain without giving her room to question. "I need you to facilitate the direct transport of my artillery to the magical beings on my list, and my men. I'll open the borders before the Hunters annihilate them all," Hopper declared. "Tell me, Atta, is your ego more important than the safety of the people?" It wasn't a request; it was an order. Finally, Hopper lifted his head and fixed his gaze on her, awaiting her response.

[attaant]

who: atta & @hoppingseason where: thumper's yard

She shouldn't have felt the same kind of nerves approaching her boss unannounced now as she had when she was younger, but Atta couldn't help herself. Rumors had begun to fly around the hotel about Myles' brother's involvement in the attack, though Atta hadn't recognized any of the men as ones who worked for Hopper. The one she was more concerned with was the whispers about the borders opening soon, especially after this. To keep people trapped on an unsafe island, with nowhere to go, would've been cruel. And, if Atta was only finding out about this the night prior, that meant that Hopper must have already known, and was likely a hundred steps ahead of her.

With a knock on his door, Atta entered as he waved her in unceremoniously. She took the seat across from his desk, the debate she'd began on her way over on how to approach this still not mentally settled. "Were you at the festival last night? I didn't see you, or anyone else, but I wasn't sure if I was missing something." It wasn't a direct accusation, but enough for Hopper to know what she'd meant. "And is it true, about the borders?" Atta added, hoping he would appreciate her directness.