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he could only imagine how she felt in this moment but he was doing everything he could to stay conscious, to let her know exactly where he was so that she could help him. honestly, a part of him wondered how bad he was actually injured. "i'm okay," he lied, taking in a deep breath as he did so. "i'm home. they dropped me on my porch." he was trying not to show how much pain he was in but he was more than sure that she could tell by the way that he sounded. still, he was going to play this off as much as he could, despite the pain. he still couldn't believe he let anyone take him. he probably seemed pathetic.

When her phone rang with his number, she answered before the first ring finished, her chest tightening with two days of accumulated fear and worry. "Ace… baby… are you okay? Where are you?" His voice was barely recognizable, broken in ways that made her stomach drop. Of course he wasn't okay, what kind of stupid question was that? She'd been waiting for Sterling to call with news that they'd found his body somewhere, and here he was calling her himself, sounding like he'd been put through hell. Thank god he was alive, but what had they done to him? The relief was almost overwhelming, but it was mixed with this sick feeling because she could hear the pain in his voice, could tell something was seriously wrong. "I'm coming to get you right now," she said, already grabbing her keys and heading for the door. "Stay on the line with me, okay? Don't hang up." She needed to hear his voice, needed to know he was still there while she drove to him. Days of thinking the worst had nearly broken her.

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Arielle she knew that her job could get her into more trouble that his job could get him into, and she knew that he worried about her when it came to not only her illness but also her job. alaric truly made her feel cared for and she loved that about him, and she knew that she always would. "i just don't know what i'd do if i lost you." she breathed out. she wasn't so much worried about her well being as she was about losing the man she loved. she would figure her shit out but she couldn't lose him. "i know what i do for a living but i'm okay. you don't have to worry. i think people see me and feel sorry for me so you don't have to worry about anything. i guess i have that on my side."

As usual, Alaric could feel her worry for him. It was the same protective instinct she'd always had, but this time it was focused on his work instead of her own dangerous job. Funny how marriage worked that way, both of them constantly worried about the other while downplaying their own risks. She had a point about Devil's Junction though. This place had layers upon layers of secrets, and poking the wrong one could get someone hurt. Or worse. But this kid today - something about his injuries had triggered every alarm bell in Alaric's medical training. The pattern was too deliberate, too professional. Someone had hurt him systematically, and the fear in his eyes suggested it wasn't over. "You worry too much," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm digging to make sure he'll be okay. I wouldn't dare go beyond that. I wouldn't dare do anything stupid, not when I have you to worry about too. But this lecture should go both ways. Have you forgotten what you do for a living?"

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Jasmine was just thankful that her marriage was over. She’d been miserable and the bruises that coated her skin weren’t things she had been proud of. Still, she pushed through for her kids. Laughing at the topic he brought up next, she rolled her eyes in response. “I probably keep it in the same place you keep your armor. You know, since you like to play the knight and shining armor.” She teased him, her foot nudging his just slightly from under the table with an amused smile stretched over her face.

Grant nodded, relief washing through him at her suggestion to drop the topic. Talking about Emilio always left a bitter taste in his mouth - not just because the man was a piece of shit, but because it reminded him how powerless he'd felt watching Jasmine suffer through that marriage. He'd seen the bruises, heard the fear in her voice, and knowing he couldn't just handle it the way he usually handled problems had eaten at him for months. Different world, different rules - couldn't exactly make people disappear when they weren't part of the organization. "Good call," he said, taking another bite of the alfredo. "Much better dinner conversation topics out there." He paused, letting that familiar teasing edge creep into his voice. "Like where exactly you hide that witch broom of yours. Or do you use a vacuum cleaner since you're a modern witch? Probably more efficient for flying around town casting spells on unsuspecting neighbors."

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CLOSED STARTER FOR @labyrinthinesyndicatex FT. JADE & TRISTAN

the last thing that jade expected was to get a note from the same guy who seem like he couldn't be less interested in her if he tried. the flowers were admittedly a nice touch and while she didn't appreciate what happened back at the bar that night, she wasn't going to hold it against him since he did seem to be trying. showing up at the place he'd attached to the note and the time, she slowly approached him with her hands in the pockets of her floral skirt. "thank you for the flowers," she spoke, eyes focused on him for a moment, "they were nice. i…didn't really expect to hear from you again."

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she was going to do whatever she could to make her girlfriend feel better. at least, for tonight. she knew that the situation wasn't exactly something that they wanted to happen but all they could do now was live with it and attempt to make things better. giovanna's thumb brushed over nia's cheek bones as she help her and smiled softly. "good. i don't know what i'd do if i did lose you. i've waited so long for you to be mine and i don't want to give it up." she confessed. "and i know he'll come around. now, why don't we put on a good movie and eat some ice cream, hm? that'll help us relax. or, if you need something more, we could take a bath."

The kiss melted something inside her that had been wound tight for days. God, she really didn't deserve this woman, did she? Here she was, making everything into this huge dramatic mess when maybe it didn't have to be. Giovanna's hands felt warm against her skin and she found herself actually believing those words for once. Usually when people said stuff like that, she just waited for them to change their minds, but this felt different somehow. Real. She pulled back just enough to look into her girlfriend's eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity there. Yeah, Grant was hurt and yeah, she'd screwed up royally by keeping this secret, but maybe they really could fix it. Maybe she needed to stop assuming everyone was going to bail on her the second things got complicated. That was her thing, wasn't it? Expecting the worst so she wouldn't be disappointed when it happened. Except Giovanna kept proving her wrong, over and over again. "And I love you too," she said quietly, meaning every word. "You're not going to lose me, I can promise you that."

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"you know, i think maybe you did." giovanna pointed out. "so, next time someone fucks you over, you'll know to demand more." she wasn't excited about the fact that her friend had gone through this but she trusted afet did what she had to. "let's hope it won't happen again but you know what to do if it does. don't let them take advantage of you."

afet smiled, knowing every word of giovanna's to be true. "—you know what, maybe i was off my game, or maybe he just folded far too easy." that tended to happen when men with over-inflated egos were faced with people who could do real damage. not of any physical kind, where she was concerned, of-course. "maybe i could put you on speed dial for situations like that. or," she grimaced, "let's not tempt fate." she could do without having to replace more vehicles in her possession.

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giovanna sighed softly. she hated that she lied to her brother and upset her in this way that he didn't deserve. "grant, i'm sorry. we were just doing what we thought was best in the moment. we didn't want to ruin anyone's relationship with the other. we just wanted to wait until the time was right." the younger woman tried to explain, her eyes focused on the man. she didn't know if what she said was going to fix things but the least she could do was try, right? "i know you're not blind. we were just trying to figure out what this was or well, is. i love her, grant."

"Right, so instead you decided I couldn't handle the truth," Grant said, running a hand through his hair. "And now I'm finding out months later like some kind of idiot who can't be trusted with basic information." The whole thing still didn't make sense to him. She kept talking about protecting everyone, but from what exactly? He'd been around long enough to know when people were happy together - hell, he would have been glad for them both if they'd just been honest from the start. Instead they'd turned it into this secret mission like he was some unpredictable bomb waiting to go off. "You think I couldn't tell something was going on? The way you both acted around each other, all those sudden plans that didn't include me?" He shook his head. "I'm not blind, Gio. I just trusted you enough to believe the lies you were telling me." The betrayal cut deeper than he wanted to admit. Not because of who she was dating, but because she'd made him feel like an outsider in his own relationships.

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giovanna let out a small laugh, shaking her head at the woman in front of her. "you know what? you might actually be right." he pointed out. it was actually amusing though to have this conversation with her, to have this conversation with someone who understood how cats could be. "you know," she started, "you may very well be right. they're definitely running things without us even realizing they are. funny how that happens, isn't it?"

"Twenty years? Try twenty minutes. They're already in charge, we just haven't figured it out yet. Mochi's basically my landlord at this point." She takes another sip of her drink, thinking about how her cat literally controls her entire schedule. Wake up at six because Mochi demands breakfast. Work around her nap spots on the couch. Can't even use her laptop without permission anymore. "I swear they've got this whole elaborate plan. Like, they let us think we're the smart ones while they manipulate us into giving them everything they want. Food, shelter, entertainment, medical care. And we just go along with it because they're cute."

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jesse wasn't sure how much of that he actually believed, especially when he saw the way that the two of them looked at each other. it was almost like everyone knew except them. "you two are really getting married?" he asked, a smile taking over his face. he was excited for them, that's for sure. why wouldn't he be? "hey, you never know. you two are going to be living in close quarters. anything could happen!"

Hae-Rin coughed and shook her head. "We're getting married but don't get excited—it's just convenience to get my parents off my back." Jesse always assumed romance where there wasn't any, which was honestly refreshing because most men balk at the idea of romance. Her mother had been calling nonstop about settling down and Ford needed legal protection for his business stuff, so it worked out for both of them. "And no, we were never going to end up together. That's ridiculous." The whole thing was practical, nothing more, though she figured half the town would probably think the same thing Jesse did once word got out about the engagement.

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jesse, despite giving the man a hard time, understood that he had a job to do and he liked to think that he was patient. he was only kidding anyways. "all good." he reassured as the other settled in his seat and waved the waitress over so that tristan could order the drink that it looked like he needed. once it was ordered, he glanced back over at his friend and lifted his shoulders up in a shrug, "i don't have any complaints. been busy, mostly. what about you? how's life treating you?"

"Sorry dude, work ran late," Tristan said as he slid into the seat across from Jesse, feeling bad for constantly being behind schedule - another day, another fire to put out across three time zones. The offer of a free drink was exactly what he needed after spending six hours on calls with suppliers who kept changing their stories about shipping delays. "You're a real one. I'll have a rum and coke." Jesse looked relaxed, which was more than Tristan could say for himself lately - the Zhao family had been breathing down his neck about the next shipment, and every conversation felt like walking through a minefield of unspoken expectations. "How's life? Winery treating you alright?"

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that's exactly what it felt like - whiplash. jesse didn't know how to fix it because in all honesty, he didn't like having enemies. she was probably the only one that he had. it was partially his fault though but at least he was trying to mend things. taking in a deep breath, his eyes met hers and he nodded. "alright, let's get to the wine tasting." he turned back toward the samples he'd poured and pointed toward one of the white wines, "this seems to be a favorite. one of the best sellers, for sure. it's got a hint of sweetness but it's not too sweet and you can taste more than the alcohol."

Aarti sighed, running a hand through her hair. Honestly, this whole thing was getting ridiculous. Here she was, trying to do a simple favor for Cian, and somehow it had turned into some weird therapy session about trust issues. Jesse wasn't wrong though—she was being difficult, wasn't she? But that's just how she operated. Trust didn't come easy, especially not in this town where everyone had an angle. Still, holding grudges took energy she didn't really have to spare anymore. There were bigger things happening, more important battles to fight. Maybe it was time to just let this stupid feud die already. What was the point of staying mad when there were actual problems to solve? Besides, he did apologize, and the wine had been pretty decent. "I'm not mad at you anymore. I don't have that kind of time in my hands to be mad at people when there's something bigger I'm working towards. Seriously, I'm not. I'm not trying to be confusing. So let's just do this, okay? I came here for wine tasting anyway, not give you whiplash."

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she didn't want to waste her time, that was her biggest thing. jade had gone on so many useless dates and she didn't want this to be another one of those, but she was admittedly afraid that it would fall into that category after watching him chat up another woman and admit he forgot why he was there. jade's eyebrows shot up as he spoke, a scoff following. "well, let me make it easy on you. you don't have to spell out another thing because i'm going home. alone." she pushed herself off of the bar and turned on her heels, heading straight toward the exit. jade wasn't the kind of girl to let any man talk to her like that. she'd just have to be honest and let lucian know it didn't work out.

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jesse was definitely trying to play things off but the whole situation had bothered him. he wasn't the kind of guy that dealt with people disliking him, not in a good way. he hated that his friend had called him out on the things that he was talking about. "come on, shut up." he chuckled, shaking his head at the man in front of him. "i just, you know, thought that was best. i was craving their food but i'll have you know that she basically told me to go to hell and that i had to deal with her."

Jesse's laugh sounds forced as hell. Guy's trying way too hard to convince himself he doesn't care. The whole asking for a different waitress thing is pretty telling though. Most people would just deal with bad service or leave entirely. "So you can't stand her but you're still talking about her mouth," Rayan says, raising an eyebrow. "That's interesting." He leans forward slightly, fairly curious now. "And asking for a different waitress instead of just walking out? C'mon man, that's some serious effort to avoid someone." The defensive edge in Jesse's voice is pretty obvious. People don't get this worked up over someone they truly don't give a shit about. There's definitely more to this story than Jesse's letting on. "What exactly did she say to you anyway?"

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a puff of air escaped his lips as she spoke and he couldn't help but to shoot a glare in her direction. she obviously wasn't taking this seriously and it very obviously bothered him. "twinkies don't glow in the dark and there's nothing wrong with those delicious sponge cake filled with creme but i guess not everyone has good taste." he response and turned away from her to see if something else might satisfy him.

⸻ Sasha blinked at him, then slowly tilted her head like a confused cat assessing a threat—or in this case, a grown man mourning snack cakes. ❛ Ah yes, tragic. Twinkie extinction. Truly the end of civilization as we know it. ❜ She folded her arms, deadpan, but the gleam in her eyes betrayed amusement. ❛ Maybe it’s a government conspiracy. Or the universe just personally hates you. Both are equally valid. ❜

She stepped closer to the shelf, inspecting the empty spot with mock reverence. ❛ We’ll light a candle. Hold a vigil. Write strongly-worded letters to the snack gods. ❜ Then, with the faintest smirk: ❛ Or… hear me out… Try something made after 2002 that doesn’t glow in the dark. Radical idea, I know.❜

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jesse couldn't remember which one the man had mentioned to him but he was sure that he could figure out which one that it was. he was thankful as he went on, "of course i do. i can give you a couple of bottles if you want." he offered. "what do you need 'em for? business or pleasure?" he asked, curiously.

closed starter : @blackbcxwarning !!

where : a restaurant of your choosing !!

"Do you still have that bottle of wine you were telling me about?" Thomas asks, abandoning his cup. The vineyard business always fascinated him, probably because it's so far removed from casinos and family politics. "The one from that harvest you said was absolute perfection or something like that." His phone buzzes with another message from Lucian, but he slides it face-down across the counter. Today's supposed to be neutral territory, no family drama allowed.

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he was more than thankful that she saw through his bullshit, especially when no one else did. Zach’s love for her grew every day, even if he hadn’t admitted that much out loud. He smiled slightly against her lips and then took in a deep breath as they parted, nodding as she said she was going to show him around. His eyes scanned over her place and it looked as expected, cozy. Clean. He liked it. He liked that he was going to be with her even more. That was the best part. He stopped at her bedroom door as she did, “where the magic happens, huh?” He teased, arms coming around her waist. “You don’t sleep much? Maybe I could help with that.”

Stella's heart melted at his words, the vulnerability in his voice making something shift inside her. She'd never expected to fall for someone like Zach - a con man with a troubled past who'd even tried to scam her once. Yet here she was, completely captivated by his affection. The way he acknowledged his luck in having her - it touched a place she usually kept guarded. "I gave you a chance because I saw the real you beneath all that bullshit," she murmured, leaning into his kiss. His lips felt like home now - strange how that had happened. "Come on, I should probably show you around since you might be staying awhile." She led him through her apartment, pointing out the kitchen with its expensive coffee machine, her office with multiple screens for monitoring information channels, the living room with its view of the city. Each room revealed another layer of herself. "And this," she said, pausing at the final doorway with unexpected nervousness, "is where I sleep … when I actually do sleep."

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her smile grew at his confession and her heart skipped a beat. "good." she breathed out, "because you're all i can think about too." she added. arielle didn't care how it sounded, especially not when the two of them were just being honest. she nodded slowly as he went on, her smile faltering as she listened. "you know you have to be careful about digging into things in devil's junction," she paused, "i don't want anything happening to you if you find out something you shouldn't have." but even so, she knew he'd want to help the man out. "i think you should see if you can get a different story out of him. maybe see if there's anything you can do to help."

"When have I never not missed you?" he said, kissing her forehead. "After all these years and you're still all I can think about." Christ, he sounded pathetic. But also completely honest, which was worse somehow. Even when he was elbow-deep in someone's chest cavity, half his brain was wondering what she was doing at home, whether she was having a good day or struggling. Occupational hazard of loving someone this much. His day had been a disaster, actually. One particular case kept gnawing at him - this kid, maybe twenty-five, rolled in claiming he'd fallen down some stairs. Except the injuries told a completely different story. Multiple contusions in a very specific pattern, defensive wounds on his forearms. Someone had worked him over professionally. "I've got this patient," he said carefully. "Young guy with some concerning injuries. Story doesn't add up, and I'm trying to figure out whether to dig deeper or just patch him up and send him on his way."