#I haven't seen anyone else reporting this bug

[r0semultiverse]

My tumblr update looks a little strange.

[tobeornottotc]

Hi. I was just reading in one of your previous posts that Vegas knew that Porsche wanted to open a bar. I haven't seen ep 7 yet but is Porsche curious as to why Vegas would know that? As only Kinn would know that? I think I'm curious too? How do you think Vegas knows that?

Hi!

Yeah this is completely left field for me as well because I wasn't expecting him to know that. With the logic that this dream of Porsche hasn't been shared with anyone else but his brother, and Kinn, both won't easily expose it either, so it's a bit of a confusing one for me too however these writers don't seem like they're not intentional with everything they do, they must have a plan for why they have mentioned so I'll give you three theories that I can explains it kind of but also needs a lot more evidence and proof for it to be real. So real answer I'm honestly baffled and creeped out by how Vegas knows that, but at the same time I think it could be a great way to introduce some other important plots.

Porchay

Porsche's Uncle

Pete/bodyguards a mole

Porchay knows this secret he and Porsche both share this dream, it's not something like Porsche that he needs to keep to his chest, in school he may blurt it out that he wants to fulfill his dream and his brother's of both running a bar and making music, and Vegas could have spies (Macau is from that university) that are surrounding the area because there's no way like Kim that Vegas does not know who Porsche's brother is. Now this will be great because knowing what I know from the book Porchay is very much in danger from being left alone, and he could already spied on by the mole that reports to Vegas who knows of his existence if my guess is right about him, or just Vegas keeping an eye out and bugging the poor boy without knowing. Signs Vegas bugs people, the hospital scene he gave flowers that were on the surface a romantic gesture but inside had a bug device to overhear or watch Porsche and Kinn. Porschay being so vulnerable and naïve probably wouldn't even know when he's being followed or watched because he doesn't know he's a target, but he is Porsche's biggest weakness to everyone who knows Porsche, he is the one they'll target and probably have been targeting since especially they followed Kinn to Porsche's house where Porchay lives alone. So Porchay could be being spied on and that would make sense for the rest of his involvement in they keep the plot in the novel. Lots of people have it out for Porsche's weakness and unfortunately Porsche's is his brother's safety so yeah.

2. Porche's uncle is also important, I don't know if people have picked up on certain clues about him but he was cheated during that moment that Porsche left him, he was manipulated because he was a gambler, by who we don't know, but again his uncle plays a role somewhere. His uncle could know about both these two dreams because it's not something they would hide from him, they'd probably joke about it and use it for strength to remind them of their goals, he was close to them, he did raise them somewhat, so there's emotions there and vulnerabilty there that he may have tapped into and discovered Porsche's secret. Again Porsche is an interesting character it's clear there's more to him than just this need for a new bodyguard bullcrap that Korn has stated, Korn obviously knew him before he showed up and their mafia business especially the minor family deals with ... you guessed it gambling, So it won't be rare for Vegas to suddenly bump into a certain uncle and get him drunk and stupid out of his mind and blurting out secrets that are not his, it won't be surprising to see Vegas send someone to follow all who knows Porsche and give him detailed accounts about what they've said about him. The uncle is important to the story he will be back as seen in the trailer, there's a lot he knows he's the one who told Porsche about the accident that took away his parents, he's the one who raised them and kept wasting the money and hard efforts, and he's the one who got cheated on the day Porsche suspiciously needed to escape being a bodyguard, so he is important but he is unreliable. Yes he's the one who raised them but he wasn't good at it, he was a gambler and an addict, yes he was the one who told Porsche about the parents truth, but he's someone who could lie and hide the actual truth, again this whole accident feels shoe horned so ofcourse he's probably exaggerating or keeping secrets, lastly he was the one who was cheated by the person he had to pay, and I do think episode 3 foreshadows the connections of gambling Kinn's family has to victims like his uncle. There is no way they haven't crossed paths or maybe even know of each other. The question then is what is he hiding and why is he hiding Porsche and Chay from the truth?

3. Pete/Bodyguards the mole, this one I think is the most interesting one because it leads to the next plot we are already introduced to and told of, there's a mole, there's someone spreading secrets and exposing Kinn's vulnerabilities, Kinn believes the mole works for Vegas, and is trying to usurp him. And its the truth Porsche mentions in episode 3, that the guy who was a gambling addict admitted to a mole being in the place and forcing everyone to cheat and look to hurt the major family, Porsche even feels hurt Kinn questions him as the mole (foreshadowing) and it's a big sign that someone on the inside is not to be trusted. Now Porsche might not be someone who exposes his dreams easily but if drunk with Pete or during those moments they go out with Thankhun and they're free the mole surprisingly could be listening in to conversations with the crew afterwards, whoever the mole is a bodyguard, they're all talking and always interacting with each other. If someone is trying to find more about Porsche it won't be hard to overhear conversations or even spy out on the orders of their boss more information from Porsche's friends, or just again Pete who he may have blurted it out to when he was being jokey and stuff. This theory for me checks but I just don't see Porsche being exposing his dreams so much like that but since he's a bartender and he's making conversation I can see him saying to Pete, Arm, Pol that one day he wanted to do more of that in the future and the mole overhead. The mole being suspected by Kinn to work for Vegas is also how Vegas is then with the information about the bar, it also suggests Vegas and his family are behind the kidnapping, the mutiny and rebellion slowly forming against Kinn from different sides of the family and mafia. So that's also something to take note of. The mole being the one will lead to the storyline of them being exposed, their story for why they became this way and who they see as their boss (Vegas or someone else entirely) and that would be interesting.

Funny enough, knowing the novel all of these checks out, because they all have paths/arcs that are really connected to the biggest plot of the novel and threads, they reveal certain parts of the story especially regarding Porsche and his life, and why he's been chosen to be here. So it's really interesting to know which path they will do, and why Vegas is someone who knows such a deep secret and how much KinnPorsche are being followed, stalked and manipulated behind the surface without even knowing it yet.

Thanks anon I'm probably wrong though because they could change any of this, like they've already altered a lot of Porchay and Kim's arc and I'm still thinking they'll leave parts of their story but because of time they may not do certain parts you know? So I still feel like from what I've seen and the clues I've heard, that these story characters will be important for the final plot thread, but we'll see what they do. Hope this answers your question, feel free to ask me more on anything else you want to know. Thanks again :)

[the-firebird69]

There's a few things here going on one is time to get sleep around here. The second is the idiots finally left earlier I went out to the bridge. And we moved it and one section at a time and they're both there. I've never had this reaction from anyone before and it's amazing there's a lot of them that haven't seen the ship in person and this is something else for them and they noticed the shape and we're in awe. It's going on now at the South Dallas 50 is full of people and all night so far. We cordoned off some of the spectators we had to to call the national guard.

Since only a few hours ago the pieces picked up. Sunlight has hit the objects and people can see it from Los Angeles California and they say they can see it from Georgia that we don't think so let me get up on the tallest building and they can. We're going over this in our mind it's a good idea and we heard them and we can see that it is an idea that causes work we started working last night and we haven't stopped I know it sounds like and plug it up lighting it up in a little was good idea and we did some bug work. There's some huge bugs at the edge of the New River and we went up the whole river same thing like that please report it to us right now we don't we're not doing it on purpose we need hours to report things anybody that's over 3 inches long I want reported so go get the damn things I already knew that sop for that for the co to get reports about things start doing more of a job.

Also what's up to use common sense take the dangerous out of society means to make it less dangerous all around to make it easier for us to do a job

Response to the bridge sections is phenomenal there is no way that anyone could top what's going on now it is global and it's intense and everybody has to see it even our son has to see it or wants to and he's the one who had to put there I almost exactly there and in the same format it's in it's all his idea and here it goes we have to wait till afterwards to install it it might take a while to crap don't take that long it's about the golf dropping it's not about the Great lakes and they're in the golf and they know where the diamonds are. Put them in containers is or something it's hard to get them in the middle of this big pond without everybody knowing. So they begin doing it last week over Mexico and it stopped no just still doing it and it's five holes over there and they are trying for some huge diamonds. And their mighty out five of the holes and they have them about halfway mined. The other holes they haven't really started going on for quite a while, and yes it's more lok. They want to mine it out and threaten our son to move to Australia. And we have them on the radar as evil group and they are constantly doing it these threats

Thor Freya

[diana-3]

Crow’s Nest.

Diana sighed as she climbed the last few stairs to Devrim’s perch. The Gentlemen Sniper pulled his rifle back inside the windowsill and turned, having earlier waved to Diana he smiled at her approach. “Ah,” His warm tone brought a smile to her face, “Di, hello dear, how are you?”

“I’m alright I guess..s’been a while...huh?” There was guilt layering her tone, like a child who was admitting to a wrong--ready for a scolding.  

“Works kept you busy,” Devrim settled against the wall and his smile held, but his eyes turned downward and with it the mood lowered. “Seems as if the whole world is trying to burn around us.” He nodded to the radio on the shabby table with the teaset near by. “I’ve been keeping up on the radio chatter, you’ve been busy out toward the Tangled Shore lately?”

“Oh yeah,” Dianna removed her helmet and went to settle on the floor next to Devrim who glanced out the window. “There’s this new baddie, Xivu Arath? A hive celebrant...whatever that means...trying to corrupt Fal---Eliskni and Cabal into being Hive mind slaves. Causing a lot of trouble on the Shore and in the Dreaming City. Been working with Spider’s crew to get it cleaned up but its been weeks now.”

“A month yesterday,” Joel corrected as he appeared by Diana’s side. “I overheard Glint and Crow talking about it as we were walking away yesterday.”

“A month…” Diana repeated with weight behind her long sigh that followed. “Has it been that long already?”

“Between the constant crucible matches and vanguard operations to charge the lure, not to mention the individual hunts themselves, I’m not surprised we hadn’t realized.” Even Joel sounded exhausted, flying low until he settled in Diana’s hands as she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. “It’s been...hectic to say the least.”

“When was the last time you had any time off?” Devrim asked, raising a dark brow as he removed himself from the window completely now. Hanging his rifle on carefully placed hooks in the collapsing church to avoid accidental misfires. “You both look absolutely ragged.”

Diana hummed in thought. Her head slowly lulling from side to side before she spoke. “The Festival of the Lost?”

“Can’t really count that as time off when we were fixing the infinite forest…” Joel reminded her and she nodded.

“Soooo, before then?”

“My word,” Devrim’s shocked outburst made the tired guardian and her ghost both open their eyes and look at him. He was standing with his teapot in hand, “You’re going to need something a bit more strong than tea then to unwind.”

“You know what I want?” Diana chuckled softly, the fatigue showing through her defeated tone. “A nap. A nice, warm nap.”

“You’re more than welcome to come back to the farm,” Devrim offered, putting down his teapot and reaching for clean cups and saucers. “You could rant about anything bothering you until you can rest, or you’re free to do so after over a nice hot cup of tea.”

Diana smiled, watching the older man go through his motions to prepare his staple drink. The care he put into making it and the glance he gave her when he felt her stare. “Thanks,” She smiled back, “But,” She tapped Joel’s shell and woke the little Ghost from his quiet rest, his eye blinking open and his shell twitching in a stretch. “I think seeing Mythrax would just wind me back up again...remind me of everything going on on Europa.”

“Ah,” Devrim’s smile fell as he watched Joel take a lazy flight, hovering just above Diana’s shoulder as she climbed to her feet wearily. “Do you have somewhere else to stay then? I have no bed or blanket here, but I can offer great conversation and drink, a little light on snacks I’m afraid.”

“Actually…” Diana rubbed her head before her face and sighed, “I think there’s somewhere I want to...revisit. It’s not the Tower, but right now I’d rather avoid the tower if possible too…”

“Just seems like there's nowhere for us to go to get a rest away from everyone.” Joel admitted, his eye downcast as his shell shook side from side. “There's always someone looking for the next report, the next ship out, the next bounty to be taken…” He glanced at Diana who was lost in thought, her cyan eyes following the floorboard toward the window. When she slowly walked away to peer out Devrim’s window, Joel flew near Devrim and whispered. “She’s had a lot thrust onto her shoulders lately Devrim, I don’t know...I don’t know how to help her right now…”

“Is she alright?” Devrim asked, pretending to busy himself with cleaning his table as he waited for the water to boil.

“Physically she’s fine, she’s just so mentally worn out...A lot of old emotional wounds opened up…” Joel twitched in the air, flying a few degrees lower, “You’ve heard about Io, Mercury and Titan?”

“I had.” Devrim nodded, his face stern with thought. “She had friends on those planets didn’t she?”

“Yes, Asher Mir for one,” Joel shook his shell, “She’s still holding out hope that he’s in the Pyramidian, holding out. But no one’s heard from him...or Sloane and Vance...Then...we heard about Sagria…”

“Sagria?” Devrim whispered back, glancing over his shoulder to Diana, who was watching something out the window. “A guardian?”

“

A Ghost,” Joel corrected, “She was Osiris’ ghost...she sacrificed herself to save Osris from Xivu Arath’s influence...he’s Ghostless now...without the light...he’s taken refuge in the tower and asks Diana about how she and Crow--”

“Crow?” Devrim asked, raising a dark brow as he picked up the teapot and began pouring the tea into two cups. “Is that a guardian?”

“S-something like that…” Joel hesitated a tad too long and it drew a long and measured look from the marksman. “He’s a new guardian but...it’s part of the old emotional wounds opening up...that’s all I can say…”

“Mmhmm..” Devrim kept his stare on the little ghost who twitched and flew a few inches away.

“The less you know, the better.” Joel sighed.

“Wouldn’t happen to wear red pants...would this...Crow?” Devrim asked softly, glancing back at Diana who was still preoccupied with scanning the distance.

“You’ve seen him?!” Joel flew close to Devrim’s face, making the older man chuckle and straighten his back a bit.

“I’ve seen someone bustling around in the distance,” Devrim nodded with his head toward the direction of the dam, “He’s never come close though, and always seems to keep a hood up or a helmet on..I’ve never seen his face. Causing our girl some trouble is he?”

“He doesn’t mean to,” Joel said, “He’s new to everything and Di….she doesn’t know how to handle her feelings. He really reminds her of someone she’d rather forget, but at the same time she’s grown closer to him, and is having trouble letting go of that….resemblance.”

“Sounds messy,” Devrim picked up the cup and took a small sip to taste before nodding. “She needs a good rest, and time to herself away from everyone to let herself work through things. Is there a Hunter hideout where she might be able to take cover?”

“None that wouldn’t turn her over to Zavala to keep themselves from being called to the tower..” Joel had a hint of irritation in his voice, “We tried a few of the old spots, but some people have a sore spot for Di. Shaw hasn’t exactly warmed up to her and he’s made a name for himself in the cosmodrome. People think, that she thinks she’s too important, that she abandoned them in their greatest hour of need…And with the Hunters still without a leader...”

“Did they forget the part where the entire universe was at stake?” Devrim asked too loudly, drawing Diana’s tired attention finally from the window.

“Who knew the Cosmodrome was separate from our universe.” She had no mirth to her voice now, she seemed to shake slightly from side to side as she pushed away from the window and walked over to take the cup offered to her gingerly from Devrim. “Thanks…”

“I’m sorry that you’re dealing with so much,” Devrim put a gentle hand on Diana’s shoulder and squeezed it. A flicker in her eyes caught him off guard, was she going to cry? “I hope that the vanguard has at least given you some hefty time off to recoup after running you so ragged?”

“Hawthorne helped,” Joel said with a hint of pride, “When Diana was ready to just drop off the tower to get away from Zavala and Shaw, she spoke up and advocated for Diana to have a relief mission.”

“Tore into them did she?” Devrim chuckled warmly, “Ah, I can hear her now.”

“It was quite a sight,” Joel laughed, his shell squinting as he bobbed up, like a smile. “She wasn’t about to let Zavala just walk all over Diana.”

“M’ just too tired to fight anymore.” Diana admitted as she took a drink from the cup, taking a moment to shiver at the bitterness. “I wanna sleep for a week in a hole in the ground…” She paused…”Or...in a wall…” Her eyes widened slowly before she downed the rest of the cup, filled only half of the way before handing the cup back to Devrim. “If anyone asks,”

“I haven’t heard from you in months.” Devrim winked at her as he took her cup and replaced it on the table. “No idea where you could be. Haven't’ seen you in the EDZ in quite some time.” He turned and lifted his own teacup to her in salute, “I really should contact you via radio to come spend some time with this old man.” He could hear Diana and Joel speaking softly as he turned and sipped at his tea, trying not to listen to the quiet planning. He couldn’t help but hear.

“Are you sure you want to go there?” Joel was asking, concern filling his voice.

“Where else can we go right now? Unless you really wanna watch me dig a hole and bury ourselves.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this...but we could go to the Derlict?” Joel offered in a hushed tone, “Drifter would hide you for a while.”

“He’d also bug me to death for answers, or to get me into Gambit again…” Diana sighed heavily. Devrim kept himself turned around, studying the hand written notes from Marc laying on his desk, hidden out of direct sight behind the radio he used to listen to chatter, or talk to Suraya who was living in the Tower now. “No, I think it’ll be the one place no one, except one person would think to look…”

“Do you think he would?” Joel asked softly.

“No, his leash is too short right now. He might wonder to himself, maybe to Glint, but he won’t actually come looking. Which will give us all the time we need to rest.” Diana sounded sure of herself and her mind was made up. Wherever they were going, it was going to be a secret between them.

“It won’t be very comfortable,” Joel complained slightly.

“We can find a few ways to make it work.” Diana said a little more loudly, the time for private conversation over with. Devrim was refilling his cup, still pretending to be lost in his own little world when he felt two taps on his shoulder. He put down his cup and turned to receive the gentle hug Diana offered without thinking. “I’ll come by again soon Devrim, thank you for letting us rest and clear our head.”

“I don’t need to tell you that you are always welcome,” Devrim told her as he squeezed her, returning the hug. “But I will anyway, just so I’m sure you know. You can always come up here to hide out, and I won’t tell a soul if you don’t want me to.” He felt her start to pull away and he kept his hold until she leaned more heavily against him, allowing him to share her weight. “You be careful out there, hm?”

“Yes sir,” Diana’s chest vibrated with her voice, chuckling into his ear as she squeezed him back. “I’ll make sure to stop by for the dawning.” When Devrim pulled away she nodded, “I’ll remember the Shortbread cookies you love so much.”

“It pairs so well with my favorite festive tea,” Devrim sighed at the thought of such a comfort item. “It is getting around that time...isn’t it?”

“A few more weeks…” Diana nodded, “Hopefully I’ll get to feeling better before then. I’d like to go to the tower to see everyone…”

“Then you best get to it,” Devrim winked at her and grabbed a small bag from under his table, protected by a sheet that had hidden it from sight. “Here, take this, a self care package if you will.”

“Tea?” Diana laughed as she took the bag without looking at it.

“And a few biscuits and hot cocoa, some tripemines to set up a perimeter, clean water etcetera.” Devrim smiled as he poured a second cup for himself. “Little things that will help make the roughing it less...rough.”

“Thanks Devrim but shouldn’t you need this?” She asked, holding the bag up.

“Not for a while, I’m going on vacation too..of a sort. It’s Marc’s Rezzing day soon. We decided to go to Suraya in the city and spend time together. I’ll have all the comfort I need. And I can replenish my supplies.” Devrim watched as Diana nodded and looked toward the stairs. “Go on now, I won’t keep you any longer.” He turned his back and pretended to busy himself with the radio dial until a heavy baritone voice came over the waves.

“Thanks again…” Diana gave a small salute before disappearing over the ledge, not bothering with the stairs.

“It’s like they’re allergic to safety,” Devrim mused to himself, chuckling as he watched her go.

//

“Are you sure about this?” Joel asked as Diana picked her way over the rubble, careful to make sure that Devrim’s care package wouldn’t rip.

“Like I said, I’m out of ideas, unless you know of somewhere else we can go…’S not like we can go chill with Asher anymore…” She paused down the dimly lit corridor and sighed. “I miss him.”

“I know,” Joel touched his feckle to her cheek and accepted the loving caress she gave him that pinned him to her cheek gently. “I do too.”

“So this is the one place I can think of that...they won’t know to look and if they did think to look, I don’t think he’d tell.” Diana finished softly. She was outside the  little alcove now and started to go inside but hesitated.

“What's wrong?” Joel asked, blinking his yellow cat eye and watching how she hesitated. It wasn’t like her.

“I should ask permission…” She said firmly. “This is the one place that’s his and his alone...if I were just to barge in here and use it without asking? I’d be taking that away from him, I’d be just as bad as Spider. We’re not that close...in reality. He might think...I’m overstepping boundaries if I don’t ask…” The heavy silence in the air didn’t last long before she asked, “Can you patch me into a secure line to him?”

“Just a moment.” Joel busied himself with twitching, extending his shell and rotating back and forth until the sound of static washed away and a familiar voice asked.

“Who is this?”

“Glint, it’s us. It’s secure right?” Joel asked, replacing his shell to its rightful shape. Diana noticed one of his cat ears was coming untapped and tried to push it back down in place, only to knock it off and make her gasp in both shock and sadness.

“Of course!” Glint’s voice perked up, “It’s the Guardian and her Ghost!”

“You can call me Joel,” Ghost reminded him, “And Di.”

“New news on Xivu Arath or some wrathborn? A new cryptolith?” Crow’s voice came over the coms and Joel watched Diana pause in her fussing over his shell.

“No,” Diana admitted after a moment of silence. “I’ve...I’ve been given some...a reprieve…” She said slowly, remembering once what Glint had said over coms after a hunt. “But I…” She paused again and the lights inside her mouth dimmed with a sigh. “Could I...Would it bother you if I...used your...nest, for a while?”

“It’s most certainly not a nest.” Crow said a little too quickly. Diana could practically hear the flush to his blue-grey face. “But...why? I thought you would have a place in the tower in the last city?”

“I do, but not everyone understands the need for...alone time.” Diana admitted.

“About your report, could you do this run for me, we should go out tonight, could you sit in on this mission debriefing, we need someone on coms for this vanguard operation, could you help me adjust my sights,” Joel started listening off all the things that had been asked of them when they had returned to the tower the last time. “It’s like it never ends. We used to go hide out on Io when things got like this…”

“I see.” Crow interjected before silence could fall and swallow them up. “You...need a place to breathe for a while. Of course, feel free. I’m...honored that I could help you this way...Guar--”

“Di.” Diana reminded.

“Di…” Crow’s voice was soft, like he was afraid of breaking her name should he say it with too much force. “I’m sorry it’s such a mess, I haven’t been out there in a while and Glint’s a terrible maid.”

“It’s not my fault you keep everything you find that has a little shine to it.” Glint said playfully, hinting at his name.

“It’s not exactly comfortable either, but it works...in a pinch.” Crow continued, ignoring Glint’s jest. “Use it as long as you like.”

“Thanks,” Diana smiled and looked inside the alcove at the small collection of crow’s things. “I owe you one.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” Crow chuckled softly, “You could have used it and I never would have known. It’s not as if I’m in and out of there a lot these days.”

“Boundaries and Respect are important.” Diana told him firmly. “Guardians and good people a like do not trample over either…” She put a hand to her head and realized how much like Quin she sounded. She shook her metal head and continued. “Want me to get you some time off?” Diana asked as she stepped through the crack that served as the door. “You deserve it as much as I do.”

“Spider wouldn’t allow--”

“Spider won’t know the difference if I tell him I need you in the EDZ to track down Hive movement. Maybe they’re trying to set up a cryptolith here? Savathun did find that piece of the Traveler where we found the new Hawkmoon.”

“Not to mention we could give you a run through on being a Lightbearer. Guardian school if you will. More tips and tricks to make you more effective for Spider.” Joel added, his shell contracting in the way that made Diana say it looked like a smile.

“Time away from Spider,” Diana said in a singsong voice, “Nice hot fires under the stars, good drinks. Stories swapped.” She flopped down on the sleeping bag Crow had left on the concrete slab and regretted it, there was still a bit of debris under it and it hurt. “R and R is just as important to Guardians as it is to non-lightbearers.” She added with a grunt.

“That’s true...I just don’t think Spider would allow it.” Crow sounded defeated, tired and annoyed.

“Well, I am not going back to work for a bit….you think about it and when you want me to, I’ll talk to Spider.” Diana stood and rolled the sleeping bag up, watching how the dust and concrete of the collapsing ceiling was leaving a layer of dust on everything.

“Spider called him.” Glint said in a hushed tone, “I think some time off and not so alone would be good for him. He’s been obsessing over these Cryptoliths. He’s so sad to see the Eliskni that was good to him turn into...wrathborn…”

“He needs time away just as much as we do,” Joel sighed.

“It would be good for him, all he does is talk about work, and when he asks about Guardian things, he feels like such a stranger to it all. I think a fellow Guardian talking to him would make it feel more real, for now its just...stories of something he thinks he doesn’t deserve..” During the pause, Joel and Diana gave a look to one another. Sadness. Fatigue. Guilt. “I’ve been called by Spider, cutting the link. You two have a good rest.”

“Glint--” Joel started to speak but then hesitated. “The line’s dead.” He rotated to see Diana removing rubble from the concrete slab and cleaning it off with her hand. “This place really is a mess...huh?”

“He’s tried to make it his own…” Diana said softly. “It reminds me...of that cave in the Cosmodrome we had when we first started out...Remember?”

“Heh.” Joel floated closer and bobbed before rolling his shell over. “You kept Hive bones until you heard about Dredgen Yor, then you dumped them all over the cliffside and wanted nothing more to do with them.”

“Got rid of the dice I whittled too.” She nodded and replaced the sleeping bag, stretching it out to find it wouldn’t fit, the slab was too short. She glanced around the tiny alcove, at all of Crow’s belongings. A sleeping bag that had holes in it. A pristine Dawning bowl. His death shroud. A hive knight sword from when he save Osiris. A table and chair. A tool chest as tall as her and tools to fill it with. 8 things. He only owned 8 things. Yet the room told so much about him.

He was a repairer. Using things left over and forgotten to serve a new purpose. “It’s almost...poetic...or.” She laughed, “Ironic, whichever you wanna look at it...I guess…”

“What is?” Joel had floated off on his own, inspecting the crack in the wall that filtered in some sunlight from a room beyond the rubble.

“He takes things that are broken or forgotten. Things people don’t think twice about because to them it's used up and gives it new life...new purpose…” She picked up the bowl and placed it on the sleeping bag. “Like a guardian...we were just empty shells until you guys came along.” She smiled at Joel who twitched in silent thought. “You found me, an empty shell. Having used up all my life and been lost to time and the elements and you gave me a purpose. You brought new life into me and told me what I could do to help those around me.” She picked up his death shroud and frowned. “Uldren was a cold hearted bastard of a person.” Her grip tightened on the cloth before she sighed heavily.

“He paid his price. Blood for blood. Eye for an Eye. The debt for Cayde was settled. I know his tapes said he’d be…” She started folding the shroud gently. “Crow was a shell that was tossed away. People were trying to forget...or avoid remembering for the time. Including myself...And Glint gave him new life and purpose. He’s a guardian now. He’s not who he was before. And now he takes things Spider tries to throw away or has forgotten about and makes them into new things.” When the shroud was folded into the shape of a flag, she placed it into the bowl and busied herself cleaning off the slab where it had been placed haphazardly. “He’s just like a Ghost that way. A repairman. An artist..” She recalled the art form he had mentioned before when she saw his nest the first time. “He mentioned an artform with precious metals...do you know what it's called?”

“I hadn’t when he first mentioned it, but I talked to Zavala’s ghost and he knew what it was called, apparently it's called Kintsugi, or kintsukuroi, it’s a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum.  It treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise.” He paused for a moment and flew a little lower, “Oh, I see what you mean.”

Diana straightened up the room in silence for a while. Dusting everything with her hands as best she could and being as gentle as possible. It didn’t take her long to clean up the room, tossing out the debris into the hall. She looked around and realized it wasn’t cleaning she wanted to do.

“I wanna do something nice for him.” She said out loud, throwing out a fist sized piece of concrete into the hall. “And I don’t mean dusting.” Joel was flying around the room and scanning the area, inspecting the walls and ceiling.

“He doesn’t have a lot does he?” he asked as he came down to her height. “We could get a few things for him.”

“Yeah..spruce the place up a bit...he deserves better than this but…” She glanced at the shroud sticking up from the bowl where she had placed it. “Baby steps.”

“What do you think he would like?” Joel asked.

“Anything is better than this…” she glanced at the mop bucket in the corner, and cringed. “We could get him a sturdy cot to sleep on. A better sleeping bag…” She looked back to his area and tilted her head, “Another table, a chair...we could clear these slabs out.” She kicked at the one he had been using for a bed. “Hang that sword up.” She pointed to the sword as it was propped up against the wall, waiting to topple over. “And a heater…”

“A heater?” Joel asked, spinning back to watch her as she nodded.

“It’ll be snowing soon. If he’s gonna get time off and come stay, then he’s gonna need heat...and some food that won’t spoil…” Her faceplates shifted to show irritation. “The boy doesn’t even have the basic necessities to live on his own. He won’t be under Spider’s four thumbs forever.”

“You think he’s going to let Crow go eventually?” Joel didn’t sound convinced, but when Diana settled her cyan eyes on him, he knew that look. He’d seen it before the battle against Crota...Oryx...Gaul and the darkness. It was what he called her ‘try me’ look.

“Oh he will. And we’re getting that bomb outta Glint too.” She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Glint doesn’t deserve that treatment, and neither does Crow. The boys are literally as pure as new fallen snow, and Crow’s as green as Venus.”

“I remember when Leland used to say the same about you,” Joel offered softly, flying close to her chest, his sign he wanted to be held in her hands. She obliged him, cradling him gently and stroking his feckle lovingly.

“I’m not gonna comment on that,” she chuckled and planted a kiss on her Ghost’s shell. Going to sit on the sleeping bag. “I guess this means we’re going back to the city after all.”

“What are we gonna tell people who ask what we’re doing?” Joel twitched his shell so he was looking up at Di from her hands she stared longingly at the Dawning bowl.

“That we’re helping out a kinderguardian. They’re new and scared to come to the city. Or that I’m literally burying myself in a hole and making a fuck off bunker so people will leave me alone for once.” She stopped and blinked, “By the light, I sound like Osris now.”

“I like the second one better,” Joel laughed, “It sounds more like you than Osiris.”

Both of them laughed, their voices bouncing off the three and a half walls until it sounded like it would drown all their sorrows. They hadn’t laughed like that in a while. It made Diana sad to realize this. She tried not to look at it, but it was like a living thing staring at her. The death shroud. One of the triangle corners was peeking up from the bowl and taunting her until she stared at it.

“I’m not...weird am I?” She asked Joel, still staring at the white cloth.

“Is that a question you want me to answer honestly, or be serious?” Joel asked with mirth still in his voice.

“No, I mean…” Diana’s tone made Joel twitch in her hands, bringing her attention to him. “I know I didn’t remember anything, not a thing when you brought me back. But you said I’d been dead a long time...I’ve never…” She trailed off and looked toward the floor. “I’ve never run into anyone who recognized me before. But Uldren...he…” She sighed. “He killed dad...I know I said Crow was different and he IS but…” she made a clicking noise. “Sometimes when it gets quiet, and I see him, I can still SEE Uldren there. Does that make me a bad person?” She looked to Joel sadly. “Am I a horrible person because I sometimes still see him inside someone who's new? If Crow didn’t have the same meatsuit...if he’d been changed into an Exo like me when he was first brought back...I woulda never known….I wouldn’t be...questioning myself like this.” She looked to the shroud again. “He’d just be a new guardian. A fellow exo. A nice guy...But I find myself wanting to reach out to him. Be...more than kind to him. To be someone for him and then that moment happens when I don’t see Crow, I see…and then I feel like I’m betraying Dad’s memory by being chummy with the meatsuit that killed my leader...”

“I could tell,” Joel admitted softly, speaking in barely a whisper, as if afraid the truth would cause the ground to swallow them up. “When you two are having a good talk and it gets quiet, I see the way you look at him. It’s kindness and then fear, mixed with guilt.” He twitched again and the eye blinked. The other ear was starting to come loose and Diana peeled it off with a gentle hand. “You’re trying so hard to not hold him accountable for a crime you know Crow didn’t commit. But it’s still the same face. It’s still the same hand.” he blinked again, “It’s a situation I don’t think any other guardian has ever had to face like this before.” Only a heartbeat passed before he added. “I don’t think it makes you a bad person, I think you’re struggling with a situation that no one else has ever had to be in before and you’re doing a lot better than others who have seen his face.” He flew up from her hands and hovered a little ways from her face.

“You loved Cayde like a father, and he was taken from you by someone you didn’t particularly care for when you knew him. Now that person is no more, but their body is still up walking around with someone new inside...sorta. It’s like that pottery thing, he has his scars. His past is part of him, but he has a new life and a new outlook.” he tilted his shell toward the ground. “Uldren hated Guardians, he tried to make our life hell when we had to deal with the awoken. But,” he titled his shell upward and squinched himself into a smile, “I’ve seen Crow absolutely light up when you walk in a room. He’s excited to see you, to work with you. If that’s not proof he’s totally different then I dunno what would be.”

When she didn’t respond he bonked her on the forehead with his feckle and made her blink at him in bewilderment. “Others have outright killed Crow when they saw his face. You didn’t.”

“I tried…” She put a hand on the spot where he hit her. “If Quin hadn’t stopped me...I would have put a bullet in him.”

“Are you glad she stopped you?” Joel asked firmly.

“Yes?” she sounded unsure, when Joel tightened his shell around him she felt like he was glaring at her so she repeated with conviction. “....Yes. I am.”

“Would you put a bullet in him now?” Joel’s voice was hard, he was trying to test her resolve. He already knew he answer, he just needed her to know it.

“No, absolutely not, I’d...” She paused and remembered her fight with Hunter-1, they still hadn’t spoken since they introduced Crow to him. When he tried to murder Crow, even after learning he was a guardian and Uldren no more. Quin had ushered Crow to safety while Diana wrestled with the fellow Exo. He hadn’t looked at her the same since. On Wrathborn hunts he wouldn’t watch her back anymore, and he would ignore her when she spoke to him. “I’d fight those who would try...”

“Then you’re already leaps and bounds ahead of others.” Joel told her with a flip. “And the fact you want to give him what he needs to survive on his own, until he can be accepted as Crow and not as Uldren, shows you have compassion for him.” He tilted his shell halfway, like he was being coy. “And do not think for one millisecond I haven’t seen you smile at him with that same look you used to give Drifter either missy.”

“I. Give. No. Looks.” Diana’s voice was low, gravely, she was willing to die on this hill.

“And I wasn’t born in the Light.” Joel gave a small hummpf sound before flying out of the crack, forcing Diana to follow along behind him if she wanted to argue.

[flannelshirtandjeans]

Oc interview meme

I was tagged by @radbeetle (thank you!!) and took this as an opportunity to talk through ghoul Norma in the future, interviewed by some future reporter for some paper or newsletter that's happening then. I'm stuck on mobile so super apologies for long and no cut! D:

I tag: (if you wanna do it) @johnandrasjaqobis @ceilingcow @keycchan

"We are sitting down today with one of the most pivotal figures of our Commonwealth's recent history, the mysterious but beloved by many, Norma Hawke, on the little porch of her home on Spectacle Island. She is serving a drink she claims to have coined, tarberry and mutfruit and just enough alcohol to have a punch."

How old are you?

Norma looks almost startled at the question. "You know," she tells me, "I have lost count. I was 32 when I came to... this Commonwealth, and had been frozen for more than 200 years. That was in... what year is it? Oh, and I turned into a ghoul before 40. That was decades and decades ago."

What do you look like? (For any readers who haven't seen you, or pictures.)

She laughs. "OLD, the way that us ghouls do. But I like to think I still got it!" She laughs again, and continues: "I'm a ghoul, unlike some stories say, and I don't have fins and gills like a fish. I'm just an old, short, round ghoul with some of my old hair left, still brown. Lipstick on every day, eyebrows drawn. I like it, it's routine."

Where are you from?

"The past. I'm a time traveler from a Vault - no, I'm originally from a different state (IDA HAS FORGOTTEN WHICH ONE), where I lived with my parents until I moved to Boston - here - to study law. Used to live in an apartment downtown, and then up in Sanctuary Hills with my husband and baby. Our old house is still there, I think. I... haven't been in a while."

Where do you live now?

She perks up, and a moment of quiet old sadness has passed without me realizing it was there initially. "Here on this island - I moved here when my wife here died and I started working more with the Minutemen to help build a government and a better Boston." She gets up and walks me around - shows me the single room cottage with its rag rugs and quilts, the garden swing, her little garden, and the fields, and her pride and joy, the apple tree. "I always wanted to be more of a country girl when I was younger" Norma says and pats the tree trunk. "I was such a city girl in truth, even when I thought I was getting there with my husband before the war, but I think I've gotten my wish now!"

What was your childhood like?

She snorts. "Rich in money but not in anything else. My parents... had me more because it was the thing to do and some kind of a status symbol, and not because they really wanted a child and to be a good caring family. Work came first. I grew up with a long list of tutors, and little love. Thankfully it mostly only made me want to be better than them."

What groups are you friendly with? Are you allied with any factions?

"I have worked a lot with the New Government of the Commonwealth, and the Minutemen that started building towards it. Not as much as I did, because I'm old and tired, and it's time to let them fly on their own instead of mother henning left and right there." She laughs. "I am still the highest lawmaster I suppose, but the law is working as well as it can without me too. Back in my day, when factions were more... at war with each other, I did work with the Minutemen and the Railroad, who joined forces to destroy the Institute."

Tell me about your best friend.

"There aren't a lot of people left who've been here as long as I have," Norma says, and that same quiet sadness creeps to her as before, but her smile remains. "Many have moved on, or died. But I am thankful for those who are still here. Sturges, who keeps the Castle running, and me too. He's like sunshine. We've seen each other less often of late, but try to meet at least every year on an important anniversary. To remember."

Do you have a family? Tell me about them!

She shakes her head. "No. I did, but they're gone. Husband, child, and wife. The child by my own hand." This child, as we know from history, was the Institute's leader, "Father". "His name was Shaun," Norma says. "I always found that whole title creepy."

What about a partner or partners?

"Gone as well - I don't have anyone now, and my heart is probably too frail to fall in love again, truthfully. Jay was my first husband, a big red-headed shepherd from Maine, the sweetest man I ever met. And then there was Ellie (editor's note: Ellie Perkins, author of such crime thrillers as "The Ghost of Goodneighbor") after the war, the wittiest most amazing woman-- and I buried them both. I've had... flings. Friends with benefits. But I don't think I can bury more partners." Who these friends with benefits are, she won't say.

Who are your enemies, and why?

"There are people who don't like the new government, and understandably blame me for it, me being the only one left was such s big part of establishing it. I don't think I have any real enemies though. Any that I had would be... also mostly dead."

Have you ever heard of The Brotherhood of Steel? What do you think about them?

"I steered mostly clear of them when I first came here. I have never been a big fan of such... military structures, and even less after seeing how much my husband hated his time with the army at the time. After joining forces with the Railroad, and knowing the Brotherhood's dislike of synths, the safest course was to avoid them, and try to keep them away. There were other tensions as well, with them and the Minutemen too. The Brotherhood's blimp was blown from the sky with their leaders at time shortly after the Institute explosion, and there's a lot of stories going around saying that was me too, but I didn't have anything to do with it, I was in too much shock from the Intitute alone to even think of something like that. But their leadership changed after that and now what's remained of the Brotherhood here needs to co-operate with the New Government, and has. I still don't like them much, but they're not causing too many problems, and have been... forced to readjust their thinking a little."

When asked about who she thinks was responsible for the blimp explosion, she only says "I have a pretty good idea", and refuses to elaborate.

What about The Enclave?

"I have heard of them, but don't know much about them, truth be told."

How do you feel about Super Mutants?

She shrugs. "Depends on the person, same as anyone else! I used to be afraid of them when all I'd seen was the groups that'd go around raiding and eating people, running around with mininukes - and feel sorry for them after learning about the FEV. But so much has happened since, and a lot of humans I saw at the time weren't really any different. Just smaller. Things are better now, at least some."

What’s the craziest fight you’ve ever been in?

Norma laughs. "Oh! I've been in so many fights! Hmm." She stops to think, looking across the water to where the blue Minuteman flag flies above the Castle. She laughs again and says: "never thought as a girl that I'd end up with so many war stories. But here's one: once in one of the old hospitals, there was a band of raiders that had trapped a deathclaw on the bottom floor and used it to stage cage fights. I'd... cleared the raiders - they had... taken over a Railroad base and killed the agents there, and I wasn't looking to avenge them as much as see qhat had happened, and had no intent to deal with the deathclaw... But my dog slipped into the pit, thankfully without alerting the deathclaw immediately, so off course I had to go after him. Ended up on top of some cages down there, knocked off BETWEEN them where the deathclaw couldn't reach me and wandered off deeped into the bottom floor... I was pretty sure I would die right there but me and my companion managed to JUST kill it before it got to any of us."

(I guess that answers the next question:) Have you ever fought a Deathclaw?

"I have! More if them than I care to count, truth be told - I've had to travel through the Glowing Sea more than once, and once fought a park full of mutation of them that had some alligator in them! I think... a deathclaw was one of the first things I fought after I woke up here, outside of bugs. Just in Concord, right outside Sanctuary Hills."

Do you like fighting?

"I don't. I may gladly tell stories of victories past because they make good stories and because some of those need to be remembered, and learned from so they don't happen again - but I don't want to sound like I enjoyed it, or wouldn't rather have solved the situation without a fight."

What’s your weapon of choice?

She grimaces. "Pistols. Sniper rifles. I'm not strong or dexterous beyond being able to sneak well, so I need the advantage of the distance. I used to hate the sniper rifles because I felt like I wasn't giving whoever I was aiming at a fair fighting chance, it felt... so impersonal. I don't know, I alway hate killing people anyway, it just came with some additional guilt."

How do you survive? Your wits, your charm, your skills, brute force, some combination? (a.k.a. what’s your S.P.E.C.I.A.L?)

Norma shakes her head. "Not brute strength for sure. I'm a lawyer still, even under all the things I've become since, and my first and foremost resort is always wits and charm, I think. It doesn't always work, obviously but I think... it has worked best for me so far."

Have you ever been in a vault? What do you think about them?

Norma shifts uncomfortably, and dips inside for a minute, coming back with an old frayed and battleworn vault suit with golden number 111 on the back. "That's why I'm here," she says, and for the first time sounds almost dark. "The vault 111 was supposed to be my new home when the bombs fell, but they froze us instead, and I've learned of many other horrifying experiments happening in other vaults as well. It's VILE. I still can't go into a vault without seeing my husband being shot in the head, and my baby being stolen. I hate it. I don't go into them anymore if I can help it. I'm glad that communities can flourish in them now, I know Sanctuary has built their winter home in 111, but there's too much trauma in them for me."

How do you beat all the radiation around here? Has it affected you?

Norma gestures at herself. "Obviously, I think -- turning into a ghoul was... awful, and painful, and disgusting, but I'm lucky to have had wonderful loving people around me at the time. I don't think I would be as happy in myself as I am now if it hadn't been for them. But even before I became a ghoul, radiation... did strange things to me, or I think it was the radiation? I didn't get skin reactions from swimming like everyone else, and eventually I started growing skin between my fingers, like webs?" She shows me her hands and spreads the toes on her bare feet to show me, and indeed she has some webbing there. "They took some damage from the ghoulification And then I found that I could breathe underwater. Some kind of a mutation, I think. The rads may have done their damage invisibly all that time though, all the swimming, the ghoulification came on so suddenly and without an apparent event that triggered it."

What’s your favorite wasteland critter?

"I am always a fan of cats - does that count? I am so relieved that they are still around. I got my first cat here from Ellie when I'd just turned into a ghoul, and I haven't been without since. If it DOESN'T count, I really like radstags, they're beautiful in their own way."

What's your least favorite wasteland critter?

"Bloodbugs. Bugs in general."

How do you feel about robots?

"Depends on the robot again! Some of them are really stuck in their old programming and are hard to interact with because of that, but others are great! Codsworth - bless his metal heart - tended to my roses for centuries while I was gone! He's like family to me."

How many caps do you have on you right now?

"I couldn't say, truth be told. I have some savings, but not as much as some people say I do. I get a comfortable living, but I would without caps, too. The Castle likes to send stuff over, they keep good care of their grandma ghoul."

Nuka Cola or Sunset Sarsaparilla?

Norma shrugs. "Usually don't drink them! Nuka Cola is noce for marinades."

Do you do chems?

"As a habit, no. Sometimes for aches, and sometimes if I need a stim. But I've never really been much to use them beyond just that."

Do you ever think about the Pre-War world?

Norma nods, and is quiet for a moment. "I don't... think that a day goes by without me thinking of that time. There's just... sovmany convenience items that I end up missing, or animals, or people. I don't tend to dwell, not anymore, it's past and won't change what is now, and I'll only hurt if I think about it too much. These days it's easier though, mostly nostalgia. I have found a good life here."

What’s your deepest regret? What would you do differently?

"I--" Norma falters and for the first time she looks truly fragile. "I wish... I regret that I couldn't be a mother to my son. That was entirely out of my hands, but I do regret it." She wipes away a tear and tries a laugh. "There are so many things I wish I'd done differently with him here, and keep wondering if I could have reached him somehow... If this could have gone differently. I don't know. I try to not wallow to much on what could have been done differently. It's too late to change that now."

What’s your biggest achievement?

Or what do you hope to achieve?

She wipes away her tears. "Ahh, this is easier. I'm... The Commonwealth now? I'm proud that I've been a part of building it towards a much safer and more prosperous place to live. But most of ask, I think? I'm proud of the library. That's something that me an Ellie built together, it was... like a proof of concept for everything bigger, I suppose. And it's still a lovely, lively place now, growing every day."

What do you want for the future? For yourself? Your friends? The world?

"I want the Commonwealth to keep building. I want safety, and comfort, and sustainability. I want more connections elsewhere. And I want to know it can do that without me - I don't plan to go just yet, but I'm old and tired, and I will not be here forever. I want to be just some grandma, and let the world sort itself out. I've earned my rest, I think. And you know, I think it will happen, too. I think it will."

[bards-witcher]

Hmmmmmm, I agree that I haven't seen much of Ohm and Wildcat, so why not have a story, in a gang AU setting, where Wildcat is part of a gang, and Ohm is their secret informant? I'll admit too, that the Ohmcat one actually made me teary!

I’m glad you’re liking the OhmCat stuff although I’m sorry for making you teary, I didn’t mean for it to be that angsty :D

Thank for the prompt, I’ve been having a lot of fun with this XD I hope you enjoy it.

.

[WIlcat POV]

He leaned back in his chair, feet on the desk and rocking gently as he twirled a pencil between his fingers. His eyes lazily scanned the cameras in front of him, unsurprised when there was nothing to be seen. He’d been part of this gang going on a year now and still they had him doing the boring shit when he should be one of their front men, he knew it, the other members knew it and yet here he was, relegated to a small stingy office and forced to watch every new recruit advance above him whilst a promise of ‘soon that’ll be you’ was given to him.

His eyes widened as he felt his chair begin to tip backward, only just being able to lean forward in time to stop his fall, well that was his excitement for the day. He sighed as he realized that in his rush to save himself his pencil had been tossed across the room, letting out a longer, louder sigh, he got up off of his chair and dragged his feet across to where the pencil now lay.

In his haste to pick it up, however, his fingers knocked it instead, causing it to roll under the table and with a groan he got down on his knees to retrieve it.

He didn’t hear the door open behind him only heard a soft voice which caused him to hit his head on the top of the desk in surprise.

“Nice ass, where have they been keeping you then?”

“Shit. Fucking bitch” He rubbed his head as he got out from under the desk, throwing a glare at the man who’d scared him but who seemed unphased by the gaze, soft giggles filling up the small room.

“I’m sorry about your head” He narrowed his eyes at the smaller man, only causing a fresh bout of giggles from him showing that he wasn’t truly sorry. “You must be Wildcat? Yes?”

He immediately put his guard, he’s sure one of the guys must’ve told him his name, the man was here for a reason after all, but he didn’t like not having the upper hand. Instead, he stood up from the floor, watching the slight look of surprise from the other man as he towered over him before walking up to him, trying to look as menacing as possible.

“Who’s asking” His comment left no room for debate, and sure enough he saw a small smile grace the others face before offering a hand out in front of him.

“Ohmwrecker. You could say I’m the Joe Valachi of the gang world” His eyes widened at the name, the name of the man who was an informant for the police who brought awareness about the existence of the mafia through his deception. He didn’t hesitate when he brought his fist back, using all his force to drive it forward but what he didn’t expect was for the smaller man to stop it in its path, his hand now clenched around his fist and he tried not to wince at the force the other man used on him. “My fault, bad example. I’m the informant, flitting around here and there gathering information for you guys”

He didn’t truly know whether to believe the other man but still, he pulled his fist away from the others hand and tried his best to relax it whilst he moved aside to let the other man into the room with a sigh.

“What can I help you with then” He noted how the man instantly went to the computer, leaning against the desk as he intently went on looking for something, trying to keep his eyes from wondering at the man’s ass, which was easier said than done when said man seemed to be shaking it slightly almost as if he wanted the attention.

“It’s more so what I can do to help you” Ohm nodded him over and he slowly made his way over to the table, leaning down next to him and trying to ignore the slight brush of their arms together, to get a look on the screen but he was only met with text ‘give me your phone’.

His head snapped towards the other man who only gave him a pointed look, once again motioning with his head toward his pocket to show his intentions.

He doesn’t know why he pulled out his phone, knowing the content on there would get him hunted not only by this gang but every other one in the state, and yet he handed it over to the other man. He watched Ohm pull out a small kit from his pocket and watched his deft hands fiddle with the phone, he was about to let out his indignation when he saw the back cover come away but a quick glance from the other man, a finger on his lips, was quick to shut him up.

Seemingly happy, the man went back to work, and it wasn’t much longer that he pulled something small from his phone, so small he had to squint his eyes to see it. He didn’t get to have much of a look before the smaller man dropped it onto the floor and stood on it before reassembling his phone and handing it back, a smile on his face.

“Bug, seems your fellow gang members don’t trust you. Not surprising though seeing as you’re back here.” He felt a flare of anger in him, these people who despite their treatment of him, he’s remained loyal to and they had him playing receptionist with his phone tapped.

He quickly looked through his phone, making sure that everything was in order after Ohms’ tampering when he felt a hand on his arm, which he was quick to pull away from.

“The fuck you doing” He watched the small blush color Ohms face and he felt his anger ebb away at the sight.

“Forgive me. I just couldn’t help but wonder why you’re stuck back here, clearly, you’re more built to be leading the charge than sitting on your arse all day”

He sighed but couldn’t help the feeling of validation that rose in him, here was a stranger who could see how messed up his situation was the minute he saw him.

“Well you said so yourself, they don’t trust me apparently” He waved his phone for emphasis and noticed the grave nod the other gave him. Silence then fell across them, and he couldn’t help but feel the awkward air in the room, waiting another moment before proceeding. “You said you were gonna help us? I’m sure you didn’t mean taking the bug out my phone”

He saw the small smile on the others face, glad for the change in subject before he responded “Correction, I said I’d help you, and no not with the bug. I just needed to make sure we were alone before telling you”

“Stop with the cryptic shit and just say what you’re gonna say”

Ohm gave a disgruntled sigh at the comment “Why do you all have to be so impatient” was said so quietly it was clearly meant only for the other man’s ears, but nevertheless, he heard it.

“Ohm I’m about five seconds from kicking your ass, just spit it out”

“And that worked so well the first time?”

He went to advance on the smaller man, but he was quick to raise his hands up in defense, a smug smile on his face but still, he backed off a little from him.

“By midnight tonight this place is gonna be dust with everyone in it, I suggest you leave while you still can” His eyes widened at the news, that having been the last thing he expected to hear, but whilst he was in a state of urgency Ohm remained nonchalant leaning a hip against the table still.

He made to leave the room, to tell the gang of the incoming danger but was quickly stopped by Ohm grabbing onto his arm, trying to ignore the slight thrill of someone challenging him as he faced the other man “I need to tell the guys, they have to get-“

“No Tyler, it’s time this gang came to an end. It’s causing more problems than solutions and has long lived out its use”

“First of all, how the fuck do you know my name and secondly the fuck you on about?”

Ohm gave an exasperated sigh as if he’d told this story multiple times already and he just refused to listen. “First of all, I’m an informant, it’s my job to know things. Secondly, think of this situation like it’s chess, you and every other gang on the west coast are the chess pieces, and I’m the chess master, positioning you all wherever and whenever I want, just so happens I have to sacrifice a piece to win”

He stood shocked, unsure whether to believe the words of the other man but yet a small niggling feeling in the back of his head told him, of course, something else was going on. “You’re a sadistic fuck you know that” He pulled his arm from the others grasp but made no move to leave.

“Someone has to keep the peace otherwise you’d all be at each other’s throats”

“Who else knows about this? About what’s happening tonight?” He saw Ohm give him a calculated gaze before he answered.

“Only you”

“Why?”

Ohm simply gave a shrug “I liked your ass” He couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him, this whole series of events made him believe that he was actually going crazy. “You’re wasted here anyway, in my research I’ve seen what you’ve done, what you’re capable of. You have so much potential and you don’t even know it. Come work for me and I promise you won’t have to sit at another computer again”

He couldn’t fully process the offer, his mind spinning in loops at the smaller man’s words. “So, let me get this straight. You’re some sort of evil genius who’s gonna burn this place down tonight but told me your plans and offered me a job because you stalked me and liked my ass? I swear I should stop falling asleep on the job”

“If it’s any consolation I only hire the best of the best. I take it you’ve heard of Delirious? Terroriser? Vanoss?” He couldn’t help the spike of fear at the sound of those names, their reputation preceded them, ruthless in their tasks until they got what they wanted, anyone daring enough to try to challenge them may as well write up their own coroner’s report. He only managed a weak nod, seemingly satisfactory for the other man. “I want you to join us. With a bit of training, I’m sure you could best even them”

He scoffed a laugh, but it was apparent by the serious look on Ohms face that he’d meant business.

“Think on it, but be quick, you have until midnight” The smaller man then approached him, and he found himself getting lost in his gaze, watching as his eyes danced from color to color in the dim light of the office, remaining still even when the others hand came up to play with a lock of his hair. “Here’s my number, I hope to hear from you soon”

He felt Ohms hand in his own and he could almost feel a jolt of electricity run between them at the touch, using all of his willpower to not let on about the impact the man had had on him. Just as he was beginning to enjoy the warmth of the smaller man’s hand in his own it was gone, only a slip of paper left to tell him it had even happened at all.

He felt Ohm move away from him and walk towards the door, however, he quickly rushed after him, stopping him from shutting the door after him and in the others man shock it was easy to pull the door back open.

“Do you wanna grab lunch?” He felt his heart lurch at the smile that was now on Ohms’ face, unable to explain where or how these feelings had come about but nevertheless happy and eager to pursue them.

“Sure”

He quickly closed the door behind them, uncaring about how the room was left, after all, he had no intention of returning.

“Good, cause you owe me for almost giving me concussion” He felt a smile grace his own face at the small laugh that Ohm gave at the comment, unknowing what his future would hold but knowing that he could finally have a chance to live.