Cobbled Bits of Bone

“This is a dirty place for a Pendleton,” Anton remarks when the staring gets boring.

Pendleton freezes like a startled deer, but quickly composes himself, a polite, strained smile appearing on his face. “Times are tough. I do what is necessary for our Empire,” he answers with an expected posh accent.

—

Chapter 22 of What Lies Between Sorrow and Longing is up!

Dishonored | 30s au

a quick one because i was feeling, hm. indulgent.

Dishonored, Daud/Thomas

The kiss requires no finesse, chaste and languid as it comes; a brush of lips, a gentle hold. Daud feels the bristles of Thomas' beard all the more keenly for how freshly shaved he is — he doubts that was the purpose, but it's running a fine campaign on his senses as it is.

"I can't but notice that you've shown no intention of shaving," Daud accuses when Thomas has withdrawn, and the hand of his that has curled around the back of Thomas' neck now winds its way towards his jaw. A thick scruff of beard is growing there befitting his burly stature; together with his long hair, brushed back from his face and curling at the ends, he might look positively wild, if not for the memory Daud holds of the young lad he was. Hair grown long then, too, but gathered and neatly fastened with a ribbon low at the base of his neck.

Thomas leaning, ever so slightly, into the touch is the first concession he receives — a concession to the past, their history one he's pretended he's not aware of but really has to stop fooling himself over. Of course he knew then, and took ready advantage of, how eager Thomas' assistance was.

"Would have followed you to the edges of the Void," Thomas murmurs, his gaze still lingering on Daud's mouth, so intent he can feel it as he would the touch of the rough pad of a thumb.

"Nearly did," Daud reminds him.

"Still would," Thomas admits, and it's a rush of something that runs through Daud at that.

(link here)

Those sleeping in the kitchen have woken; they’re murmuring to each other, soft morning voices, no worry or urgency. Hard boot soles further out, coming closer—the crew.

Daud stops them.

“So this is the trouble you ran into,” he says, low and calm so no one will think to listen. “You’re going to cause a panic.”

The person he’s talking to—the captain, Corvo thinks—isn’t so careful. “The deal was for you to guard the food, not weigh in on decisions,” he almost snaps. The problem has to be significant if he’s not even watching his tone around a notorious killer for hire. There’s a wave of silence that follows in the wake of it, like everyone has gone quiet and pricked their ears.

It won’t last. Even tired—even weak—the other people on this ship won’t let themselves be starved, not without fighting first.

Emily clutches at his sleeve. “You’re scaring me,” she hisses.

After what transpired on Kingsparrow Island, Teague Martin slips away to a quiet life in Serkonos. He goes unnoticed for many years – until he crosses paths with Liam Byrne.

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