"How low is your self esteem? How low could it possibly be?"
Swimming Pool, The Front Bottoms // Dean and Castiel

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"How low is your self esteem? How low could it possibly be?"
Swimming Pool, The Front Bottoms // Dean and Castiel

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knew you had to see it all
lando norris/oscar piastri/max verstappen, lando norris/max verstappen, lando norris/oscar piastri, 10k, rated m
Lando looks at Oscar. Oscarâs looking back. Lando sees the moment he cracks. âYour fucking mate,â he says tiredly, standing up and dragging himself over to the horses, to Max. âGet a fire going, will you?â That, Lando can do, even one-handed. He hears, quiet, Max say, âBondmate,â like itâs both important and irrelevant.Â
knew you had to see it all: part six (and last!) of my spin-off series of go chasing that sweet call by @gremlinlando
READ ON AO3 (archive-locked)
pas de trois â chapter 6. curtain call
the end! this is the final chapter of pas de trois. :')
what started as a teeny tiny vague nugget of an idea (I wanna write a story involving a string of conflict between Ide, Light, and Matsuda during the days leading up to Yellow Box ??? with alternating POVs and angst ? a lot of angst?? with dancing/acting/play motifs??? đ€·ââïžđ€·ââïžđ€·ââïž), snowballed into this. it was a fun story to craft, albeit long and challenging, but I loved writing it. and it's sad to say goodbye. :')
I hope you've enjoyed it!! â„ it was a genuine pleasure to share this fic and see each chapter with fresh eyes through other people's reactions. it's just my silly little self-indulgent thing, but I really mean it when I say it was special to me âthe experience writing it and posting it, discussing it with readersâ all of it! â„ So, thank you very much for reading!!! I'm gonna go cry now
lysithea my darling (Jan. 1st, 2023)
full res
the great irene mom rankings!
i said iâd do these earlier so here we are with irene first!Â
moms are ranked based on four things: their supports with frederick, the inheritance they pass down in-game and how it would change irene as an actual unit in game, hair colour, and the corresponding sibling + their dynamic.
 iâm doing these in order of recruitment, as well as including chrom and emmeryn. i went the extra mile and included icons for all the robinsexuals just for fun, which are included at the bottom. they wonât be rated, i just felt like completing all the potential moms(tm).Â
i also edited the skin tones for the moms who are naturally darker skinned ( ...or should be ), then noticed i fucked it up a little and... honestly iâm too tired to go back and redo it, pls understand iâm sorry ;____;
frederickâs daughter. an enigmatic cavalier who aspires to be as great a knight as her father. the most afraid of fire.
robin.
supports: hmm... while i love frederick/mu, the in game supports themselves feel kind of weird making the jump from being platonic to romantic... but honestly, they work for me! i think itâs just the format theyâre presented in that feels a bit jumpy and choppy? in any case robin helping frederick get over an aversion and better himself for it is very cute. i like it.
inheritance: obviously, the mu is the best parent for any child unit. robin would provide access to every class in the game, so long as it isnât gender locked-- and heck even her growth rates would vary wildly depending on how you set robinâs.Â
hair colour: i just used the default one here or else iâd have gone insane, but a lot of the custom colours did look really cute! iâm especially fond of the araceli-esque blue. :3c
sibling(s): sheâd get morgan as a younger sibling... or two! which... could be a pretty fun dynamic. being morganâs sibling would be the only instance in which irene is older.
overall: the most important thing to note about the mu is that every interpretation, default or custom, is wildly different. while this isnât necessarily a bad thing, it does make it kind of hard to pin down what ireneâs life would have been like with robin as her mother (...or other father). that said, the muâs disappearance would definitely have inspired her to keep going with her training as a knight. unaware of what truly happened to her missing parent, irene would hope to find them someday. again... this really does depend on the mu and their interpretation-- but all in all, a solid irene.
final rating: â â â â â â â âââ ( 7 scales tipped out of 10 )
chrom.
supports: the supports in game are fucking hilarious, but i donât know how i feel about them in a romantic context?Â
inheritance: chromâs lord class is non-inheritable, but at least irene would get aether and the (albeit unrealized) ability to wield falchion, if lucinaâs sibling supports are anything to go off of! otherwise, the only new class irene would get out of the mix is archer, and i actually couldnât find the village maiden!lucina stat modifiers for a reference... but chromâs default growth rates are the highest in skill and speed, so i feel like him as her father would definitely influence that. as for the brand, itâs on the back of her neck!
hair colour: yknow i didnât think iâd be crazy about lord blue(tm), but it looks really nice with brown eyes... also, irene wouldnât have to rely on magic to disguise herself as lucina while acting as a decoy. :3c
sibling(s): iâll admit iâm not the biggest lucina fan out there anymore after some... personal stuff, but i do think lucina would be a cute older sister for irene... if not a little intimidating. while irene would idolize her big sister, she would also often feel as though sheâs left in lucinaâs shadow... which wouldnât help much with her self esteem-- hell, sheâd feel as though she HAD to work as hard as she already does just to match up... and it could lead to extreme recklessness on ireneâs part-- which is NOT something youâd want from a princess of the realm or a knight.Â
overall: i love princess irene, but chrom isnât exactly my first pick for her exalted parent-- mostly because of lucina and the very limited class pool irene would get as a result; sheâs barred from lord and chromâs only other class that doesnât overlap is archer... like, oof? that said, i honestly do really love the idea of chrom BEING ireneâs father. heâs just... such a good dad? heâd really, really help her unlearn a lot of the habits she drilled into herself to be a âmodel princessâ and ideal knight just by... you know. being himself! being younger than lucina, ireneâs memories of chrom arenât as vivid, and honestly a little warped by her sisterâs and other fatherâs perceptions... getting to know the real man would be. so good for her!!! tldr chrom could be a really great dad for irene, but... he has a few teensy things holding him back from being phenomenal. when it comes to royal irene i love papa chrom, but i do think uncle is a bit better.
final rating: â â â â â â ââââ ( 6 unpeeled oranges out of 10 )
lissa.
supports: theyâre cute! theyâre not my absolute favourites, but lissa getting to marry her first love is sweet. i just happen to prefer frederick and lissa with other people.
inheritance: iâve always really liked the concept of pegasus knight and healer irene, and lissa provides both of those things with the cleric, troubadour, and pegknight lines! also galeforce. gotta love galeforce. while theyâre classes that would take a bit of work for irene to really blossom in, from a character development standpoint i think theyâre wonderful. like-- she doesnât have to imitate frederick entirely to be just as good of a knight, she can incorporate things her mom taught her as well. like owain irene does have the brand surface as lissaâs daughter, and itâs still on the back of her neck.
hair colour: lissaâs blonde and emmerynâs blonde are actually super close in colour! itâs nearly impossible to tell, but emmerynâs is slightly more saturated. either way i prefer irene with darker hair colours, but the royal blonde is cute.
sibling(s): oh dear god i donât think ireneâs equipped to handle owain of all people as her older brother... she was a really shy little kid, and as much as sheâd love owain i do feel like his energy would be........... overwhelming?????? for her? that said i think owain would also know when to dial things down for her sake... that said, irene would really admire owain and while not bold enough to take part in justice cabal shenanigans, she would support them from a distance! still, being lucinaâs cousin is... hard. Â
overall: i actually donât have strong feelings on momther lissa one way or another! itâs a pairing iâm not overly invested in, but itâs one of those pairings i think would be cool in-game, if irene was an actual unit. itâd... just come at the cost of messing up owain imo. sooo yeah. itâs not awful, but there are definitely better pairings out there.
final rating: â â â â â âââââ ( 5 frog pranks out of 10 )
sully.
supports: i do like the tidbit that sully was training for knighthood at 15-- it makes the headcanon that ylisse was so desperate for recruits during the apocalypse they were knighting trainees that young a little more plausible, as my hc is that irene was knighted at the tender age of 15 for those exact reasons. that said, the supports themselves are kind of... meh. they felt perfect leaving off at a, the s-rank feels a bit âwell we have to marry them off now so you can get the kid i guessâ and shoehorned in than anything.Â
inheritance: sully shares her base class with irene, but since frederick also has the wyvern rider class in his kit, the only new class offered to irene is myrmidon... which is kind of sad. myrmâs a great class, but OOF that class pool...
hair colour: sullyâs red is the softest and dullest out of all the red haired gen 1s, and itâs nice on irene... but eh. there are nicer.
sibling(s): ... i just donât like kjelle all that much. i donât know why. i never really use her... i think itâs because sheâs an armoured unit and eh, no thanks. i like the idea of irene and kjelle being friends, though... just not siblings.
overall: while having two knightly parents would make ireneâs transition from shy, girly child to lady knight a lot easier, sully... is not a mom iâm a huge fan of for irene. her class pool is ridiculously limited, the family dynamic with kjelle isnât one iâm a huge fan of... while i think irene would be inspired by and look up to sully, itâs hard to see her as ireneâs mother. more like a mentor, if anything. you feel?
final rating: â â â â ââââââ ( 4 business swords out of 10 )
miriel.
supports: iâm actually doing this one in my current awakening run! while the supports are fun and i like them, iâm... not a huge fan of their ending and âmiriel vanishing for weeks at a timeâ. like. uh. okay.......... cool........... i guess?? that said, theyâre nicer than sullyâs supports lmao.
inheritance: miriel flips ireneâs entire concept on its head-- as frederickâs daughter, sheâs a very physical based unit who doesnât really... excel at magic. meanwhile, all of mirielâs classes are magic. a miriel!irene inherits the mage, dark mage, and troubadour lines-- while i think sheâd struggle with anima, light, or dark magic, i always see irene as having a natural, innate talent for healing. she would make a decent war cleric!Â
hair colour: mirielâs hair is one of my favourites in the game and irene pulls it off well! itâs that pretty, dark red...........
sibling(s): maybe iâm just biased and adore bp too much, but the entire reason i like miriel as ireneâs mother is because of laurent! i think theyâre a nice match as siblings. studious, observant, kind laurent and his little sister... theyâd both take care of everyone else and it could probably be a little overbearing, but... itâd be really sweet. i love it. i also headcanon laurent to have been the one who used his magic to make ireneâs hair blue whilst she pulled a frey and acted as a decoy in the bad future... the angst potential there is lovely. imagine realizing your little sister embarking on whatâs basically a suicide mission really is the only way to slip past enemy lines to safety? and setting her up to do just that? r i p laurent. but also please consider irene being a late bloomer to non-healing magic and her brother teaching her. itâs good shit! >:3c
overall: the main appeal of miriel to me is getting laurent as a brother, and the concept of a late-blooming magical irene. mirielâs and frederickâs supports are good but iâm not 100% sold on their ending, and there are just frederick pairings i like better.
final rating: â â â â â â â âââ ( 7 mysteries of the universe solved out of 10Â )
sumia.
supports: YES??? YES!!!!!! mu aside, frederick is my favourite sumia pairing! ... out of whatâs available in game, anyways. sumiaâs just so earnest and eager to help out as much as frederick does and heâs endeared by it and IâM endeared by it and theyâre just so ridiculously SWEET it rots my teeth and yes pLEASE...
inheritance: sumia passes down pegasus knight, cleric, and knight-- once again giving me the option of f a l c o n k n i g h t i r e n e complete with galeforce. and i love me some f a l c o n k n i g h t i r e n e.
hair colour: itâs lighter and less saturated than her default fred brown, but sumiaâs hair is very pretty on irene... i like it a lot!Â
sibling(s): i know i said owain would probably be a little overwhelming to have as a brother, therefore it ought to be the same for cynthia... but i actually donât see that being the case! before their parentâs deaths, cynthia was shy and soft and girly-- much like irene. i can see both sisters vowing to grow stronger and become knights of ylisse together-- they just have different ideas of what constitutes heroism. ireneâs vision of a hero is more like their fatherâs: someone whoâs always looking after everyone, even when it goes unnoticed-- and sometimes it works better when itâs unnoticed. cynthia is dazzling glamour and drama, ready to punish evildoers in the name of the moon with the coolest entrances and speeches ever. she keeps morale up with theatrics and works hard to be that shining light for everyone with them, where irene supports from the shadows. while sheâd be adverse to acting out cynthiaâs flights of fancy in the bad future, she... could be roped into trying in the past, and it would help her kick a lot of her reservation and shyness. cynthia and irene are good sisters and i love them!!!
overall: i love fredsumia in general, so sumia as ireneâs mom is just so good to me already???? even without thinking about it too deeply, i can just look at sumia and be like âyeah, she could have a kid like irene.âÂ
final rating: â â â â â â â â â â ( 9 flower fortunes out of 10 )
maribelle.
supports: i actually really like frederickâs and maribelleâs supports. theyâre hilarious and sweet and just-- yeah. i like maribelle being willing to learn menial tasks to better instruct her own servants and just... yeah!!! itâs cute!!! i like maribelle/fred!
inheritance: maribelle gives irene a lot of the classes lissa does-- troubadour, pegasus knight... then mage. anything that can give me galeforce falcon knight irene is a good time!! itâs a shame brady could do better for a father...
hair colour: god maribelleâs hair is bright... but it looks cute with the brown eyes!
sibling(s): oh my god brady and irene would be really cute as brother and sister... theyâre both soft kids(tm) and the narrative of irene having to work really, really hard to become a knight lends itself well to her being a duchessâ daughter!! i also have a hc that irene used to hang out in whatever âmedical bayâ brady cobbled together after his scare with that guy who became a risen mid-healing, to both have an excuse to avoid any burning of bodies and protect brady from another incident... look theyâre just. cute.
overall: while it does sacrifice some of bradyâs potential, irene being maribelleâs daughter is solid and interesting!! fredâs and maribelleâs supports are genuinely good, ireneâs backstory lines up well with maribelle being her mom, bradyâs a great brother, and gameplay wise she gets good class options! maribelle? solid choice!!!
final rating: â â â â â â â âââ ( 7 parasols out of 10 )
panne.
supports: these are actually supports i quite like! frederick learning new things and overcoming fears are always a joy to see, and seeing a more relaxed side of panne is really cute... theyâre good!!Â
inheritance: panne gives irene a unique class in taguel, as well as thief and wyvern rider! while sheâd have to be very careful of anti-beast weapons, the thought of irene with the bunny ears is... cute...
hair colour: dark colours really do suit irene; i just wish i had the patience to edit taguel ears onto that icon... because sheâd definitely have them.
sibling(s): mmmm yarneâs another kid iâm not huge on, and i do feel like theyâd clash as siblings... while yarne is self preserving to a fault, understanding the weight of his (and ireneâs) legacies as the literal last two taguel in the world, irene throws herself into danger regularly as a knight without any regard for her own safety. there would... probably be arguments about it. i dunno, yarne just... also doesnât work as fredâs kid imo?? it could just be personal preference...
overall: taguel irene!!! taguel irene!!! while i love panneâs and fredâs supports and the concept, the family dynamic with yarne just... doesnât... click very well for me? they really do feel like theyâd be at each otherâs throats a lot over clashing ideologies, and mmmm it would be fun for character development, but... i dunno. iâm just not feeling it as something to write?
final rating: â â â â â â ââââ ( 6 carrots out of 10 )
cordelia.
supports: NO!!! cordeliaâs supports with frederick are some of my least favourites in the game!!! i blame the mention of c h r o m and how it is in-context. itâs like frederickâs just... settling for being second best, even if cordelia claims sheâs giving up on chrom, then considering severaâs recruitment dialogue... mmmmmm. i donât... like that... they both deserve better...
inheritance: cordeliaâs fun in that between all of her class lines -- pegasus knight, mercenary, dark mage -- she can use every single weapon in the game. this trait passes on to both irene and severa, and irene does get some nice options to play around withÂ
hair colour: the fiery red is nice, actually, but itâs a little TOO vivid to suit irene...
sibling(s): i feel like severaâs bold and abrasive nature would either extend to her little sister or sheâd be an overly smothering big sister to overcompensate for perfect mom cordeliaâs absence. thereâd be no in between, and shy, meek irene would... suffocate from it. theyâd work better as friends than siblings.
overall: while this would be a nice pairing in a playthrough WITHOUT ruining severa in the process, i donât like it much in context. the supports are some of my least favourites, severa isnât a good fit for ireneâs sibling, and i... just like both units with other people!Â
final rating: â â ââââââââ ( 2 unrequited crushes out of 10 )
nowi.
supports: okay, the supports themselves are nice. theyâre a sweet concept-- nowi wanting to make sure frederick receives recognition for all his hard work, despite him being content just... helping from the shadows. that said i still... canât get past the whole nowi looking like a child thing. i know sheâs over 1000 years old but it still feels super awkward to me? then again thatâs a nowi complaint in general... so... rip nowi i really do love you i swear--
inheritance: manakete irene!!! manakete!!! irene!!! nowi also gives mage and wyvern rider, as well as decent magic growths-- late bloomer magical dark knight irene is fun, but... manakete irene
hair colour: nowiâs green is pretty wild, but i think that with the long ears itâd be cute!!
sibling(s): nah and irene would prooobably make cute siblings, but i donât think nahâs backstory gels well with ireneâs. in nahâs, both of her parents died when she was an infant. i hc frederick was among the last to die. something has to be altered pretty radically for this to fit, or else fred just up and ditched his kids, and... no.Â
overall: honestly this would be one of my favourites if not for the massive edits to ireneâs overall concept and the nowi problem(tm). manakete irene is a really fun concept, fredâs and nowiâs supports are really cute tbh and their ending is sweet, i feel like nowiâs light-heartedness and maturity underneath it all are something that would be really good for irene, but... the amount of editing needed to make it work kinda ruins the idea for me.
final rating: â â â â ââââââ ( 4 dragonstones out of 10 )
tharja.
supports: theyâre... hm. theyâre... interesting? see tharjaâs supports are like how i view cordeliaâs: the less mentions of robin ( and chrom in cordeliaâs case ), the better. tharja talks about robin a lot in the c-a ones, but thankfully thereâs no mention of them in the s. so thatâs points in tharjaâs favour! theyâre not bad, but i do think i like tharja and frederick with other people.
inheritance: tharja passes down dark mage and archer, then knight overlaps with ireneâs classes inherited from frederick. magical irene is once again on the table, but given the nature of future!tharja, i feel like irene would be horribly scared of or at least averse to dark magic and against trying it for herself.Â
hair colour: dark hair colours always look good on irene... though grabbing it off tharjaâs sprite was weird, because the sprite makes it look more brown than black. oh well.
sibling(s): while fred/tharja isnât terrible, ohhhhh boy the implications it has for ireneâs childhood isnât fun. she and noire sound like good sisters, but... once frederick dies tharja snaps hard, and begins using noire as a guinea pig. given i hc frederick as one of the last to die, either irene is already knighted and in a horrible position to get noire out of that situation until their mother dies too, or frederick dies earlier and she ends up trapped in the abuse too. itâs just... a very sad situation and i canât... i feel really bad putting irene in either of them. either she chases frederick and knighthood and unintentionally abandons noire, or she has to suffer future!tharja.
overall: despite the iffy future!tharja situation, i do think that the interactions with past!tharja and noire would make for really interesting character development. and you all know i am HERE for character development! frederickâs supports with tharja arenât bad ones, but theyâre not necessarily my favourites either. dunno, just... not huge on this one, but i donât hate it!
final rating: â â â â â âââââ ( 5 hexes out of 10 )
olivia.
supports: this one was........... weird. like, it shows fredâs overbearingness extends to everyone when heâs trying to lend a hand and itâs really cute, but... mmmmmmmmmm i really donât know. i like olivia with other people more and her supports can be kind of hit or miss as it is for me, even when i like the pairing.Â
inheritance: olivia doesnât give dancer, what even is the point-- no, but irene could inherit myrmidon, pegasus knight, and since dancer is exclusive to olivia, mercenary! if you want g a l e f o r c e f a l c o n k n i g h t irene, itâs a good choice!Â
hair colour: irene with oliviaâs pink is cute, but i like darker tones on her, personally...
sibling(s): irene being inigoâs younger sister could be fun? theyâre both shy characters and deal with it in different ways-- irene threw herself into training, inigo followed the âtalk to girlsâ advice. i can see them lowkey clashing over that, but still being close? it sets up for really fun shenanigans in fates too, as irene and corbett go to fateslandia on their own and settle in hoshido, meanwhile inigoâs summoned there by anankos and ends up in nohr... on a less potentially tragic note, irene being soleilâs aunt is cute.Â
overall: this is another pairing i like more for the sibling than the parents, but itâs still a solid one! the supports are kind of weird to me, but then again as much as i love olivia her supports are... mmmmm. irene gets great classes out of the deal, as well as the coveted galeforce, and inigo is a fun brother. all in all, itâs one of the better ones!Â
final rating: â â â â â â â âââ  ( 7 dances out of 10 )
cherche.
supports: these are my absolute favourites, with sumiaâs supports being just sliiiiightly behind them. i just love how highly frederick and cherche hold each other in high esteem from day one? they learn from each other, they snark about virion in private together, and their ending and their âfamously disarming smilesâ is so good??? power. couple.Â
inheritance: cherche passes down wyvern rider, cleric, and troubadour. healer irene is back in play, which i love!! she wouldnât get minerva as a wyvern rider because gerome already has her, but itâs Fine.
hair colour: mmm, it looks so cute on her! i love chercheâs pink...
sibling(s): the contrast between brooding, distant gerome and gentle, shy irene is really fun to me! i feel like theyâd be super close as kids but get along less as they grew older, but that also opens the doors for that sweet, sweet character development and reconciliation. and if you know anything about me, i live for character development.
overall: cherche is ireneâs default mom for a reason. frederickâs and chercheâs supports are my favouites for them both, she lends really well to the idea of irene being less talented with offensive magic but having a hidden talent for healing, and her hair colour is pink-- but still that nice darker tone that i like on her. gerome is... a bit of a piece of work, but they contrast in an interesting way and the development that comes with reconciliation is appealing! so yeah! i love!!! cherche!irene!Â
final rating: â â â â â â â â â â ( 10 snacks for minerva out of 10 )
emmeryn.
supports: they, uh... donât have any. the draw for fredemm in general is that heâs a knight and sheâs the exalt, and i mean... itâs really a sweet concept! i do prefer emm/phila and frederick with other people, but it is an emmeryn ship i still really like! it does require some shifting things around on ireneâs part as sheâd now have to be older than all of the children to even exist in the bad timeline, but... eh. details.
inheritance: emmâs classes are the same ones as lissaâs, so see her section! as always with princess irene, the brand is on the back of her neck.
hair colour: it looks really close to lissaâs, but itâs just a little more saturated...
sibling(s): not counting emmeryn fankids, irene would be an only child. i guess that means she would treat lucina, her sibling, and owain like siblings of her own! that said, she would still undergo the lucina problem-- being related to falchionâs bearer and unable to wield it herself despite being a member of the exalted bloodline does a number on ireneâs confidence and self image as a princess. now that iâm thinking about it, what if princess irene got geirskogul...
overall: if iâm doing princess irene, emmeryn is my favourite of the ylissean royal sibs to be her other parent. everything is a little more hc based and shifts around a bit based off portrayals and whatnot, but i really like exalted irene so itâs worth it!! Â
final rating: â â â â â â â â ââ ( 8 miracles out of 10 )
just for fun...
anna.
aversa.
flavia.
sayâri.
tiki.

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   End Before the End
Those who are blood-drunk are better left alone.
Hemwick was a place that offered the rarity of solitude, despite the madwomen who inhabited it. Their constant cackling and yowling raised goosebumps on the young hunterâs arms whenever the horrid sound reached his ears. Thankfully, however, the villageâs residents seemed quite uninterested in his presence and never raised a weapon against him. He supposed this had to do with the presence of his friend, who constantly traveled the dilapidated cobble paths in order to return home. For that, he was grateful.
   The pair reached a quiet cliff, the face of which dropped abruptly into the crashing waves. A fall from such a height would surely prove lethal; yet they rested upon the edge, legs dangling far above the jagged rocks and icy lake.
   Isaac gazed in awe across the swath of water, at the dark, towering outline of Cainhurst Castle. Its crumbling, snow-capped roofs were a stain against the late afternoon sky, which held a thick foam of clouds, dyed pink and purple by the dying sunlight. It only seemed to accentuate the fortressâ impressive size and architecture.
   âWow.â The word escaped him in a stunned breath. âAnsel, itâs amazinâ. Iâm kinda offended ya havenât offered to show me âround the place yet, yâknow. I mean... I lived in a cardboard box, once. And ya get a bloody castle to yourself. Unbelievable.â
   His friend chuckled under his breath. âI share it with someone,â he protested.
   Isaac snorted. âRight. Bet the queenâs hogginâ the place. Too small for the both aâ ya, innit?â
   Ansel laughed, prompting the corner of Isaacâs mouth to pull into a crooked grin. There it is. What a wonderful sound, he thought, and one so rarely heard. He was rather pleased with himself for his ability to lighten the redheadâs spirits. He was always so sullen. Almost... hollow, as if he were an hourglass missing most of its sand. And he knew why.
   Slowly, Anselâs expression sobered, and his shoulders drooped as a quiet sigh left him. Neither of them spoke for several moments. The gnashing tides filled the silence, soothing in their own ironic sort of way.
   âI miss it,â Ansel managed. âWhat it used to be.â
   His eerie reddish eyes were locked on the castle, but his stare seemed distant, as if he didnât truly see what lay before him.
   âIâll bet. âM sure it was somethinâ else, before...â Isaac trailed off, unwilling to continue.
   âIt was.â Ansel threaded his fingers together in his lap, but he kept his eyes on his home. âI remember... getting lost in the halls, and in the library, even after growing up. But it was so exuberant that I never minded it.â He smiled again, briefly. âYulia thought me daft, getting lost in my own home.â
   Yulia. The hunterâs lips parted in surprise at the sound of his sisterâs name. Ansel had always been so unwilling to speak of her. He was well aware of the guilt he carried regarding her death, despite never outwardly admitting it. Anyone could look into his eyes and see the boundless pain within them. Even then, Isaac caught a glimpse of it, even when Ansel wouldnât meet his stare. A mere mention of Yulia was too much.
   Dammit.
   Why him? What had he done to deserve to suffer in such a way? It was unfair. Cruel. Even by Yharnamâs standards.
   With a soft huff, Isaac put his arm around Anselâs shoulders and pulled him close, ignoring the way he tensed. He waited for him to relax. After a few moments, he did.
   âYouâll be all right, mâ friend,â Isaac murmured. âIâve got ya.â
   Ansel went rigid again, as though he had suddenly forgotten how to breathe, and turned his head to the side, obscuring his face in thick red curls. No further words needed to be spoken. Isaac kept his arm around the Vileblood as he watched the sunlight fade, dimming the vibrant hues of the clouds to a muted indigo.
   He released Ansel as he sat upright, and nearly missed the hasty palm that rubbed at one of his eyes. Finally, Ansel met his gaze, pursing his lips into a tight smile as he gave the dark-haired hunterâs arm a squeeze.
   âForgive me,â he managed, voice somewhat hoarse. âI am uncertain what came over me.â
   âNothinâ to apologize for, Ansel.â
   âAnd thank you. It occurred to me that I... I donât believe Iâve ever properly expressed my gratitude towards...â He hesitated before looking away once more, to his hands as he idly toyed with his scarred fingers. âTowards you. For everything youâve done.â He paused. âAnd Cilla, and Ajax, as well. Truly, the three of you are like my... My family.â
   A slow grin brightened Isaacâs features. He took Anselâs hands in his and pulled him to his feet. âGods, Ansel. You gotta tell âem. Right now.â
   Anselâs eyes grew round. âUm, I donât think Iââ
   âRight now,â Isaac prompted, gently pushing him down the dust-caked path. âElse Iâll tell Mum Iâve got a sibling, without ever elaboratinâ!â
   He uttered a nervous laugh. âOh, my. Please donât. Such things require tact, yes?â
   âYouâre speakinâ nonsense now. Keep movinâ, brother.â
The Vileblood had long since developed a hatred of nighttime walks through the city, whether or not they took place within the relative safety of secluded back streets, far from the crowded central squares. His recent timidity was little more than an embarrassment, as he now found himself fleeing at the slightest hint of danger. It seemed he was best suited to wander the empty halls of Cainhurst.
   At least now he had pleasant company. It was quite amusing to think about, really. Here he was, a former knight of Queen Annalise, walking side by side with a workshop hunterâa carrier of a potential heir for his dwindling race. The honey-sweet dregs inhabiting huntersâ blood had sent him on countless escapades to his queenâs chambers. Yet he would return to her side no longer, and he was rather pleased to find that he felt no remorse towards this âbetrayal.â
   He sent a glance towards his unlikely friend, who walked just two yards ahead, clutching the worn handle of his cleaver as if anticipating an attack. Anselâs own observation skills had grown muddled as of late, so he was grateful for the hunterâs constant vigilance while out on the streets.
   ââS quiet,â Isaac remarked after a while. âDunno if I like that.â
   Anselâs fingers curled more tightly around the grip of his Evelyn, and his free hand strayed towards his rapier. âSurely we arenât that far from Cillaâs house?â
   âNah. Still a few blocks off, though.â
   Tension crept into his shoulders. It was remarkable how Cilla had seemed to condition beasts against straying too close to her home, considering how often the scourge twisted new victims into horrid, violent creatures. He wouldnât be surprised if her block could be considered the safest in all of Yharnam; if she felt bold enough, she could sleep on her doorstep without being disturbed. At least, that was what she had claimed.
   A familiar rancid stench hit his sensitive nostrils. He physically recoiled as he returned to his senses, and a cold jolt of fear drove itself into his chest. He looked to Isaac, who raised a hand, gesturing for him to stop moving.
   âBeast,â the hunter whispered. He tilted his head to better hear the scraping of claws against grimy stone. âBig one.â
   Ansel bit his lower lip. âLycanthrope?â
   Isaac merely shrugged, but the look in his dark eyes said most likely. âDonât really want to let it run loose,â he mumbled. ââS gettinâ close to Cillaâs block, and big beasts ainât scared off as easily. How âbout we take âim on?â
   Ansel caught himself before he could gape at his friend, and straightened, feigning eagerness. âThat may be wise.â
   Isaacâs eyes brightened. Ansel felt a pang of regret.
   âIâll run down this âere street,â Isaac said, gesturing down the long alleyway. âBeastâs cominâ down the second path on our right, methinks. Iâll get âim to chase me, and you attack âim from behind.â
   Ansel stared at him. âHow?â
   âShoot âim in the spine or somethinâ. Your shootinâ skills are proper fantastic, yeah?â Isaac tapped the barrel of Anselâs Evelyn, grinning.
   How on earth is he this enthusiastic?
   With a hard swallow, Ansel nodded. Isaac gave him a quick salute before spinning on his heel and running down the alley at full speed, tattered cape billowing in his wake.
   Adrenaline filled his veins when the lycanthrope rounded the corner, chilling him to the bone. The sight of it caused his breath to catch in his throat. It was a massive, hulking thing, with coarse, matted fur and claws caked with dried blood. Thick saliva dripped from its maw as it paused in its pursuit of the hunter, and its heavy breaths formed clouds of steam in front of its face.
   Anselâs heart hammered against his ribs as it turned a single red eye on him. The claws of another beast had recently scratched the other eye from its socket, leaving a bloodied hole. He raised his firearm with an unsteady hand. The moment his eyes moved to Isaac, who had charged back in his direction, the beast lunged.
   His Evelyn went off with a bang. The lycanthrope collided with him, sending them both to the street and knocking the wind from Anselâs lungs.
   The crunch of a serrated blade tearing through flesh pulled him from his momentary daze. The beast snarled as it spun around, and Ansel grimaced when hot, rotten-smelling blood spattered across his coat.
   Isaac swung at the creature again, and it retaliated by raking its claws across the hunterâs chest.
   âIsaac!â Ansel almost choked on the word as he rolled onto his side, struggling to rise to his feet. He clamped his mouth shut when a wave of nausea overcame him. Dragging himself to his knees, he reached for his fallen blade, only to freeze when a tantalizing scent overcame the reek of beast blood.
   Isaac swung his cleaver at the beastâs neck with a grunt, freeing a deluge of crimson as he struck an artery. His opponent collapsed into a heap, twitching as the life leaked from its body. He fell beside it, first to his knees, then to his hands when his face contorted in pain.
   âAh, shit,â he muttered, searching his pockets for a blood vial. He coughed and spat out a wad of blood. âWasnât expectinâ that. Ansel, areâare are yâ alright?â
   A shrill ring drowned out his words. Anselâs hands came to his head, and he hunched forward as if to avoid getting sick. Newfound terror struck him like a hammer when an agonizing thirst scorched his windpipe.
   âNo,â he gasped, only half in response to Isaacâs question. His fingers blindly roamed the nearby wall, grazing its filthy brick surface without feeling a thing.
   No. Not him. Please. I canât. I canât â
   âAnsel?â
   He flinched when Isaac approached, wounds miraculously mended. But the blood. The blood remained, soaking every inch of his torso and trailing down his arms in enticing trails.
   The Vileblood heaved himself backwards, gritting his teeth as his vision blurred. His decaying memory went to his childhood friend, and the terror on her face when she saw what heâd become firsthand, before almost falling victim to his ravenous mania herself.
   Iâm a blighted fool.
   His mouth opened in preparation to yell at him to stay away, to run; but as he did, the aroma of the hunterâs moonlit blood found its way to his tongue, promising sweet relief. His hand brushed against the hilt of his rapier.
   Isaac knelt before him and put a hand on his shoulder. âOi, Ansel. Can yâ hear me? Ugly bloke didnât do a number on ya, did he?â
   Anselâs fear dissipated with the click of his weapon as its blade retracted, throwing sparks into the air. He raised his eyes to Isaacâs. He held his gaze for a moment, his frantic expression fading to a blank slate, and he promptly thrust his rapier into the hunterâs heart.
   Isaacâs breath left him as if Ansel had punched him square in the chest. He stared down at the blade, visibly shocked, before dragging his attention back to his friend.
   âWhyââ
   Ansel wrenched his blade free, throwing an arc of crimson into the air. The hunter fell. He faded into a mass of pale light, leaving nothing behind but a warm, writhing dreg.
   Isaacâs legs crumpled beneath him when he appeared beside the glimmering lantern, and he did not immediately move to pick himself up.
   He didnât feel rejuvenated in the slightest. His stomach churned in response to the lingering ache above his heart, where Anselâs blade had run him through. One of his gloved hands placed itself atop the shredded fabric of his coat.
   Itâd happened so fast. For a moment, he wondered if he had simply been mistaken, and that the one who ended his life had been anyone other than his friend. His brother.
   The venomous look in the other young manâs gaze had certainly been uncharacteristic. For a moment, his eyes were not a manâs, but a starved beastâs. Heâd seen it before â many times, in fact, during his nightly hunts.
   Heâs blood-drunk.
   Isaac ran his fingers through his hair as he surveyed his surroundings, only half mindful of his plan to return home without incident.
   Why didnât he tell me?
   To think he could do anything about Anselâs current state would be foolish, but he could try. Surely there were ways to cope with the addiction of blood, and to make it less severe. He just had to find him.
   He froze and looked to the horizon, where the brownish disk of the moon peeked between dark spires. How much time had passed before he awakened? What if Ansel was on a blind rampage near Cillaâs house?
   What if Cilla found him first?
   He barely heard his feet as they pounded against the road, and an icy wind gnawed at his cheeks as he ran. He passed through winding alleys and the occasional group of half-turned men, who were too slow to grasp him as he sprinted by.
   He made it to the southwest part of the city in record time. His legs shook as he leaned against a burned out lamppost for support, breaths coming in heaves that seemed to tear holes into his windpipe.
   He was given little chance to recover. A bang sounded in the distance â one too large to have come from a gun â and urged his aching legs onward. The exertion twisted a knot of pain into his side. He ignored it and continued, trying in vain to set aside the dread intensifying with every labored step.
   Isaac rounded the corner in time to see Ansel barely dodge the swing of Cillaâs flaming Boom Hammer. The Vileblood tripped over his own feet and fell backwards, mere feet from an explosion that bit a sizeable chunk from the cobblestones. The moment the fire faded, Ajax strode forward, Stake Driver in hand.
   âStop!â
   Isaacâs shout was swallowed by the clang of Ajaxâs weapon as he reeled his arm backwards, ready to end Ansel in a single, brutal hit. Gritting his teeth, the hunter gathered his remaining energy and threw himself in front of his friend.
   Ajax paused, momentary surprise mingling with the rage on his face. Isaac held his gaze even when the older manâs eyes narrowed threateningly.
   âMove, Isaac.â
   His tone brokered no argument, but Isaac held his ground even when Ajax raised his voice.
   âMove!â
   âNo!â Isaac shouted back.
   He scrambled to his feet when Cilla approached, priming her hammer for another molten strike that surely wouldnât miss. He grabbed his cleaver and threw it outwards, extending the serrated blade.
   âI wonât say it again,â he growled. âStop.â
   The pair faltered. Ajax looked as if he would tear Isaac to pieces in order to reach his target, and Cillaâs caramel eyes ignited with a blazing anger he had never seen before.
   âListen tâ Ajax. Let us deal with thisâthisââ Cillaâs grip tightened on her weapon. âBeast.â
   Isaac sent a glance over his shoulder in time to catch the anguish that flickered in his friendâs eyes. Anselâs cheeks were smeared with blood, and his arms and torso were all but drenched in the liquid. The terror on his face did not suit the rest of him.
   Slowly, he faced his mother again, with fury of his own brewing within him. âAre yâ bloody serious? Mum, yâknow how many of us here have a clean track record? None.â
   âHe killed you, Isaac, and Iâm not about tâ let that go,â Cilla muttered.
   Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but shut it when Ajax made another move towards Ansel. Gritting his teeth, he threw himself on top of the Vileblood.
   âYou want âim so bad? Kill me,â Isaac hissed.
   The ire on the manâs face grew to a point where it frightened him. He almost expected his challenge to be taken to heart, and awaited the stake that would pin him and his friend together, but it never came. Ajax whirled on his heel and strode away, vanishing behind a row of dilapidated houses.
   âAjax...â Cilla shook her head, and the bewilderment in her stare drowned in newfound frustration.
   Isaacâs grip tightened on his cleaver, then loosened. What if she came at him? What would he do, harm his own mother in defense of someone who had deceived him and killed him for his blood?
   No. He couldnât.
   âLet me do this for you.â Her voice was strained, and heavy with what almost sounded like desperation, as if putting Ansel down would solve all the problems in Yharnam.
   A pit formed in Isaacâs chest. He got to his feet, returning to his protective stance in front of Ansel. âYâknow, itâs funny,â he murmured. âYa dump me into the slums, and thâ first honorable thing you wanna do for me, twenty-four whole years later, is kill my best friend. Sorry, Ma. Not addinâ up.â
   Cilla gaped at him. âThatâs notââ
   ââCause he killed me, yeah? Yeah, well, guess what? I canât die! I couldnât die even if I wanted to.â A humorless smirk tugged at his lips, and hot tears blurred the edges of his vision. âSo, Ansel â leave âim outta this. He hasnât done a thing.â
   Cilla took a step forward when Ansel stood, but froze when Isaac tilted his weapon in her direction.
   âI will go.â The Vilebloodâs hollow voice was barely audible.
   Isaacâs cleaver lowered a fraction of an inch, and he looked over his shoulder. The torment on his face had dulled to a look of resignation. His reddish eyes, fixed on the ground, gazed at something that wasnât there.
   âIf I am to be kept alive,â Ansel murmured, âI cannot stay. I have betrayed your trust in the worst possible way.â
   âAh... Ansel,â Isaac stuttered. He put his free hand on Anselâs arm, managing a smile. âHey, everythingâs fine now. Iâm in one piece, see? No harm done. Letâsâletâs go home. We can talk about it. We can...â
   He trailed off. Ansel wouldnât look at him.
   âIf he wants to go,â Cilla muttered, âYou ought to let âim take this chance. Itâs the only one heâs gonna get from me.â
   âMum...â Isaac began.
   âIsaac,â Ansel whispered.
   A knot of dread twisted in the hunterâs stomach.
   âI must. Iââ
   âNo.â Isaacâs cleaver fell to the ground with a clang, and he took hold of Anselâs shoulders. âAnsel, no. IâI ainât mad at ya! Look, Iâm fine. You donât have toââ
   âI must,â Ansel repeated, with such conviction that it stunned Isaac into silence. He looked back at Cilla. He fell silent for a moment, then bowed his head and said, âI thank you again for your mercy. Iâll see to it that it isnât misplaced this time.â
   The woman nodded once, slowly.
   Finally, he met Isaacâs eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, and a multitude of emotions flickered across his face. He turned, quickly, and left with a whisper of a broken apology on his lips.
Sunlight drilled into the Vilebloodâs half-closed eyes. A sharp breeze disrupted crimson and gold curtains, tossing dust amid the flurry of snow that drifted through his window and onto the worn stone floor. He rolled over and drew his silk bed sheets more tightly over his head.
   Consciousness carried a reminder to hunt. Hunt, or you will suffer, pleaded his burning throat and stomach, as if he had deprived them of blood for years. He was uncertain how much time had passed since he sealed himself away in his room. He did not particularly care.
   Ansel dragged himself out of bed and prepared to delve into Yharnamâs accursed streets. Out of habit, his hand brushed against the soft brown fabric of his scarf, and he recoiled as if heâd been stung. Cillaâs face flashed in his vision. He remained still for several minutes, gazing at the soft strip of fabric, then turned and strode into the hall without it.
   The weeping of ghosts greeted him as he entered the main foyer. The bound spirits paid him no mind as he swept past, gaze locked to the ornate carpet beneath his feet; some ceased their cries to look in his direction, heads tilted in curiosity as if they could see through the fabric obscuring their vision.
   A fleeting memory passed him by, of simpler times within thriving walls. His aunt, of all people, hissed in his ear; or perhaps it was her ghost, eager to criticize his actions even in death.
   âFoolish boy. You break everything you touch.â
   Chest aching, Ansel hurried through the massive doors and towards the castle gates, disdain growing with every step. He refused to look at the statues littering the rocky courtyard, or even the ice-encrusted fountain he viewed so fondly as a child. It was bone-dry, now, with the body of a lone saint still frozen in prayer beside it.
   I cannot stay here any longer.
   He focused on the pain gnawing at his insides. Only one wish could be fulfilled at a time, he supposed.
   The overgrown roads of Hemwick greeted him with a gust of crisp air, flinging fallen leaves past his feet, over rocky cliffs, and into the crashing waves at his back. He made little progress before the glint of a serrated weapon caught his eye. Tensing, he looked to the hunter seated above him, atop the roof of a crumbling house.
   Ansel froze. âIsaac?â
   Isaac didnât answer, but dropped to the weed-ridden ground with a thud. He approached slowly. âWhy didnât you tell me?â
   Ansel prepared to question him, but paused. He knew very well what his friend spoke of. Averting his eyes, he said, âI... couldnât.â
   âWhat do you mean?â Isaacâs brow furrowed. âAnsel, I couldâve helped you.â
   The statement was untrue, but filled him with regret regardless. âNo. You couldnât have.â
   âHow do you know? Have ya even told anyone else âbout this?â
   âI canâtââ
   âDonât say âcanât,ââ Isaac interjected. âThereâs gotta be some wayââ
   âIsaac.â Defeat crept into his voice. âNo one can help me.â
   âWhy do you keep sayinâ that?â
   âBecause I canât even help myself!â Ansel caught an unexpected sob as it climbed his throat, and bit the inside of his cheek so it wouldnât escape.
   Isaac fell silent. The pair walked to the bridge and sat on the edge, where they watched the sun dance across the lakeâs surface.
   âHow long have ya been dealinâ with this?â Isaac murmured.
  âFour... Five years.â Ansel replied. âIâve lost count.â
   The hunter released a slow, deep sigh. âDammit, Ansel. Thatâs not fair. Itâsâitâs not fair.â
   Ansel glanced at him. âWhat?â
   âDo ya know how many despicable pieces of shit Iâve seen in Yharnam?â he asked heatedly. âAny of âem deserve this heaps more than you.â
   Ansel suppressed a humorless smile. âIâve more than earned my place among them.â
   Isaac frowned. âAnd why do ya always talk yourself down? âS real bad.â
   Ansel looked into his scarred, freckled face, and into the shred of innocence buried in the depths of his dark eyes. How Isaac maintained even a sliver of hopefulness, despite his terrible upbringing, was something Ansel had never understood.
   âYou have no idea what Iâve done.â
   Isaacâs silence was the only reply he needed. Perhaps he had begun to see him for what he truly was. His stomach twisted. He knew it was for the best, but it hurt. Gods, it hurt.
   âI havenât apologized yet,â Ansel said.
   âDonât.â
   âBut I killedââ
   âI donât care,â Isaac said. ââKay? I donât. Iâm here now. Iâm fine.â
   Ansel pursed his lips. âWhat about Cilla? And Ajax?â
   Isaacâs expression sobered. âI said some real nasty stuff to Mum before I left.â
   âLeft?â
   âI, um, ran away.â He toyed with a loose stone. âStupid. âS like Iâm ten years old again.â
   Isaac took the stone in his palm and tossed it. Ansel watched as it plummeted through the air and vanished beneath the churning waves.
   âI want you to come back,â Isaac told him.
   âYou know I canât,â Ansel said quietly.
   âDo I?â
   âWhat happened to you couldâve happened to any of the others,â Ansel said. âAnd they...â
   âDie for real,â Isaac finished.
   Ansel nodded once.
   âYouâre right. But I... I could still come see you.â
   âIsaac...â
   Isaac turned to face him, placing a gloved hand on Anselâs shoulder as he did. âListen. I donât care what else ya did. I donât even care if you kill me again. All right? âCause youâre sufferinâ, and if you think Iâm just gonna sit back and let ya deal with it alone, you donât know me very well.â
   The Vileblood swallowed the lump in his throat. Yes, he wanted to beg. Stay with me. Please. His lips parted, prepared to voice the selfishness thatâd bring him the combined wrath of Cilla and Ajaxâwhich would likely tarnish Isaacâs standing with them, as well.
   He couldnât. Not after watching his own family get torn apart before his very eyes.
   âI...â Anselâs fingers curled into fists. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he would not let them fall. âNo. I cannot let you do that.â
   Isaac pulled back like heâd slapped him. Anger crossed his face. âWhy not?â He demanded. âWhy canât you let me do this?â
   Isaac didnât understand how it had felt. Ansel had come to his senses far too late and witnessed the mess he had made of his dearest friend, with his mouth still brimming with moonlit blood. He had spit it out. He had collapsed, and gasped for breath as his horror towards his actions struck him like the shot of a cannon, rendering him petrified until Cilla and Ajax appeared and saw what he had done.
   âIâI canât.â His voice broke, becoming shrill and foreign to his own ears. âI will not live as constant danger to you and your family knowing I may slaughter themâall of themâat any moment! You are too precious to me. I canât. I canât!â
   Ansel buried his face in his hands, and through clenched teeth, released a cry of anguish.
   How cruel it was, that his own foolishness would curse him with isolation even after one family had already been stripped from him, leaving him with a shell of a life once brimming with extravagance and love; but he had brought it upon himself. The lives he had taken, the rifts he had driven into families much like his own, could never be redeemed. His hands were stained with blood that rang temptingly in his ears even as he sat beside Isaac, chest heaving with sobs. Even then, his body urged him to draw his weapon and sate his repulsive hunger.
   Mother. Father. Yulia... Iâm sorry. I am no different than the Executioners.
   Strong arms enveloped him, pulling him into Isaacâs chest. Tears stained his friendâs face.
   âDonât you do this to me, Ansel,â he choked out. âWeâre family. Weâweâre brothers. Right? Weâre brothers. I can help you. I swear it. I...â
   Ansel knew he believed him. His tears and desperate ramblings were proof enough, but he doubted words would be enough to pry the hunter from his side for good.
   Shaking fingers reached for his rapier, and he struggled to breathe through his tears as he grasped the hilt. Isaacâs eyes grew round when he noticed the action.
   âAnsel, whâwhat are you doing?â Understanding flooded his expression, and he grasped Anselâs arms, face contorted in desperation and agony. âNo. Donât. Ansel, donât. Please. No!â
   Before the hunter could withdraw, Ansel plunged the blade into his heart for a second time. Isaac gaped at him, desperate pleas tangled in his throat.
   âMy brother,â Ansel whispered. âForgive me. Goodbye.â
   Isaac collapsed into his arms and dissolved into moonlight. Ansel grasped the dreg that was left behind. With a shout of torment and rage, he tossed it into the lake, fell to his knees, and counted his remaining seconds of sanity before bloodlust would possess him once more.
Cilla sat at the bar with her head in one hand, and an empty bottle of whiskey in the other. She wished for more, but could not find the motivation to stand. Her limbs felt heavy, her chest hollow, as though itâd cave in beneath the slightest movement.
   Days had passed since Isaac stormed off. She had searched high and low to find him, going as far as Cathedral Ward and the outskirts of Hemwick, but he evaded her without leaving a trace. Her concern for his safety gnawed at her relentlessly. Eventually, she decided it best to give him space. She owed him far more than that, but she no longer knew how to give it to him.
   How do you replace 21 missing years? She ran a hand through her thick dark hair. How do you replace a best friend?
   Ajax surfaced in her mind. She hadnât been able to find him, either. It did not surprise her, and he was certainly capable of triumphing over whatever nonsense Yharnam threw at him; but she worried anyway. Unlike Isaac, he would not receive a second chance at life if something were to go horribly wrong.
   Iâll give them both an earful when I see them, she decided.
   To her irritation, she felt a twinge of concern for Ansel, but was quick to shove it away. Long ago, she had warned the Vileblood what would happen if he ever harmed her son. âIâll turn you into a smudge on the pavement,â she had said, and meant it. In the moment, she would have done itâunless Ajax had gotten to him first.
   It bothered her that she worried for him, even as he teetered on the brink of madness. He killed her son.
   âWhat does this all say about me?â she mumbled, and removed her glasses to rub her eyes. âA bloody mouthful.â
   Could she even fully reconcile with Isaac after doing such a thing? What if he never returned to her doorstep? Her heart ached. Before she could dwell on it any longer, however, three weak knocks sounded on her door. She forced herself to answer it.
   Her mouth dropped. Isaac and Ajax stood before her. Isaacâs shoulders quivered with weak sobs, and rivers of tears flowed down his cheeks. Ajaxâs good eye was red, his mouth a tight line.
   No one spoke. Cilla shook her head and pulled the two men into her arms, and tears of her own blurred her vision. She clung to them and released a shaky breath of relief.
   âWelcome home,â she murmured.
(original by ninja sex party)
The paper that has been the bane of my existence for over 4 months is done. DONE.







