#TAINTEDHUNTS.

"ice cream before dinner will upset my stomach," he grumbled. "dinner, then ice cream. followed by pie." compromises - he could offer them.

the  way  fenway  softened  with  them  didn’t  go  unnoticed  by  ekko  —  they  ignored  it,  regardless.  it  was  an  unspoken  thing  between  them,  a  thing  none  of  them  dared  to  address  yet.  they  themself  had  the  most  tender  spot  for  fen,  too,  and  they  knew  he  knew.  that,  for  ekko,  was  enough . however,  as  he  moved  behind  them  and  their  small  face  was  taken  in  his  strong  hands,  that  affection  quickly  turned  into  feigned  annoyance,  a  displeased  yet  half - heartedly  grunt  leaving  their  lips  as  the  only  protest.  they  didn’t  try  to  get  free  of  it,  though,  just  went  with  it,  and  as  fen’s  threat  was  made,  a  smile  was  poorly  managed  in  the  grip,  devotion  melting  within  like  a  warm  cup  of  milk  and  honey . his  answer  to  their  request  once  their  face  was  once  again  free  brought  back  their  irritation,  a  hint  of  childish  protest  in  it  this  time.     “  but  fen  !  ”     they  whined,  a  pout  protruding  their  lower  lip.  the  gift  he  snatched  for  them,  though,  made  all  traces  of  protests  and  discontent  disappear  from  their  system,  replaced  by  an  undignified  squeak.    

"you're cute and all, but don't you think that we should trade names before we jump into something as long-term as marriage? hell, you don't even know if i want kids or not," he said. it was absolutely not what they had been talking about just a few seconds earlier. though, the ringing in his ears meant that he wasn't quite sure if they had been talking at all. the problem with c-ptsd was the patchy memory when stressed, the physical tremors and the fact that even three stacks of hotcakes with bacon, sausage and eggs wasn't cutting through the stupor. Charlie whined and set his head against his knee, reminding him that they weren't in a dungeon - people weren't dying - there wasn't a mountain of corpses reanimating and shuffling towards them.

another day, another dollar, right? miyeon is grateful to not be a ranger or an assassin where stealth and concealment are preferred. no, she was a fighter standing mere feet from the entrance of a gate in quite possibly the worst outfit to go to battle in. the saving grace was the biker shorts she remembered to put underneath her all-too-short, intensely pink dress with the arm sleeves to match. "you didn't happen to bring a bag with you, did you?" she says, turning to the person beside her, offering a charming smile their way. "two accessories don't really go with my look today, and i already have to count my jingum as one." the smile turns sheepish, as if she's embarrassed in the slightest for her shortcomings. "it's just my phone... and my keys, promise."

          "   THE  INSIDE  POCKETS  OF  HER  AVIATOR  JACKET  had  been  tailored  to  be  practical,  her  favored  seamstress  from  the  guild  always  delivering  just  what  she  wanted,  and  most  importantly,  what  she  needed.   yet  they  weren’t  made  to  save  the  personal  items  of  an  unprepared  girl  hunter,  if  her  request  and  outfit  were  anything  to  go  with.  rory  contained  the  scoff  tickling  her  throat,  however,  her  furrowed  brows  and  hard  jaw  made  her  vexation  clear  as  day  —  she  couldn’t  deny  her,  though,  not  when  they  needed  to  fight  these  beasts,  and  that  bothered  her  more  than  the  simple  request.   rory  stretched  a  heavy  pause,  then,  a  sigh  evidence of her  defeat  replaced  the  bitter  sound  previously  held  at  the  back  of  her  tongue.     “  fine,  but  this  will  be  the  first  and  only  time,  ”     she  relented  at  last,  hand  extended  toward  miyeon,  her  short  patience  running  shorter  already.     “  you  can’t  be  this  unprepared  to  handle  a  gate,  you  know  that,  right ?  ”     she  wanted  to  comment  on  what  seemed  —for  her—  a  ridiculous  clothing  ensemble  too,  yet she  knew  better  than  saying  something  that  could  make  a  person  self - conscious  about  their  appearance,  so  she  refrained  from  it  with  a  new  scowl .

RYLAN WASN'T A FIGHTER. they had never craved the feeling of a blade in their hand nor the impact of a fist on skin. the portal opening had been a pure coincidence, a case of right place, excellent time. since arriving in the area, they had been starved for an opportunity to put their skills to work. the mountains had grown tiring, their guild dull, and they could almost feel their talents wasting away. now, their lungs ached, chest heaving with exertion. if they kept it up, it wouldn’t be long before the wheezing would begin… how painfully embarrassing. and yet they didn't stop, couldn't. they were high off the adrenaline, and it would take a miracle to reign them in. that, or a quip from a blonde who appeared loathe to share their bounty. ❛ where’s the fun in that? ❜ came rylan's retort, thrown over their shoulder as they ducked from around a rock to take out another beast. ❛ i would argue the host should show some hospitality by letting the guest take the lead. ❜

not that it appeared to be in the blood-splattered woman's nature. green eyes were drawn to the dagger, clinging to it like a magnet as the blood was wiped clean. that is, until the glint of steel gave way to combat boots attached to toned legs, gaze raking over them at a disarmingly slow rate given the situation. when they finally land on a face befitting a grecian goddess, a crooked smirk has taken shape.

their focus lingered there for a moment, inspecting goading brown eyes, before shifting to the horizon. it took less than a second for them to send an arrow sailing just above the woman’s shoulder, darting past to embed in a fleshy side. ten feet away, a monster fell with a heavy thud. now, the smirk is a little less than a cheshire grin. ❛ you’re welcome. ❜

          "   BEWILDERED  BY  THEIR  MOTHERFUCKING  AUDACITY,  rory’s  eyes,  wide  with  astonishment,  were  suddenly  set  ablaze,  the  challenge  implied  in  her  unexpected  companion’s  words  sipping  through  her  body  like  a  warm  milk  bath.   grin  pulling  at  her  lips,  her  head  shook  in  a  mix  of  emotions  quite  hard  to  pinpoint,  that  she  didn’t  dare  to  dwell  in  deeper.     “  you’re  absolutely  ridiculous.  you  don’t  go  to  someone  else’s  house  and  barge  into  the  kitchen  or  start  opening  every  door  without  permission,  ”     or  maybe  they  did  if  the  fucking  nerve  of  their  statement  was  anything  to  go  with.     “  this  is  the  same.  ”     her  point  was  made  clear,  arms  crossed  over  her  chest.  she  looked  serious,  the  wrinkle  between  her  eyebrows  giving  away  the  annoyance  she  often  carried,  yet  one  she  didn’t  feel  that  intensely  this  time   —   the  immediate  attraction  she  felt,  simmering  between  her  ribs,  melting  until  it  dripped  to  her  lower  abdomen  made  being  irritated  an  arduous  task . and  then  she  caught  it . the  way  their  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  slow  motion  of  her  dagger  one  moment,  checking  her  out  shamelessly  the  next,  an  infuriating,  self - sufficient  smirk  perched  on  their lips.   saying  her  brain  shut  down  under  the  heat  engulfing  her  body  would’ve  been  an  understatement.   and  she  quickly  discovered  how  much  it  truly  affected  her  the  moment  an  arrow  passed  right  above  her  shoulder,  a  slight  breeze  hitting  her  ear  due  to  its  speed.   turning  around  so  fast  she  almost  lost  her  balance,  her  eyes  went  wide  once  more  as  they  landed  on  the  monster’s  corpse  in  the  distance.   this,  this  is  precisely  what  happens  when  you  start  thinking  with  your  cunt  instead  of  your  head,  she  reminded  herself,  before  taking  a  deep  breath  to  face  the  epitome  of  satisfaction  that  awaited  her.     “  well  …  thank  you,  i  guess.  ”     going  down  without  a  fight  was  not  an  option  in  any  of  aurora  osbourne’s  books,  and  no  matter  how  attractive  the  stranger  was  or  how  needy  she  felt,  it  wouldn’t  change  that  fact.   hence  crossing  her  arms,  walking  a  little  bit  closer,  she  signaled  the  hunter’s  bow  with  her  head.     “  you’re  pretty  good  with  that  thing,  anything  else  you’re  good  at ?   because  courtesy  isn’t  your  thing.   clearly.  ”

“well done,” he says, as if someone of her caliber needs to hear it from him, out of all people. “you almost got me there.” a lie. they both know that he has better reflexes than that. “maybe from now i’ll only call out hello to you when i’m still well out of knife range.”

       [   ...   ]      𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃  𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒  circled  around  a  glass  of  crystalline  ember  before  taking  a  small  sip,   the  burn  a  familiar  one  as  it  trickles  down  his  throat.   “   honestly   ?   i  don't  even  know  why  we  still  have  guilds.   doesn't  the  whole  idea  seem  a  little   ...   archaic   ?   ”   a  hot  take  if  you've  ever  seen  one   !!   “   gettin'  booted  out  was  the  best  thing  that  ever  happened  to  me.   no  one  to  tell  you  this  'n  that  like  you're  in  fucking  kindergarden.   come  on,    ”   maybe  the  rules  were  made  for  your  own  safety,   alex   ?   the  thought  never  occurs  to  him,   however   :   seen  by  the  roll  of  his  eyes,   and  the  ever-present  penchant  for  volatility  from  today's  dungeon  raid.

          "   THEY  HAD  NEVER  AGREED  ON  THIS  PARTICULAR  TOPIC,  and  as  it  usually  happened,  the  back  of  rory’s  tongue  turned  sour  at  the  insistence,  a  derisive  smile  hidden  behind  the  glass  of  boulevardier  in  her  hand.     “  why  do  you  care  so  much ?  ”     the  question  came  after  a  generous  sip,  liquid  courage  to  face  the  same  conversation  once  again.     “  i  mean,  if  you  hate  guilds  so  much,  why  don’t  we  stop  talking  about  them,  then ?   why  are  giving  them  our  time,  even ?  ”     it  wasn’t  her  intention  to  call  alexei  out  on  his  bullsh—   nah,  scratch  that,  it  was  oh,  totally  her  intention,  she  loved  to  make  him  squirm  in  discomfort,  the  small  furrow  between  his  brows  signaling  confusion  making  him  the  cutest  thing  she’s  ever  seen  aside  from  nike  when  she  was  but  a  three  months  old  baby .

          "   EKKO  SNORTED  LOUDLY  ENOUGH  for  patrons  near  to  turn  their  heads  towards  them,  scolding  looks  engulfing  their  eyes,  frows  wrinkled  in  confusion.   they  couldn’t  recall  how  they  reached  this  point,  in  this  manner,  but  she  was  having  a  fucking  blast,  their  brand  smirk  stretched  devilishly  across  fair  features.      “  that’s  your  problem,  my  lovely  risa,  ”     condescension  permeating  the  note  in  their  voice,  ekko  shook  her  head  slowly,  lips  pursed  in  pretended  disappointment.      “  you  give  too  many  fucks  about  stuff,  ”     ekko  continued,  voice  low  now,  half  their  body  lounged  against  the  chair,  one  arm  hanging  from  its  back  giving  them  an  irritating  air  of  nonchalance.      “  i  don’t,  that’s  why  i  don’t  care  about  changing  your  mind.   if  you  believe,  great,  if  you  don’t,  then  your.   fucking.   loss.   ”     their  body,  utterly  relaxed  before,  stiffened  to  bring  them  forward,  mirroring  risa’s  motion,  leaving  their  faces  only  an  inch  away  the  moment  the  punctuated  last  words  left  ekko’s  mouth.   they  weren’t  lying,  not  completely,  but  they  might  have  spiced  things  up  a  little  in  their  story   —   she  had  jumped  in  front  of  that  b - class  monster,  but  it  was  thanks  to  fenway  coming  to  their  aid  that  they  managed  to  get  out  of  there  unscathed.      “  it’s  not  my  problem  you  don’t  have  the  guts  to  do  shit  because  you  believe  your  rank  defines  you.   ”     a  shrug  of  their  arms  accompanied  the  end  of  their  sentence,  their  body  going  back  to  their  previous,  casual  posture.   ekko  didn’t  know  if  that  was  risa’s  case,  not  truly,  they  just  said  it  to  spite  her,  to  ignite  that  reaction  that  made  them  feel  alive  .

       [   ...   ]      𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓  𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒  𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌  as  a  shaky  hand  reaches  behind  to  pull  a  hood  over  their  head  and  shield  their  wavering  gaze.   tousled  locks  in  disarray  hidden  behind  black  cotton,   thankful  that  their  tired  eyes  are  kept  away  from  any  wandering  ones.   “   ...   you  did  good  out  there.   really  good.   you  should  be  proud,   ”   nyx's  kind  words  come  few  and  far  in  between,   but  when  it  does   —   they  mean  every  single  word.   “   sorry  if  i,  uh   ...   ”   overdid  it   ?   became  a  liability   ?   wasn't  able  to  control  themself  since  they're  now  half  of  a  whole   ?   their  words  trail  until  dark  hues  settled  on  the  other.   “   i  didn't  hurt  you,   did  i   ?   ”

          "   FEW  WERE  THE  TIMES  EKKO  LEONG  FELT  FONDNESS  for  someone  who  wasn’t  their  protector,  yet  as  nyx’s  words  reached  their  ears,  ekko  couldn’t  help  the  sensation  tickling  down  their  limbs,  forcing  one  corner  of  their  mouth  up.   it  didn’t  show  beyond  that,  though.   it  never  did.     “  please,  of  course  i’m  proud,  i  kill  it  there,  did  you  see ?   quite  literally  let  me  add.  ”     waiting  for  the  joke  to  drop,  what  dropped  was  the  mood  instead,  or  at  least  it  felt  that  way  for  ekko   —   they  were  never  good  at  reading  people.   the  moment  nyx’s  apology  arrived  ekko  understood  why.    “  nah,  ”    was  their  reply  after  a  minute,  pondering  pause,  an  unnamed  but  off - putting  feeling  constricting  their  chest.   they  got  rid  of  it  with  a  click  of  their  tongue.     “  i’m  okay,  nyx,  for  real.   don’t  i  look  good ?  ”     the  question  clearly  had  a  double  meaning,  however,  their  intention  this  time  wasn’t  to  annoy  or  ignite  an  uncomfortable  reaction,  but  to  lift  the  worries  from  nyx’s  shoulders   —   they  didn’t  deserve  to  feel  like  this,  it  hadn’t  been  their  fault.  after  all,  ekko  was  the  one  jumping  in  front  of  that  goddamn  thing.