[ P ] Craving

my demons come to play

He should not be spending this much time in the city. He was a fugitive now. Not that he hadn't been before, but he wasn't actively wanted before. He wouldn't admit what was truly keeping him here. A certain green eyed lawyer that was in danger of being drafted. It was no secret when it was whispered at every corner that the crown was enacting a draft. Everyone healthy and able was required to join, regardless of your skill. Odysseus had no plans of following such an order. Isolde's need to abide by the laws would send her into war sorely unprepared. He had already decided it wasn't going to happen.

There was also business to attend to. He had gotten word of a new madam in town, one that was looking for security. She didn't want to fool with the clientele. The meeting had been set for tonight. His pace was its usual unhurried swagger as he approached the meeting location. It was quiet and the streets were deserted. Ears twitched, capturing sounds as he stood waiting, tucking away his irritation while he was alone.

@Mutt

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As day transitioned into night, and the shops that lined the busy streets of the mainland came to a close, Astatine emerged from the shadows. A thin mist had settled between the buildings, pouring out into the dimly lit streets which helped conceal her from wandering eyes. Not that there were many about, given the time she chose to conduct her business. Tonight, she was to meet with a man who was interested in serving as a bodyguard for her girls, which was an asset she needed if she was going to set up shop here. As she traveled, she stayed along the walls of the buildings, taking her time so she could gather awareness of her surroundings.

How long had it been since the wraith stepped foot here? The cobblestone streets almost felt foreign to her, and yet there was a familiarity to it that she couldn’t deny. Some of it she recognized from her childhood, but most of the scenery was new to her. Everything made her think of Odysseus more than she already did. Years had passed since she left the mainlands to venture out into the outlands, but she had never been able to quell the intense desire to see her brother again. Because she loved him so much. He came to her mind almost every day, played with her in her dreams, and whispered to her from the stars. He was a factor that compelled her to bring her business back into the heart of the kingdom, as she had caught word that he was serving as a mercenary here.

She just wanted to see him again.

As she came around a corner, she finally reached her destination. Heterochromatic gaze narrowed as she peered through the mist, the silhouette of a large wolf appearing in the distance. Her nose quivered, the scent of cinnamon intertwined with pheromones of a male teasing her senses, as she took a second glance out of disbelief. She knew that scent better than anyone… but could it really be him? “If I knew it was going to be you.” She started, her tone of voice just shy of a hum as she took a few steps toward the figure. “I would have come sooner,” Her heart was racing in her chest, pounding against her ribcage as her stomach fluttered. Once there was only a few yards between them she stopped, waiting to see if a pair of amethyst eyes were going to turn and meet her. If not, she could deal with the irritation of misidentifying whoever this man was. But if it was Odysseus… she could hardly contain herself at the mere thought of him.

There was no way it could be this easy.

”speech”

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my demons come to play

If I knew it was going to be you... Ears immediately swiveled towards the voice. It snatched him from his thoughts. He would know the low hum of her voice anywhere. Odysseus didn't have to turn to know who approached. Astatine. His sister. It had been years since he last laid eyes on her. They had been children still, barely old enough to survive without some help. Scrawny from inconsistent meals, they had looked as rough as they acted. But in the years that had passed, he had grown taller, broader, meaner. He had no doubts his sister had accomplished something similar. I would have come sooner.

There was no doubt in his mind. His sister had always been steadfast in her loyalty and time had not caused her to falter. Her presence had their brother coming to mind. The three of them had always been close, but him and Astatine had been inseparable. Odysseus would be more surprised to see their brothers return than if he never came back to the mainlands again. To anyone else, they might have been saddened by that knowledge. But it was simply a fact to him.

In a smooth motion, he turned to face her. Amethyst orbs zeroed in on her face. A slow smile stretched across his lips. "Astatine." Came the deep rumble of his voice. He had been right. While his sister wasn't much taller, she had filled out her frame and adorned herself in battle scars. Her scars littered her body, though the one that captured his stare the longest was the one around her throat. She had let someone close. Too close.

"You're the one looking for protection?" A dark brow arched in silent question. There wasn't anything he knew his sister to shy away from. She ran head on at everything with a feral intensity. She was more than capable of handling herself and anyone that upset her. He would take several steps forward, closing the small distance she had left between them. There was a warmth in his gaze that was rarely seen. He missed his siblings. Odysseus was happy to see her.

@Astatine

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Astatine hadn’t felt anticipation like this in years. Her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest, her intestines had twisted into knots, and the warmth that started to brew in her abdomen was close to igniting into an inferno. Yet, there was still a big part of her that denied this was even happening. It couldn’t be this easy to find him, not after years of being separated. Not after the turmoil she had faced in his absence, the yearning for him day and night that gnawed at her very soul. Not after the scars that had plagued her body, etching away at her beauty as she sought out solace in the embrace of others.


But when that massive, looming frame twisted in front of her, intoxicating pools of amethyst settling upon her face before it roved over the rest of her features, Astatine felt herself start to melt. Odysseus. Odysseus. Odysseus! She wanted to scream out his name and crumble into a pile of putty for him to mold in his paws, forming her into whatever he saw fit. She thought his absence had intensified her longing for him. But the intensity of this reunion surpassed those feelings tenfold. Astatine. Her name slipped from his jaws, dripping with a sickly sweetness that could only accompany the brutish voice of her brother. He sounded so different than before, so manly and grown up. It made her knees feel like they were going to buckle out from beneath her. ”You’re the one looking for protection?” She had forgotten the purpose of this meeting until now, having been consumed by his sudden reappearance.

As he moved towards her, she too moved forward, gravitating towards him like a moth to a flame. She would attempt to run her body alongside his, like a feline who was eagerly greeting its master. If he allowed it, she would encircle him, trailing her frame across his, pressing the supple curvature of her frame against those rigid muscles. She would not stop until she was on his other side, standing beside him, but one step behind where she belonged. Her head tipped back, and she looked up at him through thick, curled lashes. Though there was an intensity in her gaze that hinted at the passion whirling inside of her mind. “Not for me,” She began, giving him the explanation he wanted. “For my girls.” Surely he knew what she meant by that? “Some clients can be too rough with them.” She would bring her nose to his jawline, if he allowed it, to press affectionately into him while revealing a better look at the scars that littered her face. “There is only so much I can do on my own.” It was rare for her to admit a flaw in herself, but for Odysseus, she would admit them all.

”speech”

table & artwork ☓ bunny

my demons come to play

She would meet him half way, pressing herself into his side in greeting. He leaned into her, standing still as she circled him. Never one for personal space, he was accustomed to his sisters ways, the way she glued herself to him and was amiable to any of his demands. She stopped beside him, peering up at him just as she used to when they were younger. There was conviction in her eyes and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, she would do anything for him. But she was different now, they both were. Scars littered her face, and his. There was a maturity to her features, her face no longer held that childish softness. They both knew all to well just how cruel the world could be.

Not for me. Her explanation brushed against his ears. No surprise there. For my girls. A brow arched then. It was safe to say she wasn't referring to children. He could only assume that his sister had gotten into the business of selling sex. Her next words confirmed that. The cool press of her nose to his jaw had him leaning into her. As with most brothels, keeping clients in line was the hardest part. It wasn't his first contract of this nature and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. Before she was done admitting her own fault, he was nodding. "Consider it done." Mutt had been eager for more responsibility and more jobs, this seemed the perfect opportunity. "Myself or Mutt will keep an eye on things." What would his sister think of his casual mention of a partner, of sorts. The boy was steadily growing more and more useful.

@Astatine

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