[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]”yes, you should. otherwise, how would people know what you want?”

while the use of want is present tense, she hides behind the concept of people instead of herself.

he shifts and she sinks into the warmth of him, limbs re-tangling themselves in his once more.

”i have, though i think i need to meet them again.”

she had previously met annalise henderson and before that, ollie morales. time has passed, positions have changed, and she does not know where she stands anymore.

”i’m still torn between cities too.”

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]like a rat caught in a glue trap, she feels trapped.

”i’m leaving.”

a truth.

it feels more like gnawing at her own leg to get out of the sticky trap, but she has a sinking suspicion she will not be the one to mutilate herself…

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]the shared good job elicits an easy laugh, breathless and chiming through shared space.

"beat me to the punch on that one."

she shifts through comfortability to lazily stretch, blankets and sheets slightly pulling around her body.

and when she settles, his smile is returned with ease. it's lightly teasing at the edges - amusement creeps in.

"i guess you didn't need the tail excuse after all."

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]the air shifts around them. she feels it in the streetlights, in the faint briny scent drifting in on a breeze.

how could she possibly lie her way out of this one?

"my life?"

she tries to look surprised but there's no use - the cat's out of the bag on this one.

still, a lie slips through her lips and it's damning.

"there's a heist that needs to be done in another city. it'll take longer than usual so..."

she glances down at the objects in her hands. they stare up at her, empty and cold in mourning of what's about to be lost.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]tangled limbs and flooding warmth have, unsurprisingly, been missed in recent months. she had forgotten how it feels to bask in an afterglow, to crack a smile that can't help but spread across the entirety of an expression.

and while she feels the comedown slip through spaces in bone, there's still a lingering sensation - happiness. she hadn't even noticed when it replaced loneliness, when it had settled into her system and taken root.

fingers caress her cheek and she leans into the touch, eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

"hey."

a faint good job almost slips out. she holds it back, barely.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]he knows. he really knows.

her heartbeat quickens. it thrums in her chest, her ears, the space around them. can he hear it too - her panic?

"out."

she stares up at him, willing the expression to hold neutrality.

"i have some business outside of sootopolis to handle."

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]she stares at the object he offers, at the way it tugs at heartstrings...

and a hand rises, fingers slightly trembling, to take it from him.

"underboss beckett, i -"

of all people? seriously?

a beat passes and she feels words clog in her throat. will he know she's lying?

"yes, i am."

does he already know what's happening?

"what're you doing here?"

deep down, she already knows the answer.

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]he reaches for her face and her mouth opens to make a comment - to usher out some silly little quip in her usual fashion.

it never quite comes out.

his lips press over hers, effectively swallowing up any remarks idling in her throat, and her body stills for a moment.

a confusing dynamic gains another level as surprise fades into her lips moving against his, into hands rising to lightly pull him closer.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]sorry about the foot...

she's faintly aware of the position they're in - the ravenous undead scrambling and clawing at walls to get closer certainly puts a damper on every single thing about this expedition. she's even less aware of the shrill shriek that escapes as one particular decaying hand is sliced off by the door slamming shut just as bony fingers brush against her skin.

and his voice sounds like an echo in her ears, ushering her through the motions she already instinctively knows: get away, get back.

her luxray snarls as it sticks by her side, backing up in sync with the two as they seek further refuge in the cathedral. the megalopolans, despite their brainless stares and bodies full of rotted out holes, seem to follow the path the luxray takes. it gives her an idea, a dawning moment of clarity in chaos.

"discharge - aim it in an arc above them."

the luxray's tail glows brighter with electricity until it fires off like a flare, the discharge arcing above them and the protect to fall behind the mangled megalopolans. they turn, insatiable hunger driving them toward the light.

and she doesn't wait to watch them devour - her hand darts out and claws dig into his arm to drag him as far away as possible...

"go go go!"

marcus kotov

🗺️ utilize a starter pokemon in an advantageous way.

13 use a light source in some way to distract a swarm of mad megalopolans.

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]stillness in the city of craters feels wrong - off kilter, toppling over scales.

shadows stretch around her and the sensation of eyes on her back never quite leaves. her final belongings clink softly in a small bag. she swears the sound, alone, seems to echo for miles.

do they know?

her heartbeat pounds in her throat, the organ lurching closer and closer to being spilled out on slightly damp pavement.

will they find her?

she tries to swallow the thoughts down.

a particular shadow looks different - full, brimming with life. if she looks too closely, she might even see the beginning of a face. it'll haunt her in the aftermath, perhaps.

her foot connects with something solid in her hurry and the bag in her arms spills over. small, sentimental items connect with the ground and she drops, scrambling to collect everything as the shadows look to swallow her whole. footsteps sound somewhere in front of her and recognition dawns slow as her head rises to meet consequences...

THEO BECKETT

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]his hand settles against the door as the last click she needed sounds. the lock gives way and she tugs the picks away quickly to hastily shove them into her bag once more... just as he tugs her in. louder noises outside, like something out of a zombie movie she recently watched, instill fear into her bones.

her back settles harshly against his chest and she stumbles, cheeks flushing a soft pink. did she step on his foot?

"you okay?"

it's too dark in here - the realization coming with an uncomfortable sense of dread.

"give us a little light, please."

the luxray at her side grumbles and its tail lights up with charge, storing enough electricity to use as a light source. it paints them in a soft, golden light and highlights their close proximity...

marcus kotov

🗺️ utilize a starter pokemon in an advantageous way.

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]she brightens, content with not being kicked out just yet.

and before she gets too far into the concept, he adds another layer - one she had, truthfully, thought of but hadn't given life to.

"really?"

an eyebrow quirks slightly up, a question slipping quickly.

"you won't get mad if i steal all of the blankets, then?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i”]bad, bad idea - terrible, really, but she's in too deep to find a solid escape route.

and each day she spends in rocket, the closer she gets to the rug being yanked out from under her feet.

how long until they know? how long until the target on her back burns into her skin?

her eyes meet her partner's and they linger, as if searching for some hint of recognition. she finds none.

"uh, break it down?"

the luxray at her side snarls, its tail slowly swishing - she can tell it's annoyed just by the slight movement.

"wait - actually, I can pick locks."

duh, how could she forget?

a hand snakes into the pouch at her hip and two small picks are pulled out. she steps forward and positions herself in front of the door, picks already lurching forward to begin on the lock. over her shoulder, she steals one last glance of her partner.

"watch our backs. I'll need a few minutes..."

marcus kotov