A relaxing hour in the hot tub, then the couple moved to bed to fall asleep in each other’s arms. An actual night of sleep together, instead of the tiny naps or long sleepless nights of the last week.

Trisha was especially lazy the next morning. There were sleepy cuddles with Casey when they woke up, followed by lounging for a while even after he got up. Eventually she dragged herself out of bed to shower and shuffle downstairs to nibble on some fruit for breakfast.

She would’ve quite happily spent the rest of the day curled up on the couch, but Casey was excited to go out- and she was easily swept up in that. She’d said the night before that she wanted to go with him today, after all. At least for one ride to see if she liked it. She wanted to be with him more than she wanted to be lazy. Really, she only wanted to be lazy with him. They’d be able to do that later she imagined.

But it left her with the problem of figuring out what to wear. She’d packed a lot, being especially prepared for the cold weather. But wouldn’t it be even colder on a high speed snowmobile? The icy wind hitting her directly? Or would it be warmer because they were going so fast?

No, it’d probably be even colder.

She rummaged about in her suitcase, swapping her jeans for cargo pants over tights. She really needed to invest in thermals if they moved to this area… But for now extra normal layers would have to do. A wool jumper, then a hooded sweater… Her hair was pulled into a braid so there wouldn’t be a risk of it getting in Casey’s way. A wool hat and scarf should

Would just one jacket be enough?

“Cassseeey, do you have a jacket I could borrow?”

Casey had only just come back in from outside, having made sure that a path for the sled was opened so that it could get out of it’s little shed. He had to make sure it worked as well, starting it up and grabbing a few sets of spare spark plugs in case something went awry. Fresh and rested, he had intentions to enchant it in a few ways that he could. It felt great to channel a bit of Lux after a nice rest, and he’d already passively restarted the typical baseline enchantments he’d use on himself in this kind of cold.

Mostly insulation and moisture retention. Manipulation of the properties of his clothing fibres allowed an inner and outer layer to develop naturally, making sure any errant sweat got brought up to the surface and keeping the part meant to be warm dry as well. He’d already kicked off his feet on the magically heated deck, letting the snow melt off easily as he made his way back inside.

”No, Baby Bee, I don’t! Not that would fit you and be safe. Just put your gloves on and come down; I’ll make sure you get insulated. Oh, and check in my rucksack on the right hand side, there should be a few dozen rip and stick body warmers, and pouch hand warmers too. Just stick ‘em in your pockets.” he called up the stairs.

Just one jacket would have to do then… Trisha shuffled around to find his rucksack, pulling out the pouch hand warmers and shoving them into her coat pockets. She considered the rip and stick ones for a moment, before deciding the effort of taking clothes back off to put them on would be too much.

“Why wouldn’t it be safe?” She asked as she made her way down, once again looking incredibly bundled up and cozy. Her top half looked especially round with the two jumpers and down jacket with a scarf tucked into it. She was a bit too warm while inside, but it wasn’t that bad yet.

She shuffled towards him, reaching out with gloved hands.
“Cause it could get trapped in something? I guess I can survive with just one jacket.”

He took her hands back playfully, showing her how warm his gloves were in spite of being outside for almost an hour now. Those same hands then crawled up just slightly to take her arms in them. The wafting scent of iron and honey drifted across the room, causing Casey to smile as the static sensation of enchantment fuzzed across Trisha’s body. Suddenly, the jacket wasn’t just sitting on her. It was beating alongside her heart, ever tuning itself until it disappeared into the natural sensation of bump, bump, bump...

And then, it was warm. The kind of warm that would actually compel someone out toward the frozen tundra beyond the threshold of the door.

”You already had some food, right my little Bee? Nectar to sustain you?” he asked playfully, pinching her cheek as he finished enchanting her coat.
”And tell me if it gets too hot. Remember, you’re gonna have a heavy helmet on your head.”

“You couldn’t have done that before I got all these layers on?” Trisha puffed her cheeks out and playfully pouted at him. She’d once again not even thought about magic helping out here. She was just too used to living mundanely. The extra magical warmth was nice, and she let out a soft sigh.

“Oh, right, I forgot about the helmet! I guess I don’t need this then.” She reached up to pull off her hat, twisting slightly to toss it back up the stairs.
“I ate. Plenty, since I don’t have to fight any bees for the fruit. I checked up on them while you were outside through Princess… They seem to all be getting along happily, which is good. Business as usual in the bee world.”

She smiled, nose wrinkling a bit as the scent of his casting fully disappeared.
“It doesn’t smell as sweet anymore… I kind of like it more now. It’s like… Both of our magic intermingling, sort of. The iron smell suits yours, I mean.”

Casey grinned.

”Y’know it’s technically a flaw?” he asked her, opening the door to let her step outside into the cold before following.

”Nana’s enchantments have a certain charge. Everything she makes. Some People call her ‘Lady Midas’. Essentially, the charge she has is so specially developed to high purity materials, that if she works with crappy materials, or in this case, the enchanted item comes into contact with crappy materials, it stinks like Hell. Specifically here, iron, since both the tags and the chain are crappy steel and coal has no scent. It’ll actually probably corrode everything if I don’t get it all swapped to something nicer eventually.” he explained casually as the duo descended down the stairs.

Casey had shoveled a path with the help of his magic, so there was at least a clear path down to where they were headed. He let her walk ahead, though stayed close behind her in case there was a rogue patch of ice. He’d catch her easily, especially now that he had all his faculties. The shed itself was similar in construction to the house, except it was about a quarter the size, with a nice dropshudder door that was already pulled open slightly. The warm air blowing out from underneath kept any errant snow from drifting into the shop floor.

Moving to the side with the normal person door, Casey swung it open for her. Not only was this place a small shop meant to house the snowmobiles or whatever vehicular toys one requested from the resort, but on the other side, it was something of a lounge with a bar, a pool table, arcade machines and plenty of comfortable loungers to sit in.

Trisha didn’t expect the shed to be more than just a shed. The cabin was already luxurious enough, but there was a whole bar room in here too. She stared at it for a moment, before pointing at the pool table.

“Want to repeat our first date later?” She looked at it with a wide smile, which then turned into something smaller and softer.

“Will you be alright swapping your tags? I didn’t realise that would happen when I got it made to slot between them. I assume those ones are… Sentimental? I wouldn’t want them destroyed by it.” She wasn’t overly anxious about it, since he talked about it so calmly. She couldn’t read much into it for once, but she still couldn’t help but check.

She cared about him, after all. She’d gotten it designed to slot between the tags because she knew what they meant to him.

”Oh, I’ve got a guy I know who would be more than happy to turn them into a different metal. A few of the other guys have gotten it done, obviously in gold so they last forever.” he said casually, patting the side of the pool table as they passed it.

”And yes. I’d love to spend some time playing pool with my fiance.” he smiled and moved to kiss her before passing her on and snagging the smaller helmet off the rack nearby.

”Try this one on. Have you worn a helmet like this before? Any boyfriends with bikes?” he asked casually, genuine interest filling him as he wondered how she’d do in such a claustrophobic circumstance.

Trisha pulled it on, shaking her head from side to side as she did. She wasn’t an immediate fan of it, grimacing a bit. It felt restrictive, like her head was being pressed from all sides. But it wasn’t horrendous and it would keep her safe. She was pretty sure she’d get used to it after a while anyway.

“Not that I’d get on a bike with. Some had them, but most of them were reckless. I was kind of reckless for dating them, but not that reckless.” She answered, voice muffled by the helmet. She reached up to pull it off, shaking her head again. While what they were about to do was a bit scary, being on a motorbike seemed worse to her. Because those were ridden all around cities, where there were plenty of cars to hit and kill you. Especially if you were stupid about riding it, like those exes had been.

“Does it feel less stuffy after a while? It’s fine, it’ll just take some getting used to. It’s somehow worse than having hundreds of bees covering my face.”

Casey shook his head.
”No, they pretty much feel that way. If you can get your head through the bottom while feeling like you shouldn’t, I’m told it’s best. I don’t usually ride things like this either, so-” he reached up for the biggest one and stuck it onto his head.

Feeling like it wasn’t snug enough, the next size down felt very secure. His ungloved hands swept up under Trisha’s chin, buckling the strap as he channeled an enchantment into the helmet. While it didn’t feel any less stuck to her face, Trisha would easily be able to notice the weight of the thing creeping off her neck until it felt like she wasn’t wearing anything but a scratchy facemask.

Then, his finger came under the rim of the helmet, pressing a button somewhere in the fluff.

”-Hear me okay?”
His voice echoed from inside the helmet.
”These are close channeled, so we don’t need to worry about tuning. A little better now that it’s lighter?” he asked, voice feeling like they were sharing a room comfortably.

“Much better. My neck isn’t straining at all, so I’ll easily be able to tuck my head into my chest in fear.” She joked lightly, twisting her head as she tried to adjust to the new feeling. Weightless but still tight and stuffy… It was strange, but definitely better.

“I’ll try not to scream too loud since the helmet won’t muffle it- Sorry, I shouldn’t joke so much about being scared. I actually don’t feel that bad. Just a little nervous.” She swung her body around to take a proper look at the vehicle, hands clasped together in front of her.

“What’s the plan? Just a joyride, or do you have a destination in mind?”

”I guess the trails are clearly marked out here, so I was just gonna do what the map says is the ‘golden loop’. It’s like a big roundabout in the middle of all the trails they have going on. Should be like three or four miles round trip. Ten minutes tops. And if you like it, we can just keep going round and round. Maybe we’ll jump onto one of the other trails if you like it a lot.”

He moved expressionlessly toward the machine itself, patting on the frontal part of the seat.
”Hop on, get comfy. Nice position, make sure your legs aren’t too crushed up against the front. They’ll fall asleep probably, so you want to maximize wiggle room.” he instructed as he stepped forward to raise the shutter door up.

Trisha nodded, making her way over and climbing on. It wasn’t intuitive to her how she should sit, spending a bit wriggling back and forth until she found a position where her legs didn’t seem too crushed without moving too far back. She could move them a bit at least.

It wasn’t the most comfortable, and she felt a bit more anxious now that she was actually sitting on it. She knew enough about momentum to realise any fears about falling off to the side were ridiculous, but it still seemed incredibly precarious. If Casey wasn’t there, couldn’t she just slip back? What if she accidentally leaned and tumbled off.

It was unlikely, but she still reactively stiffened and squeezed her thighs against the seat.

“Starting with a nice, simple circle sounds perfect. Are the other routes all to go places, or are some of them purely to ride on? Like you get mountain biking trails, or different levels of ski slopes?” She asked, curious even if she was tense. It was strange, because even though her anxiety had increased she was also more excited about it.

”How I’m told, they all go somewhere. But, some places aren’t really destinations. Like, there’s a much bigger loop that acts like a tramway, I guess that a lot of locals use in the winter. The people running this place do a good service for people around here in the cold seasons.” Casey explained in return.

Moving up to the machine, Casey fluidly swung his leg over the rear and slotted in behind Trisha. Intentionally or not, Casey wound up pinning her forward slightly more than either intended. He was simply that large. But, he also knew she’d be a lot safer with them riding like this. Maybe, if she got comfortable with it, he’d let her ride in the back hugging around him. They’d have to on a racebike, but these were a few feet longer than one of those. Enough length that one could sit in this configuration and not totally ruin the experience.

”Ready, Freddy?” he asked, nodding his head forward and knocking against the back of Trisha’s intentionally.
”How’s that feel, does it hurt when that happens? We may bump up and down quite a bit in some spots, so I don’t want you feeling pain every time it happens. Because that’ll get agonizing quickly.”

Trisha’s head jerked forward, like she’d been hit with an extra firm pillow. The hard exterior of her helmet being hit caused her ears to ring uncomfortably for a moment, but it didn’t hurt. All of the padding dampened it enough.

“It’s uncomfortable but it doesn’t hurt. I can deal with it happening pretty easily, I think.” She replied as she shifted a bit to get comfortable again, having been pushed forward by Casey. Not that she’d really been comfortable, but she had to adjust her legs. If she was honest, she’d rather have less space around her… It meant less room for her to be moved by external forces, even if it led to leg discomfort.

“Where can I put my hands? There isn’t really anything for me to hold onto, and I don’t want to get in your way. I guess I can just put them in my lap.” Which was more gripping onto her pants, but it was fine.
“Otherwise, I’m ready!”

Casey threw one arm over her to grab the handlebar, then used his free hand to slide her hand up to grab around the arm like she’d do with the handle in a car. With his other hand moving toward the same direction, he figured she’d instinctively do it. Moving that free arm to flick the ignition, Casey’s hand moved up to the throttle and gave it a twist to let the whole machine roar to life beneath them.

Thankfully, inside the helmet, it wasn’t loud. Nothing was loud, actually. Just Casey’s voice, which was clear without the overwhelming noise around them. But it did vibrate like one would expect, and as he gently applied a twist to the throttle in order to slide them out onto the snow, it rumbled a bit more before coming to a stop.

”Gotta close that door.”

He pulled away from his seat just a moment, leaving Trisha totally alone on this rumbling contraption that was very slowly sliding away from where Casey parked it. Not enough to get out of hand; probably not even a couple of inches. But just enough to be noticed by a rider who didn’t weigh enough to anchor the thing on the slight slope it was on.
But, as quickly as he left, he was back and covering Trisha once more. His arms returned to position, and without much fanfare, Casey began to take them out toward the driveway, then curved off into a very intentional clear corridor among the trees.

Before she had a chance to scream about anything, they were puttering along at an easy pace not dissimilar to a car on a backroad. Trisha could look down and read roughly fifty miles an hour. Though, it almost certainly seemed like a lot more in such an open vehicle. Cars gave a grand illusion of stability even at the worst of times, serving as such a wide, steady platform that the brain couldn’t help but be lulled into a false sense of security over. Yet, this snowy corridor seemed practically plowed, or compacted to a certain degree, so that it acted just like a road would, only made specifically for this track and ski machine, rather than a four-wheeled vehicle.

”There’s supposedly a lake in the middle of the golden loop too… But, I’m not allowed to take this baby out onto it, or you bet we’d do it. Open lakes are great on these, because even if you hit a soft spot in the ice, you can push it fast enough to hydroplane to safety.” he explained casually, as if that didn’t sound utterly insane.

“That sounds crazy! You’re not getting me on water on one of these.” Trisha responded, sounding a bit breathless.

It hadn’t been the best start, mainly because she’d panicked when Casey jumped away and the machine started to slide. Not very far, but any sliding was enough to hit her with a jolt of fear. It meant she was scared before it started, and just as scared when they did move. She gripped onto Casey’s arms tightly, while trying to be mindful about not pulling or squeezing too hard.

It was so much easier to feel the speed they were going at here. The chill of wind made by their movement was blocked by all her layers, but she could still feel its strength. If she hadn’t tied her hair back and tucked it into the helmet, it’d be flying all over the place right now. Fifty miles an hour never seemed that fast in a car, but in this? It was a lot.

But the ride was smooth, allowing her to get used to the speed they were moving at. She didn’t fall off, and she could feel Casey at her back. It was comforting. She relaxed slightly, her grip on his arms loosening. She lifted her head up to start looking in front of them rather than staring at the speedometer. It was white as far as the eye could see, with the dark green of evergreen trees peaking out. It was pretty.

It was actually pretty fun.

“This- This isn’t as scary as I thought it’d be! I don’t feel like I’m going to fall off or anything.” She said, managing to relax more into it. There was no screaming, either out of fear or joy. Muted enjoyment, really.

“Is it cold enough for the lake to be frozen over, then? It’s gotta be under a certain size for that to happen, right?”

”Oh, I’m not sure honestly… It’s either not frozen enough to be on, or in the deeper winter, maybe there’s people who stay on it, and we’re not allowed to mess with the acoustics.” Casey suggested in return, acknowledging her bravery by giving the throttle a good cranking.

They were in a straightaway that Casey had a long sightline for, and White Lux allowed him to feel ahead for any potential hazards on or in the snow. They did such a wonderful job manicuring these trails that he was questioning whether or not he’d consider even getting actual cars if they settled down on Blue Rock. Of course he’d have to… But, romantically, it didn’t seem like he needed to. He’d easily keep his own trails cleaned, and probably remotely clean thousands more trails if he wanted to. The entire mountainside would wind up looking like a spiderweb.

”Since, y’know, people go ice fishing and stuff. People actually camp out there on the ice, it’s neat. And if there’s Adepts doing it, you bet your ass there are some sweet fishing houses out there.” he laughed.

“Of course there are. It sounds kind of crazy to me… But I guess they know the ice isn’t going to break when it’s this cold. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around it.” Trisha admitted. She was too used to St Portwell, with its minimal snowfall and never freezing water. The ocean didn’t exactly freeze over, after all.

She carefully shifted herself a bit, moving her legs back a little bit to a more comfortable position. She was still squeezing them into the seat, but not to the point where she felt like it was going to cut off her circulation. She was getting more and more comfortable with the whole thing the longer they went without anything going wrong. She was able to enjoy the sights more, carefully twisting her head from side to side. Even the feeling of it… And she could talk to Casey. She was worried she’d be too terrified to do anything but cling.

“Have you ever gone ice skating on a frozen lake? That’s one thing I’ve always wanted to do.”

”I haven’t! We’ll have to set that up at some point, whether we live on a property with one or not!” he replied simply.

Hand still firmly grasped on the throttle, Casey let one hand drop away from the bars to wrap around Trisha’s belly. He held her firmly without it seeming like something to panic about, squeezing gently and letting a playful grunt come through the headset.

”We should be coming to the turnoff soon. Map said we’d see it co-”

Ahead of them were the peaks of some incredibly fancy and ornate fishing huts. As they crested the small hill blocking their view of the lake, the line of sight opened up into a wide white vista hosting a bevy of different dots up close and afar. There had to be hundreds of plots where tents or vehicles sat in makeshift wagon circles around fires. Fires… atop the ice. It seemed silly, but if it was thick enough, it made sense.
The snow had compacted whatever lakeside foliage existed, though there were some sections cleared away to let trucks or other traveling vehicles onto the lake with their fishing gear. These too were devoid of any kind of foliage, and the landscape was vast if not bleak otherwise with only the wide ring around the lake and the many tracks leading away.

Though they couldn’t quite hear everything around them, the echoes of other sleds filled the air nearby, marking other people taking the same traveling routes. Casey made passage onto the main track of the loop and found it was packed like concrete. Easily the nicest bit of surface yet, he decided he’d take it easy for the first passaround.

”This is it, Babe! The Golden Loop… Kind of maybe more impressive in the summer? Maybe not, I can’t imagine the mosquitos this lake must harbor.” he commented slyly.

While bleak, Trisha still looked across the lake with interest. At first sight it was beautiful. White as far as the eye could see… She definitely preferred the greens of spring and summer, and she imagined this much snow would get boring after a while, but it was still nice. And it was interesting seeing all the people dotted about it. They had fires in the ice. It was such a jarring image to her, even though they clearly weren't strong enough to melt through the ice. Two opposites coexisting.

“Ewgh, I hate mosquitos. Would it really be that bad around here?" Trisha frowned at the thought of a lake teeming with mosquitos. While she didn't exactly have a problem with insects, having her own constantly crawling on her, she wasn't a fan of any that bit. Especially mosquitos.

“If we end up with a lake on our property, I'm going to become a mosquito slapping expert. That or I'll wear one of the bee suits anytime we go near it in summer." She giggled slightly at that image. Lounging on a lake in the middle of summer in a full bee suit… She'd be more likely to just avoid the lake to not get bitten.
“This is why spring's the nicest season. Nature starts to bounce back and you get all the colours, but much less of the blood sucking insects. It does look nice right now, but I think the pure white will get boring after a while. When that happens I'll just close my eyes and try enjoy how this all feels… Especially you hugging me."

She leaned back just slightly against Casey, one hand moving to rest on his around her. She was feeling safe enough that him suddenly holding her hadn't caused any panic, nor was she freaking out that he wasn't controlling the vehicle with both hands. At this speed, on this neatly compacted trail, it was smooth enough that her anxiety had really dropped down. She even felt like she could probably handle it if they went faster later- though she was much more uncertain about dealing with any bumpy trails or sharper turns. She'd probably go right back to panicking about falling off there.

”Well, who really knows? It's a magically manicured swath of forest. The bugs could be informed that humans are off limits. They may even be trained to follow instructions like that.” Casey laughed, presuming that there were magical plans for every mundane problem.

Barreling across the track before them, Casey was having a fantastic time riding this machine which he hadn’t connected with in so long. He’d been a teenager the last time they snowmobiled; a family trip just up North into Washington, on the Idaho side. Straddling the Canadian border, he was certain they’d crossed over and trespassed several times.

”Oh, Babe… This is awesome! You should see what it's like riding through an ungroomed place! Snow up to your chest, trying not to bury the ski? It’s so much more work if you're doing it unassisted. This is super preferable.” he commented, picking up the throttle a little bit despite being in a constant lazy left hand turn.

“I’m alright to not see what that's like. I imagine it's much bumpier too… I'm alright with this, but something like that? No way." Trisha laughed a bit, glancing back down at the speedometer.

Even as it ticked up a bit, she didn't feel worried. She trusted him. If he was going faster it was because he was sure it was safe. Hopefully. At least when she was on it with him!

“This is pretty fun! I thought it'd be more… Well closer to what you described, wild tracks and loads of bumping about and worrying I was going to fall off constantly." She smiled, though there was no way for anyone to see it through the helmet.
“I still wouldn't want to drive one myself… I'm happy with this. You know what you're doing, and I trust you!"

She trusted him, she was enjoying herself, but she was still cautious- holding onto him and gripping with her legs more than she probably had to. There wouldn't be any hands thrown in the air or anything like that from her.

“Have you rode one often on worse tracks?"

”Not often, no! But, I guess relatively, it’s the only kind I’ve done. So, I guess yeah? Last time I went was like that. We were trying to do a no-magic endurance cross. Something like twelve hours, no trail except a rough path that Leon’s bot plowed ahead of us. It was mostly moving trees and big rocks so we didn’t get creamed, but it was a spider, so it wasn’t exactly disturbing most of the snow to pack it down.”

Casey went to go make a hand motion, but hadn’t enchanted the sled to give it any self-actualization. So, rather than lose control, he caught himself and let his free hand crawl across her, fingers tamping down like it was a big spider crawling on her.

”Leon obviously won. It was prime Leon, after all. I think it was a couple of years before you guys fought the Stygian Snake. Dude was clearing the path at the same time he was racing it, of course he was gonna win.” he added, harkening back to those days.
”I got stuck with Junior, rather than Furio taking him. Because he wanted to actually compete. And him and Leon were basically a half a mile ahead of us while I got trusted to take care of this scared ass kid. He’d cry every time I tried opening it up, and we’d end up getting snowed down in places where you needed speed to cross. Plus, it was a junior sled… They’re not half the size of this, but they’re definitely not this big.”

There was a much thicker section of forest coming up on their left, now obscuring the lake from view again as the snow piled high against the trunks of trees and froze over to form massive berm walls. It almost felt like they were in a tube now, until one looked right and saw the ever-spidering web of trails snaking outward toward destinations unknown.

“So your adult Uncle and near adult brother left you, a thirteen year old? With a kid barely in the double digits?" Trisha frowned. She couldn't help but hone in on and dwell on the negative there, even though he didn't seem to be talking about the whole thing like it was a horrible experience. He clearly enjoyed using a snowmobile enough to want to go on one again.

“That’s… Well I guess it doesn't surprise me." There'd been plenty of discussions about how shitty the people surrounding him had been. Clarissa and Furio both seemed to be more hands on and less emotionally manipulative than Lynette herself, but there were still plenty of issues.

“You should've got to enjoy it too! But, I guess, at least you get to now. Even if it's not the same cause it's nice smooth trails, it's still fun, right? And I bet if you raced Leon nowadays you'd win. Even if you had to take me along. I'd let you go as fast as you needed… I guess winning isn't the point, enjoying it is."

”Well if I was with you, we wouldn’t be racing. But, yeah. I’d definitely try. I think he could pull off some crazy shit now that he couldn’t then. I don’t think he dealt much in weight manipulation back then, but now I’m pretty sure he could just lift this thing and start running if the situation called for it.” Casey laughed with a silly tone, shaking his head and gently thumping Trisha’s helmet with his chin.

”But… Don’t get me wrong! I enjoyed it enough to want to try again on a better footing. And I’ve ridden bikes. I have my license, even! I just don’t own one, because being on one for a long time is uncomfortable for me. This is a lot more sturdy! I think I’ll probably look into quadbikes too. For the warm weather, and a friend of mine says they’re great for small maintenance carts. You can get a tow-behind for them!”

It would seem from an outside perspective that the problems of the outside world had washed away for Casey. That nothing else mattered but what he was doing now, and what he’d be doing in the future. A future with Trisha, in a place where he needed all terrain vehicles to get anything done. He even wondered quietly to himself about just how magical the land would be.
Orange and Green were tough to commingle, but he knew for certain he wanted to invite the Deer into his domain. Especially if Cass was going to be in their lives forever in some capacity. Even if her and Leon didn’t end up together long term, she was definitely a lifelong friend for Trisha. And he hoped that, in spite of all the wrong she’d seen him do so far, he’d be able to continue his own personal friendship with Cass.

Because, and wouldn’t it be just like Trisha to keep such company; Cass was awesome. And he hoped that they’d all be able to take an interest in the land surrounding them as four guardians of balance in all things. That was a creed he hoped to follow, and a value to instill in future generations.

”Makes me excited just thinking about it! Y’know who’ll love that shit? Cass! And then we’re all gonna be able to tease you by forcing you into scary situations that make you uncomfortable because your reaction is socute!” he finished, squeezing Trisha tight to him and wriggling as he slowed down slightly in anticipation of oncoming traffic. But, the group turned onto a trailhead, and he opened up again in ernest.

Trisha squirmed slightly in protest, tiny movements that Casey would only feel because he held her so tight to him. She didn't want to make any big movements on this- though her head jerked from side to side where her body couldn't.

“No way! You'll have to drag me kicking and screaming to be near any kind of crazy snow mobiling or quad biking when Cass is involved! She's terrifyingly reckless." Trisha protested.

“She’d be insane on one of these things. You… You'd go crazy with it too, wouldn't you? All three of you would, oh my God, I'm doomed. All because I'm so cute." She continued, tone turning more playful as she giggled. While she definitely didn't want to ever be on anything like this close enough to Cass that she'd be in the blast radius of her antics, it was a nice future to imagine. The four of them- their recently formed coven- having fun together. Still being around each other in the future.

The kind of community she'd always wanted, but struggled to find. Even if there were still difficulties for her with Leon, they were working through it.

“I’m pretty sure Cass'll be jealous that we did this. It is right up her alley… Though she'd definitely want to do the crazy cross country stuff more. She probably wouldn't even want the rocks cleared out of the way. I honestly feel sorry for Leon sometimes, even though he chose to be with her and can be pretty wild himself but… She's just a new level of insane. Like, I can see her purposefully driving into a tree insane."

”She’d live! The only time she wouldn’t live is if she wasn’t feeling well. And then she’d not be doing that at all, would she? That girl’s about as magical as an Apparition at this point. Being able to stretch all those magical muscles has done her a world of good. You too! You know as well as I do that it brings a certain confidence where you wouldn’t have it otherwise!” he patted her belly in confirmation, sliding the hand away finally.

It climbed up as he channeled a White spell to get a good long look ahead of them. He knew from the map that the back straight was a solid two miles of linear trail carved wide enough that there were multiple lanes of practical use pack. A magical highway across the snow, groomed by autonomous Orange sleds that plowed and packed all at once… And wide open it seemed.

”I’m gonna pick up the speed, okay? Don’t look at the meter, just look ahead! Grab on as tight as you want, but, please don’t flail!”

“O-Okay." Trisha reached out to properly grip onto both of Casey's arms. She wasn't sure how much faster that meant, so she held on tightly. At least flailing wasn't a risk, because she was much too cautious to move much at all.

Casey’s other hand finally reached the other side of the handlebar, and his hand slammed back on the throttle. The machine didn’t hop; it leapt to life.Suddenly, everything that was around them was passing by faster and faster than Trisha had ever been. The engine beneath them was screaming. Its cadence that of a howling animal, the vibration was enough to begin rattling their helmets together as the rear end began to skip and hop before biting back into the snow and ripping them forward again. It was wild. It was thrilling. Maybe, even a little horrifying.

For Casey, it was wonderful. Everything he wanted from the bike without any of the madness of it coming out from under him. It was invigorating.

Trisha's breath caught in her throat, her body reactively tensing. She clutched into Casey's arms with a tight grip, her legs stiffening and squeezing inwards. It wasn't just a small speed increase, but a massive jump. And even on the smooth surface the machine vibrated and jumped.

Though he told her to look ahead, Trisha's eyes reactively squeezed shut. But that made it scarier, because she was just feeling the speed, and every little motion felt like a bump that might knock her off. Even though she was gripping onto Casey like her life depended on it.

She trusted him. It was safe. She forced herself to open her eyes, the blinding white blur in front of them coming into view. They were moving so quickly, but with her eyes open it was easier to realise they weren't about to crash.

It was as exhilarating as it was terrifying to her. The panic didn't go away, but the coldness in her chest didn't take away from the thrill of it all. If anything it coexisted. She was scared, but she was also enjoying it… Though she wasn't going to loosen her grip on Casey anytime soon.

“Th-This is really fucking fast!"

He was impressed that her reaction wasn’t ultimately a complaint. Just an observation, simple and clean, which caught him off guard and brought him back to reality in a warm way. It was adorably straight-laced. She’d be able to feel the entire machine relax into a calm rumble as they pressed onward at a descending rate of speed.

”Yeah it was! You didn’t scream! I’m proud of you, you didn’t look at the speedometer, did you?” Casey asked playfully, arm coming back down to wrap around her and keep her safe again.

“No, but I closed my eyes… That made it scarier.” Trisha admitted. As they began to slow down, the quick beating of her heart was more audible in her ears. The adrenaline and fear was still there, both hands moving to clutch the arm around her rather than relaxing again.

Even if she hated it, she liked to think she wouldn’t scream. Not actually. She hadn’t on the rollercoaster, after all. Just terrified squeaks, going completely stiff and a lot of clinging to Casey. Screams were reserved for truly terrifying occasions- real death. Like the Stygian Snake, or fighting for her life. Otherwise she tried to keep her fear more muted.

“I definitely couldn’t deal with that speed the whole time. It’s… alright in short bursts, I think. Scary, but not so bad. Not like proper panic attack terrifying. At least that wasn’t, but I really don’t like how it shook.” She continued evenly.

“But of course I didn’t scream. I didn’t want to hurt your ears.” She added, with sweet playfulness.

Casey felt her arms still clutching around him, and he made a shallow turn to the right toward a notch cut in the snow. From there, he cut the engine off and let his other arm come down to squeeze her tightly as they glided to a stop.

”We’ll take a break for a sec. Go ahead, stand on solid ground and stuff, so you’re feeling connected again.”

He pulled his helmet off, hand reaching into his pocket and pulling out a couple granola bars.
”I still brought snacks… In case you didn’t like it, and had me bring you home early. Now, I just know that I can’t go above liiiiiike eighty.” he joked with her, making sure to talk into the helmet so she could still hear him.

“You cannnn, just not for too long. And maybe save the fastest speeds for when I'm not on it with you… But eighty's already pretty fast!" She shot back, reaching up to fumble with her own helmet and pull it off. It came off to reveal her smiling at him playfully, eyes creased gently.

She slipped off the snowmobile, boots hitting the thick snow. She wobbled for a moment, legs feeling a bit like jelly from how tense they'd been. She'd been squeezing them into the seat the whole time, with them stuck in one position, so the sudden weight on them and movement had pins and needles prickling her legs.

But she was glad to be on solid ground for a moment, and that Casey had pulled over without making a big deal of it. Just because he cared enough about her and wanted her to be comfortable…

“Why the snacks for if I wanted to go home early? There's plenty of food at home… Or is it cause you'd go on a sad long ride yourself, and eat granola bars looking out from a cliff crying about how I didn't like it?" She joked, reaching out for one of the granola bars. She fumbled to open it, not wanting to take off her gloves.
“Or was it a peace offering if I was upset."

”It’s purely because I know I’ll ride this thing until they turn the fuel pumps at the station up ahead off. One of the trails is called the ‘Highway to Wherever’, and I guess it’s just a magically manicured straight line for something like twenty miles. There’s another little pump station at the end, for however many times you wanna scram down and back up. I guess there’s a hotdog stand there. Its a little bit of a ride, but if you wanted to do the first pass up and down with me, I’d keep it under ninety. Twenty miles at a good click isn’t long at all.”

He already knew he wanted to push it, and as an Orange Adept, he’d been given permission to play around with it as much as he liked. Vehicles as a whole were difficult to enchant, but if each piece was enchanted per section, it became a lot easier. At that point, it was just a matter of taking it apart and putting it back together: A process he relished in with magic.

”I’d say, it’d be an hour out of your day tops. And maybe after that, the only time I’d ask to be alone. I’d have you with me if you were good with the speed, but-” he trailed off, allowing her the chance to express her feelings over the sentiment.

Trisha slowly nodded, pausing nibbling on her granola bar to reply.
“I’d like to come with you for the first pass if you'd have me. I don't want to hold you back beyond that if you're wanting to go do it faster and crazier. I wouldn't enjoy it enough."

She could make herself tolerate it, but she knew that Casey would be able to tell if she got scared. Then he wouldn't enjoy himself as much as he would without her. She knew he'd need his alone time on this holiday anyway, and she was willing to give it to him, even if she'd rather spend the whole day together. But they were going to tomorrow.

“How long do you think you'd be going for? I'd like to have dinner together at least, but I also don't mind if you think you'll be going until bedtime. We've got those plans tomorrow, so I'm happy to just read and chill inside."

She still smiled at him, though she obviously wasn't delighted about it. But they'd promised they'd be honest to each other, so she didn't try to hide it. She'd asked him to accept and understand that she'd be alright with him having that alone time. She was, even though the thought of being alone in the cabin made her anxious. Of course it did, because the progress she'd made had been wiped out. She was worried he'd decide he'd rather just go off into the wilderness. But it was a silly thought. And things had been so good between them since they'd left. It felt so much more comfortable again, and she could hold onto that.

“But I want to go up with you first. It isn't taking any time out of my day, because spending time with you is the main thing I want to do. But I'm really alright with you taking some alone time after to go do some crazy driving up and down that highway."

”Y’know what’s funny about that, Sweetheart… I’m gonna have to come clean. I already booked dinner for us tonight at the top of the mountain. And they’re going to come get us! And, and? It’s an actual sleigh ride. With hot chocolate before dinner if you’d have a cup.”

Casey’s face read incredibly excited. It wasn’t booked until around eight, so they had plenty of time to just be. And he had plenty of time to get bored of riding the same flat trail at nearly two hundred.

”I’ll probably go until I know exactly what I want to change. Then, tomorrow or whenever, I’ll do the tweaking, and I’ll take it out for a spin across the lake while you chill in the tent and watch me be crazy for twenty minutes. I think you’ll be able to handle it at that point. Because, y’know, we’ll still be together basically. I’ll be a ham just for you. Hell, I’ll even take my shirt off for you. Just like how Leon and Cass show their affection.” he laughed aloud, pulling Trisha into a hug.

Trisha giggled, cuddling into him. The anxiety melted away a little when he revealed they had dinner plans. A really fancy sounding dinner with a sleigh ride to get there. She didn't even realise those happened in reality.

“As much as I love you shirtless, I'd be too worried about you freezing." She tilted her head back to smile warmly up at him.
“I think I'll enjoy watching you, though, even if I wouldn't enjoy doing it. I enjoy watching you enjoy yourself. It's cute."

She wriggled her arms away from around him, reaching up to rub her gloved fingers against his cheeks.
“I’m happy for you to go however long you want to knowing we have dinner plans… Cause I know you won't miss them. I still want to come up the first time, because it does seem fun. Then I can relax and spend hours getting ready for our dinner date. That sounds really nice."

Her smile bloomed into something even more joyful, and filled with love.
“You’re really spoiling me already, and it isn't even my birthday yet."

”I’m not saying I’m trying to make up for being a jerk or anything… But, y’know, this shouldn’t be an uncommon thing. The others, carnality is equal to romance. For me, it’s everything else. The thoughtfulness, the expression: You’re my person. I want you to feel like you are, rather than I just tell you. To me, you deserve the best. That’s why I hate when I’m not my best. And it makes me say things like, oh… ‘You deserve better’ or something. Not true in your perspective, and that’s the only one that matters.”

Thankfully, after that wonderful rest they’d had, his brain took the chance to purge itself of the stacked up memories before regathering them into a more organized fashion, where they would actually hold tightly. A file in a drawer, as opposed to thumbtacked to a board. He felt lucid… Practically good again, were it not for the nagging feeling to not want to actually see anyone else today. At least she felt like an exception. She was, after all, exceptional.

”But, selfishly? I love making plans. Reminds me of my later days in the Army, during the cleanup stuff.” he grinned.
”Though, this is a lot less dire. Your feelings, while precious, aren’t as tragic as a bunch of pe- Well… You can imagine.” he cut himself off, not wanting to make her feel sad for the people he’d seen dead.

Trisha nodded, leaning up to give him a brief kiss.
“Well then it works for both of us. You love making plans, and I enjoy things being planned. Knowing that we're doing something set in stone helps with my anxiety a bit, because it makes things less uncertain. That's one of the big things that makes it hard."

She smiled up at him, managing to not dwell on the thought of what he might've seen then. He didn't, so she wouldn't. She didn't want to make him think about it more either.

“I like doing things for each other. Whenever you organise things for me, it makes me feel loved, and I love doing things for you. Even if sometimes it's making up for something. I also know it isn't just that… It's because you love me. And it still makes me feel spoiled. I'm just not used to it." She giggled softly, hugging him tighter. There was a giddy feeling overcoming her slowly. Like the feeling of a first relationship, a first love… He made her feel like that more often than she ever had before.

“You definitely are the best to me. I wouldn't want anyone else… Honestly, if you were perfect, I don't think I'd be able to cope. I'd turn into a sappy puddle or something. Though… you're perfect to me anyway."

Casey made sure to look into her eyes too, and grasp her genuine affection from them before leaning in to kiss her a little more intimately. Pulling away, he smiled.
”You’re perfect for me too, Trishabee. My favorite person ever. Now, get your stretches in. Next stop’s the hot dog stand in the middle of Nowhere.” he giggled to himself.

---

After their trip to the hot dog stand in the middle of Nowhere, Casey took Trisha back home to drop her off before going on his crazy ride.

She was still anxious to see it go, but it was manageable. They had a date later. He’d be back for that.

There was enough time for her to chill with a book, curled up on the couch reading in quiet comfort. But knowing they were going out somewhere meant she wanted to dress up, and had to give herself enough time to get ready. It didn’t matter that she knew Casey would be happy for her to wear anything- she still wanted to put on something nice and do her makeup. She liked making herself look pretty and putting on the fancier clothes she’d brought along. Dresses and skirts that weren’t practical for their daytime activities.

When she was with other people, she dressed up to impress them- or attract them. But with Casey, it was for herself first. Because he loved her no matter what she looked like.

She was still getting ready when Casey came home, standing in their bathroom doing her makeup. She’d timed it perfectly- too perfectly, maybe, as she wasn’t ready until just before they were meant to be picked up.

“Sorry, I should’ve started getting ready earlier… Then I could’ve been ready when you got back.” Trisha called out as she finally came back downstairs. They’d seen each other when Casey came home, of course, but there hadn’t been any relaxing together since she was still getting ready.

She’d swapped her more practical sweater and cargo pants for a dress that absolutely wasn’t made for staying outside for long periods. Navy blue in colour, its bodice cut a low V without being too revealing while the sleeves went slightly down her shoulder. It clung tight to her upper body, before loosening at the hips with the skirt that fell midway down her calf. Her makeup was still subtly, with some smoky pinks around her eyes and her lips done a darker shade of dusky pink. Her hair was mostly left loose, aside from the front sections that had been waterfall braided back, looking like sections of her hairs were cascading through the braid. It kept her hair off her face completely too.

As she came down the stairs she was pulling on a cream coloured sweater, her warm down jacket left downstairs hung up. At least she knew now that Casey could heat it up enough she didn’t have to worry about dressing lighter for the journey from here to where they were eating.

“I know you’d be happy however I looked, but I wanted to dress up.”

Casey had quite the time after everything was said and done. He’d nearly wiped out, buried the thing twice, and worked up such a sweat that at this point he wasn’t going anywhere without a shower and a hair dryer. But, he was home safe, and he figured there was probably enough time for him to do what he needed to do. As she got finished, he was practically just getting his hair dried, still standing around the bathroom in a towel. Being prompted, he came around the threshold of the door and looked over at Trisha with a huge smile.

”One of my favorite parts about you is that you know you’re beautiful. You dress to accentuate all the glowing parts of yourself. And your hair! Y’know? D’you think you could tie mine? Nothing complicated… Braids can be manly depending on what kind they are, right?” he asked casually, having only ever seen men with braided beards.

“Of course I can. It’ll be easier than doing my own.” Trisha smiled sweetly at him, light blush dusting her cheeks. She didn’t do it for the compliments, but getting them was nice. Especially with how Casey complimented her. It always made it so obvious that he liked all of her, not just how she looked.

She shuffled towards him, looking at his almost dry hair rather than into his eyes. Obviously she’d seen it and felt it plenty, but thinking about braiding it was different. But it should be easier than hers, considering it was straight.
“Anything can be manly if you want it to be. If you feel like you are with it, then it is. I don’t really think it matters what is and isn’t ‘manly’ anyway as long as you're comfortable.”

It was what she believed even though she generally dressed quite femininely herself. Maybe less so when it came to casual outfits or practical wear, but she liked her dresses and skirts. And sure, she was often performative with her own dressing, but that was out of anxiety rather than belief. She’d never felt that, say, Cass shouldn’t be how she was, pushing against the gender expectations that still existed. She certainly didn’t expect Casey to perform the perfect ‘manly’ man. Other people had assumed that was what she wanted, but she just wanted someone genuine.

Casey himself, really.

“What do you want? Do you want me to braid all of it, or do some small braids through it, or do it sort of like mine and braid it back off your face?”

Casey looked thoughtful for a moment as he brushed out the last of the hair and stared for a moment.
”I always feel like there’s too much volume. So, maybe just braiding some of it throughout? Like a viking?” he asked simply, looking down at her with a nervous expression.

”I guess I should get my clothes first… One second, I’ll grab ‘em and get dressed down here. I asked for help picking this one out, so I hope you like it. It is a fancy restaurant, so… You did a good job dressing up.” he nodded, leaning down to kiss her before bounding up the stairs. A couple minutes later, he was back down in boxers and socks holding a bunch of other clothes.

”Got the jacket and everything. Anti-wrinkle enchantment, so they’re still nice and crispy!” he sat down on the couch, leaving his head accessible to be tugged at while they wait.

”There’s a bit of time left. Don’t rush, and whatever you don’t get done is fine. It’s spur of the moment, after all. Thank you! I love you!” he smiled back with great affection as he did his best to stay fully in the moment without running back out to work on the snowmobile.

“I love you too… And you don’t have to worry, I’m a fast braider. It’s the thing that I’m always fastest with, once I’ve decided what I’m doing.” Trisha said, happily following him over to the couch and getting behind him.

She was curious about what he was going to wear, especially if someone helped him pick it out. From what she could see in the neat bundle, it looked smarter than what he normally wore. It made sense if it was a fancy restaurant they were going to. Probably some kind of suit… She was excited to see it on him.

Smiling a bit wider, she got to work. It took a moment to think of what to do- or where to put the braids. He said it was fine whatever she got done, but she wanted it to look nice and even. She started at the front, braiding slightly back a section over his ear before letting the braid fall down just behind it. It meant he also didn’t have to worry so much about his hair getting in his face. Then, she just went for relatively simple braids evenly spaced apart. It was easy and relaxing for her to do, deftly twisting the hair together.

“How was the crazy driving? I didn’t get a chance to ask when you came back, since I was trying to finish my makeup so you could shower.” She said almost apologetically, as if he hadn’t seen exactly why she didn’t pause to ask him loads of questions then. She didn’t realise it was a possible dangerous question, seeing as he was trying not to run out and get to work on it- or maybe it would be the opposite.

“You looked like you had a lot of fun… And ran around rather than driving a snowmobile.”

”Oh, Baby… I’m a speed freak. Honestly, it’s so much fun. Y’know that kind of bumpy section near the middle of the trail we were on? How you started laughing, because our helmets were mashing together? Well, if you hit that spot fast enough, it becomes smooth again! Because the skis on the front of the machine don’t have the same chance to get caught by the little divots in the snow!”

He was untucking pants; Navy blue slacks that he stuck his socked feet through the legholes of before unfurling a light grey button up. He didn’t particularly like button ups, finding them to be a little restrictive to form. But, these had been made for him recently enough that he had faith in the measurements. But first, he waited for her to finish the braid she was on before pulling away with a tap on her hand.

He slid his undershirt on, a thermal with his moisture wicking enchantment that clung tightly to him, before pulling all of his hair out of the neck.

”Belt, or suspenders? Or, both?” he asked for a moment, pausing before looking at her squarely.
”And… Well, did your relaxing go well? Are the bees okay?” he asked innocently.

“Just a belt? Unless you think you need both.” Trisha responded with a slight shrug. She wasn’t so fond of how suspenders looked, but it wasn’t a strong enough preference that she felt it really mattered.

“It went well. Far less excited than going fast enough that bumps don’t matter. We were already going pretty fast.” She shook her head with a soft laugh. She glanced over at where Princess lay nearby, at her original size. Trisha would shrink her back down to bring her along in her handbag tonight, just in case. She liked always having some connection with the bees.

“The bees are fine too. I called a small group through, just to keep them happy. I’m glad it’s a two way portal, even if sending them back is a bit more finicky, because they tend to protest.” She wrinkled her nose, gaze turning back to him.
“It makes my life so much easier. Before, taking a holiday was so difficult… I either had to leave them the whole time, or figure a way to bring them along. That meant either letting them treat me like both their Queen and their hive, or bringing a mini hive box with me. Now I don’t have to worry about that. Especially with how cold it is outside. They’re hardier than normal bees, but they’d still normally spend most of their time inside or in my clothes during winter.”

Casey nodded quietly.
She never got to pet them.

”Ginny really loved those bees. Said she wanted a place where they’d always be safe and happy for you. Like a bee bank. Deposit, withdraw, but it’s always secure. I… Really don’t know why she latched onto you so tightly. I think maybe Hari was right. She said something about Gin being the other little sister, and that just like Mia, she’s attached to me. Rather than get jealous of a new person in my life, she just… I guess she knew without knowing that you’d accept her. And, obviously we’ve got Mia’s whole problem…-”

Pausing, he mulled over the entire situation with a morbid laugh before shaking his head.

”-You’ve got some fucked up admirers. Go figure, huh?”

“You’ve got to be fucked up to admire me.” She intoned, in a way that could’ve been sarcastic humour, but probably wasn’t when it was her.

She shook her head, trying to not let herself get trapped in the mire that was thinking like that. Especially not when Casey had brought up Gin. If he was thinking about her- and talking about her- there was always a risk of a mood drop. Of course there was, after what had happened. And of course he was going to think about her all the time. Trisha just didn’t want to add to any creeping negative feelings by letting her shitty self confidence come through.

Especially when she’d been doing fine. Feeling confident, even, though that was more in how she looked than anything else. It often was.

“It makes sense if it’s because of an attachment to you. Mia has all of the dreams about me too, but Gin didn’t. So… It probably is what Hari said. Though I don’t really know if I accepted her.” She frowned, hands carefully returning to his hair to continue braiding. It was helpful.

“That sounds bad. I mean enough. I probably could’ve done more. Like Cass did. For Mia too. I’m trying to improve there too.” She continued, quieter.
“I know it isn’t entirely secure yet, but the Greenhouse connected with Princess is sort of like a bee bank. So Gin managed to achieve what she wanted, even if it could’ve been something crazier. To me it’s exactly what I need.”

Casey looked down at Trisha for a moment before leaning in and kissing her on the head. He’d been sliding a belt into his pants before tucking his shirt fully and cinching it all together. He didn’t let the momentary grief surface, and so it sunk back down into the tar of his mind as he tried to keep it trapped. She didn’t need him doing that right now…

”Well… As long as we’re smart enough, she left us the blueprints for something better. When we settle down, we’ll move everything. Integrate it with the land. See if we can cohabitate comfortably with the local wild bees, or if it’d be more beneficial using that integration technique buried in those pheromone signals of yours. Bring all the local wild bees to heel… So cool.”

He was looking sharp now that everything was buttoned, zipped and locked. The grey shirt already had a pair of smokey quartz cufflinks, and all that was left was the tie, a jacket, and a pair of shoes that Greyson had told him to get. He looked at them for a moment, and couldn’t help but laugh that he was holding yet another dead person’s memory.

”D’you ever… Feel like you’re surrounded by ghosts? I don’t mean like a Black Adept, I just mean…-”
He held the shoes in his hand a second more before huffing.
”-Nevermind. Don’t worry about answering that, it’s not a good question for right now. I don’t even know why Greyson gets a sad thought in my head, these fucking shoes…” he grumbled, deciding to rip the bandage off and slip them on one after the other.

“Greyson definitely doesn’t deserve it.” Trisha commented, glancing down at the shoes then back up at Casey. They were nice shoes… And she assumed they were recommended by Greyson. It made sense. While Greyson was a massive asshole, he was a fashionable asshole.

“Lean back a bit so I can finish the braids.” She asked gently after he’d slipped on his shoes, hands slipping back into his hair now that he wasn’t leaning over to get them on.
“I only have a few left to do.”

She really was fast about it, with the first two taking a little longer because of the way she did them over the ears. The rest were basic braids interspersed in his hair, working from outside to the inside in case she ran out of time. It was simple, but it looked nice in her opinion.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to cohabitate the bees, as long as there are enough resources. A variety of wild bee species co-exist already in peace. The only ones that don’t do it peacefully are cuckoo bees… But integration would be interesting. It could lead to efficient resource management and plant pollination. I’d definitely need to delegate some of my work to other, smarter bees, though.” She went back to the previous topic, seeing as Casey asked her not to answer his question. She didn’t know how to anyway… Not without making it sad.

She did feel surrounded by ghosts, but for her it was as much ghosts of expectations and judgments as it was people. She didn’t have as many deaths haunting her… but there were still some.

“At least the majority won’t produce honey I need to collect. Wild honey bees are rare, and other bees don’t produce it in quantities that can be harvested. I’ll be able to keep the honey bees to a level that’s manageable while making my business profitable- There, all done.” She smiled, letting go of the end of the last, central braid she’d done.

She’d made it a bit wider than the others, with the two over his ears also being the same width. They were all relatively thin, though- with the majority being wide enough to stand out without being too obvious. She’d done nine braids in the end, blending them nicely with the loose hair around them.

“I think they look nice. I think you look very nice.”

He didn’t look at them at all before thanking her and complimenting her. Casey knew full well that whatever Trisha did would be perfect, and he didn’t have to see for himself to know. He intended to, of course, standing slowly and pushing himself up to his full height before spinning and bending down to kiss her over the couch.

”You’re a lifesaver. Getting to grow it out so long again, I wanted to actually do things with it. But, I figured out that I didn’t really have the patience. So, it was equally hard to automate something with magic that would do it for me… Because, y’know, it doesn’t hold my attention well.” he admitted lifting a hand up to feel the little braids tied into his mane of black hair.

As a child, Clarissa had fussed over anyone who would let her. She loved hair: Apparently that’s what she wanted to do as a child. Though, he found out that she’d never felt fulfilled until Ivetta’s hair started coming in, and she realized the Caribbean curls had met Furio’s European straights. Ivetta’s wavy, almost untamable mop of hair became a lifelong challenge for her. Thus, the Richoux children were no longer subject to her whims.

Then it all went away when he signed on to the Legion. He didn’t get it back until standards started to drop during long operations in Africa. Once that was done, he barely had a boss, as the Warrantry were basically a clade of self-sufficient experts and specialists available to the wider Armed Forces. If Casey showed up somewhere with a mop of hair and the CO didn’t like it, it was easier to just send for an alternative than it was to tell him to go freshen up.

Self admittedly, he’d always felt satisfied being fussed over. Maybe it was the middle child syndrome, moments of attention that he couldn’t help but wish he got. It wasn’t in him to act up… He never wanted to force anyone to pay attention to him. He just wanted it to happen. Now, he approached the mirror and ran his hand down the back of his hair. Tugging it all forward so he could look at the individual strands hiding among the forest, he smiled and then looked back at her.

”I knew it’d be perfect. You’re perfect.” he grinned, finally moving toward her again fully and offering the opening for her to slide into by his side.
”Let me get your coat warmed up.”

“Yes please. This dress isn’t as warm as my other clothes.” Trisha smiled back at him, immediately slotting in his side. She fit so perfectly there, just like he was made for her. Maybe they were made for each other… Though she didn’t really believe in fate or a higher power, it was nice to think something like that sometimes.

“Now you can always get your hair done, even without having any patience for it. I’m happy to do it anytime you want me to. It’s relaxing for me, honestly.” She offered easily. She enjoyed doing her own hair, and it was nice to do Casey’s too. She’d happily teach him how to do it if that’s what he wanted, but if he didn’t have the patience to then she would just do it for him.

She twisted towards him, one hand coming up to rest on his chest as she looked up at him.
“You look very handsome dressed like this. You always look handsome, but I really like the suit on you. And-” She pointed to his slacks and jacket, then her dress. Both navy blue.
“I know it’s a common colour, but we’re accidentally matching. We’re just on the same wavelength even without discussing it.”

Casey nodded calmly as honey wafted up into the air. Trisha would be able to feel herself being enveloped in warmth with the enchantment’s effects returning in a more evenly distributed manner than previously. It was like a big hug, which only felt more real when Casey squeezed her tightly.

”Maybe we both picked it for the same reasons! I didn’t want to dress too dark, but I still wanted color that wasn’t too flashy. I thought about going with Christmas colors, like a really dark green and red, with, like, grey slacks and stuff… But, I figured maybe that would have a higher chance of embarrassing us both in a way I didn’t want. This feels refined. Like I’m a big ass Elf.” he giggled.

Then there was a chime that rang around them. Directed through the home entertainment system wired into the walls, the noise felt like it was a cloud of fog rolling through the room. Casey looked a little surprised, but made the short logical leap of assumption necessary to begin moving them toward the door.

”You have everything you need? We’re not driving ourselves up, remember.” he asked calmly, making sure to adjust his tie a little bit as they walked.

“Ah, I need to get my bag and Princess.” Trisha replied, squeezing his hand before darting back over to the couch. Princess was collected and shrunk down to a tiny size, before being put in Trisha’s small handbag. There were no pockets in her dress, so anything she needed had to go there. But with Princess inside, along with her money, lipstick and phone, she was good to go, moving back towards Casey.

Stepping outside, the two were met with an elegant sight. Leashed behind a duo of massive reindeer was a large, black sleigh parked just at the end of the driveway. Needing the snow pack to comfortably glide, the roadways outside remained undisturbed of snow, with nobody having come up or gone down the mountain in wheeled vehicles in several hours. While there was nobody to control the vehicle visually, there seemed to be some kind of automated crop awaiting their entrance.

Upon clamboring up after he’d helped Trisha, Casey sat himself down and closed the door of the sleigh. After a calm moment, the crop tapped one of the beasts, and the two of them began tugging along merrily as they started to head toward the mountain’s ascent. From this side, it was a three mile winding climb up slowly crawling bends that were once a mountain pass. On the other side, however, was a fully functioning railcar that took people staying at the ski resort over there up to the same mountaintop chalet.

As they settled in, there was a shifting in the bench seat in front of them as it turned into an actual bench, equipped with many different coolers and heaters for different beverages, as well as little snack cookies and other things one would nibble on if they weren’t having dinner. It was a whole tea party…

”Look at this, now! Jesus Christ on a spoon, even I’m starting to feel pampered, and it's not even my birthday weekend!” Casey joked, leaning down and kissing Trisha’s head again.
”What do you think? I think this kettle’s magic. If I-”

He took one of the tea cups and immediately saw the enchantment was masterfully translated into a physical switch similar to any other electronic. Except, this gave you drink choices. Flicking the switch to one side, he poured himself a piping hot and lusciously thick glass of hot cocoa.

”-Yep! Straight up hot chocolate. But, there’s an option for coffee, and tea… And then two other knobs. I think one’s for what kind of tea, then the others for the darkness of coffee roast!” he exclaimed, taking up his glass and taking a sip.
”And it’s fucking good!”

“Wow.” Trisha breathed out. It was a reaction to the sleigh itself, the changing bench, and then the magical kettle. She moved forward to look at the kettle with a smile. Having a switch that let you switch between different hot drinks… She didn’t know how it worked, but it seemed like it was impressive. Was it some kind of Purple-Orange like Cass’ new printer, that was connected to an endless supply of the drinks elsewhere.

“Magic really makes everything easy. We don’t have to interact with someone on the way up, nor do we have to try to make hot chocolate on a sleigh.” She laughed, leaning further forward to pick up a cup. She carefully poured some hot chocolate into it too, leaving a good amount of room at the top so there was no risk of spilling it.

She shuffled back properly onto their bench seat, turning slightly so her back leaned into Casey’s side lightly. It let her look out at the view down the mountain. For now, it was similar to what they got from the cabin, but she imagined it would only get more beautiful. The higher up they got, the more they’d be able to see. It was already pretty stunning.

“If it really is that nice, you might have to make us one.” She lightly teased, blowing on the hot liquid before taking a sip. It was fucking good. Really fucking good.
“Mmmm... It’s really good, you’re right. How is it made? The kettle itself, not the hot chocolate. I may be awful at cooking, but I know how that’s made.”

She twisted her head to look up at him, genuinely curious. It mingled with her excitement over the whole thing- this ride in something that felt like it had come right out of a winter fantasy.

It was a lot easier to miss the subtle honey scent as Casey examined the little contraption with magic.

”Oh, it’s a bit of a jumbled up mess. Or, an artistic expression… Lots of artifacts and enchanted items are like paintings, where you kind of get a main picture from one color while the details are supported by others. Here, its basically what I would call an ‘undying vessel’ that just makes it fuckin’-”

He smacked the kettle off the side rail of the sleigh, doing absolutely nothing to it.

”-y’know, its a brick shithouse. Assumedly, it’s fully non-stick, self cleaning, but the weird parts come in the details. Like the active organic ingredient provider that’s totally Green. Or, the hot water source, which is a Red apparatus… I can understand the green, but there’s an enchantment that can replicate liquid in a vessel, so if you filled it with hot water once, it’d have it forever.”

He could see why the person who made it that way did so. It all worked in tandem with decent efficiency, and didn’t seem to be wavering in any way with regards to its stability. All spells involved, and their connection to the Orange binding system, were in perfect working order. So, he didn’t want to put it down… But, his mind was almost always consumed by efficiency.

”But, I bet we could make one with Cass. It’d be easy enough. And, the bigger the machine, the more complicated we can make it. Material replication through Green-Orange joint casting is a fundamental part of magical industrialization, after all.” he grinned, tapping his glass against Trisha’s.

”Cheers to you, Birthday Girl.” he grinned.

“Cheers.” Trisha echoed with a wide smile before taking another sip.
“It’s already been the nicest birthday weekend I’ve had… And it’s three days away. It’ll only be even better after tomorrow too.”

It was a sad admittance, but Casey knew how bad her previous birthdays had been. Maybe the comparison was unnecessary, but she wanted him to know how much more loved he made her feel. It wasn’t just a small amount. She wasn’t enjoying scraps thinking they were a luxury meal because she’d been starved all her life.

“It’s the best by miles and miles. That gap will only keep increasing. I already feel… very loved. Thank you, Casey.” She leaned up to kiss him tenderly, slow and lingering. As she pulled back, her eyes scrunched playfully.
“And when we get back, you and Cass can make me the perfect late birthday present of an infinite hot drinks kettle!”

She was joking about that, as much as it would be a good thing to have in the future. The type of magical automation she was alright with, without feeling it was detracting from real life. Cass had already gotten her a present, and she assumed Casey had too… Unless everything he’d organised was the gift. That would be fine too.

“It’s nice not having to worry about Christmas at all. I know we already did something… But just knowing it’s going to be a normal day feels kind of relieving. Us going away already got rid of any worry I’d be dragged into some family event by Tansy, but it’s still nice to not even think about it… Though I guess if future Christmases are like what we did a couple of nights ago, I wouldn’t mind it. It felt like what I always imagined a family event should.”

She wasn’t trying to make the conversation sad, but rather feeling thankful. Thankful that she’d met Casey, and that he’d do all these things for her, and he’d introduced her to his family.

”Well, we’re gonna be in charge, right? Of our own lives, of the things around us: We can dedicate ourselves now, to making sure that we never have to deal with crappy holidays again. I know you want that peace just like I do. And we’ll make it happen.” Casey asserted before pulling his drink up to his lips.

”And, our kitchen? It’s gonna be so automated, you will be able to cook without trouble. I’ve already got so many ideas, Babe… For all the stuff that isn’t super intrusive, but enhances the quality of our lives! Not just a kettle that pours whatever, I’m talking like… A whole bunch of shit!”

He seemed excited about the prospect of making her the kettle. He was. It would be a cool project, and to see how efficient he could really get it would be great fun. The whole process would be fun… Building a home for Trisha and their children to feel safe and loved in. Building a home. Making it feel warm and inviting, while still being quirky in all the ways he wanted, wasn’t a concept Casey thought would be difficult either. Whimsy, after all, is the father of all warmth.

”I’m guessin’ you’d prefer the main house to be above ground, huh?” he asked playfully.

“Uh, yeah, I would. I’m an above ground person… Maybe it’s because of the bees. They’re always flying about, and making hives up trees. So above ground is the compromise between bunker and treehouse.” She leaned in to bump one shoulder into Casey with a teasing smile.

“Really, something underground feels like it’d be stifling. Though I’m sure you’d make something that isn’t like that! I just like being able to look out a window and see the outdoors.”

Though she was sure Casey could build them any house, and she’d end up liking it. Who was in it was more important than anything, as long as she could get outside and to her bees. If they were going to live in the middle of nowhere like this, there wouldn’t be any worry about being too far away from nature.

“And I’m definitely not going to say no to an automated kitchen… I don’t want to be too reliant on magic in the future, but stuff like that is fine. Like you said, enhances the quality of our lives. It’d mean I could cook, rather than you having to do it all! Which would be a pretty big win considering how bad I am at it.” She giggled, taking another sip off her hot chocolate.

She was sure with enough practice she could end up passable at cooking, but it was a lot of effort. When she struggled to make anything edible, it felt pointless to keep going until it eventually became alright to eat.

“I like your cooking, though, so it may be hard to want to eat my own.”

”What if we made the house into one big, giant hive?” he asked with a grin.
”Obviously not living right next to us, but why not let them live in the walls behind a facade, and make it all intelligent so we can harvest it without it being this incredibly annoying chore!” Casey added, the question filling his mind with problems and solutions in equal measure.

Trisha shook her head after a moment of thought.
“I wouldn’t mind putting bee routes in the house, so they can get in or to me through them… But I’d rather not have them in the walls like that. The separation we have right now is good. They can visit as they please, I can call them as I please, but they’re not as clingy. Also when we have children… I don’t know how the bees will be.”

She paused, smiling up at him. She didn’t want him to think she was entirely dismissing the idea. It was a good idea, just not for her.
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but it’s just not really what I want. I’d like to encourage them to live more naturally when we move, since we’ll have the land. So I will need… Something to help with harvesting honey if they go make hives in random trees. I know it’s way more impractical, and I’d definitely like a house designed with the bees in mind… Just if they live in the walls, they’ll start crawling into bed with us.”

Casey had a rather immediate internal struggle over whether or not to press the point. His primary Richoux attitude wanted to explain the thousand different ways he could prevent all the issues that she may have in her head. But, it was his time outside of that cycle that always helped him not choose that option. It wasn’t to avoid a fight so much as it was to avoid the wasted breath. If she didn’t want things close and convenient, so be it. He’d make everything as convenient as she wanted. And no further.

After all, it was ultimately her responsibility. As much as she wanted him included, and would definitely accept his suggestions about most things, he knew she was ultimately in charge of all decisions regarding them. It was a royal thing. And that helped him out tremendously in terms of attitude shifting. She wanted what was best for her loyal and adoring subjects. She was a benevolent keeper, and a guardian of their best interests…

”We’ll teach the trees to lean down for you. Funny creatures, trees. Y’know they can relax? They just don’t, they’re nervous and tense all the time.”

He didn’t say that like it was a joke in spite of it being one. Green Lux could grow trees that bent. Or, some trees from different planes of existence could shift and move with crude musculature… But, trees here? They had to be enchanted to do anything close to that. He could only start laughing before she had a chance to acknowledge the joke as one. With his smile beaming, he shook his head.

”In all seriousness, we’ll work it out for you. Platform shoes or something…” he added, thinking about the platform enchantment that let people stand still on any surface comfortably, rather than a plain pair of platform pumps.

Trisha hadn’t been sure if he was making a joke about the trees before he laughed- he’d said it so seriously, and with magic anything was possible. Though the bit about them relaxing had seemed off… So she giggled a bit as she realised it was a joke. It was ridiculous to think that the trees standing so tall and straight was because they were tense.

“Mhm, that sounds good. We’ll have time to figure it out, too. I’d give them hive boxes when we first move anyway- or the greenhouse if we move it. Then I’d just encourage them slowly to move. I want my business established enough before I have to go climbing trees for all the honey. With the prices Andrade was paying, it’s a luxury honey rather than bulk made… So if it’s popular enough, I won’t have to constantly harvest and sell.”

Casey nodded in turn.
”You could always withhold stock, vintage it, like how wine companies do? They make a fuck ton of wine, then just let it sit in warehouses… Artificial demand? Or something? Obviously if you were selling medicine to poor people, we’d be passing it out as fast as possible. But, if we’re selling magical honey to rich people…” his voice trailed off, looking at her with a wink.

”Actually… Do you have any!? We should pitch it to the chef up here too!” he asked, suddenly very excited for commerce.
”Imagine? We don’t need Andrade if we muscle our way into every Roclette Star restaurant in the country!” he added.

Trisha shook her head, pouting a little bit. It was a great idea… If only she had any honey on her. She had brought some on holiday with them, but she’d opened that jar this morning. They were running painfully low too, though she knew there’d be plenty for her to harvest when they got home.

“Not on me. I have a mostly full jar back at the cabin, but I don’t think this can turn around. Maybe we can go up again… Or try another time?” She let out a quiet, but playful, huff.
“I knew I should carry a little jar around with me everywhere. You never know when it’ll be needed… I’ll have to start from now on.”

She was half joking, little pout turning into a smile up at him.
“It’s a great idea… If it really is as good as he says, other chefs are sure to like it. Though I’m not sure how we pitch it. ‘Hi we’re here to eat, but would you also like to try some of my honey? I swear it’s very nice and not some weird pyramid scheme.’”

Casey shook his head.
”Kind of, but more like… ‘We happen to own and operate a honey farm, our product is extremely high quality, and we’d be honored if you gave it a try and sent us feedback.’ We give them a jar, and a card, all after we’ve eaten our meal. So there’s no sense of it being an ambush, or anything dumb.” he grinned.

”And, I mean… If it’s good enough, we’ll almost definitely come back on Christmas.” he nodded and grinned.
”And if it isn’t? We just won’t sell our honey here.”

It was easy enough for him to do that kind of thing. He knew how to be impactful without being so ‘in your face’ that he’d turn off potential buyers. He’d seen people do just this to Andrade, who was always looking for something new and interesting to cook with. He could only hope that other chefs held the same voracious appetite for new ingredients.

”Kind of makes me feel like a talent manager. I’m out here promoting bees, for Christ’s sake…” he laughed loudly, arm squeezing Trisha tightly as he thought about his situation. It was certainly worth laughing and smiling over in this regard.

“The bees need promotion more than people do, since they can’t talk for themselves. You’re doing important work.” Trisha joked, laughing along with him. She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek with a smile.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t know how to do it myself.”

---

Arriving at the restaurant was a breathtaking kind of sight. There were scant few vehicles up here near the apex of this particular peak, though the parking lot looked like it could maintain quite a few arrivals. Everything here was magically maintained, with the lot completely clear of snow and steaming gently with radiant warmth. The Pinnacle... There weren’t any signs indicating the name of the place, but one could easily tell that it was certainly the tops. Warm wood, huge glass windows giving every single dining area a full view off the mountain and into the inky black of the world below, or the bright swaths of burning stars above.

The sleigh brought them right to the door, where their waiter was already expecting them and immediately took some simple drink orders as he led them into the main area. Meant for galas, balls and other events with a lot of rich people, the main dining room was a massive space currently full of people eating. Of course, most people were getting here from the Ski lift on the other side, which meant they were either coming right off the slopes, or had to trudge in their nice clothing from the bottom lot, up to the station, then down the small road to get here…

But, at least it wasn’t empty. Casey felt like it may’ve been uncanny if the place had been emptied out for just them. It was much better, at that point, to be taken to the luxury dining area. And that place was far more quiet and empty. Not devoid, as there were still several other parties dressed immaculately and chatting amongst themselves about this or that, but far more managed and intimate. The area itself was full of warm wood tones and brass accents, like any skiing or hunting lodge should be. It felt like an old timey saloon, but with way more class.

Their personal attendant led them to a couple’s table, with candles and bright green plants adorning the center in a beautiful piece. As they were seated, and the attendant left for the drinks, Casey grinned widely and looked around the place.

”It’s exactly what I was hoping it would be.” he smiled.

Trisha nodded without saying anything immediately, too busy looking around her and taking in everything. It was clearly luxurious, but in a way that felt comfortable and warm rather than cold and unfeeling. She was far too used to luxury without personality. Not gaudy, as truly rich people didn’t need to show off tons of gold when they knew the value of other materials, but it was rarely warm.

Even the one ‘western’ themed gala Tansy had hosted was nothing like this. The venue had been gaudy, though for once she couldn’t blame her horrible older sister for that. It was a rare time when she was too busy running other events to be overbearing, and the hired team made most of the decisions without checking with her. As much as Trisha hated her, she did have to give her some credit for being good at her ‘job.’

“It’s surprisingly cozy. I really like it.” Trisha turned her attention back to Casey with a smile. Of course it wasn’t the luxury she commented on, but the nice atmosphere of the place.

“This is the kind of rich person place I actually like. It feels like it was designed for people, rather than appearances.” She continued, her face softened by the gentle glow of the candles between them. When it hit her eyes they looked almost amber, rather than the dark brown then tended to be without enough light to highlight the true hazel colour.

“Hopefully the food’s as good as the place looks. And it’s filling. You know how in some fancy restaurants they do more courses but they're all tiny? Even I come away from that kind of meal feeling unsatisfied and I don’t eat much.”

”I’m pretty sure they’re a steak house.” he replied simply, awkwardly shuffling the table behind theirs to give himself a bit more room before sitting down.

Classically speaking, that form of restaurant was always portion and quality first. The food wasn’t fancy, but it was good, and it was expensive to source. Exotic meats and vegetables, the best spices…

”After those sandwiches yesterday, I’m thinking about having an actual steak. Or, y’know, some big hunk of meat on my plate. But, I’m… Kind of worried. Like, I don’t want to get sick or get that cold feeling I get if I cut into it and can’t deal with it… Maybe they’ve got some kind of sauce or something, it’ll cover up the way the meat looks.” he commented as he took the free water on his side and absolutely downed it.

”Sometimes, I wish I did get a more comprehensive Pink treatment. At least for shit like this, stuff that doesn’t matter… But, I feel like it wouldn’t be worth it if I didn’t work through it on my own.”

Trisha understood when it came to Pink treatment. She’d never wanted someone to mess with her mind like that, even now that she’d accepted she probably had depression and some form of PTSD. Though for her it was more from her dislike of someone getting in her head, rather than feeling the improvement was more worth it without magical intervention.

“I sort of understand. At least, I understand preferring to work through it yourself even if it affects your life. Maybe it doesn’t matter… And if you really ended up wanting something done in the future, I wouldn’t discourage it, but… Well it’s part of you. Getting something erased feels weird.” She bit her lip, shrugging.
“Not in the romantic way, of trauma making you a better person or being necessary. Just that if it’s erased with Pink Lux, what else might go with it?”

That was probably just her healthy paranoia and less healthy anxiety over Pink Adepts and other mind adjusting magic coming through, though.
“Is it easier if it’s fully cooked, or is it difficult no matter how red or not red it is inside?”

”The more obscured, the easier. Fried shit’s easy, it all looks the same. But yeah, if it’s cooked completely through, I have an easier time looking at it. Not eating it though. Because then it’s really gross, like overcooked beef is the worst. Plus, I can’t be one of those people who gets a steak well done: What’ll they think in the kitchen? They buy these meats, work hard learning how to cook ‘em… Nah. I’ll figure something out.”

At that moment, drinks, bread, menus, and a special guest all arrived at once. The private dining room got just a little quieter as a man in a deep red Chef’s jacket approached their table alongside the server.

“Mr. and Mrs. Richoux, I presume?” he asked politely.

Casey beamed widely, shooting the glance at Trisha. That is what he’d put on the reservation, after all.

”That would be us, yes. What can I do for you?” Casey asked calmly.

The man in the coat, his face aged and weathered, smiled down at the two of them with bright and twinkling eyes.

“Not quite the two people I expected to see… Though, I assume after all these years, your Father wouldn’t just walk into my restaurant without coming to see me. You’re… Casey? My my, how you’ve grown.”

Casey didn’t know this man… But, he knew Gravity, which was common enough around St. Portwell that he knew how to deal with the moment in good grace.

”I can only presume Mom and Dad were frequent visitors?” he asked politely.

The man, the Chef, nodded.

“I used to have a place in Denver. Matisse?”

Casey immediately stood up.

”Oh, my God! Chef Dubois! Sir, I’m so sorry, I-”

“We’ve both gotten older, haven’t we!?”

The older man laughed, and though dwarfed by Casey, they both embraced tightly before slightly pulling away.

“Come, come… You and your beautiful wife, we bring you out back. Chef’s table! Please, I must cook for you.” he insisted, opening himself up to Trisha as well.
“I am Patrick Dubois, young Lady… Chef Proprietor of this beautiful establishment for over a decade now.” he stuck his hand out, not to shake, but to graciously help her stand from the table.

Casey looked down with slight surprise, not having expected this. He really wasn’t sure if Trisha was going to be alright either, but it seemed rude to drag her away from the relative intimacy they had in that moment.

Trisha had been watching with a polite smile, eyes widened slightly in surprise. She’d almost made a comment earlier to Casey about how they wouldn’t run into anyone they knew here, so far away from St Portwell… But it had happened anyway.

There was a light blush on her cheeks from the word wife being thrown around, and the fact it had clearly been booked that way. It caused butterflies in her stomach, and a light, giddy feeling she assumed would eventually go away sometime after they were actually married. She’d have to get used to it, after all. She was already so happy to be engaged to Casey, nevermind what came after.

It meant she was slightly swept up in everything that was happening, taking Chef Dubois’ hand and letting him help her up.

“Trisha-” She cut herself off before continuing with her surname, more than happy to play along there.
“Nice to meet you.”

Though she took a moment to actually think about what was being offered. A chef’s table… What exactly was a chef’s table? Something in the kitchen? Would it be more private, or much less private? She wasn’t sure, because she’d never actually had something like this happen. Plenty of people knew the Vanburen family, but not to the point of inviting them into a kitchen.

“Sorry to ask, but what exactly does a ‘chef’s table’ entail? I’ve never experienced something like that, and I like to know what to expect before doing something.” She said, overly polite. Chef Dubois clearly wasn’t someone Casey knew well, but between the calling him Sir and the hugging there must be some amount of respect there. She didn’t want to upset him.

It would be difficult to tell, even for Casey, how she felt about being dragged away from their current table to another. She didn’t actually know what it would be like, so she didn’t even know how to feel about it. She liked their current table well enough- it was nice and intimate, for just the two of them. But maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, and she’d feel really bad turning it down just out of fussiness.

“As long as it’s not less private or comfortable than we currently have I won’t complain, though.” She added, a bit quieter, glancing up at Casey.

Casey had only ever been to a chef’s table in Andrade’s restaurants, but at least that helped him understand what the experience could be like. Though he too wanted to be polite to this old man, whom he did recall a warm memory of. One Andrade was tangentially a part of, but so were a few other people. Notorious people at that…

”I have to agree with my wife, Chef… Enlighten us?” he offered politely, in hopes that this old French dandy would have a half way decent explanation.

His eyes lit up in turn.
“Beautiful and prosperous as you two are, you’ve not visited a Chef’s table? Not even your dear friend, eh… Salamente, de-”

Casey scoffed.

”Oh, Andrade’s restaurants are always booked up. Occasionally Mom would eat in at one, but frankly I’ve been in the Service! I haven't had the chance to enjoy myself until recently.”

Maybe it was scary, or in some way unsettling, to hear how easily Casey managed to lie through his teeth. He didn’t skip a beat in referring to Trisha with a title she didn’t quite have yet, and at the same time, he was implying through omission that they had possibly been together for some time. There was no way the old man was going to know otherwise without actually pressing Casey, which he didn’t seem worried about when he had his own affairs to gush about.

It was starting to seem like all these chef types were the same… Just a little egotistical.

“Oh, my! Please, it is romance itself. You come, the booth is plush, extra comfortable. Wood and cloth hug you both, bring you in close. The noise is dulled, but the sights are yours from behind the observation veil. Candles hang from the ceiling, everburning without wax, and illuminate the food in such a way that you will see every molecule of fat glisten a thousand colors… You will sip wine sourced from a common friend, and his magical vineyard beneath the rolling California wine country fields… Undergrape.”

The man ended in hushed, reverent tones as the idea of the undergrape hung in Casey’s mind. He knew of Marco D’cigglio, but Leon was the one who actually knew the guy.

”Oh! Y’know, Marco was at a party recently which we attended… I didn’t speak to him, unfortunately… Still, that does sound nice. Maybe a little extravagant, but I think it would be a wonderful thing to have for her birthday weekend.” Casey commented gently, looking down at Trisha again.

Chef Dubois’ eyes actually caught alight, blazing up into a flame as he was unable to hide his magical excitement.

“Madame, your birthday!? I was uninformed by booking… They’ll have my voice in their head a fortnite! Non, there’s no way I can let either of you escape now… You will be bathed in luxury! Come!”

Chef Dubois' excitement was a little much for Trisha, her head swimming at the description of the table. It didn't so much sound extravagant as it sounded unrealistic. Booths so comfortable even the wood hugged them? Candle light that made fat glistening a rainbow? If she wasn't so good at keeping up the polite mask, she would've laughed. It did make her want to see it for herself. The wine sounded nice at least, even though she didn't remember who Marco was. A party… Someone at Cass' birthday?

The mention of her birthday and the attention focusing on her intently made her blush a bit more. Though, maybe that was from the literal flame eyes. She didn't even need to ask if he had magic, did she? She was going to assume he did anyway, since anyone who was friendly with Casey's parents seemed to be.

“My birthday's not for a few days, so maybe it wasn't on the booking. It's not a big deal." Trisha played it down, glancing up at Casey with slightly raised eyebrows. The excitement and celebration for her was nice, but she wouldn't be able to handle it all evening.

“But I'm not going to protest, because that sounds very nice." If kind of insane as a description of a dining place.
“Especially if my husband thinks it would be a ‘wonderful thing'. I can't argue against him wanting to spoil me."

As she spoke she carefully bent down to pick up her handbag. Though they'd offered to put it in a safe cloakroom along with their coats, she'd insisted on keeping a hold of it. They'd be fine, and Casey was there, but she never felt comfortable without some connection to her bees. Normally it was a small group with her, but right now that was through Princess.

She reached out to take Casey's hand, smiling up at him. If the other table was still private and intimate, she didn't have a problem with it.
“Let’s go see this extra romantic table."

Wordlessly, Chef Dubois clapped his hands and sent them both forward.

“I will only ask if you have any dietary restrictions? You Richoux are big eaters, so I expect you to eat what I send you!” he yapped from behind them, scuttling forward to meet their strides as they made it into the main dining room.

Casey shook his head, starting to laugh loudly.
”Chef! You’re spoiling us, please! Eh… I don’t think there’s anything in the way of allergies, but I think, if you could do a guy a personal favor?” Casey asked eludingly.

“What’s that, Monsieur?” he asked in reply, smiling widely.

”I have… A little bit of a problem. The war, you see: Red meat? It-”

The Chef skirted to a stop, pivoting on his heels like a ballerina and grabbing hold of Casey by the gut to stop him as well. He did so in great surprise, body turning fully to look down at the grey haired, stone faced man in the red jacket.

“-My Son… He deals with the same issue, Mr. Richoux. May I ask where you served?” he asked empathetically, the flame in his eyes simmering down to a deceptively calm pure white flame.

”-Oh, a little bit of everywhere, Sir… Uh… I se-”

Dubois stuck his hand up, finger pressing against Casey’s lips.

“Non! No pain… I apologize deeply. I will do for you what I do for my boy! You’ll eat your meat: Order what you wish, and you will be satisfied with the other things I make for you in turn. Be still!”

Casey could only start laughing, actually getting a little hysteric as he turned back to Trisha. The Chef was already rushing toward the kitchen when he spoke.

”I don’t fucking remember this guy being like this… Holy shit, he put his finger on my lips!” he cracked up.

Trisha looked wide eyed at the Chef’s already disappearing back, before looking up at Casey, shaking her head in disbelief.

“He asked and then he put a finger on his lips to stop you answering.” She said quietly, still looking a bit shocked, before letting out a small laugh.
“Maybe you don’t remember because he was less eccentric compared to everyone else you were surrounded by?”

”Yeah, I guess that’s what I get for being born into the Jaackson Family.” he shook his head in return, the waiter actually guiding them through to where the Chef was waiting.

Next to him, there was a big dark wood booth slotted into the wall that looked out at the absolute madness of this kitchen. It, like Andrade’s had been, was loud, full of people talking and the sound of things searing and frying in pans, grills, the clanking of pots and spoons, voices asking for this and that… They’d both been led down, and Casey held Trisha’s hand as she stepped up into the booth to slide around. Casey followed her in, slotting into the center.

Chef Dubois stood proud as a peacock while glasses were brought, as well as settings for two. It was then that the two would be able to feel the velvety richness of the booth’s cloth seats and backing. The cushions themselves weren’t unsupportive, but remained pliable and luxurious in a truly well built fashion. Above them was the most amazing chandelier, miniaturized with what had to be a thousand little candles all flickering away like gems in the air. The different colored waxes only gave that impression further, making the reflections of color into the hanging rhinestones look like the projections of sapphires, rubies, emeralds and a thousand other gemstones that they ultimately weren’t.

They didn’t have to be. It was a beautiful piece. Chef stood in front of the table as they settled in, grinning from ear to ear.

“I have a little uh… Speech I do. If you would please-”
He cleared his throat.
“My name is Chef Patrick Dubois, again, and formally I would like to welcome you to the mountaintop restaurant Le Summum... The Pinnacle! Where once was a small dining hall for intrepid climbers is now a place of culinary delight, where we specialize in classic American steakhouse fare prepared with classic French technique and fresh, all natural ingredients found both here and abroad. It’s my pleasure to invite you to my table, which I have built with my own two hands and placed here for the enjoyment of my most esteemed guests.”

He smiled and nodded at both of them, leaning in slightly.
“This is usually when I say something nice about you, my guests. A memory, or a reason why we’re friends! But, tonight, I must rely on my memories of your Father, and hope that I may graciously honor your family in turn. Maxwell was a good man. It was a shame I wasn’t able to feed him again. So, you can imagine my surprise when I saw your name on the ticket list. I’m honored to see you both, and to meet a fine young man and woman like yourselves.”

By the time he got to this point, two glasses of an incredibly blue-hued wine had been poured into their glasses, and bread had hit the table in a warm puff of doughy steam.

“So, without further adieu, please: Enjoy, and I’ll be back with some snacks for you to enjoy soon enough.”

They were left with menus, their original drinks, and now as nobody was in front of them, the gentle shimmer of some kind of magical veil that fell across the opening of the booth. At the same time, with nobody to potentially let in, the booth began to relax itself, curling inward so that both Trisha and Casey were just the perfect distance from the table. And it really did feel like a hug.

”Oh, holy shit…” Casey nearly faceplanted the table, still laughing.
”What is it with the craziness around us? Is that ever gonna end as a trend?” he asked her with great humor in his voice as he started to roll his sleeves up.

“If we ban Leon and Cass from the ranch, it might.” Trisha responded, completely deadpan.

She wasn’t serious, obviously. Between them and the girls, there was bound to still be plenty of craziness. But especially from Cass. At least Leon was the one who got the worst of it, with her weird body transformations.

“I thought he was exaggerating. But the booth really did hug us. Now I just need to see a bit of fat to see if it glistens with a thousand colours.” She shook her head. Though when she’d been so doubtful she hadn’t known for sure Chef Dubois had magic. It still seemed a bit crazy. But the booth was comfortable, and she quite liked sitting next to Casey. Sure, it meant she had to twist around a bit to look into his eyes, but it also brought them closer to each other.

She reached forward for her glass of wine, eyeing it with a hint of suspicion before bringing it closer to smell it.

“Why is it so blue? Is it- Wait!” She interrupted herself, eyes widening slightly.
“He thinks I’m a Richoux! I didn’t think about it at the time because of how it was said… You Richoux are big eaters. Is he going to bring loads of extra plates and expect me to eat them?”

”Well… Maybe? I’ll let him know after the first one. Maybe… I wanna see what he brings! I’ll eat it, fuck it.” he laughed loudly.

Casey jostled around in his seat a little, trying to find a good place to settle in before really looking around.
”So… This guy? I’m guessing… Red, orange, and green. The culprit who made our favorite sleigh kettle. Which means that the booth is probably living wood, enchanted with a set of motions-to-poses. Quirky ass magic.” he commented sideways.

“All three?” Trisha looked surprised. From what she knew, having three or more Lux types was rare. It weakened them too, or something like that. That’s why she assumed there was strange Luxal colour purity in some Adeptal families.

“That is quirky. The booth is nice, but it seems a bit over the top… Maybe it's a red, orange and green thing? Being quirky I mean. I knew someone with that combination before, and she was… Interesting. Her main spell that combined all three was transforming into a magical girl.” She laughed slightly at the memory. It had always been extra ridiculous when surrounded by the Stygian Snake’s monsters.

“I guess that makes the living wood booth seem a bit less eccentric.”

Casey looked at her with a great deal of admiration as he giggled at the idea of someone using their magic to transform them into that. He understood something to intimidate, or to actually help in a fight. But, just…

”Wait, wait… I know that one I think. Ella? Or something? Just you watch, I bet he’ll come back here with a fucking sailor outfit on and a skirt.” he cackled again, finally picking up the menu to start perusing.

”One of the guys in my squad when I was in Italy really loved those kinds of anime. Said he couldn’t wait until the war was over so they could get back into production, which…” Casey shrugged, not exactly knowing how far along the entertainment sect was from recovering for them.

”D’you remember any other interesting combinations from those days? Anyone else with cool magic that sticks out to you?” he asked casually, striking the conversation up as he took a sip of the deep blue wine.
”Also, uh… Don’t worry. It’s a funky grape, it grows underground, but it’s not dangerous. Enjoy the tartness.”

Trisha had been letting the scent of the wine waft into her nose like you were supposed to- or at least, she was pretending to, when in reality she was suspiciously sniffing it. But Casey had taken a sip and he said it was safe. It just looked incredibly strange. She finally raised the glass to her mouth, taking a small sip before putting it down.

“Oh, that’s quite nice.” She was a bit surprised, since it was quite tart and she didn’t tend to go for drinks like that. But it was nice.

“As for magic, there were quite a few interesting combinations. I guess it’s what happens when you get a massive group of magical teenagers around. Ella was probably one of the most unique ones, though, because she was so crazily into that and would go around yelling out her spells names in a sailor dress, but was also actually very good in a fight.” Trisha said. While she’d never been close to Ella, there hadn’t been any bad blood between them.

“We had two Adepts with four lux types too. I’ve mentioned Anya before.” She wrinkled her nose.
“Not sure I’d call hers cool though. She messed with dreams. Actually went into them, or something. Then Sage too. They were Red, Green, Yellow and Gold. They could do a bit of everything, rather than really specialising… But theirs was cool because they would think of unique ways to make it useful. They were a good person.”

Her smile wavered for a moment, but she pushed through that. She didn’t want to linger on any sadness over their death right now. But they’d been the one who treated her best of her ‘friends.’ The rich clique who never made the effort to keep in touch with her.

“Oh, there was Jasper, who could pull constructs out of paintings. They weren’t always the strongest, but it was cool. Unique too, using his Lux types and his love of painting.”

Casey nodded, considering such a disparate group of Lux types coming together into a single person. It’d have to be two dual lineages at least… That was the kind of dilution that actual magical families strove to keep away from. Sticking to a core Lux meant that families could develop training methods that worked for them, and could share spells back and forth across the line so that every individual in turn made the group stronger. Safer. He was amazed at how few people he’d met who surpassed three Luxal influences until a commanding officer had explained it to him.

”They say it’s a miracle for people like that to Kindle at all. So many strong emotions all at once is a state that nobody really assumes someone will hit until they do. The more colors, the more of a lottery it becomes.” he shrugged slightly.

”That’s why hearing about what Adepts in that situation do with their magic is fascinating. It’s a whole bag of tricks…”

He paused for a moment, thinking about what she’d said exactly before continuing on.
”Also, Sycamites don’t usually get that distinction from you, Trisha. Whoever Sage was, they really deserve the praise.”

Trisha inclined her head, smiling slightly. It was true. She didn’t normally talk that positively of Sycamites, bar Martin. At most, it ended up neutral. And most she had neutral feelings towards died to the Snake.

“Sage Pimm.” She said quietly, like saying their surname would explain everything rather than being more likely to do the opposite.
“They were part of my main friend group- y’know, the rich clique. They were illegitimate, though, so they didn’t really grow up rich. Which was probably why they were nicer than everyone else… They also stuck around right until the end. We weren’t in touch as much after I went to University, but they never acted like they didn’t want to be around me like the rest sometimes would.”

It was a bit strange that she considered a group of people her friends while also admitting they didn’t seem to want her around. But they did sometimes. They hadn’t treated her any differently after what happened with Martin either. Probably not because they believed her, but more that most of them didn’t care.

“So yeah, I have a pretty good opinion of them. I saw them as a friend.” Though she couldn’t say it was entirely mutual, considering she knew that group all met up and kept ‘forgetting’ to invite her. Before, she’d get upset then brush it off because she didn’t really have many friends. But the more she built her confidence, the more she realised there hadn’t been that much there in the first place.

It didn’t really matter now, anyway.

“Plus, they never acted like an asshole. That was pretty rare in Sycamore.”

”Well… Maybe someone else to find and say hello to one day. When you’re on top of the world, y’know?”

Casey’s smile was genuinely warm, and he let his hand reach out to hers to hold it gently. He giggled.
”Either way, we’re here now… In spite of crappy friends and all.” he nodded.

---

The following dinner was a lavish experience indeed for what either person initially imagined would be a steakhouse dinner. Casey expected thick cut fries and slabs of meat, but what they got were elegant, decadent meals made with tender love and care by a man who, like Andrade, was passionate about his craft in ways that were beyond admirable. Every dish Casey ordered, which were numerous, had smaller morsels woven in between with stories about things like “The Old Country”, and the Chef’s life as he’d experienced it. Plenty of anecdotes about Casey’s family, and knowing Big Max as well as Gravity.

He gushed at points, though never so long that it felt like he was intruding; a concept they’d both commented on several times as impressive. And when it was time to go, Casey even managed to mention the honey. Dubois was receptive, and so a consultancy was set up for a few days later just to test the quality of the product. After a few more pleasantries, the duo made their way toward the coat room, then onward toward their waiting sleigh.

Only… Now, there was an obstacle. Something that, in happier times, would’ve thrilled Casey. Equal confusion would’ve existed, sure… But, having the joy of the meeting decapitated by everything that had happened in the last few weeks made it all tense and, quite frankly, a little scary.
Standing on either side of the sleigh door, both dressed in black, were Furio and Clarissa. The former’s body was covered by a naval greatcoat, its buttons covered by a flap over them that allowed the silhouette to remain unbroken, and he held one hand in the other, clasped together in tightly bound leather gloves. His hair was slicked back tight to his head, and he wore what could only be considered a calm stare.

Clarissa, sporting her hair tied down into tight cornrow braids, wore tall boots with military soles, and a bodysuit beneath an otherwise unassuming petticoat with a belt tied around the front. Her hands were in her pockets, which was as ominous as the outline of her channeler therein. Yet, she was smiling softly. The light from inside shone out onto both of them, illuminating them enough that Casey didn’t have to squint to get details.

He didn’t just tense up: Casey immediately planted himself in front of Trisha with an iron grip around one of her arms to make sure she was exactly where he wanted her.

”Oh, Casey, don’t fuckin’ insult us… If we came in anything besides peace, do you really think we would’a waited for a peaceful time to hang around?” Furio chided, breaking up the quiet tension.

But even a second of hesitation could mean Trisha gets hurt. He wouldn’t let them do that. He wouldn’t ever have that regret.

”Unfortunately, things are how they are. Nothing’s as it ever seems.” Casey replied curtly, heart beating a little faster already.

”Casey… God, I wish I could take that back, sweetheart, I really do… You’re such a sweetheart. You don’t deserve all this. I know. We’ve been cruel, maybe. A little too proactive.-” Clarissa’s voice cooed out toward Casey, only to be interrupted.

”-I don’t even have words for you. And I’m only distressed by the fact that you’re here. In a place I had no reason to believe you’d come.” Casey growled.

Furio shook his head, giggling a little.
”And miss Pat’s food? We had our twenty-fifth anniversary here. Stayed a few cabins down from yous.” his accent popped through for once, catching Casey off guard. It wasn’t a facade that he usually let fall…

”And yeah… We know where you’re stayin’. So, why dont’cha save us havin’ to meet you down there, and climb in the sleigh. We’ve got good news for once.”

Casey reeled slightly before closing his eyes in frustration. He wanted nothing more than to just say okay. But, how could he possibly go along with it in any practical way? So, there could only be an insurance policy that would get him anywhere near that thing. One Clarissa knew she’d have to give him if she actually wanted to save any kind of face. In the moment, she did…
One hand slowly slid from her jacket pocket, holding up the flashing glint of steel. Bending down, she placed the pistol on the ground, then slid it across the ground with a hard boot. It slid directly in front of Casey’s feet, but he just kept staring upward at them. His foot slipped out, stepping down on the gun and sliding it behind him to Trisha.

”Honey? Pick it up.” Casey said without moving his head or blinking his eyes.
After all, Furio was just as dangerous as a gun. Moreso. He couldn’t afford to slip now, and held one hand out behind himself to prompt her to put it in his hand.

Trisha was as tense as Casey, the jolt of panic at the sight of them before he stepped in front of her intermingling with a preparation to fight. Her hand slipped into her bag, quietly activating Princess. She silently called through her bees- enough to cling to the entire surface of her bag but no more. They remained silent too at her surprisingly calm orders. A precaution.

Why were they here? They said it was in peace, and that they had good news. Trisha didn't believe it. They'd ambushed them. Furio was subtly threatening them by saying he knew where they were staying. Maybe they weren't here to kill them- though Trisha didn't trust that- but that didn't mean they were here for something actually good. Their opinion of good was skewed anyway.

They were already ruining what had been a perfect evening with their presence. Though Trisha hadn't ordered anywhere near as much as Casey, what she had ordered had been delicious. She'd eaten little bits off his plates too, enjoying it all. They'd gotten special treatment from the Chef without constant intrusion that ruined the intimacy of their evening. It had been the perfect balance. A wonderful evening together, ended with a possible business prospect for her.

And Casey was able to eat everything he'd ordered. Trisha appreciated that more than she did the flavour of the food in a way. She enjoyed the meal, but food was never that important to her. But watching him dig into everything without fear and enjoy made her feel incredibly happy and warm inside.

That warmth still remained as he stayed in front of her protectively, but the joy was all gone.

Even if Clarissa passed over her gun, Trisha didn't trust them. Casey clearly didn't either. She was relieved he didn't back down in front of two people he still loved, with Clarissa acting like she'd regretted what she said. But it had still been said. They planned to kill Casey and her if he didn't start oppressing and killing people. They made him feel hated when he was already suffering.

She silently crouched down to pick up the pistol, placing it in Casey's hand.

There was an urge to stick her head out around him just to glare at them. She wanted them to know that she wasn't going to back down, no matter what kind of nice words they tried to say. Even if Casey forgave them, she wouldn't. There was no going back. But she couldn't do that when Casey was so adamant about staying in front of her.

So she could only speak up from behind him.
“If you've got good news, why not just say it here? The only good news I can't think of from you two is that you'll leave us alone. That doesn't take a whole ride to say. You've already said plenty to Casey otherwise."

Furio looked to his wife with the same kind of deferral Casey gave Trisha commonly. The look of “How do we feel about this?” was an unmistakable gesture and expression that was timeless in its application. Casey, meanwhile, felt the weight of the gun in his hand. It was full of blanks. He could tell the weight difference once the gun was missing six balls of lead, and this one was missing six balls of lead.

It was just for casting spells… She would’ve had ammo if they intended to do anything. His magic radiated, and he did his best to peer into her coat to find any other hidden weapons, which weren't there as far as Casey could tell.

”Oh, for the love of God and all the Ancients beneath Him… Lynette told us to make things up to you. That the best gift Furio and I could give everyone this year is the gift of understanding and forgiveness, which starts with you kids. The ones who will be most affected by her passing.” Clarissa did her best to explain openly.

”After you called me a ‘worthless, selfish ingrate’ who will rot in the Pit for my crimes?” Casey asked simply, voice not wavering.

”You’re takin’ shit out of context, Casey. I’m pretty sure the crux of that feeling-”
Clarissa threw her hand up, practically slapping Furio in the face as he tried to get his semantic point across.

”Shut up… You’re right, Casey. I did. And I can’t take that back. I said what I said in the heat of the moment, and I have no other excuse. But we’re coming to you now with the assertion that we’ve been wrong about this. About everything.” Clarissa pleaded, her face twisted into a mournful frown.

Casey frowned back. One thing neither of these people ever did was admit fault. Either it was the worst trap ever, or something had happened.

”I want a Recollection. Of what the conversation that led to this entailed, preferably… Because this is unbelievable, and I’m aghast. You two probably understand how you’ve hurt me, but I don't know if you fully grasp the depth of it. So, cough up the memories.”

Trisha frowned, one hand clenching into a fist. She didn’t trust it, though she could guess who the conversation was with. There was only one person that would push them this way. Lynette. And Trisha didn’t trust that either. Because Lynette hadn’t wanted them dead the whole time, yet Clarissa and Furio had.

Both individuals had closed their eyes in preparation for what was next: The remote viewing. A White Adept’s ability to observe Recollections in greater detail than their counterparts meant being able to see the environment around the observer, and to travel about the area in that moment. Yet, Casey didn’t need those functions. Casey only needed to observe the couple’s last conversation with his mother.

And it was a doozy. There was screaming and crying. Fighting, loud declarations of passion and love… Two people pleading with a friend. A lover. A goddess: That this divinity not withdraw its physical form from the comfort of their lives. Begging for another option. Another way.

Lynette only asked them to stay. To wait patiently, and to trust her return would come. Until finally, they accepted outwardly. They accepted, and then discussed how they should begin to fix things… And here they were. It was uneasy, but they were fanatics… Hopefully, that sensation was unkillable.

For Trisha, the moment presented itself with great subtlety… Yet, this was a brief moment where, if she wanted, she could have easily killed the two relatively defenceless Adepts in front of them. They were locked into the Recollection, after all… Even if one died, the other wouldn’t just come out of it.

It’d be as easy as bees in the lungs…

It was tempting. The thought of killing them when they couldn’t defend themselves was scarily tempting. The bees buzzed in tandem with her thoughts, crawling out of her bag and up her arm. Then they wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

But would Casey forgive her for that if they were truly trying to make amends? Amends that she would never trust… But they weren’t the people who’d helped raise her. They were for Casey. She wasn’t going to just let them into their life and future, but she couldn’t really stop Casey if he decided to trust them.

If what he saw satisfied him.

So instead of going for the kill, she went for a warning instead. A precaution that could turn into a kill if Casey wanted it to.

The bees were split, one group going to land on Furio while the other went to Clarissa. They placed themselves in vulnerable locations. Some brandished stings at their necks, while others crawled inside their clothing to get to their arms and abdomen. In the end, there were at least a hundred on each of them. Not enough to kill them in one sting, but ten? That would do it. It would be difficult to get rid of all of them before they got stung at least a thousand times.

Then she waited silently for them to come out of the recollection. And when they did, there wasn’t any panic. Rather, the two immediately exchanged calm glances before a smile split Furio’s lips.

”Checkmate goes to Trisha, I guess.”
”Don’t condescend… Trisha? Good idea, Hon. Y’know I’m terribly allergic? Don’t even carry an epipen.”

For the first time, Casey let his head turn to look at Trisha. He nodded, then leaned down to kiss her gently.

”It's alright for now. I believe we’re okay.” Casey spoke calmly, keeping the gun in his hand gripped tightly.

Trisha frowned up at him, eyes narrowed slightly. She was searching for any hint that he didn’t really believe that. But she knew that when it came to her he wouldn’t just throw away their safety for others… She trusted him. Though she was still cautious.

Slowly, the bees were pulled back from the other couple. They landed on Trisha, crawling inside her jacket and clinging to her hair. She wasn’t going to send them back until it was just the two of them again.

“Alright. I trust you.” She said quietly once they were all back on her. There was a temptation to keep just one on each of them as a safeguard… But that would look like she didn’t trust Casey.

She looked past Casey, expression cold.
“Good to know that you’re allergic, Clarissa. I’ll try not to accidentally slip. I suppose you really aren’t here to kill us, if you told me that.”

Clarissa only laughed in response before the two of them stepped forward a little. Casey didn’t want them thinking that things were okay… After all, they were still following a plan that included things he didn’t like. Like they were just gonna slide in now, and wait for someone to give birth to the new Lynette? No chance. He gave them both a glance, and they stopped moving forward with friendly intent.

”Casey…” Furio chided with a fatherly tone, as if goading Casey into dropping some kind of act.

”No, no… I know this’ll probably make me sound like more of an ingrate to you people, but believe me when I say that I don’t want hugs. I don’t want anything from either of you right now. It’s cold. Either leave, and let us get on in peace, or bother us when we get back down the mountain. Come on, Babe.”

Casey clung tight to Trisha, now slipping her in front of him so he could body block before he pushed right between the two of them and made way for the sleigh. At the step, he helped Trisha up while tossing Clarissa’s gun back to her.

”You shouldn’t let it go this way, Casey… We’ve never stopped loving you.” Clarissa spoke with a motherly tone.
”I said that to you… On the day you became the Blade? I said ‘You’re like our son too.’ You. Not Leon, not Max… You.”

Casey didn’t pause, stepping up into the cart. Trisha would be able to see the subtle sadness in his face this close.

”I’m not going to let your guilt ruin our night. You did wrong, and continue to do wrong now. You both know coming here, doing this to us, is wrong. If you were telling the truth completely, you’d have just waited until we got home, and showed us that you really are ready to let go of all this shit. You didn’t. You came here, a place I never imagined you’d be able to get to, and you’ve played a shitty hand. I remain wounded.”

He spoke like a disappointed parent, or a teacher who caught you cheating on an important test but only after the grades were finalized.

Frowning, the couple looked up as Casey closed the sleigh door and fully sat down next to Trisha, arm coming around her. He shot a manual orange signal up to the crop, causing it to usher the reindeer along and back toward the road they’d come up from. Trisha wouldn’t have been able to hear them, but Casey was listening magically.

”Well… Let’s go get food.”
”Yessssss, we’ll get a cheesecake slice for Ivy too. She’ll be thrilled in the morning.”

Hearing such a domestic thing come out of them after that made him feel terribly guilty. Like they really meant everything they said, and he was being the unreasonable one. A single tear became a small stream that fell from Casey’s eyes as he sniffled and cleared his throat.

”I’m really proud. Of you.” he spoke softly.

Trisha looked a bit shocked at that. She didn’t think she was the one that had done anything difficult. He was.

“Thank you. I’m proud of you too.” She replied quietly, reaching up to try and wipe away his tears. It wasn’t really possible, so she just gently cradled his face with her hands.

“You did the right thing. They came here to alleviate their guilt and put it all on us. Them loving you doesn’t make it alright that they hurt you.” She continued.
“They don’t get to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. They didn’t even really apologise.”

She didn’t want to go on and on about how she felt about it, mostly trying to validate how he’d acted. It was so easy for her to read into their words because of her anxiety, even when it wasn’t directed at her. They came to offer forgiveness because Lynette wanted them to make up with her children. It wasn’t for Casey. And in her mind, he didn’t have anything to be forgiven for.

It irritated her that they expected to just be welcomed back with open arms after proving they’d changed their minds about killing them.

If she’d had the chance, she would’ve had plenty of choice words of her own. It was probably good she hadn’t had that chance.

“I’m glad you didn’t let them back in. That must’ve been hard.” She said softly, rubbing her thumbs against his face. She knew how hard it was. It was ironic how happy she was that he was keeping them at a distance, when if her Mom said anything similar to her she’d forgive her immediately. But Maria hadn’t threatened to kill them.

“I thought about killing them while you were in the Recollection. I didn’t because I knew you wouldn’t want that depending on what you saw. But for a moment I really considered it.” She admitted.

Casey nodded along with what she was saying. It was hard when he was the child in the scenario. For so long, those two faces had been adults. Authority figures in his life, who protected him and cared for him. Who sometimes even put themselves between him and the worst of what the others got.

”You’ll do great things when you find your gift. I know you will.”
”Don’t sell yourself short, Prince Charming. The ugly duckling was a swan, after all!”
”Just because he’s not here doesn’t mean I’m not. You need a Dad? I’m still here, Casey… I love you.”
”Oh, there’s not a thing I wouldn’t do to see that smile, Moodybear!”

”That would’ve sucked. I don’t think I would’ve blamed you, but… Yeah, I guess that probably wouldn’t have been great. I’m… Still worried about Ivetta. About what her life turns into if those two are gone. Say anything you want, but they love that girl. I can’t imagine what them being gone would do to her.” he frowned openly, adjusting until he was low enough to lay his head and upper torso across Trisha’s lap.

”I… Really have no words, at this point. I don’t even really know what to feel.” he lied.

After all, it was easy to know what to feel. The hard part was choosing one of a thousand microemotions to expand into the crux. There was so much packed into the sentiment that he actually just felt overwhelmed.

“It’s alright. You don’t need to talk about anything if you can’t.” Trisha said softly, one arm hugging over his torso. Her other hand gently ran through his hair.

She just wanted to be there for him, putting aside her own feelings of anger and anxiety over the situation. They wouldn’t help right now. Hopefully Clarissa and Furio really had changed how they felt, and she wouldn’t have to channel them later. Though she wouldn’t let herself feel relief over it until Lynette was gone, and they returned home. Just in case.

“Hopefully you won’t have to worry about Ivetta. If they’ve chosen to ‘forgive and understand’, that means they won’t come for us afterwards. We won’t have to kill them, and hopefully they’ll live for her. I… Wouldn’t really kill people who were important to you like that. Only to defend us. I can’t pretend I want them to live, but I know they have a daughter… She doesn’t deserve it.” Trisha half defended herself, before frowning.

It wasn’t really helpful right now, was it? She hadn’t killed them. But she would if they changed their mind again.

“You can feel as conflicted about it as you want. I’m not going to judge you… I understand.” It must be harder when it was people who actually loved him.
“I’m here for you.”

Casey could only take comfort in her. There was nothing else to do, besides maybe feel bad that his life had crept into their private time again. It was frustrating at the very surface, never mind as things got deeper and he was forced to introspect over a life spent idolizing those two. He nodded along instead, just listening to Trisha’s voice and trying to follow it back to a comfortable place.

”Are you okay? It wasn’t exactly fair of them to invade our space, but I’m more worried about your time. Your experience. I’d… I don’t know how I’d be able to make it up to you if that… Ruined it…” he frowned.

“You wouldn’t have to, because you wouldn’t have been the one that ruined it.” Trisha said with a small frown of her own. If it had ruined the whole night for her, she wouldn’t have blamed him. He’d been hurt more than she had by them turning up. She didn’t like it, but her emotions had settled down into anger more than anything.

“I’m okay. It would take a lot more to ruin such a great day with my fiance.” She leaned forward to kiss his cheek. As she did, a few honey bees tumbled out of her coat and onto Casey. They wiggled their little butts, crawling onto his shoulders and settling there comfortably.

“Oh look, they wanted to join in.” Trisha commented, looking down at him with a slight smile. There were no signs that she was lying in her gaze, or that she was trying to downplay her own feelings for him. She continued talking after briefly being distracted by her bees.

“I’m anxious that they know where we’re staying. That makes me uncomfortable more than anything. But more than that, right now I’m pissed off at them for doing that. I might need to throw a few pillows at a wall when we get back… But I’m really fine.”

It would’ve been more difficult if they’d lingered. If there’d been more of a conversation, and she’d had to listen to Furio and Clarissa talk about how they felt now. If they’d all ended up in the sleigh together. But it was brief. Frustrating, but brief. Soon they’d be away from all of this. There’d be no more people trying to intrude on their lives that they didn’t want there in the first place.

She didn’t want to let her frustration and petty feelings ruin all the good things she’d felt that day. So more than being okay, she was making an active effort to hold onto that. To not react badly even though the targets of her annoyance weren’t there for her to get it out on. Letting herself get dragged down by it meant more of their night could be ruined.

”You really are awesome.” he said calmly, not looking up from his comfortable position.

She was successfully comforting him, which was a fantastic change of pace from what he was used to. He only ever got this feeling from a few other people in his life, and there’d be one less in the world soon. Casey felt a strong sense of needing to cling to the moment. Honey wafted up from him, causing the bees to begin waddling in a circular pattern around where they’d gathered.

A strong moment of Faith, in spite of adversity. Surroundings collapse, but the core remains warm and radiant. Pink, Blue, Green, Red, Yellow… Orange.

His signal to the bees directed them off his back, so that he could return to an upright position. They managed to make for his shoulder, twisting into a small knot together before he fully shifted and straightened out to a new platform for them.

”Alright… If you’re not down, I’m not gonna be either. You still owe me a game of pool. We’ll smack the balls around; pretend they’re stupid people.” he finally managed to grin.

After all, what was there to be sad about? If they were telling the truth, that meant less people had to die. Even if they weren’t great people morally, it still meant less blood on his hands. And a young girl keeps her family. Even if they were bad at it, this was good news.

“Technically I asked you to play pool later. So you owe me a game of pool. Don’t twist it around like that.” Trisha teased lightly, smiling back at him. She leaned in to playfully bump him with her shoulder, before relaxing against him.

“That sounds nice. We can relax and get some of our frustration out together. I like the sound of that.”

The next morning was an earlier start for Trisha, even though they’d stayed up late into the night. Pool together for a few hours, then further relaxing in each other's company. In the end, she’d actually drifted off lying in his arms as they watched something on the television. She’d only have woken up when Casey carried her up to bed, drifting right back off when she was put down and bundled up in blankets.

It was nice, to actually sleep two nights in a row. Though the problem had been that Casey wasn’t there with her, so she struggled to sleep. Now that she was getting all of this time with him, it was getting difficult to stay up really late if they were cuddling. It was like all the missed sleep was really catching up on her.

But they had big plans today, which meant getting up early. They couldn’t leave too late if they wanted to make the most of it, with the days being as short as they were. Though it still took her a while to actually get up after Casey gently woke her up in the morning. Thirty minutes spent trying to stop herself from falling back asleep, before finally dragging herself out.

A shower, and then some time spent picking out what to wear. Nowhere near the effort of the night before, but it was still a date. She could look nice while still wearing practical clothes. In the end she settled for a black high necked wool sweater that hugged her upper body tightly and was tucked into green corduroy pants. The pants were thicker than most of her others, which made the outfit cozy while still looking nice.

Her hair was still damp, so she left it for just now as she made her way downstairs. There was no sign of Casey… But she wasn’t particularly surprised, even though there was that reactive spark of anxiety in her chest. She’d taken a while to get ready, so there was no way he’d just lounge about. She could easily guess exactly where he was.

She grabbed her coat to bundle up, slipping out the back door. Just like she’d expected, the shed’s dropshudder door was slightly open and she could see movement underneath it.

“Babe, have you had breakfast yet? Want me to get you something?” She called out as she very slowly shuffled her way across towards the shed, careful of any ice.

Casey had been mostly ready a few hours ago, but his bleary rush to work and busy himself had dirtied him again in some ways. He’d brought his work jumper, and had worn it over his nicer clothing with the intention of wearing it during their trip as well. But, as opposed to not taking apart a vehicle engine apart and putting it back together, Casey had done just that and covered the thing in oil several times over. It was necessary, as certain pieces needed to be enchanted in ways that he didn’t always have the accompanying ingredients to. Other spells had to be used in place, creating tenuous links that he could at least easily repair on the fly if need rose. There was just the matter of getting the individual parts enchanted in the first place. A much easier prospect when they were in his hands.

He heard Trisha’s voice as he was testing that everything was working, and half of her question was washed out in the noise.

Breakfast? I haven’t even had sleep.

While Trisha found it much easier to actually get to sleep, last night was difficult for Casey. Every time he closed his eyes for a little while, they flashed into his mind again. Again. Again. Was it a conspiracy? A move to put him over the edge like this? To have him off guard when they finally came back? How could he sleep knowing there was such a nightmare lurking out there now? They could just change their minds again!
He knew he’d feel better once they were out of range of the resort. Unlike the back seat of a particular car, Clarissa had a much harder time marking topless and single-seat vehicles as locations to teleport to, so even if they had been to the cabin Casey and Trisha were staying in, she most likely wouldn’t be able to follow them using the sled as an anchor.

Not that Casey felt safe enough to refrain from checking… It’d come out clean, so Casey was frankly more anxious to get gone.

”I should probably come in and eat something, yeah… You’re right.”

As she walked into the shop fully, she’d be able to see him in his work jumpsuit… However that would make her feel, he expected a mixed bag. But, expecting anything at all was better than getting caught without a plan. He was ready to assuage in case she had a cross word.

”Goodmorning, beautiful lady… The chariot’s all set for a comfy four hour ride. You’re gonna love it.” he grinned widely.

“Morning, my love… Mmm, what did you do to it?” Trisha asked, shuffling towards him. Even though she’d spent plenty of time getting ready, sleepiness was still lingering. It was the irritating crash after weeks of minimal sleep. It always happened when she stayed up cramming for exams. After they were done, she’d spend days just sleeping.

At least the ride would fully wake her up. And it worked in Casey’s favour, her bleary eyes barely registering the jumpsuit. At least not enough to think beyond it being practical for working on the snowmobile. Which he’d wanted to do since getting back yesterday.

There weren't any suspicions, even though she had her own worries. It was safer to say her anxiety hadn’t really reduced after Furio and Clarissa’s visit the night before. She didn’t trust them, so she didn’t feel any more or less safe than she had before.

“Did you make it a bed? Wait, no, that’d be bad, I need the ride to wake me up.” She stopped just short of Casey, thinking the better of hugging him as she spotted various oil stains. That would be a pain to get out of her white jacket.

“All those sleepless weeks are catching up to me. I woke up in the middle of the night and got set off a bit by the dark, but soon as I unlocked my phone screen for some light I fell back asleep.”

Casey playfully patted the seat of the snowmobile, happy to have the adorably sleepy early morning Trisha variant grace his presence. He was thrilled that she slept at all, especially considering how early he’d actually crawled out of the bed and down the stairs. He had the whole cabin rigged with listeners and magic detectors, so nothing was going to slip by him at least…

”Well you come here and rest your weary buns. Saddle up, and I encourage you to try and fall off the seat.” he proudly declared, looking at her with bright eyes.

“Are you saying my ass looks tired? Where’re you looking this early… That’s rude.” She playfully whined, sounded extra pathetic and cute at the same time with how sleepy she was. She reached up to rub her eyes, blinking the bleariness away as best as she could.

She was curious what he’d done, so she clambered up onto the seat. But she was still too cautious to just try fall off. Even if Casey would catch her, she couldn’t bring herself to lean that far. But she did lean to the side, enough that if the snowmobile was somehow jostled she’d probably fall off.

While she was able to get on the seat just fine, jostling herself and leaning caused an incredibly persistent unseen force to slowly push back against Trisha. It wasn’t violent, but it was incredibly insistent that she exist somewhere within the boundaries of the seat. It was hard to imagine what it would do if she somehow managed to scramble off the seat.
It probably had something to do with the fact that her feet had been sucked tight to the floor… Trisha would be able to shift them forward and backward, even lift them up within the confines of the now expanded portion of space between her legs and the front of the machine…

”Lovey, as long as your ass is on that seat? You’re stuck until I tell it to let you go.”

Casey approached the side of the sled and bent down. Trisha would be able to feel the rippling response of magic blast through her legs without affecting her. Without warning, Casey bent down and placed both hands on the sled before tilting it effortlessly with Trisha on it. And, horrifying as it may’ve been, he was right! As he tilted it fully, it just felt like she was laying on a flat glass surface. It cradled her slightly, almost netlike if it didn’t feel so solid…

“W-What the fuck, Casey?!” Even though she didn’t actually fall, the reactive panic still had her heart thudding in her chest. She hadn’t expected him to just tilt it! And of course she panicked. It was a pretty rational reaction, because the result wasn’t based in reality! Magic was crazy for all the things it could do. Though the panic now meant she wouldn’t panic as much later if the snowmobile really swung about.

“Warn me next time, please?” She took a deep breath, managing to relax the longer the strange, solid surface kept her up. At least it had really woken her up…

“It’s really impressive, Casey. Can I get off myself? Like, if I stand up straight, rather than from side to side? Or am I trapped on it until you decide to let me go.” She asked, tone turning a bit more teasing towards the end.

Casey couldn’t help but giggle in a mischievous way on seeing her reaction to the fact that some magical apparatus was keeping her locked in. Her nervous flail was enough to get him laughing with the knowledge that she was totally safe inside it.

”There’s a safeword. More like a passphrase. ‘I’m alright, Casey.’ Preferably with your most chipper and enthusiastic tone.” he grinned.

“Safeword makes it sound like something kinky." Trisha intoned, before taking another deep breath. It took her a moment to gather out enough energy to say, cheerfully,
“I’m alright, Casey."

Upon the utterance as required, the subtle feeling of her legs being held faded, and Trisha would find herself of free movement and locomotion once again. Still grinning ear to ear, Casey patted on the machine happily.

”I may just buy this out from under them, honestly. Sure, I’ve got nowhere to put it right now, but all that effort! I’m proud! Way more proud than I feel like I should be, maybe.”

Shrugging, he slipped around it and made way for a small bucket on the floor. Holding his arm down toward it, the fabric of the jumpsuit began to ruffle before the oil stains and splotches started to crawl themselves down toward the wrist to ultimately leak out. Whatever Casey was doing to the clothes, it was causing the oil to literally gather up, only to be massaged out of the fabric and into the bucket with gentle dripping noises.

”Also, if you wanted to pack a bunch of bees to bring, we can. Or, maybe let the ones you have here out into the cabin? So that they defend it? We’ll be far enough that my monitoring spells won't be working properly here.” he added calmly, hoping to keep her in the loop without freaking her out.

Trisha frowned, brow furrowing. Did he expect something to happen? When did he set up all the monitoring spells? Clearly, yesterday's talk with Clarissa and Furio hadn't put him at ease at all. He didn't trust them either… Which was a good thing, but his preparations also made her anxious.

“Do you think something might happen?" She asked quietly, slipping off the snowmobile and shuffling towards him.
“I was going to bring Princess anyway… I don't think I can communicate with them at such a long distance either, so I won't know what happens. If I wake up some of the soldier bees I hibernated, they're more likely to know what to do without me, but I won't know anything's happened until one of them dies."

Casey shrugged his shoulders. Anything was possible as far as Furio and Clarissa were concerned, and they’d spent the last two months basically calling him a lazy good-for-nothing. If they were going to continue, the least he could do was prove them wrong in a very dire way.

”Maybe we can coax them into some sort of ambush position? We can only hope they didn’t break into the cabin when they were here, so Clarissa can’t get directly inside. Meaning, they’d probably use a door if they wanted to this time. If we line the doors with territorial bees led by a few warriors, Clarissa won’t have time to react. I’m pretty sure she wasn’t lying about being allergic to bees…” he asserted, assuming they could probably do anything they set their minds to. They were a team after all, and a damn good one too.

”It’s just peace of mind for me. If anything happens to her, the bees that are there will probably bite the dust. Hell, they may have even brought a goddamn epipen, but what’s it gonna do against a few hundred stings? Is that, like, even possible to tank with a little epinephrine? Fuck, whose to say there’s not some magical epipen. Hell, the green probably works- Fuck! I didn’t bring any key lime filling because I didn’t think anyone would get to us here!” he openly worried now, approaching the cusp of panic.

Trisha frowned, closing the remaining gap between them and taking his hands. It was difficult not to reactively panic. She’d assumed Casey had been paranoid enough to bring some of the key lime just in case… But they’d packed in such a whirlwind when plans changed. But if he was worrying about it, she couldn’t help but worry. He just knew the situation better. He’d experienced more magical war than she had, and knew what Clarissa and Furio were capable of. So that made her anxious, even if she was trying not to freak out about it.

“Maybe- Maybe we can contact Leon or someone, get them to send some. Or- There must be healers in the main resort? If it’s a magical community?” Trisha said, doing her best to try and find solutions rather than add to his panic. Though the hands clutching his trembled slightly, before gripping onto him tightly.

“And if we have access to medical supplies, I think we both have enough experience to keep each other alive until we get magical healing. I’m rusty but, I- I’ve even had to help manually sew up wounds when we didn’t have enough healers.” She continued, biting her lip. There had been certain battles against the Stygian Snake where the aftermath had been all hands on deck. If you weren’t actively dying, you had to help.

“Maybe the key lime will help against any reaction to their stings, but I think enough bee stings will overwhelm it anyway. Especially the Soldiers and the Bombers. They aren’t just normal bees… But I can set a group of them up on the door. I’ll bring through some of my more aggressive honey bees, and wake up some of the soldiers that I brought with me. Maybe some of the bombers too. They’ll happily lounge by the door if I give them a wool jumper or two… Or do you think I should just wake up all the ones I brought with me, and place them around the cabin?”

The thought of using her bees without being there to command them, and possibly losing them, was difficult. But she knew the new Soldier bees were able to lead the others enough in a situation like that… They’d get the job done, even if they all perished in the process. She could give different groups different instructions. Maybe instruct some to hide until she came back. Hopefully it wouldn’t be necessary. Casey said it was just peace of mind for him. But she felt he was right to be paranoid, even if it made her anxious too.

“Or maybe I just wake up enough to help guard the doors, and the rest if I need to. I don’t want to lose all of my Soldiers and Bombers right away.” She said quietly, furrowing her brow slightly. She squeezed Casey’s hands again.
“But they can do it. Even if it isn’t an ideal warning, I’ll know if anyone gets in and kills them.”

Casey nodded in turn, doing his best to calmly guide himself and Trisha back up to the Cabin so that they could both finish getting ready for the day’s activity. He didn’t want Trisha feeling like doom was an imminent thing, because he knew as well as she did that the situation didn’t have to be something dire. If they took Clarissa and Furio at face value, it was actually fine! Everything should’ve been good, because they said so. It was only Casey’s rampant paranoia, fueled by knowledge of tangentially related precedence, that gave him reason to fear what was coming. Both individuals were utter loose cannons who, without the direct guidance of their ultimate leash holder, became ravenous and hungry for violence in order to quell all the worst parts of themselves.

It wasn’t wonderful to imagine the unhinged behavior that could stem from any kind of residual nerves they may have regarding the situation involving Lynette. There was nothing saying they wouldn’t wait until dear old Mom was six feet in the dirt before they decided to get a little hands-on with their feelings. He could only be cautious about every little thing now, because they’d shown that they could be there. There were no ifs about that… And they knew which cabin to crack open in case of nostalgic motives to kill.

It was eerie at the least. Dangerous enough that he felt they should be prepared. So… Not wanting to scare her, but erring on the side of caution nonetheless, Casey thought about what the best configuration for bees would be.

”Keep a quarter of what you have reserved. Keep them tucked in your luggage, and before we leave, I’ll stash it somewhere they won’t find it. Hopefully. And it’ll be not here in case something happens, and either you need to make an escape without me, or preferably we just need reinforcements. I can’t stress enough that if anything happens to me, you need to be able to get as far away as-”

He stopped himself. They’d been through this before.

”-well… If we knew someone was here, we’d just pick it up. You and I aren’t going anywhere without knowing the other’s safe, are we? To the end, and meet again?” he asked her sincerely, if a little sternly.

It was a big kind of emotion to shift to… The idea that he didn’t have to protect her by keeping her away from things. He and Leon had just the same discussion the other night about Cass… If love abides, then they must remain. Casey knew that, crazy as it sounded, Trisha wouldn’t really want to live without him. And he didn’t want her to have to. So, if that meant ride or die until the very end? He figured that’s what made Clarissa and Furio strong. That they were both so fixated only on their own intentions in the moment of combat that their intentions never became clouded by the fear of losing the other one.

Only the fear of living without them.

“To the end and meet again." Trisha echoed, nodding. Her lips pulled up into a small smile.
“I wouldn't want to go anywhere without you. I don't want you to go anywhere without me either, even if it's selfish to feel that way."

Even if it meant following each other to death.

She really wouldn't be able to leave him behind if something happened. She'd rather die trying to keep him alive than run knowing it would mean he was gone. And if she couldn't save him, at least she could go trying to get revenge. Maybe it wasn't healthy… But he wasn't only the love of her life, he was her future. All of the plans and hope she had didn't exist without him.

So even if he was insistent she get away, she wouldn't have been able to do it. She was glad he'd accepted that she wouldn't go anywhere. She'd trained so hard so that she could fight by his side, even if she'd only dipped into the shallows of her newly unlocked Apparitional magic. If he'd continued with his initial thought it might've ended up as more of a fight… No, she wouldn't want to fight him today.

“We can protect each other. But having some of the bees in a different location is still sensible. I have Princess, but only so many can get through her at a time. I brought and froze so many to avoid that gridlock." She continued, beginning to drift towards her bee filled suitcase now that they were inside the cabin.

But she paused, turning towards Casey and shuffling back over to him. She leaned up to softly kiss him, hovering on her tiptoes with her face close to his as she spoke quietly.
“I love you. Thank you for accepting I'll be with you until the end."

The question that followed as she lowered herself was much more mundane.
“Can you get out some fruit for the bees? They might need it to fully wake up, and it's a good bribe."

Without having skipped a single beat, save to accept Trisha’s affection, Casey was already rummaging around for food. Fruit was the easiest, and he pulled the plastic tray covered in cling film out of the fridge before unwrapping it and setting upon it himself.

”Clear on fruit. I’m gonna wash my hands and get dressed. I’m not sure if you want to dress comfortably, or nicely…” he asked without asking, voice trailing off in wait for the presumptive response.

“I can do both… but mostly comfortably." Trisha replied, gesturing down to her comfy wool sweater and thick corduroy pants combo.

”Alright, sounds fine then.”

Stepping closer, he slotted up against her and tilted his head downward to give Trisha a big kiss. She had acknowledged his feelings already, and had even praised him for accepting her own position. It was hard as someone who felt themselves to be a protector. How could he accept they may both die? The goal wasn’t for more people than necessary to buy the farm upstate, it was to prevent more violence by being proactive in planning… It was incredibly difficult for Casey to accept that, without him, Trisha didn’t want plans. At least, not for the foreseeable future. Long enough that life itself may become a pointless affair.

He couldn’t feel guilty about her dying if he was dead too… Hopefully, maybe selfishly, they’d kill him first… Because he wasn’t sure his life would just stop without her. It wasn’t quite the same. He had guilt now, because he’d seen a hundred other people die with hope and dreams still intact, yet he was here. With relatively little emotional stock in himself, it became far easier for Casey to accept he didn’t deserve to be alive. It was easy to accept, even.

But if her life really started and ended with his? If she couldn’t imagine feeling enough desire to keep going without him? Why even conflict her internally?

”Babe, uh… You… You wouldn’t kill yourself if you managed to be the last Paranormal standing, would you? I… Don’t love thinking about this stuff, but I feel like I need to know for my peace of mind! I’d really rather if that wound up happening, well, maybe you’d think about this moment and remember when I said that I still would want you to live, even if it was just to spite the Ancients, and Fate. My angry Queen, too hateful to die… I’d almost want you to turn into a villain… Maybe not, but that sentiment is what I’m trying to get across.”

Trisha frowned a little, hugging into him as she actually thought about it. Would she?

It was difficult to imagine wanting to live without him. Maybe tens of years down the line, if the ensuing loneliness didn't get too much. She knew she wouldn't be entirely alone. There'd be Cass, and with her Leon, and the girls. Assuming they could tolerate her without Casey around. Especially when she undoubtedly became an awful person in the aftermath, or fell into a deep depression.

“I wouldn't." Trisha said quietly, tilting her head up to look at him.
“Kill myself, I mean. I don't know what I'd do. Maybe I would become a villain… Or I just won't be able to do much at all. I don't know, it's not nice to think about. But I wouldn't kill myself… I'm not brave enough to do that. But I don't think I'd take care of myself either. I might wither away… I wouldn't feel like there was much point to living, even if I wasn't brave enough to do something so drastic."

She was trying her best to be honest. Maybe it was an odd way to look at it, but she really wouldn't be able to go through with something like that. Even at her most depressed or loneliest… Even as a teenager who'd lost a boyfriend who treated her well and was blamed by all her peers for it. Casey was different, but she still wouldn't be able to. Especially if she knew it wasn't what he'd have wanted. No matter how painful living would be.

“I’d probably take revenge on anyone I thought played a part in it, and be reckless about it… Maybe I'd push away all the other people who care just now. I don't know. I really hope it doesn't happen."

Casey nodded, head tilting down to kiss Trisha comfortingly as both hands rubbed her up and down with the same intention. Holding tightly to her, he tried to imagine a world where she was happy without him. How could he blame her for not wanting to interact with life if something so tragic took place? He couldn't. He knew what that feeling was already. The kind of feeling that kept one in the same clothes for weeks, or abandoning friendships over the agony of goodness without joy.

”It won’t happen, Honey… We’re gonna be fine. It’ll all be fine. Say Clarissa and Furio were telling the truth? Then, y’know, we enjoy our weekend and head home… And spend the next however many years of our life preparing to fight a couple of people who may never wind up hurting us… But, God forbid they ever try: We’ll be ready for it. Us. Both. Together.” he asserted, wanting to instill confidence in her.

”You’re so special to me… Even when the world turns gray, you’re still colored in. I won’t let anyone take me away from that. Not myself, not Clarissa and Furio, not Father Time itself. We’re here together…”

Besides, they wouldn’t kill her. Hell, maybe they wouldn’t kill either of them. Maybe they’d just bide their time. Casey imagined a world then, with an infant daughter and a prophetic resurrection completed, where two fanatics waited across a span of years for their Lady in Black to be born once more. Clarissa and Furio finally descend, and demand the child or fight to the death for her then…

He could only hope they’d see the foolishness in hurting them now. Give them time… Just a few years to guarantee that they were just as cohesive a team as Clarissa and Furio.

”Now, forget it… I’m sorry I even brought it up. Today’s for smiles.” he nodded, squeezing her tightly and shaking her around a bit.
”You wanna come with me while I get dressed? Would it make you feel better being close?” he asked at the same time.

Trisha nodded, managing a smile. It was difficult to drag herself out from those thoughts- the what ifs that plagued someone with severe anxiety all too easily. She didn’t want to let it get to her… Which meant keeping her mind from dwelling and spiralling. Like Casey said, it wouldn’t happen. They’d be fine. They’d survive whatever happened.

“If that’s alright? I don’t want to smother you… Since you’ll already have me clinging to you most of the day. Though a good chunk of that’ll be on the snowmobile, which means it's clinging for safety.” She answered, hugging back into him before wriggling an arm out to snatch a piece of melon. She nibbled on it, tension seeming to ease as she looked up at him.

She was still cautious when it came to being too clingy. While Casey had been much better since they left the city, she didn’t want to push it. It was better to be careful until his mood was completely improved. Rejection would be worse… Though in this case, she was probably being way too anxious. He’d asked her if she wanted to come up with him.

“Plus, I like a good show in the morning.” She joked, raising her eyebrows a few times and smiling playfully up at him.
“I know I said to dress comfily, but maybe I’ve changed my mind so I can fussily make you change your outfit multiple times just to see you strip again.”

She was obviously joking, doing her best to lighten both of their moods while also turning attention away from her anxious little question. Sure, she did enjoy seeing Casey without his clothes on, but getting changed wasn’t actually all that sexy. She wasn’t some horny beast like Cass.

”You can just ask… I don’t mind getting naked for you.” he laughed, taking her hand and leading her up the stairs.

---

A little while later, and the two were ready to set off on their adventure. Both bundled up as much as was necessary, Trisha would find the seat of the snowmobile to be far more accommodating to her after Casey fussed with it. Where her knees sat, it tapered off so she didn’t have to spread her legs so awkwardly wide. And Casey had even adjusted where things were in the front, giving them both the ability to stretch their legs fully into the fuselage of the machine. Though, if Casey stretched out, chances were that he’d also force her to do the same by the position.

Having closed the garage and made it onto the trail, he tested the theory by letting both legs slide forward. Since he was behind Trisha, both legs came up underneath hers, lifting them up and resting them on his shins as four feet tucked into toasty warm pockets at the sides of the front. Casey was going a little faster than he’d done initially, finding his work on the suspension to have done wonders for the ride quality. Seventy miles per hour practically felt like they were sitting still, were it not for the wind blowing all around them.

At least the helmets and magically warmed clothing kept the elements from being too biting. They were a moment or two away from jumping into the loop around the lake when Casey spoke.
”I’m honestly sold. I know, winter is terrible and getting snowed in forever sucks, but with Magic, we can make all the shitty mundane parts of winter disappear. So… I think I’m gonna settle on moving down here. Or, up, I guess…”

Trisha still felt a bit nervous on the snowmobile, even though there wasn’t anything to be nervous about anymore. She’d seen what would happen if they turned over, and it didn’t even feel like that was possible. It was incredibly smooth and much more comfortable than it had been yesterday. But anxiety just didn’t follow logic, so it was present for now. Not so badly that it was really noticeable anyway.

“So I don’t get a say, huh?” She teased. She would be happy to move here… It had never been about the specific location for her. Just getting out of the big cities to somewhere peaceful with him. As long as she had all the comforts she was used to, it really wasn’t a problem.

“I’m kidding… I like it here too. I don’t even mind the weather, though it’d take some getting used to. But there’s something romantic about getting snowed in for so long… Maybe because I don’t mind not being able to leave the house for a time.” If she was in the right mood, that was. There were times she got more stir crazy- or rather, her anxiety pushed her to go out. Like the time she’d gone on a run and gotten attacked by Lila… it felt so long ago. She liked runs and walks to keep herself level headed, but was normally just as happy to curl up with a book for a similar effect.

“And it makes it more difficult for people to get to us. Not quite complete isolation, especially if Cass and Leon or the girls join us eventually, but it would cut us off enough. I like the idea of that. We can be social if we want in the summer, and use all of winter to recover.”

”Yep! And it keeps people from sticking around, especially if we uh… lie. Y’know, like telling people how hard it is to deal with the snow in the winter. We can tell them that we bought on a Layline, so Lux just doesn’t work properly on our land. When they ask why, then we hit them with the truth: So we don’t have to see your stupid face more than once a year!” he laughed, getting ready to make the turn to the right and out onto the loop.

Having enhanced the machine with more than just comfort, quality of life factors included built-in White Lux sensors, which connected to Casey directly and ran a constant three-sixty radar scan within the surrounding few hundred yards. Picking up lifesigns was difficult, but picking up audio that was as distinct as a screaming two-stroke engine rattling out from under the machine’s plastic facade, was a lot easier. He knew a few people would be flying by any second now given their speed, so he slowed down just enough to watch as a few sleds roared past before wrenching the handlebars and smacking the throttle to sweep right onto the proper direction.

”Soak in the scene, Babe. It’s the last we’ll see of the resort for quite a few hours. We’re looking at three hours one way? It should be shorter on the way back, since we’ll have a set path to take back, rather than trying to figure out how we connect from the resort to the state park, then the ranch.” he said warmly, letting the machine pick up a bit of speed to see how Trisha reacted as they reached the hundred mile an hour mark.

“Three hours is a long time.” She responded quietly, not immediately noticing how fast they’d gotten until she looked to the side and saw the trees going past. She stiffened up a little, glancing down at the speedometer.

One hundred miles. There was an involuntary jolt of panic and sharp intake of breath, even though it hardly felt faster than when they’d been at seventy. But she took a deep breath, settling the fluttering in her chest until it was at a minimal level. She could never quite get rid of the fluttery panicking, but at least in this situation she was able to breathe it out to just an annoying niggle.

It was stupid she even felt that, knowing how safe it was now. But it just didn’t work like that. Not for her, at least.

“But it’s three hours on a luxury snowmobile. You’ve made it really nice… I don’t think my legs are going to hurt like they did yesterday. I was squeezing the seat constantly, and I can’t even do that if I want to now.” She giggled, glancing down at her legs propped up on his. She didn’t mind… It was comfortable. She didn’t feel like she needed to grip on like she did yesterday.

“You’ve really improved it. I was honestly a bit worried about the journey… Not because I hate being on it, just it really wasn’t comfortable for me after a while. I don’t have super long legs to spread across the seat so… Thanks for adjusting it so much.”

”I’d bend the whole world into new shapes and sizes if it made you more comfortable. But, I’m also glad to have some immediate success with this. Frankly, I was a little worried too, because as much fun as I was having, splaying my legs like this hurts my bad hip. Makes it ache. So, I had to get the legs forward… And then at dinner, I was thinking more about it, so I kind of did something really sly. You nipped at me for it; remember when I was moving your knee around and you told me to stop? You were laughing, ‘cuz I smiled at you and stuck my tongue out I’m pretty sure… But I didn’t really explain I was trying to get a measurement of how far you could get the leg out. Thus, I tightened it up to where I thought it’d be comfortable.”

And all thanks to the gift and curse of his life. It was such an incredible thing, being able to remember having adult thoughts, feelings and experiences without the convenience of his own accessible magic. He’d known a world full of magic regardless, as Opening wasn’t nearly as difficult as Kindling: Everyone theoretically could open their Third Eye, and be a witness to the world beneath the veil. It only took a powerful firsthand experience to unlock the brain’s natural perceptual senses, as the human body still contained those primordial survival instincts which came naturally to them across all iterations of Earth.

Humans were born of Lux, as was everything else… To recognize one’s parents does not mean that one carries all of their traits, after all. Still, Casey lingered on the thought of not being able to do this kind of thing. She’d still love him… But would he be the same man? Would he be who he is now if he hadn’t had such a powerful crutch to lean on? He knew his own conditions didn’t even hold a candle to some of the frontline forces who saw man-to-man combat. Especially in the East. The enemy had been on the front foot when he’d been there; no need for all the horrifying desperation that came much later on.

He dealt with Nazi monstrosities, both in Africa and Europe. Tanks who fed on sand, and used magical incantations to dig between hardpoints like beetles living transient lives. Trees whose boughs each acted as their own body to translate Lux through, forming a grove of magic so thick that walking in without protection meant wholesale evaporation in body, mind and soul.
And the Blood of Hymea… Probably where the meat aversion really started. He remembered having flashbacks of that horrible week every time he found a new body in some rubble during the cleanups when the war had ended. A gynaecological nightmare, and one of the absolute most sickening things he’d ever had the displeasure of dealing with. If they’d not been so ready and prepared for the worst beforehand, he probably wouldn’t have made it home…

”Is it bad that I think a lot about all the shit that could’ve kept me from meeting you? It doesn’t make me anxious… But, I really don’t know what it makes me. Grateful, sure, but also still that weird… Like, anxious like it’s still possible. Even though it’s not! And, I mean, pretty soon there won’t be anything to take me from you but whimsy and want! Y’know, I want to do something you don’t, so we just don’t hang out for that small period I mean… Not, like, y’know, cheating or something stupid like that. What’s the point of living in the woods, then going and cheating on your spouse? With who? Your only neighbor in thirty miles? What dumb fuck would do that?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood before Trisha had the chance to linger on anything too dire.

Trisha did start giggling, unable to help it when he devolved into ranting about the ridiculousness of cheating in their situation. It was comforting, even though she absolutely wasn’t worried about him cheating. Leaving her and then finding someone else, maybe, but she knew Casey was too good of a person to cheat.

“Someone really stupid who doesn’t know how good they have it.” She shrugged slightly.
“I’m more worried you’ll find a really exciting hole to dig for days in the future than I am you cheating. Not that having the time apart’s a problem… So long as I know. But cheating in any situation is stupid, that one's just especially stupid. You’re practically begging to be caught.”

She tilted her head, mind drifting back to what he said before. At least he’d alleviated any anxiety she’d started feeling by explaining what he meant. Overexplaining, maybe, but she liked that.

“I don’t think it’s bad that you think about that. It’s not like you’re wishing that was the case or anything… I’ve thought about it too. Not a lot, but a few times. Mostly about how lucky I am to have met you. A lot of people never find their person. But we found each other, and we’re not going to willingly leave each other now. Relationship wise, I mean, not that we’ll be physically stuck together. Nothing tearing us apart, no cheating, only fun solo excursions.”

”Oh, so… No Deer Marriage for us?” he asked playfully.

They’d gotten on this subject before, but there was plenty of angles to bring it back at her that she may not know or realize was a thing. Though, in this situation, it was purely semantic. The Green Lux process of merging two beings together into some facsimile of new life was well known as part of Alchemy’s most divine processes: The Rebis. Whether it was through Fusion, or Deer Marriage; some cheekily called it an Atomic Wedding.

”You’re telling me you don’t want to feel our skin melding together, our organs joining like we’re an un-splitting amoeba?” he stuck his tongue out in the helmet playfully, though Trisha wouldn’t have been able to see.

“Noooo, I don’t want to become one in that way.” Trisha laughed back. Having someone who physically couldn’t leave was outweighed by no longer being distinct people. Nevermind that the thought of their skin melding and organs joining just made her feel a bit squeamish.

“We wouldn’t be able to cuddle each other anymore, because that would just be like hugging ourselves. That’d be weird! I like my nice and distinct fiance Casey, even if I get anxious that he isn’t physically melded to me. But can you imagine how annoying it could be- Oh, would we be a tall un-splitting amoeba? Maybe I can be convinced.” She joked.

”From what I’ve seen, it’s dependent on the practitioner. Sometimes the fusion’s even temporary… Like, I bet Cass will be able to fuse with another Adept as part of a Joint-Cast. She’s got plenty of Lux to spare, and she is the Green Adept, so her conscience will always be dominant. Meaning she’ll be in charge of keeping the two halves perfectly balanced, and that sounds more like an excuse for Cass to start absorbing people…” he giggled.

Thinking about Cass more made him worry about Leon. He’d lost the leash, and all the good sense that remained in his body seemed to flood out with it. As soon as you left him “in charge” of something, he immediately tried to devour his own foot. He wanted to get rid of Cass… Not in some brutal fashion, and in no way permanently, but he’d done everything except openly say he didn’t want her around.
It wasn’t until Casey pushed that he told him the truth. He was horrified of the idea of Cass dying, and Trisha blaming him for everything. Leon was scared of how Trisha would react… Why? He hadn’t spilled those beans. But Casey had a few good guesses.

”Speaking of Cass? What would you do if… Like, if something happened to her while we’re gone? Or, in the next few months as things get hairy? Obviously, you’re not dating her or in love with her romantically, but… She’s been with you for a significant period of your life at this point, right? Would you be okay? I like to have a plan, y’see…” he confided in her, hoping she’d accept that and not think that there was a chance of anything actually happening.

Because, hopefully there wasn’t. Cass was a brutal beast who had more Lux command in a squeeze of her finger than a lot of Adepts did in their entire body. You didn’t need to know a lot of magic to be effective: You just had to be able to do a lot of magic. Source, Channel, Cast. The very basic building blocks of a Luxal spell, which were all tied together by the inherent process of the basic Lux wave. Having consistent, powerful command of pure Lux meant that one’s Source was amplified by magnitudes, and as long as one had an efficient or powerful enough Channeler to handle the flow, the spells they cast would be similar in consistency and power.

Cass’ whole skeleton was her Channeler… She didn’t have much of a bottleneck in that department. And because the Channeler was so big, there was a heavy draw of waves to her. She was a walking magical Tesla coil, and Casey hadn’t worried a single bit about her since Leon and she began training privately. If there was one thing Leon could do, it was train someone magically. Even without Lux of his own to replicate, he was still such a master of the fundamental basics that he could easily talk an Orange Adept through basic formulae that lay far beyond his reach.

Trisha frowned, tensing up a bit at the question. She hadn’t thought about it. Not beyond the freak out she had at Thanksgiving- and so much of that had been because Cass got hurt protecting her. She hadn’t even considered the chance of something happening to her. It was Cass… She’d always been strong even before her magic. Even though she hadn’t been through any magical warfare like they had, she’d taken to the combat like a fish in the water when they cleaned up Dollhouse.

So it was hard to imagine something like that happening. It probably wouldn’t, right? It was just a hypothetical, wasn’t it?

“I don’t know.” She answered honestly.
“It depends what you mean by okay. I’d survive and keep doing what I had to until we were safe, but I’d probably be really miserable after. I- I don’t know, Casey, it would be difficult, because she’s the one other person I can almost imagine being there forever. I’d really struggle, but that’s what happens when you grieve someone you really care about… I’d probably end up depressed like I was just after Thanksgiving, but worse.”

She bit her lip, trying not to worry about the possibility too much. It was a risk… But just as much as it was a risk Casey would die, or she’d die, or any of the girls would die.

“You don’t think it’s likely, do you? More likely than us dying, that is? Because I know Cass hasn’t experienced anything like this before, but if I can survive the Stygian Snake, she can survive this. She’s way stronger than I’ve ever been. Right?”

”She’s survived. She knows what it's like to be in danger. To live in it. Spent years that way. The War was on for five years before we joined as a nation, remember? Who was the bastion of Freedom remaining? Jolly ol’ England and her little brothers. So, no. I don’t think it's likely at all. Frankly, I think she’s an asset to us as a family, and we shouldn’t be afraid to let her be as involved as she wants to be. She’s a joy to have around, and I don’t see her going anywhere.” Casey asserted, knowing that he only felt one way about this.

It wasn’t something he was torn about. Wars occurred, and even if they never experienced it, he intended for his own children to understand what it takes to survive, and to come out on top of things. Trisha would learn too.

”Honestly, I think it’s time we took the gloves off with everyone! You and I have done good so far, but Leon and Cass have been in the shit a few times together now! I don’t want to fall behind!”

“What do you mean?" Trisha had a hard time following that… Been in the shit could mean so many things. Did he mean fighting together? Contextually that made most sense.

She was relieved at least that Casey didn't seem to think Cass was at any more risk than they were. That was fine. It was just a fact any of them could die in the next couple of months… One that she perhaps had less difficulty stomaching than she should have. She had spent a whole summer at fourteen watching so many people die day on day. None of them had known if they'd survive. It was a similar feeling… Though she'd struggle if Casey or Cass didn't make it, she'd still be able to see things through to the end before falling over.

“Falling behind on… Fighting together? Is that what you mean? Because they fought against Dollhouse together?"

”More than once! So, the assassin gets canceled out, right?” he asked playfully, hoping she could hear his sarcasm in the speakers of her helmet.

“Oh, so you're actually dead then?" Trisha replied with calm sarcasm.

She didn't really feel that it mattered… Cass was a fighting freak, she just loved getting into them. Trisha would fight if she had to, but it wasn't something she sought out. During the Dollhouse raid Casey had taken her to the van anyway to make sure she was out of the way… So he hadn't even wanted her to fight then.

“You’re ruining my dreams of lounging in bed for the next few months." She continued, still as obviously sarcastic as she could be. It cleared up as she spoke a bit more seriously.

“But of course they've done it more than us. I only just really unlocked enough of my magic to not just be a dead weight… And you didn't really want me on the front lines with you until now, did you?" She asked, trying her best not to sound accusatory. That wasn't how she was trying to be, after all. Just honest.
“It might be hard to catch up. Neither of them need to sleep often."

Casey let go of one side of the bar, coming down to pat Trisha on the belly.
”I still don’t want you on the front now Honey… I’m joking. We’ll work as hard as we need to ensure our safety, but we’ve fought our wars already. Both of us.”

---

The ride out to Blue Rock Ranch was, in fact, amazing. They made highway speeds the first hour and a half straight, with the curated trail they were on leading down the mountain in some fairly hairy turning situations that required a little more attention than other sections. But the entire way, the trail kept opening up into the yawning vista of the Rocky Mountains’ view of Colorado that stretched far off into the infinite point of the horizon.

The trail dumped them off in a town that was supposed to be “nearby” the ranch, but it took another twenty minutes of petering around the local untamed woodlands before Casey decided directions were probably necessary. So, they hit the only convenience store anywhere nearby, and thankfully a couple passing customers knew where the trailhead was to get to the ranch itself.

And the last leg, while not as exciting visually, became the classic slog that Casey never had much experience with. The rough terrain, unhewn snow often obscuring their path until they were so far into those woods that it felt completely wild. Fallen trees hid just under the snowtop, as did young saplings and untamed shrubbery, and all hunted for the snowmobile’s front skis in unintentional attempts to destroy their forward momentum.

But when the vista finally opened up to reveal a clear, wide open lake frozen in time by the Lord of Winter, Casey knew they’d arrived. It wasn’t massive like some of the other lakes they passed by, but had just enough breadth to its shallows that the lonely tent sitting out in the middle of the ice looked so isolated… And the forest around them was so thick that any sense of privacy lost by such an open position could easily make itself up by way of sheer overwhelming plant coverage. It almost felt like the trees in the area were even conspiring to keep their watering hole a secret.

Casey wanted to take a speedy victory lap around the lake, but didn’t want Trisha to experience the reveal of the amenities they were privy to today alone. Assuming an equal sentiment, he far more politely pulled up next to the other sleds that were there. Two, with one having a whole trailer that got tugged behind it on little skis. Rather than forcing Trisha to use her safety word to be released from the machine, he subtly lifted the spell and crawled off the seat with a groan.

”Jesus Christ… You could get a blood clot riding that thing too long. Note to self, a new seat is mandatory for all parties involved.” he said while trying to stretch out and pull his helmet off all at once.

Trisha just nodded her agreement as she slid off, feet hitting the snow covered ground with a soft grunt. She leaned against the snowmobile as regained feeling in her legs. It hadn't been as bad as before Casey adjusted it, but it still wasn't exactly comfortable for such a long ride. She pulled off her helmet, undoing the right bun she'd put her hair in under it and shaking the thick waves out.

The last leg really hadn't been enjoyable, even with all the modifications. Each time they hit something she'd get a little jolt of fear, although it eased the more they hit without turning over. It just made it slow. Thank God she wasn't the one driving.

“Definitely… It was fine for maybe an hour or two, but started to get pretty uncomfortable after that. And I don't have all sorts of lingering aches." She admitted, stomping from foot to foot to get the lingering numbness out of them. So long stuck in one position just wasn't nice… More than just her legs, her ass felt numb from all that time on the seat. At least in a car you could wiggle a bit.

As the aches faded from being at the forefront of her mind, she was able to actually look around. Taking in the beautiful but almost lonely feeling frozen lake, she smiled. Even if the overwhelming white wasn't as appealing as the colours of spring, it was still pleasing to the eye. She pointed with one gloved hand towards the tent.

“Is that where we're going?"

Not thinking, Casey grinned and shook his head.
”Nah, just a random tent out here in the middle of bumfuck.”

Still, he reached out and took her gloved hand in his.
”Of course this is our stop. Come on. There's a member of staff from the resort, and I believe the owner of the ranch is here just to meet us and say hello… I think he wants to show the property, but I’ll just tell him that we plan on buying. I guess he’s older, wants to get into the city for health stuff. So, y’know, it doesn't really matter when we move onto the property so much as getting him squared away matters to me.”

From what Casey knew, the old fella was already staying in the nearest urban center to have medical facilities, and had made the arduous trip up here as a way to sell the potential buyer on the property. At first, Casey figured it may be a good activity back in St. Portwell, but now it was just unnecessary. The landscape had sold itself. So what did they tell the guy?

Getting close enough that the people inside heard the crunching of boots, the zipper door of the tent peeled back to reveal a gentle looking young woman with rosy blonde hair and an apron covering her resort uniform.

“Mister and Missus Richoux! Welcome, welcome! Mister Cabbot and I have been expecting you both for a little while now!”

Casey smiled and laughed, surprised at the person they sent out to set all of this up. But she oozed Orange Lux, which Casey quickly picked up on as they entered the tent to find something a little different. To start, the wooden floor contrasted the expanded interior walls of cloth which loomed out further than physics dictated it should’ve. There was, on one side, a small fire pit with an exhaust port that allowed the smoke to flow out and prevented the place from filling up. Around it was a set of loungers which looked supremely comfortable.

On one was the figure of a white-haired old man, sat with his cowboy hat on and his thick jacket hung to dry nearby. And he turned to look at the arrivals before getting up with a grunt of his own. Before he made it to them, the two would be able to finish scanning the magically enchanted tent-cabin. On the side opposite the lounging space was an intimate dining table for two, complete with romantic candle fixtures and fine glassware, as well as a little zipper door to what was probably an attached bathroom.

“My guests, my guests! Look at that… Two beautiful young people.” The old man started up as he half-shuffled up to them.
“Miss Jasmine?”

The young woman waved him forward, grinning widely before turning to what looked like some kind of fancy stove. With her blessing to jabber, the old man put both his hands out to Trisha and Casey.

“My name’s Arthur Cabbot. You both call me Art, or Turd, n’y’like, so long’s were not callin’ me late fer dinner.”

Casey laughed and nodded, shaking Art’s hand firmly.
”Art, it’s fantastic to meet you. I think we clicked while talking on the phone, but it's good to meet you in person, Sir.”

Art clicked his tongue between his teeth.
“An I told y’on the phone, now; don’t none of that sir crap with me. Been too long since I helt a rifle for my country t’go usin’ slurs like that.”

Casey laughed again. Typical old guard. As soon as you tried showing them any lick of curated respect, they turned all coy.

”You guys paved the way, Art. We never would’ve run if it weren’t for guys like you walking in front of us.”

Art waved Casey off with a “pshaw” before focusing his attention.
“And you, young lady! Where’d this dog-faced brute find such a lovely bride? He’dn’t steal you from your family in the East, did’e?”

Trisha let out an awkward laugh, reaching out to shake his hand now that her gloves were off. She wasn't entirely sure how to react to that. Just brush it off, probably. She hadn't really dealt with that many old people like this. She was going to be polite, at least. Tansy's weird microagressions had at least trained her moments like this, even though she always got pissed off at Tansy over it.

“Are we looking at the same face?" She laughed lightly, looking up at Casey with a smile. He was the furthest thing from dog-faced. There weren't many who were as handsome as him, at least to her.

“There was no stealing… We grew up in the same city, so we just met sort of coincidentally, sort of through his brother. If anyone was doing the stealing it was me, right, Casey?" She gently leaned her shoulder into him, looking back towards Art.
“I’m not sure if Casey mentioned it, but I'm Trisha. Nice to meet you, Art."

“Ahhhh it's good t’meet you too sweetheart. Y'know I’m just fibbin ‘round anywho. They stopped lettin’ soldiers bring ladies home years ago.”
The old man hooted with laughter as Casey did his best to keep a straight face.

One had to with old timers like this. If you gave them too much of a response, they got all cute and usually took it too far. So, Casey just cleared his throat.
”I did, for the record…”

“Oh, he did! Said him’n the wife, Trisha, ‘s gonna be comin up to take a look at the property. Mentioned gettin’ a picnic goin, and I had to grapple with all that n’til I found’n y’all’s magic and such. Made a lot more sense once I figured the resort on the mountain’s involved and such.”

The two men nodded, and Casey grinned.
”Speaking of which, Art… I don’t think we’ll need to do any recon, my friend. Even just the ride in here, I mean… Y’know I’m not super interested in the house already, so-”

Art looked a little hurt.

“Well damn, ‘n I came up for this… Well, can’t win ‘em all, I suppose, but you’re absolutely su-”

Casey stuck his hand up.

”Art, Art… I’m sold, Man. I want to buy Blue Rock from you.”

The elderly face twisted into a ball of confusion.

“But… Y’don’t-”

”-Don’t… What?” Casey asked, finally backing the fella off enough that he and Trisha were able to comfortably start pulling their winterized coats and upper layers off.

“Well, just, y’know, the property’s big, ‘n you don’t know where nothin’ is!”

Casey laughed aloud in turn.

”So when the Summer comes, and we move onto the property, you can show me. But, right now? Spare us both the trouble. Are you headed home after this?”

Suddenly, Art looked calm and collected. Happy even.

“Well, no, my Daughter and I are stayin’ here tonight. Miss Jasmine’s even been so kind as to offer to fix us dinner once y’all are happy and sorted down here!”

The woman, Jasmine, turned her head.
“Least I can do for the help, Mister Cabbot. Speaking of, can I get you two drinks?”

”Rum and double cola on the rocks, please.”

Trisha had to think for a moment. She wasn't sure what kind of meal they were having, so she couldn't figure out if it was a wine or beer occasion. Better to go for neither until she was sure, then.
“I’ll have a rum and lemonade, please."

She'd otherwise been silently listening, slotting right back into Casey's side when her thick outer layers were removed and put aside. She was more than happy to just hug into him without interjecting. He'd told her he was sold on the place, after all, and she was fine with that. It was nice. She imagined the thick forest would be great for the bees come summer.

Casey rubbed Trisha’s back as she clung tightly to him. He was trying to devise a polite way of telling the old man to go home.

“Y’drink any whiskey while you were in Europe?”

Old people questions… He was curious. Maybe he felt obligated to play host…

“Oh, Mr. Cabbot? They do only have so much time booked.” Jasmine interjected with legitimacy.

Art looked thoughtful for a moment before looking up at Casey with expectation in his eyes.
“You’re really tied and fit to buy my land? And you’re just gonna… Homestead on it?”

Casey nodded.
”On my time as a Marine, and a Soldier. So, you get home and give my number a call. You, or your daughter, or whoever, and just leave the information of whoever I’m supposed to get in touch with to put the offer in. When we get home next week, I can guarantee you that your land will no longer be for sale.”

Casey stuck his hand out again, and the old man shook it tightly before wrapping his arms around the young couple.

“You’re doing an old man a real honor, y’is. I won’t get all sentimental now, but… well, Son, I love this land. I love it like it's another child o’mine. It was my Daddy’s, and his before.”

Clearing his throat, Art pulled away and made for his coat.

“Well… Figurin’ I’ll see y’all again ‘fore I’m dead meat, I’ll keep it short. You doves have a lovely evenin’, and Miss Jasmine? I’ll see you in a lil’ while sweetheart, and we’ll get y’back to the resort by road when y’er done.”

She nodded in return, openly chopping veggies and prepping food.

Casey nodded, seeing the old man off before finally turning his head down to Trisha. Biting his lip, he closed his eyes and shook his head before starting to laugh.

”Stole you? That was rich.” he commented, even causing Jasmine to laugh from the corner before she actually bothered starting to make their drinks.

“I really wasn't sure what to say." Trisha replied, shaking her head half in disbelief. Sure, she'd managed to say something, but it felt like it had completely missed the mark, and his response had kind of baffled her.

“That’s why I have you to do all the talking for me." She added sweetly, reaching up to teasingly poke Casey's shoulder with a smile. Then she laughed softly.

“I still think I'm the one that stole you… I know it was a joke, but could that really happen? Surely you didn't have enough time to even think about dating? Nevermind marrying and sending someone back home."

Casey grimaced. There was a reality a lot of people didn’t realize from the Red War, and the first World War: That they were dirty too, but had all the extra trappings of a time before the internet. Before things leaked into the public by way of rapid online social sharing.

”There were some men who found comfort where they landed in spite of everything else around them. Even in my day, there are people like that. One of the guys I served in Africa with met this local. Totally converted to Islam, moved down there and everything. Back in the day, it was… Different. More exploitation, less love.”

Jasmine, their attendant, finally handed them both their drinks, smiling.

“You guys can be wherever you want, by the way. Take it easy, relax, if you want snacks let me know. I got a special request for a lot of fruit, so-”

”Oh, please, that would be great.”

“You got it.”

Casey was given the fruit platter that was pulled from the big cooler, and then casually began to lead Trisha over to the loungers.

”But, yeah… A lot of guys back in the day would do these crazy shotgun marriages, because they’d be in the rear, and they’d get intimate with a local, but Lord knows there’s no protection because the government expects you to be fighting and not fucking. So, they’d get a woman pregnant, and if they had any heart at all, they’d get hitched and bring the wife and baby over here. War’s sick… Always sick.” he finished, sitting down and stretching out his legs in front of the fire.

Trisha nodded, sitting down beside him. Since it was cozy enough in here, she slipped off her boots to pull her feet up onto the lounger. Curled up like that she leaned into Casey.

“I assumed they'd be more likely to… Just abandon them." She admitted, having thought of something more bleak. Though she was still surprised soldiers had the time in the first place. It was human nature, she supposed.
“I know how the other side treated women across Asia. I understand how sick it can be… So I'm more surprised anyone like us could come out of it."

She trailed off, before reaching out to properly hug into him.
“But that's not really a fun topic for a nice date, is it? This is really nice. You did well organising it and… I guess we're going to be land owners soon. Well you. But also us. Since it'll be our future home… To have kids then grow old together in."

She blushed slightly at that, lips pulling up into a warm smile as she took a sip of her drink.

Casey didn’t hesitate.
”Us. Your name too. I’m not waiting for actual marriage to forcibly smash our scattered assets together. We come in equal, and if we never leave, it never matters.” he grinned back down at Trisha, taking a strawberry from the plate and holding it up for her to bite.

He’d kicked his boots off nearby, and felt the warmth of the enchanted wood floor. Chances were the stove forced its exhaust underneath the structure, letting it get nice and toasty until it practically sank into the ground from the damp snow beneath it. He figured he could do this better, but the chances were high that they needed it not just portable, but storable. The storable part was always difficult for these kinds of substructures utilizing magic to interfere with physics. It was like slapping two places in time and space onto the exact same relative position and expecting there to not be any problems; it just didn’t happen. Folding the entire world within to fit into a tent bag did wild things to reality, meaning certain concessions had to be made…

At least, for less capable Orange Adepts…
Casey looked around a little absently before turning back to Trisha, his soft smile still warm and present on his face.

”Did Cass get the picture of the wolves?” he asked, as the two of them had seen a running pack of wolves through a clearing some distance off. Trisha had managed to get the snapshot, as Casey had left his actual phone sitting on the bed in the cabin.

Trisha nodded, wriggling around to pull her phone back out of her pocket.
“I sent it but didn't wait around for a reply- Oh, look, she's spammed me since."

She wrinkled her nose in amusement, waving her phone towards Casey so he could see the masses of messages from Cass. She turned it back towards herself to do a quick skim read for what was important.

“It's like me, Leon and Lelou are there in spirit! That's dead sound! Can you bring me one home?! Obviously not." Trisha snickered.
“She also said she hoped you did some crazy tricks on the snowmobile… And then she's sent me some completely unrelated memes."

She shook her head, locking her phone without replying and looking up at Casey with a warm smile.
“She was already jealous of the snowmobile, so I bet it's even worse now I've sent those wolves. It does make me worried she'll throw away her roadtripping plans and move over right away."

Casey laughed, shaking his head. He wondered for a moment if Cass sent it to Leon… He’d do so later when they got back to the cabin, but he liked to imagine both of them got a smile out of it without being together in that moment. He also briefly considered what their status was overall… If Leon had convinced Cass to stay in Europe, or if she’d blown through his passive aggressive defenses. It was the exact same fight he wanted to have with Trisha. Thankfully, he’d done a bit of sifting over it. It was strange to have her encourage his selfishness:

After all, he didn’t really want her to live without him. Imagine another man? Impossible. She’d waste away, and what kind of life was that? Not one he’d want her to have. Not unless he really believed that she’d heal, but he couldn’t know for certain. She may very well disengage from the world entirely out of spite if he was no longer there.
But, Leon and Cass? Cass was a firecracker. Fierce, full of life, she simply wouldn’t let Leon’s death imprison her in grief. And Leon wouldn’t either. He knew that if Cass was gone, Leon would just continue onward for God knows how long considering the unnatural lifespan he was carrying around.

”We both know she’d be super bored without Leon. And with Lelou more taken care of, there’s a chance he can go back to actual Blind boxing. Meaning, lots of touring, lots of traveling, and lots of stuff to do. I’m certain that if they’re still together by the time we get back, there’ll be a lot more appealing shit than some snowmobiles heading her way.”

He didn’t love talking in probability. Chances were high that they’d be fine, and that nobody would have anything to say once Casey and Trisha got home. She’d most likely be there holding his hand to greet them back to the Cannery upon arrival. Casey had intentionally left his phone due to the fact that it was constantly vibrating with updates and status checks for group messages that he wasn’t actually a part of. The only thing he cared about was the family group text, but with everyone busy and in general proximity, there was nothing happening.

There wasn’t even a guarantee that the damn thing was safe considering what Junior said and did when they went to visit Lynette as a group. Such dangerous magic…

”I mean… They’ll be fine. It’s a little thing. Maybe not little, but I feel like it's something Cass can push through. I’m honestly a lot more worried about Leon…” he admitted in the end, wondering if Trisha would humor his musing.

Trisha looked up at Casey, brow furrowing with slight confusion. What did he mean by a little thing? Or being certain they'd still be together when they got back? She hadn't heard anything from Cass to point to there being problems between the two. Then again, she hadn't heard much from Cass at all.

Was it because she didn't trust Trisha? No, no, probably because they were both away… And she was with her brothers too. She had other support.

“What’s wrong with Leon?" She asked, tilting her head. She was comfortable enough right now to ask about it rather than being annoyed they were talking about another couple’s problems. She was curious, and happily content cuddling up to Casey right now. On their lovely date with nothing going wrong between them.

“Or between them, I guess? Cass hasn't told me anything, or messaged me much since she left. I assume she's quite busy with her family." She continued.
“But she can push through almost anything. I don't think I've seen anything get her down for more than a few days. She tends to be a problem solver… Even if she solves them by force."

”I’m worried about that part. I guess, with everything happening, Leon’s nervous about Cass being around. Wanted to spare her the trouble, but you, me and God all know that girl sticks to trouble like seaweed on rice. So, I’m just hoping he doesn’t push too hard and piss her off to the point she leaves him. It’d kind of suck to come home to that and the other stuff.” Casey responded plainly, the matter-of-factness covering the little white lie.

It’d only make her mad or sad that the sentiment was related to her… Though, it could fix things outright. A simple phone call may clear Leon’s anxieties. But, ultimately, he’d leave that up to the two of them, and keep the incident mostly out of their holiday. After all, if they worked it out on their end before it ever became an issue, then who would ever care?

”Sorry! Sorry… I should really try and leave home at home… I used to actually do that. The first few years of service. Most of them, honestly. I didn’t even give a fuck if I made it back to St. Portwell when I was in France with the FFL. Before the occupation and all… Crazy to think about. Angry ass kid, barely an adult… And I didn’t care if I made it back home. Hard for me to imagine now. Not waking up to your face.” he grinned, winking at her.

Trisha let out a soft laugh, stretching up to press a light kiss to his cheek for his flattery. And just because she wanted to… She could understand with the situation he’d been in then. She’d never felt it so strongly that she didn’t care if she lived or died, but she’d rarely wanted to go home. Not that it had felt like much of a home for her.

“Mhm, you should always want to come home to me.” She responded teasingly.
“Though I hope when we move here we won’t have many nights apart. Only when you want to do some crazy hiking and camping that I know I won’t be able to handle. Hopefully no more wars. You won’t have to go through something like that again.”

The fact that she could talk about him going away so easily was an improvement, even though it made her anxious. If he turned around right now and said he wanted to spend nights away camping, she’d panic. But she could see the future when they were settled in their home together and she didn’t worry when he wanted to go away for a little while.

“And you don’t have to be sorry. I did ask.” She continued. She was glad to know what was going on, so she could prepare for the worst. The aftermath wouldn’t be pretty, even if Cass didn’t hold grudges like she did. And she’d still be there even if she broke up with Leon… Because she’d stubbornly want to help anyway. It wouldn’t be fun for any of them. Cass wouldn’t put it on them, but she wasn’t sure she could deal with a post breakup Leon.

“But you’re right we should leave it in St Portwell… We’ll deal with whatever happens when we get back. Cass hasn’t even talked to me about it, so I shouldn’t think about it. Instead I’ll just think about you.” She smiled cutely up at him.
“Though I’m always thinking about you.”

”That’s crazy… Sometimes I dedicate a sub-brain to you. When I’m working real hard.”
He didn’t know if she’d even come close to getting the joke, and could only hope that his smile and laughter would keep her from thinking too hard about it.

”Kidding… You’re always on my mind too. Sometimes literally, when I lay down on the couch and you flop on top of me. I love smelling your clothes, because your detergent rocks. And then you always wear nice, soft stuff. You’ve met my Nana several times now; you know that woman doesn’t wear soft. Not in like a wool sense, or something. She wears silks, and fine fabrics with thousands of thread counts. Rich people clothes. And Mom wears all this gaudy stuff, half the time it’s made of such stiff fabric that I can’t imagine actually being comfortable in it. The other half is, again, fucking rich people clothing. Christ, can we maybe wear something that doesn’t make you slip off of a leather seat?”

Casey was ranting along a bit as Jasmine brought the two of them a small tray of deviled eggs with an especially red filling. Without wanting to interrupt Casey, she simply set it down, but that got him to stop wholesale.

”Oh, mother of God… I’m beyond intrigued…”

“Just a bit of red bell pepper and cayenne in the mix.” she replied, laughing as she made her way back to her station.

Casey looked at Trisha with a bombastic side eye, practically begging for her opinion as he reached out to one.
”I don’t like that laugh one bit. Too devious. Should we split it, Trisha?”

Trisha smiled and giggled a bit as he ranted, still smiling when he side eyed her. While she wasn’t much of an eater, she also wasn’t really fussy about what she did eat. So whether it was just bell pepper and cayenne, or something hotter, she was happy to give it a try.

“Sure… I’ll taste test it for you, Babe, don’t worry.” Smile turning teasing, she leaned forward to take a big bite out of the one Casey was holding. Her eyebrows raised slightly as she chewed it.

It was hot. Really hot. The kind of food she wouldn’t have the tolerance for if she hadn’t grown up in a strange household where the chefs tried to facilitate the multi cultural backgrounds of James’ many children, along with being taken on a crazy food tour the one time she went to the Philippines.

It reminded her of something. It took her a moment of thinking and chewing to figure it out. It was exactly like this type of ramen Cass had loved during University. Trisha had ended up eating it a lot because she couldn’t cook, until she offered to pay for the meals as long as Cass did the cooking. It was called… Fuegollo? Or something. It was crazy they got the flavour into a devilled egg.

She grinned at Casey, not reacting much as she waited for him to try his bit. As far as she was aware, he had a decent spice tolerance, but they hadn’t had anything insanely hot together. She was interested to see how he’d handle it.
“You should eat it… It’s good.”

Her nose scrunched up cutely, watching him even as she kept talking.
“And I just prefer more comfortable clothes. I have plenty of fancier, rich people clothes for special occasions, silk dresses and the like. But why would I suffer when I can make myself look good with simpler stuff? Plenty of my wool jumpers are expensive too… Because the proper stuff that lasts a long time is pricey. But I buy for quality more than anything, and half of my stuff is thrifted anyway.”

Casey had taken up an egg half, staring at the fire engine red filling within like it couldn’t possibly be spicy. He wasn’t worried per se, as there was little it could do to the half-dead nerve endings in his tongue. He’d get most of the flavor out of it, while the capsaicin desperately clung to the surface of his tongue and mouth on the hunt for something to bind to. Oblivium created something of a locked membrane, and the deepest recesses of the tongue’s many nerves were trapped.

But he didn’t bother even popping it in his mouth until he’d fully acknowledged Trisha.

”Exactly my point. Y’want good shit, not just expensive shit. And the expensive stuff ain’t always good! Now, I may be a little biased, but I do think you look good in everything short of a turtle shell, so… I guess it's not something you need to think about around me.”

Finishing his statement with a nod and a smile, Casey popped the egg into his mouth and gave the most skeptical expression he could muster.
”Oh its fucking spicy ramyun… Oooooooough!” Casey squirmed in an unpleasant fashion.

Trisha started giggling at his reaction, eyes scrunching up playfully. It was just entertainingly over the top, and he didn't seem to be in actual pain or anything. But even as she giggled away she leaned into him and comfortingly patted his arm.

“You don't like it? I think it's pretty nice… Reminds me of university. Cass'd love it. I don't think I can have too many before I'd get sick of it, though." Leaning forward, she picked up another one and started to nibble at it. She probably wouldn't have any more than this one anyway, because she wanted to be able to eat their actual meal.

She paused for a moment, looking up at him with cutely creased eyes.
“And I think I could pull off a turtle shell if I tried hard enough. It'd be a bit of a crazy look, but I'd find a way." She joked.

It was nice to hear that he thought she looked good no matter what she was wearing. While she had quickly grown comfortable enough to dress down around him- taking off her makeup and wearing sweats- hearing that he really did find her attractive no matter what brought her comfort. She could probably stop making the effort around him and he wouldn't care. Her looks were the one thing she'd always been confident in and known how to enhance, so she'd always be scared to peel away the extra protective layers she'd had over them. It had been easier with Casey, but there was still a bit of it there. A part of her that still felt the need to dress up out of fear, rather than to look good for herself and for him.

Though she was mostly there. Putting in the effort because she wanted to, not because she had to.

Jasmine had, from behind them, started cracking up at Casey’s reaction. Unlike Andrade who may’ve launched into a long explanation of how he managed to get the flavor into the filling, she just kept her head down and got to work on the next masterpiece. Casey wasn’t so used to that kind of attitude, but it was nice that she wasn’t stuffing herself into the middle of them over a ganache.

”We’ll both get turtle shells; it’ll be like that kung fu anime everyone likes.”
He also went in for another egg, finding that the flavor was at least intense enough that he had a craving for another after finishing the first.

”God, I hate these…-” he joked, shoveling it into his mouth.
”-What an evil fucking snack.”

Sitting back, relaxing further, Casey found he didn’t have a whole lot to say in excitement. He was content to sit there with her, looking down to see that feline expression of satisfaction splitting across her face. He loved that look. Smug happiness, that her situation was actually worth smiling about… That made things worth it in a visceral way. Every garbage circumstance they had to fight through was alleviated in that calm, affectionate quiet.

He started to hum a song. One of Leon’s. It was a melodic kind of song, that had plenty of sweeping chords, but within the chorus lay a specific lyric that he was clinging to in the moment.
Looking back on ancient feelings: Who beside me remains kneeling? The world’s collapsing all around us, so grab ahold of me.

”We’re gonna make sure our kids know they can do anything they put their minds to. But… What do you hope for? Once those days come, I mean…” he asked faintly, almost like he wasn’t sure of the question himself.

Trisha furrowed her brow slightly as she thought about it in the warm comfort of them. She’d put down her drink for now so she could fully cuddle into him, head resting against his chest comfortably. His question threw her off slightly, but not enough to dislodge the comfort. She just had to think about it.

What did she hope for, for their future children?

“I hope they find something that makes them happy. Something fulfilling.” She responded softly, tilting her head up to look up at him with a gentle smile.

“I’d support them no matter what, but it would be difficult if they didn’t want to do anything. That just seems so… Depressing. Even if they wanted to stay at home and help out with whatever you’re doing, or with my honey- just doing something they want to. I hope they’re smart too, but I don’t… Want to hope for something specific, like going to university or some career path. That’s what my mum did with me, and we know how that turned out.”

Casey nodded, understanding her trauma about it. It was like how he first felt toward sex. The fear of not knowing if he’d end up like the promiscuous people who raised him…

”I’d feel remiss if I didn’t… Kind of talk about positive realignment? Like you taught me; we’re not our folks. Not everything they did is what we’ll do, so… I think you can daydream. Like, it’s not crazy for me to hope that one of them gets into space and wants to become an astronaut, is it? So long as I’m not shoehorning them toward that possibility, it’s fine!” he explained, hoping to help her recontextualize.

Trisha pursed her lips, silently processing what he said. She supposed he was right… It was the actions that had caused her harm, rather than Maria’s hopes for her. They hadn’t even just been hopes. They’d been requirements. As soon as Trisha stopped meeting them, she stopped caring about her.

She wouldn’t do that to her own children. She wouldn’t let herself, no matter how difficult they may end up being. Especially not over something like a hope of what they’d become.

Her expression eased again, and she nodded to him.
“You’re right… It’s fine as long as I don’t force them into anything, or act differently if they don’t end up interested in it.”

She let out a soft sigh, cuddling into him more before continuing.
“I’d like it if one of them was into computers too. Then I could teach them as they grew up, and it’d give us something to bond over. But I also… Kind of hope one of them wants to become an engineer. Not because it’s what my Mom really wanted me to do, but it just seems cool. Like an astronaut is cool. Well, maybe less cool than an astronaut.” She giggled gently.
“Though selfishly I don’t want them to get a job that has crazy hours or takes them out of the country for long periods… Because then we’d see them less.”

Casey nodded calmly, not so much in agreement as acceptance. He had no intention of ever pushing his kids toward what he wanted out of them, but the premise itself gave rise to a lot of questions. How does one know what their kid’s forever interest would be? How does one healthily encourage exploration without cutting the child off from their closer comfort interests? Is there a world where all of that is balanced in line with what the two of them generally want for their kids as a matter of course? It was a lot to speculate. Worth bringing up now, especially when he remembered asking Lynette what they both wanted out of him.

”It’s never really come up, but Lynette said she always imagined me being a charity worker or something. She said I loved helping out at the food banks and stuff when I was a kid, but we both knew that was a lie. That is the kind of thing I’d like to avoid most for our kids; the idea that they’ll never get a straight answer, or if they do, they’ll always be questioning the validity… That they can ask us a question, and know we’re telling them the truth. I don’t even think I want them to grow up believing in Santa.” he firmly finished the thought with an incredibly odd statement that Trisha probably would have to dig a little bit to fully connect.

Trisha tilted her head, looking up at him with a bit of confusion. She wasn’t really attached to something like Santa- his existence growing up entirely hinged on the older children pretending he was real, and Tansy would never let anyone else take credit for her ‘generosity’. James himself was always home for Christmas, but he wasn’t exactly hand picking out gifts that were specifically from him, never mind bothering to pretend Santa was real.

“But there’s a difference between playing make believe and lying, isn’t there?” She asked, trying to at least understand.
“Pretending with our young children that someone like Santa is real is different from lying to their face when they ask. I don’t want to lie to our children either, but I don’t think something like that’s the same? Plenty of children grow up believing in Santa and trust their parents.”

Maybe she was focusing a bit too much on the Santa thing, but it felt out of place compared to the simple ask a question and get an honest answer part.

”Well, it’s just like… Silly! Y’know, the spirit of Christmas and all that. There’s no spirit of Haunukkah, is there? Do we ever hear about the spirit of Ramadan? So, suddenly, Kris Kringle gets his own rent-free spot in our kids’ lives because we’re not capable of providing joy and good tidings without the fuckin’ Krampus’ naughty and nice list making sure our kids stay tame through the year?”

At least Casey was laughing. It was a lot easier to tell that he wasn’t angry or anything because his expression was wide, and his laugh was breathy. It was only when he started to giggle really tightly, almost fakely, that one could tell he was no longer having fun. It was a whimsical topic, and he knew he’d probably lose out on what little argument there was to make for his stance… Social pressure was a bitch, after all, and he knew for a fact that Leon didn’t feel nearly the same as him. They’d screamed at one another drunkenly over this topic last Christmas.

”And then we’ve gotta reinforce it for their snotty school friends… Which means we kind of are lying in a wild, societal fashion that ensures that not only are the older kids socially expected to keep a lid on it, but a tradition that has adults just as ballgripped. It displays the capacity for societal conspiracy… Incredibly slimy behavior.”

“Holy! Divorce, divorce, divorce! Santa hater!” Jasmine called from her spot, shaking her head and laughing as she listened for Trisha’s response.

“I’m not going to- Over Santa.” Trisha laughed lightly, not even saying the word just in case the rings overheard and misunderstood her tone. Though they weren’t even married yet, so there couldn’t technically be a divorce… Semantics. And almost everyone here seemed to be under the impression they were already married anyway.

“I thought we were going to homeschool them? So the only ‘school friends’ we’d be worrying about are Cass and Leon’s- and you’re not winning that fight. You don’t want ours to be the ones trying to rain on their parade by saying he isn’t real anyway. Not when they’re also young.” She shook her head with a smile. She had a fairly distinctive memory for getting into trouble for that in school… She must’ve been around seven or eight at the time.

“I think it’s whimsical rather than slimy… It’s not like we’d use him as a threat. It’s just a fun excuse to give them more presents, and play a little make believe with them. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking about something I never got to experience. But I do think you’re thinking way too much about it. Like pretending to believe in Santa leads to conspiracy theorists.” She reached up to squeeze his cheek with a teasing smile.

Casey sat for a moment as he did his best to figure out what the deal was. Trisha was right about Leon’s kids: He’d accepted that as fact and knew there wasn’t much he’d be able to do about it. But, it wasn’t like Trisha was doing the usual Santa lover spiel about how important the memories were…

”I guess Vanburen Christmases didn’t have a lot of Santa… You’re not defending the practice like someone who is part of the conspiracy. You’re advocating for it… Like you wish it’d been there for you. So, I’ll have to get over my anti-Santa bias…”

He curled her a little closer, kissing the top of her head gently. He wanted deeply to give her everything she’d never had before… Love, family, community… Even the magic of Christmas.

”And I’d love to homeschool them… But I also worry about being capable of doing it right.” he added.

“Well, we have time to figure that out." Trisha replied softly. For that and the Santa thing.

Like he said, she wasn't part of the so called Santa conspiracy (which was a ridiculous thing to call it, honestly). She didn't have strong feelings towards it in that not growing up believing had been one of the more major childhood traumas. But there were parts she didn't want for her children. Still half believing and thinking she was just a bad kid, realising it was really that her dad didn't love them enough… Getting in trouble for resentfully trying to ruin it for other kids too. It was just a small part of the neglectful parenting, but it was one she knew they could easily avoid for their kids.

“It’s not like we're going to have them within the year. We have time to research homeschooling and local schools… Though we're moving somewhere that forces them into a long commute no matter what- Oh, or not so long with magic, I guess." She giggled softly.
“We’ll decide what's best for them. I don't even know how homeschooling works properly, honestly, so I'll have to do a lot of research to have a proper opinion. And I feel like it'll depend on who we have around us too."

And who was willing to teach. She was curious what Cass would want to do with her future children, assuming she had them- and had them with Leon so they were around. She knew she'd had plenty of problems with normal schools because of how she learnt, and she was smart enough to teach a lot of subjects.

“But you're right, I do wish Santa had been there. Maybe he was for the older kids when they were too young to know differently, but most of them were happy to tell us he wasn't real… Which, honestly, was better than thinking he was and we were just all so bad he didn't get us presents." She said lightly, shrugging.
“In the grand scheme of things, there was a lot worse… But I know how I felt not experiencing it. I want to shower our kids with that love."

Casey hadn’t even considered the idea of her not minding… She did mind, but the fact that there was an even worse outcome out there where she still believed, and was let down every single year then-on… It did contribute to his idea of ol’ James being from a different plane of existence, however… One where they just didn’t have Santa Claus. After all, what rich asshole didn’t have a servant that made sure Christmas wound up with a fucking present from Santa?

Unless he also had some reason to push against the Christmas conspiracy…

Shaking the thought off, he had to agree.
”Love’s best. And obviously, if the intention for love’s there, then it is what it is… But, I just remember turning to Leon and being like… You know!? And I remember the feeling of my heart sinking. Because rather than say yes, he acted like he didn’t know too! It sucked. Because then I didn’t know what to believe. It’s dumb… So, obviously they’ll get Christmas like everyone else.”

Jasmine was making her way back to them with a couple small trays. A bowl was set on each, with rolling hills of green leaves dotted among red rings that sat in consecutive circles within one another throughout the dish.

“This is my take on Ratattoile. It’s done as a cold salad with a savory vinaigrette. No funny business this time.”

As she placed them down, she picked the eggs up.

“And I’ll package everything real well, so you can go back for more whenever you feel like it in case you don’t finish.”

Trisha managed to tear her gaze away from Casey to look at Jasmine with a smile.
“Thank you, I appreciate that. Casey will probably finish anything I don’t, but it’s nice to know it won’t be wasted if not.” She nudged Casey with a teasing smile.
“It looks really nice.”

Then she turned back to Casey, drifting back to the previous conversation for just a final addition. Or at least, it felt like a final addition, even if it was delivered somewhat jokingly.
“And we’ll just need to make sure none of our kids turn out like Leon. No proper older sibling bullying or pretending they don’t know something they do.”

Nodding and smiling, Casey tucked into his salad confident that they would figure everything out eventually. Until then, it was just about being together for one another like they needed to be… Strength between them was paramount.

---

A long, warm, gentle evening was spent with the two of them slowly plodding through a curated course meal, with Casey never even winding up heading out to ride the snowmobile around the lake like he mentioned he may. They were treated to some genuine peace after Jasmine was done cooking, and the daylight faded over the horizon of the trees to fade beneath the mountain in a slow dive toward the West Coast.

They talked about things they always talked about, hardly registering the time passing in one another’s tender, loving embrace. Though, Casey did manage to show off in a way that he consistently did: His willingness and ability to help others, even if it wasn’t something either of them planned on having to wait for. But, just to make sure that things went smoothly, he capped their night by showing Trisha what a real Orange Lux enchantment looked like on a larger scale.

After an extra hour of setting things up around the tent, Casey had successfully bound the entirety of the internal structure into some kind of umbrella pattern. In theory, it could fold the entire tent in a single motion before unreally locking and cinching it into itself section by section.
When Jasmine returned with intent to put everything up, Casey showed her how the function worked, which thrilled her and ol’ Mr. Cabbot since everything was now so compact and easily manageable. Weight reduction had been easy, and everything else was so simple that he actually put it back up for her before taking it back down just to show it off.

With their good deed having been handled for the night, the couple were able to make haste back to their resort cabin as the snow was beginning to fall around them. They were warned that it was coming in from the North-West, meaning they’d be riding directly into it the further they got. Thankfully, it wasn’t a problem for someone who could ignore things like that by censoring falling snow out of his vision. And so Trisha wouldn’t be so terrified thinking they were driving back in pitch darkness like Casey could, he enchanted the entire machine sans the seats to glow, with the lightbulbs being enhanced to something like floodlights.

Though, they mostly bounced back and illuminated them further as the snow got heavier and heavier. There was a patch nearing the entrance to the resort trail where the path was entirely buried by snow, and it probably looked a little miraculous that Casey was managing to fjord them through such a mounding pile of snow. But, he’d marked out everything on the trail earlier in a very passive way, and knew dead on where the trail was packed down beneath them. This significantly reduced the amount of loose snow they had to blast through, and safely led them back onto the magically curated snow highway that the resort tended to day and night.

Coming up from there, they even passed a pack of the automated plow machines that did the work. Their tank tread bodies locked together in a long line with snow blowing augurs that dug and ripped at the snow, melting and packing everything they ran over before blasting cold, below freezing air from their backs to freeze the pack over. Conveniently, they were built for the trail specifically, as they were perfectly shaped for another treaded vehicle to drive right over the line without trouble. Which, of course Casey did with speed, and sent them for their final surprise of that evening as they cleared a good fifteen feet over the snow before speeding along.

Not long after, they were back at the cabin’s external building. Casey was opening the door inside the garage section, and Trisha got to gently throttle it back inside into position which was pretty much all Casey could coax her into doing. With it off, and them feet from the house, Casey closed the garage door tight and locked it up before smiling at Trisha.

”Well, we may not be in high school, but I got you back before midnight.” he grinned, looking down at his watch to catch it at eleven fifty-eight.

Trisha laughed at that, grinning back up at him.
“Oh good, I dunno how the bees would react if I was back late.”

She began to hurriedly shuffle her way towards the back door- an almost entertaining movement where she was reluctant to pull her feet up off the ground much in case she fell, but wanted to be as fast as possible. The snow was falling heavily now, already settled thick on the path between the garage and the cabin.

“I definitely wasn’t home by midnight during high school, so we’re being much better behaved than I was then.” She continued to joke, fumbling to open the back door and let out a burst of pheromones at the same time to let the bees guarding it know that it was her. Not that they’d get far when it came to attacking, but it was better to be safe.

Casey snagged one of the liquor bottles from the bar before making his way after Trisha. After all, he was feeling fine. Why not have a drink or two? Drinking done in sadness was the problem, but he figured a moderated beverage may make whatever else they had planned a bit more silly. Not that they’d talked about plans besides getting out of their heavier clothes, wet as they managed to get in the snow. They even stopped half-way to let Casey enchant their outer coats so they were more waterproof.

”Well, we’ve simply come to understand the value of responsibility as adults…” he said, as if he wasn’t in bed by ten every night from the time he was twelve until he wound up in the military and found out just how long a human being could survive without passing out from exhaustion.

Stepping in behind her, he too let his pheromones leak out to where he knew Trisha had posted the clusters. Assuming they were still there, he was all smiles up and down, even in bee-nese.

”Oh, it smells kinda ripe in here. That’s what we get for leaving that much fruit out all day.” he laughed, happy there at least weren’t any fruit flies.

”Actually, that’s a good question… Do the bees keep fruit flies away?”

Trisha shook her head, wrinkling her nose a little. At least it had only been a day, and the bees had eaten enough of it. After making sure the bees recognised them both, she let them relax from the posts they’d mostly all kept to. A few of the bombers had strayed, but they’d otherwise be good.

She’d probably set them up again before they went to sleep, but for now it should be fine.

“Only if they eat all of the fruit, I imagine. Bees aren’t exactly predators, so fruit flies don’t have anything to fear from them.” She said, even though she hadn’t left fruit out for long periods to test that. She pulled off her boots and thick coat, grimacing a little now that she could feel her sodden pants clinging to her legs. Casey’s enchantment had helped, but by the time it had been cast they’d already suffered enough snow. And corduroy wasn’t exactly waterproof on its own.

“They’d probably eat it all before we got any fruit flies- I wouldn’t want to test it during summer, though!” She smiled brightly at him, shuffling a bit more into the cabin before deciding she really didn’t need to suffer like this all the way upstairs. With some difficulty with how they were clinging to her legs now, she pulled off her pants and dumped them to the side before making her way towards the stairs.

“You need a change of clothes too, or are you going to magic the water out of yours?”

Casey was shamelessly naked before he even got close to the stairs, waddling bare-assed into the bathroom and kicking on the shower at full blast with his cold wet clothing still in his hands.

”Nah, Baby, I’m doin’ neither. I put the tequila in the freezer, and I’m gonna jump in this hot fuckin’ shower. You’re cordially invited, and as your physician, I actually recommend it. Medically.” he said, looking up at her with a dead serious expression before a smile cracked across his lips.

“When you put it like that, how can I resist?” Trisha laughed, sticking her tongue out at him and turning to follow him into the bathroom.
“But since when were you my physician?”

A hot shower had crossed her mind as something incredibly appealing before being discarded because she didn’t want that time away from Casey right now. She was far too used to their small bathroom at home, where trying to fit one Casey in the shower could be enough of a struggle never mind her getting in with him. But this one was massive! So she really could get the best of both worlds- hot water and him, followed by wrapping up in one of the overly plush towels they’d been provided with.

“Isn’t it better to slowly get warmer rather than jumping right into something hot? So shouldn’t we have a lukewarm shower first?” She joked, beginning to pull off the rest of her clothes. At least the underlayers had been somewhat protected, but everything above that was gross and wet. With it discarded, she was already drifting towards the quickly heating up stream of water.

”Hey now, with both of us in the shower, it’s already piping hot. No sense going slow with it.” he laughed, sliding the glass door open and letting her step in before entering after her and immediately swapping the hot water to cold while he stood in front of the door to get out.

”Oh, no, I’m such a clutz!” he giggled furiously.

“Casey!” Trisha let out a high pitched squeal as the lovely hot water suddenly turned cold. She couldn’t get out past him, she couldn’t reach the controls past him either, so her only option was to press herself against the wall as small as possible to avoid what spray she could.

Not without getting her revenge where she could, of course, sacrificing her hands to splash cold water into his face.

“Turn it back.” She whined, pouting at him.

He did without much begging. He wasn’t exactly fond of cold water either, but the moment was too good to miss. As the water got very hot again, he opened his arms wide and stepped forward before wrapping around her.

”I love you so much… You’re such a good prankee. You never hit, or do anything super crazy… Just pout! It’s so fucking cute!”

“Shuuusshh, it’s not that cute. I could be scary.” Trisha jokingly protested, still playfully pouting at him. She let out a long sigh as the hot water really started to cut through the cold, practically going boneless against him. It was so nice.

“I’d never lash out over a prank… Not unless you managed to trigger a panic attack, and then it wouldn’t be on purpose. I know you wouldn’t do that anyway.” She continued honestly. It was lucky, probably, that she hadn’t been traumatised by some awful prank as a child with the amount of siblings she had. There’d been pranking, of course, but not to the level of siblings that were actually close.

“I’ll get you back one day, though. Outprank the prankmaster, or something like that.”

”Some days, I feel like you’re pranking me when I know you’re not.” he replied, playfully spinning them both around under the torrential water.
”Like when you stepped onto the couch at home and you tripped because your foot slid into the gap between the big cushion and the side one…” he giggled, tilting his head back and letting the water spray across his face. It cascaded through his hair, the deep recesses warming while the outer layers cooled almost instantly and left him feeling half-in.

”Maybe we should’ve kicked the hot tub on, but this is better. I get to squeeze your cheeks.” he grinned before lifting both hands up to grab her facial cheeks and gently squeeze them like he was honking two clown noses.

“You’re gonna make them saggy.” Trisha playfully protested, words coming out a bit funny sounding as she had to move her mouth around the squeezing. She didn’t mind- she liked messing around with Casey, even though it was normally just her following along with his goofiness.

“Then you’ll have to look at me and my saggy cheeks everyday knowing it’s your fault!” She couldn’t keep a straight face even if she wanted to with the clown honking cheek squeezing, but she did break down into giggles about half way through her sentence. The water was slowly soaking into her thick hair, making it cling to her face, with some annoyingly over her eyes after being spun.

She reached up to push it all back as best she could, hand continuing up to poke at his chin.
“You’ll never have to worry about that with your killer jawline.”

Casey could only laugh in turn, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing again before getting on with washing the sweat and outside moisture off the both of them. Twenty minutes later, they were both out and drying off. The cabin was nice and warm thankfully, with the fireplace having come on once they arrived outside as an automatic response to people arriving. It was awesome, and just another piece of domestic magic Casey wanted to try and replicate back home. Stepping outside for a moment, Casey moved to grab his backpack and bring it in, given that it had all their leftovers from Jasmine’s meal.

Fridging it all, still wrapped in a towel, Casey hunted for one of the chocolate bars he’d gotten on the drive out here. He promptly cracked it open and started in upon the melty goodness before offering it over to Trisha.

”You probably aren’t hungry, but maybe you want a treat? Also, after everything’s said and done, what’s the verdict on being out in something like that tent we were in? Y’think you can live in something like that for a couple weeks? A couple months maybe? I promise it’ll have internet…” he giggled.

“A couple of months? Soon you’ll say you want to live in one.” Trisha stuck out her tongue at him, before taking just a little bit of the chocolate bar.

Unlike him, she’d pretty quickly dried off her body to pull on a large sweater that had once been his but was now definitely hers along with some sweatpants. She loved how soft the towels were, but moving about with one wrapped around her was just a pain. But she had bundled up her hair in a smaller one, like a towel shawl, so she didn’t have to think about drying it yet. Otherwise it would be dripping everywhere.

“It was nice. I’m sure I could stay a couple of weeks in a tent like that- with internet and a shower. It doesn’t even need the internet if you let me bring along enough books. It could be nice to properly disconnect for a week or so… No longer, though. Definitely not months without that. But it was basically like a studio apartment.”

Casey nodded.
”I’m just not sure if I want to keep old man Cabbot’s house and live in that while we work the property or not. The pictures I saw made it seem… Rustic, but poorly maintained. In a battle of clean versus convenient, I’d probably choose the former.” he admitted.

It would probably be much better. He had to build the outer structure first, but rather than do that, he figured he’d order it ahead of time. Someone upstate from St. Portwell that he knew would be more than capable of laying down a foundationless frame that Casey could miniaturize and set up inside a tent like a ship in a bottle.
But, that gave him an idea too. Maximizing smaller components never really went well, since it always felt like you were in a jumbo world when it was blown up to normal size… But what if he just miniaturized a mass quantity of materials and built the structure like a little desk model?

It’d theoretically be thirty times as much effort, seeing as how each individual board and pipe had to be enchanted. Any component had to be before installation, and as they all had to be done individually, it was a lot of magic to go through.
But couldn’t he just do that with a house of their own?

”Well… Maybe not. I just kinda had this crazy brain blast; maybe this whole house thing ain’t gonna be so bad. I’m not really sure how I’m gonna pull it off, but we’ll see. We may end up in the fucking construction business, Babe, I’m not even gonna lie to you.” he grinned widely, entirely impressed with himself over his own conceptuality.

Trisha had no idea what he was actually thinking, but she could only assume it was some crazy magic for building a house. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to ask, because she probably wouldn’t understand half of it… But if he was that enthusiastic, she’d enjoy him getting excited more than she’d be annoyed she didn’t quite get it.

“Oh? Then we can call our future conglomerate ’Bees and Buildings’, or something.” She smiled back.
“What kind of crazy idea did you have that makes you think we should go into construction?”

”If I can automate a high tier artifact to consistently miniaturize housing materials, we’d be able to assemble them like matchstick houses and deliver them for pennies. Get a staging area where we make it look like we’re producing high volume structures, but we’re basically a dollhouse factory using quality grade construction materials. Then we buy up an area for development, and we magically slap down three dozen houses overnight. Sell ‘em for cheap, fuck it. Give some to charities…”

He was even thinking of self-setting foundational systems, where the concrete would potentially bust open and fill in a pre-fabricated mold to create a sturdy, long lasting foundation instantly alongside the house being placed down. It was more work to set up and maintain as a company that could service Blinds than it was actually getting the infrastructure set up.

”And I really liked building shit. I still like building shit, but small stuff. Like my guns, or working on the sled… Small bits and bobs are really my thing.” he continued to explain, hoping she’d see something of his vision.

Trisha nodded slowly, though she wasn’t sure how on earth tiny matchstick houses could become good quality houses. Did the size expansion retain the material quality? But it wouldn’t be the same, would it? It made her head spin a little bit thinking about it.

“I know you like building stuff… I can tell because you get so into something like the sled, and you get excited talking about what we’re going to do on our property.” She said with a smile. She was sure in the future when they had more time, Casey and Cass would undoubtedly sit down with each other for days and create some crazy things together.

“If you’re taking tiny matchstick houses and making them bigger… Will it be stable? How do you deal with the wiring, do you do mini wires in the mini houses?” She asked curiously, trying to figure out how it all worked and getting stuck on a few things. Not that she needed to know, but she couldn’t help but think about the little details.

Casey shook his head, giggling happily as he made way for the stairs to find some clothing finally. As much as Trisha probably liked looking, he was fond of pants. Just pants for tonight. He figured spending as much time shirtless as he could would be like a private gift, as self-aggrandizing as that sounded.

”Oh, no… You misunderstand. What I meant about the artifact? The idea would be it would take real true-size supplies. Real lumber, real timber, I mean, we’d probably create all the fixtures and line ‘em up true to size, but then for assembly, we’d be able to shrink it all down to a point where we can basically assemble the houses by hand. Again, they’d all be real materials, just… Shrunk down by what would essentially be a magical machine. We call ‘em Miracles, when they do something automatically without input.” he explained, having had to give his perspective on the difference between said contraptions and standard artifacts multiple times.

As he spoke, his voice got louder and louder to ensure Trisha could hear him down the stairs, not sure of whether or not she bothered following him up.

Trisha did end up instinctively trailing after him, like a little duckling. They were in the middle of a conversation, after all, so she wasn’t really inclined to go get comfy on the couch alone.

“Ohhhh, I see. I figured you’d be building little houses out of little materials then blowing it all up to proper house size. It makes more sense that its proper supplies shrunk to put it together… Would it really save that much time? Since you’ll have to do so much work when it’s at full size. I guess it means you can build it wherever you want and move it to where you want to put it down.” She rubbed the back of her neck. Even though she was learning more the longer she was with Casey, it was still the kind of magic she struggled to understand. It was so different from her own, and she couldn’t easily translate it to mundane concepts.

“That does sound handy. Would there also be a Miracle to unshrink the house when it’s put together, or would that need to be done manually?”

”Uhhh… That could take some refinement. Chances are it’d be a fairly violent reaction. Which, theoretically, could be utilized to do a whole bunch of useful stuff? But, the idea would be that there’d be a curse or something else built into the structure that would release the spell itself and grow everything back up to size. But it’s all… Theoretical. My little buddy isn’t around to blast ideas at anymore, so I’ve kinda gotta do it by trial and error unless I get real good at Super-Hypothetical physics. It’s like physics, but breakable…”

And Gin’s specialty. Her ability to know what magic was going to do intrinsically was what made her an incredible physicist. Basic principles were out the window for a mind like hers, and it made her hungry for alternatives. She could easily observe the patterns of Lux, and seemed to have a preternatural sense of what kinds of things would force Lux to build up, rather than flowing and distributing normally. And never mind actually putting those consequences to good use…

”I’ve got her voice in my head telling me I should figure out how to pre-install the foundations for them too, so all the company has to do after transporting is activate them in the holes…” he laughed, pulling his underwear up before moving for a pair of socks.

”Y’know… You do make me feel special. Listening to me talk about shit like this, I mean. Because you ask about it after… Uhh… I guess I can usually tell when people don’t really care. It bothers me.” he explained, not entirely implying that there was a person in mind for his ire.

Trisha nodded in understanding. While she’d gotten good at pretending to be who she thought past friends and partners wanted, which meant never straying into talking about stuff they wouldn’t like, she’d experienced the lack of interest too. Mostly from family, but sometimes when she’d made the mistake of opening up and talking about some book or her bees.

“It’s interesting and I don’t really understand it, so I ask so I can understand more.” She responded simply.
“I’d still enjoy listening even if I didn’t find it so interesting anyway, because you get so enthusiastic about it. That’s pretty infectious… So I’ll always care, because it’s something you want to talk about, which means it’s something I want to listen to.”

Most of the time, at least, unless she was in a particularly poor mood. But then listening to anything was difficult… And that wasn’t what he meant here anyway. It was people who didn’t try to care, right? They just listened because they felt they had to, rather than being honest or trying to engage. Not that she could ever tell someone she found what they were saying boring.

“You are special to me, because I love you, and you talk about things in a way that makes them seem so interesting even if I barely get what you’re trying to say.” She laughed slightly, smiling at him. She couldn’t understand like Gin had… While she was pretty good at Maths, and thus that part of Physics wasn’t too bad, she always struggled with the rest of it.

“You are lucky that I like learning so much, and I didn’t lose that completely over years of studying.”

Casey nodded as he did so often: With a smile filling his face. He was, in fact, very lucky. Because what he’d really wanted all his life was someone who listened. And not just listened, but really gave a shit. Lynette always listened… It was her best quality. She knew when you wanted or needed something. Affection, a pat on the back, some encouragement…

But she knew how to manipulate it too. To withhold, or only string along with the least amount of thread… If she needed you buttered up, she was happy to dangle the meat closer to your mouth. It was all about figuring out how to best get what she wanted. So, she listened to everything. But they all learned to only tell her what they didn’t fear losing.

With Trisha, it was genuine adult interest… And an interest for the relatively unknown, which was always exciting. Foreign frontiers. The Age of Exploration had ended with a whimper in the back yard of the Industrial Revolution… Any joy one could possibly squeeze out of learning something new on the planet was a feeling Casey wanted to protect. He was nostalgic over learning himself, after all…

”We’re both lucky as shit. I’m just thrilled that it gets to be us. Even with all the awful things that we’ve been dealing with, I can’t imagine where I’d be right now if I wasn’t doing this with you.” he said, finally sliding his sweatpants on before stepping closer and leaning down to plant a deep, loving kiss on Trisha’s lips.

Trisha happily leaned into her, arms wrapping around him. She smiled warmly at him as they parted, her eyes creased contentedly. They really were lucky. She could imagine where she’d be… Even if she wouldn’t be dealing with all the shit surrounding them, she’d be stuck and alone with no hope for the future. But she’d found her person, and would hopefully never go back to that.

“I can imagine… And it only makes dealing with all of those things so I can be with you worth it.” She said softly, leaning up to rub her nose against his.

Then, she let out a quiet giggle.
“You know… I’m getting pretty used to being called Mrs Richoux. Maybe we should just elope.”

It was mostly a joke, of course. The security marriage brought was dampened by her experience of constant divorce, and there was still the lingering fear that Casey would try to leave her that made her want to wait that year like they said. As if it would make it any easier if things did fall apart… But she was happy to be engaged, and it had only been a month. But she did like it when she was referred to as his wife, even if it wasn’t quite true yet.

Casey looked down at her with the warmest, most gooey eyes he could possibly muster.
”Oh, Honey Bee… Don’t make me wait! Marry me, please! I beg you!”

He was giggling, but if she came to him tomorrow and said it again, he’d not think twice. He was already used to calling her that; there was practically no lag time. He loved it. And he’d love her too… Forever and ever.

Slow, quiet footsteps brought Furio to the threshold of sleeping Ivetta’s bedroom door. They’d only been in this house for a month or so, but he welled with pride every single time he passed by this room. She was so happy… He’d never seen his daughter so enthusiastic about everything. She’d spent so long cooped up in that little house on the roof of that building. Now, she had her own space entirely, complete with her own bathroom. It was the privilege that a life of service had brought him… Retirement from a life of hurting people.

A single tear crept down Furio’s cheek. Ivetta’s face was just visible over the periwinkle comforter, lips pursed together and nostrils slowly flaring as she took a slumbering breath. He didn’t get anxious or nervous anymore…Fifteen years ago, when she was first born, he thought they’d retire from danger. That they’d get to raise their baby girl in peace and prosperity… Max had said they’d be okay.

But Furio knew better. Lynette ran the show, and Clarissa knew best when it came to maximizing opportunity… So the two of them fell in line, and the prevailing years saw their purses turn into coffers, and those coffers eventually became vaults. Wealth and security, just like the Richouxs, but only one person to leave it for.

”Nunzio’s on the way. He’ll watch the house, and make sure she gets to Lynette if we don’t make it back in good time.”

Clarissa’s voice was low so as not to disturb their daughter, but she spoke very casually. Almost bemused, it was par for Clarissa’s magical needs that she constantly teetered on the edge of manic anticipation. The blood, the shouting, the feeling of recoil in her hand. Once more down the rabbit hole… It was a large part of why Furio fell in love with her. She was nuts, and he was one of two people on the planet who could possibly center her for her own good.

It was worth trying now.

”What if we don’t go?” he asked very casually without turning his head. He didn’t need to see the look.

”Don’t start this again… We already agreed.” she returned coldly, an extra step forward bringing her arms around him.
”We don’t need to go crazy. Gut her, and we could even leave him there.”

Furio shook his head without turning to face Clarissa.
”Are you hearing yourself yet? Who are we protecting!? Lynette fucking Richoux!? This is beyond stupid, Clarissa! If the woman can resurrect herself, why would we-”

Clarissa’s tender hands became iron as they scrambled upward. One wrapped around half his face, while the other dove for his hair and grabbed a thick chunk. Both limbs squeezed, nails digging into the flesh of Furio’s cheek as Clarissa forced him to turn around and face her. Her expression was one of abject anger and frustration.

”Oh, Foor… we’ve been married over twenty years, but every time I’ve ever tried to steer this ship in the right direction, I’ve let you talk me out of it… No more. No, no… You’re gonna shut up, now. And we’re gonna stop my best friend from committing suicide.”

Furio’s face twisted into rage that was only tempered by the sleeping girl behind him.
”Your best friend is not worth saving anymore!”

He didn’t even get a chance to stop her from channeling a portal spell. All at once, Furio’s world was cold. At least he’d already gotten ready…

---

Trisha woke up with a start, the feeling that something was wrong hanging heavy in her gut. Even the feeling of Casey's arms around her wasn't enough to calm it, or even make a dent like his warmth often did after a nightmare. Was it a nightmare? She didn't remember anything, but she was tense like something was going to happen all the same. Why? It didn't seem mundane, it didn't even seem to be entirely her own anxiety, had the Queen-

Danger! Danger!

Before she could fully parse it, a harsh pheromone signal slammed into her from one of the Soldier bees downstairs. They'd sensed whatever the Queen had- shit. She immediately flipped around towards Casey, one hand grasping his shoulder and shaking.

“Casey! There's something- The bees have sensed something- People? Lux?" She managed, quietly and hurriedly as she tried to wake him at the same time as parsing whatever feeling she'd had along with what the soldier had fed her. But there was hardly enough time, because if a soldier bee had managed to sense them, that meant they were practically on the doorstep. She could sense the bees on the door preparing to attack, the other clusters around the house not on active watch duty waking up rapidly.

“It's probably them."

Casey had actually been asleep for once… Dead asleep. But as soon as he awoke, he could feel his new channeler practically sizzling against his chest. Every single one of his sensors was going off heavily, and yet he didn’t wake up from a single one? It meant a lot of retooling… The glove was his whole hand, he was used to the feeling of being slapped and dragged by it like it had a mind of its own… Not a necklace getting hot. It wasn’t enough.

”Huh!? Wha-?!”

It took him an extra second to think. A second too long, maybe, as he flung the sheets and cover from the bed to book it toward the bag that had his clothing. It would’ve been so easy to get a little more prepared had he thought of keeping it all by the bed… But the only thing he had close was the only thing he thought would be completely necessary should the worst happen…

The Blade.

In its knife form, it was small enough to keep under his pillow. His hand reached for it immediately, and just as he made it to the bag to start getting dressed, the dresser and the wall behind it splintered into a million wooden fragments. Suddenly, there was a man-sized hole in the shape of a large rectangle that looked as though someone tried to remove a chunk of reality.

”Oh shit!”

Rather than continue trying to get the bag, he did the only thing he knew would keep them both safe.

”Trisha, get under the be-”

A massive cracking noise echoed like a frozen log exploding from internal pressure. All at once, the floor underneath Casey was no longer there. He did his best to dive, if only to prevent the roof above them from crushing the two of them as the floor beneath them collapsed.

Trisha screamed as the floor beneath her feet was suddenly torn away, the bed she’d been preparing to get under before Casey even finished falling away too. She tried to tuck up into a ball to at least protect her head, harsh panic immediately calling all of the bees in the house to her. There were sharp zaps in her brain from the ones that didn’t make it, those that did covering her in an attempt to protect her too.

It was slow-like, an almost controlled wave of destruction as the foundation rumbled and the floor came out from under itself in all directions. Beams tumbled before evaporating away as their atomic structure became unraveled in a complex spell that Furio called “Entromites”. Decayed wood turned into dust, while most of the structure remained as a temporary prison. While Trisha screamed, Casey had used the last bit of solid leverage he had to gain a position over Trisha.

At the same time, he released the Blade, letting it fill out until it was able to cleave the falling roof in half, effectively preventing them from being crushed, but leaving them exposed and disoriented.

”Shit, Trisha! You’re alright!?” he asked down at her, voice strained from panic as he let a White Lux spell ripple across the area in an attempt to find the source…

“Y-Yeah.” Trisha managed to reply. The fall had hurt, but wasn’t far enough to break anything thankfully, but her limbs hurt as she scrambled into a crouching position. Just as much of the pain was in her head from the bees she’d crushed, blood dripping down her nose in a steady stream. Her vision was slightly blurry as she squinted up at him.

The duo didn’t need to wait long before the problem made themselves known.

”Ohhhhh, have yourself a merry little Christmaaaaaaaas!”

Clarissa stood in the driveway next to Casey’s new truck, while Furio held his arms out toward the ruins with one palm pointed at Casey and the other at Trisha.

”You got this from the dead gangster, right Case!? Or, did Leon buy this for you!?”

Casey grimaced, feeling a board covered in nails stuck in his right shoulder blade. Standing completely upright, he felt the metal pins release from the flesh and drop away, leaving him with a slow-trickle puncture wound in his left shoulderblade. It hurt to lift the arm now, but he needed both to wield the Blade properly.

”Auntie… Uncle… What the fuck are you guys doing!?”

”Y’know, Casey, I was thinking. I was thinking that maybe, just this once? I’d be able to prove your Mother wrong… That I’d be able to stop this. The easy solution here is sterilization… Probably could’ve kicked you in the balls hard enough. Maybe I should’ve when you were a kid. Some horrifying accident turns you into a eunuch? Where’s Lynette’s plan then?!”

She spoke with a cold, cold inflection that Casey had only heard her use with people who’d legitimately crossed the Temple wrongly. Enemies. In a single solitary motion, Clarissa let her right hand slip around her front, and one trigger pull opened a portal underneath the truck. Without ceremony, it fell into the Earth, and the portal closed.

”Oh… Oops. I guess you probably needed that to leave! Maybe you can use one of the snowmobiles around here…” she chided, knowing full well the extent of neutralization that the two of them had brought to this resort.

After all, their courtesy visit the other night had been less of a visit to Casey, and more of a reason to scout the location for Clarissa. Furio was staying quiet, but all of his instincts told him to hold focus on Casey, in case he’d instinctively brought one of his crazy guns to the party.

Trisha grimaced, glaring at them both as she tried to get her thoughts straight. The honey bees that could clung to her, vibrating their little bodies in an attempt to keep her and themselves warm. Others had clumped up together to not immediately freeze, with even the Soldiers densely packed on her shoulders and the Bombers clinging to her t-shirt. They were ineffective in this weather. Even getting one over to sting Clarissa would be difficult.

“I should’ve killed you when I had the chance.” Trisha bit out. She didn’t care about what Clarissa was talking about. No matter what other horrible solutions she’d thought about to prove Lynette wrong, they were here to kill them both. Why else would they try to crush them inside the building, or get rid of the truck?

“Why?! How the fuck is Lynette’s life worth more than yours or ours?!” As she spoke, she ordered the Bombers to move from her to Casey, crawling up onto his shoulders. Their fuzzy metal fur turned sleek and shiny as they formed it into the dense armour that made them so dangerous. The cold may be affecting them too, but from a slightly higher start they could probably still reach the speeds they needed to act like bee bullets.

There was one single thing that the two of them had which Furio and Clarissa couldn’t replicate. Casey reached for Trisha’s hand as he slung the Blade up over his shoulder. He was bare-footed in nothing but his underwear in the middle of the below freezing cold. It would’ve looked ridiculous if anyone was there to see, but it didn’t really matter now… As he took her hand, she’d be able to feel his presence against her Emotional Field, hoping to open a telepathic line. He wasn’t well versed in Abstraction boosting either, but he was trying to give her everything he knew he could do: Reinforced Field, Para-Luxal Amplification, and a coordination spell called Simulread, which unobtrusively maintained surrounding awareness and translated intention between the connected entities.

With the Queen’s influence having been unlocked, Trisha would be able to feel these enhancements integrating into her Emotional Field, simply waiting for her to accept the help.

”You’re askin’ a great fuckin’ question Trisha… She won’t tell me either.” Furio replied first, not turning his head to look at his wife as she sauntered up next to him. It was far more clear now that she was utterly coated in viscera.

”You people lack a whole lot of fucking scope… She had you kill everyone working on Eden. You and your mutt brother, Casey. And for what? This fucking slag? So she has a womb to crawl into? For what life? How is her life worth less than any of ours!? She’s done more to bring back the Ancient Days than anyone else on this fucking planet! She is the Way, and the Light! And everyone’s so ready to let her just give up!? Over a batch of brats who never understood what she had to offer!? None of you know her like I do! So, submit, and relinquish your ability to copulate, or forfeit your fucking lives!”

Clarissa raised her gun, pointing it not at Casey, but directly at Trisha.

Trisha didn’t hesitate to let Casey in, letting him bolster and connect to her Emotional Field while continuing to glare at the other two in front of them. There was only a small comfort in his hand holding hers, both so cold it was difficult to fully feel.

It was all so fucking ridiculous and unfair. She didn’t want to be at the centre of all of this. She didn’t want Lynette to ‘crawl into her womb’ like Clarissa so horribly put it. But even if she wasn’t here, they’d still want to kill Lynette. Because she was an awful person running a horrible cult! Lynette herself just wasn’t putting up a fight because she thought she’d get to come back.

There was so much she could shout back, but what was the point? Clarissa would just shoot her all the same.

It was terrifying having a gun pointed directly at her. But she wasn’t just going to roll over and submit- give up part of her dream. She wasn’t going to just die without a fight either. A harsh banana scent seemed to fill the air- the same one she’d used to help bolster Casey when they were attacked by the assassin. Except this time she wasn’t just letting them out into the air, instead she was hijacking the connection between their Emotional Fields to only bolster them both.

He’d feel her intent to attack through the Simulread before she spoke, as the honey bees packed densely on her chest and she let go of his hand.

“Go to hell.” The Bombers launched themselves off Casey’s shoulders, hurtling towards Clarissa. They weren’t fast enough in these conditions to be quite like bullets, but still they’d pack a punch. It was waves of them as they crawled onto the prime launch pad before going- the first twenty aiming directly for the gun, the next for Clarissa herself.

Clarissa let a shot loose, the spell behind it splashing open a portal that sent the bees who hit it God knows where. Her portals were incredible opaque screens that did a fantastic job of obscuring Clarissa’s movements. By the time it disappeared, she was already gone. Casey’s eyes locked with Furio’s for the briefest moment.

”Furio!? Don’t!”
”I never meant those awful things. I’m sorry.”

Casey saw the ripple before it happened. The Simulread urged Trisha to step back a single step, which put her in the perfect spot for Casey to slam the Blade in front of her in order to block the incoming force wave. Knowing he couldn’t just de-atomize them, Furio had to resort to a much more physical kind of attack where he manipulated air pressure into cavitation bursts; essentially small bombs of air being rapidly compressed and expanded like a combustion engine.

By the time it hit the blade and split, it was like a grenade going off. Casey, Trisha, and the blade were chucked into the snow, with Casey’s arms wrapping tight around Trisha. A great deal of Lux was being channeled to maintain Casey’s enhancement spells for himself and Trisha while he utilized the single most potent spell Lynette had given him:

An ancient technique of their tribe, it was usually the domain of the Priestess of the Tribe… Battle Meditation, Foresight; there were a lot of different names for it. It was how Lynette was such a formidable fighter in the first place, and how she could fight totally blind without needing any kind of prompting or assistance… She simply saw what would happen. For her, it was instant and direct, but Casey hadn’t had a great deal of time to practice and his Lux wasn’t entirely suited for the job…

Still, it was enough to know what he should expect, which meant wrapping his arms around Trisha.

”We’re alright!”

The sentiment passed from his brain to hers faster than light could move… Because it was entirely predictive. The Simulread was already prompting Trisha to let her body relax before impact, and as they hit the ground, Casey’s body took the brunt of the impact. It would’ve knocked the wind out of him if he hadn’t exhaled completely in anticipation… And the Blade was cold as the flat of it was pressed tightly against her to block what was coming next.

BANG-BANG-BANG

Three shots ricochet’d off the outward oriented face, soaring into whatever direction before a forth indicated that Clarissa teleported again.

”Bees, here!”
The Simulread gave Trisha a picture of the rubble; a predictive spot that would give Clarissa the best angle to shoot under the Blade and hit them both in the legs and lower body.

It was incredibly weird being fed intentions and pictures at the same time as hearing his voice in her mind. It would’ve been overwhelming for Trisha if she wasn’t so locked into surviving. All of those instincts she’d honed over a summer of fighting for her life came back, pushing out any unnecessary panic in favour of action.

She had to concentrate to get to her bees pheromones, quickly locating the closest groups to the rubble and sending them over. Two clouds of buzzing bees darted towards their spot with an intent to attack whatever was there, doing their best to not freeze to death by flying as densely packed as they could. In the centre of each group was a Soldier, who would be able to sting and survive far longer than the surrounding honey bees.

She’d already lost at least twenty bombers to the portal, their connection severed with a different kind of pain to the normal death. The others couldn’t stop their momentum immediately, shooting past the empty space they’d aimed to and only just coming to a stop where she could call them back. But they were all sluggish in the cold. Some were already dying to it. She was trying to pump them with as much magic as she could, but it was only so effective.

“Too cold. Don’t have long.” For the bees, at least. She could guess they only had ten minutes until they were completely useless, having to clump together in vibrating balls just for some to survive.

”Done long before.” came the reply, as every road lead to this being no more than a few minutes tops… It’d all be over in a snap once it came.

Clarissa accidentally teleported directly into the line of the bees’ path, tensing up as she saw a swarm shooting toward her like black spheres of death. She dove backwards, collapsing the portal at the same time a cavitation wave evaporated two of the clusters. The next instruction was to prepare for more pain, as Casey braced them both and a portal opened beneath them.

Suddenly, they were vertical, and flying backward before hitting a tree with enough force to collapse the snow on its boughs all around them. Unable to process his own foresight for a moment, Casey broke into a fit of frustration and channeled a massive burst of Lux into the Blade, twisting it and bashing the snow drifts into the air to create a massive screen of snow that obscured them both for a moment.

”Break off! Two targets!”

There was a tentative pathway that urged Trisha toward the rubble… There, buried under all that rubble, there was a feeling of something calling out to her… A friend. Plush black and yellow filled Trisha’s mind for a moment. Meanwhile, Furio was frantically swatting half-frozen bees off of Clarissa’s jacket as they desperately tried to sting with nothing happening, as their frozen rear ends couldn’t articulate the point well enough to pierce the layers of cloth she was wearing in the hopes of protecting herself from them.

Trisha’s brain felt like it was on fire, the deaths of two groups of bees hitting her like an electric shock. But it almost dampened the physical pain that came from falling onto a tree, and she pushed through the fogginess in her brain. She understood what Casey wanted her to do. She needed more bees, she needed fresh bees.

She just nodded her understanding, wiping blood from her nose as she prepared to run. The bees still on her crowded all across her like a protective shield, focusing on the vulnerable areas. An order went out to all the attacking ones, trying to give them direction to get under clothes as she felt them getting killed without doing anything.

As soon as the snow screen dropped, she pushed away from Casey, bare feet stamping into snow that had already made them go numb. But it could be worse, she’d rather snow than anything sharp. She was running as fast as she could towards the spot in the rubble he’d pointed her to, with residual bee deaths still zapping her brain, while trying to keep an eye out.

She really hoped Princess was there, desperately trying to find the magical connection she had with the plush toy. She didn’t even need to reach it. Just get close enough to activate her.

As she ran, Casey did his best to begin pressing himself as a threat. Without the range to compete with either of them, it was going to take every bit of skill he could to be useful… Fire, heat: He received a million different ideas and ways to get an inferno raging, but most had to do with the utility lines running under the ground. There was a world where Clarissa hadn’t gotten rid of the car, but he didn’t live in that one…

He had a lighter, at least… At least the battle enhancements were really kicking now… He didn’t even feel the cold as his Emotional Field bubbled up and burst open with the fury of a Red Adept… The kind of rage that Furio was only able to muster now because he was forced into this situation. But he felt Casey’s surge, and knew what was coming next as Casey gripped and twisted the hilt of the blade.

There was a snap, like something being struck, before the massive slab of metal burst into flame with the near-nude Casey channeling nothing short of Ares himself. The cinnamon and banana scent of his unique signature could’ve potentially confused the bees, but it wasn’t a command. Utilizing their direct magical connection, Casey pushed every bit of unused White Lux to get his point across to their flying companions: Friend is Warm. It didn’t take care of the fact that they couldn’t move like they needed to in the cold, but he hoped that if he stuck to Clarissa and Furio like glue, the bees would be able to recharge well within proximity of their targets, essentially using him like a lily pad to hop across on their way toward the threat.

Clarissa’s eyes widened at the Blade catching fire, and didn’t hesitate to change her target, having only a moment to reload her weapon before Casey did the next most ridiculous thing he was sure he could do… His spells enchanting the sword clamped down, each one building in strength until the entire thing was a nexus of Orange that held reality in a sticky, amber tar that caused it to move in a truly unnatural way. It jerked through the air with half of it’s own mind, pivoting Casey in place as they both began to spin. Clarissa and Furio both leased shots of their own at Casey, but the superior nature of the ancient artifact turned both spells with a single twist…

And then, Casey let his body go limp… With reality clinging to it, rather than it clinging to reality, the sword shunted itself forward and dragging Casey through the air like a massive bee stinger. More like a hornet… A Turantula Hawk.
His trajectory split Clarissa off from Furio, and at the point of impact where they had both been standing, the force of the Blade’s landing created a ten foot wide smoldering crater.

Trisha kept running towards the rubble of the cabin, almost tripping over debris as she reached the edge. Princess had been right in the middle, left on the couch, but Trisha should be able to- There!

She felt the muffled response to her pheromones, immediately turning Princess on and mentally swiping up for her to increase in size. There was a creaking sound as the rubble began to shift, pushed out of the way by sheer force as the plush toy grew and began to push her way out. As soon as Trisha saw just a part of her fluffy, round body free she tapped into the portal on that spot connected to the Greenhouse.

A stream of bees came out from her fluff, arching into the air and over Trisha’s head. The instant hit of cold was a shock to their systems, but their momentum carried them forward as she ordered a good group to go for Clarissa. Others were pulled down to her, combining with their freezing sisters to make a more efficient defence.

The clumps that had been ineffectively trying to get to anything to attack changed tactics, following Casey’s pheromones and trying to get to that relief from the cold.

Now Furio really had something to think about. Neither of them had any idea how there were suddenly thousands of bees filling the early morning air, but it wasn’t anything they were ready for in that moment. She’d never had something like this as a kid either, though Clarissa easily locked onto the source from her angle. Suddenly, the dynamic was an overextension of force… There was hesitation in Furio, but Clarissa didn’t care, or simply wasn’t paying enough attention to notice.

In truth, her feeling was the same as it always was: Cut the root of the problem off, and the problem would go away. A few hundred bees were one thing, after all, but thousands and thousands? She’d brought one of the experimental Epinephrines, but had been told it could make her magic unstable… She needed every ounce of power she could get. As for Casey, he already knew that Clarissa would be going for Princess the second the idea crossed the Simulread. Directions were already being disseminated, a plan forming in spite of them still being on a shaky back foot.

”Keep Princess safe at all costs!”

A haze of bees washed across Casey, every one of them sure as they could be to avoid the massive flame, or to pass through it with enough speed to avoid catching alight themselves, while he began to swing again. He figured that now, the only objective Furio could hope to keep up with was clearing bees off of Clarissa, which was proven correct as a portal opened beneath him and he reappeared alongside his wife further ahead of Casey.

”See! Now they’re together! Push!”

Trisha started scrambling across the rubble towards where Princess was shoving her way through. As a little bit more poked out towards the air, she urged even more bees through the added space.

The dense cloud of aggressive honey bees descended on Clarissa, stinging at all angles to try and get through her clothes. Plenty went for Furio too- there were thousands now, after all, and it would only take a thousand stings to kill a normal person. No matter how difficult it was for the bees to get to skin, the two of them still had a whole swarm to contend with. For every bee killed, it would be replaced.

Trisha had reached where Princess was in the middle of the destroyed cabin, with her own dense cloud of bees surrounding them both. Her head ached with each death, but it was becoming background noise to the thrumming adrenaline pushing her through. She began to do her best to dig Princess out, assuming keeping hold of her would be safest while she was the source of their new reinforcements.

The massive ball of bees was deterrent enough for Clarissa to pull back on the initial plan and try something else. What? She didn’t know. She couldn’t think straight. She was being assaulted, and her *husband* was playing lowball.

”You’re a piece of work, Furio Natale! A real piece of work!” she verbally accosted him as they surged through another portal in an attempt to put time and distance between them…

Something Casey was worried about finally happened. The classic strategy he’d seen them pull off a thousand times. The “False Retreat”. Clarissa’s long-distance portals were far more violent and loud in their activation than the short distance hops, which gave the impression of finality in the fight. In reality, she simply teleported them to a pre-arranged staging area, where things like Key Lime Pie, or other Oblivium-based drugs like Pepper Jelly, were stored and kept on hand for emergency.

In this little room beneath the Temple, the two of them could argue for a few moments while anticipation built on the snowy mountainside.

”We can still stop!” Furio pleaded.
”Think of Ivetta! Think of-

Clarissa’s hand flicked up, smashing itself across Furio’s face. Both her hands grabbed him by the collar and she pulled herself tight to his face.

”In my head… I still call her Lynette.”

Furio stared as tears welled up in his eyes.

”You… never let it go…”

”No, I fucking didn’t. How’s that make you feel? How’s it make you feel that I’d choose her over and over again?”

There was a boiling noise as atoms began to sizzle from the heat around Furio. Before he could channel the searing inferno big enough to engulf them both in that little room, Clarissa let another shot rip. Unintentionally, Furio was now a nuclear hazard ready to go critical at any moment.

Fine… He’d kill Trisha. He’d kill her, and Casey, and Leon and anything that had to do with the name Lynette Richoux. And when that was done? He’d kill the queen bitch herself… Only then would his family be free of her spell.
When he felt the cold again, he was a different man. Casey and Trisha had scarce time to regroup and mount a defensive, or even pull anything else from the rubble, before Furio was sending Cavitation Waves at three times the size and ten times the ferocity. One wave scooped into the swarm, blasting a massive hole in it that had to consume thousands of bees at once. The Swarm itself, obviously, couldn’t take many hits like that… And suddenly, Casey’s priorities shifted.

He launched himself at Furio, who launched back himself with another wave that Casey had to perfectly time in order to split it with the Blade as he charged ahead, swarmed by his own cloud of bees.
”This isn’t good! Can’t fight him like this!”

Trisha had fallen to her knees as thousands of bees died in one magical blast. It took all of her will power and newly found magical strength to stay conscious. It felt like someone had connected a live wire right to her head, electrocuting her brain directly. Black spots swam in her vision and she clutched her head, biting down on her lip to try to fight through it.

What bees remained from the swarm were only momentarily confused by the reappearance of their targets before diving in to attack Clarissa again. Though they’d lost a good number, there were still more continuing to come out of Princess. Close to half were through now.

Casey’s voice in her head was enough for her to pull through just a little more, directing the bees on Casey off him. Towards Furio, even if they died trying, at least they could maybe distract him for just a moment. Trisha tried to push herself to her feet, clinging to Princess and using the floating plush as an anchor.

“What else can I do to help?!”

”Trust me… I’m sorry.”

A thousand images of her own face flashed in front of her eyes. Every single instance that he’d seen her face and felt pure love. A remote hug of the highest caliber.

”Keep pressing her. It will hurt more before it gets better.”
With that instruction, came a great wave of reasoning. Furio was focused on Casey, because Casey was focused on Clarissa… and Clarissa was focused on Trisha, who was doing her best to spread the swarm across both targets, but not exactly succeeding.

But if Trisha put all of her effort solely on Clarissa, she’d have to teleport so much that she’d be ineffective… And that meant that Furio would refocus his efforts on the bees, so that Casey could close the gap with another hammer toss. If he closed in on Furio, Clarissa would have to fall back at the least, or at worst, she wouldn’t be able to outpace the massive cloud of bees filling the area. She’d run out of energy, or make a mistake… Something that could take their edge away now that Furio seemed to be putting his effort into this.

Trisha understood his reasoning intrinsically thanks to the spell connecting them, and there was no way she could argue with it. Even if it meant trusting that it would really go that way, and leaving Casey to fight Furio by himself if it didn’t. But she had to trust him, and she didn’t have any better ideas.

“I love you.” She couldn’t do the images, so she could only give him the words. Just in case.

She pulled all of the bees that had been going for Furio off him, pain easing off enough she could take proper control of her hive again. They came at Clarissa from as many angles as they could, trying to box her in. Trisha forced herself to stop paying attention to Casey and Furio’s fight, instead doing all she could to keep up with Clarissa’s teleporting to keep directing the bees after her.

It cost Trisha another moment of pain like the last… Furio had just enough time to loose another Cavitation Wave as the swarm’s long tail evaporated wholesale. But, because of their speed, even in the cold, the damage was mitigated and the bulk of the swarm stayed on target. Some were even getting caught in Clarissa’s portals, slipping their way through in hot pursuit with a single raging Soldier Bee at the speartip.

Until now, they’d been a little too slow to keep up with the head of the swarm, but this one had been refreshed in the flames of the Blade, having perched itself right on Casey’s hand as it sat to bask in the radiant heat before reactivating like a woman on a mission.

But, there was no more relief. Clarissa knew exactly what was happening when there was an incredibly explosive noise. Furio couldn’t fight squarely with a sword using his bare hands. Rather, he had to time parrying the blade with the smallest nuclear bombs you’d ever seen. They were so tightly compressed that, upon being sundered by the blade during a parry, they were snapping open and launching themselves into the air toward space before hitting the upper atmosphere and detonating harmlessly miles and miles over their heads.

But what would that mean if Casey was hit by one!? Simply, he couldn’t be… Furio wouldn’t risk his chance at revenge by nuking the mountainside intentionally. If he did, they’d all go up in a puff of ash… He needed to see Lynette Richoux die. He wanted to be the one to do it. But, each time he parried, Casey had to deal with the fact that his sword was trying to escape the atmosphere along with the atoms it struck, their entire atomic structure linking together at the point of impact, with Red and Orange Lux pooling and mixing into some kind of rusty, sludgy “light” as reality tried and failed to ignite a principle yet unfulfilled.

But Casey had been here before. Here. In this exact scenario. This situation, pressed tight to Furio as he parried each slice and glaive-like swing that Casey made in the desperately tight position.

Clarissa spun, looking for a spot for a portal, only to be met with the swarm now pinching her from six different directions… And leaving her totally undefended from the seventh. The madwoman soldier bee had broken her squadron, driving them up and over the combat like a flock of dive bombing nightmares. Clarissa screamed, loosing a shot and disappearing into a long distance portal to leave Furio all alone against Casey.

Back in their staging room, Clarissa was screaming bloody murder as the soldier’s massive stinger plunged in and out of her neck just beneath the collar of her jacket. The turtleneck beneath wasn’t helping… She pulled the revolver up, and blasted the bee off her neck, leaving a bleeding nick in her neck as she could already feel herself starting to puff up. She struggled to get the jacket open, sat on the floor and writhing in pain as her legs tried to push her against a wall so she could sit up and get the clothes off to administer the shot…

Which is when she saw Lynette… She was leaned there, against the frame of the door with a sad look on her face.

”Lynnie!?... Y-you’ve gotta help! P-please!”

But she didn’t respond with any haste. She just sat and watched as Clarissa struggled with finding the pocket she kept the pen in.

”You could’ve been there for me… You could’ve waited. I would’ve learned how to bring you along… Now? It’s all fucked. And it's your fault, Rissabear. I really loved you, too. A lot more than I loved him.”

She didn’t help the woman struggle. She simply turned, and closed the door. Apoplectic with grief, Clarissa damned the instructions she’d gotten, simply jabbing the pen into her neck rather than going for the chest like she’d been told to. It only took a moment before things took effect…

She’d make it back yet. She’d prove Lynette’s future wrong.

Clarissa’s hand shot up, grabbing a hold of one of the counters and pulling herself up to her feet. She slurped down half a packet of key lime pie, and shot herself back into the cold winter.

As Clarissa disappeared along with Trisha’s craziest Soldier bee, she didn’t even give herself a chance to breathe before turning her attention to Furio. For now it was two versus one. The bees nearest Furio did an arc, before shooting towards him to enter the fray. But as they got close, the heat around the actively fighting two got unbearable. Like Furio had trapped them in a bubble of nuclear heat, the first few bees to hit it were incinerated before Trisha ordered them to come back.

She couldn’t just force them into it until it cracked. She’d lost too many, and she needed to be awake. Taking a deep breath, the bees pulled back to her for warmth, and she scrambled to try and find something useful in the ruins. A gun, warmer clothes, shoes, anything- She saw the sleeve of something green poking out, and started pulling at it, hoping it was the sweater she’d stolen from Casey. Anything warmer, though she kept her bees spread around her to alert her the moment something changed.

And it did… But, not for her. The crash of another long range portal broke the relative silence of Casey and Furio grunting in effort as one defended himself from the other. Casey had gotten a good upward bunt with the cutting edge of the blade, throwing Furio off balance when he slipped right through the ground and was replaced with Clarissa.
Instinctively, he raised the blade and blocked the first shot, feeling the force of the portal spell behind it drive him up into the air for a split second.

It was just long enough for him to spin, catching Furio behind him, and raising the sword just in time to block a cavitation wave as it rocked his world and sent him flying out of the bubble. But, inside the warm spot, there was a new panic. The two Adepts were, even comically so, trapped as the portal which Clarissa opened and used to shunt them around at close distances didn’t actually close. She had to scramble, grabbing the solid edge of the ground in order to prevent herself from swimming in the between. Furio instinctively grabbed her ankle, and the two of them pulled each other up to safety while Casey had the chance to recover and begin winding up another hammer toss.

As he let it fly, the snow underneath him blasted away, indicating the kinds of Thor-like speeds he was capable of generating with this artifact. The two defending themselves only had a split second to react. Except, unlike every other time in their marriage where the stakes were this high, they weren’t actually united… Both were thinking about their own safety, their own goals, and only what was best for them… Clarissa, without consulting Furio, dropped another portal at his feet with the intention of him getting away to a better spot so they could reset the fight…

But Furio, blind with ambition and hunger for revenge, only saw his own goal. Channeling another Cavitation Wave, he felt the portal underneath him open up, and panicked, releasing the spell at the exact moment that Casey was straightening his legs to dig his heels into the Earth. Clarissa let her pistol rise up toward Casey, and fired a single shot. Both the bullet and the wave hit him at once, the former cleaving his left shoulder practically off of his body.

The latter, while much weaker than intended, hit Casey square in the pelvic region… He didn’t feel flesh burst or rupture… But it was an incredible kind of force, like he was hit in the hip by a car… And it had the same effect. Casey’s last few moments of consciousness were spent spinning through the air like a stick, and doing his best to aim the Blade where it needed to go.

”It’s over. I believe in y-”

Trisha would be able to feel most of the spells that he’d enchanted her with fade away into nothingness, like a hand pulling itself away from her. She got a fantastic front row seat to see the aftermath too… As Casey faded away, his body seemed to stiffen, and Trisha got the brutal side profile of the massive sword plunging through Furio’s chest, sticking itself cleanly into the snow and frozen earth. The flame died instantly, and both men’s bodies sunk into the snow drift that they’d been teleported into with both of their momentums flinging them clear of the gaping hole in reality.

Clarissa stared with her eyes wide… And for a moment, she hesitated…

It felt like Trisha’s heart had been torn from her chest, but she didn’t hesitate. The swarms on standby descended on Clarissa as Trisha ran towards Casey’s body.

“Casey?! Casey?!” She shouted panickedly, tears already streaming down her cheeks even as her anger had her directing her bees to sting constantly.

Clarissa could only do her best to avoid the swarm by herself again. She couldn’t leave without taking care of the objective… All she had to do was outlast the bees. All she had to do was outlast the bees, or kill the bee keeper… Desperately, she dove through one portal, into another, then through one more as the train of purple and black swirling screens tracked her motion through the ether until she was mere feet away from Trisha.

”Die with him! Die, die die!”

“Why should I die?! I never asked for this! We never asked for this!” Trisha screamed, starting to back away as her bees tried to keep the teleporter away from their Queen. But all the time in the cold was making them sluggish, and they struggled to keep up with someone who kept appearing and disappearing.

She didn’t want to live without Casey, but she didn’t want this woman to live either. What if he wasn’t even dead, he was holding on- She had to kill her first, she had to save them both, she couldn’t lose him-

Channel your emotions into your magic. Evolve.
The Queen’s whisper as she woke up cut through the panic and sorrow, gently nudging Trisha towards a part of the magic she hadn’t used before.

Her eyes started to glow, amber swirling across them. A second, darker layer rapidly grew out from her skin, an exoskeleton with gaps at all of her joints. There was a sharp pain in her back as wings pushed out, and another in the back of her hands as stings formed under her skin. She was still human, but more bee than she’d ever been before.

She was stronger, even as grief threatened to overwhelm her mind. The bees were too, shrugging off the effects of the cold and suddenly feeling energised again. She stopped backing away and pushed forward, preparing to defend herself so the bees could finish Clarissa off.

Clarissa’s eyes bulged like a rat, her mind utterly boggled at the prospect of what she was seeing… She didn’t hesitate any longer than that, every single fiber of her being turning to panic as she fired a shot directly at Trisha. It struck dead on, spinning against the magically hardened carapace before falling into the snow with a soft puff. Clarissa pulled the trigger again, but got no response…

“I hope it was worth it.” Trisha bit out, glowing eyes filled with seething resentment towards Clarissa. It would be the last thing she saw before being covered in a swarm of magical bees.
“Now you get to die with him.”

She didn’t scream… As her face was covered, and the stingers of the Soldiers punctured her clothes once and for all, she gave the most smug and evil grin she could give back.

”An- y-o-ou can live… W-i-thout hi-i-im…”

More and more bees packed onto her, flooding her face, her mouth, her nose and ears, crawling into her clothes and across her body, each jab and sting felt less than the last as her body quickly succumbed. Her throat swelled shut, lungs ballooning until they haemorrhaged and ruptured. Every bit of Trisha’s ire and resentment channeled into the act of killing… The act of immediate, maybe even satisfying, revenge…

But now, it was so cold… So cold, and quiet, save for the swarm of bees which still roiled and billowed… She was alone.
And a small cluster of bees, the same ones that had accompanied the Soldier who got the first real sting on Clarissa, broke now from where they had been, and began to move toward their Friend. Their big, pale, dark haired friend…

With nothing left in her way, Trisha stepped over Clarissa’s body and ran through the snow towards Casey. The sight was even worse up close, with his legs all twisted the wrong way and one arm practically torn off. There was nothing else to fight, and no one else to fight for, so all that was keeping her going snapped as she fell to her knees beside him and started sobbing.

“Casey, I’m so sorry, I love you, please be alright.” She choked out, hands cupping his face before searching in desperate hope for a pulse. Anything, even a weak sign of life. If he was just alive, maybe she could save him. She didn’t want to live without him. She couldn’t.

There was a gentle crunching noise that sounded like someone trying to move through snow. It was enough that anyone in this situation would be edgy enough to look up toward and assess. In that same moment, as the movement from further away got a little more frantic, a puff of steam left Casey’s nostrils.

”T-tr-sh… T-d… Drissha!?” Furio’s voice echoed from a few feet away, his breath climbing up into the air around the Blade as it pinned him to the ground.
”Trisha!?” he panted again, far more clearly.

Trisha twisted her head around as her fingers went to Casey’s neck, tensing up in preparation to fight again. But it was just Furio in his dying throes. Eyes narrowing, her attention went back to Casey, one on his pulse and the other moving underneath his nostrils. It felt like there was something there, a pulse maybe, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe she was just lying to herself. Giving herself false hope.

“Can’t you just die quietly?” She intoned, voice cold and sad more than it was angry. The burning resentment had gone with Clarissa, leaving her with hollow grief.
“What do you want?”

”P-pie! N’my c-c-oat… For… Casey…” he panted loudly.
”T-the sword! I d-don't know how much is left… It’s s-seeping into the chest wound!” he growled against the pain.
”I s-still don’t think I’ll m-m-make it! But… he can! Please! I l-love h-h-him… I d-d-d-id a bad thing… Pl-ease… L-let me h-”

He was trying to unzip his jacket with the arm that was free from the sword, as his right arm had been severed at the elbow when the blade’s width pierced him. But he tried to move too much, and felt the razor sharp edge of the sword growing in his lungs like it was crystallizing against the key lime pie that was seeping into the wound.

As soon as she heard he had key lime, Trisha turned and hurried over to Furio. She shoved his hand away to unzip his jacket herself, careful to avoid the blade as she did. She got it open, not even having to find which pocket the Key Lime was in- it had been torn along with the like pack with the sword, green goop leaking out. She grabbed it in one hand, careful to angle it so more wouldn’t fall out, while scooping up what she could with the other.

It was less than half. Barely any, really. But hopefully it would be enough to make sure he survived. If he was stable she could get them more. He just had to be alive.

“You won’t make it.” Trisha intoned as she turned away from Furio, rushing back over to Casey. She grimaced as she forced his mouth open, first dropping in what little she’d scooped up before feeding him what was left in the packet.

“I won’t let you. But he will. I’ll make sure of it. I love him too much to lose him.”

”I d-don’t deserve it… B-but… Trisha!? My Ivy… Please! Take care of Ivetta! Don’t… Don’t let her go to a home! Don’t let her… Don’t… My family… Nunzio… Don’t let anyone… I want you and Casey to take her! And I don’t c-c-gggg!”

Stubborn as ever, Furio managed to wriggle, press, bite down, and rip himself away from the frozen sword. With it went the rest of the arm, split through the shoulder only for him to spin and begin crawling toward them both with one hand.

”I d-don’t care if it’s… Not fair… She deserves the best! And Casey Richoux is the b-b-best… Buddy!?” he shouted at the unconscious body as his mouth seemed to instinctively slurp at the key lime.

”Buddy!!! Casey!? I know you can hear me!!! Don’t let them take Ivy! Please! She didn’t deserve us! She deserves you! Please! Please, Trisha!” he begged, the deep red trail expanding wider and wider as he forced himself to move closer.

Trisha didn’t even look at Furio, concentrating on watching Casey and gently massaging his throat to help the key lime get down. Like when the Wampus had got him… She’d been so scared she’d lose him then too. She did wince as she listened to him beg, and heard him dragging himself towards them.

The resentful part of her wanted to tell him to fuck off, so he’d die thinking his daughter would be left completely alone. But said daughter was the one person Trisha had really had sympathy for in the situation… The only reason she hoped they didn’t have to kill Furio and Clarissa. While her own Father had been awful, losing him at fourteen had still been hard.

She cared more about Casey than she did her resentment too. When he woke up, she’d at least be able to tell him that Furio hadn’t hated him in the end… With what little comfort that might bring.

“Casey loves her. He’ll want to take her in. And I love him, so we will.” She responded, finally turning to look at Furio. Her eyes were still glowing unnaturally, tears filling them and streaming down her face with no signs of stopping. The carapace around most of her body didn’t even help with the cold, the skin underneath it turning paler the longer she was out here. But she refused to transform back until she had Casey somewhere safe and warm. She needed the extra strength to do that.

As she stared at him struggling while desperately hoping her fiance was going to live, more emotion slipped through the cracks.
“You’re right that she didn’t deserve this. You threw your lives away for Lynette! But even if you’re terrible people, we’ll never be able to be the best for her! Because we’re not her parents! She had them! Parents that loved her! And you took that away from her!”

”I gave my life to my WIFE! I only wish that SHE hadn’t given us both to Lynette… But that’s trust! That’s love! You’ll know the feeling some day, even if you and Casey never throw your lot behind a megalomaniac!”

There was a rattle as Casey finally came to. He didn’t open his eyes, but he caught the tail end of what was being said. One hand reached up to touch Trisha, eyes only weakly registering her new form. And the other stretched further on to connect with Furio, hand gripping his as the latter witnessed the movement.

”Casey!”

“Casey!” Trisha echoed, attention turning from Furio down to him. She caught his hand, guiding it to her face and pressing her cheek into it lightly. He was alive, he was going to be alright, she still had something to live for-

“You’re alive, I thought, I- I-” She choked on her words, another round of sobbing wracking through her as she was hit by a wave of relief. She thought she’d lost him. But she hadn’t… Thanks to one of the people who’d tried to kill him.

She turned her tear filled gaze to Furio.
“I’m not going to thank you, because it’s partly your fault he’s like this, b- but you helped me save him. So… We really will look after Ivetta. And we’ll be better. For her, for us and for our future children.”

”I-v-y…” Casey weakly panted, his hand on Trisha’s face stroking her cheek with his thumb.

”Yeah, buddy! Ivy! Y-you… You… remember when she was born!? How she cried? How you complained, a-about… About Mia! And… And…-”
Furio’s eyes turned upward to Trisha.
”-It’s gonna be fine! Trisha! I’m… I’m… When she’s o-old enough… T-tell her how sorry I am… Sh-show her… Please! This Recollection! Ivy!? Baby! I love you! You were fifteen when Mommy and I left, and I’m… I’m so fucking sorry! We were stupid! We were terrible! And I’ll never get to see you, and I’m sorry! And I j-just- Agh!” he choked, blood beginning to pool up in earnest.

The stress of the moment, and the sorrow, was accelerating his heart. Blood surged from the wound and sprayed violently across the snow.

”I never stopped loving you! Daddy’s so, so fucking sorry… I only hope that you can understand what’s happened… And why…”

His voice was fading now. Casey was trying his hardest to move, but without his legs to push with, and his body as weak as it was, he could only clutch Furio’s hand desperately. Trisha would be able to see tears starting to form, and then fall before beginning to stream down fully.

”She… likes… turkey… N-no c-c-crust…”

Furio’s eyes faded pale. He wasn’t holding Casey’s hand anymore. It was all quiet again…

“I’ll show her.” Trisha whispered, making a promise to a man already gone. She turned back to Casey, leaning forward to hug tightly around him. At the same time she gently pulled him up into a half sitting position with surprising strength.

With Furio dead, there was nothing keeping them here. She had to get them somewhere warm before they both froze to death… Meaning that all of this would’ve been for nothing.

“I’m sorry, Casey.” She said quietly. She grabbed the hoodie she’d dumped beside her, moving to very awkwardly pull it over his head. One hand stayed on his back to keep him up, the other moving his arms carefully into the arms of the sweater. She was freezing too, but at least she was wearing a t-shirt and shorts rather than just boxers. Just a little bit more protected.

“We have to go now… This’ll feel a little strange.”

She gently picked him up as if she was going to princess carry him, able to thanks to the magical strength she had right now. But it wasn’t enough to carry him down, especially not with their size difference. But lifting him slightly off the ground allowed the bees to fill the space beneath him, also strengthened to the point where they could hold him up when she put him back down. Like a bee magical carpet…

It did feel a little strange, at least from what Casey could feel. He was acutely aware that the feeling in his legs were coming back, but only because that fact was the opposite of good for him. But he was still half-dazed, and nothing was exactly real right now. His wounded arm had been seared tightly shut by the portal spell surrounding the bullet he’d been hit by, and could only extend so far.

It was probably most noticeable when Trisha tried to dress him, and he shrieked in her ear as she got the wounded arm into it. Which had the added benefit of at least waking him up more. Enough that he was now fully conscious of her change. It was a section that he’d gotten to in the Queen’s lessons, but hadn’t considered that Trisha would ever even want to utilize it… Maybe she didn’t.

It didn’t matter. She’d saved him… Again. But, now, as they crested the hill that the road dipped down into, they’d both get a good view of the billowing black smoke as the big residential apartments where all the long term guests were staying was nothing more than a smoldering crater. Casey assumed that was what set off the initial warning that they got…

Casey didn’t speak… But he gripped Trisha’s hand far tighter. In truth, the scene was both uncomfortable from the immediate implication, as well as his lingering issues with the things he’d seen. Burned villages and buildings meant corpses. It meant digging in the smell of burning shit and rotting meat. It meant broken families. It meant sorrow.

”God… I can’t…”

And all these people died… Because Trisha and Casey were simply there.

He didn’t even have the chance to scream. The blood surging as his heart pumped up to a cool hundred-sixty BPM caused every nerve ending in his legs to connect at once… And he passed out.

“Casey? Casey?!” Trisha panicked immediately, fearing the worst. The bees carrying him briefly paused as she reached out for him. He drank some of the key lime, it should’ve stabilised him, so he couldn’t be dead, not now.

Her panic only reduced when she felt his breathing, even though she could see his chest moving up and down. Him passing out was still enough reason to panic but… Maybe it was a good thing. It meant he wouldn’t need to see this.

It was difficult for Trisha too. While she didn’t have the lingering issues, the situation weighed heavily on her. It wasn’t their fault, it couldn’t be, but that didn’t make it any less horrific. So many people dead for what? Why couldn’t they just be happy with what they had left? Why did they even need to kill all these people to get to them?!

Taking a deep breath, Trisha continued on. It was a long trek for both her and the bees, but they made it past the crater where the residential building had been to the main office. That building was still standing at least… But the eerie silence as she pushed the door open didn’t give her much hope there was anyone but them left alive.

There was nobody in the main foyer. Just quiet, until she went past the front desk and almost stepped in a pool of blood. Looking to the right the poor woman that had been manning it had been shot right through the head. Trisha covered her mouth, feeling sick. It was horrible… And she didn’t find anything better as she headed further inside.

Six more people, all shot or killed by blunt force. All dead. At least there was no one inside the infirmary when she found it, and the electricity still worked. The heating was even on… There’d been no one to turn it off. Just a brutal slaughter.

The bees moved Casey next to a bed under her orders, then she did the last bit of lifting him from them onto it. Her muscles protested under the strain, her magical strength ebbing as exhaustion set in. But she got him onto a bed at least, pulling the blanket on it up and over him. It wasn’t all that thick, just a thin blanket meant to help while a patient waited… She’d need to scavenge for warmer clothes and something thicker. At least there were a few beds. She grabbed another blanket for Casey, then one for herself.

Shivering, she sat down in the chair next to his bed and pulled her legs up to her chest. Her feet were practically white now, sharp pain at least letting her know they weren’t frost bitten as they reacted to the warmth. Her teeth chattered and she couldn’t stop shaking. She wrapped a blanket around herself, before moving to get her phone.

Thank God she slept with it beside her, and had managed to slip it into her shorts’ pockets before all hell broke loose. Otherwise she’d be scrambling to remember anyone’s phone number. It was worse for wear, the whole screen cracked, but it turned on. Just.

Enough battery for a call before she had to find a charger. But she had to make sure they’d be sent more key lime before she went looking for that, and other things to keep them comfortable.

There was only a momentary consideration before she chose to call Leon. At the end of the day, he was reliable, and most likely to pick up this early in the morning. She just hoped he actually did.

The phone rang a disconcerting amount before finally being picked up.
”Trisha? A little early… How’s the trip?”
The voice on the other end sounded strained, maybe even in pain.

Though Trisha could hear the strain, she didn’t have the capacity to care about it right now. Nor the time. She didn’t even bother answering the question.

“Can you get key lime to us? Today?” She asked urgently, through chattering teeth. It would be all too easy for someone with super hearing to pick up.

“O- Or just as soon as possible! Casey’s badly hurt… He’s stable, but it’s going to really hurt when he wakes back up, and- and it’s really bad. We need magical healing.”

There was a lot of shuffling, and Trisha could hear a crash on the other end.

”Uhh-Uhh, Yes! Yes, I can make that happen. I can-”
He clearly turned away from the phone to speak for a moment.
”-Yeah! We’ve already got a location for you guys, but… What the fuck happened!?” he asked with shock and concern now filling his voice.

”What’s wrong with my Brother, Trisha!?”

“Clarissa and Furio tried to kill us.” She responded bluntly, looking over at Casey with a grimace. Her free hand stretched out to slip under his blanket and hold his, closing her eyes for a moment. It was so difficult seeing him lying there unconscious, even though she knew he was alive. The key lime should’ve been enough to make sure he wouldn’t die, but it was so difficult to trust when she couldn’t see any improvements.

“At the end, Clarissa, she- She practically shot his arm off, and Furio hit his legs with some kind of force blast. They’re- They’re all twisted. He had key lime on him, but Casey’s sword had pierced it, so there was only a little left. Enough to stop him from dying- but it hasn’t actually healed anything.”

”Yes it has.” Leon insisted.
”It physically can’t do nothing. If there was nothing to do, he’d be throwing up violently because it would be rejecting his body.-”

He turned away from the phone again, but Trisha would clearly be able to hear him directing someone to head to the Natale’s.

”What about you, Trisha!? You’re alright!? We’re gonna use one of Sylvie’s delivery drones, but it’s gonna be a long flight. We don’t have any active Purple Adepts with that much range right now!”

“I’m fine.” She answered, though it wasn’t quite true. In the quiet aftermath, the effects of losing so many bees was evident in the throbbing headache behind her temple. Occasionally it intensified, like she was getting zapped. But that would be gone by the time they got anything to them, and she wasn’t even sure if it would help.

“More likely to get hypothermia than anything else… But I’m fine. The bees took the brunt of it, and by the time Clarissa got to me, I had some extra protection.” She explained, glancing down at the exoskeleton she still had. Though the strength had drained out of her and the bees, with them resting across Casey and her, she still hadn’t transformed back. That required more immediate energy than just staying like this, because it was still a transformation.

“As long as it gets here by the end of the day, I think he’ll be alright. He- He woke up, that shows it did enough that he won’t die before the drone gets here, right?!”

”Like, just now? He woke up just now?”

“No, earlier, when I gave him the key lime. Before I carried him to the infirmary."

”Oh… Well, yeah, he’s alive and breathing right now, right? Does he have a fever? He should be hot! I mean, like, hot enough that you’d think his brain was cooking. The body should reach an internal temperature of like… A hundred and ten, or something close to that! Like I said, it’s gotta be doing something, or he would’ve thrown it up within the first couple minutes.”

There was a pause, denoted by some scuffling against the microphone before Leon returned again.

”Y’said Furio hit him with something? There’s a high chance it was Cavitation. Air pressure bombs. There was probably a lot of internal bleeding happening that you never would’ve been able to fix if it weren’t for the juice you managed to get. We’re lucky that Furio always keeps- Kept… A package on him. For if Clarissa was ever hurt so bad that she couldn’t get them home…” he continued to explain.

”They’re both dead then? Confirmed?”

“Both dead. Casey got Furio through the chest with his sword right as he got hit… He was still alive enough to have regrets. Bled out in front of us." Trisha explained evenly, looking at Casey to keep herself calm. Watching him breathing. Their deaths didn't bother her, but it had almost taken him away from her.
“I killed Clarissa myself. Every bee I had left stung her to death."

”Christ… There were a lot of ways I hoped those two would go, but not that way… Revenge? How fucking stupid?” he asked, not knowing or even considering that their motivation had anything to do with his Mother’s secret plan.

“It wasn't for revenge." Trisha said, before falling silent as she curled herself into a tighter ball. She felt sick just remembering it. It made her skin crawl… It was so violating. And it made her so sad in that moment. Because even when they were free, would her and Casey really be?

“Clarissa wanted to stop Lynette… The whole reincarnation plan. She gave us a choice. Sterilisation or death. How fucked up is that?! Like we ever asked for this. She probably would've cut out my womb there and then if we agreed." She choked up a bit again, squeezing her eyes shut. It was so unfair. But it was all unfair, always had been.
“Still so fucking stupid."

Leon’s voice hitched.

”I… You said reincarnation plan?”

There was quiet for a moment, but not long enough that Trisha had the chance to reply.

”Y’know what? Don’t answer that. Whatever that means, I’ll get it from the source… Fuck, what does that even fucking mean? N-nevermind! You’ve got your engagement ring, right? The drone’s gonna use it to home in on, so if you’re not wearing it, you better get it on in the next few hours. Do you need anything else!? I’m serious: Do you need food, shelter, fucking… Weapons? Do you think they were alone?” he asked with the concern that only someone who loved his younger siblings could possibly give.

“Of course I'm wearing it-" She wouldn't take it off unless she needed to clean it, or was doing something where it might somehow fall off.
“I think they were alone but… They collapsed the cabin we were staying in. I don't know what we'll be able to get out, and I haven't looked around this building yet- we're in the infirmary in the main building."

She found herself overexplaining, shaking her head and getting to the point. She didn't really know what they needed, because there might be food here. They might be able to pull everything out of the rubble. But there might not be. Better to prepare for the worst.

“Food, and a set of warm clothes if that's possible. Maybe a gun for Casey… just in case. I think we're safe, but I don't want him having to fight with just a sword again."

She’d be able to hear Leon giving a few more directions about Casey’s locker. Funnily, it sounded like Leon was trying to give them a passcode to get into the locker, but they were complaining about it not working until Lee cleared his throat.

”Hey, what’s your birthday? Casey’s old locker passcode isn’t working, I’ve got this funny feeling he changed it recently.”

“Tomorrow. The 26th." Trisha said, looking down at Casey with a hint of a smile. If he really had changed it to her birthday, that was very sweet. He wouldn't ever forget it because of that, hopefully.

Leon relayed the information, and a moment later he started giggling.
”Alright Sis, it’s all set. I’ll get the big bird prepped. Expect the drop in… Ten or Twelve hours. They’re not exactly supersonic, y’know?”

He cleared his throat.

”I’m gonna do a couple other things. I’m gonna call Bianca… She may want to talk to you, but she may just send people over there on her own time, so I’m not sure what’s gonna go on with that. But, I’m also gonna put out a call to someone I never thought I’d get to call. You’re not gonna see them, but trust me when I say that I’ll personally guarantee that place is safe. You won’t be alone.” he insisted, only a breath away from placing a hand on Trisha’s shoulder had he been there with her.

”I love you both… Things are crazy here. So, please stay safe.”

“We will do. We already survived two of the Temple's best assassins… But thank you. For making those calls for us. You stay safe too." She responded genuinely. Though it didn't ease the tension she knew she'd feel until Casey was awake and fully healed, at least she'd know she wouldn't be protecting him alone if something happened.

She hadn't even thought about what would happen when the police, paranormal or not, caught wind of this. It was such a far away worry beyond just survival… But it didn't look good that they were the only ones left alive. So having someone who knew the city's situation within the magical police she only had a vague understanding of would help. At least they weren't going to be running away from the crime scene, since they had no way to go anywhere…

“Oh, Leon? The, uh, truck you got Casey… Clarissa got rid of it with a portal. We don't have any transport now but also- Well, it was a really nice gift. So I'm sorry about that." It seemed like a ridiculous thing to worry about in the grand scheme of things, but it was Trisha. Every little thing was a worry.

Leon didn’t hesitate in his response.

”You’re alive. You’re both still with us. I’d buy a thousand trucks for the same outcome… But, thank you for saying that… I get the sentiment. And I appreciate it. I’m… I’m… Glad I got to introduce you both. We’re almost home free, Trisha. Almost there.”

He trailed off for a second before someone interrupted him.

”Uh… And thank you for introducing me to Cass. It’s been great. I’ve uh… Gotta go now. Something's happening at the Sycamore Tree.”

He didn’t hang up immediately, giving Trisha a moment more to speak before he was gone.

“I’m glad too. That I introduced you both, and we’re all in each other's lives.” Trisha said quickly. Though the two of them still had their troubles between them, she really did mean it.
“Stay safe. We’ll be back soon, hopefully.”

”You too. See you.”

The phone hung up, leaving Trisha in relative silence once again. The low thrum of the building’s electricity running in the lights and heaters, along with Casey’s quiet but ever present breathing.

Trisha spent the next hour gathering all the supplies she could find that she thought they might need. She found as many blankets as she could, bundling more on Casey to make sure he was definitely warm before venturing into the building again. A search for clothes came up empty- aside from what the dead people were wearing, which only barely crossed her mind before making her sick for even thinking about it. She covered the bodies with sheets, not wanting Casey to have to see them when he eventually could walk.

At least there was a staff kitchen, with enough food to last them until the drone arrived. Things to make sandwiches, plenty of packaged snacks which she brought in a big bundle back to the infirmary with her like a squirrel stashing nuts for winter. She looked out any painkillers she could find in the room for when Casey woke up, in case he was in a lot of pain again.

It took just over an hour to look around and sort everything out. After, she pulled up a chair right next to the bed Casey was sleeping on. Blankets were wrapped around her until she became round, tucking her feet underneath herself in an attempt to properly warm them up. She fiddled with her phone to turn on the podcast they'd listened to on the way up, volume kept quiet. Just something to fill the quiet.

Then she leaned forward to rest her head on Casey's chest, staring at his face for a moment before closing her eyes. Not sleeping- there was no way she could sleep- but she could at least rest while she waited.

And wait she would… Because sleeping like this came with consequences.

---

The water felt warm. Casey looked to his right and saw the Elliot Carrier, its black hull crawling up toward a sky of gold. A face sat staring down at him from among the clouds, her features familiar and distressing as he tried to come to terms with the fact that he was lucidly dreaming… And he wasn’t the only one here.

”Your legs…”

”Yep… Furio did a great job.”

”They’ll heal.”

”Did you see this one coming?”

”No. And now we all have problems.”

”Plan suddenly seems a little less certain, doesn’t it?”

The massive, almost divine image of Lynette Richoux shook her head, a strained expression washing over her.

”Just give up… Run. Do anything but what you’re trying to do, Mom… Please. Because, if you go for it? If you really try and do this? You’ll be everything everyone says you are… Except for the good stuff.”

Her eyes twisted, looking down at the scene of the North African coastline. The port, the bay, the sand further off.

”You come here a lot. Why?”

Casey sighed, closing his eyes.

”It was the first chance I had to feel right. After China, and the Philippines.”

”You came home between then and Africa…”

”You called me a disgrace. Said I’d never be a real part of the family ever again. You think that felt right?”

”But… You didn’t even have personal peace?”

He shook his head.

”You wouldn’t ever understand, even if a Pink Adept stuffed it into your head, Mom… And I don’t think I care to describe it now. Frankly, I think you lost the privilege to connect right about the time you flung a sword at me.” he snarled, thinking about how Elise got it far worse than either he or Leon did.

”You tried to kill your daughter out of principle. Principle. Not because she threatened you, or your way of doing things… But, y’know, just as a matter of course. The same way you’d clean the lint trap out of a fucking dryer before you use it.”

She frowned.

”As a woman of principles, it’s only right. She asked for it, and I obliged. Don’t ask for something if you don’t want it.”

”You’re an insufferable person, even in a dream… Even in a dream you can’t get a hold of this whole ‘Mother’ thing, can you?”

She shook her head again.
”God shows me the future. I thought he’d show me how to be a good woman too, but… Things didn’t work out that way. So, I focused on the job I thought was most important, and I’ve never strayed from that path. Principle.”

”And you’ll die principled, and you’ll possibly come back to a world that doesn’t want you.”

”She’ll want me. She won’t know a world without me. She’ll want to be me. And one day, she simply will be. And then I’ll go. Then, I’ll disappear, just like you want. And I’ll wait, and wait again, until the world needs God’s Eyes… And then? I’ll shut them tight… And damned be the world.”

The golden hued clouds closed in, their color fading to a dull gray that filled the skies darker and darker until the rain began to fall. Casey remained stationary, floating in the water as it pooled higher and higher around him. As his lungs filled, he gave a solitary prayer.

Lord, and all the Ancients beyond: Protect this world from evil, and deliver it from the tyranny of those who would rule over the meek. Protect your sons, and your daughters, and the good creatures who keep in your faith, and forgive the ones who reject you. And God… Please… Bless my family, for there is evil in every single one of us. Amen.

---

It’d been almost six hours since Trisha had laid her head down to wait patiently. The silence was ruptured by a sucking gasp that drove Casey from his sleep and onto the palms of his hands as he pushed up on the bed. His entire lower body was ablaze, every single nerve ending screaming out in pain over the fact that they were only loosely connected to bone and tissue at this point.

Every pain receptor he had was flagged as ‘danger’, and it would’ve easily driven a weaker man into a panic… But at the same time, the sickly scent of cinnamon and banana wafted across the room as he channeled a perception spell to throw his entire consciousness into a separate brain from the one where the nerve endings were screaming. While Pink Lux had true nerve-ending dampening spells, White Adepts skilled enough at multi-boxing their perceptions had the ability to simply ignore what the brain was telling them.

He managed not to scream, the spell causing him to see everything slowly and react even slower now. His arms, however, were locked down as he no longer had any connection to his cognitive motor function. Breathing was automatic, as were the other bodily necessities… At most, he could kidnap his mouth, and eyes.
And in those eyes, he saw her. Trisha. She was alive, and seemed well enough that she’d managed to get him… Somewhere. Probably the front building with the staff quarters and the infirmary he’d seen when they arrived.

”Trisha… Trisha!?” he half-slurred, unable to fully utilize his mouth for every syllable.
”Baby… I… I don’t wan’t you t-to… Panic? Ok-okay?” he gritted out from teeth clenched together like electromagnets.

Trisha’s eyes had opened the moment Casey started moving, pulling her head off his chest but remaining close as she watched him with worry.

Asking her not to panic never went well. Asking something like that always meant that he was about to say something that would make her panic. What was he going to say? That he didn’t think he’d make it?! No, no, he would make it. Leon seemed to think so at least… But Leon wasn’t here, he hadn’t actually seen Casey.

“Casey, you’re awake, I’m so glad.” She said, managing to not sound like she was panicking even though she absolutely was. But she could pretend for him when he was injured like this.
“Do you need anything? Water, painkillers- I grabbed all the ones I could find, but they don’t have anything particularly strong… What do you not want me to panic over? Is it something specific, or- or just how you are?”

”Oh, God, I’d love painkillers. Please!? It’s agony. T-the bones are a-all shattered, an-and they’re jabbing… I’m l-lucky he didn’t blow me apart… I’m… I’m separated from it, but… I c-can’t move like this! So… Painkillers! A-and, ask the doctor if there’s anything they can do for me! Please!?”

He sounded trapped, and a little desperate… And looked rather funny in spite of it all, like he was posing for a bikini photoshoot with his face pointed toward the ceiling and his hair draped backward around his bolt-locked arms.

Trisha nodded, hurrying over to where she’d put all the painkillers she found. Most of them were over the counter ones… But she had managed to find some Vicodin after using the bees to get into locked cupboards. After a quick read for the dose she popped out two pills, coming back round Casey’s bed.

Since he’d said he couldn’t move, she did her best to prop him up slightly on some pillows. Then she fed him the pills, followed by water as carefully as possible.

“There, hopefully that helps.” She said softly, the momentary pause in her panic thanks to jumping to action ending as she looked at him. He looked awful. Not so much physically, with most of the damage hidden by the blankets she’d piled on him… But mentally. Of course he wasn’t doing well! He was stuck unable to move after almost dying, and having to kill two people who’d helped bring him up.

And now she had to tell him…
“There’s no doctor… It’s just us. All of the lines between the buildings were cut, but I don’t think that matters anyway. But you’re going to be okay! I called Leon, they’re sending one of Sylvie’s drones with supplies and key lime. So you’ll be fine in-” She scrambled for her phone.
“Four to six hours!”

Separated from most of his brain, Casey’s thoughts were short and sharp.

”There’s no fucking doctor?”

His eyes rotated around in the socket with what could only be described as open panic.

”Is anyone there!? To help you!?” he asked, face almost twisting into an expression of rage.

“Casey, Casey, calm down, please?” Trisha immediately panicked in reaction, not wanting him to overexert himself. There wasn’t anyone there to help her because they were all dead. Wasn’t that more tragic than what she was dealing with?

Maybe there were people in the village still alive… But she wasn’t sure. And beyond that, the nearest place with a doctor was probably so far away the key lime would get here faster. Especially now it had been six hours… And what would mundane doctors even be able to do?

“There isn’t. Clarissa and Furio were… thorough.” She winced.

“But I’m fine! I wasn’t hurt at all.” It wasn’t quite true, but bad bruising from falling a story and crashing into a tree wasn’t that bad. She’d already taken ibuprofen, so it wasn’t like there was anything else to do there.
“I can take care of you until we get something to help.”

Casey didn’t react for a long time… It could’ve been a minute or two; long enough for Trisha to see something shifting in Casey’s face. His jaw clicked to the side, and in the most glacial pace she’d ever seen, he looked at her squarely in the face.

”Can… you step out… of the room?” he asked plainly, emotion sucked away from his voice.
”Just one minute. Please.”

“Why? What are you going to do?” Trisha asked quietly and as non confrontationally as possible.

”I… am going to… stand up. And I’m going… To have an emotional… Reaction. I don’t want you to be hit by something.” he replied with cold rage. But Trisha would be able to see one of his arms trembling, and the thick cinnamon scent filled the room as the bed Casey was laying on began to creak and shift…

Trisha winced, reaching out to snatch up her phone. She didn’t want their last connection to the outside destroyed. She didn’t want to leave, she didn’t want him to stand up, but what could she do? She couldn’t stop him, and if he stayed his anger may end up directed at her. The last thing she wanted was a fight.

“Don’t hurt yourself, please.” She whispered, looking at him with wide eyes, trembling slightly. But it could be because she’d dropped all her blankets when she got him painkillers, leaving her in just the t-shirt and shorts she’d worn to bed.
“Please.”

Clutching her phone to her chest, she turned and hurried out the door. A lazy trail of bees, the ones she hadn’t sent back through Princess, followed her out.

As she was scuttling, Trisha could already see the bed shifting now. A mechanical hospital bed had plenty of moving parts to reconfigure, and motors already built in that would help as Casey’s magic poured into making this temporary body with his Orange and White Lux. As it bent and snapped, the blankets covering him cinched tight, locking Casey in place while the plastic edge guards wrapped around his arms and chest to cover him in a protective barrier.

The wheeled section tightened, morphing and changing under the influence of powerful orange material spells that gave him a level of control similar to the kind Red Lux would have over raw elemental material. Manufactured bits and bobs was the baseline domain of Orange Lux, and Casey had two things on his mind. Rage, which he knew he’d be able to get rid of… And courage to fight again, even in a broken body. He’d never let Trisha feel that kind of loneliness ever again. The hope, the prayers, the waiting…

And as the Golem finished its construction, Casey let out the scream of pain that he’d been holding in as both brains merged back together and returned him to the agonizing fire… He didn’t know what Trisha had given him, and didn’t have a single clue how long it would take to kick in… But he needed to scream. He needed to rage. And in this temporary shell, all of his strength was amplified by the material quality of the body. A twisted metal and plastic arm smashed through the nearby desk and computer, absolutely cleaving it in half.

The next blow drove straight through the row of cabinets that had lined the section above the sink and counter, creating a hail of miscellaneous medical supplies that filled the air before crashing against the back wall and window. The impact ripped the folding blinds from their position, dropping them to the floor and leaving the window’s line of sight wide open toward the smoldering crater that had once been the long term residential section. Casey screamed in shock, and Trisha would’ve been able to hear.



There was an incredibly loud crash. Then another. Then another in an adjacent room to the infirmary’s office that resulted in a plume of dust emanating from inside the duty-free shop. This, followed by the massive metal and plastic body totally demolishing the cash register system that’d been set up near the door. He almost crushed one of the sheet-covered corpses, but Trisha would be able to see him stop short before the whole thing leaned over. A gentle hand, metal pipes for fingers, gingerly gripped the sheet and pulled it back, only for an incredibly painful sob to follow.

”Why!? WHY!? WHY AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY THE FUCK DOES IT-”

With unnatural speed, the motion started again with Casey picking up one of the shelving units and flinging it back into the infirmary office from whence he’d come.

Trisha had crouched outside the infirmary door, curled up into a ball with her back pressed against the wall. She was doing her best to not have her own panicked meltdown. The bees lay on her in a muted attempt to comfort where they didn’t have the energy to do much at all. She could only watch what little she could see with wide eyes, resisting putting her hands over her ears just in case he saw her.

It wasn’t like loud noise or violence was any worse for her than it was for other people… But it wasn’t easy, especially after the last seven hours. It was scary, and it hurt to hear him be in so much anguish. After she’d gone through the effort to cover the bodies, he’d just- but she couldn’t blame him, she couldn’t.

She just had to ride it out, curling into herself and forcefully taking deep breaths. He’d be fine, he would be, of course he was upset, seeing all of this- wasn’t she the weird one for just ignoring it to help him, to help them. No, she couldn’t blame herself for anything, this wasn’t her fault. She’d done everything she could. The only way she could’ve stopped this was by not existing in the first place.

The rage lasted about as long as it took the pain killers to set in. By that time, Casey’s throat was so hoarse and roughed up that he could barely speak aloud. He’d done his best to gather the people who Trisha had so kindly covered, doing so blindly as he’d opted for covering his eyes and face in shame upon seeing Trisha’s exhausted and fearful expression staring at him in horror one too many times. He’d brought them outside to where it was coldest, and gingerly set them one next to the other before scooping and packing them in mounds of snow. Decay hadn’t started yet, but he didn’t want to be stuck in a building that smelled like every other warzone he’d ever been in.

Somewhat calmed, and rather breathless, the heavy footsteps of the hospital bed golem crunched against the rubble of the wall he’d blown out to fit through and get outside. Far less concerned with his pain, and far more aware of his surroundings now than he had been on waking up, he gently and tenderly made way for the last place he’d seen Trisha; still locked in place in front of the Infirmary… The chest and head of it opened, and he looked down at her with eyes blood red from the capillaries that burst during his screams.

As he got closer, a tear fell from his eyes.

”You saved my life again. You are my life.”

The machine kneeled, and Casey slid both of his arms out of the fixture before letting himself drop and hit the floor. On his hands, he crawled to her. He saw that she was starting to scramble, and he held one of his hands up to get her to pause for a moment.

”No! No… Stay… I want…” he grunted with effort, dragging himself along until they were next to one another properly.

One hand reached for one calf, and the other mirrored it. And with one last drag, Casey pulled himself into Trisha’s lap, letting himself curl up like a paralyzed shrimp.

”I’m… Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…” he half-panted.

“It’s okay. I- I just don’t want you to be in pain.” She whispered, curling forward to press her face into him. She was trembling enough that it would be easy for him to feel it, even as she tried to calm her breathing. She’d managed to stop herself from having a full blown panic attack with the hyperventilating and crying, but that was almost worse. Because she was constantly at a level of anxiety just below it. There was nowhere for it to go, and it just clung to her.

She was cold too, not really able to move and get the blankets. Trapped in place out of fear she’d get in the way, and knowing that if she stood up she’d get lightheaded enough she might just fall back down anyway.

It wasn’t entirely because of his reaction. She was running on so little sleep, and thought he’d died before spending hours alone waiting for him to wake up again. It wouldn’t have taken much to push her over the edge, something like this just made the cliff she fell off much higher.

“You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” She pulled her head back to look over him for any new injuries, trying to calm herself by concentrating on that. Looking after him was a distraction. She could pretend she wasn’t so close to her own attack, and maybe it wouldn’t be obvious that she had no idea how to deal with the aftermath of his.

“I- I know when we get the key lime it’ll fix everything physical, but I still don’t want you to get hurt more. But it’s okay, it’s really okay.”

Casey shook his head, totally unsure of whether or not he’d actually been hurt any further by his construct.

”I can wrap myself in trash pretty well… I’m fine. I’m here.”

The golem began to move on its own as Casey switched its functionality from living armor to a far more friendly and potentially gentle servant. It scooped its blanketed guts from its torso, draping them across the both of them before wandering off to begin fixing the walls it’d so easily broken. How? It didn’t really know… But that’s what it’d been told to do, and it would do what it could. Meanwhile, Casey simply clung to Trisha, the heat radiating off his body now trapped under the blanket to warm her up as quickly as was possible.

”Trisha… Your turn.” he said calmly.
”I’m here… You’re safe to… To be vulnerable. You can let go.” he said with stern insistence, feeling every quake and shiver in her body as she did her best to stay composed.

”You’re strong. So strong… I don’t know what you did, but… We’re alive, and this isn’t Heaven. We’re still in the Shimmer. It’s real, and we’re alive… So you earned it. You did it.”

Trisha shook her head, biting her lip. She didn’t want to let go after everything that had happened. What if it turned out like Thanksgiving. She’d let go then… And that panic attack had pushed her to confront him, where this one probably wouldn’t, but she didn’t know. She could say something that upset or triggered him- and he’d just calmed down! She didn’t want that. She really didn’t.

But she couldn’t exactly lie and say she was perfectly alright. There was a fine balance.

“I’ll be fine when we get everything we need from the drone. It’s just circumstances. I’ve barely slept, then we had to fight, and I- I thought you were dead. S-So all that really matters is that we’re alive. That’s it. I’m just really glad we’re alive.”

Casey didn’t protest verbally… But he did move his body a little closer to squeeze her tighter.
”Then you must be really cold… You’re shivering a lot. And that expression I saw earlier must’ve been you just wishing you had a blanket… I’m sorry I didn’t give you enough time to prepare. It was wrong of me to react like that, b-but… My brain. She decided to visit. Must’ve seen it happening, or something.” he replied, doing his best to make sure she knew that he was aware of her feelings without being accusatory about lying or withholding.

It was, after all, a difficult circumstance to come to terms with. And he didn’t blame her for just wanting to glance over it all… After all, it was just another traumatic side effect of being in the life of a Richoux. The only way he could’ve saved her from this was by never being born. But, neither could wish themselves to death, or wish that life had never brought them together in the first place.

”And, yes… It went as well as you can expect.” he grumbled, doing his best to let his body’s fading strength sap away. The legs were impossible to escape, but at this level they were a far cry from being the mind-consuming nightmare that they had been.

“Of course she visited, and it didn’t go well.” Trisha frowned, taking the out he’d given her. After all, she didn’t need to have a panic attack or breakdown. She could slowly bring herself down from the edge by being with him. Even if he knew… But he wasn’t pushing her. That meant he wasn’t upset about it, right? Every other time she’d withheld, it had become an argument.

She hugged him as best as she could without worrying about hurting him, trembling lessening slightly.
“I’d almost be disappointed if she appeared with apologies, like it would fix anything… But you’d at least deserve it. We would. It’s so unfair. It’s not like we asked to be part of her awful plan. I- I can’t believe Clarissa offered us that choice, like we’d ever just roll over and accept it. And that’s all Lynette’s fault, because she put a target on our backs. I know it’s selfish because things are chaotic back in St Portwell anyway, but it’s just… Fucked that even after all this she comes and haunts your dreams too.”

”Choice?” he asked foggily, brain not entirely remembering what happened.

After all, past a certain point, he wasn’t listening to what anyone was saying. He’d been far too locked into the Simulread to hear anything, and any response he’d given openly would’ve only been his brain’s automatic reaction to whatever was said. Though, he could Recollect it. He just wasn’t sure if he wanted to…

”Choice of… What? Getting my fucking balls gilded?”

And then he understood.

”That was their plan!? The fucking… Baby… If one of us couldn’t make it, she’d…”
He looked up at Trisha with more empathy than he’d ever expressed… It was an impossibly stark expression that read horror and sorrow all at once.

”I’ve… Never been more uncomfortable, I think… Than knowing that there’s a freaky fucking war over my fiance’s womb.”

And then he tucked his hands over his face in shame, curling up without crying. He couldn’t cry anymore. It was all out, and he needed water for rehydration… But he could feel his face heat up like a cramp pad.

“It feels awful.” Trisha whispered, honesty slipping through in the face of his empathy. While it would never be enough to stop her wanting to be with him, nor would she ever blame him for it- because it wasn’t his fault- it still made her so uncomfortable and disgusted. Because it was her body.

“And no matter what, we don’t win. I know we said we’ll still love all our children, even if one ends up with Lynette’s ghost attached to them… But it doesn’t change that it’s that, or none at all. And I want them with you, Casey. I really do. But I hate that it feels like it’s something that’s not entirely under my control- and Clarissa wanted to take that choice away from me entirely. From us.”

She curled forward, face pressing into her hair as she trembled more again. It had felt awful when she heard it, and each time she remembered afterwards. Even talking about it was difficult… But she didn’t want him blaming himself either. Because while it was her body that felt the most violated, it was still over their future child.

“It’s not fair on either of us.”

Casey could only grit his teeth and accept that it was happening. He didn’t want it to happen, but his biggest fear was that the entire premise was his fault. That the only reason she’d be able to attach herself to Trisha in the first place was because he was the one “contributing.” Like a Trojan Horse…

”No… No, it isn’t. But… I love you too. So, we’ll live our lives… And maybe we’ll find a way to prevent the worst. But… I’ve always wanted a daughter.”

It was sad, and frustrating, and all around a mess. But life was messy. It was never supposed to be a clean, sterile thing. Mistakes happened. People tripped and fell all the time in a metaphorical sense and a literal sense. Barring serious injury, one could only get up and dust themselves off. But none of it compared, in his mind, to the ever increasing death toll surrounding Lynette Richoux.

”And, y’know… We’re still alive… So, at least we get the chance to do all of that. I… I can’t believe the scene out there. I almost expected the bodies… It’s Clarissa’s MO; clear the target area completely. No witnesses, no Recollections, and nobody to implicate Lynette. This? The other building? All of it, when we were all alone up on that hill? This wasn’t the target area. That out there shouldn’t have been the target area. She wanted us stranded here, just in case something like this happened.”

He didn’t remember the last moments at all. No memories of Furio’s confession, or his sobbing and crying. No memory of his death. The last thing he remembered was swinging, coming off the ground, and missing…

”How… Did you get them? Did the Queen…?” he asked tentatively, not wanting to force her back into those moments, but genuinely confused as to what had happened after he lost consciousness the first time.

Trisha furrowed her brow, pulling back a little bit to look at him with confusion. Did he not remember Furio dying? He’d been awake, hadn’t he? Or was it not a proper sort of awake… Maybe it had been like a fever dream. He’d barely been alive, so maybe she shouldn’t be surprised he didn’t remember.

“I didn’t get them both. You got Furio, Casey.” She replied quietly, hugging tighter into him. Killing Clarissa hadn’t been difficult, but what she’d said as she died… Seeing Casey lying there dying while Furio begged for forgiveness from his daughter… That was difficult.

“You nailed him right as he got you. Then for Clarissa… We were both desperate, but the Queen nudged me to channel those emotions into transforming. If I hadn’t, I think we would’ve killed each other. But her bullet didn’t even dent the… Armour? I guess it was like an exoskeleton. And it gave my bees enough of a boost to catch up with her. I was the one that killed her, not the Queen.”

It wasn’t that she wanted to take credit, just that it was the fact. She was the one that had to live with it. It hadn’t been difficult, but of course there was guilt. She was human.

“She wanted me dead to the end. Furio… He regretted it as he was dying. He said that he loved you, and he let me use what was left of his key lime for you.”

Casey let what she was telling him sink in. About the fact that he actually landed the toss, and the surprise that Trisha had managed to transform while fully retaining her consciousness made him more than impressed. Pride mixed with anger, and anger mixed with sadness…

”That dumb bastard… If they made it to Hell together, I know she’s giving him an earful about that one. Fucking backup pie.” he said with a hint of sarcastic venom.
”I wonder if she told him not to bring it… So let me guess, I hit him in the chest… Left pectoral, above his heart.”

It wasn’t a guess. Furio kept it there so he could get to it with his teeth if he had to, and rip through the inner lining of the jacket in order to do so. He remembered aiming for that spot, but his reasoning for it was something he’d never share… Because he still would’ve saved them both if he had the chance. Disabling the threat on the off chance they didn’t suicidally dive into them… There was little chance of it happening, but he’d hoped.

And then it hit him… Suddenly his hand was an iron grip against Trisha’s leg.

”Ivetta… Oh God, what the fuck happened to Ivetta!?”

“Leon- Leon knows. I’m sure he’ll make sure she’s safe before we get back.” Trisha replied with a wince. She hadn’t explicitly told Leon to make sure of it, but he’d directed someone to go to their house. She hoped that meant he’d thought of Ivetta. She wouldn’t be dragged into care so quickly either, so it could be remedied with a phone call if needed.

“He begged me to agree to take her… He said that she deserved us. Well, you, mostly. I agreed but I… Got so pissed off as he was dying. He was saying about how she didn’t deserve them, she deserved us- but they’re her parents. And they-” She cut herself off, biting down on her lip.
“Sorry. It’s harder for you.”

Casey bit his lip hard, tossing his head downward to look for solace in the floor… It wasn’t there.

”No, you’re right. You’re absolutely right. I… If he did all that, then at least she’s safe. Just, the first thing that went through my mind was Furio wouldn’t just leave Ivetta... Which, to me…-”

He didn’t want to say it out loud… He didn’t want to imagine Clarissa and Furio killing their daughter in case they never came back. Which told him that none of it was meant to be some kind of suicidal last stand.

”-I just… There’s a world where she’s gone too… Fuck! We can’t! We can’t fucking take her, there’s no way! We killed her parents! What the fuck am I supposed to tell her!? How can I look that poor baby in the eye and-”

He was looking back up at Trisha with exhausted sadness in a plea for guidance.

”-He… Is such an asshole…” he frowned, at a loss for words.

Trisha stared back at him, unable to give much comfort. What could she even suggest? What were they supposed to do? She’d never even spoken to Ivetta, and she’d killed her parents. There was a world in which Furio got that sword out and survived thanks to the key lime… But it was a world that would never exist while she was there to save Casey instead.

“I don’t know, Casey. I really don’t… I don’t even know her. We’ll just have to try our hardest, I guess, if there really are no better options. At least he apologised for how unfair it was…” She frowned too, moving to take his hands in hers.

“If it helps, I can take all the guilt and blame. I killed Clarissa, and there was- I don’t know, maybe Furio could’ve survived if he managed to get the key lime.” Or if she’d helped him get it.
“But I chose you. That decision was all on me. And it was their decision to try and kill two people who would’ve left them alone otherwise.”

He didn’t have the foresight that Lynette did to know how to maneuver things in his favor ahead of time. He could make educated guesses, maybe see a few seconds ahead of himself and dodge an attack… But history had happened… All it took was going through every single permutation of what could’ve happened to find the most likely answer. At least he had the time to figure it out. One day he’d know. And know. Not just guess.

Another gap in him speaking left dead silence… But he was physically there. Conscious. Aware. His hands moved against her now, living and moving rather than the stiff nothingness of his previous slumber.

”I need to go back up there when I can walk again. I need to know what happened… White Lux has one useful interaction with the dead that Black Lux doesn’t, at least…” he said simply.

”Ah, well… I guess we both need to go up there. Our stuff… And the fucking snow.”

It wasn’t difficult to see how much snow had been dumped on them after they got back the night before, but it didn't let up much today… And now all the magical road heaters were dead. He remembered Clarissa sucking the car into a portal, and it was probably at the bottom of the ocean now. Awkwardly, he hadn’t seen any other cars while he’d been burying bodies either… Chances were, they’d be using the bed, which slowly sauntered back into frame after having used many of the store shelves to block up the open hole to the outside, as well as the other holes that had turned the place into a wind tunnel rather than an insulated place of business.

”Fuck… Your birthday’s tomorrow… Merry Christmas, Baby… I’m sorry about your gift being ruined.”

“Merry Christmas... It wasn't all ruined. This doesn't change how nice the last couple of days were." She responded, doing her best not to get immediately upset about it. She'd really been trying not to think about it at all.

It felt like a joke the world was playing at her expense. The first year she had a chance of a nice birthday, and this happened? There was a small comfort that it wasn't anyone alive’s fault. Hopefully it would mean when next year rolled around she'd be at the baseline expectation, rather than going into further doom and panic about it. It still didn't feel fair, but at the same time she was grateful she'd spend her birthday with a living fiance rather than a dead one.

“At least we weren't really planning to celebrate Christmas. We got Christmas with your family and Cass before we left, so it's really… Only my birthday. And that's alright, at least I'll be with you." Her eyes watered a bit as she did her best to justify how alright it was, like admitting it sucked would kill her. It wouldn't kill her, but she didn't want Casey beating himself up from guilt.
“And- And next year will be better."

Casey was still frowning.
”I don’t know if they’ll be ruined… I got you gifts, still. I wasn’t going to say anything. One was for today, the other was for tomorrow… But, if they’re fucked under a pile of wood and snow, it won’t matter.”

He thought about the fact that he liked to organize surprises. He didn’t always like being surprised, but he understood why people went through the effort. If the surprise went off without a hitch, it was exhilarating. But if not, it almost always had dire consequences.

”A book… I made it. It’s basically one of those uh… Electronic readers. But, it’s a book… Like, a real book. You write the title of the book you wanna read on the front of it, and it becomes that book. I piggybacked it off of a family heirloom that I stole out of the vault in the Temple… And, uh… The other’s a fucking… FUCK! It was in the car. It was a fucking… Autonomous painting. Elise made it. It was of your bees, and the hive in the box. One of the images I had in my head from before we took it home.” he explained.

”They’re both replaceable, I think they can be made again… It was just a lot of effort on my end. The painting painted itself, at least…”

Staring down at him, Trisha's watery eyes became full of tears that streamed down her face. In the end it wasn't all the bad that pushed her to tears, but his kindness and love. The effort he put in for her… The thought of how perfect those two days could've been. The gifts were made for her. She'd never have to worry about getting gifts that felt lacking in care again, would she? At least not from him.

But even as she cried, she leaned down to press a gentle kiss against his lips.

“I love you… Thank you. E- Even if one’s definitely gone and was possibly destroyed when the cabin collapsed…" More likely a probably if it was electronic. She held no hope for her laptop. But maybe this electronic book had survived, since it was magic?

“You- You made them for me, and put a lot of effort into them, and they s-sound great. So just knowing about them makes me happy… Even if i-it also feels so shit you won't get to give them to me like you'd planned, and w-we can't just celebrate in peace." She sniffed, moving her face to press it into his shoulder so she'd stop crying right onto his face.

It was overwhelming after everything that had happened. After almost losing him. She loved him so much, and he really loved her too.
“I really like them. Even if I- I haven't seen them. I know… Because you made them for me. Thank you, Casey. Hopefully the book survived."

He looked back at her, watching her cry and listening to what she was saying. There was a slow, progressive collapsing of his arms around her as he tightened his grip. He didn't want her to cry…

”Hopefully, Honey… We’ll find out one way or another. I… I just love you so much. And I’m proud! So proud, of you, and of the bees… I think everyone’s uh… Earned a little rest.”

He tucked his head against her thigh, having released her from the steel hug he had around her.

”Where… I… Do we go home? No… We can’t. Someone has to see this. Someone’s gotta know.”

Trisha nodded slowly. Even if they wanted to go home they couldn't immediately, could they? They didn't have a car. She hadn't checked their snowmobile, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be there either. They'd have to walk to the nearest town, at least.

“When you're better, after you get your stuff… Maybe we can use one of the other cabins for now rather than staying here." She said quietly, raising a hand to try rub away her silently flowing tears. They were beginning to slow down at least.

“Leon said he was going to call Bianca. She's part of that… magical FBI, right? So that means they'll know. Maybe someone managed to contact the police before this happened but… You're right that we can just leave. Someone needs to know, but it'll also look suspicious if we do. We're the only people left! I- I know it'll be easy to clear our names with a recollection, but we need to be here for that."

The PRA… Casey’s cell phone had probably not made it through the collapse either, but modern cell phones were genuinely hearty as far as “delicate” technology pieces were concerned. Not that it mattered so much in the moment, but there were texts from Trisha he’d screen-shotted and saved. Unsure of whether or not they had uploaded to any digital access platform, he worried about the sentiment long before he even bothered to connect why he was thinking about it.

”I… Think I remember her contact number. I’ll call too… When I can walk again.”

He didn’t bother looking back to see his twisted, practically boneless locomotion drives. He’d seen this kind of thing before.

”W-would you believe me if I said this w-wasn’t the first time I’ve been… Wounded like this? North Italy. Kinetomancers. A few of us were covered behind a pile of fallen t-trees. Two of the bastards working together b-broke the entire pile in half. Collapsed it around us like dull scissors. I didn’t die because I heard the cracking before everyone, a-and started scrambling before I could even warn them. My body just r-reacted, and as I got my torso out of the way, the logs snapped shut and shattered my p-pelvis.”

Thoroughly drugged at this point, Casey was at least comfortable and tired enough to freely recall moments of abject horror. That had been a very close call, that morning, and one of the lowest personal moments in that part of the push. He felt personally responsible for the deaths of the squad behind him, with the only other survivor giving everything they had to get Casey back into fighting shape… He’d been their only chance in that moment.

And he was still here… That was proof enough he’d not disappointed… But for five to die so one could live? That was evil. It was sick. It made him shudder gently just thinking about it.

Trisha hugged around him, rubbing his back as comfortingly as she could.
“That’s horrible, Casey. I'm glad you survived, b-but the whole thing sounds awful. You had to deal with everyone else dying and your legs being crushed. That's- I don't know, it just makes me so sad. At least this time I'm with you… You don't have to fight anymore, for now."

She didn't know what to say beyond that, hugging around him. She was sad it'd happened to him once, nevermind twice. But there was so much physical and psychological horror he'd experienced during the War, she couldn't let herself get stuck in her sadness over it. It was difficult enough for him without that. The past couldn't be changed, but at least from now on there'd be less trauma… Hopefully.

“This isn't the first time I've had to play nurse, but it's definitely the worst injury I've had to help with… I was normally just helping with bandaging. So you have more experience than me." She paused, before letting out a quiet laugh.
“That sounds a bit ridiculous. You have more experience with your pelvis being shattered, like it's something you get better at dealing with…"

He giggled softly.
”This time’s worse. There’s no Nazis to kill.”

It was grim to say, but revenge after an injury was always going to make the injury sting a little less. And at that time, Clemens essentially gave his life within a few seconds to get Casey back into fighting shape. It’d been intense searing pain, and then the equally searing pain of the instantaneous healing process as Lux infused his body with regenerative properties like a slug. This time, he had to sit and suffer with it. Even now, the dulled pain was still shouting his name.

”Well… You’re here. So it’s better overall.” he giggled again, letting his body relax against her fully.
”There’s… A while yet. Lets… get… somewhere warmer.”

As he said that, the docile bed golem twisted itself down slightly, offering its massive metal hand to Trisha.

”I’ll… I can pick myself up. I just need a little space for it to-”
The mass of metal and plastic awkwardly bumped the wall, stumbling slightly like an absentminded giant. It was trying to scoop him with its left arm while offering Trisha the right, rather than getting fully in front of Casey and scooping with both hands.

It was a bit of a ridiculous scene, making Trisha laugh a bit more. She leaned forward to kiss the top of Casey’s head, before moving herself carefully out from under him and taking the bed Golem's hand to pull herself up. Her legs were a bit wobbly after spending so long curled up on the ground like that, her feet feeling like they were getting stabbed as the feeling fully came back to them.

“Alright, I won't try to carry you again. I can't anymore anyway, since I'm back to normal." She held out her arms, perfectly normal and human. If he had some use of his legs she could probably help him, but none was pretty much impossible with her normal strength.

“Oh, you probably don't remember that? I got to carry you like a princess this time." Her eyes creased slightly, lips pulling up into a little teasing smile.
“For a little bit. The bees did most of the heavy lifting. But I lifted you onto them, then onto the bed… Maybe I can push two of the beds in the infirmary together, if they aren't too damaged. Then we can huddle together on it without me worrying about hurting you."

”It’s warmer if we share. What’re you gonna do, hurt me? Just… Push the legs to the side.” he laughed morbidly as the Golem proceeded to pick him up under the shoulders.

As all the blood rushed downward, he drew a sharp breath and grunted in pain.

”There’s a little break room. It’s got a bigger cot in it than the medical bed… But you’ll have to help me drag myself in there, because I don’t think Huey here is gonna fit through the door jam.”

It’d be a few more hours yet before help arrived… But, at least everyone was calm enough that being together and alive could be cathartic, rather than regretful in the absence of the other. They’d come through another dangerous moment, and were still together. Casey hoped for a brief moment that it’d be even tighter than before. And the briefest flash of a carapace covered Trisha split through his mind… The Glorious Scion of Beekind… He trapped the image in his head, grinning at the next painting he had in mind to commission from Elise.

Except… She couldn’t. But, Casey wasn’t even thinking about what’d happened. It was just enough to be alive, and there with Trisha. They’d made it again… They’d make it.

---

The last few hours passed quietly, much of it filled with Casey’s pained grunting in between stories about things that he thought Trisha would find calming. He’d seen nice places during and after the war, and told her stories about good people he met. There were things about stuff she probably shouldn’t have known, but what the military didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them any more than it would hurt Trisha.

There were plenty of reasons to be thankful. It was Christmas. They had each other. Their lives hadn’t been forfeit to the whims of fate. And eventually, more still to be thankful over. There was a droning hum from outside, and both individuals felt the warmth from their engagement bands as what had to be the delivery drone got progressively closer and closer. Casey sorted the bed again, forcing it awake to walk them both down the stairs and out the wide front into the snowy landscape. Bundled up tightly, they both got to watch a little show as the massive bronze-colored ornithopter buzzed in the sky like a huge dragonfly.

Its metal wings, rotating faster than the human eye could perceive, tucked tight to the body as it dove. Then, utilizing all its force, the machine tilted hard and buzzed against the ground to arrest its momentum like a falling sheet of paper. And clung tightly to that machine, was a figure clad in all black with a facemask and body armor.
Pulling the mask down revealed a friendly face, however. One that Casey was surprised to see, but still rushed and tried to use his Apparition to pull the entire bed into an embrace..

”Boss! Trish!”

Behind him, the Eagle-Eyed Giant held its massive rifle in one hand while its arm dragged the bed construct close.

”Theo!? My God! You must be freezing, man!” Casey called, shocked to see him here.

”I’m all good! Uhh… Don’t get mad, but nobody told me to come here! I heard what happened and all, and I thought you’d need my help! Even if that means keeping this place safe enough that you guys can finish your weekend! Then, we can all go home together!”

Theo’s enthusiasm for Casey was boundless… It was, he felt, a great boon to the two of them, as he may even chase after them once the entire coven collapsed for good. The Furio to his Maxwell, if anything…
The drone itself was close to fifteen feet in length, made of solid aluminum and brass that was generally made for small trips. This was about as far as it’d go, especially with a smaller, but still full grown man clinging to it.

”If… Well… I mean if you were opposed, it’s not the biggest deal. You two would have a hard time getting home, but I’ve got a silly way of getting around that’s honestly way faster than the bird.” he grinned, still hoping he could stay.
”If you’re not, come on! Trisha, I need help dragging this thing inside.”

“Hey, Theo… It’s good to see you.” Trisha said with a slight smile. It was, honestly. Seeing a friendly face. An unobtrusive one at that. Even if he stuck around to help he wouldn’t force himself on them socially, she was sure.

Though ultimately, that was up to Casey. He had a better idea of Theo’s place in everything happening, and if he might be needed back at St Portwell.

“I’m not against you staying, but it’s up to Casey.” She nodded, beginning to get up and unbundle herself from the blankets. But the cold air immediately cut through her thin clothes, and she shivered. She’d almost forgotten in the time she and Casey had spent bundled up with each other that she was still just in her pyjamas, and she didn’t have any shoes.

“Are there, uh, clothes in there for me that I can change into first? Or even just shoes. I don’t have any… Unless Casey can magic a blanket to do all of that for me. But I can help as soon as I won’t freeze to death trying to walk.” She laughed a little awkwardly, hoping she could help drag it inside. She really wasn’t all that strong, and she probably couldn’t force a transformation now for its strength either.

Casey gave a look of abject confusion, and the bed they were on, which had already served as a proven beast of burden, began to stamp its “foot” dejectedly.

”Tie a line off to the cargo pod and get inside, you frozen tuber.”

”Roger that, Captain Spudnik.” Theo giggled in return.

Casey pulled one of the blankets that’d been covering he and Trisha, and in an instant burst of Lux, began to hand off impossible lengths of the bedding toward Theo while being sure to keep Trisha wrapped up tight. Within a minute, they were already plodding back inside with the ornate machine like an insectoid invader from another world dragging behind them.

”I uh… know you guys don’t wanna be bombarded. So, I’ll leave it up to you whether or not you wanna hear about home. But I’ll say everyone was real shocked hearing about what happened out here. Not a single person, I think, expected the outcome.” Theo spoke softly, almost melodically as he did, and kept his tone as light as possible in spite of the horror.

”Leon’s contact at the PRA has a three day response time, I guess. Or, something long as shit; he had some incredible shit to say about the Feds.”

”Those poor fuckers are on a shoestring budget. The annual net income of the Temple’s higher than what they pull in as far as support grants and shit. I learned all about it when they tried to recruit my ass. Y’know why they call ‘em Feds, Trisha?” Casey asked playfully while the bed-beast began to ascend the stairs back toward the warmer part of the broken building.

“No, why?" Trisha asked, tilting her head. She assumed it was short for federal. It probably was in most cases!

”They’re always looking for more to eat. Fuckin’ Food Eater Department.”
Theo giggled in return.
”We used to get agents doing frontline work showing up on the ships just because the food was better than the mess on land.”

“Ohhhh, Feds with two fs." Trisha laughed slightly, able to unbundle herself a little bit now that they were outside. At least she didn't have to be wrapped up quite so tightly.
“I can understand, if they've got such a tight budget. It must be hard convincing whoever hands over money to the police that magic's real and a magical police force is really needed… Nevermind getting people to join. How many magical people would want to become a magic Fed? I wouldn't."

Not that she'd be qualified. But she imagined that was part of the problem too. Not many people qualified, you already had a smaller pool of people to pick from… If you ended up with corrupt officers, it was an even bigger problem because magic.

“As long as we don't get thrown in a jail cell while waiting, it's fine. We planned to stay at least until the twenty-seventh anyway." She continued, looking at Casey and reaching out for his hand. It maybe wouldn't be as nice as it would've been otherwise, but if they managed to find a cabin being stuck here wouldn't be the end of the world. Nobody needed them back just yet either.

She appreciated that Theo didn't just burden them with information from back home. While knowing what they were coming back to was good, it wasn't like they could do anything right now. If things were different, maybe they'd be rushing back right now. But a whole residence had been wiped out. They couldn't just leave, even if they wanted to. Nevermind the fact they didn't really have any kind of transport.

She looked back at Theo with a slight smile.

“You said ships… Were you in the navy? During the War?" She asked carefully. She didn't actually know Theo that well. Him being quiet made it easier to be around him, but combined with Trisha's general reclusiveness when she felt comfortable enough to not force herself, the two hadn't actually talked all that much. Either she was with Casey, or there was a comfortable silence between them. Which was nice. It wasn't something she achieved with many people… But it also meant she hadn't even realised he was in the navy. Maybe Casey had mentioned, and she'd forgotten.

”Part of the Damned Taskforce! The only magical naval strike team. I was… More like a Marine than a Sailor, but we did both.” he grinned widely.

Casey giggled openly.
”I’m not surprised it’s never come up. You’re a special kind of bastard, Theo.”

He reached across the bed, patting Casey’s arm.

”You can talk about it all you need to, Boss. I’m happy to let Hari turn it all into a wonderful pink mist for me.”
Turning his head back to Trisha, he continued.

”I signed on immediately after The Attack. Gigante and I were already adjoined, and we’d been doing freelance mercenary work with Kaiber Security beforehand. So, I spent a shit-ton of time in Asia; lots of little islands. Unpleasant shit that I’ve long since decided I didn’t want in my head like a raging bull. So, in contrast to our buddy here, I get monthly scrubs. Touch-ups. Keeps the shine of the war in my head, even if I know for a fact that it wasn’t fun or shiny.” he admitted, seemingly free of guilt and totally casual about it.

Chances were, that was also the treatment’s doing. At least Casey didn’t seem bothered. In fact, he partially felt as though he should mount a preemptive defense for his fellow veteran. After all, Trisha had only ever met his friends directly, and for hardcore commandos and Western Frontliners, there was a totally different attitude than those who saw the Breaking of the Empire.

”I would probably get the treatments if I didn’t think it’d effect my channeling. Especially after…-”

He weakly looked around the ruined building, a massive sweeping trail of blood marking where a person had hit the wall and slid down before being finished off.

”Hey, now… You don’t worry about that stuff. While you guys get situated, Gigante and I will go take care of what needs to be done. There’s remnants, I assume?” he asked, brain hitching as the filter spell shuffled the word “remains” into something less explicit.

Casey nodded in return.
”There’s a hole on the west side of the building. Outside, in the snow mound. I moved everyone in this building there. You can check the crater, but then I want you to head up the mountain and check all the cabins. At the top, there’s a ski lift and a restaurant connected to the non-magical public side. Make sure it’s all either disconnected or closed, and take care of anything up there.”

”You got it, Boss. It’s already done. Just, uh, leave my bag in the pod. I’ll come get it when I’m done… Am I staying with you guys? Or-”

Casey shook his head.

”I’d like nothing more than to try and finish the birthday vacation I planned with my wife. Alone… Unless she says otherwise, I just want you patrolling. Leon said something about making a call and keeping the perimeter-”

”-Oh, yeah, the wolves. I guess one of Lelou’s daughters, or something. I’ll keep an eye out, but I’m not sure if they know that I’m also not a threat.”

”I’ll call Leon in a bit and ask. Worst comes to worst, we’ll keep you short and close.”

Theo nodded, bowing slightly toward them both.

”I’ll just need my rifle, and my vest from in there…”

The bulbous “head” of the dragonfly shaped transport vessel slid a few feet out from its fixture, opening up like a long, cylindrical storage chest. Sectioned off were a lot of different cargo spaces, with duffle bags tucked into them with tags that read “Trisha-Clothes” and “Casey-Clothes”, as well as one that read “Casey-Gear”. Tucked underneath was the scoped rifle that he kept in his locker. There was a heavy secure case as well, which when popped open, revealed a plethora of Oblivium supplements. Pepper jelly, chocolate mousse; there were ones Trisha hadn’t even seen before, a few of which Theo grabbed before hoisting up his armored vest from a separate section. He also pulled a large briefcase-style package out, and began clicking away with it as he assembled a comically long rifle for himself.

”Should I come find you guys here? Or-”

”I’ll pop a flare when we decide on a new cabin. Morbid as it sounds, we have the run of the place now.”

”That is true. I guess I’ll find one with a nice big bed and plenty of windows. Alright; be seeing you two. There’s a comm bead in there too, Casey.”

And with that, Theo was off into the building before heading outside. There was an immediate sound of a gunshot, but nothing more. Casey didn’t seem to react at all. Instead, he looked at Trisha and took a deep breath.

”Well, moment of truth… Let’s see if the legs heal right. I think it’ll be fine, but it’s probably gonna hurt a lot more. Don’t get scared, okay? I just want you to hold my hand while I scream. But, it’s a good pain. We’ll be fine.”

Trisha nodded, giving Casey a shaky smile. She couldn't promise she wouldn't find it difficult, but she wouldn't get scared. Nothing could be as scary as when he went down earlier. And she'd seen plenty of magical healing before. She'd felt how the key lime worked too, though it wasn't for such bad injuries.

“I’ll do my best… You can even grip my hand as hard as you want. And I know what it does now, unlike the time with the cats. So I'm not going to be scared, just worried." She said, managing a slight smile. At least once his legs were healed she'd be able to relax a bit more knowing he wasn't in constant pain. They could do their best to enjoy the rest of the holiday together.

“What happens if they don't heal right? Does that mean you'll just have to live with whatever damage is left?" She continued, voice getting a bit quieter. They were lucky to have magical healing, but at the same time his legs wouldn't be like they were if it wasn't for magic in the first place. But even with that question, she readily offered up her hand for him, assuming he'd eat the key lime before they both got dressed.

”It means that we’ll have to deal with me being in a lot of shitty pain until we meet up with Cass, or a Chronomancer who can reverse the atrophy.” he took her hand, rubbing it gently with his thumb.
”So, let’s hope.”

Pulling the pack from its slot, he split the perforation with his teeth and tilted his head back to begin slurping. Within a few seconds, he was crunching the retorque pouch into a thick plastic wad before jamming it into his mouth. Just in time too, as the pain washed across his body with the full force of a train collision.

”Oh God, it’s working!”

Initial squelching noises were hidden spasms that Trisha would only be vaguely aware of underneath the blanket covering Casey’s legs. They compressed rapidly, until his feet were touching the unbroken sections of his pelvis. Rather than repair, the stronger formula decided to replace entirely, and began formulating the bones in an entirely painless, disconnected fashion. Blood vessels, veins, arteries, subcutaneous nerve endings-

Pain. Pain on an unimaginable scale, as once the first raw nerves were laid down in his body, everything afterward became intense and searing agony which echoed into the deepest fabric of Casey’s body. He didn’t scream. He couldn’t. He couldn’t even breathe. Thankfully, the delicious green goo understood, and kept his blood oxygenated without the need for him to intake it through the lungs. His pores opened up, and Trisha would be able to watch Casey’s very skin gasp and shudder as the magical healing properties surged through his body.

And that wasn’t even taking the awful, wretched cracking noises that were his bones being set into place by the semi-sapient goo. Agony gripped him until his feet were once more sticking out from under the blankets in the spot they were meant to be. By then, Trisha would be able to see Casey’s whole body turn bright red, then pink, only for every pore to let go and facilitate a body-wide plume of steam to rise up off him. For the first time in five minutes, he let his lungs inflate and collapse again in a shuddering breath.

He pulled the plastic out of his mouth, revealing the extent to which he’d turned it into a prickly paste between his teeth, and tossed it on the floor like refuse. But, at the same time, he was already tucking his knees and pushing himself out of bed. Each movement was a wincing pain, but he was quickly ambulatory and standing, if only to fully hug Trisha with leverage as he plucked her up into his arms. He didn’t speak then, and simply smiled as he let his feet and legs do all the talking.

“W- Wait, shouldn't you at least give it a moment?" Trisha helplessly protested, though there was nothing she could do when he'd already lifted her up.

It was a bit disconcerting for her, even knowing how everything worked. An agonising five minutes of watching him helplessly. He'd been in so much pain through the whole process- and it had been horrible for her to watch, to the point she was probably gripping his hand as hard as he was hers. Then he was wincing afterwards! But- But he was walking. He was holding her without even wobbling.

So it really had worked.

Her worried frown broke into a warm smile, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was so glad. Just him being alive was enough, but it would've been hard for them both if it didn't work. He'd be in pain, and she'd have to watch him suffer. There was only so much she could do to help… But it wasn't a worry anymore.

“You can walk… it worked! You aren't still in pain, are you?" She asked, her concern still slipping through. He didn't look like it but he could be hiding it.
“It sounded pretty awful, so I'm really glad it worked. You even gave off smoke at the end! Thank God it worked… I don't need to learn how to use my legs all the time again."

Her tone turned more playful towards the end, tucking in to bury her face in his shoulder. He carried her around so often that she was getting used to it. Not to the point she'd ever forget to walk, obviously.

Casey was smiling too, but the more he walked, the more he realized that not everything had gone exactly to spec. There was some osteoarthritic tendon pain, and he quickly understood that he’d simply been given old man legs. What was worse; the nerve endings in his groin and thigh grew back to the body’s memory, rather than utilizing some kind of esoteric anatomy knowledge; thus he could already feel the numbness crawling down his pelvis and into his bits and bobs… Which was frustrating, given that he was certain the formula he’d ingested was the new and improved stuff. Andrade’s last batch.

Still, he didn’t need Trisha to know all of it. He could let her down gently, at least, given that things could be worse.

”Well…-” he started, finally sitting her down on the bed while he rummaged through the supplies and handed Trisha her bag.
”-We’ve kinda gotta appreciate what’s here, so that we’re not sad about the problems still around. I’m walking, my back strangely feels really good… But, for all that, it couldn’t get the cartilage in the knees right. So, I’m a little bone-on-bone, and unfortunately the numbness in my junk is still there, which means it remade a dead nerve cluster. ‘Cuz that’s what my body remembers. The knees were already going a little bit too, so it all makes sense.”

He unzipped his bag and found some clean underwear on top with a note.

”Oh… Leon just told me to take a shower.” he giggled, holding up the note.

I can’t stand… To be stinky. Wash your problems away.

Wrapped in the underwear was a bar of soap and his shampoo from upstairs in their apartment. He’d bought a small travel size version, but wasn’t sure if it survived the collapse.

Trisha leaned over to look at the note, before giggling softly. Then she leaned further forward, pressing her face into Casey's shoulder and taking an exaggeratedly loud sniff.

“I don't agree, I think you smell perfectly fine. But maybe I just like how you smell." She laughed, pressing a kiss against his skin before pulling back to open her own bag.

And think about the more serious bit. She hadn't even considered that an old injury would be fixed by the key lime, even after it seemed to remake his legs entirely, so she wasn't disappointed about that. It was the knees that worried her more. If it was bone on bone, wouldn't it just continue to get worse? Like arthritis? He wasn't even thirty yet!

“I didn't think it would fix old problems, so don't worry about the numbness. We've both adjusted to it and found what works… It'd probably be harder for you if you were suddenly feeling everything." She managed a bit of a joke, picking through what had been packed.

She had to give Leon credit if it was him. He'd been thorough, and thoughtful. Her shampoo and conditioner was in there, along with a few skincare essentials. Then the clothes all looked warm and cosy but still nice. Simple t-shirts, a few wool jumpers, jeans… Thankfully just plain underwear so whoever'd packed that bit had just grabbed whatever was on top.

“Will the knees cause you problems? I assume you'll have to be more careful… I'll do whatever I can to help. Well, I can't promise I'll do heavy lifting, but I can volunteer Cass to do it for us when we're home." She continued, pulling on a pair of socks. Then she stood up to shimmy off her shorts, swiftly replacing them with underwear and jeans.
“You’re right that we should appreciate what we have… But I'm still going to want to help with whatever didn't go as well. Because I love you, even if you have bad knees- even if you hadn't gotten your ability to walk back."

Casey reached across the gap between them, playing with Trisha’s hair for a moment before pinching her cheek and smiling.
”Y’know what? It’s gonna be fine! I bet any money that Cass will do all of the Green Lux work that Andy never wanted to do.” he replied simply, wincing as he dropped his drawers and pulled on a fresh pair before making way for the pants.

”I just hope that you agree… Well, I’m sure you’d agree if it wasn’t dangerous, but that’s kind of the problem that Andy always wanted to avoid.”

He formed an oblong ring with his two hands, shifting it over the numb spot in his groin.

”The bundle’s about yay big. Big enough that if it’s not magically healed properly, it could cause permanent atrophy and maybe set in a living rot process. If the nerves get severed, and there’s nothing to tell the muscles to move, or for the veins to flex along with the bloodflow, it’ll just die. My dick, my leg, could just become fucking useless.”

Yet, he was still smiling. The truth was, he was fine with never having it fixed if it scared Trisha too much. Sex was troublesome, but he felt it was better that it was for both of them, and far better than winding up like his Grandfather, with most limbs entirely replaced. Sure, Big Max was happy and healthy otherwise, with magically enhanced strength and endurance that made him a mechanical menace… But he still complained constantly, not only about the pain around the implant sites, but of his artificial sense of feeling never being what a real flesh and blood leg or arm would feel.

”Could obviously being the focal word… Because I think, and just about know, that Cass could pump out enough Green Lux to brute force the fix. I just… Am not sure as to whether or not it’d be easy. She’ll need to read some textbooks about the nervous system at the very least.” he shrugged his shoulders, slipping the warmest shirt he could find in the bag over his bare chest and hugging himself for a quick moment.

“She’ll take it as a challenge, and get all excited to learn about it. She probably already has read a textbook about the nervous system, anyway. Did she ever mention that she started as a biology major? She’d already started doing it as an actual major when she swapped to computing… But she always found human biology the most interesting. Some of the things she’d talk about.” Trisha made a face that was quickly hidden by her pulling her pyjama shirt off.

It was gross at this point, and quickly replaced by a bra and a long sleeved shirt. Then a warm green wool jumper, which she pulled her hands into the cozy sleeves of.

On one hand, she trusted Cass and her overly powerful magical abilities. On the other, Cass was crazy. She’d do things she shouldn’t be capable of. Sure she often succeeded, but not always. The idea of Casey losing the entire leg was scary, even if it was just a maybe.

“It sounds risky… But I guess we don’t know that, or how hard it’ll be until we talk to Cass. It’s definitely not something to do before everything’s over, I don’t think. And your knees are more important… But if you want to get the dead nerves fixed, and you’re both pretty sure it’s more likely to succeed, I won’t stop you. It’s your body, anyway. What you want is more important.” She shuffled towards him, reaching out for his hands with a smile.

“Because like I said, we’ve adjusted. Sex isn’t the most important thing… Though it would be nice if you could enjoy it more. I know you do enjoy it, but properly! And any other benefits that come with not having a bundle of dead nerves. It would be better. But not if you lose it all anyway.” She was clearly a bit conflicted about it, but didn’t seem overly worried in that moment. If anything, she seemed relatively relaxed, still smiling and holding his hands. It wasn’t like Cass was going to crawl out from under the bed and start nerve fixing right there and then.

It would be a bit ironic if it went wrong, and they ended up unable to have children anyway… It was a darkly humorous thought she decided not to share.

Casey shrugged a bit, with nothing left but to accept that Trisha was going to let him do what he wanted. It was strange. Usually he made some decision about his own autonomy and the people around him complained, or gave their ten cents with eight being strongly opposing opinions. The only thing that was worse is that, right now, he actually cared more about her opinion than he did about his own.

It’d been an easy thing to live with. Still was by all accounts. Everything except the occasional pain flare as electricity surged through the dead bundle into nothingness. He figured it was just the wound happening again in a different universe. But, ultimately, he’d never wanted to push his luck purely in fear of peeing through a tube into a bag the rest of his life. Stuff like that was what he wanted to avoid.

”I… Seriously don’t know. But I’ll keep thinking about it. About how important it is, and about how good Cass’ already gotten about limb replication. ‘Till then, uh… Maybe we’ll stick to missionary so I’m not on my knees too long.” he stuck his tongue out at her before pulling her tight and kissing her gently on top of the head.

”You… You’re my fucking life. All of it. The world starts and ends with you. Hopefully, from here on, the fights should at least get easier physically. Less chance for mutilation on failure.” he admitted, patting her shoulder and rocking them both back and forth in a wide arc.

”I need you strong for a while longer. Between what’s going on outside, and whatever else we may find… I’ll probably have a mood dip again. Not a full crashout, but… I need to see the bodies up there. And I need to fish out all our stuff. Plenty of clothes and shit that’ll need a wash and dry.”

Trisha nodded, hugging back into him. She just enjoyed that for a moment, rubbing her face against his chest like she was trying to clean something off with his shirt. At least she knew and could prepare. As long as he didn’t have the same breakdown he had earlier… Because she wasn’t sure she’d be able to react any other way. At least not until she’d been able to get a good long sleep.

“I’ll try my best, as long as you understand how little energy I’m running on.” She answered. Things were always a bit more difficult when tired. It was when she tended to feel things even more, or get grumpy. Though she wasn’t worried about that happening today… It was just in case. She could be strong, she just might be a bit more muted.

“I can help with moving the rubble, at least. Well, not me. But if I increase her size, Princess will probably be able to bulldoze through a bunch of it. We can drape clothes over her for moving too.” She twisted around to look at where the bright, fluffy plush was sitting inanimate on a chair. Most of the bees she’d kept around were snoozing on her. It was only a small group, since she’d sent most of them back through to the Greenhouse to rest and recover.

“It was already getting pretty dark, so searching might be a bit of a pain… Oh, if we find enough torches you can probably make magical floodlights, can’t you?”

Casey could only grin down at her, beaming in pride as Trisha made her way through all the ways she could help. He didn’t think it was possible to fall in love with the same person twice, but it was looking like a third time was in order at this point…

”Honey? I don’t need any of that. I… Just need you to be with me until it's done. To listen, and to hold my hand. Everything else? I’ve got. I promise, you being tired will get solved soon. And, if you really couldn’t make it? I’d just bring you to wherever we’re sleeping, and lay down in the bed with you, and cuddle you asleep… And then I’d take care of it alone. And everything would still be fine, because I’d just talk to you about it later… So, all that’s left is for you to tell me what you’d rather. Because, as morbid as it sounds, I know there's a luxury cabin further up the mountain that I didn’t book… And I want to sleep there.” he grinned down at her.

For a moment Trisha’s face scrunched up thoughtfully as she tried to figure out what could be in a luxury cabin that hadn’t been in theirs. Or was it a similar level, just a different one? She’d seen plenty of luxury places before, but having both the hot tub and sauna already beat out a lot of places. The only thing it had been lacking was an unnecessary amount of space, and some gold trim.

“We have to stay in another cabin anyway, so may as well go for the nicest one. I don’t think it’s that morbid.” She replied pragmatically, expression loosening into a smile again.

“I can survive on a couple of hours sleep just fine, especially if I don’t need to do anything except listen. I’d rather be with you. I think after what happened, I’d just wake up after you left and feel worse. I know I promised to get better with my anxiety about being apart, but this isn’t because I’m worried you’ll leave but because… Well… You almost died.” She bit her lip, before shaking her head and hugging him.

“I don’t want you taking care of things alone today, so you’re stuck with sleepy me.”

”Sounds like a dream to me… It’d be kind of fucked up if this was all Kane and Abel and a bad dream…”

He looked down at Trisha for longer than a second before shaking his head.

”They don’t have that kind of patience. Never did. We’re fine.” he patted her head, making way for his socks and shoes.

It’d be a long night for the both of them yet… But Casey was positive that with the two of them working together at any level, it’d be a pleasure. One he’d revel in as sweetly as the life he’d been allowed to live. And while it didn’t fix his mind, the feeling washed over him and left him with a lingering sense of justice… That suddenly, all that guilt he’d been carrying from the war was worth it… Purpose beyond the war. Beyond the confusion of it all. A reason that he lived, and others died for him to do so….

Life was an honor. And he’d do his best to treat it that way from now on.