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Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Crow smiled against Penelope’s lips as they kissed, enjoying the time he had with her that night. He slid one hand down her back to rest against her hip, following the curve of her body as he leaned into her. His heart was already beginning to beat a little quicker with excitement. It had been over a week since the last time they had slept together, so he was quite eager to be with her again. However, in the back of his mind he noticed that something seemed to be different. He couldn’t tell for certain, but she felt a little bit stiffer than she usually did when they were together like this.

When she pulled back from the kiss to rest her head against his chest, he knitted his brow slightly as his suspicions were confirmed. At her question, he sighed, bringing a hand up to rest against the back of her head. “It was another dead-end,” he admitted softly. “Just village gossip, after all.” Guessing that her tension was because of her urgency to find and capture Jaxon, he tilted her chin up so that she would look him in the eyes as he went on. “I’m sure we’ll find him eventually,” he said with a smile as he repeated the assurance he had given Rikki before. “The outer villages are vast, but he can’t hide forever.”

Feeling a pang of guilt for the lie, Crow leaned in to press a tender kiss to her lips in an attempt to distract himself from the uncomfortable emotion. As he did, another thought came to him, and he frowned as he pulled back again. “Since we’re already on the subject of business…” he said slowly. “Has anything else happened at your camp since the attack? And is there any word on when your new supplies will be coming in?” Even though she had made it to their meeting, that didn’t necessarily mean Jaxon hadn’t done anything else to the knights. It was possible that the other thief had already conducted his second raid on their camp too, since he hadn’t told Crow about when it was supposed to happen.

Concerned that there was another reason why she was stiff, he studied her face closely as he waited for her reply.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

The mess is real xD

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Out of his eagerness to see Penelope, Crow made good time to their meeting point. As such, he was the first to arrive by a long shot. As time dragged on and the knight didn’t show up, he began to pace the clearing with nervous energy. Part of him was worried that something else had happened to her or her camp while he had been in Black Hollow, but he knew he was just getting worked up over nothing. The sky wasn’t even fully black yet. They normally met much later than this.

Of course, with so much time alone, his mind naturally tried to wander back to the question that had been pressing in on him with increasing urgency: Would he take the Younisian baron’s offer or not? As hard as he tried to think about other things, it was difficult to keep the thought completely out of his head, and he wound up dwelling on it more than he would have liked. It dragged his mood down slightly as he began to worry again about what the knight would think when she learned he was considering joining the enemy kingdom.

So, when Penelope finally arrived in the meeting spot, the thief was overcome with relief. He hurried to meet her halfway, smiling fondly at her playful greeting. When he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her and wasted no time in pressing a deep kiss to her lips, letting his stress melt away at her touch. After a moment, he pulled back and grinned at her breathlessly, “Hey, beautiful.” He ran a hand gently through her long hair, holding her gaze as he took her in. While four days hadn’t really been that long to part, he had been spoiled after traveling with her daily, so the distance had been quite tangible this time. He was glad to have her in his arms again.

“Gods, it’s good to see you again,” Crow sighed, pulling her in as close as he could and leaning in to kiss her once more.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Alright, I did cx

Crow's struggling

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Over the course of the next two days, the band of criminals made their way back to their hideout behind the waterfall. The journey itself was uneventful, but for Crow it a stressful time. Rikki’s suggestion weighed heavily in the back of his mind as he tried to decide what to do. While he still had plenty of time left to come to a conclusion, he couldn’t bring himself to focus on anything else. The unmade choice consumed him as he walked with his companions in tense silence.

If he took Rikki’s advice and worked for the Younisians, he would practically be ensuring his home kingdom’s defeat in the war, but he would also be able to save himself and Penelope from the consequences of that loss. They would be safe and free to have the life together that they dreamed about. The thought made him feel warm inside.

However, what would Penelope think if she learned of what he had done? Their kingdom would be conquered, her family would be lost, and ultimately, he would have turned against them all to make it happen. He shuddered. It was easy for a lawless peasant like Rikki or Alistair to understand the motive of trying to survive in a rotten situation, but he had a feeling that the knight wouldn’t be so understanding. She had a much stronger sense of justice than he or his companions did. Anything short of the “right decision” surely wouldn’t be easily accepted. Her world of black and white didn’t mix with his shades of gray.

But she would come around eventually… right? Crow thought hopefully. Even if it was hard for her to take in at first, surely she would have to know that he was only doing it because there was no other choice. If Younis won, the kingdom and her family would suffer no matter what he did. At least this way, the two of them would be spared from falling into the same fate. He blinked as he realized he was starting to be swayed in the direction of working for the enemy kingdom. Perhaps his mind was more made up than he had thought.

--

The thieves arrived back in their camp just before nightfall, which gave Crow just enough time to eat a quick supper before his meeting with Penelope. After spending the last two days feeling so conflicted, he was eager to see her and get his mind off everything. It would be good to stop and destress without worrying about making any hard decisions. He couldn’t wait.

So, as soon as he finished his plate, he got up and put his cloak on in preparation to leave. Now that his companions all knew about his relationship with the knight, he didn’t have to worry about sneaking away from them after they fell asleep or coming up with an excuse to visit with her. It was a rather nice change, since it also meant he didn’t have to wait until later in the night to leave.

He exchanged a brief goodbye with them and headed out, walking quickly in his excitement to see her again and leave all of his concerns behind.

Match Up in Malibu [Bee & Summer]

Congratulations!

Due to your exceptional reputation, you have been nominated by our production team to take part in this summer’s hit reality TV series: Oceanside Strangers! We would like to personally thank you for giving us your time this summer and for helping to make our cast more diverse with the addition of your unique personality. All of us from Empire Entertainment are excited to see what is in store for both you and your eager fanbase this year. We can’t wait to meet you!

Filming begins on May 20th at 7:00PM, so please be sure to arrive on set in Malibu, California at that time to get moved in. The house where you will be staying is located on 11846 Ellice St, Malibu, CA 90265. All of your production-related expenses will be covered by Empire Entertainment throughout the duration of the show. If you have any further questions, contact Benjamin Hoof at [phone] or [e-mail].

See you soon!

Empire Entertainment Production Crew

Jett Olliston stuffed the letter back into his pocket and stared out the window of the limousine, watching as the tropical California scenery passed by. Coming from the steel-and-cement city of New York, NY, he found the natural greens and blues refreshing. Trees and other plants lived in harmony among the manmade buildings, giving the area a relaxing, laid-back atmosphere. It was a nice break from the busyness of his home state, where everything that breathed seemed to be in a hurry to get from one place to the next. He smiled as the ocean peeked into view at the edge of the horizon. The TV production he had joined would only last for the duration of the summer, but hopefully this rich, beautiful paradise would give him plenty of memories to take home once it was all over.

As a professional singer and songwriter who had built up quite the reputation around the country, he had been invited to take part in this show as one of the celebrity guests. The director had phoned his agent personally, spewing off a list of reasons why he would want to take a summer off from touring to participate in this series instead. Money, connections, and a growing fanbase were some of the lures he’d tried to use, but Jett didn’t care about any of those. To him, the biggest attraction had been the experience. Sure, he’d been on TV before, doing interviews and performing in front of the camera, but participating in a season-long reality show? That was new.

The drive from the airport was long and slow as the limo driver battled against the dense California traffic, but after an hour or so, they arrived at the house addressed in Jett’s letter. Both driver and passenger exchanged a look of surprise when they saw the building. Just the front side of it was enormous. Palm trees lined the driveway and the path to the front door, giving it a tropical resort kind of feeling, and small landscape lights casted a majestic glow on the walls. Jett let out a whistle as he climbed out of the limo. Damn. I knew it was gonna be nice, but no one said we’re staying in a multimillion dollar house! The whole thing made his luxury apartment in Manhattan look homely.

“Alright, folks! Participant number nine has just arrived,” a man with a cordless microphone announced to a cameraman standing nearby. Jett looked pointedly away from them, pretending to be caught up in gathering his luggage from the trunk of the vehicle. It was bad form to stare at the camera after all, and he had an image to keep up for his audience.

“Jett Olliston: a 25-year-old musician,” the announcer went on. “We were quite lucky to have caught him in-between jobs! With his looks, who knows what kind of spice this young man is going to bring to Oceanside Strangers? I know I can’t wait to find out! Ah—! Here he comes now.” As Jett began walking down the path that led to the house’s front door, the announcer intercepted him. “Jett Olliston! A star such as yourself must be very busy, but do you think you can spare a moment to answer some questions for your fans back at home?”

“Well, I’m not busy now,” Jett shrugged. “Of course I have time.” I guess it’s that kind of reality show, huh? He let himself face the camera and smiled, playing it up for his audience.

“Wonderful!” the announcer beamed. “Many of the lovely people watching tonight will be following your story all summer, so I just want to ask you a few things that will help them get to know you better before this rollercoaster starts.”

“Shoot,” Jett said. “I’m an open book.”

“Fantastic! First question, then: Where are you from?”

“New York, New York. The city that never sleeps.”

“Excellent! Second question: Why did you join this humble little show of ours?”

“Honestly? It sounded like an interesting change of pace for me. And besides,” Jett glanced back at the gigantic house behind them. “Who wouldn’t want to live in a place like this for a whole summer? I was lucky to have gotten that phone call.”

“Very true, very true! So, do you have any hobbies? Say… long walks on the beach or watching the sun set?”

Jett couldn’t help but laugh at that. This interviewer really wasn’t holding back. “Those are fine and all, but I actually like to play sports like Ultimate Frisbee or Soccer. Being a musician, I also spend a lot of time practicing in my studio, of course.”

“Ooh, I can’t wait to hear you perform for us! I’m sure you know that we have a few other artists in the group as well. But enough about that; you’ll meet them soon enough. In the meantime, I must ask you the question your fans are dying to know the answer to…” he paused for dramatic effect. “Do you have a special girl in your life?”

“I don’t,” Jett scratched the back of his neck.

“Really? A handsome devil like you: single? I’m shocked!” the announcer grasped at his chest in astonishment.

“I guess I just haven’t met the right girl yet,” Jett shrugged, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the interviewer’s over-the-top behavior.

“Well then… do you think you’ll meet her here?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I didn’t come here looking for a relationship, but you never know when or how that sort of thing will happen.”

“Very wise,” the announcer nodded sagely. “Anyway, those are all the questions I have for you for now, Jett Olliston. Head on in and meet the rest of the cast! We’re just waiting on a few more people before we turn you all loose for the summer.”

“Can’t wait,” Jett grinned. He turned and headed up the path to the open front door, eager to see who and what laid inside.

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Should I throw in a skip to Crow and Penelope's next meeting? Just wanted to make sure you don't have anything else major planned before then ^^

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

May or may not be planning to have that play into his conversation with Jaxon later cx

Naturally lol I already feel bad for Penelope

Let Me Steal Your Heart [BuzzingBee + Dagger]

Fortunately for Crow, he had been right that Jaxon’s thieves hadn’t come anywhere near Black Hollow. Even after questioning villagers until the sun had completely disappeared on the horizon, not a single person he or Rikki asked had heard anything about any travelers passing through. They stayed at the tavern for a while longer, merely because Rikki was determined not to give up, but after they still came up with nothing, even she had to admit their lead had been another dead end.

As they headed back to the clearing where they had decided to set up their camp tonight, a bitter mood had fallen over the female thief. “I can’t believe it was another fake tip,” she growled, clenching her hands into fists at her sides. “While we’ve been wasting our time up here, Jaxon could be on the move again, and we’ll have to start all over!”

“The man from Myrefall did say it was a rumor,” Crow shrugged, kicking a small rock down the road as they walked towards the woods. “Word of mouth isn’t always reliable.”

“I know,” she sighed, looking up at him with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound like I was accusing you. I’m just… tired, you know? I wish at least one of these leads would have gotten us somewhere. It’s frustrating to feel like we’re running around in circles.”

“It’s alright,” Crow said, although he knew she had every right to accuse him of misleading them. “I’m frustrated too, but we both know he can’t hide forever. We’ll find him eventually.”

“Or we could call it quits and join him,” she shook her head. “I’m sure the Younisians would accept our help if we offer it. The more we take from the knights from our kingdom, the faster this cursed war will be over.”

“Maybe,” Crow nodded, hating how much sense her plan was making to him. He cringed at the thought of siding against his own kingdom and people, but perhaps that was the only choice they had left. He was already working for Jaxon behind the others’ backs. Why not make the best of a bad situation and take the opportunity to rescue Penelope too? He swallowed nervously, finding himself more tempted to go with his companions to speak with the Younisian barons.

I don’t have to make any decisions yet, he thought, kicking the rock again. I’ll just see how things play out for a little longer, and then I’ll decide what to do.

--

When they got to the camp, they found that Alistair and Hazel had already returned. Of course, neither of them had heard anything about Jaxon’s group either, and it was decided by everyone that there was no point in lingering in the village any longer. First thing in the morning, they would begin the trip back to their hideout.

The four ate a simple dinner together and went straight to sleep, none of them having much to say to one another while they were all in such dismal moods about the results of their failed trip to Black Hollow.

Match Up in Malibu [Bee & Summer]

Name: Jett Olliston
Age: 25
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs
Orientation: Heterosexual
Occupation: Professional Singer/Songwriter
Virtues: Kindness, Patience, Diligence, Charity
Vices: Pride, Self-indulgence
Secrets:

• Extremely superstitious
• Afraid of sharks

Quirks:

• Can't sleep without noise of some kind
• Habitually drums his fingers or rhythmically taps pens/pencils on flat surfaces when deep in thought
• Fidgets with his clothing when nervous

Personality:
Jett is a world-class extrovert. He exudes charisma and natural charm that draws others to him without any effort, a trait which he uses to work his way up in the world of the rich and famous in Hollywood. He has a sharp wit about him, and he's quite good at reading a room, which he has been told makes him entertaining company to be around. He can often be found at the center of the room in parties, but despite this, his favorite place to be is in a quiet space with a few trusted friends, where he can have what he likes to call "real" conversations and connections without the need to put on an act for an audience.
Short Bio:
Jett is a born and raised Yew Yorker. Originally from Long Island, he is the only child of a single mother who works as a teacher in the local public schools. When he was in elementary school, he caused her quite a bit of trouble, since he often ditched classes and vandalized school property. Strangely enough, this was how he got into music. Hoping to find a creative outlet for his energy, his mother had him begin to take piano lessons. He took to it right away. It wasn't long before he mastered the instrument and went on to learn how to play any others that he could get his hands on.
When he was a freshman in high school, Jett wrote his first song and posted it on YouTube. He only did so to keep a video record for himself, but to his surprise, the video went viral. Enjoying the life of internet stardom, he wrote music throughout the rest of his high school career until one day, about a week before his graduation, he got a call from an agent who wanted to sign him. Of course, he took the deal without hesitation, eager to see where his musical talents could take him.
From there, Jett's life as a celebrity began. He gained popularity fast and with it, enough money to buy his own apartment in New York, NY and support his mother in Long Island. The tours were fun, the parties were wild, and above all, he got to make a living out of the one thing he loved most: Music. It was the perfect life. However, it was routine. So, when he got an invitation to join a new up-and-coming reality show for the summer, he accepted right away, eager to take a break from the pattern of going on tours to try out something new.
Other: Jett has a number or tattoos, including two black bands around his right wrist, a half-sleeve of musical symbols on his right shoulder/bicep, and four bird silhouettes on the left side of his ribs