(set: $randomname to (either: "Arden","Emory","Madison","Farai","Odalis","Lin","Safaa"))
{<div class="title">[[Better Off->Content warnings]]
<br />
<span class="title2">A fantasy noir story — Oscar Arcane</span>
</div>}
<div class="scenetitle">MARIA</div>
You come back home at the first lights of morning, as you usually do, battered from work and sluggishly pushing the apartment door open. You enter the deathly quiet living room, the cool, early sun-rays piercing through the blinds and gently brushing worn-out furniture.
The place is empty, as it has been for three days now. You want nothing more than to crash on your bed and sleep through the morning. But rent is coming up and you have to do //something//.
You shut the door behind you and push the security chain closed. Looking at the wall-mounted clock, you notice it’s barely past seven. It might be too early, but you walk toward the telephone anyway, propping one leg on the console — which whines alarmingly under your weight — and grabbing the receiver. You pull out the small address book you keep in your coat’s inside pocket and open it to the ‘R’ section. Turning the rotary dial, you input the number and wait.
Installing a direct dialing phone line in your dingy apartment had been expensive — as well as suspicious — but it is a necessity in your line of work. Thankfully, your employer made sure you and your partner were properly set up. Still, you wish he cared as much about your comfort as he did about your discretion.
Someone finally picks up the phone on the other end of the line.
“Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions, good morning,” you hear the incredibly fast-speaking and slightly annoyed secretary throw at you. “What can I do for you?”
“Huh…”
You blink, trying to gather your thoughts. It is definitely way too early for this.
“Can I speak to detective Reyes, please?” You finally ask, your voice rough and listless.
“You’re lucky they’re in early. Are you a client of Mx Reyes? What is your name,” the secretary mercilessly rapid-fires at you.
It takes you another moment to respond.
“I’m a friend of theirs, can you please let me talk to them?”
“If you were a friend of theirs, you would have their office’s direct line number,” the secretary accurately points out — which only makes it more grating. “If you are not Mx Reyes’ client, I can set up an emergency appointment for you. What is your name?”
You bring a hand to your face and you swallow hard. You’re so damn tired and could have gone without the reminder that you don’t even have your friend’s personal number.
“Please, they know me, I promise. Let me talk to them,” you begged quietly.
“Well, if you give me your name, Mx Reyes can decide for themself.”
You sigh heavily and say your first name.
<div class="inputbox">(input-box:2bind $firstname,"X",1,$randomname)</div><span class="cw">//Enter your character's name in the box above//</span>
<div class="choice">[[You cringe as you hear the secretary scribble on a piece of paper.->Giving your name]]</div>
“Just wait a moment, please,” the secretary says before putting you on hold.
You don’t wait more than a few seconds, but it’s enough for you to get lost in your thoughts. You haven’t talked to them in so long. Will they even want to speak with you, let alone help you? You don’t know anyone nicer than them. If they won’t help you, no one will. It’s a hard thought and you purse your lips as soon as it comes to mind. You rub your eyes with the heel of your hand. A headache is starting to form right behind your forehead.
“They’ll speak with you,” you hear suddenly and you startle at the secretary’s lightning-fast words.
“Thank you,” you mumble, but you’re already on another line.
You hear a long and exhausted sigh.
“$firstname,” says a soft and familiar voice, and you are flooded with relief.
“Hello, Maria,” you answer just as quietly.
“What do you need?” They ask with enough edge to their tone for you to know they’re not entirely happy with you.
You shift uncomfortably on the console, making it creak.
“I need your help,” you admit reluctantly, still figuring out how to explain the situation.
“Of course, why else would you call me?”
Their cold voice cuts right through your gut. It’s not a good start.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“You know as well as I do that keeping in touch is not safe, for either of us,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $Maria to "Maria")
(set: $Marias to "Maria’s")
(go-to: "Not safe")
] you attempt an explanation.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“You help people, don’t you? That’s what you do. Why not me?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(set: $Maria to "Reyes")
(set: $Marias to "Reyes’s")
(go-to: "Why not me?")
] You ask bluntly.</div>}
Maria sighs again.
“I know, I just… That’s not something we should talk about on the phone.”
You can’t agree more.
“I’m busy all morning, anyway. Why don’t you come over at two, this afternoon? We can discuss your problem in my office.”
You glance at the clock. You won’t have a lot of sleep, but it’s better than nothing.
“Alright,” you agree with a nod they can’t see. “I’ll see you later, Maria.”
“See you later, $firstname,” they answer, their voice gentler than before.
You hear a soft click as they hang up and you stay still for a moment longer, listening to the disconnect tone.
(display: "The appointment")
“Oh, I could give you a list,” Reyes retorts, this time clearly annoyed. “But it wouldn’t be a safe one to spill on the phone, would it now?”
“Maria…” You start, already regretting riling them up.
“Don’t call me that,” they cut off sharply. “If you want this to be transactional, then alright. I can give you an appointment at two, this afternoon.”
“Alright,” you agree with a sigh.
It’s not really how you hoped things would go, but at least they are giving you a chance to convince them.
“Thank you, Reyes,” you say in an attempt to smooth things over.
But you hear the click of the receiver being hung up halfway through your sentence. You stay still for a moment longer, listening to the disconnect tone.
(display: "The appointment")You try to rest for a few hours, but you struggle to find sleep. Your alarm clock interrupts strange and unpleasant dreams. You sit up and realize you didn’t bother to change before going to bed. You’re sweaty and disheveled, your clothes all wrinkled. Glancing at your watch, you realize you only have about half an hour before you need to head out of the door if you don’t want to be late for your appointment. You’re going to have to prioritize.
{<div class="choice">(link: "You have a quick lunch and get dressed, there is no time for a shower.")[
(set: $appearance to "scruffy")
(go-to: "Walking down the sidewalk")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You eat lunch and don’t bother to change.")[
(set: $appearance to "very scruffy")
(go-to: "Walking down the sidewalk")
] You’ll look scruffy as hell, but maybe that’ll make your need for help that much more convincing.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You skip lunch and shower before putting on your best day ensemble.")[
(set: $appearance to "neat")
(go-to: "Walking down the sidewalk")
] You want to start on the right foot with $Maria.</div>}
{(if: $appearance is "scruffy")[
Once you step on the sidewalk, you feel a bit uncomfortable and probably don’t look too good, but at least you won’t face $Maria on an empty stomach and you don’t look that much worse than the harried desk workers who rush back to the office after lunch all around you.
]
(else-if: $appearance is "very scruffy")[
Once you step on the sidewalk, the people rushing back to work around you give you //looks//. You know you offer a sad display, but at least you had a proper lunch and you feel ready to face $Maria.
]
(else:)[
Once you step on the sidewalk, you feel invigorated. That shower really helped wake you up. But you know this isn’t going to last. Soon your stomach will groan in protest and your well-put-together look will fall apart. For now, you look much fresher than the desk workers rushing back to their offices all around you.
]}
You raise the collar of your winter coat, protecting your neck against the freezing draft that shakes the branches of the naked trees lining the avenue. Looking up, you see the uneven gray of a cloud-jammed sky. The dark gloom weighs down on you and seizes your limbs, chilling you to the bones. You hunch forward and dig your hands in your pockets to protect them from the cold.
It takes a few minutes of stomping down the sidewalk for you to finally reach the nearest tram station. You look down to avoid walking on the occasional slippery brown leaf, but the ringing of a train bell makes you glance up. You race up to the tram and jump aboard the back platform as the train shakes to life and starts moving away.
You’re pretty sure you have extra tickets in your pockets.
Once you’ve caught your breath, you enter the car and find yourself facing a disgruntled uniformed employee holding a hand out to you, carrying a ticket puncher in the other. You scour your pockets and pull out a handful of tickets. All of them punched through. You groan and look back up at the employee. She doesn’t even offer you a sympathetic smile.
{<div class="choice">[[You take your wallet out, hoping to find some cash to pay for a new ticket.->Paying a new ticket]]</div>
<div class="choice">You are struggling for coin right now. (link: "It may be dangerous, but you decide to use a spell to make the employee forget about the encounter.")[
(set: $suspicion to $suspicion + 1)
(go-to: "Use a spell")
]</div>}
It takes some time, rifling through your billfold to scrounge up enough to pay for a single ticket. It’s uncomfortable, but you finally manage to get a freshly punched-through ticket out of the impassive employee. As soon as her back is turned, you sigh and find a seat. At least your neighbor has the decency to address you with a tight but commiserating smile.
(display: "Arriving at the office")
It’s not a mundane spell by any means, especially if you want to make sure the employee doesn’t realize what you did after you’re gone. Some spells can be cast without movement and without a word. This one requires physical touch.
You squint at the woman, slowly raising a hand to her face.
“Sorry, you have a…” You start, trying to have her believe there’s a stain of some kind on her forehead.
The employee frowns and jerks her head backward, understandably put off by your attempt to touch her. But you manage to press your thumb in-between her eyebrows and cast your spell before she can escape. She glares at you and rubs her forehead, looking down at her fingers to figure out what you could possibly have tried to remove.
Then she turns away and pushes her way through the car without asking you for a ticket again. You sigh and find a seat. The scene didn’t escape everyone’s notice, though. Some passengers give you stares(if: $appearance is "very scruffy")[, and those aren’t related to your state of dress].
(display: "Arriving at the office")You relax and close your eyes, exhaustion catching up with you. You let the back of your head rest against the window which vibrates as the tram picks up speed, swaying at every turn. You couldn’t catch some extra sleep even if you wanted to.
You spend long minutes waiting for the train to arrive at your stop, mostly in the sullen silence of the usual public transportation crowd. At some point, a man climbs aboard with a small barrel organ hanging from his shoulder with a leather strap and stops right beside you, blaring an overplayed tune in your ear. He doesn’t play it for long, however. The employee from earlier comes back to interrupt him and asks for his permit. The barrel organ is about the only instrument allowed in public spaces — it is technically recorded music — but their players still need to acquire some paperwork to be able to perform.
Of course, the old man doesn’t have it and is promptly chased out of the tram at the next station. Part of you is relieved to find quiet again, another part of you feels for the man. He’s just trying to get by, like everyone else on this train.
The car slowly becomes more and more empty as you reach the more residential districts of the city. You’re getting close to your stop and anxiety makes you fidgety. You take a look at your watch. It seems you will arrive just in time, more or less one minute. It doesn’t do anything to alleviate your rising tension.
When the tram slows down and you recognize the name of the station on the signs outside, you spring to your feet, climbing down as soon as the car rattles to a stop.
It’s not a long walk to the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices. You hurry along a never-ending row of nearly identical red-brick townhouses, your nerves making you stride briskly across the paved sidewalk. The street is also lined with trees, but those are younger and smaller, growing out of neat little iron cages. There’s next to no one around, except for the occasional resident walking their dog. It’s a nice, pleasant, and clean little neighborhood, and you feel self-conscious here. You don’t belong.
With a breath of relief, you reach the address. The building looks pretty much the same as all the others, the only distinguishing feature being the golden plaque engraved with the names Finley and Webber. You climb the stairs up to the front door two by two and find the agency’s doorbell.
<div class="choice">[[You ring.->Into the office]]</div>
You quickly recognize the voice that welcomes you as the fast-speaking secretary who answered your phone call this morning. You are let in and instructed to climb the stairs to the second floor, where the PI offices are located.
You push open the only door on the landing and enter a brightly lit entryway. The whole floor looks like an open space, partitioned by thin, windowed, and paneled walls, allowing to see through multiple offices. Most of the blinds are closed at the moment, however, the only sign of life being the man behind the reception desk, on your right.
The redheaded young fellow seems incredibly busy. He glances at you when you enter, his eyes following you intently before going back to whatever he was scribbling on an agenda. He’s on the phone, tucking the receiver between his ear and shoulder as he shuffles papers around on the messy desk.
“No, sir. He’s not in right now. No. Mx Reyes is the only one in right now, sir,” the secretary barrages his interlocutor and you can only watch him, mesmerized. “But they’re receiving a client right now.”
He meets your eyes again and brusquely nods his head toward one of the offices. It is the only one with the blinds partially open and you can distinguish a familiar silhouette moving behind them. You mouth a silent ‘thank you’ at the secretary who is too busy arguing with the client on the phone to acknowledge you any further. He sounds twice as annoyed with them than he was with you, which you find reassuring, somehow.
You approach the office door and knock on the glass which is engraved with the words ‘Detective Emili Maria Reyes’. You swallow and wait. Part of you hoped you would have a little more time to mentally prepare for this.
“Come in,” you hear $Maria’s muffled voice call to you, and you know that is all the time you’re getting.
You enter the office and close the door behind you.
Detective Reyes is standing behind a desk overflowing with neat piles of paperwork threatening to push a single photo frame to the floor. Neither tall nor short, they wear a clean, well-cut sage green three-piece suit. Sans the jacket which is thrown over the back of their chair. An odd choice for a winter outfit, but $Maria always favored light-colored day clothes. You can’t blame them, it flatters their cool brown skin nicely.
They are tightening their tie around their collar when they meet your gaze. You can see their vibrant jasper eyes quickly scanning over your figure{(unless: $appearance is "scruffy")[
, but if they make note of your {(if: $appearance is "very scruffy")[rumpled](else:)[put-together]} look, they don’t comment on it
]}.
{(if: $affection < 0)[
“$firstname,” they say flatly.
]
(else:)[
“Hello, $firstname,” they welcome you, their voice soft but weary.
]}
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "Your breath catches in your throat and you stare for a few seconds too long.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $romance to 1)
(go-to: "Your breath catches")
] They look a bit worn down, but still as beautiful as you remembered them. Maybe more.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "Despite the circumstances, it feels good to see them again.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $friendship to 1)
(go-to: "It's good to see them")
] You don’t have a lot of friends. You should have put more effort into keeping them.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You look at them and you feel nothing.")[
(set: $affection to $affection -1)
(go-to: "You feel nothing")
] It’s been too long and your friendship is just a memory now. The thought is painful.</div>}
Their features always had an elegant structure, but they have now taken on a more mature — if tired — allure. Their makeup doesn’t entirely hide their dark circles, you notice, but it doesn’t alter the depth of their eyes.
$Maria starts frowning, marring their smooth forehead with concerned lines, and you clear your throat before things get too awkward.
“Hello, $Maria,” you finally reply, your voice huskier than you’d like.
{(if: (history:) contains "Why not me?")[
They huff and look away, crossing their arms defensively over their chest.<br /><br />
“Hello,” they mumble reluctantly and your heart squeezes achingly.<br /><br />
Why does it hurt so much?<br /><br />
“I…” You start, but your voice is gone.<br /><br />
You clear your throat again.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry,” you murmur, staring stubbornly at them, desperate for a sign of their forgiveness.<br /><br />
Reyes stays obstinately silent for a moment longer, then they deflate with a long sigh.<br /><br />
“It’s alright. I understand.”<br /><br />
You breathe a little easier, but you know you’re not completely off the hook.
]
(else:)[
They smile at you and it’s painfully sad.<br /><br />
“I’ve missed you, you know,” they say with that gentle voice of theirs.<br /><br />
Your heart squeezes achingly. Why does it hurt so much?<br /><br />
“I…” You start, but your voice is gone.<br /><br />
You clear your throat again.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry,” you murmur, unable to meet their gaze.<br />
Maria sighs. “It’s alright. I understand.”<br /><br />
You stare down at the tiled floor, your arms crossed over your chest. So much for not letting things get awkward.
]}
(display: "What can I help you with?")
“Hello $Maria,” you reply and you are surprised to find yourself smiling.
{(if: (history:) contains "Why not me?")[
They huff and look away, crossing their arms defensively over their chest.<br /><br />
“Hello,” they mumble reluctantly, pouting in a way that let you think they’re not quite as mad as they led you to believe.<br /><br />
You’re not entirely off the hook, though.
]
(else:)[
They return your smile, but theirs is painfully sad.<br /><br />
“I’ve missed you, you know,” they say with that gentle voice of theirs.<br />
“I know,” you start, your throat tight. “I missed you too.”<br /><br />
You’re unable to meet their eyes when you tell them that. You cross your arms over your chest, looking down at the floor tiles, and you sniffle. You’re not going to cry, are you?
]}
(display: "What can I help you with?")
“$Maria,” is all you manage to answer.
{(if: (history:) contains "Why not me?")[
They shake their head in disbelief and cross their arms over their chest, looking down at their desk. What else did they expect you to say?
]
(else:)[
The way they look at you is painfully sad and you can’t stand it. You cross your arms over your chest and look down at the tiled floor, your eyebrows knitting into a deep frown.
]}
(display: "What can I help you with?")“So… What do you need help with?”
{(if: (history:) contains "Why not me?")[Their eyes meet yours again.](else:)[You glance back up at them.]} They are rolling down their sleeves and you notice the holster strapped around their shoulders. It’s empty. You didn’t know they carry a weapon now. It makes you a little nervous.
Your eyes leave the empty holster as you answer them: “I want you to investigate a disappearance.”
“Whose disappearance?” $Maria asks without missing a beat.
“My flatmate’s.”
“You mean Roy Bailey.”
Their voice is cold when they say the name. You tense up.
“How do you know? Are you keeping tabs on us?”
“I have to,” they reply, their tone defensive as they close each of their cuff links. “I didn’t want to run into you during an investigation.”
You sigh. You don’t like it, but you understand. It’s the same reason you haven’t contacted them in years.
“Alright, it’s Roy. Will you help me find him?”
“Why?”
The question takes you aback and you gape at them. The wide line of their shoulders is raised, betraying their tension. How much has life hardened your gentle friend that they would ask such a question? It’s something //you// would say, not them.
{<div class="choice">[[“It’s the right thing to do? That’s what you would have said, back then, anyway,”->The right thing to do]] you tell them, feeling lost.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I need to pay the bills and I don’t know how I’m going to do that without Roy,”->Pay the bills]] you admit, your voice devoid of life.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’ll pay you,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "I'll pay")
] is all you say, even though you still don’t know how.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Please, I don’t know what else to do,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Please")
] you tell them desperately, balling your hands into tight fists.</div>}
$Maria sighs, long and heavy. They look exhausted.
“Maybe, but it’s been years. People change. Some don’t, though. Roy was a bully and he’s still a bully.”
“You don’t know that,” you say, feeling yourself clam up.
They are right, though, but you don’t want to admit that yet.
“Yes, I do!” $Maria exclaims, throwing their hands up in the air, losing their composure. “He’s always ruined our days when we were kids and then he took my friend away!”
“He gave me a job!” You argue, raising your voice as well, watching them grab their jacket and angrily shove their arms in each sleeve.
“He made you a criminal!”
“What other choice do I have?!”
$Maria turns toward the coat rack in the corner of their office and stays quiet, finding no response. Because there isn’t one. They absentmindedly rub their shoulder.
“Look, $Maria, I’m sorry things didn’t work out like we wanted them to,” you say, softening your tone. “But they simply couldn’t. I had to find a way to survive.”
They grab their coat and put it on, slower than they did their jacket.
“I know,” they mumble. “I’m sorry too.”
They take their hat and cover the black curls of their short bob with it.
“But I still think you’re better off without him,” they add as they walk around their desk. “I have somewhere to be, we’ll talk another time.”
(display: "Convince Maria")
$Maria stares at you for a moment and you’re not sure what emotion is softening their expression right now. Is it pity or guilt?
They sigh and say: “You’re being honest, at least.”
They grab their jacket and shrug it on, pulling on the lapels to adjust it, before rubbing a sore spot on their shoulder with a grimace.
“But I still think you’re better off without him,” they say in a blunt tone that doesn’t suit their soft voice. “Move to a cheaper place.”
“I can’t afford that right now,” you tell them, feeling yourself grow frustrated.
You’re not sure what is getting to you the most, their current stubbornness, or how much they have changed since you last saw them.
“Ask your boss for a raise,” they simply answer, turning their back to you to grab their coat on the rack that stands in the corner of their office. “People with your specific talents are rare, he might give you one.”
“That’s not how it works,” you reply through gritted teeth.
“Then quit, find a new, more generous boss. That’s how it works, doesn’t it?”
You stay quiet as they put the coat on. $Maria takes their hat and adjusts it on the black curls of their short bob while they stare at you expectantly.
You scoff, shaking your head in disbelief. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?”
“Of course I do!” They shoot back, getting angry themself. “Everything you do is dangerous! That’s what you get for letting Roy drag you in his criminal life!”
So that’s why they’re not keen on finding him. You sigh and walk closer to the desk, leaning over it.
“$Maria…” You start, gentler than before. “Roy gave me a job. I don’t have a better alternative, you know that.”
They don’t answer because they don’t want to admit that you’re right. They look down at the desk and you see their lip tremble. Maybe they’re still angry, or maybe they’re sad. You know they want to believe that //there is// a better alternative. Yet they can’t name one.
They shake their head and start walking around the desk.
“We’ll have to talk another time, I have somewhere to be.”
(display: "Convince Maria")
{(if: (history:) contains "Why not me?")[
$Maria stares at you with eyes colder than you thought them capable of.<br /><br />
“So it //is// transactional, then. How much?”
]
(else:)[
$Maria stares at you as if you had just slapped them in the face.<br /><br />
“Really?” They murmur. “That’s where you want to go?”<br /><br />
You purse your lips and stand still, unable to answer. They sigh deeply.<br /><br />
“Alright. How much?”
]}
They got you there. You honestly have no idea what a PI’s rates could be. But you’re pretty sure you can’t afford them. You shuffle on your feet awkwardly and clear your throat.
“What’s your usual rate?” You ask, as innocently as you can manage.
{(if: $appearance is "very scruffy")[
You have never seen $Maria roll their eyes so hard.<br /><br />
“Oh my god, $firstname!” They exclaim, raising their arms before letting them drop to their sides. “Have you seen yourself? I know you can’t afford to hire a private detective, even a cheap one!”<br /><br />
You feel your face turn hot, both embarrassed and angry that they called your bluff — mercilessly too.
]
(else:)[
$Maria narrows their eyes at you.<br /><br />
“The company’s standard rate is ninety per hour,” they state in a mechanical voice you suspect they have to use often. “But depending on the client’s situation, I sometimes drop to thirty an hour.”<br /><br />
Well shit.<br /><br />
“I don’t think I can afford that,” you admit, and that’s putting it mildly.<br />
]}
$Maria takes their jacket and shrugs it on while taking a deep breath.
“You ought to ask your boss for a raise,” they say, absentmindedly rubbing their shoulder.
“You know it doesn’t work that way,” you say darkly.
“Then quit and find yourself a more generous boss,” they retort, turning their back to you to snag their coat from the rack that stands in the corner of their office.
“That’s how it works, doesn’t it?” They add.
You stay quiet as they put the coat on. $Maria takes their hat and adjusts it on the black curls of their short bob while they stare at you expectantly.
You scoff, shaking your head in disbelief. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be?”
“Of course I do!” They shoot back, getting angry themself. “Everything you do is dangerous! That’s what you get for letting Roy drag you in his criminal life!”
So that’s why they’re not keen on finding him. You grit your teeth and ball your hands.
“Roy gave me a job, $Maria. I didn’t have a better alternative. You could never do that for me.”
Their hands leave the lapels they were adjusting and you recognize your old friend in the look they give you. They look so hurt. Their brown eyes are shining dangerously and you think they might cry.
You swallow painfully. You should not have said that. Damaging your relationship beyond repair will not convince them to help you.
You drop your gaze to the ground, avoiding those alarmingly sad eyes when you add: “I know you wanted to. I’m sorry you couldn’t. It’s just how life is.”
You can hear them swallowing back their tears.
“That’s it, then,” they say in a shaky voice and you look up at them. “I can’t help you.”
You frown. You’re losing them.
“Hold on…”
They shake their head and start walking around their desk.
“Another time, $firstname. I have somewhere to be.”
(display: "Convince Maria")
$Maria looks at you with a pained frown. They open their mouth and you expect them to offer words of comfort. But they don’t. They close their lips into a thin line and grab the jacket on their chair, pulling the sleeves on their arms and adjusting the collar around their neck.
“You could move on. Find a cheaper apartment,” they say and it comes out harsher than they mean.
You can see it by the way they chew on their lower lip regretfully while they rub their shoulder absentmindedly. You sigh.
“I can’t afford that right now,” you tell them, relaxing your hands, your shoulders falling in defeat.
“Can’t you get a raise from your boss?” They ask, still frowning deeply. “Your… skills are rare, after all. There has to be a way for you to use that as leverage.”
You have a feeling they are more concerned about you than actually trying to turn you down.
“It’s not that easy,” you explain. “I don’t have a better alternative and my boss knows that.”
“Could you not find a new employer? One that would pay better.”
You stay quiet for a moment, crossing your arms over your chest and looking to the side. You would lie if you said that the thought never crossed your mind.
“You have no idea how dangerous that is.”
$Marias frown deepens further and they blindly snatch the heavy coat hanging on the rack behind them, making it wobble dangerously for a few seconds.
“Of course, I have an idea!” They exclaim in a mix of anger and worry. “Everything you do is dangerous ever since Roy dragged you into that criminal life of yours!”
Ah. You look at them, realization dawning on you.
“You blame him. That’s why you don’t want to help me find him.”
“He took you away from me!” $Maria spits as they angrily shrug their coat on.
Their eyes start shining then and you feel a knot in your throat.
“$Maria…” You say softly, painfully. “That was my choice. Roy simply opened the door for me and I stepped through it. Because there wasn’t any other open door.”
You scoff, a derisive smile twisting your lips.
“Beside, perhaps, Hell’s doors.”
That doesn’t help, you realize when their lip starts wobbling. You look down, swallowing the lump in your throat.
“$Maria, I’m sorry…”
They turn away from you, rubbing their eyes with the heels of their hands before grabbing their hat and shoving it on the black curls of their short bob. When they turn around, they don’t look directly at you, rushing around their desk instead.
“We’ll have to talk another time, I have somewhere to be.”
(display: "Convince Maria")
{<div class="cw"><span class="cwtitle">''Better Off''</span> is rated 16+ for violence and suggestive content.<br /><br />
<span class="cwtitle2">''Content warnings''</span>: Mentions and depiction of death, murder, drowning, mind control, body horror and other violence. Allusions to sex. Mentions of alcohol consumption, drugs, characters drugged against their will.<br /><br />
<div class="cwlink">[[I'M 16 OR OLDER->The phone call]]</div></div>}You grab them by the arm as they pass you by, stopping them in their tracks.
{(if: ($romance > 0) or ($friendship > 0))[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Come dancing with me tonight,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 2)
(set: $romance to 2)
(go-to: "Come dancing with me")
] you blurt out.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
<div class="choice">(link: "“What about tonight? Around a drink? My treat,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 2)
(set: $friendship to 2)
(go-to: "Have a drink with me")
] you say, trying to hide your desperation with a smile.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“No, not until we come to an agreement,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection -2)
(set: $rivalry to 1)
(go-to: "Come to an agreement now")
] you state firmly.</div>}
$Maria slowly blinks at you, their lips parted in a stunned expression. You try your best not to glance down at the soft curve of them, in vain. You must look quite the idiot, right now, staring at them while you try to discreetly swallow the build-up of saliva in your mouth.
You feel their bicep relax against your fingers as tension leaves them and they turn to face you.
{(if: (history:) contains "I'll pay")[
“What’s wrong with you?!” They explode, punching your shoulder without force. “You hurt my feelings and then you ask me out?”<br /><br />
You’re not sure how angry they are exactly, but they aren’t moving away, staying close instead, their fist uncurling on your shoulder. Still, your insides twist with guilt.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry…”<br /><br />
$Maria considers you quietly.<br /><br />
“You mean it?”<br /><br />
It’s an honest question, a hopeful one. They want to believe you.<br /><br />
“I really mean it, $Maria,” you answer quietly, your voice coming out rough.<br />
“Okay…”<br /><br />
Their eyes trail down for a moment. They take a deep breath and look back up at you, their fist dropping from your shoulder.<br /><br />
“And you want to go dancing. With me?”<br /><br />
You nod, unable to say another word. $Maria frowns.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Please")[
“What’s wrong with you?!” They explode, punching your shoulder without force. “You almost make me cry and then you ask me out?!”<br /><br />
You know they’re not really angry, they would have already moved away from you if they were. Instead, they stay close, their fist uncurling on your shoulder. Still, you feel a little awkward now that they point it out.<br /><br />
“Yeah, well… I never said I was smooth,” you say, glancing away before your eyes find theirs again, as if magnetized.<br /><br />
Their fist drops from your shoulder and they inhale deeply, frowning at you.
]
(else:)[
“You… You want to go dancing. With me?”<br /><br />
You nod, unable to say another word. $Maria starts frowning, looking confused.
]}
“Where? Are you trying to get me into your boss’ den?”
The corner of your lips twitches. You can’t help it when you realize they aren’t saying no.
“No, but I have a way into Ruby Riviera’s den.”
“And your boss is fine with you spending his money at the competition?” $Maria replies with a doubtful pout.
You slowly release their arm, your fingers trailing down just a tad. It draws their attention and they look down at your hand, their nostrils flaring as they draw in a sharp breath.
You shrug and answer: “You can’t really relax at your workplace, can you?”
They sigh. “I don’t know, $firstname, it just doesn’t seem like such a good idea. I know a café with some very nice records…”
You can’t help but scoff.
“You know it’s not the same as live music.”
“You say that like it’s better,” they grumble. “You don’t know what kind of spell the band can put you under. There’s a reason why it’s illegal, alongside all other forms of magic.”
You roll your eyes.
“Please, they know better than to use their magic willy nilly. There are some high-stakes transactions going on every night in those dens. If someone important realizes they’ve been under a spell the whole time, things could go very wrong for the den owner.”
They stare at you, their eyes still narrowed.
“Alright,” they say after a moment.
“Alright?”
You try not to smile like an idiot.
“I’ll meet you at eight, on Jubilee square.”
“Thank you, $Maria,” you murmur with a grin.
They point at your nose with a stern index finger.
“Don’t thank me yet, I’ve only agreed to dance.”
Their expression quickly softens though, and they turn bashful, a small smile playing at their lips.
“See you tonight,” they say quietly before they walk away, meeting your eyes one last time.
{(if: (history:) contains "Paying a new ticket")[
(display: "Asking for a ticket")
]
(else:)[
<div class="choice">[[It seems you have a date.->Go dancing]]</div>
]}
$Maria blinks at you, lips parted in an expression of surprise. They look at your hand, tight around their bicep. {(if: $affection < 1)[
They pull themself free, looking uncomfortable. It might not have been your best move.
]
(else:)[
You release them immediately, realizing what you just did.
]}
{(if: (history:) contains "I'll pay")[
“Don’t you think it’s a little late to try and butter me up?” They ask, eyes narrowed.<br />
“Better late than never?” You attempt with an awkward grin.<br /><br />
They glare at you but it lacks real venom. You hold their gaze, looking as sheepish as you can. They groan and roll their eyes.<br /><br />
“Alright. Where?”<br /><br />
Your grin widens triumphantly and they poke your shoulder with a sharp index finger.<br /><br />
“Don’t smile like that, I’m only agreeing to drinks. For now.”<br />
You raise appeasing hands, and confirm with a more subdued smile: “Just drinks is fine! What about you choose the place?”<br /><br />
They look at you, their disgruntled expression turning more thoughtful.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Please")[
“Drinks?! You almost make me cry and then you just ask me out for drinks?!” They burst, looking upset and confused.<br /><br />
You raise two appeasing hands, feeling panic rise in your throat.<br /><br />
“I— I just think it’ll be easier to talk things out in a more casual setting. Don’t you?”<br /><br />
You watch them close their eyes and take a deep breath, trying to calm their nerves.<br /><br />
“Maybe…” They admit quietly, their eyelids fluttering open to let them look down at the floor.<br />
An awkward silence follows that you promptly break: “I’m sorry. About upsetting you.”<br /><br />
$Maria clears their throat before meeting your eyes again.<br /><br />
“It’s alright. So… Where do you want to have those drinks?”<br /><br />
You smile, trying not to make it too triumphant, but it’s not a success if you believe their pointed look.<br /><br />
“You choose,” you answer, wanting to make them comfortable.<br /><br />
Their expression turns thoughtful.
]
(else:)[
“Tonight?” They repeat, {(if: $affection < 1)[frowning](else:)[looking thoughtful]}.<br />
You nod and confirm: “If you’re free.”<br />
{(if: $appearance is "very scruffy")[
<br />They look you up and down, dubious.<br /><br />
“Are you sure you can afford it?”<br /><br />
Your face warms up.<br /><br />
“Depends on how fancy the drink is, I suppose,” you mumble back.
]
(else:)[
“I’m free. What kind of drink are we talking?”<br /><br />
You look away, shoving your hands in your pockets, feeling a little awkward.<br /><br />
“Hum… The affordable kind? If possible?”
]}<br />
“Of course,” $Maria whispers as they sigh.
]}
“I know a little café near Jubilee square that stays open late at night,” They say after a short pause. “It’s not too expensive. We can meet there if you’d like? At eight?”
You smile at them.
“Sounds perfect.”
{(if: $affection < 1)[A timid smile shows up on their lips in return](else:)[They smile back at you]} and you feel so much relief at the sight.
“See you tonight,” they say as they walk out of their office.
{(if: (history:) contains "Paying a new ticket")[
(display: "Asking for a ticket")
]
(else:)[
<div class="choice">[[You leave the building soon after.->Have drinks]]</div>
]}
$Maria stares at you and their bicep is tense against your fingers. {(if: (history:) contains "I'll pay")[
The expression on their face is one of pure outrage.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Please")[
The expression on their face is one of confusion, but also fear.
]
(else:)[
The expression on their face is one of surprise, but also fear.
]} They try to tear their arm away, but you hold firmly onto them. They look between your hand and you.
“Let go of me,” {(if: $affection < -3)[they command you coldly.](else:)[they ask you, voice wavering.]}
{<div class="choice">(link: "You release them.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Release them")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Not until we //talked//,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 3)
(set: $rivalry to 2)
(go-to: "Hold on")
] you repeat, angry.</div>}Remembering that you spent the last of your cash on a tram ticket, you stop them again: “$Maria!”
They half turn and look at you askance.
“Hum…” You start uncomfortably, rubbing the side of your neck. “Do you happen to have an extra tram ticket on you? I need to go to the bank to get more cash.”
They roll their eyes and groan: “Obviously.”
$Maria starts digging in their pockets while they step back toward you. {(if: $affection < 1)[They shove a single ticket in the palm of your hand](else:)[They shove a whole stack of tickets in the palm of your hand]} and turn back around to leave.
<div class="choice">{(if: $romance is 2)[
[[You exit the building yourself soon after.->Go dancing]]
]
(else:)[
[[You exit the building yourself soon after.->Have drinks]]
]}</div>
“I’m sorry,” you say, moving one step away from them to convince them of your good faith. “I didn’t mean to intimidate you. I’m just… at my wit’s end, I guess.”
$Maria breathes out with obvious relief, but they still look tense, rubbing their arm where you held them.
“I’m listening, but make it quick,” they reply, their tone short.
You bite down your lower lip. You really should have tried to make a better impression instead of letting your frustration get the better of you.
“The situation is bad, $Maria. If I don’t figure this out, I could end up in a lot of trouble. With my boss, with the police… With everyone, really. Something happened, four days ago, then Roy disappeared and Flint is starting to ask questions. Questions I can’t answer.”
You watch them intently as you explain and you think you see their eyes widen slightly. But then their expression softens.
“That… does sound bad,” they admit.
They sigh deeply, closing their eyes and pinching the bridge of their nose. They stay like that for a moment.
“Alright, I’ll help you,” they finally say, their gaze meeting yours again.
Your whole body sags with relief and you can’t help but smile at them.
“I’m not promising miracles, though, this isn’t my usual area of expertise,” they warn you, cooling down your enthusiasm. “Come back tomorrow, we’ll talk about all this in more details then.”
“Thank you, $Maria.”
They turn away again, shaking their head.
“You’ll be the death of me, $firstname,” they grumble.
“$Maria!” You stop them again.
They look at you over their shoulder, askance.
“Where’s your gun?” You ask.
It has been bothering you since you saw their holster. $Maria slaps their forehead.
“Shoot!”
They head back inside the office and behind their desk, pulling a drawer open.
“It makes some clients nervous, so I try to keep it out of view.”
You watch them pull out a heavy revolver, check that the safety is on, and slide it in their holster. They seem to know what they’re doing with it. You wonder how good of a shot they are. It’s an uncomfortable thought. $Maria always hated weapons when you were younger.
“See you tomorrow,” they say as they pass you by, once again.
<div class="choice">[[They leave the building and you do the same soon after.->The situation]]</div>
Something switches in $Marias attitude. They become expressionless and you can’t tell what they think or how they feel. It puts you even more on edge and, without thinking, you squeeze their arm harder. They look down at your hand then back up at you.
“$firstname,” they say softly.
They sound gentle, but something in the back of your mind tells you it’s not right.
“I can tell you’re upset,” they continue. “Is the situation that bad?”
You swallow hard.
“Yeah,” you mumble, your voice cracked.
You start relaxing, your fingers loosening their grip on $Maria’s arm.
“If I don’t figure this out…” You say, shaking your head. ”I’m going to be in so much trouble, $Maria. With my boss, with the police… Everyone. Something happened four days ago, then Roy disappeared and Flint has started asking questions. Questions I can’t answer. I //need// your help.”
“Alright,” $Maria replies.
“Alright?”
“I’ll help you, but first you have to let go of me.”
Your hand drops from their arm and you take a step back. Your head hangs low when you realize you went too far.
“Sorry, I just… I’m scared.”
“I can see that,” $Maria confirms, looking you up and down. “But if you want me to help, you’re going to have to respect some ground rules. First: don’t touch me again.”
You wince.
“I’m sorry…”
“Second: don’t threaten me.”
“I didn’t…”
They interrupt you: “Just don’t. Third: listen to what I say.”
You nod quietly. You’re not entirely sure you’ll be able to follow that one, but for now, you’d rather give them whatever they want rather than have to face this alone.
“Alright,” they say again. “Come back tomorrow and we’ll talk about this in more detail.”
They turn to leave, but you stop them again.
“$Maria?”
They look at you from over their shoulder.
“Where is your gun?” You ask.
It has been bothering you since you saw their holster. They look at you, then at their desk. They turn around and come back into the office, behind their desk.
“It makes some clients nervous,” they explain as they open a drawer. “So I keep it out of view.”
They pull out a heavy revolver, check that the safety is on, and slide it in their holster. They seem to know what they’re doing with it. You wonder how good of a shot they are and the thought makes you uncomfortable. They always hated weapons when you were young.
“See you tomorrow,” they say as they pass you by, once again.
This time, they are gone for good. When you leave the building yourself, the secretary gives you a dirty look as you pass him by. You think he might have heard part of your conversation.
<div class="choice">[[You hurry back downstairs.->The situation]]</div>
<div class="scenetitle">RUBY'S DEN</div>
You spend the rest of the afternoon running errands. You can’t stay in one place with how anxious you are about your evening rendezvous. Anxious and excited. Maybe you shouldn’t be with how dire your situation is but you can’t seem to stop grinning just thinking about Maria agreeing to go out with you. You feel like you’re in college again.
But that thought is enough to make you lose your smile. You have missed so many opportunities because of what you are… At least you have a second chance with Maria, even if it’s unlikely to go anywhere. You may as well enjoy it while it lasts.
When the sun disappears behind the horizon, you figure you should start getting ready. Choosing what you will wear is not too difficult. You can’t exactly afford multiple evening outfits, so you keep just the one for very special occasions. This definitely qualifies as one.
You open your wardrobe and take the clothes off the rod before laying them on your bed.
{<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a sultry dress, sheer and beaded, to wear over a slip.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "dress", "sultry"))
(go-to: "Getting ready")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a festive silk gown, with roses embroidered on the skirt.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "dress", "festive"))
(go-to: "Getting ready")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a classic black bowtie and vest tuxedo, with a dinner jacket.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "classic"))
(go-to: "Getting ready")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a white vest tuxedo, but you like to liven it up with a colorful bowtie.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "quirky"))
(go-to: "Getting ready")
]</div>}
<div class="scenetitle">FAIZAN’S</div>
You spend the rest of the afternoon running errands. You have a hard time staying still, feeling a bit anxious and restless about your evening. You’ll have to convince Maria tonight.
But you feel excited too. You used to go out to cafés to chat or even study with Maria all the time. It almost feels like you’re back in college again.
That thought is enough to douse you with a cold shower of regrets, however. So many opportunities were ripped away from you because of what you are, something you can’t help. You try not to dwell on the feeling and move forward, but it always has a way of catching up with you.
When the time to go back out to meet with Maria approaches and the sun has disappeared beyond the horizon, you consider getting yourself ready.
{(if: $appearance is "neat")[
But taking a look at yourself in the reflection of your living room windows (full-length mirrors are expensive) you figure you’re about as well-dressed as you can be for an evening at a café.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "You are wearing a sober but elegant knee-length skirt and a matching suit jacket.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "skirt", "classic"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You are wearing a colorful, lacey day dress.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "dress", "festive"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You are wearing a dark, well-fitted three-piece suit.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "sultry"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You are wearing a bright three-piece suit with a pinstriped jacket.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "quirky"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
]
(else:)[
You take a shower and pick one of your dressier day outfits.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a sober but elegant knee-length skirt and a matching suit jacket.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "skirt", "classic"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a colorful, lacey day dress.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "dress", "festive"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a dark, well-fitted three-piece suit.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "sultry"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "It’s a bright three-piece suit with a pinstriped jacket.")[
(set: $eveningwear to (a: "suit", "quirky"))
(go-to: "Going out")
]</div>
]}
<div class="scenetitle">THE SITUATION</div>
You find yourself in $Marias office again, but this time, you are both sitting face to face.
The Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions’ seat is a little busier this afternoon and you have crossed paths with a couple of $Marias colleagues. {(if: $romance is 4)[
Arriving together at such a late hour made things a little awkward and Maria had to introduce you to them.<br />
They still look quite flustered by the encounter.<br /><br />
Your friend clears their throat.<br /><br />
“Alright,” they say, straightening their back and pulling on their checkered waistcoat. “Where do we start... Oh, right! You said something happened five days ago?”
]
(else:)[
They gave you curious looks, which was a little strange. Don’t they ever get clients visiting them? Now that you think about it, maybe their usual patrons look more… well-off.<br /><br />
{(if: $Mariacursed is 2)[
Before you even start talking, Maria is already glaring at you.<br /><br />
“What did I do?” You ask them, shuffling uncomfortably on the chair.<br />
“You tell me,” Maria replies, slamming a piece of paper on the desk, right in front of you.<br /><br />
You look down and quickly understand: it’s the curse you have placed on them the previous night.<br /><br />
You wince. “Hum… That was just a tiny little curse I planted on you last night. You know, just to even the odds during our darts game.”<br />
“You…!” They start before lowering their voice to an angry whisper. “You cursed me? Just to win a darts game?!”<br />
“It was nothing bad!” You try to defend yourself. “Just something to make you a little clumsier for a couple of hours. It has long worn off since then.”<br /><br />
You take the paper and crumple it into a ball.<br /><br />
“I’ll get rid of it for you,” you say, hoping to reassure them.<br />
“You realize how excessive that is, don’t you?” They insist.<br />
“Come on, Maria, it was just to make things a little more fun.”<br />
“For you, maybe!”<br /><br />
You know they’re right. It was dangerous, reckless. And selfish.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry,” you reply sheepishly. “I won’t do it again?”<br />
“Is that a question or a promise?” They ask, their expression flat.<br /><br />
You shrug with a half-smile and Maria groans.<br /><br />
“What did I do to get a friend like you…” They grumble while massaging their temples.<br /><br />They straighten their back and sigh. “Let’s just move on. You did come here for a reason…”
]
(else:)[
You clear your throat.<br />
]}<br />
“Huh…” You start, hesitant. “Where do I even begin?”<br />
“You said something happened five days ago?” $Maria helpfully provides.
]}
“Yeah,” you confirm, sitting closer to the edge of your chair. “Roy went to seal a deal for the boss at Eastcastle station, around ten in the evening. He was supposed to bring Flint’s kid with him, to show aer the ropes, from what I gathered.”
“Wait,” $Maria interrupts, rolling their chair forward and leaning their elbows on what little space they could find on the desk. ”Your boss has… a kid?”
You shrug.
“Yeah, I don’t know. He probably has a lot of kids. This one just showed up at the den one day and said ae is his kid. There was enough of a family resemblance that people started talking. But more than that, Lonnie — that’s aer name — is a natural mage, which got Flint really interested, all of a sudden. So he adopted Lonnie, sort of, took aer under his wing. He teaches aer the craft, so to speak.”
$Maria grimaces.
“He’s using the kid.”
You shrug again before answering: “Maybe. Maybe he actually cares for aer. He was //very pissed// after what happened last Thursday.”
$Maria frowns.
“Wait. Last Thursday at Eastcastle station?” They ask, their expression turning dark. “Wasn’t there a shoot-out?”
Your lips purse into a thin, bitter line. “Yeah. That’s what happened.”
You wait a moment, but they don’t say anything.
So you continue: “Roy, Lonnie, and a couple of men went to Eastcastle station to pick up two suitcases of gem dust and other material components from May Jin — she’s our usual dealer. But the cops were there, waiting for them, and trapped them in the parking lot. It wasn’t pretty and a bunch of people died. Some cops, our muscle, and May Jin’s bodyguards all went down, from what I heard. May Jin got away but had to leave her money behind. She’s furious with the boss and won’t do business with him anymore. Lonnie got hurt and the cops took aer, put aer in a fucking asylum…”
You pause there, chewing on your lower lip, your knee bouncing up and down. You look down at the floor and curl your hands into tight fists, your nails digging into your palms. You don’t know Lonnie that well, but no one deserves what awaits aer in the asylum.
“$firstname...” $Maria murmurs, bringing your attention back to them. “I’m sorry.”
They know what you went through, back when you were locked in an asylum yourself. You were just a kid, but when magic became illegal, natural mages like you were born criminals. Of course, you had not really done //anything// — yet. So they locked you up in a hospital instead of a prison. It wasn’t better. Arguably worse. All the dampening devices, the drugs they used to contain your powers… It was fucking painful. Your childhood memories are foggy and feel like a nightmare. You’re not sure if it’s your mind trying to bury the trauma or if it was what they did to you back then. Either way, you escaped and there isn’t a way //in Hell// you’re going back there.
<div class="choice">[[You inhale deeply, trying to relax your body.->Keep explaining]]</div>
“Anyway,” you pick back up. “Roy wasn’t amongst the bodies left after the shoot-out, but he disappeared after all that.”
“That’s strange…” $Maria comments, frowning again. “And you haven’t seen him since then?”
“He didn’t come back home,” you reply with a shrug.
“Mmh…”
They drop their gaze to the desk, joining their hands in front of them, almost as in prayer, if not for their index finger thoughtfully brushing their lips. {(if: $kissed is 1)[
You look at the movement with some captivation, even if you know it really isn’t a good time to reminisce about what they taste like. When Maria’s eyes flick back up, they catch you staring and their face turns a shade darker. You bite on your lip to stop yourself from grinning.<br /><br />
“Stop that,” they mumble. “This is serious.”<br />
“Sorry,” you reply, not sorry at all.<br /><br />
You see them hiding their own smile behind their hands before coughing.
]
(else:)[
Their eyes flick back up to you.
]}
“It looks like we need to learn more about what happened that night. I suppose Roy’s disappearance could be unrelated, but that would be a strange coincidence. And since he hasn’t been seen since then, that’s the best lead to start with. We need to interrogate someone who was there.”
“Yeah?”
You look at them expectantly.
They stare back at you and continue: “So that means either the police officers who survived, but I doubt they’d tell us anything significant, May Jin, or Lonnie.”
“May Jin is pissed at my boss,” you point out. “She likely won’t want to talk to me. And even less so to a snoop, no offense.”
“That leaves us with Lonnie.”
You stand up, agitated.
“No fucking way, I’m not going in there.”
$Marias expression is apologetic as they watch you pace in front of their desk.
“We don’t have that many choices. Do you want to try and talk to the police?”
“No,” you reply firmly, crossing your arms over your chest.
“Well then, that means we have to talk to Lonnie or May Jin, but you said it yourself: she’s pissed and isn’t likely to talk to us. We don’t know how Lonnie feels about all this yet, it might be a good idea to find out.”
You scoff. “Believe me, right now ae probably doesn’t feel much of anything.”
“$firstname... We have to ask someone what happened. There won’t be anything left on the scene, the police probably combed the place already. Unless you have another lead, we don’t have a choice.”
You stop stalking and suck in a sharp breath. It seems you have to reach a decision.
{<div class="choice"><span class="cw">“Alright… Let’s go talk to Lonnie,” you agree grudgingly. (WIP)</span></div>
<div class="choice">[[“I’d rather take my chances with May Jin,”->Talk to Ruby Riviera]] you say, your tone final.</div>}
(WIP)
<div class="scenetitle">MAY JIN</div>
$Maria sighs deeply and you know they would have rather gone to speak with Lonnie. But you won’t set foot in an asylum — not even as a visitor — unless you have no other options.
“Alright. Where do we find May Jin?” They ask, their shoulders drooping in surrender.
“I’m sure she has a warehouse or some headquarters somewhere in the city, but she keeps it secret, even from her usual clientele,” you explain. “So she meets her buyers in a trailer she moves around town when she needs to. Gives it a new paint-job and plate every time. Changes the car every once in a while.”
“Smart,” $Maria comments. “And expensive.”
“Her goods are rare and cost an arm and a leg. She can afford it.”
“That doesn’t tell us where she’s parked right now.”
You sigh. That is another complication, but one you think you can get around.
“After what happened, she would have moved. And since she doesn’t want to work with Flint anymore, she’s not going to tell him where.”
“Great,” $Maria grumbles, leaning against the back of their chair.
“But maybe Ruby Riviera knows where she went.”
{(if: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[
Your friend grimaces at the mention of the mage’s name.<br /><br />
“Her again?” They say with a pout. “Well… She seems to like you, so maybe it’s worth a shot.”
]
(else:)[
“Another crime boss?” They reply with a dubious grimace. “And she would tell you?”<br />
“I think so,” you answer, your voice wavering with uncertainty. “I sometimes go to her den to relax. Flint has sent me on negotiations with her a couple of times. Says she likes me and that makes things go smoother.”<br /><br />
You shrug. (if: $romance > 2)[Your friend pouts, not looking especially happy with that specific development.]<br /><br />
“Well, if you say so…” $Maria mumbles.
]}
They push on their chair’s armrests and stand up.
<div class="choice">[[“Let’s go talk to Ruby Riviera, then.”->Ruby Riviera]]</div>
It’s the golden hour when you and $Maria set foot on Jubilee square. The blazing light of sundown is igniting the entirety of the Hennessy Opera House’s (unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[imposing baroque] façade. In the warmer seasons, crowds would flock to the square and enjoy the last rays of sunshine on the numerous café terraces. But in the dead of winter, Jubilee square is fairly tranquil at this hour. Most people are still at work and only exit stuffy offices and factories when the night has settled.
It would be tempting to sit down in the sun and order a warm drink at one of the many empty tables. Behind the pristine and wide café windows, subtle lights are being turned on, soon making the square’s outline glimmer with those alluring will-o'-the-wisps. But Jubilee square is not your destination right now.
You and $Maria start walking down St Basil avenue(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[, an extravagantly large street lined with tall plane trees, their long shadows streaking comfortably wide sidewalks]. You ignore the artistically set up window displays of the luxurious shops you pass by and after a few minutes, you turn into {(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[a much smaller street](else:)[the same street you did last night]}. (unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[It’s not any less upscale, however. Here, the wealth is hidden behind large gilded gates, neatly trimmed shrubbery, and lavish drapes covering the windows. You know what’s there, though. Sumptuous palaces, incredibly expensive restaurants, and exclusive stores for the richest patrons.]
You soon arrive at the foot of {(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[an elegant hotel](else:)[Ruby Riviera’s hotel]} where a valet casually leans against the iron fence, holding a cigarette between her gloved fingers. You have to break the white plume escaping her lips when you pass by, instinctively lifting a hand to shield {(if: $affection > 2)[$Maria](else:)[yourself]} from it. The valet winks at you.
You turn again at the next street corner, the hotel towering above you. You get past the side entrance, quickly look around to make sure the street is deserted, and climb down the stairs that lead to {(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[a cellar door](else:)[the den’s secret access]}.
{(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[
<br />“I’ll give Ruby Riviera that,” $Maria murmurs, looking around with raised eyebrows. “It’s a much nicer place than Flint’s.”<br /><br />
You grin at them while searching your pockets.<br /><br />
“Wait until you see the inside.”<br />
]}
{(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[You pull a red card out of your coat and approach the door. There’s the faint outline of an indent right at the center and you slot the card there, face against the door. Intricate golden glyphs blink brightly and you hear the successive clicks of three locks being pulled open. You turn the handle and gesture for $Maria to follow you inside a dark corridor. You step silently on a plush carpet and the door snaps close behind you and your companion, leaving you in a moody dimness. Two sconces on the upholstered walls start shining brighter, revealing the burly bouncer at the end of the hallway.](else:)[Your companion is not surprised when you repeat the same process you went through the previous night, pulling out the red card from your pocket and placing it in the indent that allows it to break the sealing spell. You push the door open and enter the dark corridor, walking up to a different bouncer than you saw previously. More taciturn, but just as muscle-bound.]} You walk up to him and he nods at you.
“Gorgeous evening,” he states the same way he would announce your death sentence, you’re sure.
“But it would pale, compared to our hostess’ beauty,” you reply, trying your best not to roll your eyes at the very self-congratulatory password.
“Indeed,” comes the morn response
<div class="choice">[[The bouncer steps out of your way and opens the door for you.->The den]]</div>
{(unless: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[You enter a vast circular room, blinded by the electric light that bounces off the massive crystal chandelier hanging from the arched and painted ceiling, right ahead of you. The decor rendered above you depicts an orgy of mythical beings, poised in suggestive ways and enjoying a variety of earthly pleasures.<br />
<br />“Oh,” you hear $Maria say behind you.<br /><br />
You glance over your shoulder to see them avert their eyes from the fresco, their face a little darker. You smirk.<br /><br />
“Ruby likes to set the mood.”<br />
“I see,” they reply before clearing their throat.<br /><br />
At the center of the room, there’s a large pit, encircled by a walkway protected with a carved stone railing. Down in the pit are the bar, tables, and the dance floor. All along the walkway, semicircular booths can be found, framed by heavy red drapes which can be pulled close to give the booth’s occupants privacy. At the other end of the den, there’s a larger booth in which the band is playing soft, subdued tunes. They quickly change from one to the other, trying out their instruments, getting ready for the evening.]
(else:)[You enter the den, blinking at the bright light sparkling from the chandelier. On the other side of the vast circular room, the band is playing soft, subdued tunes, getting their instruments ready for the evening.]}
The place is pretty much empty at the moment. It’s way too early for the patrons to arrive. For now, the only people hanging around are Ruby’s gang, giving you and — more specifically — your companion wary once-overs. It’s not making $Maria exceptionally comfortable. {(if: $romance > 2)[
They stay close to you, their shoulder brushing against yours.<br /><br />
You take their hand in yours and give it a reassuring squeeze. They glance at you, startled, but the surprise is quickly replaced by a thankful smile. You keep their hand in yours as you climb down the stairs and head toward the bar.
]
(else:)[
You both climb down the stairs and head toward the bar.
]}
The wooden counter is massive and occupies a central position, curving around an island that supports taps and bottle-riddled shelves. In the thick of the night, up to four bartenders busy themselves behind the richly engraved counter. At the moment, only one of them is prepping their workstation.
They notice you as you walk up to them and nod. You recognize them: Frances is Ruby’s favorite bartender and you can easily see why. First, they are good-looking, which is always a requirement in order to be in Ruby’s employ. Second, they are tall and strong, so they can defend themself and the den if the need arises. Lastly, they have a pleasant and attentive personality. The kind that makes you want to confide in them. A dangerous trait if you’re not careful.
You know how to play their game, however, so you don’t mind them.
“Good evening, $firstname,” they say as you sit on a stool, closely followed by $Maria.
“Hey, Frances.”
“Who’s that friendly-looking person with you?”
Frances smiles brightly at your companion and $Maria relaxes noticeably, smiling politely back at them.
“A friend, as it happens,” you answer, keeping a careful eye on the detective.
“You can call me Maria,” Reyes is prompt to provide.
“A pleasure to meet you, Maria,” Frances smoothly welcome them before turning back to you. “Your usual?”
“No, I came to talk to Ruby,” you say urgently.
You don’t want $Maria to fall for their charms and start blabbering about their life’s story. Frances nods sagely.
“Figured it was a bit early.”
They glance up at the walkway.
“She’s up there. Her usual booth, you know the one.”
You nod.
“Thanks, Frances.”
“Anytime,” they reply with that warm smile of theirs.
“Until next time,” $Maria is eager to say as you both leave the bar.
<div class="choice">[[Back up you go.->Ruby's booth]]</div>
Climbing the stairs again, you make your way around the pit on the walkway, passing by a series of open and empty booths, until you see a tall and muscle-bound guard standing near the entrance of one. The drapes are partially closed, obscuring the inside from your view. But you know she’s in there. You approach, $Maria on your heels, and the bodyguard steps forward to stand in your way.
“Good evening,” he says as he brings up a large pearl in his hand, rolling it between his thumb and index finger as he looks both of you up and down.
It’s the usual procedure, so you stay unfazed.
“Good evening,” $Maria responds, giving you a pointed look.
You roll your eyes and mumble: “Good evening.”
After a few more seconds, the guard steps back to his original spot, clearing your way.
“You can see her,” he says in a monotone voice.
“Thanks,” you respond before $Maria can give you a hard time for being impolite again.
You push the drape open and light falls on the woman sitting cross-legged on the dark red velvet cushions of the booth’s circular bench. Ruby Riviera is not quite ready for the night yet. She wears a crimson, embroidered, and fringed robe over a silk maroon lounging suit. The dark auburn curls of her hair are draping her shoulder and she has clips along her hairline, her finger waves still setting.
She doesn’t look up at you when she addresses you first, busy as she is applying a satiny dark green eyeshadow on her lid, a brush in one hand, a small mirror in the other.
“Hello, there,” she welcomes you with a deep and rugged voice you are now familiar with. “How’s it going, good-looking?”
She dips her brush in the compact tin container on the table and takes the opportunity to glance up at you. Her eyes quickly find $Maria.
A slow smile forms on her lips and a single dimple creases her unnaturally smooth skin.
{(if: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[
“Brought your lovely date again, I see,” she comments as she goes back to applying her makeup. {(if: $romance is 3)[
“Looks like you can’t get enough of each other.”<br /><br />
Maria is already getting flustered when you take their hand and pull on their arm to make them to sit with you in the booth, facing Ruby.<br /><br />
{(if: $kissed is 1)[
“Yes,” you confirm and your companion throws you an offended look. “But we’re not here for that tonight.”
]
(else:)[
“Maybe,” you reply before cutting to the chase. “But we’re not here for that tonight.”
]}
]
(else-if: $romance is 4)[
“Looks like you’re joined at the hips now.”<br /><br />
Maria is already getting flustered when you take their hand and pull on their arm to make them to sit with you in the booth, facing Ruby.<br /><br />
{(if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[
“Sometimes,” you confirm, earning yourself an outraged look from your companion. “But that’s not what we’re here for.”
]
(else:)[
“Maybe,” you reply, cutting to the chase. “But we’re not here for fun tonight.”
]}
]
(else:)[
“You’re not acting as lovey-dovey, though. Didn’t work out?”<br /><br />
You pull on Maria’s arm to get them to sit with you in the booth, facing Ruby.<br /><br />
“I don’t think that’s something you need to know,” you reply {(unless: $itscomplicated is 1)[nonchalantly](else:)[tensely]}.<br />
“But that’s something I //want// to know,” the boss retorts with a wicked smile and another glance between you and your friend.<br /><br />
You stay quiet for just a moment, calculating the best approach. You’re about to ask her a favor, so it’s better to indulge her a little, you conclude.<br /><br />
{(unless: $itscomplicated is 1)[
“Not in the usual way,” you end up saying with a shrug. “That’s not what we’re here for, though.”
]
(else:)[
“No, it didn’t,” you end up answering, trying and failing to not sound terse. “We’re not here for that, anyway.”<br /><br />
Maria shifts beside you, looking incredibly uncomfortable.<br />
]}
]}<br />
“What are you here for, then?”<br />
“Business.”
]
(else:)[
“And who is that lovely friend you brought me?” She asks as she examines your companion from head to toe.<br /><br />
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You take Maria’s hand again, brushing a comforting thumb over their knuckles before pulling on their arm to make them sit down in the booth with you, facing Ruby. You can tell they are already getting flustered by the crime boss’s inquisitive stare.<br /><br />
“They’re //my// lovely friend,” you tell her while Maria gives you an offended look. “But we didn’t come here for niceties.”<br /><br />
Ruby grins at you and bites down on her lip.<br /><br />
“How selfish of you to keep your lovely friends all for yourself.”<br />
“You have plenty of lovely friends as it is,” you retort with a crooked smile. “Let me have mine.”<br /><br />
Ruby sighs and goes back to applying her makeup.<br /><br />
“Fine. So what are you here for anyway?”<br />
“Business.”
]
(else:)[
{(if: $rivalry is 1)[You gesture at $Maria and you both sit in the booth, facing Ruby.](else:)[You pull on $Marias arm and you both sit in the booth, facing Ruby.]}<br /><br />
“They’re here to help me,” you explain, cutting to the chase. “We need to talk with you.”<br />
“What about?” Ruby asks as she goes back to applying her makeup.<br />
“Business.”
]}
]}
Ruby Riviera drops her brush on the table and her expression darkens as she stares meaningfully at $Maria.
“You know I don’t talk business in front of strangers.”
“I vouch for them,” you reply with a frown.
“That doesn’t make them any less of a stranger,” Ruby says, her gaze never leaving them. “Who are you?”
Your friend exchanges a hesitant look with you, but you can’t provide them with any help. It’s up to them what they want to reveal to the mage.
They look back at her, straightening their back and clearing their throat.
<div class="choice">[[“I’m detective Emili Maria Reyes,”->Convincing Ruby]] they introduce themself.</div>
Ruby looks back at you, her expression flat.
“A sleuth? Really? You brought a sleuth in my den?(if: (history:) contains "Go dancing")[ Twice?]”
You can feel $Maria tense up beside you.
“Please, Ruby,” you say, rolling your eyes. “I’ve seen plenty of cops come here. How is that any better?”
“It’s better because I //know// them and I //pay// them.”
“Well, why don’t you pay them, then?” You retort with a biting smirk. “I’m sure they can use the extra cash.”
“No, I really don’t need…” $Maria tries to intervene before getting cut off by Ruby.
“Why? Do they follow cheating spouses around out of the goodness of their heart?”
You exchange a look with $Maria who couldn’t look more uncomfortable.
“Well… ” You start, glancing back at Ruby. “That would be their style.”
The mage now drops her mirror flat on the table with a loud //clank// and lets her back fall against the lush bench cushions.
“A private dick with a bleeding heart. This is getting better and better.”
You open your mouth, ready to fire back at her, but this time $Maria is the one interrupting both of you.
“Please!” They exclaim, making your and Ruby’s heads turn toward them. “Can I speak for myself?”
{(if: $rivalry is 0)[
Your face turns warm with shame. You look down at the table.<br /><br />
“Yeah, sorry,” you mumble.<br />
]
(else:)[
You make a wide gesture with your hand above the table to signal them to go right ahead, not without some amount of sarcasm.<br />
]}
$Maria clears their throat and holds Ruby’s gaze.
“I understand why you would rather not talk in front of me, but I can promise you I have no interest in causing you any trouble. And if that’s not enough, I can leave. To be entirely frank with you, it’s probably best if $firstname goes to speak with May Jin without me…”
Ruby leans forward abruptly, staring daggers at you again.
“May Jin? You want to talk to May Jin?” She enunciates as if the words were hurting her teeth.
You groan, bringing your palm to your face and resting your elbow on the table.
“I was going to get to that…”
$Maria gives you a sheepish look.
“I need to speak to May Jin about what happened last week.”
Ruby frowns.
“Why?”
You purse your lips. You’re fairly used to bantering with Ruby Riviera like that. She’s always been more approachable and less intimidating than Flint. But you still are very aware that she’s exceptionally dangerous. You’re not entirely comfortable with sharing all of your more personal problems with her. You have a feeling she won’t be helpful unless you make your problem her problem, somehow.
{<div class="choice">A little lie could go a long way.<br />
(link: "“My partner, Roy, disappeared after the exchange. I think he ran away with May Jin’s payment. If I can get my hands on it, I’ll share it with you.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Lie")
]</div>
<div class="choice">Ruby Riviera likes you, maybe your problems are her problems if you turn up the charm just a tad.<br />
[[“Ruby…” You sigh. “We have a good thing going on, don’t we? I have to figure out what happened to my partner, Roy, or Flint will throw me under the bus. He’ll send you another negotiator and they might not be as pleasant as I am…”->Charm]]</div>}
Ruby looks at you for a while, her eyes narrowed. Then her lopsided smile returns to her lips. She opens a container of rouge and picks her mirror back up.
“Do I look like I need the money to you?” She asks as she applies the product to the apple of her cheeks.
It’s a rhetorical question, one you don’t need to answer. You bite the inside of your cheek as you try to figure out a way to convince her.
“Doesn’t everyone need the extra cash?” You answer with your own question, smiling charmingly at her.
Ruby keeps tapping her cheeks, her eyes trained on the mirror as she responds: “It depends on the cost, darling. If May Jin discovers I gave her location to one of Flint’s lackeys —”
You wince at the word.
“— She’s not going to want to do business with me either. And that’s not worth half of a cargo payment, however big it is.”
“Half?” You grin. “Sounds to me like we’re already negotiating.”
//And she’s already being greedy about it//, you think.
Ruby is still focused on her mirror, but she smiles.
“You’re lucky I like your spirit. But it’s still a no until I’m assured May Jin won’t know the intel comes from me.”
“Who’s going to tell her?” You reply with a shrug. “Not your people, they know better. And I won’t, since it’s not in my interests.”
Ruby’s brown eyes leave her mirror to stare at you, then pointedly at $Maria. Your companion grimaces.
“I won’t tell her anything,” they say, grumpily. “Trust me, I won’t benefit from being on your shit list.”
Ruby looks to you again.
“I already said I’m vouching for them, didn’t I?”
The mage doesn’t answer right away. She puts the puff back in the rouge container and snaps it close.
“Alright. Seventy-five percent.”
You scoff. “Please, I’m going to do all the work, fifty percent is hardly fair. But seventy-five?”
{(if: $romance > 2)[Maria’s fingers squeeze yours under the table.](else:)[$Maria elbows you subtly.]} You glance at them and they’re looking very uneasy.
“I already told you I’m not willing to take that risk for fifty percent,” Ruby states.
“Sixty percent,” you suggest.
“Sixty-five,” she shoots back as she grabs her tube of lipstick and starts twirling it between her fingers.
You look back at $Maria who stares at you pleadingly. You make a show of sighing deeply.
“Alright, deal,” you relent.
Ruby grins victoriously at you.
(display: "May Jin's location")
{<div class="choice">(link: "Until $Maria stops you.")[
(if: $romance > 2 or $friendship > 2)[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
]
(go-to: "Maria stops you")
]</div>}
Ruby stares at you as she reclines again, her brow smoothing in a thoughtful expression.
“I do like you,” she notes. “You’re so much more pleasant than most of Flint’s brutes. And I appreciate how… pliable you’ve shown yourself to be.”
She grins at you, her lips parting on sharp and pearly teeth. It makes you tense up. You don’t like how she says it, nor do you want to address the subject right here, right now.
“But you have to understand,” she adds as she opens a rouge container and picks her mirror back up. “If I give away May Jin’s location to you — one of Flint’s people — and she finds out I’m the one who did… She’s not going to want to do business with me either. I really don’t want that to happen.”
She starts applying the product to the apple of her cheeks, her eyes trained on the mirror.
“So I have to ask myself this,” she continues, her voice deceptively gentle. “As pleasant as I find you, darling, are you really worth such a risk?”
You watch her as she keeps patting her face with the small puff in silence. Your hand curls into a fist on your knee and your throat tightens. In the end, you are at her mercy, like you are at Flint’s, and you don’t like it one bit. (if: $romance > 2)[You didn’t realize Maria’s hand was still in yours and that you were tightening your grip on their fingers. They squeeze back and you quickly glance at them. They seem concerned.]
You attempt a dashing smile to hide your discomfort.
“I’m afraid I can’t make that decision for you, Ruby,” you admit.
She finally looks back at you, putting her puff back in the rouge container and snapping it close. Her smile is playful and worrisome.
“You can’t, of course. But I can certainly consult a third party. You. Detective Reyes?”
Her eyes zero in on $Maria who startles.
“Do you think your friend is worth the risk of losing business with one of the best dealers in town?” She asks them.
Your body stiffens even further and Ruby notices, her smirk widening. She’s playing games with you. You hate it, but you let her have her fun if that’s what you need to get that intel.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
$Maria hesitates. It twists your guts. The friend you knew all those years ago would not have waited a second to confirm that you are worth every risk. You don’t know if they have changed that much or if you have.<br /><br />
“I would,” they finally answer. “$firstname is a unique person with unique talents, I wouldn’t throw that away if I were you.”<br /><br />
Ruby hums pensively as she considers them, leaning her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her hand.<br /><br />
“That’s a well-thought-out reply,” she remarks.<br /><br />
A more calculated one than you expected from them, that’s for sure. You’re not certain how to feel about that.<br /><br />
“That makes it all the more valuable, doesn’t it?” $Maria retorts.<br />
“It has its value, yes,” Ruby concedes. “But I was looking for a… rawer answer. That being said, the fact that you didn’t go for that is instructive as well.”<br /><br />
She grins wider at them and they exchange an uncertain look with you. You smile tightly at them. There really wasn’t any good way for them to react, Ruby made sure of that. But you still feel a weight in your stomach.
]
(else:)[
$Maria gapes at her, baffled.<br /><br />
“Obviously?” They answer and you’re surprised by the wave of relief that washes over you.<br /><br />
Ruby smiles at them, leaning her elbow on the table and putting her chin in her hand.<br /><br />
“Really? You would take that risk, were you in my shoes?”<br />
{(if: $romance > 2)[
“A hundred times over,” Maria affirms.<br /><br />
Ruby hums thoughtfully as she considers them, her grin never leaving her lips.<br /><br />
“That’s good to know.”<br /><br />
Maria exchanges a glance with you. They aren’t sure if they answered right. But the question was a trap and there was no good way to respond, so you smile apologetically at them. Still, you feel warmth spreading in your chest after hearing their words and how firmly they stood by them.
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated is 1)[
“I’d take any risk,” they confess and it makes your heart skip a beat.<br /><br />
Ruby hums thoughtfully as she considers them, her grin never leaving her lips.<br /><br />
“That’s good to know.”<br /><br />Maria exchanges a timid glance with you. They seem unsure of themself. Maybe they feel like they shouldn’t have revealed that much to her. But in truth, the question was a trap and there was no way for them to answer anything that Ruby can’t use against either of you.<br />
The revelation has a stronger impact on you, however. You haven’t realized they still care that much about you, despite the tense terms you are on.
]
(else:)[
“Yes?” $Maria replies, still confused. “We’re friends, I’m not sure what else you expected me to say.”<br />
“A confirmation is still nice,” Ruby says, her grin never leaving her lips. “It’s good to know what you would be ready to do for each other.”<br /><br />
Your companion exchanges an uncertain glance with you. You smile apologetically to them. There wasn’t really any answer Ruby couldn’t use against you both. Still, you feel some warmth at the thought they’d stand by you in difficult circumstances.
]}
]}
“Alright,” Ruby states, leaning back. “You’ve entertained me enough, I suppose that’s worth a little risk on my part.”
You perk up. //Finally//.
(display: "May Jin's location")
<div class="choice">[[Until you stop $Maria.->You stop Maria]]</div>“May Jin’s trailer is currently parked at the Regal movie theater,” she tells you. “Have fun with her.”
You grimace. The dealer is not going to be happy to see you. But you feel some relief now that you know her location. (unless: (history:) contains "Talk to Lonnie")[It’s still the better option.]
After obtaining the information you came to Ruby Riviera for, you and $Maria say your goodbyes and leave the den. The sun has fallen beyond the horizon while you were inside and it’s starting to get dark. The street lamps are now lit, but they still have to fight to outshine the last remnants of sunlight.
You walk side by side with your friend in silence, heading back towards St Basil avenue.<div class="menu">{(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "start")[
<span class="menulinks">(link: "RESTART")[(reload:)]</span>
<span class="menulinks">{(link: "SAVE")[
(if: (save-game: "Slot 1"))[
Saved!
]
]}</span>
]{(if: (savedgames:) contains "Slot 1")[
<span class="menulinks">(link-repeat: "LOAD")[
(load-game: "Slot 1")
]</span>
]}
(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "start")[
<span class="menulinks">(link-undo: "BACK")</span>
]
(if: (history:) contains "The phone call")[
<span class="menulinks">[[+->Bonus]]</span>
]}</div>{(unless: (passage:)'s tags contains "bonus")[
(set: $lastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
]}
The next morning, you and $Maria find yourselves in the Regal movie theater’s parking lot. It’s a wide-open space on the side of the imposing building.
At this time of day, the theater looks bulky and almost crude in the bright morning glow. The stack of white concrete shapes doesn’t seem quite as festive as it does at night, when its colorful neon lights illuminate the whole street. The parking lot itself is nearly empty, making it easier to spot the trailer parked in the far corner, right beside the theater’s emergency exit.
It also makes the atmosphere somewhat ominous. There’s no one around to witness what may happen here.
The trailer is sleek and freshly painted a deep burgundy color, with a large stripe of lighter red to match the expensive-looking roadster it’s attached to. You recognize the spacious trailer. You have visited May Jin a couple of times before. The car, however, is new. Everything is eerily quiet around the trailer and you can’t see any signs of activity inside. Although most of the blinds are closed, making it hard to see anything in the first place.
You exchange a glance with $Maria who looks at you with a worried frown.
“Well, let’s go knock, I guess…” You say as you step forward.
“Wait,” $Maria stops you.
You look back at them, one eyebrow raised.
“I don’t know if I should be here,” they explain. “I’m a stranger, I shouldn’t even know she’s here. That might make her angry…”
“Well, she’ll be pissed either way,” you retort. “I work for Flint and she doesn’t want to deal with him again. I need your help if things turn sour.”
$Maria groans.
{(unless: (history:) contains "Talk to Lonnie")[
<br />“This is why I wanted to see Lonnie instead.”<br />
“Yeah, well, that’s fucking dangerous too,” you snap at them.<br /><br />
They sigh but don’t contradict you.<br />
]}
“Alright, let’s get this over with…”
You both walk closer to the trailer, but you don’t make it very far before the door of the vehicle is slammed open.
<div class="choice">[[May Jin climbs down the few steps leading out of the door and jumps off, a hunting rifle in her hands.->May Jin has a gun]]</div>
The woman is short, but that doesn’t make her any less threatening. She’s not wearing any jacket and the sleeves of her slack shirt are rolled up. She doesn’t seem to mind the cold, however. She’s too furious for that if you believe the way she glares at you and points her rifle in your direction.
“You!” She yells, taking a few more steps toward you — you, specifically. “What the fuck are you doing here? I thought I made myself clear!”
A cool draft ruffles her otherwise pristine black bob and makes her tie shiver. It brings a vivid red flush to her pale complexion. Unless it’s her anger.
Both you and $Maria raise your hands at the sight of her weapon, trying to signal her you’re not here for trouble. It doesn’t appease her.
“I’m not here on Flint’s behalf,” you try to tell her.
“Bullshit! Why else would you be here? My goods aren’t in your price range.”
“I’m not here for business either,” you say, keeping your tone as calm as you can while staring at the mouth of her gun, aimed right at your chest.
“Then why?!” May yells again, jerking her rifle forward, which startles $Maria. “And who the fuck is that guy?”
She waves her weapon in your companion’s direction who pales.
“May, please, calm down,” you say slowly, hoping she’ll compose herself. “We don’t want the authorities to find us — or you…”
It doesn’t move her.
“Answer my fucking questions or get the fuck out of here!”
“Alright! Alright. We’re here for information and this is my friend, Maria Reyes.”
May barks a cheerless laugh.
“I’m not a broker, idiot. You got the wrong address. Now fuck off!”
You purse your lips. She’s being even more difficult than you expected. You knew she was furious, but you didn’t realize how much. Every time you dealt with her, she was always cool-headed, conducting her business with utmost professionalism. Sometimes, she would let her biting sense of humor show, if she respected you. You thought you were lucky enough to be amongst that number. Now you’re not so sure anymore.
“I don’t think a broker can help us,” $Maria takes over when you stay silent a little too long. “We need to know what happened Thursday night.”
“You well know what fucking happened!!” May explodes, but not at them.
<div class="choice">[[She’s looking straight at you, her features twisting in a mask of hatred.->She looks straight at you]]</div>
“One of you fuckers tattled on our meeting and the cops showed up, shooting left and right,” she says through gritted teeth.
You narrow your eyes at her.
“How do you know it’s not one of //your// people?”
Maybe you shouldn’t ask a question that’s likely to make her even angrier and $Maria looks at you with alarm. But you know May Jin better than them, and you know she’s not unreasonable. She wouldn’t say something like that lightly.
“Because //my// people are //all// dead!!”
You blink at her.
“What do you mean, all?”
“Exactly that, //all of them//. Including my fucking brother, asshole!!”
Real hurt comes through her voice as she says that and you swallow. So that’s why she’s so angry.
“I brought everyone along,” she says, her voice shaking with fury and grief. “It was a big cargo, an expensive one. I wanted to make sure everything would go smoothly. And now…”
She sniffles, which makes her even more enraged.
“Fuck!” She yells as she wipes her nose with her sleeve. “Everyone else who works for me is a supplier. They didn’t know shit about any of my deals and when or where they take place. So it has to be one of Flint’s assholes!”
$Marias hands lower as they look at her with genuine compassion.
“I’m so sorry,” they say softly. “We didn’t know…”
Your companion is right. You had no idea.
{<div class="choice">(link: "And you feel a painful twinge in your heart.")[
(set: $Maysintent to "peaceful")
(set: $affection to $affection + 2)
(go-to: "You feel regret")
] It’s obvious May cared a lot for her brother.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You don’t care.")[
(set: $Maysintent to "vengeful")
(set: $affection to $affection - 2)
(go-to: "You feel no regret")
] May’s brother was a ruthless criminal, just like her. And you.</div>}
It’s one thing to think about what happened as a risk everyone is taking willingly in the business, but another one entirely when you realize someone lost a loved one that day. It doesn’t feel good, to say the least.
You don’t say anything, there’s nothing you can add to what $Maria said without cheapening it.
Besides, it seems it has already taken some edge off of her anger. She lowers her rifle and looks at your companion.
“You really mean that, don’t you,” she says, a tone lower than before.
It’s not a question, it’s a statement. She turns to you.
“Where did you find that guy?” She asks you with a snort.
“We were friends in high school,” you explain. “Went to college together.”
She scoffs, the corner of her lips finally lifting in a semblance of a smile.
“//You// went to college?”
“That’s not as extraordinary as you make it sound,” you grumble at her. “Had to drop out anyway.”
It’s a bit of a sore spot, but you take it. If May is joking with you, it means the situation is being diffused.
“Well, that checks out,” she says, fully relaxing now, her rifle pointed to the ground. “You really need the kindest soul on earth to be friends with //you//.”
$Maria looks between you and the dealer, confused. You nod briefly at them to assure them it’s best that May shoots insults at you versus actual bullets.
May sighs.
“Alright. You want to talk about what happened Thursday night? Let’s talk about it. After all, your digging around might turn up the snitch and we can all benefit from that. Can’t imagine Flint is too happy about this. And I would love to say a word or two to the fucker who did this.”
May turns around, heading back toward her trailer. You and $Maria exchange uncomfortable glances. The dealer stops at the entrance of the vehicle, one foot on the first step.
<div class="choice">[[“Well, come the fuck in.”->Come in]]</div>
That’s just a part of your life. It’s a risk you all take willingly and May knows that as well as you do. But maybe she needs a reminder.
“Your brother knew the risks,” you tell her, firmly. “You know the risks. We all do. This shit happens and you have to be ready for it.”
$Maria watches you with horror, May still pointing her rifle at you.
“We didn’t kill your brother, you’re wasting your energy threatening us,” you keep going, ignoring your companion gesturing for you to stop. “You need to pick yourself back up and move forward.”
“Keep your fucking life lessons to yourself and LEAVE!!” The dealer yells, her wrath growing stronger.
You can’t take her anger away, but you can redirect it.
“Listen, May. We’re here to figure out what happened. That includes discovering who the snitch is. If you help us out by telling us what you saw that night, we’ll come back with their name. And you can have your revenge.”
You glance at $Maria and you have never seen them looking more horrified. They are deathly pale and staring at you as if you had just jumped off a cliff. You know they will give you an earful about riling May up and inciting more violence, but you have to make her talk and if this is what you have to do for her to comply… so be it.
You think you have succeeded. May is staring at you, her lips pursed in a thin white line, a deep frown on her brow. But she isn’t telling you to leave anymore. The standstill lasts a moment longer and she finally lowers her rifle.
“Alright. That’s a deal,” she says cooly.
May turns around and walks back toward her trailer. You exchange another glance with $Maria who glares at you, their complexion still ashen. The dealer stops at the vehicle’s entrance, one foot on the first step, and looks at you both.
<div class="choice">[[“Are you fucking coming?”->Come in]]</div>
You follow May into the trailer. It’s a small but neat space, well-organized. On one side, there’s a green quilted bench you suspect can be turned into a bed, facing a sparsely decorated bookshelf. On the other side, a kitchenette with a gas stove occupies most of the space, as well as a small folding table and two chairs. There’s a door at the very end of the trailer that likely leads to a compact bathroom.
May hooks her rifle on a wall display and lets you and $Maria take the chairs. She grabs an enamel coffee maker that was sitting on the stove and fills a cup with what looks like a fresh brew, judging by the swirls of steam. {(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[
Then she turns her head toward you and your friend, looking at you expectantly. You and $Maria look at each other, unsure of what she wants you to say.<br /><br />
“Want some fucking coffee?” The dealer clarifies.<br /><br />
You grin at her.<br /><br />
“Just regular coffee will do,” you reply while $Maria kicks you in the shin under the table.<br /><br />
May turns back toward the kitchenette and snatches an upside-down cup on a shelf.<br /><br />
“One day your smart mouth will get you killed, $firstname,” she says as she turns the cup around and pours coffee in it.<br /><br />
She hands it to you and you grab it by the rim to avoid burning your fingers. May then looks to $Maria.<br /><br />
“Huh… Yes please,” they mumble uncomfortably. “Do you… do you happen to have sugar and cream?”<br />
“No cream, but plenty of sugar,” May answers as she fills a third cup of coffee.<br /><br />
She passes them the mug before taking a tin box from the same shelf, opening it for them. $Maria picks one, two sugar cubes, and then a third one before dropping them one by one in their coffee. You see May smirk.<br /><br />
“So that’s the secret to being an absolute sweetheart, huh?” She says as she puts the sugar back on its shelf.<br /><br />
$Maria almost chokes on their first sip and you pat their shoulder fruitlessly as they cough the burning drops of coffee out. You tut at May.<br /><br />
“Are you flirting with them? After threatening them with a gun?”<br /><br />
May shrugs.<br /><br />
“If I’m not flirting with people I threatened with a gun, who am I going to flirt with?”<br /><br />
Your companion looks at her incredulously between two coughing fits.<br /><br />
“She’s joking,” you attempt to reassure them. “I think.”<br /><br />
May doesn’t answer, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
]}
She sets her cup on the small countertop and turns around to haul herself on it as well. She sits in the tight space without issue, her small stature allowing her not to bump her head on the low ceiling. She picks her mug back up, wrapping her fingers around it, and looks at you and $Maria, alternatively, her expression serious.
“So. What do you want to know?”
You and $Maria look at each other, not knowing how to start, or who should even start. {(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[
You gesture for them to go ahead after some thought. May seems to like them, she might be more receptive to their way of doing things.<br /><br />
“Oh!” $Maria says, straightening their back.<br /><br />
They clear their throat and look to May. Their attitude shifts from intimidated reserve to soft confidence, something they seem to have built up thanks to their profession. (if: $romance > 2)[You find it quite fascinating if you’re being honest.]<br /><br />
“We’re trying to find out what happened to Roy Bailey, specifically,” they explain while their hands warm on their cup.<br /><br />
May frowns.<br /><br />
“What happened to Roy?”<br />
“He disappeared after the exchange,” you step in to inform her.<br />
“Huh,” she says, still frowning.<br /><br />
The dealer thinks for a moment and $Maria lets her.<br /><br />
“You think he could be the snitch?” She asks.<br />
“We can’t know that without more information,” $Maria replies, raising a placating hand.<br /><br />
May scoffs, but not in a mocking way. It’s more of a surprised laugh.<br /><br />
“How reasonable.”<br />
“I try to be,” $Maria says with a small smile.<br /><br />
May looks at them then shifts on her unorthodox seat. Is she embarrassed?<br /><br />
“Ok, go on, ask your questions,” she almost grumbles at them.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Did Roy act in a strange or unusual way during the meeting?”->Did Roy act strangely?]]</div>
]
(else:)[
$Maria shifts uneasily on their chair and starts looking out the window. You don’t think they’ll be up to interrogating May. It looks like you’re going to be asking the questions.<br />
You turn your attention back to May.<br /><br />
“I need to find out what happened to Roy.”<br /><br />
The dealer frowns.<br /><br />
“What happened to Roy?”<br />
“He disappeared after the exchange,” you explain.<br />
“Huh,” she says, still frowning.<br />
“Maybe he’s the snitch, maybe something else happened, I don’t know, but I need to figure it out.”<br />
“Him? The snitch? That’s not his style.”<br />
“That’s why I need more information,” you press while hiding your frustration.<br /><br />
May stares at you as she takes a sip of coffee.<br /><br />
“Okay. Ask your questions, then.”<br /><br />
Maybe you’re doing this wrong. She already seems defensive and you’re pretty sure she doesn’t have any reason to be. You sigh.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Did Roy act strangely during the meeting? Or after?”->Did Roy act strangely?]]</div>
]}
May hums thoughtfully, her cup against her lips.
“No, not really. He was his usual self: rude, aggressive, and straightforward. When the cops showed up he was furious. Yelling and screaming at everyone. Either he has become quite the actor, or he really had no clue this was going to happen.”
You knew Roy better than anyone else, as sad as it is to admit. Her description of his behavior fits the bill perfectly. You don’t think he’s the snitch either, of course. He’s both too stupid and not stupid enough to do something like that.
May crosses her legs on the countertop and smooths down her pants.
“Believe me, I hate Roy as much as the next person, but he’s pretty easy to deal with. He always follows Flint’s instructions to the letter. And that’s what he did that night, as far as I could tell. The exchange was going smoothly until the police started shooting.”
{(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[
She pauses there and $Maria stays quiet, absorbing the information before moving on to a new question.
]
(else:)[
She pauses there and it doesn’t look like she’s going to say anything else. So you move on to your next question.
]}
“How did he fare during the shoot-out? Did he get hurt?”
It’s a sensible question. If Roy wasn’t doing well during the fight or got hurt, he could have died later from the blood loss or whatever damage could have occurred to him. But May scoffs.
“He did just fine, trust me,” she says before taking a sip from her cup. “He shot a bunch of cops and when he ran out of bullets? He beat a couple of them fucking raw. If there’s anything he’s good at, it’s violence. I didn’t see him get hurt, but I didn’t watch him too closely, I was too busy trying to survive. And I escaped before the fight was over, so I didn’t see what happened to Roy and the couple of people he still had standing after that.”
{(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[You sigh.](else:)[$Maria exhales slowly. You frown, frustrated.]} None of that gives you any info you can use to move forward.
“And you’re sure nothing out of the ordinary happened at all?” You insist. “Was there anyone else at the meeting? Someone unexpected or acting suspiciously?”
May looks at you over her cup and frowns, deep in thought.
“Actually… Yeah, there was someone.”
<div class="choice">[[Both you and $Maria inhale sharply, holding your respective breaths.->There was someone]]</div>
“Inspector Vilar de Souza was clearly the officer in charge of the raid,” May tells you, her frown still in place. “I recognized this asshole right away, but there was another cop in civilian clothes. I didn’t see their face and I assumed they were another higher-up, but now I’m not sure.”
You lean forward, listening closely.
“Why? What were they doing?”
$Maria is also perking up, tense as they watch your exchange.
“See, I didn’t notice them at all until Roy screamed at them. I think he recognized them and as soon as he did, he went straight after them. He was even more furious than before. Shot the guy, aiming for the heart. They fell, maybe dead, maybe wounded, I don’t know. I didn’t linger very long after that.”
“What makes you think they were not a higher-up?” $Maria asks her hesitantly.
“Why would Roy be so angry at them, if that was the case?” May points out. “Besides, I don’t remember seeing the guy fighting. As a matter of fact, I don’t think they even had a gun in their hand.”
You look at $Maria, then back at May. Maybe you finally found a lead.
“If they were not there to fight, what could they have been there for?” You mumble as much for yourself as for the present company.
“Maybe they were leading the police to the meeting location,” May speculates. “Maybe the police didn’t get their intel from a snitch but from an undercover cop.”
You start rubbing your chin thoughtfully.
“An undercover cop? I like the sound of that,” you say, looking back at your companion.
Judging by their bleak expression, you don’t think they agree with you.
“And you really didn’t see anything else out of the ordinary?” $Maria asks the dealer, looking dejected.
May shakes her head no.
“That’s it, really. Honestly, Roy getting angry at a cop and shooting them seemed pretty normal to me, at the time. It only seems strange now that I’m thinking about it.”
{(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[
$Maria sighs and May smiles apologetically at them.<br /><br />
“Sorry, sweetie, that’s all I’ve got for you.”<br />
“It’s alright, you’ve been very helpful,” $Maria says, smiling back at her.<br /><br />
May snorts in a strange mix of mockery and bashfulness.
]
(else:)[
$Maria sighs, but you feel invigorated. Your friend may not like it, but at least you have something to look into now.
]}
{(if: (history:) contains "Lie")[
<br />Your companion starts standing up, ready to leave May’s trailer, but you still have one question left to ask the dealer.<br /><br />
“Just one more thing,” you say. “I’ve been told you had to leave Flint’s payment behind. Do you have any idea what happened to it?”<br /><br />
May Jin narrows her eyes at you, instantly suspicious. “No. I’m assuming the cops seized it. Why?”<br /><br />
You shrug.<br /><br />
“I don’t know yet. Money could be what drove whoever is responsible for this mess to warn the cops. I thought it might be worth asking.”<br />
“Maybe,” May admits, although she still looks skeptical.<br /><br />
You look back to $Maria and they give you a disapproving glare. Well, if you can find the money, it would get Ruby Riviera off your back.<br />
]}
You leave May’s trailer, but you don’t go far before $Maria stops you.
<div class="choice">[[“We need to talk about all this,” they say with a concerned frown. “Let’s grab lunch somewhere.”->Debriefing over lunch]]</div>
You find a diner not too far from the Regal theater. There are plenty of restaurants along this avenue, but a lot of them only open later in the afternoon, to welcome the patrons who come out of a screening hungry and eager to discuss the movie they just saw. It’s too early for that, though, and the street is nearly empty, most of the establishments, closed.
You push the diner’s door open and a little bell rings to announce your arrival. A bored-looking teenage waiter looks up from a journal he was filling crossword puzzles in.
“Morning,” he drawls. “What can I do for you?”
You can’t blame him for his lethargy. The diner is nearly empty, save for a single customer. A very old gentleman is sitting at one of the small stainless steel tables, meticulously eating his sandwich, one tiny bite at a time.
“Oh, I don’t know,” you tease the kid. “Getting us food, maybe?”
He rolls his eyes and $Maria sighs behind you as you walk to the last table, hoping for more privacy there. The waiter takes his time to come over, filling in one last word, you suspect. When he does, you glance at the menu and pick the cheapest item you can find. $Maria gives you a look before ordering a sandwich and a plate of enough fries for two.
Your food doesn’t take long to arrive, since there aren’t any other clients to tend to. The boy puts a single grilled-cheese sandwich in front of you and two much fuller plates in front of $Maria. They push the fries to the center of the table as soon as the server is gone.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[You pick one up and start eating.](else:)[You give them a grateful look before picking one up.]}
“Alright,” you begin. “Now that we have some information, we need to figure out what to do with it.”
“We don’t have enough information to do anything with it,” $Maria argues before biting into their sandwich.
You watch with envy the sauce leaking on their fingers. (if: $romance > 2)[They lick it off and you try your best to not let that distract you.]
“I think we do,” you insist. “Don’t you want to know who that cop was? The one May mentioned?”
Your companion stayed silent as they chewed on their food.
“I’m not sure it’s relevant,” they say after swallowing — there’s a little bit of sauce at the corner of their lips. “We still have no clue on what happened to Roy after the shoot-out and by the sound of it, that cop was out of commission before the end of it.”
You shrug and eat another fry.
“It’s still a lead and I think we should look into it.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” $Maria asks before taking another angry bite.
“Clearly the cops have some intel we don’t have, we need to take it from them.”
They stare at you, eyes wide in disbelief.
“How?!” They repeat. “They’re not going to tell us anything…”
<div class="choice">[[“By stealing the police report on the shoot-out,”->By stealing the police report]] you answer before taking a bite out of your grilled-cheese sandwich.</div>
“Are you out of your mind?!” $Maria splutters.
You shrug. You know it’s dangerous, but you also know that you won’t get anywhere unless you take some risks.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
“Maybe a little,” you admit. “But what else can we do?”
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
“Maybe a little,” you admit. “You have a little bit of…”<br /><br />
You don’t finish your sentence, instead leaning over the table and wiping the drop of sauce from the corner of their mouth with your thumb. Maria freezes and you realize too late what you’re doing. You swallow as you gently brush their skin, your eyes drawn to their lips, parting in surprise.<br /><br />
“Sorry,” you say, pulling away and clearing your throat awkwardly. “I know this is not my best idea, but what else can we do?”
]
(else:)[
“Maybe a little, but that’s what you like about me,” you reply with a grin.<br /><br />
{(if: $romance > 2)[
They glare at you.<br /><br />
“No, it’s not!” They protest.<br />
“Huh-uh.”<br /><br />
You smile at them knowingly. They look away and pout, looking a little flushed. You lean over the table and brush your thumb over the corner of their lips, gently wiping off the drop of sauce. (if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[Maria dares a glance at you and you lick your thumb clean. Their face turns even darker and they look away again, making you chuckle.]<br />
]
(else:)[
They roll their eyes at you.
“Sure, you tell yourself that,” they mumble.
]}<br />
“Listen,” you say with a gentler tone. “I know it’s not my smartest idea, but what else can we do?”
]}
“We can go talk to Lonnie,” they retort and you should have seen it coming.
You groan and tense up on your chair, the simple idea of stepping into the asylum making your skin crawl.
“I said no,” you remind them firmly. “There’s no way that would go well.”
“And you think breaking into a police station and stealing classified documents is going to go well?” They ask while leaning over the table and looking you straight in the eyes. “Lonnie could have seen something May missed. If we talk to aer, we’ll have a better picture of what happened and I would rather have more information before we decide to do something that rash.”
You know they have a good point, but you just can’t go there. You close your eyes, taking in a deep breath to calm your fraying nerves.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
Maria reaches over the table and rests their hand over yours, brushing your knuckles comfortingly.<br /><br />
“Please, $firstname. You asked me for my help and I want to do it right. I will be with you the whole time…”<br /><br />
You turn your hand around to squeeze theirs, a weak smile stretching your lips.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“I’m grateful. But I don’t think I can do it, Maria. I would rather deal with the police than this.”->Refusing]]</div>
<div class="choice"><span class="cw">“Alright… If you’ll be with me then… alright.” (WIP)</span></div>
]
(else:)[
“$firstname... You came to my office to ask me for my help. My professional help. And I’m telling you that’s what we need to do if we want to have the best chances of figuring out what’s going on.”<br /><br />
They speak in a low, quiet, and soothing tone. They know how much this affects you and you know they wouldn’t ask this lightly.<br />
You sigh.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“I can’t do it, $Maria, I’m sorry. I’d rather deal with the police.”")[
(go-to: "Refusing")
]</div>
<div class="choice"><span class="cw">“Alright… If you really think it’s best…” (WIP)</span></div>
]}
$Maria deflates. They look concerned and disappointed.
“Alright. I won’t force you if it makes you that uncomfortable.”
You breathe with relief.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
“Thank you, Maria, I appreciate that,” you tell them, gripping their hand tighter before releasing it and pulling away.<br /><br />
They smile at you. It’s a little sad, but still very tender.
]
(else:)[
“Thanks,” you tell them quietly. “I appreciate it.”
They smile faintly at you.
]} Until realization hits them and they groan, rubbing their hands over their face.
“So we’re really going to do this, huh? This is such a bad idea.”
You offer them an apologetic and lopsided grin. “Yeah.”
They drag their hands down to cover their mouth. “Okay… Okay.”
They grimace as if suddenly struck by a powerful headache. They rub their hand on their forehead, reinforcing the impression.
“If… //If// we do this… We have to plan very carefully. But not here, not even at the office. Let’s go to my apartment.”
“Right now?” You ask, looking dejectedly at the plate of fries.
$Maria sighs. “No, of course not. No need to rush lunch.”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<br />You smile at them, grabbing their hand again to kiss their knuckles.<br /><br />
“I promise to do everything to keep you out of danger,” you murmur against their fingers.<br /><br />
They don’t say anything, moving their hand to cup your cheek in a fond caress.
]}
You take your time eating your lunch and you relax on the diner chair.
<div class="choice">{(if: $Maysintent is "vengeful")[
[[You’ll need all of your energy for the afternoon’s preparations.->There's something else]]
]
(else:)[
[[You’ll need all of your energy for the afternoon’s preparations.->Stealing the police report]]
]}</div>
{(if: $romance > 2)[
Maria smiles brightly at you.<br /><br />
“Thank you for trusting me, $firstname,” they whisper while caressing your knuckles.<br /><br />
You watch your linked hands in silence until they tighten their grip and pull away reluctantly.
]
(else:)[
$Maria smiles at you and breathes with relief.<br /><br />
“Thank you for trusting me,” they whisper.<br /><br />
You look down at your hands, playing with your napkin.
]}
“I’ve already looked into it this morning,” they admit. “Lonnie is detained in the Eugene Thompson asylum and I should be able to get us a visit with my license. It’s out of the city limits, so we should go get my car.”
“Right now?” You ask, massaging your temples.
You don’t feel ready and your anxiety is starting to give you a headache.
“I’m sorry,” $Maria apologizes genuinely. “The longer we wait, the colder Roy’s tracks will be. But that doesn’t mean we have to rush lunch. I can order us milkshakes?”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You chuckle.<br /><br />
“You’re sweet,” you say, grabbing their hand again and kissing their knuckles.
]
(else:)[
You snort.<br /><br />
“Alright.”
]}
You spend much longer than you usually would eating your food and drinking your milkshake.
<div class="choice">{(if: $Maysintent is "vengeful")[
[[You’re not looking forward to what you have to do next.->There's something else]]
]
(else:)[
[[You’re not looking forward to what you have to do next.->Talk to Lonnie]]
]}</div>
You and $Maria chat for a moment, sharing memories until there’s a lull in the conversation and your old friend brings up something you hoped you could get away with not discussing.
“$firstname,” they say after clearing their throat.
They try to keep their expression neutral but they can’t stop a line from forming between their eyebrows.
“I’m a little worried about how you riled May up, earlier.”
You tense.
“It turned the situation around, didn’t it?” You say, casually running your index finger in slow circles on the table.
“That’s not how you do it. A situation like that… You have to diffuse it, not… Whatever it is you did. Now May is hungry for revenge.”
You shrug, but it doesn’t come out as relaxed as you’d like. The muscles in your shoulders are stiff.
“Does that concern us?” You ask them.
$Maria frowns at you, watching you silently for a few seconds.
“It could, depending on what we discover. Are you not scared she might go on a rampage?”
“As long as we’re not the target, I’m just fine with it.”
$Maria sighs wearily.
“Why does that bother you so much?” You ask them, suddenly looking up at them and holding their gaze.
They wince.
“You know very well how much I hate violence.”
“Really? Then what about the person responsible for May’s brother’s death? And all the others? Don’t you think they deserve it?”
Your old friend stares at you, eyes wide and lips parted in shock.
“Well?” You insist.
The look in their eyes is one of hurt.
{(if: $rivalry > 1)[
“No one on this earth has the right to decide that,” they finally murmur. “Not May, not you, not me.”<br />
You scoff. “Tell that to the police and the entire justice system.”<br />
“There’s a reason I wanted to stay out of it,” they point out. “Why I went private.”<br /><br />
You look down again.<br /><br />
“Yeah.”
]
(else-if: $romance > 2)[
“No I don’t!” They answer vehemently, their voice breaking with the force of it. “We don’t know what reasons this person could possibly have to do this! What if their hand was forced? What if there’s more at play than meets the eye? What if they’re actually a good person put in a bad situation?”<br />
“You really think that’s possible?” You ask with a snort, but the noise is painfully strangled.<br />
“Of course I do!”<br /><br />
You keep holding their gaze for a few moments before looking back down at the table.<br /><br />
“I didn’t think about it that way,” you admit.
]
(else:)[
“No I don’t,” they murmur, but their tone is firm. “Everyone deserves to be heard, to be understood, and to be given the chance to redeem themself.”<br /><br />
You look down at the table again, your finger picking up condensation from your glass of water.<br /><br />
“You think someone like that could be redeemed?” You ask them.<br />
“I did say everyone.”<br /><br />
You nod.<br />
“Okay.”
]}
<div class="choice">{(if: (history:) contains "Refusing")[
[[You spend the rest of the lunch eating in uneasy silence.->Stealing the police report]]
]
(else:)[
[[You spend the rest of the lunch eating in uneasy silence.->Talk to Lonnie]]
]}</div>
<div class="scenetitle">THE PRECINCT</div>
It’s late in the evening when $Maria parks their car just a few feet away from the precinct. Late enough for the station to be understaffed, making your job easier, but early enough that the streets are still busy, making your entrance less suspicious. From where you are, you can spot the precinct’s fire exit against the tall red-brick wall. On the other side of the wide street, between two plane trees, you see the bar $Maria mentioned to you, the one with the payphones.
Your companion takes a deep breath and asks you: “Are you ready?“
”Are you?” You shoot back, glancing at them.
They chuckle quietly, joylessly. They are tense on the driver seat, their gloved hands gripping the stirring wheel tightly. The harsh light of the street lamps which highlights their profile is contrasting sharply against the deep shadows of the night.
“I don’t think I can be… If this goes wrong… It’ll be so bad, for both of us.”
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
“Then let’s make sure nothing goes wrong.”<br /><br />
$Maria sighs. Your answer doesn’t assuage their worries much, you suspect.
]
(else:)[
“I know… Do you want to stay in the car? I can do it alone if you really don’t want to do this.”<br />
“No, absolutely not,” $Maria answers firmly. “If de Souza catches you, you’re done for and I’m not letting that happen.”<br />
(if: $romance > 2)[<br />You lean in and kiss their cheek.<br /><br />]
“Thank you for doing this, Maria.”<br /><br />
They look back at you with a soft but conflicted smile.
]}
You exit the car together and walk down the street, along the precinct’s wall. The construction is recent and pompous. It’s a large building at the corner of the street with way too grand an entrance than it needs. The arched windows on the ground floor are so high up you can’t look in from the street. Only a couple of them are still lit.
You soon arrive at the diagonal front door, right at the corner. A wide set of stairs leads up to two columns, mimicking the style of an ancient temple and framing a glass door guarded with intricate wrought-iron shapes. Through it, you get a glimpse of the low-lit entryway and of a sleepy officer sitting behind the reception desk.
“Here we go,” $Maria mumbles as they climb up the stairs.
You follow suit. They take a deep breath and pull the door open, holding it for you and entering the warm lobby behind you. The policeman who was drowsily blinking behind the wooden counter perks up, but still moves sluggishly. You’re thankful for that, it will make him more receptive to suggestion magic.
$Maria walks up to the front desk and the officer gapes at them as if he was seeing a live human being for the first time.
“Detective Reyes?” He asks, unsure if he’s still awake or dreaming, maybe.
You see your friend’s lips pursing in a displeased expression.
“Yes. Is inspector Vilar de Souza in? I need to speak with him.”
The receptionist straightens himself and shifts uncomfortably on his chair.
“Huh… Yes, I’ll tell him you’re here.”
He gives you a side glance, over $Marias shoulder, {(if: $suspicion > 0)[and his eyes linger on your face. He frowns at you as he grabs the phone’s receiver.](else:)[but otherwise doesn’t pay you any mind. He grabs the phone receiver and calls the inspector’s office.]}
You don’t wait too long before a tall, slender man climbs down the stairs behind the reception office.
<div class="choice">[[You recognize him as inspector Vilar de Souza.->Inspector Vilar de Souza]]</div>
You’ve never seen him from up close, you made sure of that, but you know him, his reputation, and you have seen his gaunt face on the papers. $Maria knows him too, they’ve explained to you. They had to work with him a couple of times. Yet they don’t like him much more than you do.
Raul Danilo Vilar de Souza (he likes to make sure the journalists always get his name right) has been a thorn in the city’s gangs’ side for a while now. He leads a small team of handpicked officers into raids, killing and arresting mobsters by the dozen each time. He has successfully dismantled Lucky Lee’s group and sacked their den. The other bosses have been more than happy to take over Lee’s share of the magical market, but they are wary of Vilar de Souza and so are you. Knowing his track record, you know that you have a fifty-fifty chance of surviving an encounter with him in the field. He doesn’t really get out of his way to capture criminals alive.
But what you hate the most about him is how some newspapers hold him as a hero. They call him incorruptible, and while it’s true that de Souza doesn’t take bribes and has a rigid value system, that hardly makes him a good person. He doesn’t enjoy money, he enjoys power and the knowledge that he has — supposedly — the moral high ground to be allowed to kill, maim, and crush other people.
As you planned your robbery, you discovered $Maria shares the same opinion about him, although it didn’t come as a surprise.
You look at his long legs striding down the stairs and glance up at his face as he walks up to the reception desk. He’s frowning, deep lines forming on the wide expanse of his forehead. Everything in his appearance makes him intimidating, regardless of his reputation. His features are memorable, from his unusually hollow cheeks to the long line of his eyebrows, almost joining at the center. When he looks at $Maria and then at you, an intelligent and unsettling light shines in his black irises. You almost feel like he can know what you are just by looking at you and you fight the urge to turn around and bolt.
“Reyes,” de Souza simply says and your companion’s own frown has nothing to envy his.
“Inspector,” $Maria replies in a cold tone.
You feel like there’s something you’re missing here. You know your friend dislikes de Souza, but they wouldn’t be so open about it without deeper reasons.
The police officer gives $Maria a quick once-over.
“You’re looking good,” he comments and you have a feeling he’s not complimenting their appearance.
“Not thanks to you, but we’ll address that later,” $Maria says and you follow the exchange with curiosity.
“There’s nothing to address,” de Souza affirms coldly.
Your companion glares at him and you think they might explode, with the way their cheeks are turning darker, but they inhale deeply instead and move on.
“I need to talk to you about what happened last week. Some new information has turned up since then that I thought might be of interest to you and your team.”
De Souza doesn’t respond. You add ‘incredibly rude’ to the long list of reasons you have to hate the man. His eyes turn to you, examining you as if you were some kind of curious bacteria under a microscope.
“Who’s this?”
“My assistant,” $Maria responds without giving any name.
“The one you told me about?” de Souza asks. “The witness?”
“No, that would be the office’s secretary.”
<div class="choice">[[//What are they talking about?//->The distration]]</div>
“You’ll have to bring him here, someday. I’d like to ask him a few questions,” the inspector states.
$Maria crosses their arms over their chest.
“I’m not deciding that for him.”
De Souza narrows his eyes at them, staring them down, before responding: “Very well.”
He turns to you, addressing you for the first time since he arrived: “Are you licensed?”
“No.”
“Then I’m afraid you’re going to have to stay in the lobby. I can’t disclose the details of an ongoing investigation in front of a civilian.”
$Maria sighs and you find it pretty convincing. They found themself some new talents since your college days.
“Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
“Follow me,” the inspector replies, opening the door on the side of the reception counter.
$Maria glances one last time at you before passing through and following de Souza up the stairs, likely to the inspector’s office. You find yourself breathing a little easier as soon as the officer disappears, but you feel a little more vulnerable without $Maria by your side.
You turn around, linking your hands behind your back, and stroll casually across the lobby until you find an uncomfortable wooden bench to sit on. You sigh and lean back on the backrest.
Now you wait. You have to give $Maria a couple of minutes to get de Souza really engaged in their conversation before you can act.
You glance at the reception officer. His eyes meet yours. You smile at him. {(if: $suspicion > 0)[The officer frowns at you. He looks at some of the placards on the windows that separate the reception area from the rest of the lobby and then back at you. You don’t know what’s going on, but you don’t like it. If he’s suspicious of you, your spell is going to be harder to keep up. And to cast.](else:)[The officer nods back, offering a tight smile, looking a little confused and still groggy.]}
You wait a little longer, watching through the glass door at the bright cars’ headlights piercing the night as they pass by. You take a look at your wristwatch and wait some more, crossing your legs and settling as comfortably as you can on the hard wooden seat.
The silence is thick in the precinct’s lobby. It’s just you and the reception officer. {(if: $suspicion > 0)[
He’s still off and on staring at you, more alert than he was before. You don’t have time to figure out what he’s suspecting you of. You stand up.
]
(else:)[
You take another look at him. He seems right about to pass out.<br /><br />
You need to act before that happens. You stand up.
]}
You approach the counter and smile as charmingly as you can at the policeman.
<div class="choice">[[“Beautiful night,”->In the lobby]] you say as you lean on the reception desk.</div>
“Although it looks a little lonely at this hour…” You add thoughtfully.
“Yeah,” the officer says, finally acknowledging you. “It can get quiet here at night. But we always need people stationed here. Criminals never rest.”
(if: $suspicion > 0)[He still looks at you warily but seems to have loosened up a bit.] You chuckle.
“That can’t be true,” you remark. “They have to rest sometimes.”
The officer shrugs.
“ ’Suppose so. But I guess they have enough people to stay active day and night. A little like us.”
“That makes sense,” you agree. “It must be exhausting for you guys.”
Your smile softens with pretend sympathy. The receptionist sighs heavily.
“You have no idea,” he grumbles. “And I’m lucky I’m not on the inspector’s team.“
He leans in, whispering surreptitiously. “He really runs his people ragged. When they come back from a mission… Some of them look downright haunted.”
You’re willing to believe him. As violent as the confrontations are between the gangs and de Souza’s team, a lot of his officers don’t make it out alive either and he has to find new volunteers on a regular basis.
“Tells you how violent those mobsters really are,” the officer concludes, nodding sagely.
You have to fight every one of your face muscles to smile compassionately at him.
“I can only imagine how terrifying it must be out there,” you murmur, swallowing back bitter bile.
“Ah… Don’t worry,” the officer says with a genuine smile that only makes you sicker. “Our men are brave, they can handle it.”
You hope your own smile doesn’t look as strained as it feels.
“By the way,” you tell him, your right hand reaching forward. “My name is $firstname.”
{(if: $suspicion > 0)[The policeman hesitates for a second then takes your hand and shakes it cautiously.](else:)[The policeman takes your hand and gives it a firm shake.]}
<div class="choice">[[Your thumb presses against the center of his palm and you cast your spell.->The spell]]</div>
You deliver your mental instructions in a fraction of a second. //Take your coat. Walk out. Go for a stroll.//
And you release his hand. This is one of the more intricate spells in your repertoire. One that you have to keep up, feeding energy into. You can’t cast anything else in the meantime, or the spell will sputter to a stop.
You watch as the officer suddenly stands up from his chair, looking bedraggled.
“Huh… I need to go. I’ll be right back. Don’t… don’t move, okay?” He says, looking at you vaguely.
His mind is still mostly his own. All you did was implant a very strong urge in his mind, something that would leave as little trace of your manipulation as possible.
He grabs a coat on a nearby rack, putting it on urgently, struggling to fully cover one of his shoulders. And then he opens the door of the reception area and walks briskly toward the main entrance. He is out of the door in a matter of seconds.
You don’t move from your position near the counter right away. You wait, making sure the officer has walked away from the station for a little longer. Then you approach the reception’s door, testing the handle. He hasn’t locked it behind him, thankfully, so you open it and walk past the visitor’s area and into the precinct proper. You quietly close the door behind you and turn toward the space behind the reception desk. You quickly spot a wooden board on the wall with a multitude of hooks from which many keys hang. Each one is labeled. You look for the administration office key and pick it up.
{(if: $suspicion > 0)[
You’re about to turn around when one of the placards on the window catches your attention. It’s the one the officer was looking at earlier, you realize. And it’s a rough sketch of someone who looks a lot like you.<br /><br />
“Shit,” you mumble.<br /><br />
Underneath your portrait, it says: //Suspected mage, approach with caution.//<br />
You groan and turn away from it, reinforcing your spell. No wonder the policeman was giving you looks.<br />
]}
You approach the staircase and start climbing slowly, careful not to make any noise. Your ascension is cautious and you keep an ear out for anyone that might come your way. You reach a first landing before the stairs bend sharply to the right. You glance up and listen. You hear nothing, so you keep climbing.
The stairs aren’t lit, and you find yourself stepping into darkness. While the light from the lobby pours into the first half of the staircase, this one is left in obscurity. At least, if someone is coming, you will be warned by the lightbulbs turning on. But it does make your progression a little tricky.
Once you reach the top of the stairs, you find yourself in an even darker hall, only faint light coming through a windowed door on your left. It leads to a long corridor, lined with offices. Most of them have wide windows, letting light flood the hallway during the day. But at night, it allows you to see which offices are lit-up and therefore still occupied.
<div class="choice">[[Which is good, because that’s the direction you have to take.->The corridor]]</div>
You open the door and step lightly into the corridor. You know the administration office and the records retention room are at the end of the hallway and you will have to pass in front of inspector Vilar de Souza’s office, which has to be one of the lit-up rooms. You suspect it’s the last one on your right if you remember $Marias description of the layout correctly.
A couple more offices are lit too, though, and you will have to get past them first.
You walk silently until you reach the first one, on your left. As you approach, you can hear loud bouts of laughter, people talking jovially. You press yourself against the wall then lean a short instant to take a look through the window.
It seems to be a break room of some kind. Three young officers are speaking animatedly to each other and you suspect they are too enthralled in their conversation to pay attention to you. So you pass through, far enough from the window so that the light doesn’t reveal your presence.
“… Seen their face?” You hear the muffled words as you are about to continue down the corridor.
“They looked right about ready to kill the boss,” an officer replies while another one scoffs.
“As if they could. There’s no shot like the boss.”
You would listen longer, but you don’t have any time to waste. You have no doubt they are talking about de Souza, however. Not unlike the way gangsters talk about their leaders, to boot. The irony would make you laugh if not for the risk of giving away your position.
You keep walking carefully in semi-darkness until you reach another lit-up office. In this one, you spot a single person sitting behind a desk. They are leaning over a pile of papers in disarray, a pencil dancing between their fingers and a hand digging in their already disheveled hair.
Once again, you think they are too focused on what they are doing — whatever that is — to pay you any attention. You are careful to be particularly quiet as you move past the office, however.
Once you cleared the obstacle, you continue to the last one, which has to be de Souza’s office. As you approach, you hear him and $Maria having a heated discussion.
“… well know you don’t care about the moral implications!” You hear $Maria exclaim and they sound genuinely upset. “But that also happens to be against the law!”
Whatever they are talking about, it sounds quite serious. Your shoulder brushes against the wall and you take a peek inside the office. De Souza is sitting behind his large desk, his hands neatly folded in front of him. $Maria is leaning against the window, on the opposite side of the room from you so that the inspector would look away from your direction when you pass by.
“I’m an officer of the //law//,” de Souza replies. “Try to file a complaint and see how well this goes for you.”
His voice doesn’t raise the same way $Marias does. It becomes larger rather than higher, taking more room, pressing against your lungs, and choking the air out of you. You’re not in there with them, but you still feel the underlying threat to the inspector’s words unsettling you.
Yet it’s not enough to make your companion back down.
“This and now power abuse?” They spit back at him. “Someday there’ll be consequences to your transgressions.“
You are very curious to hear more, but you have to get that report before someone notices your absence. Or the receptionist’s. Like you did twice before, you tiptoe around the office and move past it.
“I’m well-equipped to deal with them,” is the last thing you hear de Souza say. “Unlike you are with dealing with the consequences of //your// impertinence.”
{(if: $rivalry > 1)[Chill creeps up your back, but you shake it off and continue on.](else:)[You are starting to worry about $Maria. The goal was for them to distract the inspector, not get themself arrested. You start walking a little faster.]}
<div class="choice">[[Soon, you are in front of the administration office.->Breaking in]]</div>
The windows are dark and the door is locked, but that’s what you took the key for, of course. You open the door of the administration office and slip into the quiet space. There’s a desk on the right, not quite tidy, but not a total mess either. There are a few papers, a black leather-bound notebook, and your usual office supplies lying across its surface. Behind the desk are several filing cabinets, with a couple of trinkets on top of them. On the other side of the room, a well-stocked library rests against the wall. It’s difficult to read the spines in the dark, but you gather a lot of them are law books.
And in the wall facing you, windows and a door similar to the one you just unlocked allow you to see into the records retention room and, beyond, the bare branches of a plane tree and the street lights that filter all the way through to you.
You walk across the room and turn the handle of the records room’s door. It’s locked. You try the administration office’s key but it doesn’t fit. You quickly scan the room with a glance, hoping to spot a hook for a key, similar to the ones behind the reception desk. But you see nothing.
//Shit.//
If $Maria knew about the administration office’s key, they had no idea about the records room’s one or they failed to mention it. It seems you’ll have to improvise.
{<div class="choice">[[You could comb through the room and hope to find a key, even though it’ll take time you’re not sure you have.->Look for the key]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You can unlock the door with a spell, but it means dropping the one on the reception officer.->Unlock with a spell]] Then your time //will// be counted.</div>}
You go back to the desk and look over its surface once more. You can’t spot any key so you start opening the drawers, one after the other. You find more papers, documents, and diverse supplies, but still no key. You turn to the file cabinets and aren’t too surprised to find files. None of them is the police report you’re looking for, unfortunately. You see bills, correspondence with judges, performance reports, and other information about the officers who work at the station, but nothing relating to any investigation proper. That’s what the records retention room is for, you suspect.
And of course, no key. Some of the file cabinets are locked and you don’t have a key for those either so you soon give up your search. All that is left is the library, but unless the administrative assistant hid the key in one of the books, searching through it is pointless. Besides, you don’t have the time to flip open every single book.
You take a deep breath and refrain from groaning in frustration. Running out of options, you look once again at the desk. The black notebook has you curious, you have to admit. You doubt you will find written on it instructions to find the elusive key, but you still follow your instinct and open the book.
{(if: $suspicion > 0)[
That’s when you feel something snap back in your mind, like a pulled-taught elastic being suddenly released. The reception officer managed to break away from your spell. He’ll know what you did and he’s going to come back, fast.<br /><br />
Adrenaline floods through you. You have to act quickly. You let the cover of the notebook drop close and turn back to the records room’s door.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[Now that you don’t have to worry about maintaining the spell anymore, you have no more qualms with forcing the lock magically.->Unlock with a spell]]</div>
]
(else:)[
It immediately holds your interest: it’s a register that lists who burrows files from the records retention room, when, and on whose authorization. It also logs when the documents are returned.<br />
You flip through the pages to find the last entries. There you find that a police report from last Thursday has been taken out of the records room earlier in the evening. It hasn’t been returned yet. What if it’s the one you’re looking for? You look at the name of the officer who burrowed it and it thankfully isn’t de Souza.<br />
But who? You don’t recognize the name and you don’t see yourself scouring the whole station just to…<br /><br />
The officer who was alone at their desk, going through papers. It may be a gamble, but you think it could be them.<br />
You leave the administration office and try to figure out a plan to take the file from the officer as you make your way back to the second lit-up room you walked past.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You may have to be a little forceful this time.->Taking the police report]]</div>
]}
{(unless: (history:) contains "Look for the key")[
You close your eyes and focus on the reception officer. You could simply end the spell in an instant, but the realization that he has been under influence would hit the policeman brutally and he would come back a lot faster than if you do it more carefully. So you take your time to loosen the threads tethering you to the officer. You pull them back, one by one, and set him free.<br /><br />
Once it’s done, you exhale slowly. You think you left as little trace as you could. Now, onto the lock.<br /><br />
]}Flint has taught you one way to unlock a door, and with his usual subtlety, his technique involves melting down the lock. You have found yourself in delicate situations many times since then and had to develop your own, more subtle spell which doesn’t make your intrusion as obvious. It requires understanding the mechanism which Flint wouldn’t care to learn.
You kneel in front of the door and place your hand underneath the handle, where the lock should be. You direct your magic forward, letting it seep into the wood, slipping it in the gaps of the metallic lock, entangling it around the springs, pushing them back one by one. The deadlock clicks open. You stand up and turn the handle once again.
This time, the door doesn’t offer any resistance and you step inside the records retention room. It is filled with rows of filing cabinets, all arriving around chest level. There’s… a good number of them. You have to figure out how things are classified if you want to find the report in a timely fashion.
There are labels on each drawer of every filing cabinet but they are written in a shorthand difficult to decipher. Some labels have letters, others dates. You figure a variety of documents are stored in this room. You imagine your best bet would be to find the right date.
And you do find the right time frame on three different cabinets. You open the first one and flip through folders to find the documents dated from last Thursday. All you find are a couple of transcripts of complaints.
You move on to the next cabinet and going through the same process, you find a couple of reports, mostly about accidents, nothing about criminal activity.
You’re hopeful when you open the last drawer. You sift through the folders and when you reach Thursday’s date… There’s nothing, no document.
You frown. You’re convinced it should be here. You look at the previous and next date and, sure enough, there are police reports about gang activity, but not the one you’re looking for. You keep searching through the drawer. Maybe it has been put in the wrong spot.
<div class="choice">[[It’s not here.->No report]]</div>(set: $foundreport to true)
You move a little faster than before but are careful to slow down and keep quiet when you pass de Souza’s office again. His conversation with $Maria seems calmer now and you can’t make out what they’re saying anymore. Not that you would linger otherwise. You are on a mission.
You speed up again to reach the lonely officer’s workstation. Once you arrive there, you don’t stop, you walk right through the door without bothering to hide. You’re relying on surprise to get through this one.
As soon as you step in, the officer lifts their head up and looks at you. You walk up to their desk.
“Who… I don’t recognize you…” they say as they frown at you.
You don’t bother to reply and lean over the desk. You grab their head with both your hands and press your thumbs over their brow. They go limp and you accompany their head as it falls forward on their desk. You could feel the suggestion spell snap back to you the moment you broke it to cast this even more difficult sleep spell. Thankfully, all you have to do before the receptionist comes back is gather the papers on the desk back in their folder and leave through the nearby fire exit. You feel a headache pulsing at your temples, however. Maintaining a sleep spell just after a suggestion one may not be your best idea, but it’s the only one you had on hand.
You quickly glance at the folder’s label to confirm you have the right one and feel another rush when it actually is. You slip the folder into your coat as soon as you’re done collecting the papers and leave the office.
Once again in the corridor, you search for the fire exit, knowing where it should be for having seen it from outside. When you spot it, you walk up to it and push the door, finding yourself back in the cold winter night.
You’re tempted to run down the stairs, but you suspect the sound of your steps on the metallic structure would attract undue attention. So you take your time climbing down the stairs.
When you set foot on the sidewalk, you look around for traffic and cross the street when the road is clear.
<div class="choice">[[You walk decidedly into the bar you spotted earlier.->In the bar]]</div>
It’s busy, the stools lined up against the counter are almost all taken and you can’t see any free table anywhere. Thankfully, you’re not here to sit down and have a drink. You beacon the bartender who nods when he notices you.
“Phones?“ You ask, having to raise your voice to cover the buzz of loud drunken conversations.
“In the back,” the bartender replies, his voice booming over the noise.
He points at an archway on the other side of the room with his head. You walk up to it and part the bead curtain before entering the back room.
Four wooden cabins line the wall with a payphone in each of them. They don’t offer much privacy, but you don’t need it. Besides, there’s no one here currently.
You approach the first one, lean against the wooden panel and slot a coin in the machine. You grab the receiver, pull out the note $Maria gave you, and dial in de Souza’s office direct number. As suspicious as it may be, that was the only way you could think of to warn your companion to leave the station.
You listen to the dial tone for a moment, holding your breath, and as soon as you hear a click, you hang up. You take a moment to exhale and slump against the cabin’s wall. The adrenaline is starting to drain from your system and exhaustion takes over. You may have been a bit reckless at the station. There sure will be consequences. You’re not even sure the report will provide useful information…
You’re tempted to just open it and read it right here, right now. But you know you only have a couple of minutes until $Maria meets you back at their car.
So you exit the cabin, come back into the bar’s main room, wave to thank the bartender, and leave. You go wait in $Marias car and soon enough your old friend joins you.
They let themself fall into the driver’s seat and sigh.
“De Souza was starting to get suspicious, sorry for the wait. How did it go?”
“There were complications but…”
You pull out the folder from your coat to show them. $Maria blinks at it.
“You managed to get it?!” They gape at you.
“Did you doubt I could?” You ask, one eyebrow raised.
“Well… Yeah. I wasn’t sure you could even get into the records retention room.”
“It wasn’t there. But I’ll explain later.”
“At least no alarm was raised so I’ll take that as a victory,” $Maria breathes out with relief.
“Yeah, but that could happen any moment now, so I wouldn’t linger.”
“Alright, no need to tell me twice.”
They push the ignition button and the motor rattles to life.
<div class="choice">[[$Maria swiftly drives away from the precinct.->Successful robbery]]</div>
<div class="scenetitle">ROY</div>
$Maria takes the direction of your apartment’s building and keeps quiet for most of the drive. You see a concerned frown slowly form on their brow as they focus on the road.
“The police is going to have some questions for me, now, I’m sure,” they say after a while.
“You can deny being involved,” you propose.
“That doesn’t mean they will believe me.”
They quickly glance at you.
“And they’re going to be after you now.”
You shrug. “It was bound to happen, eventually. I’m always ready to disappear if I have to.”
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
$Marias frown deepens.<br /><br />
“Well, I’m not ready to disappear.”<br /><br />
You’re not sure what to answer to that. You did pull them along into this tricky situation, but you’re not certain they are blaming you.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m sorry.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I'm sorry")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You feel like apologizing now might ring hollow.->Silence comes back]]</div>
]
(else:)[
$Maria looks at you again and they seem hurt.<br /><br />
“You mean you’re going to disappear again?” They ask, their voice rising to a desperate tone. {(if: (history:) contains "I'll stick around")[“After you promised me you’ll stick around?”](else:)[“After I finally got to see you again?”]}<br /><br />
You feel a lump forming in your throat.<br /><br />
“I… I don’t know. I don’t know if it’ll be necessary yet…”<br /><br />
It’s not very reassuring, you realize when $Maria sends you an offended glance. But what else can you say? If you have to leave to survive, what other choice do you have?<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“I promise, if I leave, I’ll do everything I can to keep in touch.”->Keeping in touch]]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Would you… Would you consider leaving with me?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Leave with me")
]</div>
]}(set: $foundreport to false)
You slam the drawer closed in frustration and immediately wince at the noise. You wait in silence for a moment, but everything is calm in the station. You decide to keep searching. Maybe you missed a cabinet.
You pace between the rows of lockers, scanning the labels on the drawers again and again. You try some of the ones with letters on them, but all you see are criminal records of different individuals, no police report.
You’re circling the filing cabinets for the third time when you hear a commotion in the corridor.
“Let me go!” You hear $Maria yell.
//Fuck.//
You immediately drop down, hiding beneath the records room’s windows. Footsteps approach rapidly. You crawl toward the door and take a glance through it. You see inspector Vilar de Souza passing in front of the administration office’s windows and entering the room, dragging $Maria by the arm. His gun is out.
//Shit.//
The reception officer must have come back and warned him of what happened down in the lobby.
The inspector looks around the room and you hide again before his eyes can find you.
“Show yourself,” he orders.
You hesitate. You could pretend that you’re not here, but you know he will come into the room to check it eventually.
“How about you show yourself and I don’t shoot your friend in the head,” de Souza insists with his cold monotone voice.
“Really, Raul?” $Maria interjects. “We’re taking hostages now? You can’t truly believe you can…”
They are cut short by the unsettling clicking of a revolver safety being pulled back. {(if: $rivalry > 0)[
You tense. //He wouldn’t… would he?//<br />
You stand up, hands raised. You need to evaluate the situation for yourself before deciding on a course of action.
]
(else:)[
Your blood turns to ice in your veins and you feel all your muscles tense up. You stand up, hands raised. You can’t let anything happen to Maria.
]}
Through the window, you see de Souza standing in the middle of the administration office, still holding $Maria by the arm, but pointing his gun to their head, this time. You look at your friend’s face and you find them expressionless, as if the most minute movement of facial muscle could prove fatal. Their eyes meet yours and they seem to be warning you.
Against what, you’re not sure. You don’t know how to deal with hostage situations.
“Here you are,” de Souza states.
<div class="choice">[[“What did you steal?”->Hostage situation]]</div>
“I didn’t steal anything,” you answer slowly.
The inspector presses the mouth of the gun against $Marias temple. They close their eyes and swallow carefully.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[You think fast. Trying to find a solution. Maybe too fast for any idea to really take hold.](else:)[You feel yourself on the verge of panic. You know you’re this close to doing something stupid, but you close your hands into tight fists and repress the urge.]}
“I didn’t steal anything because I haven’t found it yet,” you specify, every word deliberate.
“What are you looking for?”
“The police report on last Thursday’s raid.”
At this point, you’re unlikely to get your hands on it, so you might as well admit to it.
The inspector narrows his eyes but moves the gun slightly away from $Maria.
“Why?” He asks.
You jump to the first idea that comes to mind.
“The money.”
That’s what everyone would expect from a gangster, isn’t it?
But de Souza frowns.
“What do you mean?”
“You interrupted an exchange between my boss and our dealer. If he isn’t getting the cargo, then he wants his money back.”
A dark chuckle escapes his lips which twist into a sinister grin.
“You stupid, greedy bastards. May Jin will want the money as well. I should just let you tear each other apart, as you always end up doing.”
“Then why don’t you?” You retort, but one look from $Maria tells you you should probably shut your smart mouth.
{(if: $Maysintent is "peaceful")[What did May Jin tell you again? That it would get you killed?<br />]}Or maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea. De Souza launches himself in a lengthy diatribe about how gangs are a plague upon the city, how poor innocent civilians find themself in between your selfish wars, and how magic corrupts and turns the simplest souls into greedy monsters.
You stop listening pretty quickly, realizing that the inspector is distracted and it’s the perfect opportunity to pull yourself and $Maria out of this situation.
You examine your environment from the corner of your eye, careful to not let your eyes roam too obviously. You have to find an idea, and quickly.
{<div class="choice">Your eyes find $Marias. They glance to the side, toward the open door between the records room and the administration office. [[You don’t know what their plan is, but at least they have one.->Let Maria handle it]]</div>
<div class="choice">You spot a piece of amber with a bug stuck in it on one of the filing cabinets behind the administrative assistant’s desk. [[It’s not too far, you could take it quickly enough, and you know a spell that will make good use of it.->Use the amber]]</div>}
You make a few slow steps toward the door. De Souza reacts instantly, turning the gun toward you.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
But that’s the opportunity $Maria wanted. They twist their arm around, breaking free of the inspector’s hold.
“Take cover!” They yell at you as they reach for de Souza’s armed hand.
You don’t wait to see if they succeed or not and throw yourself behind the wall and a row of filing cabinets. You hear a cracking noise and a scream of pain.
Shortly after, you hear $Maria again: “$firstname, run!”
You come out of your hiding spot and looking into the administration office, you see the inspector reeling, a hand over his bloody nose, while he glares furiously at $Maria, pointing his own gun at him as they take a few steps back.
Following your companion’s instruction, you run past them into the corridor and $Maria soon follows you. You both bolt for the fire exit.
(display: "Running away")
You lurch forward, grab the piece of amber, and clutch it. From the corner of your eye, you see de Souza redirecting his gun toward you, but not fast enough.
“What are you…”
As he says these words, the amber cracks, the spell cast. The honey-colored resin explodes in a couple of chunks, floating in the palm of your hand. You feel static shocking your body and suddenly you’re behind $Maria. You wrap an arm around their waist and press the chunks of amber once again. They crack into smaller pieces and the same electricity runs through your veins and $Marias. You’re now much further into the corridor and coarse amber sand slips out of your hand. You won’t be able to make use of it anymore.
You grab the arm of your confused and disoriented friend and bolt for the fire exit.
(display: "Running away")You find it easily, remembering its position from outside the building. But you hear de Souza screaming orders behind you and you know you will be followed.
You push the door open and find yourself in the cold winter night, on top of the metallic staircase.
“Keep going, I’ll slow them down,“ you tell $Maria as they take their first step down.
“What?”
They turn to you, halting.
“Go!” You order them.
They hesitate, but then start running down. You kneel on the landing and place your hands where the staircase is bolted to the brick wall. And then you melt the metal. The structure whines as it starts detaching from the wall.
“What are you doing?!” $Maria yells at you, panicked.
“I said go!”
And you start running as well, climbing down the steps two by two as the staircase starts groaning and falling. $Maria reaches the sidewalk before they are in any danger but you have to race against gravity and quickly find that you have to jump out of the falling structure before it clatters on the sidewalk and crushes a couple of cars parked nearby.
You land ungracefully on the concrete and roll a couple of times before you can stand back up. $Maria reaches out to help you and you glance just once behind you.
You see the fire exit being pushed open and a policeman almost falls into the void left where the staircase used to be. One of his colleagues catches him just in time, but you hear them swearing.
You run to $Marias car and your friend {(if: (history:) contains "Let Maria handle it")[throws de Souza’s gun in a sewer grate before taking](else:)[takes]} the driver’s seat. They push the ignition button and as soon as you’re sitting beside them and closing the passenger door, they floor the accelerator and drive away from the station.
You stay silent for a couple of minutes as $Maria focuses on getting away without crashing the car. But once you are both certain the police were unable to follow, you hear your friend expel a trembling sigh.
“Where to?” They ask in an uneven voice.
You take a moment to think, realizing that you are now both on the run from the police. They don’t know you. But they know $Maria.
<div class="choice">[[“My place,”->Unsuccessful robbery]] you answer.</div>
<div class="scenetitle">ROY</div>
You are both deathly quiet during the drive to your apartment. The realization that you came out empty-handed from the venture, save for the certitude that a warrant will be out for you both, is hitting you hard and $Maria harder. You didn’t even expect that much out of the report. Maybe something to get Flint off your back for a little while, giving you time to figure things out… But you don’t even have that now.
And you’ve dragged $Maria into your illicit life for it. You glance at them and you can see how tense they are. They seem paler too, but it’s hard to tell in the dark.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
You try not to think about it too hard. They knew what they were getting into, the risks involved. And you knew what you were doing asking them for help. You knew it was a dangerous idea. You don’t have much choice now but to see it through, one way or the other.<br /><br />
You look at them again and their eyes are shining. They wipe them quickly, focusing on the road ahead as best they can.<br /><br />
You knew… yet you were not entirely prepared for how they’d react to it. Honestly, you are surprised they accepted to help you do this at all. That they still cared enough to take the risk for you.
]
(else:)[
You feel terrible. What made you think asking them for help would end well for them? What made you think they’d come out of it unscathed? You close your eyes, breathing hard. The silence in the car is suffocating you.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry,” you croak to break it.<br /><br />
$Maria gasps like they’re choking too.<br /><br />
“Please, not now, I…”<br /><br />
They purse their lips and their eyes are shining. They wipe them quickly, still trying to focus on the street ahead of them.<br /><br />
“I need to drive,” they finish. “We’re almost there.”<br /><br />
You get it. They don’t want to start bursting into tears while they still need to see the road.<br /><br />
“Okay…” You murmur before falling silent once again.
]}
After a few more minutes, $Maria drives down your avenue and parks a few yards away from your building. They stop the car and pull the hand brake. Leaning against the back of their seat, they cover their face with both their hands. A sob shakes their shoulders.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
You tense, not knowing what to do. You’re not used to tears, you’re not used to anyone being openly vulnerable near you. It’s rather frowned upon in your line of work. So you wait it out.<br />
They gasp and hiccup into their hand, trying to repress their sobs. But when they realize there’s no stopping it, they fall apart, crying and sniffling loudly into their hands. You feel deeply uncomfortable, but you don’t want to take that away from them either.<br />
It takes a while but, eventually, they calm down. You don’t look at them, both for your own sake and to give them privacy.
]
(else:)[
It breaks your heart.<br /><br />
“Maria…” You say softly, feeling a prickling in your eyes. “I’m so sorry.”<br /><br />
You wrap an arm around them and pull them into a hug. They fall apart in your arms, crying and hiccuping against your shoulder.<br /><br />
“I was so scared,” they admit, their words choppy as they struggle to breathe.<br /><br />
{(if: ($romance > 2) or ($itscomplicated > 0))[You squeeze them, caressing their back and planting desperate kisses on their temple. You want them to feel better, you want them to feel better so bad it hurts.](else:)[You rub their back and squeeze them against you, trying to bring them comfort. That’s the least you can do.]}<br /><br />
You hold them until their tears finally dry and they slowly pull away from you. (if: $romance > 2)[They kiss your cheek softly before moving away and you close your eyes, enjoying the sensation even if you know you don’t deserve it.]
]}
Quiet returns to the car.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m sorry, it was all my fault…”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "All my fault")
] You utter with a broken voice.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You don’t disturb the silence.->They pat their face dry]]</div>}
Those people, you both realize, are police officers.
“That… That’s not possible,” $Maria murmurs with horror as you observe the dark silhouettes from the safety of their car. “How can they have found your place so fast?”
As you look on, you realize they are not barricading the place. They don’t expect resistance.
“I don’t think they’re here for me, exactly.”
“For Roy then? What could he have done to bring them here?” $Maria asks, frowning.
“Resurfaced,” you reply with finality. “One way or the other.”
$Maria looks at you.
“You don’t think…”
“Let’s check,” you interrupt them.
“How?”
With a nod of your chin, you indicate the police officers.
“By asking them.”
The grimace $Maria makes is enough to tell you what they think of your idea.
“What if they know about you? And me? What if they arrest us?”
“I don’t think the news has reached them yet,” you reassure them. “I’ll just pretend I’m a neighbor. You can wait in the car.”
They roll their eyes.
{(if: $rivalry > 0 and $friendship < 2)[
“If you want me to wait in the car while you get yourself arrested, that’s out of the question.”<br /><br />
You stare at them, once again struck by how much they care, even after all these years. Unless they think you’ll turn on them?<br /><br />
“Okay…” Is all you can say for a while.<br /><br />
Then you open the passenger door.<br /><br />
“Let’s go together then.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[They nod at you and you both exit the car.->Go talk to them]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“How many times do I have to tell you this? I’m not letting you go into danger alone.”<br />
{(if: $foundreport is true)[
You sigh. “Alright, I just wanted to give you the option, that’s all.”<br /><br />
They smile at you.<br /><br />
“I appreciate it, $firstname. Now, let’s go talk to them.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You both exit the car.->Go talk to them]]</div>
]
(else:)[
You groan. “I’ve already fucked up your life enough as it is. Please?”<br /><br />
They look at you square in the eyes. {(if: $romance > 2)[
Then their expression turns so soft your heart is about to leap out of your chest.<br /><br />
“You’ve not ruined my life, $firstname. Not now that I have you in it.”<br /><br />
They have no right to say anything like that. Not when you are running out of time. You can’t find anything to say so you lean in and kiss their cheek before opening the passenger door and exiting the car.<br /><br />
“Let’s go, then,” you tell them, swallowing the tight knot in your throat.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[Maria exit after you.->Go talk to them]]</div>
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
“It’s my prerogative to fuck my own life up if it means you’re in it and I get to keep you safe.”<br />
“Maria…” You start, but they interrupt you.<br />
“There’s no ‘Maria’. I’m sorry if that’s inconvenient to you, but I’m not going to stop caring about you.”<br /><br />
You stay quiet for a moment.<br /><br />
“It’s not inconvenient to me, I just…” You start softly.<br /><br />
You stop yourself and shake your head. “Nevermind. I guess if you stay close, I can keep you safe too.”<br />
“That’s the spirit,” they reply with a small smile.<br /><br />
You take a deep breath.<br /><br />
“Alright. Let’s go, then.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[They nod and you both exit the car.->Go talk to them]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“You’ve not ruined my life,” they affirm with a steady voice. “I’m happy to have you in it again.”<br /><br />
You feel more touched than you would ever confess.<br /><br />
“Alright,” you say after taking a deep breath. “Let’s go then.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[They nod and you both exit the car.->Go talk to them]]</div>
]}
]}
]}
You walk up to the few police officers that are quietly talking to each other just in front of your building. They all turn their heads toward you when they notice you are heading for the door. One of them leaves the group to meet you.
“Good evening,” the policewoman says, nodding to you then to $Maria. “Do you live here?”
She pulls out her badge, even though it’s entirely unnecessary. You quickly acknowledge it nonetheless.
“I do,” you respond, nodding back at her. “What’s going on, if I may ask?”
Instead of answering your question, the officer pulls out a photograph from her raincoat’s inside pocket.
She shows it to you and asks: “Do you know this man?”
On the glossy paper, you see the bloated and discolored face of a corpse. The skin is ruptured in places, making the overall sight gnarly. It’s Roy.
“Oh my god…”
$Maria covers their mouth and looks away, their complexion turning sickly. You take a deep breath yourself and close your eyes for a moment.
“Yes,” you confirm. “It’s… It was one of my neighbors.”
The policewoman thankfully removes the photo from your sight before interrogating you further.
“Did you know him well?”
“No,” you lie. “I only crossed paths with him in the staircase on occasion.”
The officer nods.
“Alright. It seems he had a flatmate. If you see them coming home, warn us immediately.”
“I will,” you assure her and she turns away.
You don’t have much choice but to enter the building, now that she knows you live there. You punch in the code to unlock the door and walk into the entryway, followed by $Maria. You turn the lights on and stride down the corridor, your friend on your heels.
“What do we do now?” They whisper to you when you’re far enough from the main door.
It’s a good question. Your little plan worked well enough to get the information you wanted. With Roy’s death confirmed, you have to take your investigation in a new direction. But for now, you need to leave the building without raising suspicion. But first…
“There’s a storage closet on the third floor,” you murmur back to them as you start climbing up the stairs. “I store a suitcase ready to go in it, with clothes and enough money to buy an out-of-state train ticket. Let me grab it and we can try to exit through the back door.”
<div class="choice">[[You keep going up the stairs.->Get the suitcase and leave]]</div>
On the landing of the third floor, you glance up at the stairs above. You can hear more police officers talking on the fourth floor, where your apartment is located. You step away from the railing and approach the closet door, unlocking it with a small key.
$Maria keeps giving you compassionate looks, but you’re not too concerned. You’re not attached to your home. It was just the place you slept. You’re used to moving around, so your room is pretty bare-bones. You doubt the police will find anything compromising in there.
As expected, you find your suitcase in the storage and you pick it up before locking the closet again. You and your companion head back down the stairs silently. You exit through the back door which leads into a courtyard. Thankfully it isn’t watched by the police. For good reasons. There is no visible way out, the courtyard being entirely enclosed by tall buildings.
“Okay… What now?” $Maria asks with a skeptical grimace.
You roll your eyes and walk across the courtyard to the door on the opposite side of it.
“That leads into another building,” $Maria comments. “Do you even have a key?”
As they join you in front of the door, you raise your free hand and wiggle your fingers at them.
“Who needs a key when you have magic?” You say with a grin.
$Maria elbows you, but you see a small smile forming on their lips.
Putting the suitcase down, you kneel in front of the door and get to work. {(if: $foundreport is true)[You place your hand below the handle, where the lock is and you let your power seep into the wood, slip in the mechanism’s gaps. It curls around the springs and pushes them back, one by one. The deadlock snaps open.](else:)[Using the same spell as earlier, it takes no time at all for you to unlock the door.]}
You pick up your suitcase again and you pull the door open, letting $Maria walk into a dark hallway before following them.
You don’t bother turning the light on. You’re not going far, anyway, and it’s in your best interest to not attract any attention. You walk across a similar entryway to your own building and exit through the front door. You find yourself on a parallel street and all that’s left for you to do is looping around the block and getting back to $Marias car. Preferably without passing by the police officers in front of your building.
It’s easy enough and you are soon on the road again, careful to avoid the authorities. $Maria sighs deeply as they drive you away from your apartment building.
<div class="choice">[[“What now?”->To the hotel]]</div>
You need to settle down somewhere to discuss your findings. But you realize now that you have nowhere to go. Your apartment is crawling with police and no doubt it’ll be soon the same for $Marias office and lodgings.
“I know a place,” you tell $Maria after giving the matter some thought. “A hotel the gangs use if anyone needs to lay low for a while. It’s neutral ground, you can come under a fake name, no questions asked.”
Your companion frowns.
“I’ve not heard of it.”
“It’s in a lot of people’s best interest to keep it that way,” you explain. “Including important people.”
They grimace, eyes trained on the road.
“I see…”
You give them the address and they start heading toward it, following your directions. Quiet returns in the car, only disturbed by the motor’s rumble.
“So Roy is dead…” $Maria says, finally addressing the elephant in the room.
“Yeah…”
“He didn’t run away with the money, then.”
“If he did, someone caught up with him.”
$Maria doesn’t reply immediately. You can almost see the cogs turning in their head, with the way they scrunch up their face.
“We don’t know how he died. Maybe it was an accident?”
You scoff.
“Roy? Dying in an accident? Who’s going to buy that? Besides, with how many cops there are on the case, it’s very unlikely.”
“Yeah…” $Maria mumbles. “But who did it then?”
You can’t answer that so you stay silent.
“It has to be linked to the exchange, right?” They continue. “Either it’s about the money… Or maybe Roy knew something the killer didn’t want to get out.”
“Or maybe it’s someone who hated his guts enough to end him,” you add.
Your companion glances at you.
“You realize that extends the list of suspects exponentially? Who doesn’t hate Roy?”
You smile bitterly. That’s a good point. So many potential killers that it’d be hard to pick one. You look at $Maria for a moment and a thought crosses your mind.
{(if: ($rivalry > 0) and ($friendship < 2))[It lingers there. Uncomfortably lodged in the back of your head.](else:)[You dismiss it quickly, shifting uncomfortably on the passenger seat.]}
Your conversation is interrupted when you arrive at your destination. $Maria takes care to park a little distance away. You walk down a narrow street of the South-East quarter. The area isn’t the nicest one, but it doesn’t look seedy either. There are mostly residential buildings, with a couple of cheap food and first necessities stores. None of them look particularly appealing, especially in the dead of night, when they are locked down by heavy metal grids.
The Green Anise hotel’s entrance is at the bottom of a tall red-brick building, almost identical in every way to its neighbors. It is unadorned, save for the neon sign spelling the name of the establishment. The windows are small and guarded with iron grids. If you didn’t know better, you could almost take it for a prison. In a way, it is one. Gangsters and anyone escaping the law come here not to be found, which means they rarely poke their heads out of here until it’s safe enough for them to leave.
<div class="choice">[[As you push the windowed door into the lobby, you wonder how long you’ll stay locked in there.->Revelations]]</div>
You’re not certain the small entryway deserves the title of ‘lobby’, to be frank. There’s barely enough room for the plain wooden front desk and a couple of foldable chairs placed against the right wall, which leads to a corridor and a staircase you can barely see in the weak electric lights hanging from the ceiling.
The front desk itself is only lit by a single lamp, projecting eery shadows on the face of the strong-looking woman who sits behind it, reading a book while staying as motionless as a statue.
You walk up to her and she still doesn’t shift.
“Good evening, Ruth,” you say and she glances up at you, her eyes the only thing she deigns moving.
“Good evening, $firstname,” she greets you and it’s not entirely devoid of warmth. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
Her blue gaze drifts to $Maria who stays close to you. They seem a bit intimidated by both the location and the broad-shouldered proprietor.
“You don’t usually bring friends,” Ruth comments.
With anyone else, you would assume there’s an unspoken question there. But you know Ruth abides very diligently by her own rule of never asking questions, so you don’t say anything.
The woman finally closes her book, setting it aside to bring up her register.
“Alright… Two rooms? One room? Double bed or single beds?”
“One room,” you answer. {(if: $romance > 3)[
<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Single beds,”->Bed chosen]] you add.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Double bed,”")[
(set: $doublebed to 1)
(go-to: "Double bed")
] you add.</div>
]
(else:)[
“Single beds.”<br /><br />
(display: "Bed chosen")
]}
You enter the room and flip the light switch on. The light bulb of the ceiling light flickers worryingly until it settles and bathes the small space in a low but steady light. There’s not much to see, anyway. The room is bare of any decoration. {(if: $doublebed is 1)[The double bed is framed by two nightstands](else:)[The two single beds are separated by a nightstand]} and there’s one dresser on the opposite side. The small barred window is invisible under the thick green drapes. Further down the left wall, a door leads to the en-suite bathroom. You know from experience it’s not much to look at, so you don’t bother checking it.
$Maria, on the other hand, is looking everywhere, evaluating the environment as if they were here to write a scathing review about the accommodations. They walk past you and open the bathroom door, turning the light on. A much brighter electric glow pours over their profile as they examine the inside.
You watch them proceed while you make yourself comfortable, throwing your coat onto {(if: $doublebed is 1)[the](else:)[the first]} bed.
“Mmh… I was expecting worse,” $Maria comments as they come back from the bathroom. “It’s clean and in good repair, at least.”
They narrow their eyes at the ceiling light.
“Except for that lightbulb, maybe.”
“There are nicer rooms,” you explain. “But Ruth knows I’m cheap.”
They sit down on {(if: $doublebed is 1)[the](else:)[the other]} bed, turning their torso to face you, looking up at you with curiosity.
“Would you really be cheap if you could afford not to be?”
You don’t think it’s a serious question. They smile slightly at you. Maybe they are trying to lighten the mood.
{(if: $doublebed is 1)[
You sit on the opposite side of the bed, mirroring their position.
]
(else:)[
You sit on what is now your bed, you suppose.
]}
{<div class="choice">[[“If I could afford it, I’d take the presidential suite.”->Be playful]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“$Maria… You’re buying time.”->To the point]]</div>}
$Maria snorts.
“There’s a presidential suite? Here?”
“Sure there is,” you reply with a grin.
They narrow their eyes suspiciously at you.
“Are you serious?”
You lay on the bed, folding your hands behind your head.
“Absolutely.”
“What kind of president would need to come here?”
“Oh, not ours, of course,” you reply nonchalantly. “But there are countries where the use of magic doesn’t stop you from getting a high governmental position.”
“But they wouldn’t come here.”
You shrug, smiling mysteriously at them.
“You’re messing with me,” $Maria accuses.
“Ask Ruth about it if you don’t believe me.”
“She’s never going to answer me.”
“That’s highly probable,” you answer with a grin.
“You’re messing with me,” they say again, grabbing their pillow and throwing it in your face.
{(if: ($rivalry > 0) and ($friendship < 2))[
You throw it back onto their bed and your smile starts to fade.<br /><br />
“You’re being awfully cheerful after what we just learned.”<br /><br />
You’re not being accusatory — not yet. (display: "To the point")
]
(else-if: $romance > 2 or $itscomplicated > 0)[
You grab the cushion and hold it against your chest.<br /><br />
“Looks like you’re sleeping without a pillow tonight,” you warn them.<br />
“No! Give it back!” They protest.<br /><br />
Your grin widens.<br /><br />
“Then come and get it.”<br /><br />
{(if: $doublebed is 1)[They](else:)[They slide off their bed and]} reach over to grab the pillow. You laugh and roll over to get the pillow out of their grasp. All you manage to do is make them fall on you and they quickly turn the situation to their advantage. Straddling you so you can’t escape, they wrestle you for the pillow, but you hold firmly onto it.<br />
Switching their method from brute force — which is clearly not helping them — to trickery, they tickle your sides and you instinctively release the pillow to protect yourself with your elbows. Maria grabs the pillow and raises it triumphantly over their head.<br />
Until you kick their behind with your thighs, making them fall forward on your torso. Their face almost hit yours, but they manage to catch themself just in time, their nose brushing yours and their lips hovering above yours.<br /><br />
{(if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
The realization of the position you both find yourself in kicks in. You hear a hitch in Maria’s breath and your heart starts thumping loudly in your chest.<br /><br />
They push themself away and laugh awkwardly. “Got my pillow back.”<br /><br />
They hug the cushion to their chest and a moment later realize they are still straddling you. You can see their face darken as they scramble off of you to go back to their own bed.<br /><br />
“Maybe… Maybe it’s a bit inappropriate to just… fool around when Roy is…”<br />
“Yeah…” You mumble, sitting back on your bed, your voice coming out rough.<br />
“He wasn’t… a very good person, was he?”<br /><br />
The question makes you feel… empty. Distant. You’re not really the right person to judge, are you? Maybe you are.<br /><br />
“He… never really stopped bullying me,” you admit in a voice that sounds more broken than you’d like. “Not physically anymore, mind you. But he kept me in this… dark pit. If I ever came out to taste the light, he would just… push my head right back in it.”<br /><br />
$Maria’s frown betrays deep concern.<br /><br />
“… $firstname?”<br /><br />
You swallow thickly.<br /><br />
“Maybe you were right, maybe I shouldn’t have followed him.”<br /><br />
You glance at them. They are pressing a hand to their mouth.<br /><br />
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” they choke. “I should have done something, acted…”<br /><br />
Their words trail, the sentence staying unfinished.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“Sooner?” You ask. “$Maria… We need to talk…”")[
(go-to: "To the point")
]</div>
]
(else:)[(if: $kissed > 0)[<div class="choice">(link: "“You can have your pillow in exchange for a kiss,”")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(go-to: "In exchange for a kiss")
] you murmur at them.</div>]
<div class="choice">[[You clear your throat awkwardly.->Clear your throat]]</div>]}
]
(else:)[
You laugh and throw the pillow back into their own face.<br />
Before you know it, it’s war. You keep throwing pillows at each other, laughing and taunting each other, until duck down flies everywhere. You are out of breath and your facial muscles hurt by the end of it.<br /><br />
You are both sprawled on your respective beds and taking a moment to recover when $Maria murmurs: “Do you think it’s… okay to be here, fooling around when Roy…”<br /><br />
You swallow. The mood suddenly takes a turn.<br /><br />
“I don’t know,” you admit.<br />
“He wasn’t a very good person, was he?” $Maria says softly.<br />
“He sure wouldn’t pillow fight with me…”<br /><br />
Your friend chuckles but it lacks conviction.<br /><br />
“Yeah.”<br />
“He was…”<br /><br />
You pause.<br /><br />
“He never really stopped bullying me. Not physically anymore, mind you. But he always kept me in this… dark pit. If I ever came out to taste the light, he would just… push my head back in it.”<br /><br />
You see $Maria sit up.<br /><br />
“… $firstname?”<br /><br />
You sit up as well, feeling tense.<br /><br />
“Maybe you were right, maybe I shouldn’t have followed him.”<br /><br />
You glance at them. They are pressing a hand to their mouth.<br /><br />
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” they choke. “I should have done something, acted…”<br /><br />
Their words trail, the sentence staying unfinished.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“Sooner?” You ask. “$Maria… We need to talk…”")[
(go-to: "To the point")
]</div>
]}
$Maria stands up. They wrap their arms around themself and you know they’re clamming up.
“Can’t we talk tomorrow? After getting some sleep? It’s been a long night…”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I can sleep until we figured some things out.”
{(if: $foundreport is true)[
You grab the folder that’s poking from under your coat.<br /><br />
“If we go through the report, maybe we’ll find something new to investigate…” You start.<br />
“Don’t!” $Maria exclaims.<br /><br />
You see them ball their hand into a fist as if they’re stopping themself from snatching the folder from your hands.<br /><br />
“It could take hours, we… we should do that after getting some rest.”<br />
“$Maria… Why don’t you want me to read the report?”<br /><br />
They turn away from you, chewing on their lip, looking distressed, pondering.<br /><br />
“Because I need to tell you something first,” they sigh.<br />
“What?”
]
(else:)[
“What things?”<br /><br />
They start pacing.<br /><br />
“We don’t know anything. We don’t even have the police report.”<br />
“You didn’t even want me to get it,” you point out. “Why?”<br />
“Because it was dangerous!”<br />
“Is that it?” You press.<br /><br />
$Maria turns away from you. They are chewing on their lip, looking distressed, pondering.<br /><br />
“No,” they finally admit with a sigh. “I don’t think you would have found anything of value in the report.”<br />
“Why?”
]}
They let their arms fall to their side and take a deep breath.
“I was there, at the exchange, with the police.”
<div class="choice">[[So they finally admit to it.->Maria's admission]]</div>
They watch you, looking for a reaction, but you give them none. They frown, opening their mouth, about to ask something, but you beat them to it.
“What happened?”
You didn’t intend to sound as cold as you did. $Maria steps back as if you physically hit them. They swallow and inhale deeply again.
“I was there to help the police figure out if the informant was there. I didn’t… I wasn’t there to fight. But Roy saw me and it made him furious. The person May saw being shot by Roy? That was me. He missed the heart, thankfully, but the impact knocked me out.”
They rub their shoulder as they speak, the wounded one.
“I didn’t see much after that, I was slipping in and out of consciousness, losing a lot of blood. All I know is that de Souza left me for dead. His priority was getting the kid — Lonnie — and interrogating aer.”
Their features twist with anger as they speak, but they smooth down quickly, returning to a guilty expression.
“I… don’t know what happened to Roy, I promise. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Their attitude shifts suddenly. They frown at you and you see sparks of outrage in their jasper eyes. They’re weak, but still present.
“Why? Because you haven’t been honest with me either!”
You shift uncomfortably on the bed. //That//, you didn’t expect. What do they know?
“What do you mean?” You ask, trying to stay calm and casual, but your whole body is tense.
<div class="choice">[[“Why didn’t //you// tell me you were the snitch?”->Your admission]]</div>
Blood drains from your face as they say it and you’re locked in place.
“How do you know?” You ask them.
They sigh.
“Lyle — our office secretary. He heard you giving the info on the pay phone and he recognized you.”
“Recognized me? I… I don’t know him.”
“No, it was from a photo I have on my desk. He went to me, to tell me, and I… I got scared that you would be in danger so I went to the police, told them I could recognize the informant, and asked to join the raid. I just… I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to be hurt. But you weren’t there.”
Somewhere, in the back of your mind, you stay stuck on one detail. //They have a photo of you in their office?//
$Maria scoffs and continues, oblivious to your thoughts: “I should have known. You’re not //that// stupid. But still… Why did you betray Flint? Why would you do something so dangerous?”
You stand up, pacing as well. You need to do some pondering of your own. If there’s anyone this is safe to discuss with, it’s $Maria. They aren’t tied to any of the gangs, none of this concerns them. Their only motive is to help you, that much is clear.
“Ruby Riviera asked me to do it,” you admit after a moment of reflection. “She wanted to weaken Flint, deprive him of one of his suppliers.”
“You’ve been double-crossing Flint? For Ruby Riviera? $firstname, is that really worth putting your life in danger?” $Maria asks, utterly baffled.
“I don’t know!” You throw defensively at them, wrapping your arms around yourself. “Ruby is… Her methods aren’t quite as brutal as Flint’s. I thought…”
You bite down on your lip, almost to the point of drawing blood. Your frustration bubbles up. You feel like a fool.
“I thought working for her would be less… She promised she wouldn’t make me do the same things Flint asks of me. She promised better pay. It all sounded… nicer. But I’ve been playing double agent for her for a while now. I don’t know… Maybe I’m more useful to her as her spy in Flint’s gang.”
“Oh, $firstname… That… That’s not good…”
You can’t stand the compassion in their voice.
“Don’t you think I know that?!” You spit back.
$Maria takes another step back, their head hanging low.
<div class="choice">[[“I’m… I’m sorry…”->You knew]]</div>
You are both standing face to face on opposite sides of the room, but both refusing to look at each other. You feel bare in the raw electric light. You have revealed more secrets than you ever intended. You wonder if $Maria feels the same. A wall of tension fills the space between you and at the moment it feels impossible to walk through it to reach your old friend. {(if: ($rivalry > 0) and ($friendship < 2))[
You don’t know how to feel about that. Your flight or fight instincts are lurking, crouching in the bottom pits of your mind, ready to lurch forward at any sign of danger.
]
(else:)[
It makes your whole being ache. You feel lonely and you don’t think you can face what’s ahead of you without them. But you also realize that your lies may very well sever your connection to them permanently. The risk is even higher if you tell them the truth.
]}
$Maria must be feeling the same tension, that suffocating presence. And yet they’re not done with you.
“There’s… there’s something else…” They start. “Isn’t it?”
You don’t respond. {(if: ($rivalry > 0) and ($friendship < 2))[f they want to go there, fine. //Let’s get this over with.//](else:)[You beg them, mentally, to not go there. You don’t want them to know, you don’t want to have to tell them. They can’t hear you, of course.]}
“When I told you I was at the raid, you weren’t surprised. You knew already… didn’t you?”
“I knew,” you admit hollowly.
“How?”
“Roy told me.”
They look at you, their eyes widening.
“But you said…”
“I said he didn’t come home. I didn’t say I didn’t see him.”
They frown and you interrupt them before they can protest: “I know, there’s not much of a difference. When he saw you at the exchange… That’s when he guessed, isn’t it? That’s when he understood I was the informant.”
$Maria nods, the movement weak.
“Yes… That… That’s what made him furious. He said he was going to kill you. I was so scared that he would that…”
“That you thought you could kill him?”
$Maria nods again. They look down at the floor, a shine in their eyes they don’t want you to see.
<div class="choice">[[You scoff.->You didn't kill him]]</div>
You don’t mean to mock them and the sound is a joyless one, but you can’t help it.
“But you didn’t.”
{(if: ($rivalry > 0) and ($friendship < 2))[
You say it almost like an accusation. Maybe it would have been easier for everyone if they did.
]
(else:)[
You say it with a gentleness contrasting with your earlier tone. You know them better than they do themself, it seems.
]}
They frown, raising their eyes to meet yours.
“How can you be so certain?”
“I //know// you, $Maria. You aren’t a killer.”
“It’s been years, $firstname,” they argue. “Things have changed.”
“But not that.”
Their frown deepens.
“But…”
You can’t stand it anymore.{(if: ((history:) contains "Wagering a secret") and ((history:) contains "No cheating" or (history:) contains "No advice"))[
<br /><br />“I still owe you a secret, don’t I? Then here it goes,” you spit, interrupting them.
]}
<div class="choice">[[“You didn’t kill him, $Maria. I know it because I did. I killed Roy.”->The murder]]</div>
<div class="scenetitle">LAST THURSDAY</div>
You have been staying late after your meeting with Ruby Riviera, indulging in all the entertainment her den had to offer. Or at least the ones that came in liquid form. Your balance is a little off when you exit into the cool air of the night. It is a dark one, the clouds forming a thick blanket between you and the moon’s and the stars’ glow. You have to rely on the yellow pools of electric light to guide you. Your body is relaxed and warm, although the contrast with the outside temperature makes you shiver. But you don’t feel particularly good. All you managed to do was to dull your senses. Your feelings? Not quite there yet.
At this hour, there are no more trams. You could hunt down a taxi, but you feel like walking. You’re not in any hurry to be home. You take small transversal streets, making your way to the river. The neighborhood is perhaps the most elegant one in the city, the exquisitely dressed upper-crust parading from one luxury store to the next during the day. But this late? They are either sleeping safely in their lavish apartments or dancing and drinking the night away in a fashionable club. The streets are devoid of life. Occasionally, a car will pass you by, blinding you with its headlights, but otherwise, everything is eerily quiet around you.
You know you’ll find more life as you head toward the South bank, where the more popular quarters are. But you’re still alone when you start crossing Harmony bridge. No one around to witness a fatal encounter, if one is to occur.
You stop walking when you see the hulking silhouette blocking your path.
“I fucking knew it!”
<div class="choice">[[It’s Roy.->Roy]]</div>
He steps into the light of the lamppost that looms over you and it’s him indeed. He’s never the most put-together man, but his feathers do look a little more ruffled than usual. Barely. He has some scratches, bruises, and his leather jacket has some grazes on the sleeves. His hands, however, are bloodied. You don’t think it’s his. But even //that// is not exactly out of the ordinary.
What makes you step back is the gnarled mask of fury on his pale face.
“Where the fuck do you come from?” He spits at you.
He knows where you’ve been, or he suspects it. He wouldn’t be here otherwise. You don’t need to cross Harmony bridge to go from Eastcastle station to your apartment building or even Flint’s den. You make another step back.
“Don’t fucking move!” Roy orders you.
You obey instinctively and it makes you grind your teeth. You’re still scared of him. You could flay him alive, but you’re still scared of him.
“I was at Ruby’s. On Flint’s behalf,” you make sure to add.
“How fucking convenient,” Roy roars back, still furious. “That way you could tell her how her little plan worked wonderfully.”
“What are you talking about?”
Deep down, you know there’s no point in keeping the charade up. Somehow Roy discovered your double-crossing and you don’t think you can convince him otherwise. Still, you try. What else can you do?
“Don’t even think about bullshitting me! I know what you did. As soon as I saw Reyes, I knew you were the one who called the cops on us!”
Your eyes widen.
“What?”
This time you don’t fake your surprise. You have no idea what he’s talking about. You never involved Maria and never intended to. They’ve been out of your life for years now and you owe them that much. Why would they be at the exchange?
“I told you to stop your bullshit!” Roy yells and he strides toward you.
He catches your arm, clutching painfully. You’re not strong enough to escape him, but you have other tricks up your sleeve.
<div class="choice">[[The palm of your hand slams the center of his broad chest and you cast an immobilizing spell.->Immobilizing him]]</div>
Roy’s muscles lock up and he stops moving. Unfortunately, it means his hand is still holding your arm in an iron grip. But at least you have time to think.
“What the fuck is this?”
The spell doesn’t prevent //all// movement. Roy can still speak. Which is for the best because you have some questions.
“Where did you learn this? That looks like Ruby’s fucked-up mind control spells. She taught you her fucking magic?”
You don’t reply, you know the answer would only make him angrier. Because he’s right. Flint’s obsession with fire magic has always felt so limiting to you. The few spells Ruby passed onto you have to be the best thing that came from working with her. It won’t be enough to save you when everything inevitably falls apart around you, but it’ll help you survive a little longer.
“You said you saw Maria?” You ask Roy.
“Yeah, I did. And I killed them. Taught them a fucking lesson, that snotty rat. Always thought they were better than me and now they’re bleeding out on dirty fucking asphalt.”
He grins, taking pleasure in telling you.
{<div class="choice">[[You flip.->You flip]]</div>
<div class="choice">He’s lying. [[He’s got to be lying.->He's lying]]</div>}
If Roy thinks he’s angry, he has no idea what kind of ice-cold rage is suddenly flooding your bloodstream.
You release the immobilizing spell and as soon as you feel the slightest twitch in his grip, you lurch forward and grab his head with both hands. Your thumbs press against his eyebrows so strongly it’ll leave a mark and you mumble an incantation. This is the strongest spell Ruby taught you and you always felt too squeamish about it to use it before. Not anymore.
For the first time in your life, you think you see fear in Roy’s eyes. And he should be afraid.
Instead of locking up, this time his body sags.
“What did you do to me…?” He mumbles, his lips moving sluggishly.
“Follow me,” you order.
You walk past him to the end of the bridge and he obeys. He has no other choice. You climb down the stairs that lead to the docks along the river, Roy behind you. You stop on the cobblestones and you stare at the undulating black expense at your feet, shimmering with the city’s lights. Are you really going to do this?
“Did you really do it? Did you kill Maria? Speak,” you instruct him.
“Yeah I fucking did and as soon as you’re done with your bullshit, I’m going to strangle you and drag your pathetic little mage corpse to Flint and…”
“Shut up!”
You don’t need to yell the command but you are barely in control of yourself right now. You don’t have a choice here. It’s his life or yours. And he killed the only friend you made in your entire life, so you’re not willing to let him get away with that.
You look around. You need something to weigh him down. A little further on the docks, you spot a section of the wall that has crumbled and is in the process of being reconstructed. You head there.
“Follow me,” you order him again.
You make your way among the rubbles and grab a large cut stone. It’s too heavy to carry, so you push it near the edge of the dock. There are a few barges moored around so it’s not difficult to find a rope. You tie one end to the stone and the other around Roy’s waist.
“What… are you doing…?”
Roy’s words are slurred again as he fights to move his lips against the sluggish state the spell is keeping him in.
“Don’t be an idiot,” you reply.
You see horror finally settling in his eyes. Then he frowns, determination setting his jaw. As a bead of sweat rolls from his hairline to his forehead, you know he’s trying to push against your control. You feel it too and soon you have to wipe the blood that drips from your nose. You’re not too concerned though. You’ve always been stronger than him in that area.
Once you’re done preparing everything you step away from him and the edge of the dock.
<div class="choice">[[“Jump into the river. Don’t swim.”->Jump]]</div>
“I don’t believe you,” you tell him.
Roy barks an aggressive laugh.
“Sure, don’t believe me. You’ll know soon enough.”
He’s just trying to intimidate you. You don’t let him get to you. Not this time. Not anymore.
“Did you talk to Flint?” You ask him.
You need to figure out how much trouble you’re in right now. What your options are. What you can salvage.
“Not yet, but when he’ll know…”
Roy grins toothily at you, still cocky while he can’t move a muscle.
“He’s going to burn you alive. Or better yet… Throw you to the cops. You’ll rot in an asylum for the rest of your days.”
You can’t help the shiver that runs down your spine. Roy notices and laughs.
“Does anyone else know?” You ask.
Roy chuckles.
“Why? Do you plan to kill me or something?”
“Does anyone else know?” You insist.
“Who the fuck do you think will know? Everyone fucking died except me, May Jin, and Flint’s brat. May left before anyone else and the cops got the kid. When Flint is going to learn Lonnie is gone because of you…”
He laughs some more. He really shouldn’t, he just signed his death sentence.
{<div class="choice">[[You don’t want to do it, but you’re out of alternatives.->You don't want to do it]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You feel indifferent.->You're indifferent]] You’ve been asked to kill enough times that you’ve been desensitized.</div>}
Roy can only throw one last horrified look your way before walking up to the edge of the dock and jumping. He falls straight into the water and the stone is dragged with him. He disappears quickly in the darkness, not making any movement at all as he sinks.
You think you are going to be sick, but you have to maintain the spell until you’re certain it’s over. You watch the shimmering water and you wait.
You wait.
Your stomach flips when you see the first bubbles rising to the surface. You watch and more come, bigger ones. Slowly, they pop one after the other until no more come. You waver and this time it’s not the alcohol disturbing your balance. You have sobered up a long time ago. You focus to release the spell, but you realize it doesn’t have anything to hold onto anymore. It dissipates on its own.
Roy is gone.
You turn around and run toward the wall, bracing yourself before throwing up on the stone. It’s not the first time you have killed, but it is the first time you do it on your own behalf. It feels different. Worse, somehow.
You feel weak, your arms trembling as they support your weight. You’re about to move away, wipe your mouth and leave this cursed place, but you retch again. It’s painful, making your eyes water.
Once you feel like all your stomach’s content is on the floor you finally wobble away from the docks, climbing back up the stairs.
<div class="choice">[[That’s how you killed Roy.->Back to the present]]</div>
<div class="cw">You've reached the end of the story for now! Different endings will be added at a later date, as well as the missing scenes you may have encountered throughout the game.
I hope you enjoyed the game nonetheless and don't hesitate to leave me feedback either here on itch.io or on <a href="https://oscarwrites.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>. I also work on other interactive fiction games if you want to check those out!
If you want to help me out write more stories, I have a <a href="https://ko-fi.com/oscararcane0624">Ko-Fi</a> and a <a href="https://www.patreon.com/oscararcane">Patreon</a>.
<span class="cwtitle2">''Thank you for playing!''</span>
<hr>
<span class="cwtitle2">''A special thank you to all my supporters on Patreon and Ko-Fi''</span>
//Cela J - Nyehilism - Kit - Nell - Dia - Quaryelle - King - Spectralight - Ames - Jimmy - FutureGrave - Libby - S C - Nixie P. - Jenny Berthelsen - Hedgie//</div>
You set your jaw and stare at Roy. He keeps grinning.
“Come on, you’re a wimp,” he says confidently. “You’re not going to do it.”
For a second, you think he may be right. You consider releasing him and just… doing nothing, letting what will happen happen. And then you remember your early years at the asylum. The permanent fatigue, the headaches, the nausea. You remember the other kids, skinny, weak, sickly. And the adults, wasting away, sent to an early grave by lead poisoning and constant drug injections.
You escaped so you could survive, so you could have a semblance of normal life. You owe it to your younger self to not give up. Even if it means taking a life of your own volition.
With your free hand, you dig into one of your coat’s pockets. You always keep a little leather pouch of soot on yourself, just in case. You apply a generous coating on the palm of your hand. Roy has seen you and Flint do this before. He has to know what’s coming.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He chuckles, but it’s a little more hesitant this time. “You’re going to set yourself on fire.”
He knows the spell you’re getting ready for is not a small one. But he doesn’t realize there are ways to control the fire. Flint just likes to be a show-off about his magic. You have learned to be more subtle.
It still isn’t going to be pleasant. Once you’re all set, you take a deep breath, closing your eyes. When you open them again, Roy is staring at you with confusion and anger.
“Don’t be a fucking idiot!” He yells at you.
“You made it clear enough I don’t have any other choice, Roy. What would you do in my situation?”
He can’t suppress his rage. He never could, even when it was in his best interest.
“You’d be fucking dead already!”
“I thought so.”
He frowns, you see veins becoming apparent at his temples, and a bead of sweat rolls from his hairline to his forehead. He’s trying to fight off your spell. He doesn’t know it doesn’t work that way.
<div class="choice">[[You slam your soot-covered hand on his mouth.->Fire spell]]</div>
You set your jaw and stare at Roy. His attitude changes, he has seen that expression on your face before. He doesn’t laugh anymore, frowning at you, somewhere between concern and anger.
“Don’t you dare fucking do it. You know what Flint will do to you…”
“Exactly,” you answer as you dig into one of your coat’s pockets with your free hand.
You always keep a small leather pouch full of soot on you, just in case. You apply a generous coating on the palm of your hand. Roy follows your every movement with his eyes.
“What do you think you’re doing?” He asks, knowing you are preparing a powerful fire spell for having seen you and Flint do so before. “You’re going to get us both burnt.”
What he doesn’t know is that you can control the fire in a way Flint never cared to. He likes to show off when he casts, make sure the spectacle is visible to all. But you have learned to be more discreet, prioritizing efficiency to flare.
When Roy realizes you’re not going to stop, that your mind is made up, he panics, the only way he knows how to.
“You fucker, I’ll kill you! If you think that’s going to be that easy, you’ve got another thing coming! I’ll reap your throat out with my bare hands! I…”
<div class="choice">[[You slam your soot-covered hand on his mouth.->Fire spell]]</div>
The first spell ends as rolling heat melts through his throat, down to his chest and stomach. He releases your arm and screams against your palm. He tries to defend himself, punch and kick, but you easily restrain him against the bridge’s railing, the pain weakening him. You hold him as the spell does its work, building up the deadly heat inside of him.
It’s a horrible sight and a worse smell. The scent of burnt flesh invades your nostrils and there’s a growing glow under his skin, bubbling up as he melts inside out. He twitches and squirms against you before going limp.
When the heat becomes unbearable and the molten flesh makes his skin roil and burst, you quickly step away. The mangled, incandescent body falls over the railing and into the river. You hear the splash and approach the balustrade, scared that the body might float. But the icy cold water tempers his body, vitrifying his insides. He sinks right to the bottom.
Roy is gone. It’s over.
{(if: (history:) contains "You don't want to do it")[
You brace yourself against the railing and you retch. Your arms are trembling and you feel weak, from nausea and the sheer magnitude of the spell. Magic like that isn’t without consequences on the caster’s body.<br /><br />
There’s something else that makes you waver, unsteady on your legs. You’ve killed before, but it was always on Flint’s behalf. It’s the first time you do it for your own sake and it doesn’t feel right.<br /><br />
You vomit again. It’s painful and it makes your eyes water. Once your stomach is emptied out, you straighten yourself and wipe your mouth. You start ambling away, your whole body shaking.
]
(else:)[
You’d like to say you feel relief, but you just feel empty. Maybe you should feel guilt. You’ve killed before, but it was always on Flint’s behalf. //It should feel different//, you think as you stand still, your hands on the railing. But it’s all the same. All you can think about is how much you hated Roy, how you’re better off without him. Now there’s nowhere to direct all that anger.<br /><br />
You feel out of balance when you push against the stone balustrade, straightening yourself. You amble away, the empty feeling lingering.
]}
<div class="choice">[[That’s how you killed Roy.->Back to the present]]</div>
“I didn’t mean… It’s not…” $Maria fumbles, glancing several times between you and the street ahead of them.
They take a deep breath.
“I’m sorry, $firstname, I wasn’t blaming you. I chose to help you knowing what it might entail.”
You look at them while they drive and they seem uncomfortably aware of your gaze. It strikes you that you may not have been treating them fairly. You’ve had doubts, suspicions, yet they’re still here, helping you despite the obvious dangers.
{<div class="choice">(link: "Maybe they’re still your friend.")[
(set: $friendship to 2)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Still friends")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You don’t have friends.->Silence comes back]] There has to be another reason.</div>}
Silence comes back in the car, but it’s tenser than before. To take your mind off of the uneasy topic, you do what you have been itching to do since you left the police station. You pull out the report and open the folder.
“You’re not going to read that in the car, are you?”
You look at $Maria and they glance at you with a reprimanding frown.
“Why not?” You ask while turning your attention back to the papers on your knees.
“Because you’ll get sick.”
“I don’t get car sick,” you scoff.
“Yeah, you do. Remember that trip into the mountains?”
The memory of it is enough to make you nauseous, so you slap the folder close.
“Point taken.”
The interaction seems to have soothed $Marias mood a bit and there is a small smile on their lips. Sure, it can be a good memory for them, they weren’t the one regurgitating the entirety of their last meal. But you do feel less tense as well, even if you are impatient to arrive home and finally read the damn report.
But when $Maria drives down your avenue and parks a few yards away from your building, you notice something unusual.
<div class="choice">[[There are an awful lot of people standing in front of the main door.->The cops are here]]</div>
$Maria sighs.
“Please, $firstname, don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
You bite down on your lip. It hurts more than you care to admit. You do want to keep in touch. But $Maria knows as well as you do how dangerous it would be for both of you.
(display: "Silence comes back")
As soon as the words leave your mouth you realize how much you’re asking. Too much. You inhale deeply, bracing yourself for a refusal. But instead, your question is received with silence. You look at $Maria and they glance between you and the street ahead of them repeatedly, their mouth hanging open.
“I… huh…” They mumble.
You’re not sure you like this hesitation. You feel your heart thrumming in your chest and maybe a firm ‘no’ would have spared you the painful suspense.
“I… I think I would,” they say slowly. “Just… Give me some time… to consider.”
“Okay,” you respond, gaping at them.
You were not expecting this, to say the least, and they glance at you, frowning.
“Is that… surprising?” They ask.
“Yeah… I… Following me doesn’t sound like the wisest life decision you could make, $Maria.”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
“It is if I want to be with you,” they murmur.<br /><br />
Their right hand reaches out to caress your cheek before coming back to rest on the gear shifter.
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
“It is if I want to be with you,” they say quietly, before addressing you with a resolute glance.<br />
“Maria…” You sigh.<br />
“Well you asked if I would leave with you, didn’t you? You should have been prepared for the answer to be yes.”<br /><br />
You smile weakly at them. You did ask.
]
(else:)[
“It is if I want to keep my friend,” they murmur.<br /><br />
Their right hand reaches out to squeeze your shoulder fondly before coming back to rest on the gear shifter.
]}
(display: "Silence comes back")
“Thank you, Maria,” you whisper to them. “I truly don’t deserve you.”
They look at you again and they smile sadly.
“Everyone deserves friends.“
Their right hand reaches out to you and squeezes your shoulder amicably before going back to rest on the gear shifter.
(display: "Silence comes back")
“$firstname?”
$Marias voice is even weaker than yours when they look at you with a worried frown.
“I dragged you into my problems and now…”
“$firstname,” they interrupt softly. “It’s not your fault. I only blame de Souza.”
“He wouldn’t have threatened you if it wasn’t for me,” you argue stubbornly.
“He wouldn’t have threatened me if he was a decent human being,” $Maria argues back, more firmly. “I chose to help you. That part is all on me.”
You look at them. {(if: $rivalry > 0)[
You can barely believe what they’re saying. How can they still stand by you and put their life at risk for you? You’ve not been that pleasant with them, so far. Where do they find that unwavering desire to help you?<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "Maybe… Maybe you’re still friends after all.")[
(set: $friendship to 2)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I don't deserve you")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You don’t have friends. There has to be another reason.->They pat their face dry]]
]
(else:)[
How can they still stand so firmly by you after what they just went through?<br />
(display: "I don't deserve you")
]}
They take a handkerchief out of their coat pocket and pat their face dry with it.
“Okay… Alright… I’m better now,” they say and you believe they are trying to convince themself. “We can go.”
But as they move to exit the car, {(if: $rivalry > 1)[you call their name.](else:)[your hand falls on their shoulder.]} You just noticed something odd.
<div class="choice">[[There’s an awful lot of people standing in front of your building’s main door.->The cops are here]]
“I don’t deserve you,” you say quietly.
{(if: $rivalry > 0)[
$Maria reaches a hand out to you, squeezing your shoulder reassuringly.<br /><br />
“Everyone deserves friends.”<br /><br />
You look at their features, still glistening from the tears, and smile weakly at them. They smile back and pull their hand away. (display: "They pat their face dry")
]
(else-if: $romance > 2)[
You admire their features, glistening from the tears in the low light of the distant street lamps. Maria looks back at you and reaches a hand out to you, pressing their palm against your cheek, their thumb brushing over your lips.<br /><br />
“You deserve more than you think,” they murmur back.<br /><br />
(if: $kissed > 0)[<div class="choice">(link: "You let them kiss your lips.")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(go-to: "Let them kiss you")
]</div>]
<div class="choice">[[You take their hand and kiss their knuckles.->Kiss their knuckles]]</div>
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
“We don’t always get what we deserve,” Maria points out with a faint smile.<br />
You laugh humourlessly. “That’s something people say when you get less than you deserve, usually. Not more.”<br />
They shrug. “It’s still true.”<br /><br />
You look at them. Their features, wet from their tears, glisten in the low light of the distant street lamps. You want to touch them, wipe them dry, kiss their eyes better. You push the thought away. It wouldn’t be welcome… would it?<br /><br />
Maria shuffles on the seat, looking a bit flustered under your examination, so you look away, giving them as much privacy as you can.
]
(else:)[
$Maria frowns painfully at you. They reach a hand out to you, squeezing your shoulder reassuringly.<br /><br />
“Of course you do.”<br /><br />
You look at their features, still glistening from the tears, and you smile at them, feeling warmth spreading through your chest. They smile back, smoothing their thumb over your shoulder before pulling away.
]}
They are gentle with you like they always are. Their lips are cold and wet against yours, but as soon as they part them, their warmth seeps into you, a burning tongue meeting yours. Your hand raises of its own volition, softly cupping the back of their head to bring them closer and kiss them deeper.
You’re both warmer when you finally break apart. Your hand follows the line of their jaw, brushing their skin softly as you move away.
$Maria leans against the back of their seat again and inhales deeply, their eyes closed. (display: "They pat their face dry")
Their fingers are cold against your lips so you warm them with your breath before kissing them again. $Maria shivers and you suspect it’s not just from the cold. Your lips curl slightly against their skin and you kiss their hand one last time before releasing it.
$Maria leans against the back of their seat again and inhales deeply, their eyes closed. (display: "They pat their face dry")
Ruth glances once between you before checking the register. Then she turns around to the wooden shelf behind her and grabs a key from one of the small boxes. She turns the register around and pushes it toward you, setting the key on it.
“Room 302 on the fourth floor. You know where everything is. Breakfast is ready at 8.”
You take the pen she hands out to you and you write down two fake names for you and $Maria. You sign and give the pen to your companion.
“Hum…” They hesitate, their hand hovering above the page.
“Just scribble anything,” you whisper to them.
You’re sure Ruth doesn’t miss the exchange, she raises a curious look toward $Maria. They awkwardly sign the register before stepping back. You grab the key and are ready to head for the stairs, but Ruth seizes your wrist. The hold is firm, but not painfully so.
“$firstname, I trust they know the rules.”
She looks to $Maria.
“Yeah, they know and I trust them, Ruth. There’s nothing to worry about,” you try to reassure her.
“You know I’ll have to talk to your boss if anything goes wrong, right?”
You take a deep breath. You know Ruth is just covering her operation. The threat isn’t anything personal. And it lets you know she won’t talk to your boss if you and $Maria behave, which is definitely a good thing. That’s what you tell yourself, at least.
“I’m aware, Ruth,” you confirm.
“Good. Have a nice night.”
<div class="choice">[[She releases your wrist and you don’t wait to climb up to your room with $Maria.->The hotel room]]</div>
Maria is careful to look away, as if admiring the stark room. (display: "Bed chosen")
“I already have my pillow,” Maria whispers back.
They still lean down, their mouth softly brushing yours at first, before teeth scrape your skin lightly, teasing, nibbling your lower lip. They slip their tongue between your parted lips and kiss you deeply, slowly. Your hands climb up their thighs to find their hips and your mouth moves languidly against theirs. (if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[They hum, the sound vibrating against your tongue, and they arch their back, their hips rolling against yours, dragging a tell-tale shiver along your spine.]
It doesn’t last, however. They suddenly pull back.
“Do you think it’s… inappropriate? After we learned about Roy…”
Hearing his name feels like being doused with ice water.
“I don’t know,” you croak.
“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have…” They mumble as they move away from you.
You sit up beside them.
“No… It’s alright…”
“He wasn’t a very good person, was he?” $Maria says softly.
The question makes you feel… empty. Distant. You’re not really the right person to judge, are you? Maybe you are.
“He… never really stopped bullying me,” you admit in a voice that sounds more broken than you’d like. “Not physically anymore, mind you. But he kept me in this… dark pit. If I ever came out to taste the light, he would just… push my head right back in it.”
$Marias frown betrays deep concern.
“… $firstname?”
You swallow thickly.
“Maybe you were right, maybe I shouldn’t have followed him.”
You glance at them. They are pressing a hand to their mouth.
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” they choke. “I should have done something, acted…”
Their words trail, the sentence staying unfinished.
“Sooner?” You ask. “$Maria… We need to talk…”
(display: "To the point")
“Right, sorry,” $Maria mumbles, pulling back. “It’s not really the best moment for… Anyway.”
You watch them move away from you, their face a shade darker. You sit up beside them, your hand brushing their back comfortingly.
“It’s alright…”
They look back at you with a faint smile.
“Roy wasn’t a very good person, was he?” They say softly.
The question makes you feel… empty. Distant. You’re not really the right person to judge, are you? Maybe you are.
“He… never really stopped bullying me,” you admit in a voice that sounds more broken than you’d like. “Not physically anymore, mind you. But he kept me in this… dark pit. If I ever came out to taste the light, he would just… push my head right back in it.”
$Marias frown betrays deep concern.
“… $firstname?”
You swallow thickly.
“Maybe you were right, maybe I shouldn’t have followed him.”
You glance at them. They are pressing a hand to their mouth.
“I’m… I’m so sorry,” they choke. “I should have done something, acted…”
Their words trail, the sentence staying unfinished.
“Sooner?” You ask. “$Maria… We need to talk…”
(display: "To the point")<div class="cw"><span class="cwtitle">''Welcome to the bonus page!''</span>
Here you'll find bonus scenes to play whenever you want. You can return to where you left off in the main story by clicking the <span class="cwtitle2">//''return to story''//</span> link.
As long as you don't restart the main story without saving, your progress on those short stories will also be saved.
<span class="cwtitle">GOODBYE</span> — [[Start->Goodbye]](if: (history:) contains "Goodbye")[ — (link-goto: "Load", $GBlastpassage)]
<span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>{(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
(set: $GBromance to 0)
(set: $readGB to 0)}
You sit on a bench in Eastbank park. It’s not any bench, it’s the one Maria favors at this season. When the sky is clear — like it is today — and they come here after their classes, they settle on this bench which is bathed in the low afternoon sunlight. It’s warm and soft, in a way that only happens during fall. You know this for having spent many an afternoon studying here alongside your friend. You haven’t been able to do it for a week now and the thought that you may be sitting on this bench for the last time nestles in the back of your mind, making you swallow bitter spit.
The wait is uncomfortable. Your hair is styled differently and it still startles you every time you run your fingers through it. You wear new clothes, adult clothes, stiff and restrictive, ones that make you look like you have your shit together. You wonder who you’re fooling. You don’t look like a student anymore, which is all that matters.
//Will Maria will even recognize you?// You ask yourself as you change position again. //If someone will, that’s them//, you think.
The longer you wait, the more your anxiety rises and you find your knee jumping up and down of its own accord. You stretch your legs in front of you and lean back in an effort to relax your body. The wooden slats of the bench dig into your back and you don’t find that comfortable either.
You close your eyes and imagine you’re back to only a few days ago, hanging out with your friend, enjoying the sun. It felt warm on your skin like it does now. If you focus on the sensation, you can ignore the reason why you’re here and pretend that you have little to worry about besides completing that damn essay in time.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You would sometimes lay down on the bench, your head on Maria’s lap while you both read your textbooks.")[
(set: $GBromance to 1)
(go-to: "GB-Not how friends act")
] Some of your classmates often tell you that’s not how friends act.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You would sit side by side, quietly studying, no word needed to enjoy each other’s company.->GB-Their company was enough]] Maria being by your side was enough to bring you comfort.</div>}
<div class="cw"><span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
You would argue back that’s how //you// act with //your// friend. The fact that you sometimes stared at Maria’s lips and felt the urge to kiss them was irrelevant. //That// part you didn’t share with anyone though. You were content to enjoy what you had with Maria, admiring them from below, feeling their fingers brushing your forehead and gently digging into your hair. You loved the way the sun was lighting their face, dusting their nose with little freckles. The way their soft lips would part when they were absorbed in their reading…
You open your eyes and shift on the bench again, suddenly hit by the realization you won’t be able to enjoy any of those things anymore. And that you won’t have the chance to enjoy any of the things you’ve been daydreaming about for a while now.
The knot in your throat is threatening to choke you. You swallow again.
(display: "GB-You spot Maria")(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
You never really bothered to try and make other friends. Maria was enough. You could always rely on them to help you with your studies, with your more personal problems as well as your financial ones. They were always a compassionate ear you could confide your deepest fears to. They knew everything anyone could possibly know about you and you about them.
Everything felt just natural and easy with them.
It was probably foolish and unhealthy to rely solely on them for your well-being, you now realize as you open your eyes. Now that you won’t be able to do that, who’s going to pick you up when you inevitably fall? Roy?
You scoff just at the thought. Your heart is heavy in your chest. You really should make new friends. But do you even want to? None of them would be Maria, none of them could be what they are for you. And you’re about to lose that.
Bitterness seizes you by the throat and you swallow again.
(display: "GB-You spot Maria")
You spot Maria before they see you. They are climbing up the sloped clearing, from the canal up to the tree line, where the bench is located. You can tell their footsteps are heavy and tired as they serpentine upwards, avoiding the people settled in the grass. It’s warm enough that they are carrying their jacket on one arm, the other resting on top of the book bag that hangs from their shoulder.
When they finally look up and realize their favorite bench is occupied, they freeze. You sit up, right on the edge of the bench, tense. Maria hesitates. They start looking around, probably for another bench to sit on.
They didn’t recognize you.
But when you think they’re going to go sit somewhere else, their gaze comes back to you. It lingers for a while. They’re too far to make out their expression and it makes you even more anxious.
Then they start walking, faster now, almost running uphill. They recognized you now, you’re sure of it. You fear their reaction might be an angry one. Unable to sit still anymore, you stand up, twisting your hands together.
You don’t have time to prepare for what’s to come. All you see as Maria runs up to you is how shiny their eyes are. They call out your name, making you wince — you wish they didn’t say it so loud —, drop their bag on the floor and pull you into a tight hug.
{<div class="choice">[[You lock up, unable to move.->GB-You lock up]] You wish you could hug them back, but you can’t, knowing what you have to tell them.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You hug them back desperately.->GB-You hug them back]] It may be the last time you get to do it.</div>}
<div class="cw"><span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
You’re not going to make things better for them and you almost feel sick at the idea. You let them squeeze you, bury their face in your shoulder, and let out a single sob. When they notice your lack of reaction, they break away. Relief quickly makes way for anger and they frown deeply at you.
(display: "GB-Maria is angry")(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
They tighten their grip around you and you hear them sob. You squeeze back, holding onto them like dear life. {(if: $GBromance is 1)[
You inhale deeply, taking in the sweet scent of their hair and the warmth of their skin against your cheek. You make the hug last as long as you can, caressing their back slowly. Maria doesn’t seem eager to break away either, their fingers digging into your clothes and their face buried in your neck, their breath hot on your throat.
]
(else:)[
You rub their back soothingly giving them all the comfort you can before you have to rip it away.
]}
You think you could stay like this for hours, but you know you shouldn’t. You tear yourself away from them, however painful it is. Relief quickly makes way for anger on Maria’s face and they frown deeply at you.
(display: "GB-Maria is angry")
“Where have you been?! I’ve been worried sick!”
That’s fair. You’ve disappeared for a week without warning after all. You’ve considered keeping it that way. Silently fading away from their life. But the guilt was plaguing your mind during the day and kept torturing you at night with nightmares. You suspect you won’t feel much better after talking to them, but that’s the least you can do. They deserve to know.
“I’ve talked to all your teachers, they said you didn’t show up to any class. I went to the café and you’ve not been to work either. And then the police came to ask about you?”
They start pacing as they speak at high velocity, looking bedraggled, digging their fingers into their hair. The bit about the police doesn’t surprise you, but it still makes your hair stand on end. You grab Maria by the shoulders, making them stop and look at you.
“I know,” you tell them. “And I’m sorry. Just… Give me a moment and I’ll explain.”
Your friend takes a deep, calming breath and nods.
“Okay.”
You close your eyes and collect your racing thoughts. Where do you even start?
“Do you remember that annoying guy that kept coming to the café to bother me?”
Maria nods again, grimacing in disgust. That about sums it up.
“Well, last week, when I came out of work, he was waiting for me, with some friends of his.”
Maria’s eyes turn wide with concern and fear.
“They didn’t… Did they…?” They ask in a shaky voice.
<div class="choice">[[“Yeah,” you confirm. “They… They attacked me.”->GB-They attacked me]]</div>
<div class="cw"><span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
“Oh my god, are you okay?!” Maria is quick to respond, one hand covering their mouth, the other reaching out to you.
You release their shoulder to take their hand, lowering it to appease them.
“Yeah, I… I’m fine. I mean, I didn’t get hurt. But there were too many of them and… I didn’t have a choice. I had to defend myself.”
Maria nods as they frown. You don’t think they quite get it. (if: $GBromance is 1)[Their fingers entangle with yours, squeezing your hand reassuringly. Another one of those gestures that may not be just friendly.]
“I had to use my… magic, Maria.”
You whisper the word, glancing around to make sure no one heard you. Your friend’s eyes widen again and they gape at you, their hand dropping from their mouth. Everything clicks in their head. Your disappearance, the police at your doorstep… But you keep explaining.
“I was terrified and blasted them with everything I’ve got. It pushed them away, cut them. One of them was bleeding… a lot.”
“Did they…?”
“I don’t know!” You exclaim and you step away from them.
{(if: $GBromance is 1)[You tear your hand out of theirs and it’s](else:)[It’s]} your turn to pace.
“The other ones started to panic and ran away. I knew they would go to the police. Eventually, once they realize I risk more than they do. I ran away too… And I couldn’t go back home, I couldn’t risk the police to catch me, you know?”
Maria nods once again, a sympathetic frown on their brow.
“What did you do then?” They ask slowly.
You know they’re not going to like what you’re going to say so you inhale deeply.
“I went to see Roy.”
“What?!”
You can see them tense up, their hands balling into fists.
“I had nowhere else to go, Maria!” You defend yourself. “He said he had a job for me if I ever needed one, so I took his offer.”
“You have to know this is a terrible idea. Any job Roy can give you will only put you at more risk of being caught by the police. He’s a criminal, $firstname.”
You scoff.
“Don’t you think I know that?! I don’t have any other option! Besides, Roy’s contacts can help me disappear when the need arises, they do it all the time and I need that kind of expertise right now.”
Maria sighs. They step forward, raising placating hands.
“$firstname… You don’t have to turn to them for help. I’m here for you, I’ll do everything I can to get you out of this. We’re pretty smart, aren’t we?”
They smile feebly at you.
“We can figure something out…”
You step back, out of their reach.
“You don’t get it, Maria. The police already came to you… It’s already more than should have happened.”
You take another deep breath, looking to the side, at the bench, to avoid your friend’s soft gaze. It doesn’t help much. You’re reminded of all the memories you made with them, all the moments you’re putting an end to.
<div class="choice">[[“I don’t want to bring you down with me.”->GB-I don't want to bring you down with me]]</div>
<div class="cw"><span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
Maria’s hands fall to their side and they stare at you in a way that makes your heart ache.
“What are you saying?”
You knew this would be hard, yet you don’t think you realized how hard until now. You stay quiet for too long. You don’t want to say it but Maria is waiting. Waiting to have their soul crushed like yours is.
You swallow hard and you finally reply: “I’m saying this is goodbye, Maria. I’m sorry.”
They don’t answer right away so you glance up at them. They have brought their hands to their mouth and their eyes are full of tears. You can’t bear the sight so you look away again.
“No, no, no, no. You can’t do that, you can’t…”
They choke.
“Please, don’t do that, please…”
“I’m sorry,” you repeat because there’s nothing else you can say.
Your friend starts sobbing in their hands and it’s more than you can handle. So you turn away and you start walking. You feel like a piece of shit, leaving them like this, but you have to go and there won’t be a right time for it, no perfect moment that will make it all better. It’ll hurt no matter what.
They don’t run after you, they don’t stop you and you feel a sharp pain in your throat. Part of you was hoping they would, but they’re smart enough to know it’s not going to change anything. They’ll respect your decision.
You keep walking on the white gravel of the wide path that winds between the trees, although it feels like wading through shallow waters, your legs meeting an unseen resistance with every step. Eventually, it becomes too hard and you have to stop.
You could just turn around. Run back to Maria and apologize. Find a solution together as they suggested.
You shift on your feet, turning your head tentatively to look over your shoulder.
<div class="choice">Maria is gone. [[There’s no one near the sunlit bench.->GB-End]]</div>
<div class="cw"><span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>{(set: $GBlastpassage to (passage:)'s name)
(set: $readGB to 1)}
<div class="cw">Thank you for reading!
<span class="cwlink">(link-goto: "RETURN TO STORY", $lastpassage)</span></div>
You take your time getting dressed and preparing for the evening before checking your appearance in the reflection of your living room’s windows. It’s not ideal, but you don’t have a full-length mirror.
You put on your coat and, before heading out, you glance at the closed door that leads to Roy’s bedroom. The quiet has been strange, sure, but… You can’t deny you’re getting used to it. It’s nice to come home without fearing the heavy footsteps of your partner, without tensing up as soon as the door clicks open.
You shake your head and exit the apartment. You don’t want to think about that, right now.
It’s almost eight when you arrive at Jubilee square and party-goers are out in force. A number of couples and gatherings of young people are racing around, shivering in the heavy coats covering their much lighter evening wear. They hurry to their club or restaurant of choice, seeking the warmth of a crowded establishment and leaving behind them the dark cobblestones of the square, gleaming in the night lights.
You wait near the tram station, glancing up at the imposing, baroque façade of the Hennessy opera house. It shines a hundred times brighter than all the cafés and restaurants that line Jubilee square. The brilliant electric lights project deep shadows on the building, accentuating its intricate reliefs.
You see particularly richly dressed people exiting limousines and entering the opera house. You ignore them and look back to the tram station. This isn’t your scene. It could never be.
You wait about another ten minutes with no sign of $Maria and you start getting cold. As well as worried. What if they decided against coming after all? You start pacing, both to warm you up and to still your nerves. It’s not their style to stand people up without warning, but they could have decided it’s too dangerous to go on a date with a criminal in an illegal magic den. They’d likely be right too. Or maybe they don’t like you //that// way. Maybe they think it’s weird going out with you after so long. You never asked them out //before//. Why now?
“$firstname?” A soft voice calls from right beside you.
“Fuck!” You startle, placing a hand over your heart. “You scared me…”
You turn to look at Maria as you speak and you just stop.
“Sorry, I’m late,” they apologize sheepishly, a condensation cloud escaping their lips, painted a dark burgundy. “My waves were a mess, I had to fix them a little…”
Mechanically, you glance up at their neat and shiny curls under a silk headscarf. They look perfect to you, as well as everything about them. Saying that Maria cleans up nicely would be quite an understatement.
{<div class="choice">You smile at them. (link: "“I’d say it paid off. You look stunning.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "You look stunning")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You stay speechless.->Speechless]]</div>}
“Oh!”
You can’t quite tell in the dark, but you think their face is flushing. Their skin has a subtle sheen to it.
“Thank you,” they answer, avoiding your gaze as you grin at them. “You don’t look bad yourself…”
Your smile widens.
“I mean you look great!” Maria hurries to correct their statement. “Sorry, that’s… not a very good compliment.”
You chuckle, charmed by their floundering.
“It’s alright, I’ll take you struggling to find the right words as the real compliment.”
“That’s for the best,” they sigh. “I’m really not good at… //this//.”
“Really?’ You question, offering your arm to them.
They take it, a little awkwardly, but happy to seek your warmth, and you both start leaving Jubilee square and heading down St Basil avenue.
(display: "Heading for the den")
Maria shuffles awkwardly under your silent gaze.
“Hum… You look really good,” they mumble, struggling to make eye contact.
You clear your throat and respond: “You too.”
You stop staring at them, realizing it might make them more uncomfortable than they already are. They silently offer you their arm and you both leave Jubilee square to head down St Basil avenue.
“I’m sorry,” Maria says softly. “I’m not very good at… //all this//.”
“Really?” You question as you guide them in Ruby Riviera’s den direction.
(display: "Heading for the den")You stride on the extravagantly wide sidewalk, passing by rows of plane trees and elegant, bright boutiques. Most of them are closed at this time, but a lot of them keep their window displays lit up for a few hours still, making sure the evening crowd can admire their expensive goods and come back at a later date. Neither you nor Maria takes any interest in them.
“I don’t… date much,” your companion admits. “It always feels like there’s never enough time for it or… I guess I’ve not met anyone making me want to take the time.”
“Don’t you meet a lot of people in your job?”
“I do but… Well, a lot of those people are married couples to begin with, ones who already have a lot of issues to work on,” they say, rolling their eyes. “And the others… I don’t know, it’s hard to make new friends.”
“Yeah…”
Although you don’t say it, you’ve been feeling much the same. You always blamed your circumstances. You do a dangerous job and people don’t get attached easily in your specific social circle. But if Maria has been feeling that way too, maybe there’s more to it than that.
As you talk, you turn right into a smaller street, not as lively as St Basil avenue, but just as expensive-looking. Sleek black cars stop in front of gilded hotel gates to pick up luxuriously dressed people, some drop them in front of subdued but elegant restaurant entrances. When you pass them by, you receive curious and somewhat disdainful looks. Despite you and Maria putting all the effort you could into looking your best, these people somehow can tell the difference. Maybe it’s because you’re walking instead of being driven around by a uniformed chauffeur.
You pick your conversation back up once you’ve cleared most of the haughty rich folks on the street.
“So you were saying you have a difficult time making friends?” You ask Maria. “I find that hard to believe. You’re the most friendly person I know.”
“Well… I am on friendly terms with many people, but…”
<div class="choice">[[“But?”->Hard to make friends]]</div>
They look at you for a moment, brow furrowed. You see some pain in their eyes.
“I never could make a connection with anyone quite the same way I did with you,” they murmur reluctantly. “Part of me knows it’s just how life is, no friendship looks the same. I should have made my peace with that. But…”
“You didn’t?”
They shake their head no, looking down at the pavement.
“And now you’re here again,” they add, glancing up at you. “So I guess it’s not going to happen any time soon.”
You can’t tell if it’s something they’re fine with or something they resent. You swallow painfully, the doubt making you uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry,” you utter quietly after a heavy pause.
“Don’t be,” Maria says gently, resting a comforting hand on your bicep. “That’s not on you.”
You chuckle cheerlessly.
“So that’s it? I’m forgiven for abandoning you and never contacting you again?”
“Well, you did end up contacting me,” Maria points out, their eyes searching your face with concern. “And… yes, I suppose you are forgiven. It did hurt, but I always knew you had your reasons.”
“Maria…”
That’s all you can respond, emotion strangling your voice. They squeeze your arm and you continue walking until you reach a towering hotel at the corner of the street.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“Would it make you feel better if I told you I couldn’t get over it either?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Couldn't get over it")
] You say softly.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You keep striding forward in silence.->We're here]]</div>}
Maria looks at you and their frown is full of solicitude.
“No, it wouldn’t make me feel better knowing you’ve been as lonely as I’ve been for all these years,” they respond with unflinching sincerity. “Not when you faced hardships I’ll never know. You shouldn’t have been alone for that.”
“I wasn’t alone,” you point out.
They scoff, their hackles rising. You can feel it by the way their arm tenses against yours.
“Did Roy really make things better for you?” They ask in a way that suggests they already know the answer.
You shrug stiffly.
“I survived.”
$Maria glances at you, before looking away abashedly.
“I’m sorry,” they murmur. “At least that’s one good thing he did. I’m glad you did survive.”
You don’t respond. Roy’s absence has given you time and space to think. And none of it benefited your opinion of him. Did he really save you when you were in the direst of needs? Or did he and Flint take advantage of your lowest moment?
It’s better not to think too hard about it, right now. Besides dancing with you, you do want $Maria to help you out, and confirming their poor idea of Roy won’t convince them.
(display: "We're here")
You turn around the corner and walk past the hotel’s side entrance.
“We’re here,” you whisper, glancing over your shoulder to make sure there’s no one behind you.
“Oh!” Maria mumbles, looking around them as you guide them down a set of stairs that lead to a cellar door. “I’ll give Ruby Riviera that, it looks much nicer than Flint’s place.”
You grin at them while searching your pockets.
“Wait until you see the inside.”
You pull a red card out of your coat and approach the door. There’s the faint outline of an indent right at the center and you slot the card there, face against the door. Intricate golden glyphs blink brightly and you hear the successive clicks of three locks being pulled open. You turn the handle and you and Maria step inside a dark corridor. You walk silently on a plush carpet and the door snaps close behind you and your companion, leaving you in a moody dimness. Two sconces on the upholstered walls start shining brighter, revealing the burly bouncer at the end of the hallway. You’re not alone in the corridor. A couple precedes you and as the bouncer opens the den’s door for them, the muffled jazz music and the bright artificial light rush through the door, making the trepidation you felt earlier surge back.
The door is closed again and you approach the bouncer who smiles at you. His expression changes quickly to a smug one when he notices Maria’s presence.
“Hey, $firstname,” he greets you casually. “I see you’ve got a date…”
“Mind your business, Walt,” you warn him.
“I’m just saying, there’s going to be a lot of hearts breaking once you step in with that lovely person on your arm,” he says with an affected sigh.
You roll your eyes but still grin at him.
“Stop joking around,” you scold him. “Don’t you have a password to ask?”
“Nah, you’ve been here often enough,” Walt dismisses the thought with a wave of his hand. “Just come in.”
He opens the door for you and you catch him giving you a once-over as you pass him by.
<div class="choice">[[Both you and $Maria step into the light and music-filled den.->Into the light]]</div>
You enter a vast circular room, blinded by the electric light that bounces off the massive crystal chandelier hanging from the arched and painted ceiling, right ahead of you. The decor rendered above you depicts an orgy of mythical beings, poised in suggestive ways and enjoying a variety of earthly pleasures.
“Oh,” you hear Maria say beside you and you glance at them.
Their face turns a little darker as they avert their gaze away from the fresco. You smirk.
“Ruby likes to set the mood.”
“I see,” they reply before clearing their throat.
At the center of the room, there’s a large pit, encircled by a walkway protected with a carved stone railing. Down in the pit are the bar, tables, and the dancefloor. All along the walkway, semicircular booths can be found, framed by heavy red drapes which can be pulled close to give the booth’s occupants privacy. At the other end of the den, there’s a larger booth occupied by the band. They are currently playing an exhilarating tune that has the whole room nearly shaking.
The place is crowded, a sea of bodies rippling to the sound of the music, which resonates all the way to your bones.
You notice $Maria’s attention quickly drifting toward the band. They stare, their mouth hanging slightly open and their body frozen, entranced.
“$Maria?” You call them softly.
They blink and look at you. For the first time, you notice that their eyeshadow shimmers silver in the light.
“Sorry, I… You were right… This is nothing like the records…”
“You’ve never been to a den?”
They shake their head and frown.
“Are you sure they’re not casting any spell on us? It almost feels like they are…”
You chuckle.
“No, it always feels like that.”
They return to their fascinated observation of the band.
“I’m starting to get the appeal.”
And they’re not the only one. Not all of Ruby’s numerous patrons, their bodies convulsing as if possessed, are here to deal in magic. A lot of them are simply here for the music and you suspect that the foundation of the criminal magic underground resides here, in the young crowd desperate for entertainment away from their drab everyday life, spending their allowances on expensive drinks as they dance the night away.
The government really did them a service by banning live music along with all forms of magic.
A staff member shows up by Maria’s side to take your coats. You watch as the heavy fabric slides down $Maria’s shoulders, revealing the deep blue silk dress that’s draped around their lithe body, tied by a knot that directs your attention to their narrow hips. The hem is asymmetrical, longer in the back and shorter in the front.
They turn back to you and you notice the V-shaped neckline of the gown lets you glimpse at their dark navy, lace-trimmed camisole.
<div class="choice">[[You are caught staring by the staff member who clears their throat as they approach you and you hurry to give them your coat as well.->Through the crowd]]</div>
You’re pretty sure Maria glances at your form the same way you did theirs as soon as you are unburdened by the thick item of clothing, even if they’re more discreet than you are. You can’t stop a knowing smile from forming on your lips.
They take your arm again. It feels different now, without your heavy coats shielding your bodies, more intimate. You both climb down the stairs to the pit and navigate around tightly arranged tables to find an unoccupied one. It’s a challenge in itself and it doesn’t help that Maria seems intent on finding one as near to the dancefloor as possible, attracted to the music like a magnet. You have to wonder if the band isn’t casting a spell indeed.
As you make your way through the crowd, your companion pulling on your arm insistently, you bump into a familiar figure, one you would have rather avoided tonight.
Ruby Riviera stops, a tall cup of sparkling wine in one hand, a cigarette holder in the other, and she raises an intrigued eyebrow at you, raking your body with a suggestive glance before giving Maria the same treatment.
“Good evening, gorgeous,” she greets you, a slow smile forming on her deep red lips. “You are exceptionally dashing tonight. So is your lovely date.”
She flashes glinting teeth at Maria who seems wary of her. As they should be.
“You look so delicious, one could eat you.”
You refrain from wincing. You always wondered if she’s literal when she says things like that. You know Ruby is older than the impeccable smoothness of her warm tan skin let people believe. How she sustains her unnatural youth, you have no idea.
“Good evening, Ruby,” you respond reluctantly.
It’s better to be polite with a powerful den owner like her, even though you’d rather spare $Maria the interaction.
“I take it you’re not here for business,” Ruby says, a question underlying her words as the hand that holds her cigarette moves up to adjust {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress")[your dress’ strap](else:)[your bowtie]}.
Maria’s nose wrinkle in distaste at the familiarity of the gesture.
“No, just looking to have a good time.”
Ruby’s brown eyes light up knowingly and she smirks at you.
“Don’t let me stop you then, although…”
She looks between you and your friend while nibbling on the mouthpiece of her cigarette holder.
“I could make your good time a better one, you’d only have to ask…”
“We’ll pass, thank you,” you hurry to respond when Maria gapes at her, outraged.
The mage chuckles and you ask yourself how much of her advances were sincere and how much were only meant to fluster your companion.
“Suit yourself. You know where to find me if you change your mind.”
As a matter of fact, you’re not so sure. You know better than to ever respond to any of Ruby’s overtures. You have no idea where she goes when she catches a new prey for the night.
Ruby Riviera blows a kiss in your and Maria’s general direction and walks away, her hips swaying in a way that makes the black sequins of her dress shimmer.
Once she’s gone, $Maria leans into you and whispers: “Ruby? As in… Ruby Riviera?”
You hum and nod.
“It looks like she likes you… I didn’t realize you were that… familiar with each other.”
You turn your head to look at them and you find them watching you expectantly. As well as a lot closer than they may have intended if you believe the dark flush rising to their face.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You grin and lean even closer to whisper into their ear: [[“Why? Are you jealous?”->Are you jealous?]]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You address a reassuring smile to them. Their concern is understandable, even if unnecessary.<br />
[[“We’ve done business a couple of times, but that’s just how she is with everyone.”->Just how she is]]</div>}
You watch, delighted, as goosebumps quickly appear on the skin of their chest.
“No, of course not!” Maria protests as they step back. “I…”
They groan, covering their face with their hand in embarrassment.
“What I mean is… Should I be?”
They drop their hands and give you a serious look. Or as serious as they can while their face still has that sheen to it. Your smile turns softer. They just need to be reassured.
“Of course not. She flirts like that with about everyone.”
(display: "Just how she is")
Maria breathes with evident relief and they smile at you. A little brighter than they have so far this evening, their soft lips revealing their teeth. The two front ones are a little longer and you know Maria has always been a bit self-conscious about it. You like it when they do show them.
“Alright.”
Then they pull on your arm again and you go back on your quest to find a free table.
You eventually spot one that satisfies your companion, offering a view of both the band’s booth and the dance floor. You sit on bright red velvet-lined chairs, side by side.
A server soon finds their way to you to take your order. You and Maria both order alcohol-free drinks. You want to have your heads clear, but it also happens to be the cheaper option. Your companion goes for lemonade and you ask for (cycling-link: bind $drinkchoice, "the same", "orange juice", "a soda", "fruit punch").
Once the server is gone, you lean on the round, lustered wooden table.
“So… Dancing first or talking first?” You ask Maria.
They groan.
“Of course, this isn’t just about dancing.”
You smile apologetically at them.
“I mean… It can be just about dancing if that’s what you want. I just… really need your help, $Maria, and I would appreciate it if you’d hear me out. But if you want me to stop right here and just enjoy the evening, we can do that and leave it at that.”
Maria closes their eyes and sighs deeply, leaning back in their chair.
“Alright. Let’s get this over with.”
You perk up and your smile brightens. It quickly dims when your friend throws a glare your way.
“So. Why do you want me to find Roy that badly?” They ask you sternly, crossing their arms in front of them.
You sigh.
“It’s not just about rent,” you admit. “Something happened four days ago, just before Roy disappeared and there’s too much I don’t know. Flint is pissed and is breathing down my neck. I fear that if I don’t figure this out, he’ll pick me as his scapegoat.”
Maria immediately drops their defensive posture and frowns with concern.
“That does sound bad…”
“Yeah, it’s pretty bad. No one is really on my side in all this. Believe me, I wouldn’t drag you into this without a good reason.”
You look at them, waiting for their reaction. They glance away for just a moment, biting down on their lip. When they look back at you, they seem resigned.
“Alright, I’ll help you…”
You smile at them.
“Thank you, $Maria, you don’t know how much it means to me.”
{(if: $Maria is "Reyes")[
They sigh again.<br /><br />
“You can stop calling me Reyes, it’s just ridiculous.”<br /><br />
You chuckle.<br /><br />
“Alright, Maria.”<br /><br />
They look a little flustered when you say their name.
]} They smile tentatively at you and their hand reaches out for yours on the table. They rest it on top of yours, their thumb brushing your knuckles.
{<div class="choice">[[You smile back at them.->Smile back]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You entwine your fingers with theirs.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Hold hands")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You turn your hand around to hold theirs and bring it to your lips.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 2)
(go-to: "Kiss their hand")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}{(unless: $drinkchoice is "the same" or "a soda")[(set: $drink to $drinkchoice)]
(else:)[
{(if: $drinkchoice is "the same")[(set: $drink to "lemonade")]
(else:)[(set: $drink to "soda")]}
]
(set: $Maria to "Maria")
(set: $Marias to "Maria’s")}
Their hand doesn’t stay long. They quickly retract it, awkwardly brushing the base of their neck with it, their gaze darting to the side.
(display: "Your intentions"){(unless: $drinkchoice is "the same" or "a soda")[(set: $drink to $drinkchoice)]
(else:)[
{(if: $drinkchoice is "the same")[(set: $drink to "lemonade")]
(else:)[(set: $drink to "soda")]}
]
(set: $Maria to "Maria")
(set: $Marias to "Maria’s")}
The tender gesture has them nearly melting, you can see it in the way their shoulders relax and their jasper eyes look at you with so much warmth. But it doesn’t get long before they can’t sustain eye contact anymore. They look to the side, embarrassed, and retract their hand.
(display: "Your intentions"){(unless: $drinkchoice is "the same" or "a soda")[(set: $drink to $drinkchoice)]
(else:)[
{(if: $drinkchoice is "the same")[(set: $drink to "lemonade")]
(else:)[(set: $drink to "soda")]}
]
(set: $Maria to "Maria")
(set: $Marias to "Maria’s")}
You kiss their fingers softly and you think they might combust. Their face turns visibly darker and they writhe on their chair. You smile against their skin and kiss them again before mercifully releasing their hand. They retract it, holding it close to their chest.
Maria hesitates then brings the fingers you kissed to their own lips. Your smile widens and you raise an eyebrow at them. They can’t sustain your teasing gaze for long, of course, and they look awkwardly to the side.
(display: "Your intentions"){(if: $affection < 4)[
When they look back at you they seem hesitant.<br /><br />
“What’s wrong?” You ask them.<br />
“I’m not sure what //this// is exactly… It’s a date, right?”<br /><br />
You frown. You thought it was obvious.<br /><br />
“Yeah?”<br />
“Okay…”<br /><br />
Your frown deepens at their unconvinced response.<br /><br />
“Maria, what’s going on, did I do something wrong?”<br />
“No, no… I guess that’s not really the question I wanted to ask.”<br />
“So what is it?”<br /><br />
They take a deep breath.<br /><br />
“Is this a one-time thing, just for fun? Or are you really considering… us being together?”
]
(else:)[
When they look back at you they smile apologetically.<br /><br />
“Sorry, I’m a little nervous…”<br /><br />
You frown slightly, concerned.<br /><br />
“Why are you nervous? Did I make you uncomfortable?”<br /><br />
Maria raises an appeasing hand.<br /><br />
“Oh, no no, of course not. I just… don’t want to screw things up, you know? I would really like it if we could make this work… Us being together, I mean. Don’t you?”<br /><br />
They look at you expectantly and you realize they’re asking a real question. They aren’t sure about your intentions and you think they are prodding for a clarification.
]}
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Maria,” you start softly. “I wouldn’t have asked you out if I didn’t want to be with you.”")[
(set: $romance to 3)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I want to be with you")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I don’t know, Maria,” you answer hesitantly. “I just wanted you and me to relax and have fun tonight…”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "I don't know")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“To be entirely honest, I just wanted to have a good time with you tonight,” you admit. “I’d rather we stayed friends.”")[
(set: $friendship to 3)
(go-to: "Stay friends")
]</div>}
They smile brightly at you and take a deep relieved breath that fills their whole chest.
“I’m so glad,” they say quietly. “After all these years it doesn’t seem real… But it is, isn’t it? You’re really back and this… this is really happening.”
“Just you wait,” you reply with a devious smile. “When we start dancing and I walk all over your feet, it’s going to seem real alright.”
Maria purses their lips and punches you in the arm without force. You can tell they are suppressing a smile, however.
(display: "Your drinks arrive")
They frown.
“So it’s just a one-time thing?”
“I didn’t plan that far ahead,” you admit.
You like Maria, sure, but your life is so uncertain at the moment, you honestly don’t believe anything between you two can last, whether you want it or not. That doesn’t seem to satisfy your friend, however.
They sigh.
“$firstname… It’s been so many years… And you suddenly pop up and ask me out. I’m a little off-balance here and I need to know what I’m getting into.”
You purse your lips.
“I can’t tell you what to expect, Maria. I could get killed tomorrow, for all I know. I can’t inflict that on you, I can’t make any promises.”
Their frown deepens.
“I think I should have a say in this. And I’m not asking you to make promises. I just need to know what you //want//.”
They look at you, waiting, and you stare back.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“I want //you//. I want to be with you,” you finally admit, your voice cracked. “I’ve been wanting that for a long time. But I don’t know if we //can// have that.”")[
(set: $romance to 3)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I want to be with you (2)")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m sorry, Maria… I think it’s better if we stay friends.”")[
(set: $friendship to 3)
(go-to: "Stay friends")
]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“I don’t know,”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 1)
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "I still don't know")
] you say stubbornly.<br />
But you do know. You want them. You just can’t tell them.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♡</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
“Oh, okay,” Maria responds, visibly disappointed.
But you think there’s a bit of relief in their tone too.
“Maybe it’s for the best,” they add with an uncertain smile.
“I’m sorry Maria, I didn’t mean to lead you on.”
They shake their head.
“You didn’t. I just wanted to make sure. Thank you for being honest.”
You smile at them.
“Of course.”
(display: "Your drinks arrive")
Their hand reaches out to you again to rest on your forearm.
“We can if we both want it. And I want it too,” they say with a soft smile.
“Are you sure?” You ask with a doubtful frown.
You’re pretty certain they don’t know what they’re getting themself into.
“What if I disappoint you? What if I’m not what you remember me as?”
They shrug.
“Same goes for me. I want to try anyway. What if it actually works? Won’t you regret it if we don’t even try?”
You feel like the chances for things to work are pretty low… But maybe they have a point. Or maybe you want them to be right that badly. You smile back at them.
“Ok, let’s try it then.”
Maria’s lips split open again as they flash bright teeth at you.
(display: "Your drinks arrive")
As they watch your obstinate expression, theirs become more closed off as well. They lean back, wrapping their arms around themself.
“I see… Then it’s better if we keep this friendly. I don’t think it’s going to work if I don’t know what you want out of this.”
It’s a reasonable answer. You know it is. The truth is, you shouldn’t even have asked them on a date in the first place. It was a spur-of-the-moment idea and you now regret it. All it did was resurface old feelings that should have stayed buried. Now they’re out in the open, raw and painful.
Now you have to face them and the fact they won’t lead anywhere.
An aching knot builds up in your throat and you swallow. You can’t do this.
“Ok, I…”
You stand up suddenly and you barely notice Maria’s worried expression as they start to move to do the same.
“I’m going to go home,” you say almost mechanically. “We, huh… We can talk more about my problem tomorrow. At your office?”
“$firstname…”
“I’m sorry, I… I can’t stay. See you tomorrow, Maria.”
You turn around and start making your way through the crowd, back to the den’s entrance. This feels reminiscent of the day you said goodbye to them and it makes it that much more painful. You have to walk fast. You don’t want to fall apart in front of them.
The whole trip back to your apartment is uncomfortable. You end up crying in the tram and people keep giving you concerned looks. You just want to be left alone.
When you are back in your bed, you let yourself fully break down, laying under your covers with your unresolved feelings.
<div class="choice">[[Better get it out of your system now, before you have to face Maria again the next day.->The situation]]</div>After a moment, the server comes back with your drinks and you start sipping while you wait for the next tune to start. You discuss pleasant memories with your friend, remembering a simpler time. It almost makes you melancholic. You don’t let the mood linger, however. You joke around, tease Maria. You want to hear them laugh like they used to back when you were in college together. You’re sad to realize it’s harder now. But you keep at it and you eventually succeed.
When their giggle turns into a louder, brighter laugh, you grin victoriously at them.
“You’re the worst,” they mumble as they cover their mouth in an attempt to keep their fit of hilarity quieter.
“I try my best,” you reply with a wide smile.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You find yourself admiring their joyful expression, the way their eyes start to shine and crinkle, the way their face lights up, and the way their smile digs small dimples in their cheeks. Until the music comes to a stop.
]
(else:)[
You watch them struggle to reel in their laughter with delight until the music comes to a stop.
]}
The first notes of the next tune come soon enough and it’s one you’ve been waiting for.
{(if: $romance > 2)[<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[It’s a tango.->Tango]] You want to get close to Maria.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>]
<div class="choice">[[It’s a swing.->Swing]] When you say you want to dance, you want to //dance//.</div>}
You stand up and offer them a hand.
“We came here to dance if I’m not mistaken,” you point out with a lopsided smile.
“We did…”
Maria’s wide smile softens into a bashful one. They take your hand nonetheless and let you pull them out of their chair to guide them to the dancefloor. Once you’ve reached your destination, you take your time to get started, turning to face your companion, your hand still clasped around theirs. You tug on their arm gently, bringing them close, your other hand reaching for their hip before sliding to their waist, then the center of their back, fingers catching on silk and crinkling the fabric slightly. You see them swallow as they lift their arm to embrace your shoulders, placing their head next to yours and your bodies joining, ready to dance in unison.
You start stepping forward, your leg pushing theirs back and you move together to the weighted and languid rhythm played by the band. Both of you stay silent for a while, even though the dance is one that favors conversation. For now, it’s enough to feel their thighs brushing yours, their hips never straying far and their breath warming your ear.
You weave a subtle pattern on the dancefloor, relying on your spatial awareness to avoid the other dancers. You want Maria to feel like it’s just you and them right now, so bumping into another couple wouldn’t do. It’s not easy, with how tempting it is to let yourself drown in Maria’s presence, but you manage to lead them quite smoothly.
What doesn’t help is the way your companion gains confidence the longer you dance. Their waist twists easily under your hand as they pivot sharply on their feet, and they spin in your arms with a grace you could never have. They always were quite limber.
“Show off,” you chuckle into their ear as you resume your initial position and steps.
“That is not showing off,” Maria replies into your own ear, amusement clear in their tone.
Your smile creeps wider and you bring your lips even closer to their ear.
“Oh? What is, then?”
Your leading hand meets a resistance then, Maria’s arm firming up and stopping you in your tracks. They lean away just enough to look you in the eyes and smile at you. Their leg slips in the gap of their wrap dress, hooking onto your hip. They start bending backward and you have to follow the movement, your hand supporting their back. You lean over their arched form a few seconds and you smile, hearing the gasps of the crowd around you. You help them back to their feet and keep the dance moving, although this time you find you don’t have to put as much effort into avoiding the other couples. They steer clear out of your way.
You turn your head slightly, your forehead brushing Maria’s, and they look up at you — but not without giving a lingering glance to your smirking lips, you notice.
“Nice,” you comment. “Is that your only move though?”
“Are you challenging me?” Maria pouts at you, but the light in their jasper irises is telling a different story.
“Maybe,” you admit softly.
Your steps are sharper, now that you are left with room to stretch yourself, turning faster, your pauses more abrupt. Maria easily follows, spinning playfully away from you before you can reel them back in. They step around you before letting you grab their waist, moving forward with their back to your front.
You watch as goosebumps form where you breathe down on their neck.
“You’ll have to do better than that to impress me,” you murmur to tease them.
“The question is not if I can do better, but if you can keep up,” they whisper back.
You put on quite the show together, although more for each other’s benefit than the rest of the crowd. A few couples stop to watch and you can tell Maria would rather they didn’t. That doesn’t stop them from giving in entirely to the dance. There’s a desperation for closeness in the way they come back to you after every spin and in the way their feet chase after yours, one you can’t help but mirror.
After a sharp pull on their arm to bring them back against your chest, you see them wince and you frown.
“Did I hurt you?”
“No, I just have a bit of a sore shoulder,” Maria reassures you with a tight smile.
You try to be more mindful of their shoulder as you keep dancing.
The tune goes on for longer than it should and you wonder if the band noticed what’s going on. When it finally ends, it transitions into a softer song. You are sweating and out of breath and so is Maria. You stay in each other’s arms, gently swaying together, wanting to rest, but not wanting to part.
Your friend’s quiet laugh tickles the skin of your ear.
“I think we’re too old to dance like this.”
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[“I don’t know,” you murmur suggestively. “I find that I’ve become a lot more resilient over the years.”->More resilient]]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You laugh as well. [[“Maybe you’re right… But thank you for dancing with me Maria, that was… very nice.”->Thank you for the dance]]</div>}
You stand up and Maria blinks at you.
“Where are you going?”
“We’re here to dance, aren’t we? Let’s go!”
You grab their hand and pull them along into the fray. They almost have to run to keep up with your pace as you make your way through the crowd of dancers, avoiding flailing arms and legs. You immediately join in, light on your feet, swinging your limbs around to the devilishly fast beat. You can tell Maria is a little shyer about it, so you grab their hands and bring them into your rhythm, making them spin around with you, fooling around to help them loosen up.
Eventually, they start laughing again and once enjoyment prevails over their fear of making a fool of themself, they give in and mirror you, although they perform each joyful step with a grace and a fluidity you could never have. They always were quite limber.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You pull them closer, still clasping their hands, both shimmying your shoulders up to each other, which makes Maria grin with a delight you haven’t seen on their face for years. Then they hold onto your shoulder with one hand and you wrap your arm around their back. You start spinning again, your legs running wild, letting Maria move away before pulling them back to you.<br />
Maybe you went a little too hard on them. You see them wince and you frown.<br /><br />
“Did I hurt you?” You try to ask over the music.<br />
“No, I just have a bit of a sore shoulder,” Maria reassures you with a tight smile.<br /><br />
You make sure to be more mindful after that.
]
(else:)[
You free their hands and let them swing their arms around freely. You dance close to each other but do your own thing. Maria throws their arms to one side then the other, their body swaying to the music while you let your limbs run wild, which makes them laugh. You haven’t seen such joy on their face for years.<br />
They wince after a particularly wide movement of their arms. Maybe they went a little too hard on that one.<br /><br />
“Are you okay?” You try to ask over the music.<br />
“Yeah, I just have a bit of a sore shoulder,” Maria reassures you with a tight smile.
]}
You keep dancing, tune after tune, losing yourself in the music, until you are both sweaty and out of breath. You take occasional breaks but you somehow always end up on the dancefloor again. There’s something addictive to letting loose and allowing your body to do whatever it wants.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
There’s also something addictive to Maria. You can’t seem to get enough of their smile, of their laugh, of the way their hips sway up to yours, of their skin shimmering under the crystal chandelier, and of their ragged breath on your ear when you bring them close to you.<br /><br />
When you finally stop, your limbs too sore to keep going, Maria almost collapses in your arms and you lean into each other to support both your weights. Your companion is breathing hard, but they find the strength to chuckle near your ear.<br /><br />
“Maybe we shouldn’t dance that hard, we aren’t twenty anymore.”<br /><br />
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[“I don’t know,” you murmur suggestively. “I find that I’ve become a lot more resilient over the years.”->More resilient]]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You laugh as well. [[“Maybe you’re right… But thank you for dancing with me Maria, that was… very nice.”->Thank you for the dance]]</div>}
]
(else:)[
Once you are both too sore to continue, you have to bend down and rest your hands on your knees to catch your breath while Maria puts a hand on your shoulder and you hear them pant. They manage to chuckle nonetheless.<br /><br />
“Maybe we shouldn’t dance that hard,” they say between two heavy breaths. “We aren’t twenty anymore.”<br /><br />
You laugh and straighten your back.<br /><br />
“You may be right… But that was fun. I’d do it again.”<br /><br />
You join back your seats at the table, in desperate need of a drink. You gulp down the last of your glass and order a new one. Maybe not the wisest economical decision, but you’re thirsty. Maria does the same and you watch them lean back in their chair with a contented smile. They look relaxed and happier than when you first met them this afternoon.<br /><br />
“Looks like you needed this,” you point out as the server sets new drinks on your table and leaves you to your conversation.<br /><br />
Maria straightens back up and quickly reaches for their new glass of lemonade.<br /><br />
“Well, yeah, that was intense,” they answer, misunderstanding you, as they start drinking.<br />
“I don’t mean the drink, I mean going out and having fun,” you specify, sipping your own $drink.<br />
“Oh!”<br /><br />
They put their glass back down and look pensively at you.<br /><br />
“I suppose I did. I don’t have many occasions to do that… I don’t like going out alone.”<br/><br />
{<div class="choice">(link: "“Well, I’m here now,” you reply with a smile. “If you need me to drag you out again, just say the word.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I'm here now")
]</div>
<div class="choice">You smirk. [[“And it has nothing to do with you working too hard?”->Working too hard]]</div>}
]}
Maria doesn’t answer, but you don’t think your meaning is lost on them. You wait to be chastised for your remark, but instead, you feel a new tension in their body, their grip on you tightening and their body nestling against yours. When their back arches to lean away, it’s to look at you, or more specifically, at your lips.
“Do you think we could go sit in one of those booths upstairs, just for a little while?” They ask you softly before finally raising their gaze to meet yours.
It’s not hard to guess what’s on their mind.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>It’s been on your mind too — all evening. (link: "You take their hand and lead them up the stairs.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss (1)")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You hesitate.->Back to the table]] Flirting is one thing, but you don’t think you’re ready for this.</div>}
Maria leans away from you, just a little, to look at you. Their gaze is very soft as they examine every corner of your face. It stops on your lips for a little longer before finding your eyes again.
“Yeah… It really was.”
They stay quiet for a moment, staring at you, their eyes flicking between yours and your lips. They open their mouth and close it again, biting their lip as they seem to fight an internal battle. It makes you smile.
“Everything alright there, Maria?” You tease them.
“Yeah, I just… I was just thinking that our table is out in the open and… Maybe it’d be nice to move to one of the booths? For a little privacy?”
You think you know where this is going.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>And you’re willing to see it through. (link: "“Sure, we can do that.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "The booth")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You don’t think you’re ready to go any further than a little flirting and dancing for now.->Back to the table]]</div>}
The way Maria smiles back at you is a little more vulnerable. There’s a gleam in their eyes and something very soft in their expression.
“Thank you, I’d really appreciate that. But I don’t want to take up too much of your time either…”
“Maria,” you interrupt them before they start rambling further. “I’m only proposing this because I want to. I had a great time with you tonight. I enjoy spending time with you.”
You almost regret saying this when you see your friend’s lip tremble. You think they might cry.
“I…”
They stop and wipe the underside of their eyes with their bare fingers, in an attempt to not smear their makeup. It’s fruitless; a couple of tears end up rolling down their cheeks anyway.
They chuckle awkwardly.
“Sorry, I’m a mess… But thank you, $firstname. I really enjoyed myself too. I’m looking forward to doing this again… Once I find the time of course.”
You lean over the table and narrow your eyes at them.
“Once you find the time? Sounds to me like you’re working too hard.”
(display: "Working too hard")
Maria looks to the side and shifts on their seat.
“Well… I have to work twice as much as everybody else at the office to pay my bills.”
You frown at them.
“How come?”
But as you ask the question, you think you already know the answer. Maria wiggles uncomfortably again.
“Private investigation’s rates are very expensive,” they start explaining and it only confirms your suspicions some more. “Some people come to the office, people who can’t afford those rates. So nobody takes their cases. I end up taking them for a lower price because… Well when those people come to us, it’s because everything else failed and they are desperate. Somebody has to help.”
You sigh.
“Of course. But who’s going to help you, Maria?”
They smile timidly.
“I don’t need help, I’m okay.”
You hum skeptically in response and they frown at you.
“Hey, you can’t judge me for that. Need I remind you that I’m likely going to help you free of charge?”
You grin sheepishly at them.
“Fair point. I can pay for the drinks tonight?”
“Can you afford it?” They ask you, watching you through narrowed eyes.
You shrug.
“I’ll put it on my tab.”
Maria groans and you flash a charming smile at them.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“But for the record, I’m not judging you,” you add, more seriously. “You know it’s something I admire about you.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Something I admire")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You keep chatting and bantering for a while until the party winds down in the den.->The party winds down]]</div>}
Your friend looks a little stunned and doesn’t answer immediately.
“I didn’t know that, no,” they say after some hesitation.
You shouldn’t be surprised to hear their reply. It’s true that you haven’t always been so forthcoming with your feelings. You thought they were obvious, you thought they didn’t need to be declared out loud, that your presence, a meaningful glance, a helping hand were enough… But then you were not there anymore, were you? Then what was Maria to think?
Maybe some things need to be said.
“I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner. But I really do. Without your compassion, I don’t think I’d even be around today. So thank you. Your friendship has always meant a great deal to me.”
You watch Maria pursing their lips and pushing their fingers under their lower lids (if: (history:) contains "I'm here now")[again], their eyes turning watery.
{(if: (history:) contains "I'm here now")[“Oh fuck, you’re going to make me cry again,”](else:)[“Fuck, you’re going to make me cry,”]} they protest weakly.
You chuckle softly.
“Don’t see anything wrong with that.”
“I’m going to have kohl streaks all over my face!”
You shrug which earns you a glare and an elbow to your ribs. You ask a server for a napkin that you hand out to them to buy their forgiveness. They wipe their face and manage to keep it mostly free of unflattering black smears.
Your conversation turns lighter and you keep chatting and bantering until the party winds down in the den.
(display: "The party winds down")
Most of the crowd is still here, but there are significantly fewer dancers and the band is now playing softer tunes, more favorable to a relaxed atmosphere. You see Maria glancing uncomfortably at various couples, uninhibited by alcohol and maybe a little more tactile than they would be in a public setting otherwise. You see some of them go up to the booths, while others end up heading straight for the hotel’s rooms.
“Maybe it’s time for us to leave?” You suggest gently.
Maria smiles at you.
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.”
You both stand up and ask for your coats back. Before leaving, you go up to the bar and ask to put all the drinks on your tab. You don’t want to make Maria pay, but you don’t have the cash to pay everything right now. The bartender rolls their eyes but ends up nodding anyway. You smile gratefully at them — it always goes down smoother that way — before leaving.
You’re out in the cold night soon enough. It feels sharper than ever after the dense warmth of the den.
“I guess that’s where we part ways?” Maria says hesitantly as they shiver under the thick coat draping their shoulders.
You find yourself reluctant as well, a sad feeling weighing you down. Your friend is still there, but you already feel lonely.
“Yeah…” Is all you say.
“Meet me back at the office tomorrow? We’ll talk about your problem in more detail there.”
You smile weakly at them.
“Thank you for doing this.”
They smile back.
“Of course.”
{(if: $affection > 3)[
(set: $hugged to 1)
You see them pause for a short instant before they pull you into a quick hug.<br /><br />
“It’s been nice spending time with you again,” they murmur.<br /><br />
You squeeze them once in response before parting.
]}
<div class="choice">[[“See you tomorrow, Maria.”->The situation]]</div>
You don’t really need to say anything, you both know what you want. Once you find a free booth, you slip into the alcove and untie the drapes, closing them promptly. You find yourselves in near dark, only a sliver of the bright chandelier glow making it through the curtains. The booth’s only light source is a lantern on the table, the flickering flame making shadows dance across Maria’s features.
You only look at each other for a short moment, breaths short. You don’t know who makes the first move. Do you take their face in your hands before they grab onto your clothes to pull you flush against them, or is it the other way around? Either way, your lips crash into theirs, the soft flesh cushioning the impact. In your eagerness, you push them against the table, making the lantern wobble noisily. You clumsily look for the velvet padding of the bench as you part your lips to meet their tongue, fingers moving to the back of their head and digging in their hair under the silk headscarf.
You almost fall on the bench, rather than sit on it, straddling Maria as you keep kissing them, a small hum rising from the back of your throat as you suckle their lower lip, the tart taste of their lipstick on your tongue. You feel their hands move from your front to caress your sides all the way down to your hips which you roll to bring yourself closer to them.
“$firstname…” They whisper on your lips when you come out for breath.
It sounds sweet, smooth, and rich like melted chocolate and you want to taste it.
“Say it again,” you request in a gentle tone.
As soon as the first letters of your name come out of their mouth you catch them with your lips, the sound turning into a desperate hum. You feel their fingers digging into the fabric of your {(if: $eveningwear contains "suit")[trousers](else:)[dress]} as you tilt their head slightly, both your hands roaming their face and hair while your tongue pushes past their lips. You taste a faint note of sugar and lemon. Maria pushes back against you, just as eager to drink you in, and you hungrily nibble their lips, both of you kissing each other raw.
It’s messy and urgent, and the two of you come out of it breathing hard, with lipstick smeared over your mouths, disheveled hair, and wrinkled clothes.
Once their breathing is back under control, Maria’s eyes flicker open and they consider you, their expression quickly turning bashful.
“I… I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me…”
You don’t take offense, you know they’re just a little embarrassed. You grin at them.
“My guess is the urge to kiss me is what came over you.”
They narrow their eyes at you and you let out a chuckle, which quickly turns into a yelp when you feel two fingers pinching the skin of your side through fabric.
“Smartass,” Maria mumbles with a pout.
The corners of their lips are rising slightly, however. It makes you laugh and want to kiss them again. So you do, gentler than before, leaning slowly and softly pushing your lips against theirs. You want to take your time, enjoy every second of contact with them, but the kiss’ intensity invariably builds up and you are soon fervently clinging to each other.
When you break apart, you know it won’t be for long, so you quickly whisper to them, lips so close they brush theirs.
{<div class="choice">[[“I wanted to do this for so long.”->Wanted this for a long time]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“I want you.”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(set: $sexuallyactive to 1)
(go-to: "I want you")
] //(have sex at Maria’s place (non-explicit) )//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
“I don’t know Maria. I don’t want to go too fast. We can take our time, yeah?”
They go a little rigid, taking a slight step back without entirely leaving your embrace.
“Oh! Of course! Yes… sorry…”
You smile gently at them.
“Don’t apologize…”
They look flustered, glancing around them, suddenly self-conscious. They bring a hand to their face to hide their features and cool their rapidly heating skin.
“Yeah, I just… I can’t believe you’re being the reasonable one here…”
You chuckle, which is not improving their embarrassment. You rub their shoulder reassuringly before leading them back to your table.
You are both in desperate need of a drink so you gulp down the rest of your glasses before ordering new ones. It may not be the smartest financial decision, but you’ll deal with that later. Now that you are sitting down, Maria is relaxing, leaning back with a sigh. It helps that you’ve been holding onto their hand the whole time. You want to reassure them that you are not rejecting them. And by the way they smile warmly at you when you caress their knuckles with your thumb, you think they are grateful for it.
{(unless: (history:) contains "Why not me?" or "You feel nothing")[
“I know I’ve said it already,” they start in a quiet voice. “But I’ve missed you so much. The feeling is stronger now that I… Well, that I’m really finding you again.”
]
(else:)[
“I’ve missed you so much,” they start in a quiet voice. “Maybe I should have said it earlier, but it feels more obvious now… Well, now that I’m finding you again.”
]}
Your smile fades slightly despite yourself.
{(if: (history:) contains "I want to be with you (2)")[
“I told you, Maria, I may not be who you remember, I don’t want you to be disappointed…”
]
(else:)[
“It’s… It’s been a long time, Maria. I’m the same person but… I’ve changed too. I just hope you won’t be too disappointed once you find out more.”
]}
Their eyes meet yours and they squeeze your hand.
“If you’re afraid I’m going to hold what you have done for Flint over the years against you, don’t be,” they say firmly, leaning over the table. “I know life has been hard for you and the last thing you need is my judgment.”
You tighten your grip on their fingers, your smile slowly returning. You feel a little reassured by that, even though you know they still don’t realize the scope of these changes. You readily accept their answer because you so badly want to believe they’ll still care about you even once they know.
“I’ve missed you too, Maria. There’s no one like you.”
They smile sheepishly at you while they shift on their sit, embarrassed by the compliment.
{(if: (history:) contains "I want to be with you (2)")[
“I think I’ve already mentioned I could have changed too?” They mumble.
]
(else:)[
“Maybe I’ve changed too,” they mumble. “You don’t know.”
]}
“What? Did you get even nicer since our college days?” You ask with a playful grin.
“I could have turned meaner,” they say in a weak attempt to argue.
“Considering where you were at then, it’d take a century for you to be considered the smallest bit cruel.”
Maria is covering their face with their hand again.
“You’re exaggerating,” they grumble, but you know they are flattered when you see the small smile peeking from under their fingers.
You take your time to drink your second round and chat with Maria, assaulting them with cruel compliments while they occasionally tease you right back. You know you should probably both get back home and get some rest before tomorrow.
<div class="choice">[[But you can’t help but linger here with them until the party winds down.->The party winds down (2)]]</div>
You go collect your drinks at your table before heading upstairs together, looking for an unoccupied booth. Once you find one, Maria slides on the dark red velvet cushions of the alcove’s bench while you untie the drapes. You glance at them as they get comfortable and set the drinks on the table.
“I assume you want these closed?” You ask them with a faint smirk.
“If you don’t mind…” they say, trying and failing to sound casual.
You pull the heavy curtains close and only a thin ray of the bright chandelier light makes it into the booth. Thanks to a small lantern at the center of the table you are not completely in the dark, however. When you look back at Maria, the flickering flame of the candle warms their profile.
“How romantic,” you comment with a grin before joining them on the bench.
They snort.
“Sure, if you forget the raging party just beyond the drapes.”
Despite their ribbing, you can see them shuffle a little nervously on the cushions to accommodate you. You lean your elbow against the backrest and turn toward them, blocking them out from the rest of the world. Making it feel like it’s just the two of you.
“So… Any particular reason you wanted more privacy?” You ask them slowly, grabbing your glass by the rim and taking a sip of $drink. “It’s not to talk about the job, is it?”
Maria scoffs again but they take their time answering.
“No…”
The answer is firm, but they let the word trail, hesitating to state their actual reason. They watch you set your glass back down and their gaze glides up your arm back to your face. They look you in the eyes, their expression a fragile mix of confidence and vulnerability. Then their eyelashes flutter down as they stare at your lips again.
“I just really want to kiss you right now,” they finally admit.
{<div class="choice">[[“Kiss me, then,”->Kiss (2)]] you murmur back.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You kiss them.->Kiss (3)]]</div>}
Jasper eyes look into yours, gentle and soft. Maria kisses you again before answering, their breath hot and faltering on your lips.
“Then we’re both idiots because I wanted to do this since forever too.”
You chuckle and go back for more.
You keep kissing each other for a long time, each touch turning slower and more languid, until the smeared lipstick on Maria’s lips starts to fade. The den is quieter and you know it’ll be time to leave soon, but you’re reluctant to part from Maria.
“I think it’s getting late,” your companion murmurs between your persistent pecks.
“Do you want to leave?” You ask them before kissing down their jawline.
“No, but we may have to…”
They can’t finish their sentence, your lips trailing down their neck making them gasp and squirm under you. When you raise your head again it’s to grin at them.
“You were saying?”
You fully expect them to glare at you, but you find them watching you somewhat sheepishly.
“I don’t want the night to end,” they admit. “Would you like to come home with me?”
You blink at them, a little surprised by the proposal.
“Nothing needs to happen,” they add hurriedly. “I just… I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I don’t want to sleep alone either,”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(go-to: "Don't want to sleep alone")
] you answer quietly.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“That’s a little fast for me,”->A little fast]] you admit softly.</div>}
Jasper eyes stare back at you, dark and full of need. Maria kisses you again before they answer, their breath hot and faltering on your lips.
“I want you too.”
You kiss them too, your lips curling into a smile against theirs.
“I know.”
“You’re awful, you know that?” They grumble at you between two insistent pecks.
“Mmh, you might want to retract that statement later on,” you reply, moving away from their lips to kiss them along their jawline.
They gasp when you graze your teeth on their neck, squirming under you.
“Not here, $firstname,” they whisper and it comes out pleading.
“Obviously,” you confirm, although you don’t stop trailing kisses down their throat.
“Let’s go to my place,” they murmur, their voice turning weaker when you catch the skin on their collarbone between your lips and suckle gently.
“Alright,” you agree while your mouth brushes the shivering skin of their neck back up to their jaw.
You pull another kiss from them, one they give eagerly. This one feels a little different, with the underlying promise of what’s to come prickling your skin.
You both need to take a moment to cool down before even considering heading out of the relative privacy offered by the booth.
“God, my dress is a mess and you have lipstick all over your mouth, it’s going to be so embarrassing,” Maria grumbles, covering their face with both hands as you move away from their lap.
“Don’t worry, they see people like that every night.”
“Yeah but I don’t want them to see //me// like that.”
“Tough luck,” you tease them as you raise one of the curtains to take a look into the den. “That’s what you get for being all over me.”
Maria gasps in mild offense.
“//You// were all over //me//.”
You chuckle and let the curtain fall before turning back to them. They are adjusting their dress to the best of their ability and attempting to wipe some of the lipstick that smeared over their lips. You step closer to help them smooth down their dress and you clean out the edge of their lips with your thumb. They stop moving as soon as you do, their hands dropping to their sides limply.
“We just head out as fast as we can, nobody will even see us,” you reassure them as you work on making them a little more presentable.
“But we have to pay for our drinks…”
“They’ll put it on my tab, don’t worry about it.”
“$firstname...”
“It’s just two drinks, I can pay for them later, it’s okay.”
They sigh and as you move away from them, you realize it’s not out of irritation. They are looking at you so softly your heart is growing twice its size. They lean in to give you a gentle kiss, lingering on your lips for just a moment.
<div class="choice">[[“Thank you,”->Maria’s apartment (1)]] they murmur, and you both make your way out of the den.</div>
The trip to Maria’s apartment feels agonizingly long. You spend your time in bleakly lit tram cars sneaking glances at them, your eyes lingering on their lips and neck despite yourself. You satisfy your urge to touch them occasionally by holding their hand, subtly brushing your fingers against their thighs when the train shakes, or letting your lips skim the edge of their ear as you tilt your head, pretending to whisper something to them.
You can tell Maria is just as antsy, giving you nervous looks and leaning into every one of your small touches. But they are also self-conscious of the other travelers’ gazes, so you do your best to show restraint. Although you would lie if you said you didn’t take any joy out of getting them flustered with the smallest brush of your knuckles.
When you finally reach Maria’s neighborhood, they pull on your hand and you both climb out of the car in a hurry.
From what you gathered, your friend can’t afford to buy any property in the city and rents an apartment on the third floor of a townhouse. What you didn’t know was that the neighborhood is a nice one, up on a hill, old and quiet. The narrow cobbled street climbs the incline, following a row of pretty houses with light green, yellow and white stucco facades and wrought-iron balconies decorating every tall window. Old plane trees, their trunks thick and splotchy, line the sidewalk, undoubtedly providing a good amount of shade in the summer.
It’s a far cry from what you can afford. But Maria doesn’t give you enough time to grow envious. They pull on your arm and guide you to the carved wooden door of a white, narrow house. It looks a little older and a little dirtier than the others, but it’s still nice. That one painted shutter that’s a little crooked gives it a lot of charm, you think. There are planter boxes on every balcony, all of them overflowing with heather flowers.
“It’s a nice house…” You can’t help but comment as Maria unlocks the door.
They look back at you and smile softly.
“It is,” they confirm. “It’s a bit old and… rickety.”
They whisper the word as if fearing the house itself would get offended.
“But it has a lot of charm. And the neighborhood is quiet.”
You hum thoughtfully as they open the door and turn on a ceiling lamp, bathing a narrow entryway in flickering yellow light.
“So your neighbors will definitely hear us if we’re too loud,” you remark casually.
Maria glares at you, their ears quickly burning dark red.
“Yes, so be quiet and follow me!” They urge you through gritted teeth as they drag you by the arm again and start climbing creaky wooden stairs.
You comply with a grin and let them lead you to one of two doors on the third floor’s landing. They unlock it and usher you in.
<div class="choice">[[Once the door is closed and you finally have privacy, Maria pushes you against it and their lips are back on yours.->Straight to the point]]</div>
Your answer seems to take Maria by surprise.
“R-Really?” They say, eyes widening.
You hum positively and kiss the corner of their lips.
“Okay. Alright. I guess this is really happening…” They mumble, looking like they are gathering their thoughts while you kiss multiple points on their face.
“Oh god, I hope my apartment isn’t too messy,” they whine suddenly. “I really didn’t think that through.”
You chuckle against their skin and they shiver.
“I won’t be looking at your mess, I can assure you,” you tell them with a smirk.
The implied meaning brings a flustered sheen to their skin which feels warmer under your lips.
“Could you stop being terrible so we can go already?” They grumble at you while you laugh in the crook of their neck.
“So eager,” you murmur before swallowing an offended exclamation, catching their lips again.
Maria glares at you when you move away and you grin back, disentangling yourself from them. You both adjust your clothing before heading out and your companion attempts to clean the smudged lipstick on their mouth. You give them a hand, rubbing a thumb just at the edge of their lips. The look they give you as you do so is one of the softest you’ve seen in their eyes and you feel a tightening in your throat.
While Maria goes to gather your coats, you run back down to the bar to ask the bartender to put the drinks on your tab. They roll their eyes but eventually nod. You smile charmingly at them and join back with Maria.
You are soon in the cold again, and it feels sharper now after the thick warmth of the den.
<div class="choice">[[It’s a good excuse to wrap an arm around your companion’s waist as you make your way to the tram station, huddled together.->Maria’s apartment (2)]]</div>
“Oh,” Maria says and it’s a disappointed sound.
They shake their head when they realize how that sounded.
“I mean yes, of course! You’re right it is a little fast… I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was thinking…”
“You didn’t want to be lonely. It’s okay, Maria, I get it,” you tell them gently.
Despite your reassurances, they look away, bringing a hand to their face, a flustered sheen appearing on their skin under the candlelight.
“Still that’s… that’s a bit embarrassing. We just go on one date and I’m… I’m already asking you to come home with me.”
You take their chin between your fingers, guiding their face back to yours.
“Maria,” you state both firmly and gently. “That’s not something to be ashamed of. I’m flattered, truly. I just want to take my time with you, make sure you know what you’re getting. It’s been years… (unless: (history:) contains "I want to be with you (2)")[I have changed, maybe you did too.]”
“Okay…” Maria murmurs. “Okay, that makes sense.”
“We won’t be apart for long, yeah? I’ll see you tomorrow?”
They nod.
“At my office. We need to talk more about… your problem.”
You kiss the corner of their lips and they lean into it, eyes closed.
“Thank you, Maria.”
You disentangle from each other, adjust your clothes, and your companion attempts to clean their mouth of the smudged lipstick before you both head out. You let them get your coats while you run down the stairs and ask the bartender to put the drinks on your tab. You hurry back to Maria and lead them out without wasting time. They are obviously uncomfortable with the grins some staff members throw at both of you.
You are out in the cold once again and it feels sharper now after the thick warmth of the den. Before you part ways, you kiss Maria one last time, going for a short embrace only to linger and kiss them a second and a third time.
“Good night, Maria,” you say nearly against their lips, maybe trying to convince yourself to leave.
“Good night, $firstname,” they reply in much the same way, reluctant to move away from your warmth.
You eventually walk away, not without watching them over your shoulder a couple of times. You cling to the memories of the evening all the way back home, trying to bask in the afterglow of Maria’s company and fight off an encroaching emptiness. The creeping feeling wins over once you are in the dark apartment, filled with unpleasant reminders of a less agreeable companion.
You crawl into bed, trying to remind yourself you’ll see Maria again soon.
<div class="choice">[[Tomorrow.->The situation]]</div>
They glance up, looking almost startled by your response. But then they lean in, eyes half-lidded, a hesitant hand rising to your face, the tip of their fingers gently touching your jawline. You don’t move yet, letting them approach you at their own pace, your eyes following every minute movement. The way their chest rises and falls with each of their deep breath, the slight tremor in their finger, their lips pursing as they wet them in anticipation, their throat bobbing up and down as they swallow audibly…
When their fingers slide down to your chin to guide your face in a slight tilt, you close your eyes and feel the soft flesh of their lips pressing against yours. They kiss your lips so gently, again and again, and you respond in kind. You can’t sit still for long, your hand quickly finding their hip and pulling them closer. You’re too greedy not to want more, so you part your lips in a clear invitation, one they’re eager to accept. Their hand, which was tenderly brushing the side of your face moves to the back of your head, fingers digging into your hair and nails scratching your scalp ever-so-slightly, making your skin prickle. You readily welcome the tongue pushing into your mouth. They deepen the kiss and you can taste lemon and sugar lingering on their lips.
It’s a slow and sensuous embrace, Maria’s lips moving languidly over yours, taking the time to appreciate every little nibble of your flesh, leaving both of your lips raw and swollen. You probably have lipstick smeared all over your mouth too. It’s easily confirmed when Maria finally pulls away after two last, insatiable pecks on your lips.
“Oh, lord!” They say, bringing a hand to their mouth (which you’re pretty sure is a mess as well).
“You have a lot of… I’ve put a lot of lipstick on your…” They try to explain as they gesture at your mouth.
You just grin at them.
“Oh shit!” They realize, watching your expression. “It’s smeared on my mouth too, isn’t it?”
“Well, it can’t get much worse now, can it?” You say, leaning back in to catch their lips with yours.
They hum gently against your teeth but quickly give in to the kiss, letting your hand roam up their side in delicate caresses.
You don’t know how long you stay in this alcove, kissing Maria tirelessly, but eventually, the party winds down in the den, and your lips pull on theirs one last time.
“Looks like it’s getting late,” you whisper, staying close.
You’re looking at them, admiring the curve of their cupid’s bow while you gingerly brush the hand resting on your collar bone with the tip of your fingers. The smeared lipstick has faded significantly since your first kiss.
“I don’t want the night to end,” they sigh wistfully.
You don’t say anything but you know what they mean. It’s going to feel cold and lonely returning to your empty apartment.
They look at your hand moving slowly over theirs and they entangle their fingers with yours. When they look back up into your eyes, they seem a little hesitant.
“Would you… Would you like to come home with me?” They ask in a cracked voice.
“Nothing needs to happen,” They add hurriedly. “I just… don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”
You squeeze their hand as you give the question some thought.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I don’t want to sleep alone either,”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(go-to: "Don't want to sleep alone")
] you answer quietly.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“That’s a little fast for me,”->A little fast]] you admit softly.</div>}
“Do you, now?” You murmur playfully just as you lean in, bringing your hand up to let your fingers trail down their jawline and grab their chin.
You tilt their head slightly and press your lips against theirs before they can answer. Their body responds instantly to the contact, curving to nestle against yours, their hands blindly grasping your {(if: $eveningwear contains "suit")[jacket](else:)[dress]}, pulling you closer still. You can feel their hold tightening and their fingers trembling when you part your lips to deepen the kiss. Their tongue meets yours eagerly and you can taste sugar and lemon. A muffled hum escapes their throat as your mouth moves slowly over theirs, taking its time to push and pull.
When you move away, you take their lower lip between yours and tease it gently, and as you part from them, they follow your movement, betraying their need for more.
“Mmh… I guess you really did,“ you whisper with a smirk, watching their wistful expression and lipstick-smeared, swollen lips.
They don’t let you gloat for long, pulling on your clothes again and smashing your lips against theirs. You chuckle against their teeth and move your hand down to rest on their hip, letting them devour you.
You have to admit to a bit of surprise at their eagerness. You’d feel smug about it if not for that almost painful pull on your heart. It swells in your chest the longer and the deeper they kiss you.
“Maria…” you can’t help but murmur achingly when you part again for breath.
They close their eyes, resting their forehead against yours a moment.
“Actually, I have been wanting to kiss you for a really long time,” they whisper the confession with a ragged voice.
You frown at the hammering behind your ribs. You don’t want to examine how their words make you feel right now, you just want to kiss them again and again until your lips are raw and you are gasping for air.
Your grip on their hips becomes firmer and you haul them closer, taking their lips again and parting them in a desperate search for more intimacy. Maria reacts in kind, one hand pulling harder on your {(if: $eveningwear contains "suit")[collar](else:)[dress]} while their other arm wraps around your shoulders, holding on tight.
The passion of your kisses, from a roaring fire, slowly turns into warm, crackling embers, lips moving slower and softer, desperate grip loosening in gentle caresses. Maria is still peppering every corner of your lips with sweet kisses when the party abates in the den.
“I think it’s getting late,“ you say softly, brushing Maria’s legs tenderly.
They are draped over your lap and you both are cuddled up in a comfortable embrace.
A slight wrinkle comes to mar Maria’s smooth forehead.
“I don’t want the night to end.”
You don’t say anything, but you grab their hand, still on your collarbone, bringing it to your lips for a kiss. You understand how they feel. It’s going to be cold and lonely, going back to your apartment after tonight.
“Would you… Would you like to come home with me?” They ask in a weak voice.
“Nothing needs to happen,” they add hurriedly. “I just… don’t want to sleep alone tonight.
You brush their knuckles with your thumb while you think of how to respond.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I don’t want to sleep alone either,”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(go-to: "Don't want to sleep alone")
] you answer quietly.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“That’s a little fast for me,”->A little fast]] you admit softly.</div>}
Maria sighs deeply as they glance around them.
“It’s getting late, I think.”
The band is now consistently playing softer tunes and there are fewer dancers around. Some couples are getting a lot more brazen with their displays of affection and a few of them move to the booths, up the stairs, probably to do exactly what Maria had in mind earlier. Others entirely skip that part and find the elevator that leads to the hotel rooms.
Your companion averts their gaze from them and clears their throat, their face darkening.
“Maybe we should head out,” you confirm. “You go get the coats and I go pay for the drinks?”
“$firstname…”
“I can take care of it, I promise.”
They give you a doubtful look but don’t protest further.
“Alright.”
You squeeze their hand before standing up and walking up to the bar. The bartender raises an eyebrow at you, but you don’t address them right away. Your eyes follow Maria as they climb up the stairs before you turn back to the bartender.
“Hey, can you put the drinks on my tab?”
They roll their eyes but end up nodding. You flash them your most charming smile.
“Thanks!”
You join Maria up the stairs and you both head out once your coats are on.
You are out in the cold once again and it feels sharper than before, after the thick warmth of the den. Maria shivers under their heavy coat and you step closer to them, rubbing their back to help them stay warm. They smile softly at you.
It turns a little sad when they say: “I guess this is where we part ways…”
“Yeah,” you murmur back, your voice a little hollow.
Spending time with Maria has felt so warm and comforting that you feel reluctant to leave them. It looks like they share your feeling.
They attempt a reassuring smile and they take your hand, giving it a little squeeze.
“We’ll see each other tomorrow, yeah? Talk about your problem at my office.”
You smile back.
“Yeah.”
{<div class="choice">[[You lean in to kiss their cheek.->Kiss their cheek]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You step forward and pull them into a hug.->Pull them into a hug]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You entangle your fingers with theirs and squeeze back.->Squeeze their hand]]</div>}
Maria closes their eyes as if they were enjoying an especially exquisite treat. It makes you smile against their soft skin. You squeeze their hand as you move away.
“Good night, Maria,” you say, releasing them.
“Good night, $firstname.”
You exchange one last glance and smile with them over your shoulder as you walk away.
The trip back to your apartment is long and tedious and you realize, now that Maria’s warm presence is gone, just how lonely you are. The long shadows in your room are unwelcoming and you struggle to find sleep that night.
<div class="choice">[[After a fitful rest, you eventually pull yourself out of bed the next morning and head for the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>(set: $hugged to 1)
Maria’s arms wrap around your torso as they hug you back, their grip both gentle and firm. You hear them inhaling deeply as if breathing you in. You give their hand a squeeze of your own as you step back.
“Good night, Maria,” you say, releasing them
“Good night, $firstname.”
You exchange one last glance and smile with them over your shoulder as you walk away.
The trip back to your apartment is long and tedious and you realize, now that Maria’s warm presence is gone, just how lonely you are. The long shadows in your room are unwelcoming and you struggle to find sleep that night.
<div class="choice">[[After a fitful rest, you eventually pull yourself out of bed the next morning and head for the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
“Good night, Maria,” you say softly.
Their smile turns into a painfully tender one.
“Good night, $firstname.”
You release their hand and step away from them.
You exchange one last glance and smile with them over your shoulder as you walk away.
The trip back to your apartment is long and tedious and you realize, now that Maria’s warm presence is gone, just how lonely you are. The long shadows in your room are unwelcoming and you struggle to find sleep that night.
<div class="choice">[[After a fitful rest, you eventually pull yourself out of bed the next morning and head for the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
The trip to Maria’s apartment is long, but you make the most of it. It’s nice to have company in the bleakly lit tram cars, for once. You both stick close for warmth and you occasionally let yourself be tempted, kissing their cheek softly. Every time, they flush, throwing flustered glances at the other passengers to make sure none of them are looking your way. But they don’t protest either.
When you finally reach Maria’s neighborhood, they touch your shoulder and you both climb down the train.
From what you gathered, your friend can’t afford to buy any property in the city and rents an apartment on the third floor of a townhouse. What you didn’t know was that the neighborhood is a nice one, up on a hill, old and quiet. The narrow cobbled street climbs the incline, following a row of pretty houses with light green, yellow and white stucco facades and wrought-iron balconies decorating every tall window. Old plane trees, their trunks thick and splotchy, line the sidewalk, undoubtedly providing a good amount of shade in the summer.
It’s a far cry from what you can afford. But Maria doesn’t give you enough time to grow envious. They pull on your arm and guide you to the carved wooden door of a white, narrow house. It looks a little older and a little dirtier than the others, but it’s still nice. That one painted shutter that’s a little crooked gives it a lot of charm, you think. There are planter boxes on every balcony, all of them overflowing with heather flowers.
“It’s a nice house…” You can’t help but comment as Maria unlocks the door.
They look back at you and smile softly.
“It is,” they confirm. “It’s a bit old and… rickety.”
They whisper the word as if fearing the house itself would get offended.
“But it has a lot of charm. And the neighborhood is quiet.”
You hum thoughtfully as they open the door and turn on a ceiling lamp, bathing a narrow entryway in flickering yellow light.
“The kind of place where all your neighbors know when you bring someone home.”
The remark makes their cheeks turn dark red and you grin.
“If you keep quiet, maybe they won’t…” They reply, not sounding too convinced themself.
They lead you up a creaky wooden staircase, wincing at every noise you both make.
“You were saying?” you whisper casually.
“Shhh!” They glare at you as you chuckle.
Soon they stop in front of one of two doors on the third floor’s landing.
<div class="choice">[[They usher you in, flicking a light switch on.->Inside]]</div>
{(if: $appearance is "neat")[
Before heading out of the apartment, you glance at Roy’s bedroom door.
]
(else:)[
You get dressed and check your reflection in the living room’s windows — full-length mirrors aren’t cheap. Once satisfied, you head toward the exit, but not without glancing at Roy’s bedroom door.
]}
However strange the quiet is, you are starting to get used to it. It’s been nice coming home without dreading your partner’s heavy footsteps, not having to tense at the sound of the door clicking open. Maybe you shouldn’t think like that, but it’s hard not to.
You shake your head to clear your thoughts and put on your coat before heading out of the apartment door.
It’s almost eight when you arrive at Jubilee square and party-goers are out in force. A number of couples and gatherings of young people are racing around, shivering in the heavy coats covering their much lighter evening wear. They hurry to their club or restaurant of choice, seeking the warmth of a crowded establishment and leaving behind them the dark cobblestones of the square, gleaming in the night lights.
You wait near the tram station, glancing up at the imposing, baroque façade of the Hennessy opera house. It shines a hundred times brighter than all the cafés and restaurants that line Jubilee square. The brilliant electric lights project deep shadows on the building, accentuating its intricate reliefs.
You see particularly richly dressed people exiting limousines and entering the opera house. You ignore them and look back to the tram station. This isn’t your scene. It could never be.
You don’t wait long until you see $Maria stepping out of a tram car. They seem to still be wearing their sage green suit but are now bundled in their heavy winter coat. You raise your arm to beckon them under the street lamp lights and once they notice you, they walk rapidly toward you.
“Good evening, $firstname,” they greet you with a small tired smile.
“Good evening, $Maria.”
They look worn out, probably from a long day at work. You do notice they have freshened up their makeup. You wonder if it’s something they usually do or if it’s for your benefit.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "”You look nice,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 1)
(go-to: "You look nice")
] you comment, just in case.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You decide to not point it out.->To the café]]</div>}
You think you made the right call when they get flustered, avoiding your gaze and playing with one of their drop earrings.
“Oh! I didn’t have time to do much, just some touch-ups.”
You can’t help but grin. It’s always fun to get them a little worked up like that. They glance back at you, biting down their painted lip.
“You really look good in that {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress")[dress](else:)[suit]},” they add in a quieter voice.
Your smile softens. You know they mean it, that they’re not just complimenting you back to be polite. It’s in the way their eyes linger on you.
(display: "To the café")
“So, where are we going?” you ask.
“Right… The café is this way.”
$Maria points opposite the main avenue that leads to the square, to a narrow street on the right side of the opera. The Jubilee square neighborhood is famous for its luxury, expensive stores and renowned restaurants so you did wonder about how affordable this café could be, exactly. But it makes sense now. It’s a whole different world behind the opera house, where the Southern quarters are located. It’s a bustling area of the city where working-class folks can find some of the best food for a reasonable price, as long as you are in the know.
Clearly, $Maria is, you think as they guide you across the square and into a maze of small streets. They are tricky to navigate. As crowded as the square seemed to be, it’s worse here. There are a lot of passersby, of course, but also customers spilling out onto the streets from the cramped bars and restaurants. The price of success. There are small outdoor tables all the way to the pavement — probably illegal, but nobody minds here — which the few cars passing through have to avoid, driving to a crawl to not knock over the careless pedestrians.
The streets aren’t as well-lit as Jubilee square and St Basil avenue, yet they feel brighter and warmer. Maybe it’s because the local businesses look more open and inviting here. As you walk beside $Maria, you feel a tension you didn’t know was there leaving your back. You sigh, your shoulders relaxing. Your companion glances at you with a smile.
“Better?”
“Yeah, I forget how nice it is around here. I don’t come nearly as often as I should,” you say, reflecting out loud.
“Neither do I,” $Maria replies softly. “I visit Faizan’s now and again, but I don’t like to go out alone so I don’t go as often as I’d like. Not that I have a lot of time to do so in the first place…”
You watch them with curiosity.
“No one will go with you? Colleagues? Don’t you have friends?”
They cross their arms tightly over their chest. Maybe they’re feeling cold. Or maybe they’re feeling defensive. Maybe it’s a sore spot.
“Lyle — the secretary — will come along sometimes. He’s the only one I see often enough to befriend at work, really. But he’s very busy. Other than that… I don’t know, it’s been hard to make friends.”
“How come?” You insist. “You must meet a lot of people in your job. And you’re the friendliest person I know.”
They throw a small grateful smile your way.
“It’s true I’m on friendly terms with a lot of people but…”
<div class="choice">[[“But?”->Hard to make friends (2)]]</div>
When they look at you again, they are chewing on their lip, troubled.
“I never could make a connection with anyone the same way I did with you,” they finally admit, turning their gaze straight ahead of them as you walk down a new street, a quieter one. “I know this is just how life is. No friendship looks the same. I should have made my peace with that, but…”
“You didn’t?”
They sigh.
“I guess not. And now that you’re back… It’s not going to happen any time soon I suspect.”
You doubt this is any kind of reproach, but you still feel uneasy. Suddenly, everything around you seems strangely still after the thrumming of lively streets, the buzzing of voices and laughter. You only brush shoulders with the occasional passerby, walking past dark, closed shops.
“I’m sorry,” you murmur.
$Maria looks back at you as soon as the words leave your mouth.
“Don’t be, it’s not your fault,” they reassure you softly.
You chuckle mirthlessly.
“Isn’t it, though? With how abruptly I left, never contacting you again…”
“You did contact me again,” $Maria points out gently, their hand raising to squeeze your shoulder.
{(unless: (history:) contains "You feel nothing")[
You meet their gaze, your throat tight. It can’t be that easy. Yet with $Maria, maybe it is…
]
(else:)[
You meet their gaze, your expression blank. It can’t be that easy, can it?
]}
“So that’s it? I’m forgiven? Just like that?”
{(unless: (history:) contains "You feel nothing")[
You throw the word carelessly, to not show how much it means to you, how much their answer matters to you. There’s a pause and it feels agonizing.
]
(else:)[
Disbelief seeps into every one of your words, you can’t help it. $Maria removes their hand from your shoulder and the look in their eyes is almost painful.
]}
“I guess you are…” $Maria finally says in a whisper. “Don’t get me wrong, it hurt when you left. But even then I knew you had your reasons. I was angry, but I don’t think it was at you. Not really.”
You think you know what they mean. You have the growing impression that they blamed everything on Roy. Even if it was your decision, in the end. Part of you is relieved that $Maria doesn’t hate you. Another part of you knows it’ll only make convincing them to help you find Roy that much harder.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Leaving you was the most heartbreaking thing I had to do,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 1)
(go-to: "Leaving you was heartbreaking")
] you find yourself admitting.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I could never get over it myself,” you say after a short silence. “I could never find another friend like you.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Could never find a friend like you")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[”That’s… good to hear,” you reply after a short moment. ”Thank you.”->Good to hear]]</div>}
Maria stops walking all of a sudden and you end up taking a few steps past them before you turn back to look at them. You’re struck by their expression, twisting in anguish.
“I…” They start with a broken voice before clearing their throat. “That… makes it even worse, you know?”
“What do you mean?” You ask with a frown.
It’s hard to see them like that. Their eyes are shining under the street lights and you take a step closer, instinctively reaching out to them, your hand brushing down their arm.
“To think that you were hurting as much as I was… All the while being alone and facing a dire situation.”
They look away, pressing their fingers underneath their eyes in an obvious effort to prevent tears from falling.
“Maria…” You murmur, your heart squeezing in your chest.
You bring them closer to you, pulling gently on their upper arms and rubbing their shoulders soothingly.
“It’s in the past, I’m here now and I’m okay.”
Their jasper irises flick back to you, staring into your eyes with a little hesitation. They are so close to you, you realize, that you can feel the warmth of their breath on your face.
“Are you?”
You stare at their lips as they form the words and your voice stays stuck in your throat, forming a painful knot. Are you okay? It’s been so long since you have truly felt good, felt happy, that you can’t remember for sure what it’s like. And you can’t say the stress of your current situation is making it any better.
“I will be,” you finally answer. “Now that you’re here.”
You feel their muscles relax, their shoulders droop against your hands as if they’re melting in your arms.
“$firstname…”
There are so many different emotions in your name when they say it. Pleading, touched, exhausted… You stay like that — close together — for a moment longer before stroking their shoulders one last time and stepping away. $Maria sniffles, wrapping their arms around themself, the cold of the night embracing them again in your absence.
“We should probably get to that café, huh?” They comment. “It’s freezing out here.”
They attempt a small, weak chuckle to lighten the mood and you smile at them.
“Lead the way.”
<div class= "choice">[[You walk side by side again.->Arriving at the café]]</div>
As they walk beside you, $Maria falters. They look at you with the saddest eyes.
“That doesn’t make it feel any better, you know?”
You glance at them. “Why not? At least you were not the only one feeling that way.”
They sigh. “Maybe so, but knowing you’ve been as lonely as I’ve been is not something I can rejoice about. Not when you needed all the help you could get.”
You stop in your tracks. They take a couple more steps before turning back to you with a questioning look.
After all these years, you didn’t think they could still surprise you. It’s true you haven’t talked to them in a very long time. Maybe you simply forgot how they were. How it was to have a conversation with someone with compassion. It speaks volumes about the kind of life you’ve been leading for the past few years. It makes you wonder why you thought cutting $Maria out of your life was a good idea in the first place.
But then you remember it was to protect them more than you.
“$firstname?” They call you softly, a worried frown lowering their brow.
Your eyes sting.
{(if: (history:) contains "It's good to see them" and "Not safe")[
“I know I’ve mentioned it before,” you manage to say, your throat tight. “But now feels like a more appropriate time. I’ve missed you, Maria.”
]
(else:)[
“I’ve missed you, Maria,” you manage to say, your throat tight.
]}
“$firstname,” they repeat, closing the gap between you, their hands reaching out to you.
You see them hesitate.
{<div class="choice">(link: "You let them hug you.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "You let them hug you")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You stop them, pushing their hands away gently.->You stop them]]</div>}
$Maria glances at you, smiling. “Of course.”
You fall back into silence as you walk beside them.
(display: "Arriving at the café")
You don’t go very far before $Maria stops you. You thought you were about to pass another closed establishment with how dark the windows are. But now that you are taking a closer look, there are still tables outside, albeit empty ones. Peeking through the dark wooden frames, beyond the etched glass, you notice the dim lights on the tables and behind a wide bar, the silhouette of a lonely tender contrasting softly against them.
“Here we are,” your companion states quietly before stepping toward the door.
They pull it open and you follow them inside, warmth immediately engulfing you. The lingering scent of freshly roasted coffee beans soon wafts to your nose, as well as a subtle blend of spices.
The café is not big, with only a dozen or so tables inside. Each wall and corner of the wide room is richly decorated with hand-painted vases, intricately woven tapestries, sculptures, and a variety of other art pieces. Behind the counter, colorful and detailed tiles form an impressive backsplash.
There aren’t many customers at the moment. You spot a tall man with light brown hair hunched at the bar and a couple of older people at one table on the far right, sipping hot beverages taciturnly.
When you enter, the bartender and the man sitting next to her glance your way. The old folks exchange a few words, too quietly for you to place the language.
The bartender speaks first. She’s even taller than the brown-haired man, you think, with square shoulders and tightly pulled-back black hair.
“Maria. Good evening,” she says with the hint of a smile.
Your friend smiles back at her, with more ease. “Good evening, Bassima.”
It looks like they come here often enough to be on a first-name basis with the staff. The man at the bar smiles brighter than either of them. He’s a conventionally attractive kind of man, with a sharp jaw and lively brown eyes.
“Look who the cat dragged in…” He says with delight.
“Leandro,” $Maria says with a noticeably restrained nod.
You have to guess the man is either another member of the staff or a regular. His eyes slowly move from your companion to you and narrow subtly.
“You brought a friend?”
“Yes, Leandro,” $Maria answers in a tired tone. “And I’m going to sit there and spend time with said friend if you don’t mind.”
“Of course not,” he replies with a charming smile, but you get the feeling he’s a little disappointed.
You look curiously between him and $Maria as you let them drag you by the arm to a table on the far left of the room.
<div class="choice">[[You both remove your coats and sit with relieved sighs on the wooden chairs.->Settling down]]</div>(set: $hugged to 1)
You wrap your arms around their shoulders and hold them tightly against your chest while their hands press against your back, rubbing affectionate circles.
“I’ve missed you too,” they murmur, giving your shoulder blade a gentle pat.
You squeeze your eyes shut and hold onto them until you can swallow back your tears. It’s too early in the night to get this emotional. Once you feel calmer, you take a deep breath and step back.
“I promise, I’m not trying to stall because I can’t pay for the drinks,” you say with a weak chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.
$Maria narrows their eyes at you, suspecting there might be truth to the statement beyond the joke. But they also smile.
“You’re an ass,” they mumble, giving your shoulder a slap before turning around.
<div class="choice">[[You laugh more heartily and start walking beside them again.->Arriving at the café]]</div>
You don’t think you can handle being touched right now but you don’t want to hurt $Marias feelings either. You rest your hands over theirs, lowering them slowly.
“Sorry, I… Let’s just get to that café, okay? Sit somewhere warm.”
$Maria smiles apologetically at you. “Of course.”
You close your eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. When you open your eyes again, your companion is giving you a slightly concerned look and you do your best to ignore it.
“Let’s… let’s just go.”
<div class="choice">[[They nod and you both walk side by side again.->Arriving at the café]]</div>
You find yourself smirking crookedly as you make yourself comfortable, watching $Maria do the same with amusement.
“What?” They grumble at you when they catch your expression.
“So you were saying you had trouble making friends?”
They groan. “You know it’s not the same. I’m sure you also have plenty of people you get along with.”
You lean in, lowering your tone as you glance over your shoulder at the brown-haired man.
“By getting along with, do you mean being flirted with?”
$Maria glares at you as they sharply grab the café’s menu on the table. “//That// was //not// flirting.”
Your grin widens. “You seem very sure of that. I can only assume that’s because you know what his //actual// flirting looks like.”
You’re convinced their face turns a shade darker before it disappears behind the menu. You snatch the paper from their hands, revealing their flushed cheeks and outraged glare.
“You don’t need this,” you point out mercilessly. “You obviously come here often enough to know what you want already.”
You casually look at the menu while your friend stares daggers at you. You see a selection of soft drinks and hot beverages, but no alcohol. It’s fine by you — you’d rather have a clear mind tonight.
“So what are you drinking?” You ask $Maria while browsing.
They sigh.
“Cardamom hot chocolate,” they say with little hesitation, confirming your suspicions. “Feeling like something warm tonight.”
You smile absentmindedly.
“I should have guessed…” You murmur.
“Why is that?” $Maria shoots back, sounding still a little defensive.
You glance back at them, realizing that you were thinking out loud. Realizing that you’re behaving like nothing happened, like the years that have gone by were only a few days. You feel surprised at how easy it is to slide back into your old role, to find back your dynamic with $Maria. After all this time, it’s still familiar and comforting.
{<div class="choice">It makes you nervous. You don’t want that feeling to dull your vigilance.<br />
[[“I just remember you liked sweet things,”->Nervous]] you reply, frowning slightly.</div>
<div class="choice">It’s reassuring. Maybe you can truly mend your relationship with them.<br />
(link: "“Come on, you always go for the sweetest thing on the menu.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Reassuring")
]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>It’s enjoyable, but you don’t know if you can be content with //just// that anymore.<br />
(link: "“Because of course you’d choose something as sweet as you are,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 1)
(go-to: "Enjoyable, but not enough")
] you tease them with a lopsided smile.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
“Oh… Yeah, I guess that’s true,” $Maria answers quietly.
You don’t meet their eyes, keeping yours trained on the menu. You don’t want them to see your doubt. They can’t know your thoughts, but you know they’ll worry. Unfortunately, the uncomfortable silence that follows lets you know you’re not doing a great job at hiding your inner turmoil.
“$firstname…” $Maria calls you softly.
You close your eyes and take a deep breath.
“What’s wrong?” They ask with painful care.
You look back up at them reluctantly. How do you explain this to them? Should you even try?
{<div class="choice">(link: "If you want things to work out between you, you have to try.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Explain")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You can’t, you shouldn’t.->You can't]]</div>}
“That’s not—!” $Maria is about to protest, but they cut themself short. “Okay, maybe that’s true.”
They sigh, their lips twisting into a pout, making you grin victoriously at them. Your smile softens quickly, however, as you feel overcome with nostalgia. $Maria narrows their eyes at you.
“What now?” They ask suspiciously.
“Nothing… It’s just nice.”
“What is?”
Their expression smoothes into a gentler one when they realize you are being serious.
“Just relaxing and joking around with you,” you answer with a slight shrug.
There’s this instinct, hard-wired inside your brain, to dismiss your own feelings. Talking about them, being vulnerable… If you were getting used to it around your friend, it’s a habit you quickly lost as soon as they were out of the picture.
“I didn’t think it would come back so easily. Not after that much time. Not after… What I did to you,” you continued, tip-toeing around the difficult subject.
$Maria leans over the table, resting their elbows on the polished wood. “I already said you were forgiven, didn’t I? You don’t need to worry about it.”
It makes your smile widen. Maybe you look a little bit like an idiot, but it’s so good to have $Maria back, without reservations.
“Alright.”
“It’d be nice if you stuck around, this time, though,” your companion points out.
You tense up and try to hide it by fiddling with the menu. Of course, you don’t want to cut ties with them again, it was painful enough the first time. Still, you’re unsure how long this rekindling will last. Maybe this time they’ll be the one who’ll want to leave. It’s hard to say. But you don’t want to let them be aware of your uncertainty. You want them and yourself to enjoy the moment while it lasts.
Thankfully the bartender shows up at your side before $Maria can notice anything.
“Anything you want to order tonight?” She asks looking between you and your friend.
“A cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you, Bassima,” $Maria replies with a polite smile.
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
$Maria flushes even harder and shuffles nervously on their seat at the very direct compliment. You don’t think they were expecting it. But you don’t think it’s an unpleasant surprise either. $Maria avoids your gaze, looking out the window, but a small smile is curling the corner of their lips.
“That’s not… You’re being silly,” they protest meekly.
“Absolutely not, I’m very serious. It’s a scientific fact that you’re indeed very sweet,” you argue with a wide grin.
“You’re just trying to embarrass me,” your companion whines, growing more flustered.
“Mmh, I have to admit that it’s a nice added benefit,” you reply, affecting a thoughtful hum.
$Maria chuckles, bringing a hand to their face, maybe to hide their darkening cheek, maybe to cool it down.
“You’re an ass.”
You nod sagely. “A pretty one. Or so I’ve been told.”
$Maria laughs and you had forgotten what it sounded like. How they splutter before ringing clear. You feel a thrill, a shiver running down your spine. There’s something electrifying in realizing you can still make them laugh like that.
They meet your eyes and what they see makes them sheepish again, looking away as their laughter dies in their throat.
Thankfully, before the silence turns awkward, the bartender shows up at your side, a notepad and a pencil in her hands.
“Hope the evening is treating you well. Anything I can get you?” She asks, looking between you and $Maria.
Your companion looks up at her and smiles gratefully.
“A cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you, Bassima.”
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
Your lips twist in distaste as you search for the right words and all of them come out clumsy in your mind. How do you even say this without upsetting $Maria? How do you say this without implying you don’t trust them?
“It’s just that… This is… too comfortable. I’m returning to how I was like in college. I’m letting you make me feel at ease.”
They frown. “You don’t want to be at ease?”
You sigh and rub your forehead. You’re starting to get a headache.
“I know it sounds insane but… This is what got me in this situation in the first place. I can’t let my guard down.”
“Oh, $firstname…”
You think the sympathy in their voice will kill you. They lean over the table and their hand reaches for your arm, resting lightly on your wrist.
“To think that way… I don’t know what you’ve been through,” they say very quietly. “But you can’t… You can’t sustain that forever, you have to let go at some point. And you’re safe here, you’re safe with me, I promise.”
You scoff and smile bitterly. “I’m not safe anywhere.”
$Maria sighs. They know they can’t argue against that, they have to.
“How dangerous can it be for you to just laugh and unwind? Just for a little while?”
“See, that’s what I thought back in college, and look where I ended up,” you snap back.
The look in $Marias eyes makes you regret it instantly.
“$firstname…”
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“You need to stop tempting me, Maria, because I simply can’t resist you,”")[
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 2)
(go-to: "I can't resist you")
] you blurt out.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You take another deep breath and close your eyes again. Maybe you’re overreacting.<br />
[[“I know… I’m sorry.”->I know, I'm sorry]]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“It’s just how I am now, $Maria, I’m sorry,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Just how I am now")
] you reply stubbornly.</div>}
You smile tightly at them in an attempt to reassure them.
“Nothing, everything’s fine.”
They keep frowning, obviously not buying it, but they don’t insist.
“Alright… But if something is bothering you, you know you can talk to me right?”
“Can I?” You shoot back, unable to stop yourself. “I did come to you asking for your help and you didn’t seem that eager to listen then.”
$Maria tenses up visibly.
“You know I have my reasons not to want to see Roy ever again,” they reply flatly. “And I’m here aren’t I? I am willing to listen…”
You open your mouth, ready to argue back, but the bartender suddenly appears at your side, a notepad and pencil in her hands. She looks between you and $Maria with a carefully neutral expression.
“Everything okay here?” She asks, her eyes on your companion.
$Maria sighs and relaxes slightly. “Yes, everything’s fine.”
“Anything you want to order tonight?”
“Cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you Bassima.”
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
It’s just when the words leave your mouth that you realize what they sounded like. Yet you can’t bring yourself to take them back. $Maria gapes at you, their face turning dark red. Their mouth closes and pops open multiple times like a fish out of water. You feel embarrassed yourself and you look to the side, staring beyond the window you’re sitting by.
“Hope I’m not interrupting a lovers’ spat,” a deep voice suddenly resounds beside you and both you and $Maria startle.
You whip your head around and the bartender is right here, a notepad in her hands and a dark eyebrow raised.
“Yes! I mean no! We’re not… I mean that’s not…” $Maria starts stammering.
A faint smile appears on Bassima’s lips and she rests a solid hand on their shoulder. “Relax, I’m just teasing you. What are you ordering tonight?”
$Maria inhales deeply.
“Cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you, Bassima.”
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
You stay quiet a moment longer and $Maria removes their hand from your wrist.
“I’m sorry too,” they murmur dejectedly. “I wish there was something I could do to alleviate your fears.”
“Well, there is something…” You start carefully. “I did come to you for a reason.”
Your companion pulls back further and crosses their arms over their chest, a frown forming on their brow. Thankfully the bartender shows up at your side before they can argue back.
“Anything you want to order tonight?” She asks looking between you and $Maria with a neutral expression.
Your friend relaxes a little and you wonder if it’s the mere presence of Bassima.
“Cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you,” they breathe out.
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
$Maria retracts their hand, wrapping their arms around themself as they look aside, to the window.
“I’m sorry too,” is all they murmur.
You don’t think they resent you for your reaction. In fact, the way their features are twisting painfully leads you to believe they are feeling guilty. They shouldn’t, really, it’s not something they can do anything about, nor is it something they are personally responsible for. But you don’t say it. Maybe that’s not fair of you, but the world isn’t fair.
“Everything okay here?” A deep voice resounds beside you, making you both startle.
The bartender is standing next to your table, a small notepad and pencil in her hands, and she looks between the two of you with a carefully neutral expression.
$Maria sighs and relaxes slightly. “Yes, everything’s fine.”
“Anything you want to order tonight?”
“Cardamom hot chocolate. Thank you Bassima.”
(display: "Ordering your drinks")
She nods and then looks at you expectantly.
“(cycling-link: bind $drinkchoice, "The same", "Coffee and cream", "Black coffee", "Mint tea", "Tea and milk", "Hot chocolate with cream").”
Bassima jots down both your orders on her notepad. You don’t know how necessary it is with how few customers are at the moment, but it might be the force of habit. She leaves quietly as soon as she’s done and you find yourself alone with $Maria once again.
“So… About that problem I have…” You start tentatively.
Your friend groans.
“Of course, it can’t just be about enjoying a drink together.”
“It can be if that’s what you really want…” You respond slowly. “If so, just tell me and I won’t say another word about it. But I wouldn’t have taken the risk of implicating you if it wasn’t serious. I really do need your help…”
You don’t like how desperate you sound, you don’t like pulling at their heartstrings, but it seems you can’t escape feeling like you’ve been pushed into a corner lately.
$Maria sighs, closing their eyes and joining their hands in front of them.
“Okay…” They start after a few tense seconds.
“Okay?” You ask, not sure what they are agreeing to.
“Why do you need me to find Roy that badly? Do you //really// want him back?”
You grimace.
“No, not really? But I don’t have much of a choice. Him being my partner makes me somewhat responsible for him…”
“Isn’t it the opposite?”
You stare at them and you wonder. How much do they know about your work relationship with Roy? They cover their mouth with one hand, realizing what they said.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that you need someone to… to keep an eye on you. I just thought that might be how… Well, how things worked.”
It’s your turn to sigh. Both from relief — $Maria being unaware of where your concern truly lies — and from weariness.
“It’s alright, you’re right, it does work like that. But still, now that Roy is gone, Flint is looking to me for answers. And if he doesn’t get any… Well, I’d rather not find out what he’ll do.”
You fiddle with the menu, still in your hands, as your anxiety surges with the mention of your boss. You’ve been able to keep a lid on it so far, but it lurks under the surface. You need to stop thinking about it and focus on your goal.
You watch your fingers play around with the piece of paper, bending it and straightening it. When you look back up, $Maria’s expression is full of sympathy. Do you deserve it?
“I’m sorry,” they murmur gently. “It sounds like a difficult position.”
“Yeah.”
They take a long, deep breath, rolling their shoulders back.
“Alright, I’ll help you.”
“You will?”
You smile at them. They sigh again, bringing their hands up to massage their temples.
“Well, if it’s a matter of life or death, I can’t possibly refuse, can I?”
You don’t know if they’re trying to lighten the mood or if that’s what you managed to convince them of. Either way, you don’t think it’s too far off from the truth.
“Thank you, $Maria, you have no idea what it means to me.”{(if: $Maria is "Reyes")[
<br />They drop one hand on the table, the other one still at their temple. “And please, stop calling me Reyes, it’s ridiculous.”<br />
You grin. “Alright, Maria.”
]}
<div class="choice">[[You don’t wait too long before Bassima comes back with your drinks.->Enjoying your drink]]</div>{(if: $drinkchoice is "The same")[(set: $drink to "cardamom hot chocolate")](else:)[(set: $drink to $drinkchoice)]}
She puts down a beautiful ceramic cup in front of Maria, with a deep blue hand-painted pattern wrapping around it. {(if: $drink is "Mint tea")[
She then slides a colorful glass toward you before filling it with steaming honey-colored tea and putting the steel teapot on your table.
]
(else:)[
She then slides a similar cup towards you, a plume of steam dancing above its content.
]}
After the tender leaves, you and Maria start talking about lighter topics, remembering better times, and joking around. It’s easier to relax, now that you know they’re still on your side after all this time. Maria seems to lower their guard as well, but {(if: $affection > 3)[
you’re sad to realize it’s harder to make them laugh now. Thankfully you still manage, if you try diligently enough.
]
(else:)[
you realize it’s harder to make them laugh now. They probably know, just as you do, that nothing will ever be the same.
]}
After a long sip of their hot chocolate, they sigh contentedly and you watch them close their eyes and lean their elbows on the table, resting their chin in the palms of their hands. {(if: $romance is 1 or $flirt > 1)[
You catch yourself staring at them, at their dark lashes brushing their cheeks, at the way their slender fingers frame their face… You look down at your drink before they open their eyes again.
]
(else:)[
When they look back at you, you smile.
]}
“Looks like you needed this,” you comment.
“With how cold it is tonight? I sure did.”
“I don’t mean the drink, I mean taking some time to unwind.”
“Oh!”
They smile and it’s a little bittersweet.
“I guess I did. The occasions are few and far between. No one to really drag me out of the office, I guess.”
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m here now, I can drag you out of the office any time you need.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Dragging you out")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“It sounds to me like you’re working too hard…”->You're working too hard]]</div>}
Their expression turns very soft. You think their eyes are shining a little brighter.
“I would like that,” they murmur, their voice a little rough. “But I don’t want to take up too much of your time…”
You roll your eyes. “Maria, if I’m suggesting it, it’s because I want to spend time with you.”
“$firstname…”
{(if: (history:) contains "Leaving you was heartbreaking")[
You feel a little regretful making them emotional twice this evening already. They bite on their trembling lip and wipe their eyes, avoiding smudging their makeup as much as they can.
]
(else:)[
You start regretting saying anything when you see your friend’s lip tremble and their eyes fill up. Are they going to cry? Their shoulders fall and they sigh, wiping the underside of their eyes to catch stray tears before they can fall and smudge their makeup.
]}
“I’m sorry, I’m a mess,” they say with a weak chuckle. “But thank you, I’m looking forward to going out with you again. As soon as I have some free time…”
You narrow your eyes.
“This is starting to sound like you work too much,” you lightly poke at them.
(display: "You're working too hard")
Maria looks to the side, pretending to observe the rare pedestrians who walk by the window.
“I have to. I take twice as many contracts as my colleagues just to pay the bills,” they admit, trying to make it sound like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
But you’re not fooled that easily. “How come?”
They sigh and look back at you. In their hesitation, they chew on their lower lip.
“Well, private investigation fees are expensive, not everyone can afford them. Sometimes people who don’t have the means to pay the full price come to the office and when they do, it’s because they are desperate. I take their cases, for a smaller fee. Someone has to.”
“And that someone is you.”
They shrug a little brusquely.
“No one else takes them.”
“Oh, Maria…”
“I know, I know!”
They cross their arms over their chest and look out the window again.
“You can hardly judge me,” they add defensively. “After all, I’m likely going to help you free of charge.”
You grin sheepishly at them. “That’s fair… I can pay for the drinks at least?”
Their eyes narrow as they look back at you, their lips forming a pout. “Can you afford it?”
You casually look back toward the bar, where Bassima is wiping a clean glass. She meets your eyes and glares suspiciously at you.
“Do you think I could open a tab here…”
“$firstname…” Maria groans.
“Sorry,” you say with an appropriately repentant smile.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“But for the record, I’m not judging you at all. I always admired your generosity.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Always admired your generosity")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You go back to joking around and teasing Maria to get their mind off the topic.->Back to lighter topics]]</div>}
Maria’s eyes widen. You didn’t expect them to be surprised by that. You thought that was obvious. Maybe you should have communicated your appreciation of them a little more often…
“You do?” They ask, blinking at you.
You nod. “I mean yeah, without it I wouldn’t even be here, would I?”
Their face contorts into a poignant frown and (if: (history:) contains "Dragging you out")[this time, ]they’re unable to stop their tears from falling. Instinctively, their hand reaches out for yours and squeezes your fingers, holding onto you like a lifeline while their other hand attempts to rub their cheeks dry.
“Fuck, you’re making me cry,” they grumble in a choked voice.
You smile crookedly at them, maybe to hide your own vulnerability which makes your expression brittle.
“Mission accomplished,” you say as the frail smile turns into a mischievous grin.
Maria purses their lips and punches you in the arm, not hard enough to bruise you. Their other hand is still clasped around yours.
{<div class="choice">[[You tap the back of their hand reassuringly before slipping out of their grasp.->Letting their hand go]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You let them hold your hand, brushing their knuckles softly with your thumb.")[
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 1)
(go-to: "Brushing their knuckles")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You bring their hand to your lips and press a gentle kiss to their fingers.")[
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 2)
(go-to: "Pressing a kiss to their fingers")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
The conversation is cut short when the brown-haired man shows up next to your table.
“Hey, Maria,” he says, looking at your friend with his charming smile still plastered on his face. “I just wanted to come over and say hi.”
Your friend gives him an exasperated side glance and sighs.
“You already said hi, Leandro,” they drawl in a tired tone.
“I was hoping to give you a more thorough greeting,” the man insists, his smile not losing any brightness as he casually slips his hands into his pockets. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I admit I was starting to miss you…”
Maria rolls their eyes harder than you have ever seen them do.
“And I haven’t missed your constant badgering,” they retort quite dryly.
Leandro’s grin widens and he looks genuinely delighted by your friend’s jab, you have to give him that.
“Oh come on, you have to admit my perseverance has its charm.”
{<div class="choice">You’re starting to get thoroughly annoyed by the guy and you don’t have the patience to hide it.<br />
(link: "“You know what’s even more charming?” You ask, your tone short. “Being able to take no for an answer.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Back off")
]</div>
<div class="choice">As bothersome as the man is, you’re very curious to see how Maria will handle the situation. [[You lean an elbow on the table and raise an eyebrow at them.->Let Maria handle him]]</div>}
{(if: (history:) contains "Dragging you out")[
Maria is now rubbing their face with both hands and the inevitable happens. Their mascara gets smeared a little. You try not to smile at their vain efforts but it’s fruitless and your friend glares at you.
]
(else:)[
Maria is now rubbing their face with both hands, trying to wipe the tears without smudging their makeup — a difficult endeavor.
]}
That’s when the brown-haired man shows up near your table, looking at your friend with a concerned frown.
“Hey, I was just coming to say hi… But you look upset. Everything alright, Maria?” The man asks in a low voice.
He sneaks a glance at you and although his expression is not yet hostile, you know his slightly narrowed gaze implies he thinks you made Maria cry. He’s not wrong, but it’s certainly not in a bad way. You would give the man the benefit of the doubt and assume it’s an honest mistake but you’ve lived through too much and have run out of patience. You roll your eyes exasperatedly.
Maria sighs and wipes the last tears from their cheeks as quickly as they can, a little panicked to have been caught in a moment of emotional vulnerability by someone who clearly is not as close to them as he would like.
“You already said hi, Leandro,” they say tiredly. “And I’m fine, I don’t need you to come to rescue me.”
Leandro’s serious frown smoothes into a bright smile. “Good to know. But if you ever //do// need a rescue, you’ve got my number.”
Maria gives him a very obviously unimpressed side glance. “Bold of you to assume I kept it.”
The man laughs graciously and you have to give him some credit, he sounds genuinely delighted by your friend’s jab.
“What can I say? I don’t lack confidence. Some say it’s my most attractive trait.”
You haven’t seen Maria roll their eyes so hard before.
{<div class="choice">You decide to intercede and you turn fully toward Leandro. (link: "“Hey, I think it’s obvious they’re not interested. Why don’t you lay off a bit?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Back off")
]</div>
<div class="choice">Oh no, you’re not doing a thing. You lean your elbows onto the table and raise an eyebrow at your friend. [[You’re curious to see how they’ll handle the situation.->Let Maria handle him]]</div>}
{(if: $flirt < 2)[
Maria looks taken aback by the gentle touch at first, but they don’t remove their hand and soon they are watching you through watery yet incredibly warm eyes.
]
(else:)[
Maria quickly melts into the gentle touch, watching you with so much warmth through their watery eyes.
]}
The moment is quickly broken, however, when the brown-haired man shows up right next to your table. Maria’s hand retreats from yours instantly and they lean away, obviously made uncomfortable by the intrusion.
“Hey, I just wanted to come over and say hi,” the man says, his charming smile still plastered on his face.
It falls, however, when they catch your companion discreetly wiping their face, still wet from the tears.
“Maria? You look upset. Is everything alright?”
He frowns and sneaks a glance at you. He doesn’t look hostile yet, but it still feels somewhat accusatory. You’re doubly annoyed, between him interrupting a romantic moment and him implying you made Maria cry. Well, you did, but not that way.
“I’m alright, Leandro,” your friend sighs. “And I already told you I wanted to spend time with my friend.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
Leandro throws you another look and it’s even less charitable than the first one.
{<div class="choice">You’re honestly tempted to throw a punch, but you suspect that wouldn’t go over well with the café owner, nor with Maria. So you’ll have to be content with telling him off.<br />
(link: "“You got your answer. Could you back off now?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Back off")
]</div>
<div class="choice">This guy is starting to make even you uncomfortable. You give Maria a look. [[They know him better than you, maybe they’ll know how to get rid of him?->Let Maria handle him]]</div>
<div class="choice">Leandro really isn’t getting it. Maybe you should spell it out for him.<br />
(link: "“Hey, you’re good-looking, you seem charming enough,” you start with a pleasant smile that quickly turns into a toothy grin. “Why don’t you find your own date?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Find your own date")
]</div>}
Maria inhales deeply when your lips brush their knuckles. From the corner of your eyes, you see them shift on their chair and one of their fingers twitches under your kiss. Their hand is still cold from the chill of the night and you warm it with your breath, pressing another, lingering kiss on their fingers. When you move away and look back at them, your thumb softly skims across their skin and their face has turned a shade darker.
At least their eyes are dry now and there’s a small smile on their lips, even though they can’t meet your gaze. You smile with delight as you watch them tuck a strand of their glossy black hair behind their ear.
Unfortunately, you can’t savor the moment for long as the brown-haired man suddenly shows up next to your table.
“Hey, Maria,” the man says with his charming smile still plastered on his face. “I wanted to come by and say hello…”
Maria quickly pulls their hand away from yours and looks toward the window, visibly uncomfortable with the interruption.
“You already said hello, Leandro,” your companion replies tersely.
The man’s smile quickly falls and he looks at your open, now-empty hand before narrowing his eyes at you, clearly choosing to misinterpret Maria’s gesture.
“Is everything alright?” He asks, looking at them with a concerned frown. ”Your friend isn’t being bothersome, I hope?”
That’s enough to cure Maria of their embarrassment and they look pointedly at Leandro.
“No, you’re the one who is being bothersome if you couldn’t tell,“ they reply sharply.
The man grins, looking honestly delighted by Maria’s jab, you have to give him that. “Fair enough. Although I’ve been told before that my persistence is part of my charm.”
Maria rolls their eyes harder than you have ever seen them do. “Not by me, that’s for sure.”
Leandro rests a hand on the table and leans closer to your companion and you can’t help but frown at the man’s audacity.
“Maybe I can get you a drink to make up for it, then? I’d hate to leave you with such a bad impression of me…”
{<div class="choice">You really can’t stand the guy anymore and you start glaring at him. After working in a den for years, you know how to make yourself look intimidating.<br />
(link: "“You’ve already been told to back off, so why don’t you just back off already?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Back off")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[As much as you want to argue with the guy, you feel like Maria understands the situation better and you decide to let them take care of it.->Let Maria handle him]]</div>
<div class="choice">This guy doesn’t get it. It looks like you’re going to have to spell it out for him.<br />
(link: "“Leandro, right? Can I ask you a favor? I’m having a lovely date and I would really appreciate it if you stopped ruining it for me.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Find your own date")
]</div>}
Leandro shifts on his feet to face you, planting a hand on the table in front of you. He doesn’t seem too impressed. Yet.
“And who are you to speak in Maria’s stead, exactly?”
“Their friend?” You say, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
And it should be, Maria already introduced you as such, didn’t they?
“What kind of friend are you if you don’t let them speak for themself?”
There’s almost a smug tilt to the man’s lips and it’s aggravating. You move to stand up but Maria lays an appeasing hand on your forearm. You glance at them but they aren’t looking at you. Instead, they’re leaning on the table to catch Leandro’s eye and they’re glaring at him.
“No one would need to speak in my stead if you just listened to me in the first place, Leandro. I told you to leave us be, so just leave us be.”
The man moves his hand away from the table and straightens his back looking between you and Maria with hesitation.
“Alright,” he finally concedes with one last nasty look your way. “Have a good night, Maria.”
Your friend is usually quite gracious, but not enough to wish Leandro the same. The man turns away and returns to the bar. Your gaze follows him all the way there and you watch him pay his bill. When he exits the café, it is a relief to both you and Maria.
When you look back at your companion, they sigh and smile at you.
“Thank you for your help, $firstname.”
You offer them a half-grin.
<div class="choice">{(if: $flirt > 1)[
[[“Anytime, Maria.”->Are you flirting with me?]]
]
(else:)[
[[“Anytime, Maria.”->The dartboard]]
]}</div>
Your companion meets your eyes and sighs before looking back at the man, their lips set in a firm line.
“Leandro, you don’t want to make me say ‘leave us alone’ again,” they say, their tone final.
The man grins. “Why not? I do enjoy the sound of your voice…”
But his mistake is to reach for Maria’s shoulder with his hand. In a split second, your friend is up, grabbing Leandro’s wrist. You have just the time to gather your drink and lift it off the table before Maria twists his arm behind his back and slams his head on the flat surface, making the table rattle and their hot chocolate swirl and spill.
“That’s enough for tonight. Go home,” Maria declared, not quite as harshly as the way they manhandled him.
The few people in the café are all staring at them. Leandro doesn’t look as cheery as before once Maria releases him. He dusts his jacket and head for the bar without a word, his pride wounded. Your gaze follows him all the way back and you watch him pay for his drink. He exits the café just as instructed.
Everyone goes about their business as if nothing happened and Maria sits back down, exhaling with relief. They look down at their spilled chocolate with disappointment and start wiping it with their napkin. You notice a slight tremor in their fingers. Bassima comes back to your table and stops them.
“I got it, love,” she says, cleaning the table herself.
“I’ll get you another cup,” she adds once she’s done. “On the house.”
“You don’t have to, it’s fine…” Maria starts but the bartender shushes them with a pointed look.
“I’m getting you another cup,” she insists.
Your friend smiles faintly at her.
“Thank you.”
After she leaves, Maria looks back at you, an apologetic smile on their lips.
“I’m sorry for the scene… Leandro is a regular here and has taken to pestering me, it seems.”
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“That was hot,”")[
(set: $flirt to $flirt + 1)
(go-to: "That was hot")
] you tell them with a grin.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Are you okay?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Are you okay?")
] You ask them with a concerned frown.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“What an ass,” you grumble. “I hope he leaves you alone now.”->What an ass]]</div>}
The man blinks at you and Maria does the same, you notice. Leandro then looks between the two of you and your companion avoids his gaze, their cheeks darkening slightly.
“Oh. I see. I was afraid that was what was going on,” Leandro admits before turning a somewhat accusatory glance toward Maria. “Why didn’t you start with that?”
“I…” Maria starts, flustered, taken aback just as much as Leandro is. “It’s none of your business, Leandro. Besides, you really should learn to take a hint.”
The man winces. “Yeah, alright. You probably have a point.”
He looks around him, suddenly embarrassed. “I’ll leave you be, then.”
“Thank you, Leandro, I appreciate it,” Maria murmurs, seeming just as uncomfortable.
He smiles feebly. “I’ll see you around.”
Leandro turns around, walks back to the bar where he pays for his drink, and hurries to leave the café. You watch him go and you have to admit you’re a bit surprised by how smoothly that went over.
Maria sighs with relief and you turn back to them, watching them relax in front of their hot chocolate. You smile at them.
“Well… Good riddance, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
Maria shifts uneasily in their seat. “I do feel a little bad, he seemed so disappointed…”
“Please, Maria, don’t,” you groan, rolling your eyes. “He was being annoying.”
They smile timidly. “Yeah, he was…”
Quiet falls again and their long fingers start fiddling with their cup. You watch as their index finger follows the rim, deceptively casual.
“$firstname…” They start, their eyes focused on the steam curling above their drink.
“Yeah?”
“Did you say that just to make him leave… Or is this really a date?”
They raise their gaze, jasper irises watching you carefully from under dark lashes.
{<div class="choice">You shrug slowly, meeting their eyes. [[“It depends. What would you prefer?”->What would you prefer?]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You smile at them, staring back intently. (link: "“I meant it. I want this to be a date.”")[
(set: $romance to 2)
(go-to: "I want this to be a date")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You avoid their eyes, looking out the window and your fingers idly tapping the edge of the table. (link: "“It was to make him leave, mostly.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "To make him leave")
]</div>}
You reach a lull in the conversation. Maria keeps throwing sheepish glances your way. It looks like they want to ask you something, but can’t quite muster the courage to do so.
Until they do.
“$firstname,” they call you softly. “I was wondering…Maybe I’m imagining things but… have you been flirting with me tonight?”
They hold your gaze, their jasper irises staring firmly at you, so serious it makes you want to burst out laughing. You purse your lips, trying to contain your hilarity.
“You mean it wasn’t obvious enough?” You ask them and you can’t stop a playful grin from forming on your lips.
Denying it would be ridiculous at this point.
“Oh God, I knew it,” They mumble, covering their face with their hands.
Between their fingers, you can see the skin of their cheeks taking on a darker shade. This time you let yourself chuckle and you rest your elbows on the table, leaning forward.
“And now that you have it confirmed… What are you going to do about it?” You ask them.
Silence is your answer at first. Maria slowly moves their hands away, but they can’t meet your eyes, a dark red flush still coloring their face.
“I’m not sure, $firstname,” they murmur.
Tentatively, they reach out a hand to yours, the tip of their fingers gently brushing the sensitive skin of your palm.
“I would love to give it a try,” they add just as softly. “Us being together. A serious try, I mean. I just don’t know if that’s what you want too.”
So they want to know your intentions.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You shiver under their touch, responding in kind and holding their hand.<br />
Staring into their questioning eyes, you reply: (link: "“Of course that’s what I want, Maria.”")[
(set: $romance to 3)
(go-to: "I want to give it a try")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You stare at their hand on yours, the pad of their fingers firing up your every nerve.<br />
Yet you hesitate. (link: "“I don’t know if I can do serious, Maria.”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 1)
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Can't do serious")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“It was just for fun, Maria,” you admit, a bit abashedly. “I don’t really have any intention like that.”")[
(set: $friendship to 3)
(go-to: "I don't think I can")
]</div>}
You keep talking lazily with Maria for a little while(if: (history:) contains "Let Maria handle him")[ and Bassima brings your friend a new cup of hot chocolate], but you are soon both settling into a comfortable silence, sipping your respective drinks. That’s when your attention drifts toward your surroundings, taking notice of the many pieces of art decorating the café’s walls. One of them, you realize, stands out. It looks like a wooden cabinet hanging from the wall, but it’s too shallow to hold anything significant inside of it.
“Is that…?” You start with a frown.
“What?” Maria replies, blinking at you.
You stand up, leaving the remnants of your drink behind, and walk up to the wooden object. You throw its doors open and a big round target sits right in front of you.
You scoff. “A dartboard? In a café?”
The darts are neatly arranged on a small shelf attached to the right door while a blackboard meant to keep track of scores hangs from the left one.
“What?” You hear Bassima say from behind her counter and you look at her over your shoulder. “I think it’s better to have one somewhere the clientele is //not// drunk.”
You have to smile at that. It’s a fair point and, as a matter of fact, you have never seen one in Flint or Ruby Riviera’s dens. It wouldn’t do if someone accidentally stabbed some important patron.
“Do you want to play?”
The question comes from Maria and you turn your gaze toward them. They’re watching you with a soft but amused smile, half-turned in their chair.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“Do you even need to ask?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Play darts")
] You answer with a grin.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I’ll pass, thanks,”->Don't play darts]] you say with a chuckle.</div>}
Maria’s eyes roll with exasperation but you can tell they are also flustered.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“Ridiculous and honest,” you insist, your smile widening. “I think it’s very sexy when you stand up for yourself. And smash a guy’s head on a table.”
You see their cheeks darkening and they look away from you, taking a sip of what’s left of their hot chocolate. They are embarrassed, but troubled as well, judging by the frown forming on their brow.
“Well, I didn’t like doing that. I didn’t like that it had to go that far.”
You lose your smile.
“Yeah… This Leandro is a real piece of work. I hope he learned his lesson…”
“I hope so too… He doesn’t get rattled easily. I think this time I really got to him, though.”
You watch them biting their lower lip as they put their cup down. Are they feeling guilty?
“He had it coming,” you say firmly to reassure them.
Maria looks back at you, a warm smile coming back to soften their features.
“Thank you, $firstname.”
“Hey, you did all the work, no need to thank me,” you respond, smiling back at them.
They relax as you chat with them, joking to cheer them up. You realize it’s not just guilt plaguing them, but a little bit of fear as well. You don’t know this Leandro enough to tell if he’s the kind of man to seek revenge for what Maria did. And you gather your companion is not sure either.
<div class="choice">{(if: $flirt > 1)[
[[For now, though, it’s better for them to forget about him altogether and you apply yourself to help them with that.->Are you flirting with me?]]
]
(else:)[
[[For now, though, it’s better for them to forget about him altogether and you apply yourself to help them with that.->The dartboard]]
]}</div>
Maria’s smile fades a little.
“I’ll be okay. You know I don’t like violence. I can defend myself, but I would rather not have to.”
They rest their elbows on the table, bringing their hands to the sides of their face to massage their temples. Their fingers are still shaking. You lean in as well.
“Maria… If this guy keeps bothering you, you should talk to the owner about it. Maybe they can ban him.”
Maria sighs. “She’d be losing a very good customer. Besides, Leandro is not usually that pushy. I guess you being here made him feel threatened or something, I don’t know…”
You scoff. “Don’t give him excuses. He’s a creep, and the café will be a more pleasant place without him badgering other clients. How much more often would you come here if you knew he won’t be present in the first place?”
Maria stops massaging their temples and stares at you.
“You’re right,” they admit after a while. “Besides, Bassima owes me a favor. I’ll talk to her.”
You raise an eyebrow at them.
“I sense a story.”
“Another time,” your friend replied with a soft smile.
You chat and joke with them to get their mind off of the encounter. You get the feeling what happened bothers them even more than they let on. You don’t know this Leandro and you can’t tell if he’s the sort of man to seek revenge for what Maria did. And you don’t think Maria knows either, which makes them anxious.
<div class="choice">{(if: $flirt > 1)[
[[For now, all that matters is to get them to relax. You do your best to help them with that.->Are you flirting with me?]]
]
(else:)[
[[For now, all that matters is to get them to relax. You do your best to help them with that.->The dartboard]]
]}</div>
Maria exhales a long and shaky breath and rests their elbows on the table, raising their hands to the sides of their face to massage their temples. Their fingers are still trembling.
“I hope so too. He usually isn’t that… pushy,” they explain softly. “I’m not sure what came over him.”
Your gaze lingers in the direction Leandro took off.
“I have a feeling he didn’t like me being with you…” You suggest before looking back at them.
“I think you may be right,” Maria responds, looking defeated.
“It doesn’t excuse him for being a giant…”
“I know,” Maria interrupts you with an amused smile.
You offer them a lopsided grin and silently mouth the colorful insult you had in mind for Leandro and it makes Maria chuckle.
You get the feeling they regret getting this forceful with the bothersome man. Not just because they hate violence of any kind… You don’t know this Leandro and you’re not sure if he’s the kind of man to seek revenge after what Maria did. And you don’t think your friend knows either, which makes them anxious.
<div class="choice">{(if: $flirt > 1)[
[[For now, you just have to get their mind off of the encounter so you focus on that, chatting and joking with them.->Are you flirting with me?]]
]
(else:)[
[[For now, you just have to get their mind off of the encounter so you focus on that, chatting and joking with them.->The dartboard]]
]}</div>
Maria lets out an amused scoff, but they’re unable to hold your gaze any longer. “I asked first, you know.”
You look down at your own drink, fingers tapping the side of the {(if: $drink is "mint tea")[glass](else:)[cup]}. The question is harder to answer than you thought it would be. Sure, you find them attractive, but how ready are you to commit to any entanglements with them? You’re not certain. There are so many ways this could go wrong…
“If I’m keeping the option open, obviously I’m interested, Maria,” you say, looking back up and leveling your eyes with theirs. “But…”
“But?”
Maria rests both their elbows on the table and leans forward. Their expression is both sad and soft, gently inquiring. It makes you swallow.
“But you know how I am, what I am,” you finally say. “Things could get messy.”
Their hand reaches out to yours again, their fingers lightly caressing the sensitive skin of your palm. You suppress a shiver.
“Things can always get messy, with you or anyone else. I’m not scared of that,” they try to reassure you.
But you snort derisively. They’re not wrong, of course. Everyone is flawed, stumbling through life however they can. But you? You’re pretty sure your life is especially fucked up.
“Come on, you know you can find a much less complicated date than me if you want to,” you spit back.
Any attempt to not sound bitter falls flat. It’s not enough to deter Maria, however.
“Complicated, I can do,” they reply with gentle aplomb, their fingers gliding over your palm to hold yours.
They raise their gaze to stare into your eyes. “You know that. I’ve been your friend through complicated times before, remember? I’m willing to give this — us together — a serious try. If you are too…”
You can’t help but still think that they don’t know what they’re getting themself into. But they know better than anyone else, that much is true.
They’re not backing away and you have to take a decision.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“I want to give it a try too,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $romance to 3)
(go-to: "I want to give it a try")
] you admit with a tentative smile.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I can do complicated too,” you answer with affected nonchalance. “But I’m not sure I can do ‘serious’…”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 1)
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Can't do serious")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m sorry, Maria. I don’t think I can,”")[
(set: $friendship to 3)
(go-to: "I don't think I can")
] you say, looking away from their too-tender eyes.</div>}
“I’m glad,” Maria replies, pursing their lips in a vain attempt to hide their blossoming smile. “That’s what I was hoping to hear.”
“Really?” You ask with a grin. “Why didn’t you say so? Could have skipped all the subtle flirting and get right to the meat of things if I’d known.”
They roll their eyes without losing their smile.
“Maybe I like it when you are trying to woo me,” they say with a playful glint in their eyes.
It’s a side of Maria you don’t think you ever saw. You’re not sure what you expected, exactly, but you’re surprised to see them flirt back so easily, with how easily flustered they usually get. Maybe they’re getting more confident, now that your attraction is out in the open.
“But of course,” you reply smugly, resting your elbows on the table and leaning forward. “My wooing techniques are beyond compare.”
Maria narrows their eyes at you. Maybe you’re getting a little too cocky.
“Or maybe I like to see the doubt in your eyes when you’re not sure if your ‘wooing’ is working or not,” they say, the corner of their lips raised in a subtle smirk.
You scoff in pretend offense. “How cruel!”
Your companion’s smile becomes more timid and they look away, showing signs of hesitation.
“Yes, I’m sure my cruelty is what is making you fall for me,” they say, trying to keep joking around, but you feel like their heart is not entirely in it this time.
You observe them in silence for a moment and they glance at you shortly when they realize you’re not answering. You reach across the table and take their hand in yours. You feel their fingers twitch with surprise against yours before they return the touch readily.
“What’s bugging you?” You ask them softly.
They don’t reply right away. Instead, they place their chin in their other hand and watch your linked fingers, gentle pads caressing the sensitive skin of your palm. You have to suppress a shiver at the sensation.
“It’s just... You’ve been gone so long…”
Your back stiffens at the words. They’re not accusatory, yet you feel guilt starting to roil in the pit of your stomach.
They notice your reaction and look up at you, eyes both sad and soft.
“I understand why, and I already forgave you, I’m not going back on that,” they assure you. “It’s just that… I’m not sure what you want this to be… Us, I mean. I want to give it a serious try if that’s what you want too.”
They watch you, searching your eyes with apprehension. So this is what’s on their mind. Your intentions.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“That’s what I want too,”")[
(set: $romance to 3)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I want to give it a try")
] you confirm with a reassuring smile.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You shift on your chair uneasily. (link: "“I don’t know if I can do ‘serious’, Maria…”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 1)
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Can't do serious")
]</div>}
“Mostly?” Maria asks and, glancing up at them, you see they have raised one curious eyebrow.
“Yeah…” You reply hesitantly. “It was meant to be a friendly date, right?”
{(if: (history:) contains "Pressing a kiss to their fingers")[
They close their eyes and inhale deeply. Of course, they’re not buying it.<br /><br />
“$firstname…” They start softly, staring back at you. “Do you think friends kiss each other’s hands?”<br />
“Not usually,” you say, rubbing the back of your neck uncomfortably and wincing.
]
(else-if: $flirt > 2)[
They blink at you, looking confused. Of course, they would be.<br /><br />
“$firstname… You’ve been flirting with me all night,” they say with a frown and it’s not something you can just deny.<br />
“I guess I did…” You admit slowly.
]
(else:)[
Their expression is hard to read. They look away and wrap their hands around their elbows, the corners of their lips falling, betraying what may be disappointment. You’re not sure.<br /><br />
“Yes, that’s… That’s what I assumed as well,” they reply nonetheless.<br /><br />There’s an awkward pause before they clear their throat and smile again.<br /><br />
“Thank you for the help,” they say and you feel relieved they don’t ask more questions about how you chose to handle the situation.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Anytime,”->The dartboard]] you reply with a lopsided grin.</div>
]}{(if: $flirt > 2 or (history:) contains "Pressing a kiss to their fingers")[
<br /><br />Maria watches you, but you don’t say anything else. Flirting is one thing, but putting a name on what’s going on between you and them is another. It makes it too formal, and too solid. It breeds expectations you’re not sure you’ll be able to meet.<br /><br />
“$firstname,” your companion calls you again, their voice even gentler than before.<br /><br />
You hold their gaze and swallow to see them looking back so tenderly.<br /><br />
“I don’t know why you’re backing out now but if you’re scared of being rejected, just know I would be happy to give us being together a try. A serious try, I mean.”<br />
“Maria…” You say pleadingly.<br /><br />
They have no right to be so soft. To make you want this. You’re not scared of rejection, not now. You’re scared it’ll happen later, when it'll hurt even more.<br /><br />
They reach a hand out to you, fingers gently grazing your palm in a touch that’s meant to be reassuring. They don’t know how much more difficult it makes things.<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You sigh, relenting. (link: "“I want it too. I want to be with you.”")[
(set: $romance to 3)
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I want to give it a try")
]<br />
You just can’t resist them.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You suppress a grimace. (link: "“I don’t think I can do serious, Maria…”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 1)
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Can't do serious")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m sorry Maria, I can’t,”")[
(set: $friendship to 3)
(go-to: "I don't think I can")
] you answer, your throat tight.</div>
]}
Maria beams at you and it makes your lips ease into a soft smile. You didn’t think you could feel that way again. An old, familiar warmth spreads in your chest at the sight of their happiness.
Maybe you’re staring at them for too long. They quickly become bashful, looking down at their drink while their fingers entangle themself with yours, locking in your agreement. It’s as if the physical touch is materializing this new aspect of your relationship. Both anchoring and terrifying, in your opinion.
You push that thought away, looking fondly at your joined hand, your thumb playing across their skin.
“I’m… so glad,” Maria murmurs, maybe scared of saying it too loud. “I didn’t expect to reconnect with you today, let alone…”
When they look back up at you, there’s a new shine in their eyes.
“It makes me so happy,” they add, their voice getting strangled as they choke up.
“Maria…”
They bring their free hand to their face, wiping tears off their cheeks.
“{(unless: (history:) contains "Always admired your generosity")[Sorry, I’m a mess,](else:)[Not again,]}” they mumble, grumpy at themself.
You squeeze their hand reassuringly. “I don’t mind.”
They let their hand fall on the table and smile tenderly at you.
“Thank you,” they whisper, and you’re not sure if it’s for your acceptance or for helping them out with Leandro.
The tears have left faint mascara streaks on their face and you reach over to wipe them gently from their cheeks. Maria becomes very still, their breath stuttering to a stop. The way you let your knuckles drag along their skin as you move your hand away from their face may not be necessary, but it’s definitely worth the sigh that escapes Maria’s parted lips.
Until they notice your smug smile and kick your feet under the table, that is.
<div class="choice">[[Your pained grunt quickly turns into a chuckle.->The dartboard]]</div>
Maria’s hand curls back, slowly moving away from yours.
“Oh,” they say, their shoulders drooping in obvious disappointment.
Knowing them, it’s a reaction you probably should have expected. But knowing you, it’s also an answer //they// should have expected.
Either way, the dismay in their eyes should not bother you as much as it does.
“It doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, you know?” You suggest while perfectly aware it won’t go over well. “Let it last as long as it’ll last.”
Maria purses their lips, unsurprisingly. “Meaning you can bail out whenever things get difficult.”
It ticks you off. They don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s your fault, you’re not exactly forthcoming, but it still annoys you.
“Meaning I’m also giving you a chance to bail out whenever things get difficult,” you reply, trying to keep your cool, but unable to stop your fingers from tapping nervously on the table.
“You know damn well I don’t do that,” your companion shoots back, looking irked.
You scoff, irritation taking over. You don’t know why you’re getting so worked up about it, really. It should be simple. You don’t have the same expectations, you should leave it at that. But you can’t. You’re too entangled with each other and pulling apart is bound to break something.
“You have //no idea// how difficult it can get,” you spit out bitterly. “So don’t act high and mighty.”
Maria gapes at you in offense. “I don’t! You’re the one who cut me out. I would have stuck around if you had let me!”
“Really? You didn’t try too hard to hold me back,” you point out in a sharp tone.
“I was trying to respect your decision! That’s what friends do!” They replied, their voice rising enough to make heads turn in the café.
They quickly deflate when they realize all eyes are on them. Looking out the window to avoid your gaze as well as everyone else’s, they lower their voice, their tone sounding defeated.
“I’m sorry, $firstname. I don’t think it can work. Not like that.”
You know they’re right, but you can’t muster the will to acknowledge it.
“Yeah,” is all you manage to answer.
You stand up, taking your coat from the back of your chair.
“I need to go,” you mumble as you search your pockets for your wallet.
“Okay…” Maria says quietly, their expression falling into one of dejection.
//Once again, they’re not holding you back//, a nasty voice says in your head. Your insecurities, you suppose. But you know why they don’t and you can’t begrudge it to them.
You find a rumpled bill and put it on the table along with a couple of coins. It should be enough for your drink, you think.
“Come by my office tomorrow,” your companion murmurs. “We’ll discuss your problem, okay?”
You nod, feeling like your voice would come out too raw if you were to voice your ascent.
They still want to help you, of course.
You put your coat on but the moment you try to leave, Maria gently grabs your wrist. You pause, holding their soft gaze.
“We can still be friends, $firstname…”
“Of course,” you reply in a clipped voice.
But you can’t meet their warm jasper eyes anymore. You can’t afford to throw away their friendship, nor do you want to. But right now the rejection, as inevitable as it was, stings.
You leave the café, walking through the dark and cold streets with long and fast strides. Your thoughts keep gravitating toward Maria on your journey back to your apartment. The other commuters on the tram give you strange looks, so you close your eyes, ignoring them. But in the darkness, all you see is your friend’s disappointed face.
Maybe you should have just said yes, that you wanted to try being together. But how could you when you have no doubt it would end in unavoidable heartbreak?
Maria is right. It can’t work.
<div class="choice">[[The thought doesn’t bring any comfort, however, and you struggle to find sleep that night.->The situation]]</div>
Maria retracts their hand, wringing it with the other uncomfortably.
”Oh,” they say.
But they quickly hide their disappointment behind a reassuring smile. “That’s alright! I understand. We can still be friends, right?”
“Of course,” you reply quietly.
You can’t afford to lose their friendship, nor do you want to, as awkward as it is to have to reject them. You try to smile back at them, convincing yourself that you made the right choice. For both you and them.
<div class="choice">[[Maria clears their throat and you can tell they are eager to change the subject.->The dartboard]]</div>
They roll their eyes, but their smile widens. Obviously, you picked the correct answer. Standing up, they approach you and the dartboard. As opposed to you, they bring their drink with them.
“What do you want to play?” They ask as they walk past you, their shoulder brushing yours.
They pull out three darts from their display and drop them in your hands.
“Darts?” You reply, with a raised eyebrow.
Maria chuckles and returns to the board to pick three darts for themself.
“You’ve never played, have you?”
“No,” you admit with a sheepish grin.
They take a sip of their hot chocolate and hike up a thigh on the nearest table.
“What about we play ‘round the clock?” They suggest.
“What’s that?”
They point at the board. “See these numbers around the target?”
You nod.
“The goal is to hit every line that leads to them, from one to twenty. The first one to reach twenty wins.”
You purse your lips in disappointment. “We don’t get to hit the bulls-eye?”
“Trust me you’ll have your hands full with that one already,” Maria replies with an unusual smirk. “And if it makes you feel better, we have to hit as close to the bulls-eye as possible to determine who starts.”
You narrow your eyes at them.
“You’re not usually that confident,” you say slowly. “Am I in trouble?”
It’s enough to make them deflate.
“Oh, I’m just a little more experienced than you, since you never played,” they say, some color rising to their cheeks.
“But knowing you, you could very much have beginner’s luck,” they add in a mumble.
You grin. “Now that’s the modest Maria I know.”
They roll their eyes once again. “Why don’t you stop trash-talking and throw already.”
Not losing an inch of your smile you turn to the target and get ready to throw your first dart. But you pause, unsure of what technique to use in the first place. If there’s any sort of technique to have in this game.
You look back at Maria. “Why don’t you start? Show me how it’s done.”
Their lips purse skeptically. “Are you sure?”
“Like you said, you’re more experienced, maybe I can learn a thing or two watching you. Make it a little fairer.”
They sigh and put their hot chocolate down. “Alright.”
You step back and watch them rid themself of their jacket and roll their shirt’s sleeves up meticulously. (if: $romance > 0)[There’s something entrancing in looking at their long fingers work to bare their forearms and you can’t stop watching their hands and the way tendons and veins jut out under their light brown skin.]
Before you know it, they have taken position a few feet away from the board. They seem relaxed and you can’t pick up on any particular detail in their posture. As far as you can tell, they just raise their hand and throw the dart.
It hits the board with a quiet thunk and you turn your gaze to the target. The dart is planted right in the middle.
“Well, fuck,” you swear.
Maria looks at you with what could almost be mistaken for a smug smile.
“You know what you need to do if you want to start,” they say, stepping aside for you.
You groan and position yourself in front of the dartboard. Raising your arm, you try your best to mimic your companion’s gestures. They observe you quietly as you ready yourself to throw the dart. But once again, you drop your arm and turn to them.
“Wait, before we start, I think a wager is in order.”
They sigh heavily, crossing their arm over their chest. “Is it though?”
“Come on, Maria. It’ll spice things up,” you plead, trying on your most charming smile.
They look at you in stubborn silence for a few seconds, but it doesn’t take much longer than that for them to relent.
“Alright,” they say with another sigh. “What do you want to bet?”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[“If I win, you have to give me a kiss,”->Wagering a kiss]] you reply with a telling grin.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
<div class="choice">[[“Money of course,” you are quick to answer with a devious smile. “What about a twenty bill?”->Wagering money]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“The loser has to tell the winner a secret,”->Wagering a secret]] you respond with a slight smirk.</div>}
“Suit yourself,” your companion says and you wonder if they’re a bit disappointed.
You come back to the table, sitting on your chair in front of them.
“Why do you ask?” You inquire, looking at them with curiosity. “Are you a fan of darts?”
They shrug, but you catch their gaze flicking bashfully to the side. “Not exactly. I like to play once in a while when I come here. It’s something to do, to unwind.”
“Are you good at it?”
“I couldn’t say, I don’t have any point of comparison. I usually play by myself.”
Their cheeks are taking on a darker hue and you narrow your eyes at them, a smirk forming on your lips.
“I would have thought you’d have a pretty good idea, depending on how often you hit the bulls-eye,” you point out casually.
“True,” Maria admits reluctantly. “In that case, I guess I can defend myself.”
“You’re being overly modest, aren’t you?”
They sigh, rolling their eyes. “What do you want me to say, $firstname? That I got really good at darts because I’ve got nothing else going on in my life?”
“You really need to learn how to brag,” you comment, reclining in your chair. “Why don’t you say your talents at darts come from the keen eye you developed alongside your sharpshooter abilities?”
“Because that would be false advertisement,” Maria replies flatly, crossing their arms over their chest.
“I think that’s fair game in this unforgiving world.”
“Of course, you would say that, you’re…” They start vehemently before cutting themself short.
They glance around and lower their tone when they finish: “You’re a criminal.”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You lean forward, your smile creeping wider. “Yet you agreed to help me //and// to date me. What does that say about you? Come on, you can lie a little.”
]
(else:)[
You lean forward. “Yet you agreed to help me. What does that say about you? Come on, you can lie a little.”
]}
“Never said I couldn’t,” Maria says softly, the way their gaze avoids yours betraying their discomfort.
But they find their composure back and pout at you. “And if you’re trying to make me regret my decision, you’re doing a fine job at it.”
You chuckle. “No, I’m not. I’m glad to have your help.(if: $romance > 2)[ And your interest.]”
They smile at you(if: $romance > 2)[ and it’s soft and warm].
You finish your drinks while chatting and bickering, and, as tempting as it is to stay and enjoy the café’s warmth and comfort, the hour is late and you have to head out.
You offer to share the bill, but when Maria sees you struggling to gather enough coins to pay your half, they end up paying for the whole thing. You feel a bit embarrassed, but they don’t bring any attention to it, smoothly taking the lead in your interaction with Bassima.
<div class="choice">[[You thank them quietly as soon as you exit the building, the sudden cold seizing your limbs.->Exiting the café]]</div>
{(if: ((history:) contains "Don't play darts") or ((history:) contains "Wagering money"))[
(display: "Wagered money or no darts")
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Wagering a kiss")[
(display: "Wagered a kiss")
]
(else:)[
(display: "Wagered a secret")
]}
Maria looks both flustered and cross with you, which is not exactly what you were aiming for.
“That’s an awful wager,” they grumble. “If I win I don’t get to kiss you?”
Your grin turns wider to their dismay. So that’s what’s bugging them.
“An easily solved problem. You just have to let me win.”
“You’re the worst,” Maria mumbles, looking away from your smug expression.
“Or, you can bet a kiss as well,” you suggest in a softer tone.
Their eyes meet yours again and, if they don’t look quite as annoyed as before, they’re still narrowing their eyes at you.
“That’s a stupid wager. No matter who wins, the outcome is the same,” they point out, mercilessly.
“We both get to win, what are you complaining about?” You retort as you position yourself again to throw that first dart.
(display: "Throwing the first dart")
“Do you have one?” They ask and they are thoughtful enough to not look entirely skeptical.
“Not right now,” you admit with a sheepish grin.
“Should you be that confident you’re going to win?” Maria says with a raised eyebrow.
“Probably not,” you reply with a shrug.
You take position again nonetheless, getting ready to throw that first dart. Your companion groans but doesn’t argue anymore.
(display: "Throwing the first dart")
“A secret?” Maria says, seeming uncomfortable with the idea. “What kind of secret?”
“Any kind you’d like,” you reply with a shrug.
But despite your nonchalance, you observe them with curiosity. You would really like to know what it is they don’t want to tell you. It’s unlikely they’ll share anything of importance in the context of a game, however, and you don’t expect them to do so.
“The more embarrassing, the better,” you add with a playful grin, hoping to soothe their tension.
They groan, but their shoulders relax noticeably. “Of course.”
You take position again, ready to throw that first dart.
(display: "Throwing the first dart")
You have no doubt your lack of confidence shows as you just chuck the thing at the target. You try your best, but really, you have no idea what you’re doing.
Unsurprisingly, the dart lands far from the intended mark, but at least it sinks into the board. Right at the edge, its point piercing through the curved part of the number five.
Maria walks past you to the target and smiles at you.
“Guess I’ll be starting,” they say before they pull out the two darts from the board, giving yours back to you.
“Seems like an unfair advantage,” you grumble but step aside nonetheless.
“I beg to differ,” Maria replies playfully. “A lesson in humility would do you some good.”
“I don’t like what these darts do to you,” you comment in pretend concern. “They’re turning you into a cold-hearted monster.”
Your companion’s eyes roll as they shake their head dismissively.
It takes them two throws out of three to land on the number one line.
You take turns playing, making three attempts each time. Unfortunately, you don’t have much luck. You stay stuck on the first number while Maria makes good progress around the board.
While you have fun throwing jabs at each other, your lack of progress is starting to get frustrating.
“I really don’t understand how you do it,” you say with a frown after yet another successful throw on your companion’s part.
They walk away and you take their place, trying to adjust your position to match theirs as much as possible. You hear Maria sigh and you glance at them.
“If you’d just put your pride aside and ask for advice, I’d be happy to give some, you know?”
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“What about you show me, instead of just telling me,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Show me")
] you suggest with a sly smile.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
<div class="choice">(link: "“Can you give me some advice, please?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Give me advice")
] You ask abashedly.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“Well, if you put it like that, no, I don’t need advice,”->No advice]] you grumble.</div>}
Maria gives you a look and you’re certain they’re going to scold you for teasing them again. But instead, they approach you, taking place behind you, their hands resting gently on your shoulders.
“You move too much when you throw,” you hear them say softly near your ear.
They’re close enough for you to feel their breath on your skin and the warmth of their body against your back. The shiver that runs through you makes your hair stand on end.
Maria moves their hands to place them on your hips and guides you slowly into the right position.
“You need to stand still,” they continue, just as quietly. “Your forearm should be the only thing that moves.”
They stay close behind you, effectively locking you in place. One of their hands leaves your hip to grab the elbow of your dominant arm and push it up. The other one stays on your hipbone, the touch light but distracting.
“Angle your arm so that the dart matches your line of sight,” Maria murmurs while they help you find your marks. “You throw with your elbow and your wrist.”
You are unable to respond, your focus intent on the points of contact between you and them, and on their whole presence enveloping you with warmth. You’re not sure they realize how much being close to them like this affects you. You don’t want to draw attention to it, enjoying this sudden moment of intimacy for as long as it’ll last.
Maybe Maria was starving for this kind of connection as much as you were. When their hand leaves your elbow, it brushes down your side to find its place back on your hip, not showing any intention to leave.
“It’s all about finding the right moment to release the dart,” they continue, their breath ruffling your hair. “Too early and the dart will land above your target, too late and it’ll be below.”
“Okay…” You finally reply, your voice hoarse.
“Any questions?”
Maria leans to the side and you look back at them. There’s a bit of mischievousness in their lopsided smile. It makes you chuckle. They know what they’re doing. To some extent, at least.
{<div class="choice">[[“No, I think I’m good.”->Maria doesn't hold you]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Actually… Could you hold me while I throw? To make sure I don’t move, of course,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Hold me")
] you respond with a grin.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
Maria smiles crookedly at you. They lean back against the nearest table and pick their cup of hot chocolate up.
“You move too much when you throw,” they say before taking a sip. “You need to stand still. The only thing that you should move is your forearm.”
“Okay…” You reply, planting your feet more firmly on the tiled ground. “Like this?”
Your companion gives you a slight nod. “Raise your arm so that the dart aligns with the line of sight of your dominant eye.”
“Sounds straightforward enough,” you say as you follow their instructions.
“You need to throw with your elbow and your wrist. Timing is key. Release the dart too early and it’ll fly above your mark, too late and it’ll land below it.”
“And how do I know when the time is right?” You ask, glancing at them.
They drink from their cup and shrug.
“You have to try a few times and get a feel for it,” they answer vaguely.
You grimace. “How helpful.“
(display: "Maria doesn't hold you")
Maria raises a thoroughly unimpressed eyebrow. “Suit yourself.”
They go back to leaning on the nearest table, observing you while taking a sip of hot chocolate. You throw the dart and of course, you do a poor job and you curse as it hits the wall above the target and clatters to the ground.
“I see you’re getting better,” Maria pokes at you and you throw them a glare.
(display: "You won't catch up")
“Of course,” Maria replies, their voice dripping with sarcasm.
Yet they don’t object. Their arms close in around your waist, their hands sliding to your stomach. Not only can you hear their breathing deepening, but you can feel it too, their chest rising and easing down against your back. Yours falls into their rhythm, matching inhales to inhales, exhales to exhales. For a moment, you forget where you are and what you are doing, closing your eyes and enjoying the embrace.
But your companion brings you back to reality with soft words brushing your ear. “Will that do?”
Your eyelids flutter open and you sigh. “Yeah.”
“Let me see that throw, then,” they say, tucking their chin on your shoulder, just at the crook of your neck.
You do a poor job, of course, the dart clattering to the ground after it hits the wall. You suspect it has more to do with you being highly distracted rather than poor technique.
“Terrible,” Maria comments on your shoulder and you laugh.
Their arms give you a gentle squeeze before their grip loosens around you.
“I have a feeling I’m getting in the way more than anything,” they say as they step away from you, the cold replacing their presence making you shiver in a less pleasant way.
“Maybe I don’t mind losing, then,” you reply with a grin.
They scoff as they lean against the nearest table again. “Yes, you do. I know you, you’ll hold it against me regardless.”
You give them a meaningful look and they scoff again, color rising to their cheeks as they look away.
(display: "You won't catch up")
{(if: (history:) contains "Show me")[
Maria’s smile softens as they watch you with open affection, and they take a moment too long to reply: “Alright, let’s see if you really are.”<br /><br />
Their hands drop away from your hips and they step back, the cold replacing their presence making you shiver in a less pleasant way. You shrug the feeling off, clearing your throat and adjusting your posture according to your companion’s advice.
]
(else:)[
You turn your attention back to the dartboard as you ready yourself for your first throw, making sure you’re applying your companion’s advice to the best of your abilities.
]}
With a flick of your wrist, you propel the dart toward its mark and it sinks into the row just beside the one you intended to hit. Not quite a victory, but you definitely got closer than ever before.
You look at Maria and grin.
“See?” They say, cocking their head to the side with a proud smile. “You’re already doing better.”
“Maybe I have an actual chance of winning now.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Maria mumbles with a pout. “You’d have to do quite a bit of catching up.”
You know they’re right, but you can’t help but feel bolstered by your improvement.
(display: "You won't catch up")
You focus back on the board, ready for your second attempt. {(if: $lastpassage is "No advice")[
It’s not quite as terrible as the first one. Your dart sinks into the board, at least. But you’re still too far from your mark. You give Maria a weary look and they just shrug. You throw your last dart with little hope.<br /><br />
By some miracle, it lands on the intended row. You blink at the board in shock.<br /><br />
“Did you see this?” You ask your companion. “I told you I didn’t need your advice!”<br />
“You got lucky,” Maria grumbles.<br />
“And you’re being a sore loser,” you reply with a victorious grin.<br />
“Don’t you think you’re celebrating a little fast? I’m still way ahead of you,” they remind you sharply.<br /><br />
And, unfortunately, they’re right. Still, you feel bolstered by your success and see some improvement in every one of your throws after that.
]
(else:)[
You throw the dart and this time, it lands right where you wanted it. You look at Maria, smirking victoriously. Your smile must be infectious enough to make them grin back.<br /><br />
“You’re a fast learner,” they compliment you.<br />
“You know I am,” you brag in response and they shake their head, their smile lingering on their lips.<br /><br />
Following Maria’s advice, you make much quicker progress, getting a better grasp of the technique and timing with every throw.
]}
Despite that, as you continue the game, it becomes obvious that you won’t be able to catch up with Maria without a miracle.
{<div class="choice">Which is something you can provide. You do have magic. (link: "A minor curse should do the trick.")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(set: $suspicion to $suspicion + 1)
(go-to: "Cheating")
]</div>
<div class="choice">You’re fine with losing. [[You’re having fun and that’s all that matters.->No cheating]]</div>}(set: $Mariacursed to 2)
While your companion is taking their turn throwing darts at the board, you go back to your table and search your coat’s pockets for the notepad and pencil you always keep close at hand. Maria watches you return to them with a frown.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking notes on how you do it,” you reply, dismissing them with a wave of your hand.
They shake their head and go back to their dart-throwing. You glance around you, making sure none of the café’s occupants are paying you any mind and you angle yourself so no one can see the occult symbols you are sketching.
It takes effort to remember the components of this spell. It’s not one you use frequently and it’s more the apanage of scholarly mages. The effects are subtle and short-lived, but for your purpose, it’s perfect.
Once you finish drawing the glyph, you tear the small paper out of the notebook as quietly as you can and you look up at Maria. They’re still focused on the board.
You murmur the incantation and the graphite lines emit a soft red glow for a short moment. It fades into a subtle red shine, only noticeable if you look at it close enough.
Now it’s a matter of placing the paper on your friend’s person without them realizing it. For you, that’s the easy part. You approach them as they finish their last throw — another successful one — and as you take their place to throw your own darts, you brush past them, letting the folded piece of paper fall into their trouser’s pocket.
The game resumes as before. You still have to put some effort into improving your throws, but Maria starts to become unusually clumsy. Darts slip out of their fingers, they trip on their own feet, and overall, they have a harder time making an accurate throw.
The change is subtle enough for them to not question it. Not right away anyway.
{(if: (history:) contains "No advice")[
But regardless of your efforts, Maria still has too much of a head start for you to catch up. You end up losing anyway. It’s with a bitter pout that you watch them planting their last dart in the twentieth row.<br /><br />
They let out a satisfied sigh and put their hands on their hips, examining their handiwork.<br /><br />
“Well, that was a bit of a struggle, but looks like I won,” they say, turning a sheepish smile toward you.<br />
“You’re awfully good at this game,” you grumble, sore from losing //and// wasting a spell.<br />
“Thanks?” Maria replies hesitantly. “Believe it or not, my throws have been really off tonight.”<br /><br />
You purse your lips and abstain from answering, which only raises your companion’s suspicions if you believe the narrowed gaze they direct at you.<br /><br />
“I guess it’s time for you to collect your reward,” you say in an attempt to distract them.<br /><br />
{(if: (history:) contains "Wagering a kiss")[
It works quite well. The reminder of your wager is enough to make them flush.<br /><br />
“Not in here,” they murmur, walking past you back to your table.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Wagering money")[
It works quite well. They roll their eyes at the reminder of your wager.<br /><br />
“You mean the twenty bill you don’t have,” they point out.<br />
“I’ll pay you back tomorrow,” you assure them, although you’re not as confident as you sound.<br />
Maria sighs. “$firstname, it’s okay, you don’t have to…”<br />
“A wager is a wager. I’ll pay you back,” you interrupt them as firmly as you can.<br /><br />
It makes them pause.<br /><br />
“Okay…” They finally relent. “Just… Take your time. I’m not in any rush.”<br /><br />
You smile crookedly at them. You don’t like them thinking you’re that helpless, but you’re still thankful for their patience and generosity.
]
(else:)[
It seems to do the trick. They perk up at the reminder of your wager.<br /><br />
“That’s right. I believe you owe me a secret.”<br />
“Not in here,” you reply, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.<br /><br />
While you were eager to find out Maria’s own secrets, you did not really think about which one you could share in case you lost. An unfortunate lack of foresight on your part.<br /><br />
“Of course,” your companion says with a reassuring smile.<br /><br />
No doubt they think you want privacy to share your secret. You do, but you also want time to come up with something.
]}
]
(else:)[
You end up making faster progress around the board and you catch up with Maria. Your friend becomes flustered with their sudden lack of accuracy which only makes things worse for them. When your last dart sinks into the twentieth row and you win the game, they gape at you. You beam a proud grin at them.<br /><br />
“Well. Thanks for the advice,” you tell them smugly.<br />
“I can’t believe it…”<br /><br />
Maria blinks at the board before staring at you. You keep smiling at them but soon their expression change from shock to suspicion.<br /><br />
“What did you do?” They ask you, eyes narrowed.<br />
“I’m offended,” you gasp at them. “Why can’t I just be good at darts?”<br />
“Oh I’m sure you can,” they reply, crossing their arms over their chest. “But how come I was so bad at it, all of a sudden? I was doing pretty good until…”<br /><br />
Their eyes widen in realization.<br /><br />
You clear your throat and attempt to distract them. “Are you trying to get away from giving me my prize?”<br /><br />
{(if: (history:) contains "Wagering a kiss")[
Surprisingly, it does the trick. Maria flushes at the reminder of your wager.<br /><br />
“Not in here,” they mumble and they walk past you back to your table.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Wagering money")[
Surprisingly, it seems to do the trick. They lower their hackles and sigh.<br /><br />
“Alright, I guess you deserve it…” They mumble as they walk past you, back to your table.
]
(else:)[
Surprisingly, it does the trick. They look around uneasily.<br /><br />
“Can we get out first?” They ask, probably concerned about privacy.<br />
“Of course,” you reply, trying to reassure them with a smile.
]}
]}
You collect your coats and head toward the counter to pay for your drinks. {(if: (history:) contains "Wagering money")[
{(if: (history:) contains "No advice")[
Maria covers the whole bill without asking. They know you don’t have the cash to pay for your own drink, after all, so you don’t protest. It’s a bit embarrassing, but you’re grateful they don’t draw any attention to it.
]
(else:)[
Maria pulls out a twenty bill to hand out to you. You take it with a lopsided grin and pay for both of your drinks with it. It seems to soothe them and they smile back at you with a slight shake of their head.
]}
]
(else:)[
You propose to share the bill, but when Maria sees you struggling to gather enough coins, they end up paying the whole thing. It’s a bit embarrassing, but they make sure to not draw any attention to it and you’re grateful for that.
]}
<div class="choice">{(if: (history:) contains "Wagering money" and ("Show me" or "Give me advice"))[
[[You exit the building together, the sudden cold seizing your limbs.->Exiting the café]]
]
(else:)[
[[You thank them as soon as you’re out of the building, the sudden cold seizing your limbs.->Exiting the café]]
]}</div>
{(if: (history:) contains "No advice")[
You never really catch up with Maria and they end the game too prematurely for your taste. You have just made it to the number ten when their dart sinks into the twentieth row.
]
(else:)[
While you make fast progress around the board — enough to impress Maria — you’re still five numbers behind them when their last dart sinks into the twentieth row.
]}
Their victory is a quiet, polite affair, of course. They smile sheepishly at you.
“Looks like I won,” they simply say.
You laugh. “You wrecked me, you mean.”
They look away, embarrassed, and start gathering both your and their darts to put them back on their shelf.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so… competitive, I guess. It’s just that you can be so…”
They trail off, probably trying to think of the least offensive word.
“Annoying?” You complete for them.
They glance at you with a small smile and close the dartboard’s cabinet. “Sometimes.”
You chuckle and shake your head. “Guess all you have left to do is collect your reward, now.”
{(if: (history:) contains "Wagering a kiss")[
<br />The mention of your wager is enough to make them flush.<br /><br />
“Not in here,” they murmur as they brush past you.
]
(else-if: (history:) contains "Wagering money")[
Maria sighs. “Yes, the twenty bill you don’t have.”<br />
“I’ll pay you back tomorrow,” you promise but their lips twist skeptically.<br/>
“It’s okay, $firstname, you don’t have to…”<br/>
“A wager is a wager,” you insist. “I’ll pay you back.”<br />They let out a relenting sigh. “Okay, but… Just take your time, I’m not in any rush.”<br /><br />
You smile crookedly at them. As annoying as their doubts are, you’re grateful for their generosity. You’ll definitely need that time.
]
(else:)[
It makes them grin. “I believe you owe me a secret?”<br />
“I’ll tell you outside,“ you say, feeling suddenly awkward.<br /><br />
You were so eager at the prospect of hearing one of Maria’s secrets that coming up with something to tell them completely escaped your mind.<br /><br />
“Alright,” your companion replies with a reassuring smile.<br /><br />
They probably figure you want some privacy and you do, but you also need to buy some time to find what to reveal to them. Many of your secrets you’re not ready to share with them.
]}
You return to your table to collect your coats before heading toward the counter to pay for your drinks. {(if: (history:) contains "Wagering money")[
Maria takes the whole bill and you don’t argue. They know you don’t have the cash after all. It’s a bit embarrassing, but your companion takes care to not draw any attention to it, which you are thankful for.
]
(else:)[
You offer to pay your share, but as soon as Maria notices your struggle to gather enough coins, they take the whole bill and pay for it without a fuss. It’s a bit embarrassing, but your companion takes care to not bring any attention to it, which you are grateful for.
]}
<div class="choice">[[You thank them as soon as you are out of the building, the sharp cold seizing your limbs.->Exiting the café]]</div>
{(if: ((history:) contains "Cheating") and ((history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice"))[(set: $Mariacursed to 1)
“Thanks for the drinks,” Maria says.<br />
You stop and look back at them. “Don’t thank me. Your bill paid for them after all.”<br />
“It wasn’t mine anymore. You won it fair and square.”<br /><br />
It’s hard not to grimace at that. It doesn’t help that they are looking at you very pointedly. In fact, you notice their hands are in their trouser pockets.<br /><br />
“Unless you didn’t…” They continue, pulling out the piece of paper you planted on them. “What’s this, $firstname?”<br />
“Shit.”<br /><br />
They unfold the paper, shoving the roughly sketched glyph in your face.<br /><br />
“Hum… It’s just a tiny little curse.”<br />
“A curse?! You cursed me?!” Maria gasps at you while they crumple the paper into a small ball.<br />
“It’s not as bad as it sounds!” You try to defend yourself, looking around to make sure no one can hear you.<br /><br />
Thankfully the street is deserted.<br /><br />
“It only makes you a little clumsy for a couple of hours, nothing terrible. I just… It was clear I had no chance of winning otherwise.”<br />
“So you cheated.”<br /><br />
They throw the paper ball at you and it bounces on your chest before falling to the ground.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry, Maria. I just thought it would spice things up.”<br /><br />
They scoff and you crouch to pick up the glyph. Holding it in the hollow of your palm, you bring forth a small magical flame to burn the paper. Warm light flashes briefly in your hand and a moment later, a pile of ashes trickles down from your palm.<br /><br />
“It won’t affect you anymore,” you assure them and you see them relax, their expression softening<br />
“You’re the worst,” they say with a pout and you know they’re not mad at you anymore.<br />
“I know,” you reply with a smile.
]
(else:)[
“Don’t mention it,” Maria says with a soft smile.<br /><br />
It’s hard not to, you realize. You are already asking so much of them, with no real way of compensating them. This only adds to the pile of things you owe them. But you are in no position to argue, so you //don’t// mention it.
]}
Your companion sighs, white plumes escaping their lips as they shiver. Their ears and nose are already turning redder.
“Are you heading back to Jubilee square?” They ask.
You look around, taking in your surroundings to get a feel for your location. You know the city well enough to find your way back home from pretty much anywhere.
“No,” you say once your eyes find Maria’s again. “That’s not the shortest way back for me anyway.”
“So this is where we say goodbye, huh?” They comment with a small, bashful smile.
“Not for long,” you reply with a smirk.
{(if: $romance > 2 or $affection > 3)[
(set: $friendship to 3)Their smile eases into a wider, warmer one. “Yeah…”
]
(else:)[
They frown, probably already thinking of the case you will present to them the next day. “Yeah…”
]}
They seem to be unsure of how to proceed, or unwilling to make any move, and a heavy silence settles between you.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Kiss me goodnight?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] You ask and it would have sounded confident if not for the crack in your voice. //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You look at their lips and the way they part feels like an invitation. Your eyes flick to theirs and you find them staring back, pupils blown wide. (link: "You lean in and catch their lips with yours.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
(if: $affection > 3)[
<div class="choice">(link: "You pull them into a hug.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $hugged to it + 1)
(go-to: "You pull them into a hug")
]</div>
]
<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight Maria,”->Goodnight Maria]] you say, taking the initiative.</div>}{(if: $romance > 2 or $affection > 3)[(set: $friendship to 3)]}
“Don’t mention it,” Maria says with a soft smile.
It’s hard not to, you realize. You are already asking so much of them, with no real way of compensating them. This only adds to the pile of things you owe them. But you are in no position to argue, so you don’t mention it.
Besides, you have other, more urgent things on your mind, right now. Like that kiss you wagered. You can tell it’s on your companion’s mind as well. You both stand awkwardly on the sidewalk and Maria is having trouble meeting your eyes, their ears and cheeks turning redder by the second. Although it could just be the cold.
“Are you heading back to Jubilee Square?”
A white plume escapes their lips as they speak and it draws your attention to them. They look soft despite the weather. What did they ask again?
“Huh…” You look around, trying to get your bearings.
As distracted as you are, you know the city like the back of your hand and you can easily figure out the best way back to your apartment from pretty much anywhere.
“No,” you finally reply. “It’s not the shortest way home for me anyway.”
“Oh,” Maria says and you have to smile at how disappointed they sound. “I guess this is it, then.”
{(if: ((history:) contains "cheating") and ((history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice"))[
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” You ask them with a grin.<br /><br />
They bite down on their lower lip, looking embarrassed. Yet they take a step towards you, smoothing down the lapels of your coat with one hand.<br /><br />
“I owe you a kiss, don’t I?” They murmur before raising a questioning glance at you. “If that’s still what you want.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“It is,”")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] you confirm, your voice coming out rougher than you expected. //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You don’t bother to answer. They’re so close, you can just lean in and catch those soft lips with yours. (link: "So you do.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Ah…” You feel uncomfortable now that you’re realizing you’re not ready for… that level of intimacy. “Hum… Is it okay if I cash in another time?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "")
]</div>
]
(else:)[
“Aren’t you going to collect your reward?” You ask them with a grin.<br /><br />
They bite down on their lower lip, looking embarrassed. Yet they take a step toward you, smoothing down the lapel of your coat with one hand.<br /><br />
“You do owe me a kiss, don’t you?” They murmur before raising a questioning glance. “If that’s still alright with you.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“You bet it is,” you reply, your voice coming out rougher than you expected. “Why don’t you come and get it?”")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You don’t bother to reply. (link: "You’re more than happy to deliver, so you lean in, catching those soft lips with yours.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[“Sure,”->No kiss]] you reply with a lopsided smile before leaning in and kissing them on the cheek.</div>
]}>
“Don’t mention it,” Maria says with a soft smile.
It’s hard not to, you realize. You are already asking so much of them, with no real way of compensating them. This only adds to the pile of things you owe them. But you are in no position to argue, so you don’t mention it.
Besides, you have other things on your mind. Like that secret you wagered with Maria. You watch them intently as they sigh, a white plume escaping their lips in the cold night air.
They notice your scrutiny. “What?”
{(if: ((history:) contains "Cheating") and ((history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice"))[
You grin. “You still owe me a secret.”<br /><br />
Your companion groans.<br /><br />
“Can’t it wait?” They ask with a pleading look.<br />
“I don’t know,” you reply, your grin turning wider. “Why are you stalling?”<br /><br />
Maria stiffens visibly. Are they simply uncomfortable with sharing personal affairs or is there a more serious reason for their unease? You have your own idea on the question.<br /><br />
“I just— I’m just not sure what kind of secret you even want me to say,” they offer as an explanation.<br />
“Any kind, really,” you reply with a deceptively casual shrug.<br /><br />
They sigh.<br /><br />
“Alright,” they relent and you perk up.<br /><br />
They look around, checking that no one can hear you, but the street is deserted.<br /><br />
“Alright,” they repeat, squaring their shoulders to give themself confidence. {(if: $romance > 2)[
“I’ve had a crush on you since… high school, really.”<br /><br />
As soon as the words are out, any trace of assurance leaves them. They stare down at their feet, looking instantly regretful.<br /><br />
“Maria…” You step closer and gently take hold of their hand.<br /><br />
You can’t help but feel touched by the admission, even if it was not exactly the secret you were expecting. The warmth of your hand on their cold fingers seems to bring life back to them and they look up, meeting your eyes with a grateful fondness.<br /><br />
“Why didn’t you say anything?” You ask them in a quiet voice.<br />
They exhale a shaky breath. “I was scared of losing your friendship. You know, the usual.”<br /><br />
They attempt a derisive smile, but it’s brittle.<br /><br />
“I was young, and an idiot,” they add, shaking their head and looking away.<br /><br />
You squeeze their hand reassuringly.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“I had a crush on you too,” you admit. “So you see, we were both idiots.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "We were both idiots")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“You were not an idiot,”->You were not an idiot]] you assure them gently.</div>
]
(else:)[
“I used to date Bassima.”<br /><br />
As soon as the words are out, any trace of assurance leaves them. They stare down at their feet, looking instantly regretful. You blink at them and close your mouth when you realize you are gaping. That is definitely not the secret you were expecting.<br /><br />
“Bassima,” you repeat incredulously. “The café owner?”<br />
Maria rolls their eyes, starting to look exasperated with you. “Obviously. If it was another Bassima, I would have specified.”<br />
“You and Bassima…?” You say again, taking a peek at the tall woman behind the bar through the café’s windows.<br />
“Stop staring!” Maria hisses and they take your arm to lead you away from the shopfront.<br />
“You said ‘used to’…” You point out, letting them drag you down the street. “So you aren’t dating her anymore?”<br />
{(if: (history:) contains "I don't think I can")[
“Who do you take me for?!” Your friend exclaims while doing their best not to raise their voice.
]
(else:)[
They sigh. “No, I’m not.”
]}<br /><br />
You glance over your shoulder at the café one last time, trying to remember each interaction between the two of them.<br /><br />
“I’m just surprised that you still get along that well with her…”<br />
Maria shrugs and finally releases your arm. “We parted on friendly terms. Not that it wasn’t painful, but… Well, we both figured things couldn’t work out.”<br /><br />
A short silence followed the statement.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Why not?”->Why not?]] You asked, curious despite yourself.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You figured they shared as much as they were willing and decided not to insist.->Moving on]]</div>
]}
]
(else:)[
(set: $secret to 1)“I believe I still owe you a secret…” You reply with a raised eyebrow.<br />
“You do,” they confirm with a smile. “So what do you have for me?”<br /><br />
You wince and look around, making sure no one can overhear your conversation. Fortunately, the street is deserted.<br /><br />
“I don’t have a lot of secrets you don’t know already,” you say quietly. “And those you don’t are… rather unsavory. I don’t think it’s something either of us wants to discuss tonight.”<br />
“Are you bailing out on me?” Maria asks, looking less than impressed.<br />
You grin apologetically. “Maybe…”<br />
They groan. “You made the wager without even considering you could lose, didn’t you?”<br />
“Maybe…” You repeat sheepishly.<br />
“Typical.”<br />
“Just give me some time and I can figure out something I can tell you,” you said, trying to appease them.<br /><br />
Your companion tries a disapproving glare but you’re not surprised to see it melt into defeat.<br /><br />
“Alright,” they say with a heavy sigh.<br />
“Thanks, Maria,” you respond with a bright grin.<br />
(display:"Moving on")
]}
You don’t need to ask twice. Maria closes the distance between you and cold hands move up your coat’s collar to cup your jaw.
{(if: $Mariacursed is 2)[
But as they move in, they end up bumping their nose against yours hard enough to make them yelp and bring a hand to their face. You wince yourself, rubbing your nose to soothe it.<br /><br />
”I’m so sorry!” Your companion exclaims, their face turning deep red, utterly mortified. “I don’t know what’s up with me tonight, I’ve been so clumsy!”<br /><br />
You know very well what’s up.<br /><br />
You clear your throat awkwardly. “I might have an answer for you.”<br /><br />
Reaching down, you pull the small piece of paper you planted earlier out of Maria’s trousers pocket. They cry out in surprise and flush harder, if at all possible. You unfold the paper, showing the glyph to them. They blink at it in confusion.<br /><br />
“What is that? And how did it get in my pocket?”<br />
“I may have cursed you just a little bit. You know, to even the odds for our darts game.”<br />
Their eyes slowly turn wide and round in outrage. “You… What?!”<br />
“It’s just a tiny curse!” You defend yourself. “It only makes you a little clumsier than usual for a couple of hours.”<br /><br />
You bring forth a small flame in the palm of your hand, burning the paper to ashes. The warm light brightens both your faces for a short instant.<br /><br />
“There, it won’t affect you anymore,” you say, hoping to appease Maria.<br /><br />
But they are not quite done with you.<br /><br />
“I can’t believe it… You would go to such lengths just to win a small game against me?”<br />
You shrug, a bashful smile on your lips. “I like to win?”<br />
“Believe me, I know,” they reply, crossing their arms and looking unimpressed.<br />
“I’m sorry, Maria. I won’t do it again?”<br />
“Is that a promise or a question?” They ask with a skeptical eyebrow raised.<br /><br />
You shrug.<br /><br />
“You’re the worst,” Maria grumbles.<br />
“Am I?” You tease them with a smile. “I guess you won’t want to kiss the worst person you know, then…“<br /><br />
You make a show of sighing mournfully and take a step back. You’re quickly stopped by a surprisingly firm hand, pulling on the lapels of your coat.<br /><br />
“I hate you,” they say as they pull you closer.<br />
“Huh-huh.”<br /><br />
Their fingers find your face again and they’re so close now that you can feel their breath on your face. (set: $Mariacursed to 1)
]
(else:)[
They move in without rushing, tilting their head to accommodate you. You feel their warm breath on your face.
]}
When their lips meet yours it’s such a light touch, a pleasant chill crawls all over your skin. For a brief moment, your breaths intermingle in the space between your barely parted mouths. Then Maria pushes in, making you nearly stumble back with the force of their kiss.
They are slow and methodical, but firm. One of their hands moves jerkily to the back of your head, fingers digging into hair, while the other settles in the crook of your neck. You only realize now how much they wanted this, as their tongue slips past your lips and meets yours eagerly, and their body presses needily against yours. You grab onto their waist, under their coat, feeling the heat of their skin radiating through the fabric of their suit.
You would almost call the way their lips move against yours ravenous if it wasn’t so languid. Their hurry is tempered by their thoroughness as they take their time to explore your mouth, lingering on the taste of your lips as if trying to determine its notes.
For a first kiss, you didn’t expect it to be so intense, but you are more than happy to embrace it. In the back of your mind, you notice the bitter taste of their lipstick when you bite their lower lip, teasing them until they sigh. But overwhelmingly, what you sense is the sweetness of hot chocolate with the hint of spice brought by the cardamom.
Eventually, you have to break away for air. You are both panting when you do. Maria is still looking dreamily at your lips for a moment before they glance up at you. Their eyes are darker than before.
{<div class="choice">[[You let it end here, before things get out of hand.->Kiss ends]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[You go back for more."->More kissing]]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
{(if: $Mariacursed is 2)[
What you didn’t count on is the curse you planted yourself on them. Maria tilts their head the wrong way and you end up bumping noses hard enough to make them yelp and step back. They bring a hand to their face and wince in pain. You rub at your own sore nose.<br /><br />
“I’m so sorry!” You exclaim, knowing you are responsible for the incident in more than one way. “Are you okay?”<br />
“I’m okay,” Maria reassures you, letting their hand drop to their side and blinking a couple of times. “No need to apologize, I’m the one who went the wrong way.”<br /><br />
They smile at you, bashful and embarrassed.<br /><br />
“Actually…” You say with a grimace before closing the distance between you.<br /><br />
You reach for their trousers pocket and pull out the folded piece of paper from it. It makes them flush harder and cry out in surprise. You show them the glyph and they frown in confusion.<br /><br />
“What’s this? And how did it get there?”<br />
“I may have planted a tiny little curse on you. You know, to even the odds during our game of darts.”<br /><br />
Maria’s eyes widen, becoming round with outrage.<br /><br />
“You what?!”<br />
“It’s really nothing bad,” you try to defend yourself. “It only makes you a little clumsier than usual for a couple of hours.”<br /><br />
You bring forth a small flame in the palm of your hand and burn the glyph to ashes in an instant, warm light flashing on both of your faces.<br /><br />
“There, it won’t affect you anymore.”<br /><br />
It doesn’t appease your companion’s anger, however.<br /><br />“What is wrong with you?! Cursing me just to win a friendly game of darts?!”<br />
{(if: (history:) contains "Show me")[
You grin at them. “I don’t know if I would call what happened back there ‘friendly’, exactly…”<br /><br />
Maria’s whole face turns dark red at the mention of their very peculiar darts lesson.<br /><br />
They shove your shoulders with just enough force to make you step back. “You are the worst!”
]
(else:)[
“I like to win?” You say with an apologetic shrug.<br />
Maria rolls their eyes and groans. “Believe me, I’ve noticed.”
]}<br />
“I won’t do it again?”<br />
“Is that a promise or a question?” They ask with a suspicious glare.<br /><br />
You shrug(unless: (history:) contains "Show me")[ again].<br /><br />
“I hate you,” Maria grumbles, but there is very little conviction in their tone.<br />
“Huh-uh. Can I still kiss you?” You reply with a smirk.<br /><br />
They grab you by the coat and pull you close.<br /><br />
“You better make it good,” they answer with a pout while a dark flush colors their cheeks.<br /><br />
You chuckle and lean in again, pressing your lips against theirs.<br /><br />
]}You apply yourself to kiss Maria slowly, tenderly pushing and pulling their pliable lips. Your hands take delicate hold of their face, tilting it at just the right angle for you to take a deeper taste. Your companion is all too eager to give you access to them, their mouth opening before you even think of pushing your tongue forward.
When you do, you take your time, reveling in the sweet aftertaste of hot chocolate while you explore them. The slow dance of your tongue against theirs draws a muffled hum out of Maria. Their hands slide under your coat, cold fingers gripping your waist through the thinner fabric of your {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress")[dress](else-if: $eveningwear contains "skirt")[shirt](else:)[waistcoat]} as they haul themself up against you. The touch shocks your body and shoots a shiver through your spine. The sensation quickly fades in favor of warmth, Maria’s skin burning under their suit and against your torso.
From there, it’s as if the kiss is taking a life of its own, and you couldn’t tell who is leading and who is following. It seems you both instinctively know when to press on and when to pull away. It’s a strange symbiosis, leaving you feeling as if you had done that your whole life. As if kissing Maria was as natural as breathing.
Breathing. Right. You might want to do that, eventually.
You part from them reluctantly, staying close and you sigh against their parted lips, your short breaths intermingling. When you pull away far enough to meet Maria’s eyes, you find them staring back, darker than before.
{<div class="choice">[[Maybe you should stop before things get truly out of hand.->Kiss ends]]</div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>[[You go back for more.->More kissing]]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>}
{(if: $Mariacursed is 2)[
Maria trips as you pull them and they unceremoniously fall into your arms with a yelp. You chuckle and help them straighten themself.<br /><br />
“Sorry,” they mumble. “I’m awfully clumsy tonight.”<br />
“Yeah, about that…” You start with an apologetic smile.<br /><br />
Reaching down, you pull the glyph out of their pants pocket {(if: $romance > 1)[which leaves Maria flustered.](else:)[which makes Maria cry out in surprise.]}<br /><br />
“W-What are you doing?!” They splutter.<br /><br />
You show them the small piece of paper, unfolding it with one hand while the other is still holding Maria.<br /><br />
“We don’t need that anymore,” you say and a small flame burst out of your palm to consume the glyph, shining a warm light on both your faces for a short instant.<br />
“What was that?!” Your companion exclaims.<br />
You stare back at them, looking as appropriately abashed as you can. “I may have planted a small curse on you to… even the odds during our game.”<br />
“You what?!”<br /><br />
Maria steps back, pushing you firmly away.<br /><br />
“It was a tiny little curse!” You try to defend yourself. “It just made you a little clumsier than you usually would be. You were so good with those darts, I just wanted to have a chance of winning.”<br />
“So you cheated!” Maria points out sharply, crossing their arms. “You’re the worst, you know that?”<br />
“I just thought it would spice things up, make things a little more fun!”<br />
“For you maybe!”<br /><br />
You sigh. Yes, maybe you have been a little selfish. Maybe cursing your friend just to try and win a friendly game of darts was going a little too far.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry, Maria. I won’t do it again, I promise.”<br />
“You better not,” they grumble at you, but their tone and gaze have lost any bite.<br /><br />
They’re already forgiving you, you can tell.<br /><br />
“Can I still have a hug?” You ask with a half grin.<br /><br />
Maria groans, but they still walk up to you, pulling you into their arms. (set: $Mariacursed to 1)
]
(else:)[
Maria gasps in surprise, but they let you embrace them, soon melting into you.
]}
{(if: $romance > 2)[
The hug is long and warm, your companion more than eager to nestle against you. They grab handfuls of your coat, holding on with near desperation. The way they press themself against you betrays how much they crave the intimacy.<br />
You slip your arms below their coat, where their warmth pools and the thinner fabric of their suit offers less of an obstacle between your hands and their waist. You pull them closer still and start rubbing up and down their back soothingly. The motion draws a contented sigh from them that tickles your neck.<br /><br />
Neither of you is in any hurry to part. You stay so long in each other’s arms that, eventually, a couple of passersby do walk past you, throwing intrusive glances at the both of you. Maria is reluctant to part but too embarrassed by the way the strangers are looking at you not to.<br />
They smile a little awkwardly at you before glancing at the people walking away. Their hands are still grabbing onto your coat.<br /><br />
“That was nice…” They say, their voice hoarse.<br />
You smile back at them. “Maybe we should head home. Unless you want another hug, but it might be morning by the time we’re done.”<br />
Maria shakes their head in amused disbelief. “You’re terrible.”<br />
“Just realistic,” you assure them with a grin.<br /><br />
They tut disapprovingly. But the next moment, they are leaning in to plant a soft kiss on your cheek.<br /><br />
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they murmur against your skin.<br />
“Goodnight, Maria,” you reply just as softly. “See you tomorrow.”<br /><br />
Your companion finally releases your coat. They smile at you, turn away and leave. Not without looking back and waving at you one last time, however.<br /><br />
You make your own way back to your apartment and quickly realize that, the further away you are from Maria’s warmth, the more easily doubts and dark thoughts creep back into your mind. You try your best to push them down, filling your thoughts with memories of your evening together.<br />
But when you lay down in your cold bed, an anxious feeling seizes your heart, making your sleep fitful.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You wake up groggy and late the next day and head for the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
]
(else:)[
It’s a long and warm hug. Longer than a simple goodbye hug, in any case. Your friend squeezes your waist affectionately and you respond with a soothing back rub. It feels nice, after all these years of being deprived of any tenderness. You were used to it, growing up, of course, but after experiencing Maria’s friendship… There isn’t any going back, really. They’re the family you never had.<br /><br />
The thought makes your eyes sting and water. You blink repeatedly in an effort to swallow back your tears, but while you do so, your hold on Maria tightens, your fingers curling into their coat.<br /><br />
“$firstname…?” Maria murmurs, noticing the change in your attitude.<br />
“It’s good to see you again,” you mumble into their shoulder.<br />
“You too, $firstname,” they whisper back, and you can hear the smile in their voice.<br /><br />
You stay locked in each other’s embrace for a moment longer until passersby do walk down the street and throw curious glances at you. Both you and Maria step back, feeling a little awkward that strangers witnessed that moment of vulnerability.<br /><br />
Once they are out of earshot, you clear your throat. “Thanks, Maria.”<br />
Your companion smiles warmly at you. “Anytime.”<br /><br />
You part ways after saying goodnight. The journey back to your apartment feels long and tedious, and the further away you are from your friend’s warm presence, the colder and lonelier you feel.<br /><br />
Anxious and dark thoughts creep back into your mind as you lay in your bed. Finding sleep is a challenge and when you do slumber, the unsettling dreams come back to haunt you.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[Come morning, you struggle to pull yourself out of bed, but you eventually make your way to the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
]}
Maria smiles at you. “Goodnight, $firstname.”
You part ways. They head in the direction of Jubilee square while you make your journey back to your apartment. It feels long and tedious. The further away you get from Maria’s warm presence, the more evident your loneliness becomes. You were starting to get used to it, but now that your friend is back in your life, you’re reminded of what it’s like to have someone who cares about you by your side.
And it’s… not something you can come back from. It was different before you met Maria. You didn’t know better. Now that you do, it’s… harder. You expect more of people, and, more often than not, they don’t fail to disappoint.
It highlights how dire your situation is. Any wrong step and you might lose the one person that has treated you with decency throughout your life.
Once you make it to your place, dark and anxious thoughts fill your mind, and you struggle to find sleep. When you do, it’s fitful, the unsettling dreams come back to haunt you.
<div class="choice">[[The morning is a rough one, but you still manage to drag yourself out of bed and head for the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
{(if: $Mariacursed is 2 and ((history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice"))[
Maria pulls a face that betrays their disappointment. And if that wasn’t enough, they make their displeasure known by punching your arm without force.<br /><br />
“You’re the one who wagered a kiss!” They protest, rightfully.<br />
“Sorry,” you reply with a wince.<br />
They sigh heavily. “That’s okay. I’m not going to force you if you’re not comfortable with it.”<br />
“Thank you, Maria, I really appreciate it,” you say in earnest.<br /><br />
They exhale sharply again and you don’t miss the mournful look they direct at your lips. You purse yours to hide a chuckle, but Maria sees your amusement and glares at you.<br /><br />
Their expression turns melancholic, however, and they say: “I guess this is where we say goodbye…”<br />
“Not for long,” you reassure them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”<br /><br />
They smile gently in response. You take their hand, giving it a small squeeze.<br /><br />
“Goodnight, Maria.”<br />
“Goodnight, $firstname.”
]
(else:)[
Maria closes their eyes at your approach and you let your lips linger on the soft skin of their cheek. For that brief moment of intimacy, you get a glimpse of their cologne and you can almost feel the heat creeping up their neck.<br /><br />
But you retreat before you can hold onto any of those sensations. Maria’s eyelids blink back open and they look at you with a soft and somewhat sheepish smile.<br /><br />
“That’s not what I expected, but… That’ll do nicely, $firstname,” they say in a quiet voice.<br />
“You’re welcome,” you reply with a smirk.<br /><br />
Your companion inhales deeply and they consider you, their expression turning melancholic.<br /><br />
“I guess that’ll have to double as my goodnight kiss.”<br />
“Oh, you want another one? Greedy,” you say, your grin widening.<br />
They shake their head, an amused smile on their lips. “Goodnight, $firstname.”<br /><br />
You gently take their hand in yours, giving it a little squeeze.<br /><br />
“Goodnight, Maria.”
]}{(if: $Mariacursed is 2)[
<br /><br />They make a move to walk away but that’s when they trip on the edge of the sidewalk and you have to pull on their arm to stop their fall. Instead, they tip over, and their shoulder slams into your torso.<br /><br />
“Oof!”<br /><br />
You hold them firmly against you, securing them as they find their balance back.<br /><br />
“I’m so sorry!” Maria splutters, their face turning dark with embarrassment. “I’ve been so clumsy all night…”<br /><br />
You wince, realizing the small curse you placed on them is still going to be active for a couple of hours.<br /><br />
“I believe I can help with that,” you say and before they can ask anything, you reach for their pants pocket, pulling out the folded piece of paper, making them squeak and flush harder.<br />
“What are you doing?!”<br /><br />
You show them the glyph with one hand, the other still holding them.<br /><br />
“I, huh… I may have placed a small curse on you to help me win the game of darts,” you admit with a bashful smile.<br />
“What?!”<br /><br />
Maria pushes you away.<br /><br />
“You cursed me to win?! {(if: (history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice")[
And now that you did, you’re not even kissing me?! What is wrong with you?!
]
(else:)[
What even is the point when the result would have been the same?! All of that for a kiss on the cheek…
]}”<br /><br />
You notice they’re just as offended {(if: (history:) contains "Show me" or "Give me advice")[by the lack of kiss](else:)[by the chastity of your kiss]} as by the curse, if not more.<br ><br />
You shrug, doing your best to not look smug in any way. “I like to win?”<br />
Maria groans and wipes a hand over their face. “You are the absolute worst.”<br />
A teasing grin is gaining ground on your lips, despite your efforts. “Now, now. Don’t speak so harshly of your taste in lovers.”<br /><br />
They scoff, rolling their eyes dramatically.<br /><br />
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they declare firmly.<br />
“Goodnight, Maria,” you reply, much more softly and it tears a tender smile out of them. (set: $Mariacursed to 1)
]}
You part ways, Maria returning to Jubilee square while you head back to your place. It’s a long and tedious journey and the further away you are from Maria’s warm presence, the colder and lonelier you feel.
In the darkness of your apartment, anxious thoughts creep back into your mind. Your sleep is fitful, that night.
The morning is a rough one and you struggle to pull yourself out of bed.
<div class="choice">[[Still, as soon as you are ready, you make your way the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
Their emotion is visible when their jasper eyes stare again into yours, shining brighter than before.
“Really?” They say, their voice a pitch higher than usual. “God, then we really are idiots.”
They chuckle, but it’s choked up, almost sounding like a sob.
“To think all this time, we’ve been tiptoeing around each other, afraid of losing each other… Only to actually lose each other.”
They cover their mouth and this time it’s undoubtedly a sob that shakes their shoulders.
“Maria…”
It’s painful to see them like that, especially knowing the responsibility rests on you. You grab their shoulders and pull them closer. Holding onto you, they hide their face in the crook of your neck, their tears wetting the fabric of your {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress")[dress](else:)[shirt]}. You rub their arms softly, hoping it’ll help calm them down.
“Would you have stayed? If I said something?” They ask between two hiccups.
You swallow. It’s not an easy question to answer.
“I… I don’t think I would have,” you say hesitantly.
You’re not sure if that makes it better or worse for them.
“If anything,” you continue. “I would have been even more resolute in my decision to keep you away. I wanted you safe. I’m not… a safe person to be around.”
Maria doesn’t respond right away, but their breathing starts evening out and their tears are running dry. When they move away, it’s slow, reluctant. They stare at the wet spot on your clothes, where they’ve been crying, their breath still hot on the skin of your neck.
When they finally meet your eyes, they say: “Yet here you are, asking for my help. What changed?”
You stiffen reflexively. You wish you hadn’t. Maria notices and takes a tentative step back.
“I… I guess it’s a mix of things,” you start with a vague answer. “I’m that desperate, I suppose. And considering your line of work, I figured you’re pretty set on //not// staying safe.”
You smile crookedly at them and it’s enough to assuage their worries. They visibly relax.
“I’m glad it finally got through that thick skull of yours.”
You chuckle and their smile is soft despite their teasing words.
Suddenly, your companion seems to realize that you’re both standing in the middle of the street, late at night. They take a look over their shoulder, at the path you took to arrive at the café.
“Are you heading back to Jubilee square?” They ask.
You look around, taking in your surroundings to get a feel for your location. You know the city well enough to find your way back home from pretty much anywhere.
“No,” you say once your eyes find Maria’s again. “That’s not the shortest way back for me anyway.”
“So this is where we say goodbye, huh?” They comment with a small, bashful smile.
“Not for long,” you reply with a smirk.
{(if: $romance > 2 or $affection > 3)[
(set: $friendship to 3)Their smile eases into a wider, warmer one. “Yeah…”
]
(else:)[
They frown, probably already thinking of the case you will present to them the next day. “Yeah…”
]}
They seem to be unsure of how to proceed, or unwilling to make any move, and a heavy silence settles between you.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Kiss me goodnight?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] You ask and it would have sounded confident if not for the crack in your voice. //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You look at their lips and the way they part feels like an invitation. Your eyes flick to theirs and you find them staring back, pupils blown wide. (link: "You lean in and catch their lips with yours.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
(if: $affection > 3)[
<div class="choice">(link: "You pull them into a hug.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $hugged to it + 1)
(go-to: "You pull them into a hug")
]</div>
]
<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight Maria,”->Goodnight Maria]] you say, taking the initiative.</div>}
The look Maria gives you lets you know they’re unconvinced.
“You were not!” You insist. “You’ve always been the smartest person I know. Who else was helping me with homework at the time?”
Your companion rolls their eyes, but the remark does make them smile. “You know very well that’s beside the point.”
You take a step closer to them, resting your other hand on their shoulder. You can’t miss the way they close their eyes and lean into the touch.
“You were young, Maria, it’s not uncommon to act like an idiot at that age. I’m pretty sure I was doing way worse than you.”
“Maybe,” they admit and you scoff.
“You don’t have to agree so quickly!” You protest with a chuckle.
“Sorry,” they say, their fingers interlacing with yours. “But things were… difficult for you. It’s only natural to act out.”
You stay quiet for a moment. Remembering that period of your life is difficult. You have a lot of intense and conflicting feelings about it.
Your eyes are drawn to your connected hands and you soak in the feeling of their thumb brushing over yours, burying your past troubles under the weight of a much more pleasant present, as short-lived as it may be.
“You had to deal with me,” you finally reply. “So things weren’t easy for you either.”
“I made that choice willingly,” Maria reminds you firmly.
You meet their eyes again. “And I’m grateful for it, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t difficult.”
Their expression falls as they look at you with sadness.
“I… I guess you’re right,” they finally admit.
“You bet I am,” you reply with an encouraging smile. “So stop beating yourself up.”
“Alright.”
They take a reluctant step back, your fingers sliding out of theirs. Looking over their shoulder, Maria stares at the path you took to arrive at the café.
“Are you heading back to Jubilee square?” They ask.
You look around, taking in your surroundings to get a feel for your location. You know the city well enough to find your way back home from pretty much anywhere.
“No,” you say once your eyes find Maria’s again. “That’s not the shortest way back for me anyway.”
“So this is where we say goodbye, huh?” They comment with a small, bashful smile.
“Not for long,” you reply with a smirk.
{(if: $romance > 2 or $affection > 3)[
(set: $friendship to 3)Their smile eases into a wider, warmer one. “Yeah…”
]
(else:)[
They frown, probably already thinking of the case you will present to them the next day. “Yeah…”
]}
They seem to be unsure of how to proceed, or unwilling to make any move, and a heavy silence settles between you.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Kiss me goodnight?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] You ask and it would have sounded confident if not for the crack in your voice. //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You look at their lips and the way they part feels like an invitation. Your eyes flick to theirs and you find them staring back, pupils blown wide. (link: "You lean in and catch their lips with yours.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
(if: $affection > 3)[
<div class="choice">(link: "You pull them into a hug.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $hugged to it + 1)
(go-to: "You pull them into a hug")
]</div>
]
<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight Maria,”->Goodnight Maria]] you say, taking the initiative.</div>}
{(if: (history:) contains "I don't think I can")[
Maria gives you a look that’s heavy with meaning. You’re not exactly sure which one, but… You may have an idea.<br /><br />
“I think she realized I wasn’t over… Let’s just say I still had things to work through which made me… not quite as available as I should have been.”
]
(else:)[
“Let’s just say I still had things I needed to work through which made me… not quite as available as I should have been.”
]}
Somehow you understand the feeling. That’s why you never looked to engage in long-term relationships. That and the fact that your current relations aren’t exactly the committing types.
“Bassima was very understanding, though. She said she would be of better help as a friend and… Well I had to agree. It was a relief really, even if it made me sad.”
“I think I understand…” You murmur. “Sometimes you have to take some distance to not ruin the lives of the people you care about.”
Maria pulls a face. You have a feeling they don’t entirely agree with your conclusion.
“Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean disappearing from their life entirely.”
You wince. It’s not difficult to understand what they’re referring to.
“Point taken,” you concede with a sheepish grin.
(display: "Moving on")
Your friend looks over their shoulder, down the path you took to arrive at the café.
“Are you heading back to Jubilee square?” They ask.
You look around, taking in your surroundings to get a feel for your location. You know the city well enough to find your way back home from pretty much anywhere.
“No,” you say once your eyes find Maria’s again. “That’s not the shortest way back for me anyway.”
“So this is where we say goodbye, huh?” They comment with a small, bashful smile.
“Not for long,” you reply with a smirk.
{(if: $romance > 2 or $affection > 3)[
(set: $friendship to 3)Their smile eases into a wider, warmer one. “Yeah…”
]
(else:)[
They frown, probably already thinking of the case you will present to them the next day. “Yeah…”
]}
They seem to be unsure of how to proceed, or unwilling to make any move, and a heavy silence settles between you.
{(if: $romance > 2)[
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Kiss me goodnight?”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "Kiss me goodnight?")
] You ask and it would have sounded confident if not for the crack in your voice. //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You look at their lips and the way they part feels like an invitation. Your eyes flick to theirs and you find them staring back, pupils blown wide. (link: "You lean in and catch their lips with yours.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $kissed to 1)
(go-to: "You lean in and kiss them")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
]
(if: $affection > 3)[
<div class="choice">(link: "You pull them into a hug.")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $hugged to it + 1)
(go-to: "You pull them into a hug")
]</div>
]
<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight Maria,”->Goodnight Maria]] you say, taking the initiative.</div>}
However tempting, you don’t think it’s a good idea to drag things out here, in such a public setting, even if the street doesn’t seem to see a lot of traffic at this time of the day.
{(if: (history:) contains "You lean in and kiss them")[
Using your thumb, you attempt to clean the outline of Maria’s lips, where their lipstick has been smudged. They sigh and close their eyes at the affectionate touch.<br /><br />
“This is so nice…” They murmur so quietly you almost miss it.<br /><br />
You hum in agreement, your lips curving into an amused smile of their own accord.<br /><br />
When you’re done fixing their makeup, you take a step back and Maria opens their eyes, giving you such a pitiful look that you have to laugh.<br /><br />
“Don’t look at me like that. We can’t be making out here all night, can we?”
]
(else:)[
Raising your hands up to their collar, you proceed to straighten out their rumpled suit, smoothing down the fabric the best you can. The affectionate gesture makes their expression melt into one of adoration. You don’t know if you’ve seen them look at you so softly before. And God knows they always have the softest gaze.<br /><br />
Your lips stretch into an amused smile of their own accord. “Stop looking at me like that or we’ll have to kiss again.”<br />
“Would that be so bad?” Maria asks plaintively.<br />
You laugh. “We can’t be making out here all night, can we?”
]}
They sigh, their disappointment still obvious. “No, I suppose not.”
Quiet settles as neither of you are willing to put an end to the night just yet.
{(if: (history:) contains "You lean in and kiss them")[
Maria’s hands {(unless: (history:) contains "wagered a kiss")[move up](else:)[return]} to the lapels of your coat, smoothing them down mindlessly.
]
(else:)[
Maria’s hand lingers on your cheek, knuckles mindlessly tracing the lines of your face.
]} “Would you… Would you like to come home with me?”
You open your mouth to respond, but they interrupt you before you can make any sound. “Nothing has to happen! I just… I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.”
You understand where they’re coming from. Going back to your empty apartment doesn’t sound that joyful either.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I would love to,”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(go-to: "Heading home with Maria")
] you reply with a soft, reassuring smile.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“It’s a bit soon, Maria,”->Parting ways]] you admit, feeling a twinge in your heart while you turn them down.</div>}
Your lips crash against theirs and the pleased, strangled sounds that rise from Maria’s throat leave you feverish.
{(if: (history:) contains "Kiss me goodnight?")[
You strengthen your hold on their clothes and pull on them as you start walking back, making them follow until your shoulders hit a cold stone wall. Your companion is more than happy to press their warmth to you, effectively trapping you between themself and the wall. They still hold your face firmly between their hands, their thumbs slowly tracing your cheekbones while their tongue pushes into your mouth hungrily.<br /><br />
You let your head tilt back with the force of their kiss, resting it against the wall while Maria all but devours you. You can’t help but smile through the kiss. Maria is forgetting themself, losing their awareness to the intensity of the moment which is not to displease you. The way their back arches, pressing their stomach to yours, you think their body will soon melt into yours.
]
(else:)[
You step forward as you kiss them, making them back up all the way to the nearest wall. Resting your hands against the cold stone, you entrap them and keep pushing them back until they are flush against the wall and your stomach presses against theirs. Your mouth pushes against theirs, tongue slowly delving deeper, making their head tilt back and hit the wall.<br /><br />
Their reaction is one of complete surrender, quiet moans vibrating against your teeth, hands gripping and pulling desperately onto your clothes to bring you closer still. You can’t help but smile through the kiss. Maria is forgetting themself, losing their awareness to the intensity of the kiss which is not to displease you. The way the small of their back arches, raising their hips to yours, you think their body will soon melt into yours.
]}
When you part again, Maria is gasping for air, disheveled, lipstick smeared across their lips. You’re sure you have your fair share of it on your own lips.
“I want you,” they admit breathily.
You grin. “I know.”
It’s enough to bring them back to reality. Their face turns darker and they glare at you.
“No need to be so smug about it,” they grumble.
You chuckle. But soon their expression returns to a more tender one.
“Come back home with me?” They ask softly, their breath caressing your lips.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“I would love to,”")[
(set: $romance to 4)
(set: $sexuallyactive to 1)
(go-to: "Heading home with Maria")
] you reply huskily, stealing yet another kiss. //(have sex at Maria’s place (non-explicit) )//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[“I… It’s too soon,”->Parting ways]] you say, feeling a little embarrassed to have to turn them down.</div>}
{(if: (history:) contains "More kissing")[
It’s a small gentle kiss, but Maria leans into it regardless, sighing contentedly as soon as it stops.<br /><br />
“Really?” They ask as soon as they regain their senses.
]
(else:)[
“Really?” Maria asks, looking taken aback by your positive response.
]}
You hum as confirmation.
“Oh, I… I didn’t think that through,” they say, looking flustered and nervous all of a sudden. “I hope my apartment isn’t too messy.”
You chuckle. “Believe me, I’m not coming over to judge your place’s cleanliness.”
Their complexion reddens. “I know but… Still.”
{(if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[
“Don’t worry, we’ll both be too busy to notice anything,” you lean in and whisper close to their ear.<br /><br />
It does nothing to help their flustered state and you’re certain their shiver has nothing to do with the cold.<br /><br />
“Stop being terrible and let’s go already,” they grumble at you, pulling on your arm.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You laugh as they guide you back to Jubilee square at a determined pace.->Maria’s apartment (1)]]</div>
]
(else:)[
<br />You lean in to kiss their cheek.<br /><br />
“I promise I won’t say anything if your sink is full of dirty dishes,” you whisper to them as sweetly as you can, a playful smile on your lips.<br /><br />
You know them well and you think you hit the mark. Their face turns redder and you can feel their skin becoming warmer.<br /><br />
“Stop being terrible and let’s go already,” they grumble, pulling on your arm.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You laugh as they guide you back to Jubilee square.->Maria’s apartment (2)]]</div>
]}
“Oh,” Maria says, taking a small step back and avoiding your eyes. “Yes, you’re probably right.”
“Sorry, Maria…”
It’s hard to see them so embarrassed and disappointed.
“No, no, it’s alright!” They assure you. “I don’t know what I was thinking really. Got a little too swept up by…”
They glance furtively at you but never finish their sentence.
“Anyway, I guess we better go get some rest,” they end up saying after clearing their throat. “Long day tomorrow, I’m sure.”
“Yeah,” you confirm, unable to find anything else to say.
There is an awkward pause, during which neither of you knows what to say. Even if you are not ready to spend the night with them, it’s hard to just leave them.
“Thank you.”
Maria is the one who finally breaks the silence.
“For what?” You ask.
“For the evening. It was lovely.”
They smile gently at you and you are filled with warmth again. Maria leans in and kisses your lips softly one final time. A small sigh escapes your parted mouth as soon as they move away.
“Good night, $firstname. See you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Maria.”
You watch them leave for a moment before you make your way to your apartment. It’s difficult being alone after such an eventful night. You miss Maria’s soft presence almost as soon as they’re out of your sight and, once you are lying in bed in the dark and lonely quiet of your room, you find it difficult to sleep.
<div class="choice">[[You try to remind yourself that you’ll see them the next day.->The situation]]</div>
You delight in the small pleased hums they let out against your lips as you return the kiss with the same eagerness. Your hands find their hips under their coat {(if: (history:) contains "Have drinks")[
and caress down their backside before hauling them closer still.
]
(else:)[
and travel down their thighs before slipping under their dress, lifting the fabric as they caressed back up, fingers gliding over their stockings.
]}
Maria hums louder against your teeth, the sound starting to resemble a moan. They pull you away from the door, still kissing you, and you are soon stumbling through a dark living room, undressing each other with erratic gestures, lips parting only when necessary.
{(if: (history:) contains "Have drinks")[
It’s when you slide their shirt off of their shoulders
]
(else:)[
It’s when their dress falls to the floor
]} and you are touching soft satin underwear that you notice the bandage wrapped around their left shoulder.
“You are wounded?” You ask breathily after pulling your lips away from theirs.
“It’s nothing,” they reply in a hurry, their fingers busy {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress")[
unfastening your dress
]
(else-if: $eveningwear contains "skirt")[
unfastening your skirt
]
(else:)[
unbuttoning your trousers
]}. “Gunshot wound from a recent case, it’s healing now.”
You stay still for a moment while they continue their work and press kisses down your neck. You didn’t think they took cases that were that dangerous.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Doing this?” You ask with a frown.
They pause as well, looking back at you. They raise a hand to cup your cheek, slow and gentle this time. It’s hard to see their expression in the dim light. The faint glow of the street lamps comes through the windows to highlight their silhouette softly. But you can tell there is a warm shine to their jasper eyes.
“Of course,” they whisper. “We just have to be a little careful.”
That’s all the reassurance you need — for now. You move in to kiss them again, languidly, and your fingers play with the hem of their camisole before slipping under, touching the bare skin of their torso. They start and gasp as your cold hands meet their burning flesh.
<div class="choice">The night is a long one. [[You have so much catching up to do.->Morning after sex]]</div>
The morning is just as long. You are both reluctant to leave the bed you shared during the night. But eventually, you have to pull yourselves away from each other’s arms. Maria has to go to work and you both need to discuss… your case. You shower together in the bathroom adjacent to Maria’s bedroom — maybe not in the most efficient way — and get dressed.{(if: (history:) contains "Straight to the point")[
<br /><br />You didn’t get a good look at your lover’s apartment until now that daylight is pouring in through the high windows, softly diffused by sheer curtains.<br />
The place is homey and cluttered, decorated with second-hand furniture, numerous art pieces, and way too many house plants. The bedroom is nearly a jungle you have to wade through to go back to the living room.<br /><br />
Once there, you notice the sage green wallpaper and white wainscotting on the tall walls for the first time. There is a fireplace in front of a dark teal quilted sofa and two matching armchairs. The wooden floors are dark and creaky and the whole place is filled with the noises you hear in an old, lived-in home.
]}
(display: "Heading back to Maria's office")
Bright electric light beams down from a stained glass ceiling lamp and illuminates a decently sized living room. You take in the decor while Maria shrugs off their coat and hangs it on a rack standing near the door.
There’s white wainscotting on the bottom part of the high walls while the upper part is covered with sage green wallpaper with a muted floral pattern. It looks nice and not too busy, but there are a few worrisome water stains at one of the corners. A fireplace takes a decent chunk of the wall on your left and an incredibly soft-looking dark teal quilted sofa faces it. A couple of armchairs upholstered with similar fabric finish enclose the living space while a small round coffee table stands at the center of a cozy rug, the shiny lacquer chipping off in places.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Maria tells you, smiling gently while they remove their shoes in favor of fluffy slippers.
You hang your coat beside theirs and slip out of your own shoes, walking on the dark wooden floors in your {(if: $eveningwear contains "dress" or "skirt")[stockings](else:)[socks]}, every step making the boards whine. You feel a bit overwhelmed by your surroundings. There is noise everywhere, decor pieces hanging on all the walls and cluttering every surface, including a good amount of house plants. There is so much going on, you don’t know where to look first.
It feels… homey. It looks a lot like Maria. You watch them turning a couple more lamps on. They look back at you and they seem happy as can be, sharing their space with you. You feel your heart squeeze when you start wondering what the catch is. This is too nice. Way too nice for someone like you.
“Is something wrong?” They ask with a slight frown, noticing your hesitation.
You shake your head and smile back. “Nothing. I was just thinking about how you look right at home here.”
You step further into the living room and sit carefully on the sofa. You sink right in. Well, there’s no getting back up, now.
“I tried to make the place nice, but I don’t have much time to maintain it, it’s a bit dusty,” Maria mumble apologetically.
“Maria,” you chide them and they stop rambling. “It’s perfect.“
Their anxious frown melts into a thankful smile.
“Do you want to eat or… drink something?” They ask, hovering nearby, not knowing what to do with their hands.
“I want you to sit down with me,” you reply with a half-smirk.
“Sorry,” they say with a tight smile. “I’m a little nervous.”
They join you on the sofa, sitting with one leg folded under them. They stay like this for a couple of seconds, their back straight and tense as they rub their hands together.
“It’s a little cold, don’t you think?” They say, standing up before you can respond. “I’m going to start a fire.”
You sigh and chuckle but you don’t protest. A fire does sound nice. You watch them put two logs in the fireplace, roll a newspaper into a ball and throw it inside the hearth as well. Crouching, they light a long match and wait for the fire to take. Soon flames start licking the logs and wood cracks pleasantly.
Once Maria comes back to sit beside you, they already seem a little more relaxed, letting their back bounce against the sofa’s padding with a pleased sigh. Their shoulder brushes yours and they glance at you. They’re still nervous, but there’s something softer in their expression too.
“Can I kiss you again?” They murmur, their jasper eyes flicking down to your lips.
{<div class="choice>[[“Of course,”->Kiss again]] you reply softly, your body instinctively turning toward them.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“What about cuddling instead?”->Cuddling on the sofa]] you suggest with a sheepish smile.</div>}
Now that you’ve done this before, they move with more confidence, their lips pulling yours slowly and sensuously, tongue meeting yours as soon as you part for them. One hand comes up to the side of your face, holding you delicately as they taste you thoroughly. You run a hand up their thigh, taking hold of their hip and hauling them closer.
You kiss long enough for the flames in the chimney to turn into a roaring fire, heat washing over you in pleasant waves. Your thumb mindlessly brushes their hip bone as your lips move over theirs, fully giving yourself to the moment. Now that you are in the privacy of their home, Maria doesn’t hold back the pleased hums that rise from their throat, vibrating against your teeth and your chest.
Their hand glides down to your neck, wrapping around the back of your skull to reach deeper still, their tongue invading your mouth hungrily. When they finally part, they stay close, breathless, their eyelids heavy and their pupils blown wide.
“I want you,” they confess in a husky murmur.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I want you too,”")[
(set: $sexuallyactive to 1)
(go-to: "On your lap")
] you reply and you let them climb on your lap. //(have sex with Maria (non-explicit) )//</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I want you too,”")[
(set: $sexuallyactive to 1)
(go-to: "On their lap")
] you reply and you climb on their lap. //(have sex with Maria (non-explicit) )//</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I would rather we just kiss,”->Just kissing]] you admitted.</div>}
“Of course,” they answer with a reassuring smile. “I would love that.”
You both shuffle to close the small distance between you. They wrap an arm around your shoulders, hauling themself close to snuggle up against you while you embrace their waist and pull them against you.
You stay entangled on the sofa for a long while, the fire becoming a roar in the chimney, its glowing heat washing over you in waves. You don’t feel the need to talk, the physical proximity enough to communicate your affection and your need for them. The only noises are the ones from the fire, the large clock behind you, and the creaking sounds of the old house. Sometimes you hear faint footsteps above you, adding more heart to this already living and breathing home.
You wish you could stay forever. It’s impossible of course.
When you start moving, feeling a soreness in your shoulder, you notice that Maria has fallen asleep, their head heavy against your arm, and their breathing shallow but steady. They look so peaceful and comfortable, forehead free of any worried frown, lips slightly parted. The fire gives their light brown skin a golden glow and their thick eyelashes look so dark, softly brushing their cheeks.
{<div class="choice">(link: "“I love you, Maria,”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "I love you")
] you murmur in secret, pressing a gentle kiss to their temple.</div>
<div class="choice">They need to go to bed. [[You wake them up.->Wake them up]]</div>}The way they look at you as you help them settle on top of you makes you shiver, their expression a mix of tenderness and desperate need. With your hands on their hips, you pull them close and they sigh, their back arching suggestively. Your skin prickles again, hair standing on end.
{(if: (history:) contains "Have drinks")[
Slowly, they start unbuttoning their waistcoat, shrugging it off, and throwing it to the side. You watch them as their fingers work to undo their shirt next, from the top to the bottom. You can see the outline of their torso through the white fabric as it blocks out the light coming from the fireplace.<br />
Once all the buttons are undone, they let the shirt slide down their shoulders, revealing the satin camisole underneath.
]
(else:)[
Slowly they undo the bow at their hip, opening the wrap dress. They let the silky fabric slide down, one shoulder at a time, revealing the thin camisole underneath and the softly light-rimmed outline of their body.
]}
That’s when you notice the bandage wrapped around their left shoulder.
“You’re wounded…?”
Maria blinks at you. Maybe they had forgotten, in the heat of the moment.
“Oh! It’s… It’s from a previous case,” they stutter, flushing. “A gunshot wound. It’s healing now, don’t worry.”
You stare at their shoulder, frowning. You didn’t think they took cases that were that dangerous. Maria notices and gently cups your face, redirecting your gaze to their eyes.
“I’m okay, I promise,” they murmur softly, their forehead bumping into yours and their breath brushing your lips.
“Will you be fine? Doing this?” You asked, still hesitant. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’ll be fine if we’re both careful,” they assure you before kissing your lips.
You’re quickly distracted by their tender attentions. Your hands find their shoulders, pulling their camisole’s straps, baring their chest. Maria gasps when they feel your cold hands on their heated skin.
<div class="choice">The night is a long one. [[You have a lot of catching up to do.->Morning after sex]]</div>
The way they look up at you while you straddle them makes you shiver, their expression a mix of tenderness and desperate need. You arch your back, dragging your hips to meet theirs and they bite their lips, preventing the pleased hum coming out of their throat to turn into a full-fledged moan.
{(if: (history:) contains "Have drinks")[
While they grab your waist, holding you close, you slowly start unbuttoning their waistcoat. Once it’s thrown open, your fingers crawl up their shirt, caressing their stomach and chest through the fabric and feeling the muscles tense under your touch. You then start working on the shirt’s buttons, from the top to the bottom. As it comes undone, you peel the white cotton garment off of their shoulders, revealing the satin camisole underneath.
]
(else:)[
While they grab your waist, holding you close, your fingers crawl down their torso, caressing their chest and stomach through the silk of their dress, feeling the muscles tense under your touch. Once you made your way down, you slowly pull on the bow at their hip, the wrap dress coming loose. You then peel the fabric from them, one shoulder at a time, revealing the satin camisole underneath.
]}
That’s when you notice the bandage wrapped around their left shoulder. It makes you pause.
“You’re wounded…?”
Maria blinks at you, their expression already foggy. It seems they had forgotten in the heat of the moment.
“Oh! It’s… It’s from a previous case,” they mumble. “A gunshot wound. It’s healing now, don’t worry.”
You frown, sitting still on their lap as you stare at the gauze. You didn’t think they took cases that were that dangerous. Noticing your hesitation, Maria brought their hands up to your face, cupping it tenderly.
“I’m alright, I promise,” they whisper gently.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? Doing this?” You ask, still doubtful.
“As long as we’re both careful, I’ll be fine,” they assure you.
They pull you into a languid kiss and their hands returned to your waist, caressing down to your hips and thighs, distracting you with their touch. One you’re all too happy to return. Your fingers slide under their camisole, finding their bare stomach. Maria gasps against your lips at the feeling of your cold hands against their heated flesh.
<div class="choice">The night is a long one. [[You have a lot of catching up to do.->Morning after sex]]</div>
“Oh!” Maria says, flushing. “O-of course! We can do that.”
They return to kissing your lips, gently, this time, their tongue delicate against yours. A warmth unrelated to the heat from the fireplace spread through your chest as they cozy up against you and cover your mouth and the rest of your face with tender kisses. Their fingers’ touch is also lighter on your skin, tracing slow circles on your neck and down to your collarbone.
You spend a long time in each other’s arms, lips locked together, parting only to catch your breath. Eventually, the fire starts to die down, the warmth pervading the living room slowly fading. You feel Maria shiver against you.
“Maybe it’s time to go to bed?” you ask softly against their skin, laying a kiss on their cheek.
They sigh. “I guess so. Would you be okay… sharing the bed with me?”
{<div class="choice">[[“Sure,”->Sharing the bed]] you replied with a smile, your lips brushing their forehead next.</div>
<div class="choice">[[”I’ll take the couch if you don’t mind,”->Taking the couch]] you answered with an apologetic smile.</div>}
The way their expression brightens makes you chuckle.
(display: "To the bathroom")
“Of course!” They hurry to say. “Whatever makes you the most comfortable.”
You can tell they are a little embarrassed, however. You brush a hand down their shoulder to reassure them.
“Thank you, Maria.”
They smile at you, ever so softly.
(display: "To the bathroom")
“Alright, let’s get ready then.”
They stand up and take your hands to pull you out of the sofa. Guiding you through their bedroom — it’s even more cluttered than the living room, the plants nearly forming a jungle you have to wade through as you follow them — they show you the way to the bathroom.
They light up the smaller room with pink tiles on the walls and still a couple more plants decorating the windowsill.
“I’ll pull out a clean towel for you. Do you need me to lend you a pair of pajamas?” They ask you as you enter the bathroom, looking at the numerous beauty products jumbled on the sink’s countertop.
{<div class="choice">[[“Please,”->Pajamas]] you reply.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I’m fine sleeping in my underwear,”->Underwear]] you say.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I sleep in the nude,”->In the nude]] you answer with a grin.</div>}
They smile at you before disappearing into their bedroom. When they come back they hand you neatly folded pajamas resting on top of a fluffy towel.
(display: "Bedtime")
“Alright,” they reply with a smile before disappearing into their bedroom.
When they come back, they hand you a neatly folded fluffy towel.
(display: "Bedtime")
“You are //certainly not// sleeping in the nude tonight,” they retort firmly, narrowing their eyes at you.
“Alright, alright,” you chuckle, raising two appeasing hands. “I guess I’ll keep my underwear on, then.”
They nod before disappearing into their bedroom. When they come back, they hand you a neatly folded fluffy towel.
(display: "Bedtime")
You take turns in the bathroom, each getting ready for bed. Once you are both done, Maria, covered head to toe by a silky set of pajamas and a matching nightcap, {(if: (history:) contains "Taking the couch")[
helps you make a temporary cot out of the sofa, giving you an unnecessarily large amount of pillows, bed sheets and comforters.<br /><br />
They pat down the makeshift bed. “Will that be enough?”<br />
“It should be, if you want to smother me to death,” you reply with a lopsided grin.<br />
“I just don’t want you to get cold, that’s all,” Maria mumbles, a dark flush on their cheeks.<br />
“I appreciate it,” you soothe them. “But I’ll be alright.”<br />
“Okay, well… I’ll be in the bedroom if you need anything,” they say a little awkwardly.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight, Maria,”->Goodnight]] you say softly, giving their shoulder an affectionate squeeze.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“No goodnight kiss?”->Goodnight kiss]] You ask with a cheeky smile.</div>
]
(else:)[
turns off all their apartment’s lights except for the bedside table lamps and joins you under the covers of their bed. The mattress is soft — almost too soft; you sink right into it, not unlike you did on their sofa — and the bedsheets and comforters are numerous and heavy. Simply feeling the weight of them is enough to make you drowsy.<br /><br />
Maria, on the other hand, seems to be restless, twisting and turning, trying to find a comfortable position. They make the bed move and bounce, the covers rustling over the two of you as they keep moving. You don’t think you’ll be able to sleep until they calm down.<br /><br />
{(if: (history:) contains "Kiss again")[
<div class="choice">[[“Are you okay Maria?”->Are you okay Maria?]] You ask gently.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“Do you want to cuddle?”->Want to cuddle?]] You suggest.</div>
]
(else:)[
<div class="choice">[[“Do you want to cuddle some more?”->Want to cuddle?]] You suggest.</div>
]}
]}
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they reply with a tender expression.
They kiss your cheek and leave for their bedroom.
(display: "Morning without sex")
You only have to ask, it seems. They lean in almost immediately, their lips pressed tenderly against yours. They kiss you one time, two times, three times before they finally pull away with a regretful sigh.
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they murmur, staring longingly at your lips.
You catch their lips a final time.
“Goodnight, Maria,” you breathe against their lips.
It takes a moment for them to step away and leave for their room. They smile one last time at you on the threshold before disappearing into the dark room.
(display: "Morning without sex")
They let out a shaky sigh.
“I’m sorry, I’m… incredibly nervous,” they admit with a joyless laugh.
“Don’t be,” you plead softly. “It’s just me, you know?”
“I know.”
You watch their profile and see them swallow thickly.
“We used to do sleepovers all the time, remember?” You remind them.
“That… That’s true…” they murmur, looking back at you with a timid smile. “But it feels like forever ago, now, and we… we weren’t dating at the time.”
“We were close,” you reply, shrugging under the covers. “Is that so different?”
“I… don’t know,” they say, hesitant.
You take their hand, resting on their pillow between you, rubbing soothing circles on their skin. The touch seems to relieve some of their tension. They close their eyes and exhale softly.
“We can talk for a little bit if you’d like?” You suggest.
Their smile widens a bit. “That’s a good idea.”
“Talk to me about your work.”
Maria starts describing a typical day at work. It quickly devolves into complaining about coworkers who annoy them, for your great amusement. The distraction eventually works, getting them relaxed enough that they start yawning and soon fall asleep.
You give their hand a last caress, turn around and go to sleep yourself.
(display: "Morning without sex")
“Please?” they reply, their voice small and vulnerable.
You chuckle and shuffle closer to them under the covers. They are quick to embrace you, settling against your torso with a relieved sigh. Their whole body relaxes as you hold them tenderly, gently rubbing their shoulder through the silk pajamas while their hand rests on your chest, fingers playing with the {(unless: (history:) contains "Pajamas")[hem of your undershirt](else:)[collar of your pajamas]}.
It feels luxurious, resting on this cloud-like bed, touching the softest fabric, and being engulfed in Maria’s warmth. They smell so nice — maybe one of the products they used when they washed their face? — and their skin feels so smooth under the pads of your fingers when you bring your other hand up to cup their cheek.
For a jarring moment, you feel like you don’t belong here. But Maria smiles at you, so warm and affectionate that the feeling is replaced by acceptance. They want you here and that’s all you need to belong.
“This is nice…“ they drawl sleepily after a while.
You watch their lips move slowly and brush your fingers over them.
{<div class="choice">[[“Goodnight Maria,”->Goodnight (2)]] you whisper back, letting them fall asleep against you.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You kiss them.->Kiss again (2)]]</div>}
You both wake up late and pull yourselves out of bed(if: (history:) contains "Taking the couch")[ — or couch, in your case —] even later. Neither of you wants to head out in the cold, but Maria has to go to work and you both need to discuss… your case.
You go into Maria’s bathroom, one after the other, washing yourselves quickly and getting dressed.
Their apartment looks a little different in the morning light, pouring in through sheer curtains, but it still feels warm and welcoming.
(display: "Heading back to Maria's office")
You join them soon enough.
(display: "Morning without sex")
They kiss you back, sluggish but happy to return the attention, lips pushing and pulling in slow and relaxed motions.
“Goodnight, Maria,” you murmur between two tender pecks on their soft lips.
They can only hum in response and you are soon both falling asleep in each other’s arms.
(display: "Morning without sex")
They move slightly, something pinching their expression slightly. Did they hear you?
“… love you too, $firstname…” they mumble, barely coherent.
Your heart starts beating harder and you fear this might wake them fully. They are probably half-dreaming, you try to convince yourself. You breathe in deeply in an attempt to calm your nerves.
You feel reassured when the quiet lingers, showing no sign that Maria is anywhere near waking up.
You stay cuddled up against them a little longer, until the fire starts to weaken, the room slowly growing colder. That’s when Maria stirs, shivering and pressing themself harder against you. You pull them closer, rubbing their shoulder firmly to warm them up, and kiss their forehead.
“Time to go to bed?” You ask quietly.
“Probably,” they mumble.
Despite that, they stay close to you for a little longer. When they finally pull away, they raise their arms, stretching and yawning.
“Would you… Would you be okay sharing the bed with me?” They ask with a hint of hesitation.
{<div class="choice">[[“I would love to,”->Sharing the bed]] you reply with a warm smile.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I’d rather sleep on the couch, if you don’t mind,”->Taking the couch]] you say, apologetic.</div>}
You shake them softly and they stir, blinking painfully.
“Did I… Did I fall asleep?” They mumble groggily.
You chuckle. “You may have.”
“Sorry,” they say sheepishly as they straighten up.
“It’s okay, I just figured you would be more comfortable in bed.”
They interrupt a luxurious stretch to stare at you. They don’t say anything, but you think they disagree with the statement.
“Perhaps we would both be more comfortable in bed,” they say slowly. “If you’re fine sharing?”
{<div class="choice">[[“Of course,”->Sharing the bed]] you reply with a warm smile.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“I would rather sleep on the couch, if you don’t mind,”->Taking the couch]] you respond apologetically.</div>}
Maria leads you to the kitchen where they quickly put together breakfast for you. It’s just as you expected it: both spacious and cramped. The dark green cabinets are stocked with pots, pans, a wide array of dry ingredients, bottles of oils, vinegar, and other shelf-stable foods. The mess spills onto the decent countertop space, covering most of it with spices, teas, bowls of fruits and vegetables, a knife rack, several cutting boards, and a bunch of other cooking appliances. And of course, the sink is filled with a precarious pile of dirty dishes.
Maria manages to scrounge up two mismatched but clean plates for you, setting them on a small, round breakfast table near the single window.
You eat and chat lazily, Maria quickly forgetting how late the hour is getting as they look at you with open affection from across the table. And maybe you look half as happy as them yourself. You can’t deny it. It is nice.
You are far from the dingy, cold, and impersonal place you used to share with Roy. Just thinking about him is enough to make you tense. Here, everything has character, warmth, and softness. And Maria is here. Maybe you shouldn’t be surprised at how easily you came to feel comfortable in their space, and yet…
You try to remind yourself it’s unlikely to last and you eat faster.
<div class="choice">[[You leave Maria’s apartment together and take the tram to the Finley & Webber Investigative Solutions offices.->The situation]]</div>
{(if: $romance > 2)[
They grab your sleeve, digging their fingers into the fabric. You turn around to look at them and they seem upset. Angry?<br /><br />
“What were you thinking?” They ask, their voice trembling.<br /><br />
Their words are quiet. They don’t want to raise their tone, not out here. You frown at them, stepping closer, brushing a reassuring hand over their arm.<br /><br />
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”<br />
“You lied to her,” they answer, their eyes wide and terrified and you start to understand what is rattling them.<br /><br />
You smooth your thumb over their shoulder to soothe them.<br /><br />
“You don’t know that. What makes you believe Roy //didn’t// escape with the money? It could be the reason why he disappeared.”<br /><br />
Maria sighs and covers your hand with theirs.<br /><br />
“Maybe he did, but we don’t know that for sure either. What if he didn’t? What if we don’t find the money and Riviera realizes we lied to her? What will she do to you?” They ask you, looking more and more desperate, gripping your hand and stepping closer to you.<br />
“We’ll find a solution if and when it comes up,” you assure them.<br /><br />
They snort, but it’s a mirthless sound.<br /><br />
“You’re impossible, you know that? How am I meant to protect you if you throw yourself into danger every chance you get?”<br />
{(if: $kissed > 0)[
“Maria…” You murmur as you rest your forehead against theirs. “My well-being is not your responsibility. I can handle this, I promise.”<br /><br />
They sigh, closing their eyes. Their nose bumps against yours and you revel in the affectionate touch.<br /><br />
“But I want it to be,” they whisper, their breath warming your lips.<br /><br />
You feel one of their hands rest against your collarbone, their index finger reaching up to caress your neck.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "You bridge the small gap between your lips and kiss them.")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(go-to: "You kiss them")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You wrap your arms around them and pull them close.->Romantic hug]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You take their hand in yours and bring it to your lips.->Hand kiss]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“Maria… My well-being is not your responsibility,” you murmur. “I can handle this, I promise.”<br /><br />
They sigh, their eyes flicking down to your lips.<br /><br />
“But I want it to be,” they whisper, their expression one of longing.<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "The urge to kiss them take over and you bridge the small gap between you to catch their lips with yours.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(set: $lead to "MC")
(go-to: "First kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>They want to kiss you, you can tell. (link: "And you wouldn’t mind if they did.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(set: $lead to "Maria")
(go-to: "First kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You feel overwhelmed with affection and pull them into a tight hug.->Romantic hug]]</div>
<div class="choice">Their words make your heart ache with tenderness. [[You bring their hand to your lips.->Hand kiss]]</div>
]}
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated is 1)[
They grab your sleeve, fingers digging into the fabric. When you look back at them, they seem upset. Angry?<br /><br />
“What were you thinking?” They hiss, not wanting to raise their voice, not here. <br />
“What do you mean?” You ask with a frown, looking down at their hand.<br /><br />
They won’t let go.<br /><br />
“You lied to her!” They whisper angrily and you understand what has them so rattled.<br /><br />
Despite that, you feel defensive. “You don’t know that. What if that’s why Roy disappeared? Maybe he did run away with the money…”<br />
“You don’t know that either!”<br /><br />
They pull on your arm and you stumble forward, closing the gap between you. Their fingers tighten around your wrist, trembling and tense.<br /><br />
“If we never find the money Ruby Riviera is now expecting, what will happen? What will she do to you?” They speak urgently but softly.<br /><br />
The concern in their eyes is real and it’s all for you. You’re left speechless.<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You can’t resist the attraction you feel toward them. (link: "You take another — voluntary — step closer.")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 2)
(go-to: "Getting more complicated")
]</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You want to approach them, to touch them, but you know it’s not a good idea. [[Not while your argument is still fresh in your mind.->Still complicated]]</div>
]
(else-if: $friendship > 1)[
They grab your arm and you turn around to find them looking upset.<br /><br />
“Are you insane?” They ask, their eyes wide and terrified.<br /><br />
They’re not raising their voice, not out here.<br /><br />
You grin at them. “Probably, but you’ll have to be more specific.”<br />
“This isn’t funny, $firstname,” Maria whispers angrily as they step closer to you, glancing around them at the passersby. “You lied to her!”<br /><br />
So that’s what they’re rattled by. You do feel a bit bad, you dragged them into it, without discussing it with them prior to your conversation with Ruby. It was a reckless move, no doubt about it, but you had to convince her somehow.<br />
Still, you argue with them, because that’s what you do.<br /><br />
“You don’t know that. Maybe Roy //did// leave with the money. Maybe that’s why he disappeared.”<br />
Maria sighs. “He could have, but we don’t know that for sure either. What if we never find the money Riviera is expecting now? What will she do to you?”<br /><br />
The concern in their eyes is real, and it’s all for you. You feel their fingers tight on your arm and you’re left speechless for a moment. You’re realizing again how much you’ve missed their friendship.<br /><br />
“Maria… What about you?” You ask quietly, breaking the short silence.<br />
They blink at you. “What do you mean?”<br /><br />
You sigh, bringing a hand up to massage the tense knot forming on your forehead. Your eyes are burning.<br /><br />
“I’m sorry, Maria. I’m bringing you into this mess and you, of all people, don’t deserve… all this,” you answer, gesturing vaguely — you don’t know at what.<br /><br />
Maybe at yourself.<br />
You hear their footsteps on the pavement and as they approach you, their face is set in a determined expression.<br /><br />
“$firstname,” they start, their voice low. “You asked me for help and I agreed. I made that choice.”<br />
“Yeah, I just… I’m making it worse.”<br />
Maria releases your arm to cross theirs over their chest. “Yeah, you are. Maybe that’s a habit you need to look into losing.”<br /><br />
You chuckle, rubbing your eyes and sniffling. You didn’t expect to feel so touched by their concern, but here you are.<br /><br />
“This is embarrassing,” you mumble as you keep having to rub your tears away.<br />
“Oh, $firstname…” Maria says softly.<br /><br />
Before you know it, their arms are around your shoulders and they pull you abruptly into a tight hug.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "You wrap your own arms around them.")[
(set: $hugged to it + 1)
(go-to: "Friendly hug")
]</div>
<div class="choice">[[You stay dumbstruck in their arms.->No hug]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“$firstname,” they call you and you turn around to see them glare at you.<br /><br />
Their cold tone doesn’t bode well either. You sigh.<br /><br />
“What?”<br />
“What were you thinking?” They ask, their voice harsh, but still low.<br /><br />
They won’t raise their voice, not out here.<br /><br />
“What do you mean?” You ask, as calmly as you can, trying to suppress your annoyance.<br />
“You lied to her!”<br /><br />
So that’s what they’re angry about. You sigh again, a frown starting to pinch your forehead.<br /><br />
“You don’t know that,” you reply, your tone short. “What makes you think Roy //didn’t// run away with the money? That would explain his disappearance.”<br />
“But you don’t know that for sure either,” they snap back. “What will Riviera do to us when we fail to bring her the money she’s now expecting?”<br />
You smirk, but you don’t feel any joy doing so. “Worried about your skin? You’re a detective, surely you know it’s a job that involves risks.”<br />
$Maria groans, dragging a hand over their face. “It’s not just my skin, idiot, it’s yours too! You asked me to help you, so I’m helping. But you’re really going to make it as impossible as you can, aren’t you?”<br />
“You’re trying to have me believe you’re worried about me? It’s been years, $Maria.”<br /><br />
This time they do raise their voice.<br /><br />
“Why else do you think I’m here?! It’s not like you’re going to pay me!”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You stay quiet. (link: "You can’t find anything to answer them.")[
(set: $affection to $affection - 1)
(go-to: "Stay silent")
]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I… I’m sorry $Maria,” you mumble after a moment of hesitation. “The job is making me paranoid, I think.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(go-to: "Getting paranoid")
]</div>
]}
{(if: $romance > 2)[
You grab their hand, pulling on their arm to make them turn around. Their eyes widen in surprise and they look at you questioningly. You entwine your fingers with theirs and pull them closer.<br /><br />
“Thank you for your help in there,” you tell them.<br />
They rub their neck awkwardly. “You’re welcome? Sorry, I’m not sure I actually helped that much.”<br />
“You did,” you reassure them. “At least by giving me moral support.”<br /><br />
Their confusion melts in favor of a warm smile that {(if: $kissed > 0)[
makes you stare at their soft lips.
]
(else:)[
makes your gaze flick down to their lips.
]}<br /><br />
“Of course,” they say, squeezing your hand.<br />
“I liked what you said,” you continue. “About taking risks for me.”<br />
They blink at you. “I thought it was obvious that I’d want to do everything I can to keep you safe.”<br />
You frown slightly, your thumb brushing theirs in a soothing rhythm. “You know you don’t have to do that, right? Take it as your sole responsibility.”<br />
Maria squeezes your hand, frowning back at you. “But I want to.”<br />
“Maria…”<br /><br />
{(if: $kissed > 0)[
Their concern and dedication for you touch you and lure you in. You bring your other hand to their waist and pull them close so you can feel the warmth radiating from them. Your companion looks bashfully around them.<br /><br />
“What are you doing?” They ask in a whisper.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">(link: "“Kissing you. What else?”")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(go-to: "You kiss them")
] You respond, leaning in.</div>
<div class="choice">[[You don’t say anything, you just pull them into a hug.->Romantic hug]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“Showing my gratitude,” you reply as you bring their hand to your lips.->Hand kiss]]</div>
]
(else:)[
You feel so touched by their concern and dedication, you find yourself taking a step toward them, getting close enough to feel the warmth of their body call out to you. You notice the way Maria’s eyes linger on your lips when you say their name.<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You want them to kiss you. (link: "And you think they want to kiss you too.")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(set: $lead to "Maria")
(go-to: "First kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>You lean in close enough to share their breath. You want to kiss them, but you don’t want to rush them. (link: "When Maria sighs against your lips and tilts their head invitingly, you don’t resist the pull.")[
(set: $kissed to it + 1)
(set: $lead to "MC")
(go-to: "First kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[Overwhelmed with affection, you pull them into a hug.->Romantic hug]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[Slowly, holding their gentle gaze, you lift their hand up to your lips.->Hand kiss]]/<div>
]}
]
(else-if: $itscomplicated is 1)[
You grab their wrist, pulling gently on their arm until they turn around, a quizzical look in their jasper eyes. When you realize what you just did, you quickly release their hand.<br /><br />
“I just wanted to thank you for your help,” you explain a little awkwardly.<br />
They bring a hand up and rub the back of their neck. “You’re welcome? Sorry, I’m not sure I was that much help.”<br />
“You were,” you are quick to assure them. “Just being there was enough and…”<br /><br />
You hesitate, swallowing with difficulty. You replay the scene in your mind, focusing on what they said to Ruby.<br /><br />
“What you said in there… Did you mean it?” You ask them, feeling more vulnerable than you’d like.<br />
“$firstname…”<br /><br />
They frown softly at you and take a step forward, closing the distance between you.<br /><br />
“Of course I do. I know things are… weird right now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. I would do anything to keep you safe.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>They can’t say things like that and expect you to resist them. (link: "You reach a hand out to them, you want to touch them, hold them close.")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 2)
(go-to: "Getting more complicated")
]/td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">You restrain yourself, you have to. [[Your argument with them is still fresh in your mind.->Still complicated]]</div>
]
(else-if: $friendship > 1)[
You rest a hand on their shoulder and they turn their head to look at you with surprise. You smile at them.<br /><br />
“Thank you for your help in there.”<br />
“You’re welcome?”<br /><br />
You start walking side by side and Maria rubs their neck awkwardly, looking uncertain.<br /><br />
“Sorry, I’m not sure I really was that much help…”<br />
“You were,” you assure them. “It was nice knowing I had someone who would have my back by my side.”<br />
Their confusion melts in favor of a warm smile. “Of course. That’s why I’m here.”<br />
“Yeah… I just hadn’t really realized what it meant until…”<br /><br />
You struggle to find the right words so you look at them for help, as if they could read your mind.<br /><br />
“We’re friends,” $Maria reinforces. “That’s what friends do.”<br /><br />
The words touch you more than you’d like to admit. You swallow your emotion, your throat working painfully.<br /><br />
“I really appreciate what you said to Ruby,” you say as you keep walking.<br /><br />
They glance at you, waiting for you to elaborate.<br /><br />
“About taking the risk for me,” you specify.<br />
Maria chuckles. “I would be a poor friend if I chose illegally acquired goods over your life.”<br /><br />
They shake their head, disbelief painted on their features. “I really don’t know what else she expected me to say.”<br />
“Maybe she doesn’t know what it’s like to have friends,” you theorize with a playful smile.<br /><br />
Maria raises a skeptical eyebrow at you.<br /><br />
“If you’re trying to make me feel sad for her, it’s not working.”<br />
“Really? Maybe she never had a Maria in her life. Very few have that luxury.”<br /><br />
Your friend’s complexion turns a little darker and they elbow you.<br /><br />
“Stop that,” they grumble.<br /><br />
You laugh and suddenly you both stop on the sidewalk of St Basil avenue.<br /><br />
“I guess that’s where we part ways,” you say, feeling a hollowness in your chest at the realization. “Meet you back tomorrow morning?”<br />
“Yeah,” they reply with a wistful smile.<br /><br />
You sigh and a frown comes to cloud your expression when you think of what the next day has in store for you.<br /><br />
“Be ready for anything,” you warn your friend. “I don’t think May will be as cooperative as Ruby.”<br />
They nod at you. “You too.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You make your way back to your respective apartments. [[You need to rest before tomorrow.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“$Maria,” you call.<br /><br />
They turn around and look at you expectantly. You struggle to find the right words.<br /><br />
“Back there, you… you hesitated when Ruby asked your opinion.”<br /><br />
They frown.<br /><br />
“I was trying to figure her out,” they tell you as if it was obvious.<br /><br />
Maybe it is, but you’re not convinced.<br /><br />
“Why did you answer that? It felt… unlike you.”<br /><br />
Their frown deepens. “That’s what I thought would sway her. What are you getting at?”<br />
“Is this… how you see me? How you feel about me?” You decide to ask outright.<br /><br />
$Maria sighs. They look irritated.<br /><br />
“$firstname, I don’t see anyone like that. Of course, I think your life is more valuable than illegally acquired goods. Anyone with a bit of decency would. Obviously, that’s not Riviera’s case.”<br /><br />
You are reassured, but also uncomfortable. You’ve been in this life for too long and you have grown wary of people’s intentions. $Maria and you aren’t from the same world anymore.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You stay silent as you start walking by their side again->Stay silent]].</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“Sorry, I just… I’ve become paranoid, I guess,”")[
(set: $affection to it +1)
(go-to: "Getting paranoid")
] you admit to them.</div>
]}
You’re mildly aware of people walking around you and staring at you, so you kiss them gently, almost chastely. Almost. You still tease their tongue with yours a bit, suckling on their lips just once. Maybe twice.
Their hand on your chest grabs your clothes and pulls you even closer as they let out a muffled hum against your mouth.
When you part for breath, Maria doesn’t look you in the eyes, theirs still trained on your lips.
“We can share it,” you say softly, tilting their chin so that their lips almost touch yours again.
Their gaze flicks back up, dark and lost. “… What?”
You smile at their distraction. “Responsibility for my safety. We can share it. Have each other’s back?”
“Alright,” they breathe and you kiss them again.
This one is a slow and deep kiss, longer than you planned for. The sky is darker when you finally stop, and Maria is shivering against you.
{(if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[
“Would you… Would you like to come home with me again?” They ask as you kiss down their neck.<br />
“Can’t get enough, can you?” You retort, smiling against their skin.<br /><br />
It feels hot on your lips and you know they are flushing.<br /><br />
They sigh, the sound halfway between exasperated and pleased. “A yes or a no would suffice.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You raise your head, brush your lips against their ear, and whisper: (link: "“Yes.”")[
(set: $sexuallyactive to $sexuallyactive + 1)
(go-to: "Going at it again")
]</div>
<div class="choice">You plant one last kiss on their cheek and step away. [[“Another time.”->Not tonight]]</div>
]
(else-if: $romance is 4)[
“Would you… Would you like to come home with me again?” They ask as you pepper their face with small kisses.<br />
“Persistent, aren’t you?” You chuckle while you savor their soft but cold skin.<br /><br />
It soon becomes warmer and you know they are flushing.<br /><br />
“I just want your company, nothing more,” they grumble without much bite.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You plant one last kiss on their cheek and step away to smile at them. [[“Alright.”->Going home with them again]]</div>
<div class="choice">You move away from them and smile apologetically. [[“Not tonight.”->Not tonight]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“We should probably go get some rest before we have to confront May Jin tomorrow,” They say, reluctantly moving away from you.<br />
“Yeah,” you confirm with a joyless smirk. “I don’t foresee this going smoothly. Be sure to get ready for anything.”<br />
They nod. “You too.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You peck their lips one last time and both of you part ways to head back to your respective apartments.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]}
{(if: $lead is "MC")[
You’re somewhat aware of the people around you, passing you by and throwing intrusive glances at you so you kiss them gently. At first. The way Maria grabs a handful of your clothes, pulling you even closer, and the way their lips part, giving way at the slightest pressure, are all too inviting.<br />
You deepen the kiss, tongue invading the warmth of their mouth. They hum delightfully against your teeth, their own tongue swirling around yours hungrily. You push and pull for a little longer until you need to come out for breath.
]
(else:)[
“Kiss me,” you instruct them and for just a moment, Maria’s eyes widen with surprise.<br /><br />
But it’s not long before their hand cups your cheek and their lips are on yours. You know they are aware of the people around you, passing you by and staring uncomfortably at you, so they move carefully. At first. They quickly get lost in the moment and their gentle pecks turn into deeper, open-mouth kisses, their tongue teasing your lips until you part them for them.<br />
You hum pleasantly when you feel them invade your mouth hungrily, grabbing a handful of their suit and bringing them closer still. Both their hands are now on your face, tilting your head to allow them to deepen the kiss even further.<br />
The swirls of their tongue against yours leave a heady taste in your mouth, making you crave more.<br /><br />
They push and pull on your lips sensuously for a little longer until you have to part for breath.
]}
You are both panting when you rest your forehead against theirs, eyes closed, enjoying their proximity.
“We could share,” you finally answer and Maria blinks up at you, eyes dark and lost.
“… What?”
You smile at their confusion. “Responsibility for my safety. We can share it. Have each other’s back?”
“Alright,” they breathe out, rubbing their nose gently against yours.
{(if: $lead is "MC")[
You kiss them again, making an effort to keep it light and soft. You only tease them with your tongue once and suckle playfully on their lips twice.<br /><br />
When you part again, Maria shows no sign of wanting to leave your arms. Their eyes are still focused on your lips, their thick lashes casting a shadow on their already darkened irises.
]
(else:)[
They kiss you again, seemingly having to make a conscious effort to keep it light and soft. You make it a little difficult for them when you tease them with your tongue and suckle playfully on their lips not once, but twice.<br /><br />
The whine coming out of their throat and vibrating against your teeth before they pull away again makes it worth it. Their eyes are still trained on your lips as they stay close to your body heat, their eyelashes casting a shadow on their already darkened irises.
]}
You stay a moment like this until Maria finally brings themself to break the silence: “Maybe we should go get some rest before we confront May Jin, tomorrow.”
You peck their lips lazily. “Maybe we should…”
You don’t want to part ways, but you know they’re right. While you kissed, the sky has darkened, the hour becoming late.
You move away from them reluctantly. “I don’t foresee this going smoothly. Better get ready for anything.”
They kiss your cheek one last time. “You too.”
<div class="choice">[[You both leave in different directions, heading back to your respective apartments for the night.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
{(if: $lead is "MC")[
You tilt your head, your lips an inch from touching theirs. You don’t go in yet, pausing there, waiting for them to give you a reason to stop. But instead of stepping back or pushing you away, they let a trembling sigh out of their parted lips and close their eyes, their hand leaving your wrist to grasp your coat and pull you even closer. That’s invitation enough for you and you close the distance.<br /><br />
You start slowly and carefully, delicately tilting their chin to adjust the angle of the kiss, but you quickly realize how receptive Maria is when their tongue meets yours with urgency. They take handfuls of your coat, pulling hard, their hands curling into tight quivering fists. You oblige them by deepening the kiss, satiating your own hunger for them as your tongue pushes past their lips.<br /><br />
Things take a turn for the intense and you soon find yourself stumbling forward, trapping Maria between you and the hotel’s iron fence. The loud clang as you grip the bars is sure to attract attention but you are too busy to care. Even Maria is lost in the kiss, humming needily against your lips.<br /><br />
Their hands leave your coat and travel up your neck and to the back of your head, fingers curling around your hair and pulling gently. You let a pleasant sigh brush their lips as the sensation sends a shiver down your spine.<br /><br />
“$firstname...” Maria begs when you go to suck on their lower lip.<br />
“Mmh?” Your lips find their jawline and start trailing kisses on their skin.<br />
“We’re both being… very…”<br /><br />
You kiss the spot on their neck just below their ear, making their voice waver.<br /><br />
“… Very stupid,” they finish with a sigh.<br />
“Do you want me to stop?” You ask before kissing lower still.<br /><br />
They don’t answer right away, their breath labored and their head tilting to the side, making it easier for you to suckle the skin of their neck.<br /><br />
“I…” They start but their tongue clicks and you feel their throat work under your lips.<br /><br />
You trail kisses back up to their jaw and to the corner of their lips before pulling an inch away from them.<br /><br />
“Yes?”<br /><br />
You watch them through hooded eyes, both amused and pained by their conflicted expression. Their fingers are still tangled in your hair and they caress your scalp mindlessly as they try to sort through their emotions. They frown and tilt their head up to brush their open lips against yours in a quietly demanding gesture. You smirk and lean in for another slow kiss.<br /><br />
When you pull away again, Maria’s eyes stay closed.<br /><br />
“I… want you to stop,” they lie, their breath warm on your lips.<br /><br />
Still, you know better than to disobey. Maria blinks at you, almost surprised when you release the fence’s iron bars and step away.<br /><br />
“Okay,” you say as their fingers slowly let go of your hair and their hands fall limp to their sides. “But if I can be honest, you’re sending me some mixed signals, there.”<br /><br />
That’s enough to pull them out of their dazed state. They glare at you.<br /><br />
“//I// am sending mixed signals?! You’re the one that went and kissed me!”<br />
“We were //both// kissing, Maria,” you retort with a frown.
]
(else:)[
How do you ask this? They made their position clear before, but the way they react to your touch tells a different story. Your fingers move up and brush their lips delicately and Maria lets out a trembling sigh, warm on your skin.<br />
Maybe you just ask.<br /><br />
“Kiss me,” you murmur.<br />
“That… That is a very bad idea,” Maria replies weakly.<br /><br />
Yet they take your hand, pulling it away from their face, and they tug you forward until your lips meet theirs. You hum against their teeth, both pleased and surprised by how suddenly they agreed to your request. Once the shock melts in the tenderness of the kiss you wrap your arms around their waist and let your hands caress their back. Theirs raise to cup your face, tilting it to deepen the kiss.<br /><br />
You realize they wanted this as badly as you did when their tongue urges you to part your lips for them, when it swirls eagerly against yours, and when they press forward, making you stumble back into the hotel’s iron fence.<br />
The rattling of the bars as your body hits them is bound to attract attention but you couldn’t care less and Maria is already too lost in the moment to pay it any mind either.<br /><br />
The kiss is still slow but its intensity grows with each movement of their lips over yours. You’re all too happy to respond in kind. You grip their coat and pull their hips forward until their stomach hit yours. Their hum is muffled but you feel it vibrating against your chest.<br /><br />
They break away for a short moment, teasing your lower lip needily as they pull apart.<br /><br />
“I…” They start before pecking your lips once. “We need to stop.”<br />
“Then stop,” you challenge them while tilting your head to let your lips brush theirs invitingly.<br /><br />
They let themself be lured by the sensuous touch and their tongue invades you again when they go in for another drawn-out kiss.<br /><br />
Their hands have moved down to your neck, nails barely grazing the nape of it, making your hair stand on end and your whole body shiver as you sigh. One of their thumbs is gently caressing the line of your jaw, the loving touch just as efficient at firing up your nerves.<br /><br />
You’re savoring the kiss, closing your eyes, and enjoying the warm and voluptuous feeling of their lips against yours when they break away abruptly.<br /><br />
“I can’t. We shouldn’t,” Maria says in a clipped voice as they escape your embrace.<br /><br />
They look away, seemingly embarrassed for a moment. Then they frown at you.<br /><br />
“You shouldn’t have asked me to do this.”<br />
“You could have just said no,” you retort, bristling from the accusation and the sudden cold their absence leaves you in. “You kissed me of your own volition.”
]}
<div class="choice">Their anger quickly deflates. [[They know it to be true.->Complicated kiss (2)]]</div>
{(if: (history:) contains "Lie")[
$Maria looks relieved. They sigh, their shoulders drooping. <br /><br />
“That’s putting it mildly,” they grumble at you. “You really should think twice before getting into debt with yet another crime lord.”<br /><br />
You smile weakly at them.<br /><br />
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
]
(else:)[
“I’ve noticed…” They say quietly with a sidelong glance in your direction.<br />
You frown. “What do you mean?”<br />
They sigh. “Nothing, it… it just reminds me of when I first met you. It took a while to earn your trust back then — understandably. Now it feels like some of what we have built back then is lost and I… I can’t imagine what it was like working in a gang all these years.”<br /><br />
You stay quiet for a moment, unsettled by the notion that the time you spent working for Flint, away from Maria’s influence made you lose… something. Unsettled because it sounds too close to the truth. But you can’t admit that.<br /><br />
“I don’t know if it’s that deep, $Maria. It’s been a long time, it’s only natural that we have to figure each other out again.”<br />
“Maybe you’re right…”
]}
They sigh again. This time, they look tired.
“We should get some rest before we go talk to May Jin, tomorrow morning,” they say, rubbing their neck.
“That’s a good idea,” you reply, wanting nothing more than to end the uncomfortable conversation and head back home. “Goodnight, $Maria.”
“Goodnight, $firstname.”
You leave them and make your way back to your empty apartment, ruminating the whole time. You still think about what they said after you reached home and lie down on your bed.
It seemed like $Maria was sincere. But how can you know for certain? It’s been so long since your college days, when you were inseparable. Since then you have learned not to trust anyone but yourself. Hell, not even yourself. But Maria? You don’t know anymore.
<div class="choice">[[You find sleep after struggling for a couple of hours.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
{(if: (history:) contains "Lie")[
Your silence makes $Maria clam up as well. They take a step away from you, crossing their arms protectively over their chest.<br /><br />
“It’s best if we rest before we go talk to May Jin, tomorrow morning,” they murmur, their voice monotone.<br />
“Yeah…” That’s all you can say.<br /><br />
They turn on their heels and leave you standing on the sidewalk. You don’t move for a long moment.<br />
When the chill of the night settles and you shiver, you turn around and make your way back to your apartment. You ruminate the whole time and still for long hours after you reached your home and lie down on your bed.<br /><br />
Was $Maria genuine? Or is there another possible reason for them to accept your help? If there is, you have to figure out which one.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You hope the next day will be illuminating.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]
(else:)[
The quiet is tense and uncomfortable, but neither of you can come up with anything to say. You glance at Maria and their expression makes you even more uneasy. There’s regret in it and an overwhelming sadness that makes you look away.<br /><br />
You’re not sure what it means. Are they yearning for your lost friendship or is there something else on their conscience? What are they hiding from you?<br /><br />
“I guess this is where we part ways.” $Marias voice brings you back from your internal debate.<br /><br />
You look around and realize you made it back to St Basil Avenue.<br /><br />
“See you tomorrow?” You ask in response.<br />
“See you tomorrow,” they confirm with a nod.<br /><br />
You watch them depart and stand still on the sidewalk for a moment longer than necessary. Then you head back to your own apartment. You need to rest before confronting May Jin tomorrow.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You hope the day will finally bring you some answers.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]}
You can feel their soft breath brush your ear as they sigh and melt into your arms. They wrap their own around your waist and let their body relax against yours, a pleasant heat cutting through the cold air and spreading through you. You feel tension leaving your own body as you hold them, your hands rubbing slow circles on their back.
“We can share it,” you say softly into their ear and they shiver.
Maria tilts their head back, blinking at you with confusion. “… What?”
It makes you smile. “Responsibility for my safety. We can share it. Have each other’s back?”
Maria smiles back and relaxes again, resting their head on your shoulder.
Their breath tickles your ear as they reply: “Deal.”
You both stay entangled for a long moment, mildly aware of the people walking around you and staring.
The sky is darker when they squeeze you one last time before kissing your cheek and stepping back. They look at you with a softness that leaves you weak in the knees. A softness that is quickly followed by a nostalgic expression.
“We should probably get some rest before talking to May Jin tomorrow,” they murmur reluctantly.
{(if: $romance is 4)[
<br />They look to the side, embarrassed, as they add: “You can come back to my place if you want…”<br />
{(if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[
You grin. “Can’t get enough?”<br />
“A simple yes or no would suffice,” they grumble at you.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You lean over and whisper into their ear: [[“Yes.”->Going at it again]]</div>
<div class="choice">You smile apologetically. [[“Not tonight. I don’t expect things to go as smoothly tomorrow, so we better be ready for that.”->Not tonight]]</div>
]
(else:)[
“Persistent, aren’t you?” You reply with a chuckle.<br />
“I’m not expecting anything more than last night,” they grumble at you.<br />
“I know,” you say, smiling soothingly at them. “I was just teasing you.”<br />
“So…?”<br /><br />
<div class= "choice">[[“That sounds lovely,”->Going home with them again]] you confirm.</div>
<div class="choice">[[“Not tonight, sorry,”->Not tonight]] you answer with a wince.</div>
]}
]
(else:)[
You sigh. “You’re right. I don’t expect it to go as smoothly so you’ll have to be ready for anything.”<br />
“You too,” They say, leaning over to peck your cheek.<br />
“Always,” you reply with a half-grin.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You part ways, returning to your respective apartments for the night.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]}
{(if: (history:) contains "Lie")[
You are tentative, giving them enough time to pull away, but they stay close. You raise a hesitant hand, your fingers hovering near their face, wanting to touch the soft skin of their cheek.<br /><br />
“Maria…” You murmur, pleading and apologetic.<br />
They close their eyes and exhale shakily. “Fuck.”<br /><br />
When your knuckles brush down the lines of their face, they lean into the touch.<br /><br />
“I’m so sorry Maria,” you whisper gently, your breath caressing their lips. “You know I’m an idiot… I… I didn’t mean to drag you into even more danger.”<br /><br />
They open their eyes and glare at you.<br /><br />
“You are an idiot alright,” they reply quietly, despite their harsh words. “I’m worried about you, not myself.”<br />
You frown. “Why?”<br />
They sigh and their expression softens, pained and melancholic. “Because I’m also an idiot and I care about you. I want— I need to keep you safe.”
]
(else:)[
When your fingers touch their cheek, Maria closes their eyes and leans into the touch, despite a slight frown marring their brow.<br /><br />
“Maria…”<br />
“Dammit, $firstname. You’re really going to make this as difficult as you can,” they grumble softly, their breath brushing your palm as they turn their head toward your hand.<br /><br />
They cup it with their own hand and kiss the inside of your palm with too much tenderness to bear. A full-body shiver runs through you.<br /><br />
“Why are you doing this?” You murmur, your voice hoarse. “You said it yourself. //This//… Us… It can’t work. So why do you insist on wanting to protect me?”<br />
They look up at you, their gaze both soft and accusatory. “Someone has to.”<br /><br />
You let your knuckles glide down their cheek while their hand settles on your wrist. The touch makes them shudder as well, their sigh hot on your skin.<br />
]}
“It’s not your responsibility, you know?” You say, your fingers tracing their jawline.
Maria tilts their head back, accompanying the movement, and you see them swallow thickly.
“But I wish it could be, you just won’t let me have it,” they argue, their voice weak and cracked.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You want to kiss them.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(set: $lead to "MC")
(go-to: "Complicated kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "You want them to kiss you.")[
(set: $kissed to 1)
(set: $lead to "Maria")
(go-to: "Complicated kiss")
] //(kiss)//</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[You take their hand up to your lips.->Complicated hand kiss]]</div>}
{(if: (history:) contains "Lie")[
You step back. Maria looks at you with a pained frown and you know you have one to match.<br /><br />
“You should worry about your own skin, Maria… I’m sorry I dragged you into more trouble, I really am,” you murmur.<br />
“I know things are… weird right now but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about you, $firstname,” they reply so softly it almost draws you closer again. “I’m not going to stop worrying about you. I want to keep you safe.”<br />
“It’s not your sole responsibility, you know.”<br />
“We could share it?” They propose gently. “Have each other’s back?”<br /><br />
The hand that was holding your wrist glides down and catches your hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. It makes you smile despite yourself.
]
(else:)[
You cross your arms. The gesture might appear defensive, but it helps you resist the temptation of touching them. It’s for the best. For both of you.<br />
Yet Maria’s expression is pained when they see you close yourself off. You can’t sustain their melancholic gaze.<br /><br />
“You don’t have to do this, you know. You’re not responsible for my safety.”<br />
“I know,” they reply softly. “But I want to…”<br />
“You should worry about your own skin, Maria.”<br />
“What about we share it?” They offer. “Have each other’s back?”<br /><br />
They look at you with a hopeful expression that breaks down your barriers. You can’t help but smile.
]}
“Deal,” you reply and they smile back at you.
“How about a hug?” They ask a little too eagerly. “To seal it.”
{<div class="choice">You chuckle weakly. (link: "“Sure.”")[
(set: $affection to $affection + 1)
(set: $hugged to $hugged + 1)
(go-to: "Complicated hug")
]</div>
<div class="choice">You grimace as you apologize: [[“Sorry, maybe another time?”->No hug]]</div>}
You realize it’s a mistake when they step close, wrapping their arms around your waist, when you feel their stomach against yours and their hands gliding up your back, and when they sigh into the crook of your neck, their warm breath brushing your skin. You embrace them despite the way it makes your heart hammer in your chest, holding them closer than you would a friend.
They have to know this too. Don’t they? Their touch as they caress your back is too delicate, too deliberate to be innocent. You can’t bring yourself to put a stop to it, however. As the hug lingers, they let their head rest on your shoulder, in a way that’s too intimate to be friendly. You try not to think about how easy it would be to just lean in and kiss their lips.
But next thing you know it’s all you can think about. The slow movement of their hands is making you shiver and their stomach is burning you. An uncomfortable feeling is crawling all over your skin and you need space. You need space right now.
You push Maria away more abruptly than you meant. They look away, more embarrassed than offended.
“We should… We should get some rest before talking to May Jin tomorrow,” they say softly after clearing their throat.
“Yeah…” You mumble, your throat too tight to speak more.
“Goodnight, $firstname,” Maria murmurs, meeting your eyes a short moment before turning away.
“Goodnight Maria.”
You watch them leave, their pained expression seared in your mind. You don’t know how long you stay still on the sidewalk, but as the night settles, a chill brings you back to reality and you start making your way back to your apartment.
Too many thoughts keep you awake for a long while as you lay on your bed but you eventually shut them down, willing yourself to sleep.
<div class="choice">[[You have a long day to look forward to tomorrow.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
{(if: (history:) contains "You pull them into a hug")[
Maybe it would be a good idea to not make a habit of having an emotional embrace with your friend out on the street. But for now, you let yourself silently cry into their shoulder, only mildly aware of the passersby likely staring at you.
]
(else:)[
You let yourself silently cry into their shoulder, holding firmly onto them. You are mildly aware of the people walking around you, likely staring, but you’re too far gone to care at this moment.
]}
You feel Maria’s thumbs smooth over your coat, on your shoulders, the repeated motion a soothing one. You’re not sure they realize how grateful you are for the comfort they provide. It has been a stressful time, to say the least. But part of you feels like they need it as much as you do. So you squeeze them against yourself, letting them know you’re here for them too.
You stay a moment like this until you start feeling spent, your emotions having thoroughly drained you. You pull away and take a deep breath.
“As nice as this is… Maybe we should get some sleep before talking to May Jin,” you say, realizing your voice is getting a little croaky.
You clear your throat and Maria smiles at you.
“Okay…” They say, quickly rubbing their cheeks in a vain attempt to hide they have been crying as well. “See you tomorrow, then?”
<div class="choice">[[“See you tomorrow,”->Talk to May Jin]] you confirm with a nod before both of you part ways.</div>
You kiss their knuckles slowly, closing your eyes as you let your lips linger on their skin. You keep their hand in yours when you lower it.
“We can share it,” you say softly, looking at your joined hands and entangling your fingers with theirs. “Have each other’s back?”
You raise your gaze and see Maria slightly flushed, which makes you bite down on a grin.
“Alright,” they breathe, their fingers squeezing yours.
They smile at you and stay quiet for a moment, their thumb caressing yours as they enjoy the feeling of your hand in theirs.
{(if: $sexuallyactive is 1)[
Lowering their gaze, their skin darkens further and they bite their lower lip.<br /><br />
“Would you… Would you like to come home with me again?” They ask quietly.<br />
A half-smirk slowly forms on your lips. “Can’t get enough, can you?”<br />
Their eyes flick up to glare at you. “A simple yes or no will suffice.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">You step closer and lean over to whisper in their ear: [[“Yes.”->Going at it again]]</div>
<div class="choice">You smile apologetically at them. [[“Another time, maybe.”->Not tonight]]</div>
]
(else-if: $romance is 4)[
<br />“Would you… Would you like to come home with me again?” They ask quietly as they lower their gaze, looking a little embarrassed.<br />
“Persistent, aren’t you?” You comment with a half-smirk.<br />
Their eyes flick up to glare at you. “I’m not expecting more than I did last night.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">Your smile softens. [[“Then it sounds lovely.”->Going home with them again]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[“Maybe another time,”->Not tonight]] you reply apologetically.</div>
]
(else:)[
<br />Their soft expression turns a little sad when they say: “We should probably go get some rest before talking to May Jin tomorrow.”<br />
You sigh. “Yeah. I don’t expect it to go as smoothly, so you better get ready for anything.”<br />
“You too.”<br /><br />
They kiss your cheek and release your hand.<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You part ways, returning to your respective apartments for the night.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]}
{(if: $itscomplicated > 0)[
“Oh. Of course.”<br /><br />
By their disappointed tone, you guess they don’t expect there to be ‘another time’. They may be right. You really have no idea at this point. You just know it leaves a gaping hole in your chest where your heart should be.<br /><br />
“We should both get some rest before we talk to May Jin tomorrow,” you say quietly, hoping to dispel some of the awkwardness.<br />
Maria nods. “Alright. See you tomorrow?”<br />
“See you tomorrow,” you confirm.<br /><br />
You both start parting ways but as you walk away, you find yourself stopping and looking at them over your shoulder. You swallow thickly and call out to them.<br /><br />
“Maria?”<br />
They startle and look back at you. “Yes?”<br />
“Be ready for anything, okay?”<br /><br />
You can’t help but frown with worry. Sure, they agreed to help you. You //wanted// them to help you. But if anything is to happen to them because of you…<br /><br />
“I will be, don’t worry,” they reply so softly you can barely make the words over the distance.<br />
You nod. “Good.”<br />
“You too, $firstname,” they add, their caring tone surprising you.<br />
“Of course.”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[You find it hard to tear your gaze away from them and leave them behind.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
]
(else:)[
You can’t bring yourself to hug them back, but you let them rub your shoulders soothingly as you squeeze your eyes shut, trying to stop the tears from flowing. You feel mildly aware of the people walking around you, probably staring. {(if: (history:) contains "You pull them into a hug")[
You need to stop making a habit of being vulnerable in public like that.
]
(else:)[
You don’t like being this vulnerable in public.
]}<br /><br />
{(if: $hugged > 0)[
“No one is paying us any mind,” Maria whispers to you, feeling your reluctance.<br /><br />
They’re lying, you know they’re lying. But just this once, you decide to let yourself believe them and you break down crying on their shoulder. They squeeze you tighter against them and you finally wrap your arms around their back, if only to hold onto their coat.<br /><br />
You stay like that longer than you’d like until you feel spent, your emotions having thoroughly drained you. You pull away and wipe your face with your hands one last time.<br /><br />
“Okay… We need… We need to rest before talking to May Jin,” you say, your voice cracked.<br />
“Alright,” Maria answers with a gentle smile. “See you tomorrow then?”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“See you tomorrow,”->Talk to May Jin]] you confirm with a nod before both of you part ways.</div>
]
(else:)[
Feeling your reluctance, Maria releases you and steps back. “Sorry, I thought…”<br />
“It’s alright,” you’re quick to cut them off.<br /><br />
There’s no need to make this more awkward than it already is. You take a deep breath and it seems to be enough for you to find some semblance of calm again.<br /><br />
“We should get some rest before talking to May Jin. We’re going to need it…”<br />
Maria nods, taking a long inhale as well. “If she’s going to be as pissed as you said…”<br />
A small grin makes its way to your lips. “Oh, she will be.”<br />
“I’ll make sure to be ready for anything, then. See you tomorrow?”<br /><br />
<div class="choice">[[“See you tomorrow,”->Talk to May Jin]] you confirm before the both of you part ways.</div>
]}
]}
Their hand on your wrist had loosened its grip as you got closer to them, the hold now gentle and Maria’s fingers lightly caressing the sensitive inner part. It’s easy to wrap your fingers around theirs and bring their hand to your lips, leaving a soft kiss on their knuckles.
You close your eyes and let your lips linger on their cold skin, kissing their fingers a second and then a third time, committing the sensation to memory.
“$firstname…” Maria pleads and you have to open your eyes.
You do it slowly, reluctant to break the moment. Looking through hooded eyes, you see Maria’s unbearable expression. It’s pained and full of longing at the same time. They’re not pulling their hand away. They expect you to do it, you suppose, but how can you when neither of you wants this to stop?
“$firstname…” They repeat, their voice cracked. “You’re making it more difficult for both of us.”
You kiss their hand again, slow and careful. “Then tell me to stop.”
“I…”
It’s their turn to close their eyes and you see their throat work when you brush your lips softly over their knuckles.
“I… want you to stop,” they manage to say, their voice wavering with the lie.
Still, you know better than to disobey so you lower their hand and release their fingers with an ache in your heart. Maria sighs and you’re not sure if it’s out of relief or regret.
“Thank you,” they murmur weakly. “Let’s… let’s get some rest, yeah? We have a busy day ahead of us.”
“Yeah…”
They take a step back, looking awkwardly around themself to avoid your gaze.
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they mumble.
“Goodnight, Maria,” you reply hollowly, watching them fiddle with their hands uneasily.
They hesitate for an instant longer, looking ready to say something else, but they shake their head, deciding against it. You look at their back as they leave and stay long minutes on the sidewalk after they have disappeared behind the street’s corner.
When the chill of the night makes you shiver, you shake yourself out of your trance and head back to your apartment. Maria is right and you need to be ready for May Jin tomorrow.
<div class="choice">But now all you can think about is them. [[You sure are an idiot.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
They visibly shiver when your answer prickles their skin and as you pull back to meet their gaze, you notice their jasper eyes are darker. You can’t deny the satisfaction you feel from affecting them like that. And by the way they stare back at you, you probably have an expression to match.
Maria doesn’t say anything — they don’t need to — and leads you back to the tram station on Jubilee square, your hand in theirs. The trip back to their apartment is now a familiar one and the memories of the previous night feed your anticipation in a new and undeniably enjoyable way.
You spend another pleasant night in Maria’s warm company.
<div class="choice">[[You may not feel as well rested as you should to confront May Jin, but at least, you’re quite relaxed.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
“Oh, alright!” Maria says, looking a little letdown. “I understand.”
“Goodnight, Maria.”
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they reply, a warm smile returning to their lips.
You part ways and head back to your respective apartments. Yours feels cold and empty, full of dark memories looming in the shadows. It takes a while for you to find sleep, but you eventually will yourself to rest.
<div class="choice">[[You need to be ready for May Jin tomorrow.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
Their expression quickly lights up and you’re almost taken aback by how warm it is. They don’t say anything — they don’t need to. Your hand in theirs, they guide you back to the tram station on Jubilee square.
The trip to their apartment is now a familiar one and you find yourself… relieved to not have to go back to your own place. You’ll have to go back, eventually, if only to get some necessities.
<div class="choice">[[You sleep well that night, already finding your marks in Maria’s home.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
Maria’s tension fades away and they look at you with the softest and warmest eyes. “Really?”
“Yeah. I care about you too, Maria. I don’t know… I don’t know what the future has in store for us but I want to be with you.”
{(if: $lead is "MC")[
They pull on the lapels of your coat to bring your lips to theirs again. You happily let them rekindle the kiss, your hands finding the fence again, bracing yourself as you return their affection deeply.
]
(else:)[
Their hands find your face and they push you against the fence again, their mouth meeting yours. You happily let them rekindle the kiss, welcoming their fervent affection through parted lips.
]}
When you part for breath, they murmur: “That’s all I needed to hear.”
“Good,” you reply, pecking the corner of their lips.
The kiss quickly resumes and you try to squash any leftover doubts and fears. They still lurk in the back of your mind but this thing you’re having with Maria, whatever it is, is worth pushing them aside for it.
Eventually, you’re interrupted by the chill of the night, making both of you shiver as you make out on the sidewalk.
“God, we should rest before tomorrow… And everyone is staring,” Maria says, looking around them uneasily.
“Who needs sleep when there’s kissing to be had?” You mumble back, brushing your lips against their cheek.
“Everyone, $firstname,” they reply flatly. “I certainly do.”
You sigh dramatically and finally pull away from them. “Then I’ll stop. But that’s just for you.”
Regardless of what they said, they’re reluctant to leave your arms. They stare at you for a moment, one hand on your collarbone and the other tangled in your hair. They lean in for a final, gentle kiss on your lips and their fingers leave you with a soft caress.
“Goodnight, $firstname,” they say quietly.
“Goodnight, Maria.”
You watch them back away from you before turning around regretfully and disappearing behind the street corner.
Taking a deep breath, you prepare yourself to head home as well. You’re not looking forward to being back in your empty apartment, but Maria is right.
<div class= "choice">[[You need to be ready for May Jin tomorrow.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
The hurt in their eyes is too hard to look at. You glance down at the flagstones of the sidewalk.
“Why?” They ask as if it’s something you can answer.
“I can’t tell you that, Maria, I…”
You frown and shake your head. “You don’t understand. I can’t run away from what I am forever. We tried that and it didn’t work. And I wasn’t part of a den back then. Now, on top of the threat of authorities finding me out, there are gang rivalries.”
You look back up at them, holding their gaze this time, making sure your point gets across. “It’s no joke, Maria. These guys are ready to kill to have an edge in the business.”
You scoff. “Or rather have someone else do the dirty work for them.”
“Someone like you?”
There’s no judgment in the question, yet you look to the side, feeling ashamed. You can’t bring yourself to answer that question. Maria takes both of your hands in theirs, the touch gentle.
“You know that I don’t care about that, right?” They say so softly you almost miss it.
Your eyes find theirs again, looking for any sign of deception. They have to be lying… Right?
“You? You don’t care? Excuse me if I don’t buy that,” you almost spit at them.
You don’t pull your hands away, however. It feels too nice. The part of you that is desperate for connection won’t let you move away.
“Not caring may not be the right words but… I know you do what you do to survive. I may not like it, but I’m never going to be the one to blame you. I like you alive, you know?”
“Maria…” You plead. “Why are you making this so difficult?”
You step closer to them, your forehead bumping softly against theirs.
“I’m making it easier for you to stay with me,” they murmur back and the warmth of their breath almost lures you into another kiss.
“I told you, I can’t.”
They entangle their fingers with yours, their thumbs caressing your skin in a way that makes your whole body shiver.
“But you want to don’t you? Tell me you want to,” Maria begs, their eyes closed and their nose brushing yours as they tilt their head.
The question is a trap. You both know the answer to that, but if you say it out loud… You’re setting up expectations that will inevitably be broken and make both of you miserable. You just know it.
{<div class="choice">You kiss them. [[One last time.->A last kiss]]</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "“I’m afraid to lose you,”")[
(set: $affection to it + 1)
(go-to: "Afraid to lose you")
] you admit, your voice cracked.</div>
<div class="choice">(link: "You step away from them.")[
(set: $affection to it - 1)
(go-to: "Stepping away from them")
]</div>}
“What do you want me to say?” They ask with a sigh. “That I’m attracted to you and that I want {(if: $lead is "MC")[
you to kiss me
]
(else:)[
to kiss you
]}? Of course, I do. I thought that was something we established already.”
“Then what’s the harm in doing it?” You reply, feeling exasperated.
“The harm is not in doing it but in you leaving once you got whatever you want out of me!” They shot back, raising their voice.
It leaves you speechless. A tightness rises to your throat that no amount of swallowing can push back.
“That’s what you think I’m doing? And what I did to you… before?”
Guilt is immediately visible in Maria’s expression. “No… Not intentionally anyway.”
“I see…”
You start to turn away. You need to leave.
“$firstname, please, wait,” Maria takes your hand, so gently it feels like they’re trying to tame a skittish animal.
Maybe that’s what you are.
“I don’t know what you want from me Maria,” you sigh. “I’m sorry for what I did. I never meant to hurt you…”
“I know,” they say softly. “And I already forgave you, didn’t I?”
“Then why does it keep coming up?”
They frown. “Because, whether you wanted it or not, it still hurt me. And I don’t want it to happen again.”
Your lips purse into a tight line. It upsets you that they think you capable of doing it again. It upsets you more that they’re probably right.
They notice your expression and squeeze your hand, bringing your attention back to their pleading eyes.
“I don’t expect vows, $firstname,” they say, trying to soothe you. “I don’t know what will happen, or if this will last but… I just want to know you want to stick around to find out.”
“It’s not about what I want,” you retort. “What if it puts me in danger? What if it puts you in danger? Would you stick around?”
Their expression melts into one of painful compassion.
“Of course, I would,” they murmur, their voice a soft siren song pulling you closer, too close. “I told you, I care about you. Whatever you choose, whatever happens, I’ll still care about you.”
“I…”
Words stay stuck in your throat.
{<div class="choice"><table width="100%"><tr>
<td>(link: "“Okay…” You say after a while. “I can’t make any promises but I’ll do everything I can to stick around.”")[
(set: $itscomplicated to 0)
(set: $romance to 3)
(set: $affection to it + 1)
(go-to: "I'll stick around")
]<br />
Maybe you were more scared of them leaving you than of you having to leave them.</td>
<td width="5%"><span style="margin-left: 15px;">♥</span></td>
</tr></table></div>
<div class="choice">[[“I… can’t,” you reply haltingly. “I’m sorry, Maria.”->I can't]]<br />
You believe them. Or at least you believe they believe what they say is true. But when things truly get difficult, who can say things won’t fall apart? You’ve seen enough of the ugly side of human nature to have your doubts.</div>}
You’re not saying yes… But you might as well have been.
You don’t think Maria is fooled when your lips meet again. They know you’re avoiding answering, they know you’re slipping away from them. You can tell by their trembling hands grasping desperately at you, you can taste it when salty tears fall to the corner of their mouth, tainting the kiss with bitterness. Neither of you stops, however, knowing that when it ends, there won’t be another one.
You make it as long as you can, taking in the taste of their tongue on yours and committing it to memory. But you eventually have to breathe so you part, both gasping for air. You take a moment to catch your breath, forehead to forehead. Tears are still streaming down Maria’s face.
“You’re such an idiot!” They sob.
“I’m sorry, you deserve better,” you murmur, your voice hoarse.
“I don’t want better, I want you, you asshole!”
“It won’t work, Maria,” you say as softly as possible.
It doesn’t do much to appease them. They push you away and they slap you. It’s not a strong slap but you don’t see it coming and it leaves you stunned. Regret comes to haunt Maria’s features almost as instantly.
“You better be ready for May Jin, tomorrow,” they mumble, looking at the floor.
That’s the only goodbye you get before Maria turns around and storms away. You stay dumbstruck on the sidewalk for a moment, rubbing your cheek. The skin is a little irritated but it doesn’t hurt. Not anywhere like the weight crushing your heart right now.
But you don’t have time to dwell on the feeling. You need to put them aside if you want the sort through the mess you’re in right now.
<div class="choice">Maria’s right. [[You need to be ready for May Jin tomorrow.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
“Oh, $firstname…” Maria murmurs, their hand cupping your cheek gently. “You’re not going to lose me.”
“You can’t know that,” you reply through gritted teeth.
You want to let them soothe you, but you can’t.
“I’m not scared off that easily, I’m not going to leave you,” they say firmly.
“Even if that’s true…”
And you’re still not sure it is.
“There are other ways I can lose you. What if you get hurt in a crossfire? What if someone gets to you to get to me?”
Maria doesn’t answer right away, swallowing thickly at the implication. They understand what you really mean. What if they get killed?
Their thumb brushes your cheekbone and you see determination returning to their eyes. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
“And I’m not,” you retort. “I’m sorry Maria. I //know// that if something happens to you, I’ll lose it. I //know// it.”
Their hand drops from your face and you see the realization that you won’t budge dawning on their expression. Their bottom lip quivers and tears fill their eyes.
“Do you really think it’ll hurt any less by rejecting me? You know you can lose me regardless of that, right?” They ask sharply, despite their brittle voice.
You stay quiet. You’re not sure you have the answer to that. You know it’s a good point. But to get even closer to them, to embrace your affection for them… Surely it would hurt more to lose them then?
“I don’t know and I don’t want to find out,” you reply, your tone final.
“Alright…” Maria says before choking on a sob.
Your throat works, trying to swallow the knot forming there. You can’t stand to see them that distressed. But it’s the lesser evil, it has to be.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” they mumble between two hiccups as they wipe their face fruitlessly.
“I’m sorry Maria,” you say softly, your eyes burning as you hold onto your own tears.
“Goodnight, $firstname.”
You’re tempted to hold them back when they turn around to leave, but you know there’s nothing you can say to make it better. You already said all you could to make sense of things.
Still, your heart feels crushed when you watch them walk away.
You stay a moment on the sidewalk, trying to chase the overwhelming feeling of loss away. It’s no use and all you can do is return to your apartment and attempt to get some rest.
<div class="choice">[[You’re going to need it before you have to confront May Jin.->Talk to May Jin]]</div>
You stare at the ground, staying stubbornly silent. Your jaw is clenched, your hands curling into tight fists and you wait for the moment to pass. Your temples are throbbing as you try to tune out the world around you and wait for Maria to just give up on you. It’ll be over soon, you tell yourself.
But your determination wavers when you see a drop darkening the flagstones near Maria’s feet.
“So you’re not even going to say anything?” They gasp for air, sobbing as they speak, making your heart squeeze in your chest.
When you still don’t answer, their hiccups fill the silence.
“You’re a real asshole, you know that?” They spit, their voice thoroughly broken.
“I know…” You murmur.
And they deserve better. But you can’t be that for them. You are who you are because you had to become that to survive.
You don’t see the slap coming. It’s not a strong one but the surprise leaves you stunned.
“You better be ready for May Jin tomorrow,” Maria says as their only goodbye before turning around and storming away.
You wish things ended in a less messy way. The weight in your chest is unbearable. But all that matters is that you ended it. It’s for the best. Right?
You shake your head, pushing away any regret, and head back home.
<div class="choice">Maria’s right. You need to be ready for May Jin and you need to rest. [[If you can->Talk to May Jin]]</div>{<div class="settings"><a href="#popup1">⚙︎</a></div>}{<div id="popup1" class="overlay">
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