{ ✠ } —— In the grand scheme of things, it hadn’t been that long since he last saw the swordsman, but it was still long enough for Hawkins to be aware of the effect Zoro’s presence had on him. Though his cards could have been easily consulted for hints of progress and the like, they were instead used for more productive queries— like seeing Zoro again, perhaps.

Zoro’s response elicited the most minute smile across Hawkins’stoic features and with a light squeeze on the other’s hip, he pressed a kiss into his hair, before straightening again to catch a glimpse of the other’s face.

“I see. Will that stop now that I’m here?” In any case, he would accompany Zoro for a drink and some catching up.

Zoro’s smile widened minutely when Hawkins kissed his hair. Shows of public affection were really either of their thing so this was rather telling of how much Hawkins missed him. He had missed the other a lot as well.

“It might.” He huffed a bit before moving out of Hawkins arms, his hand just brushing Hawkins arm as they looked for a less crowded and rowdy bars. He didn’t want anyone looking to start trouble or trying to get a high bounty interrupt what small amount of time they have on the same island.

     “If he needs assistance of any kind, let me know.” The Matron requested politely, glad that the hunter hadn’t been injured. She figured Alice would have a hard enough time getting over this, but if she’d hurt Zoro the girl wouldn’t forgive herself. 

When he asked about her, the druid fell silent again, turning to glance at the closed door. “…She’s safe here.” Was all she could say. Within the Manor’s territory, the heiress wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone, much less herself. The Matron was starting to worry about the stillness of Alice’s aura, how it had been drawn in so densely inside herself. 

“Keep me updated on your associate’s condition, okay?” 

She’s safe here...that didn’t sound great but it was better than knowing nothing at all.  “I will..” He sighed before thanking her and hanging up. He needed...to find Johnny. He shook his head to clear it a bit. Sure the banshee power wasn’t over him but between that and worrying about her he felt scrambled.  He leaned on the wall, working on calming his breathing and then his aura to find Johnny.  He followed the clatter of voices to the bars and from there let his aura reach out slightly, wandering along and his feet following he found Johnny in a dive bar, in the back booth.  He didn’t look great.  He stayed there with his friend until the bar closed, before wandering to get food. They stayed out most of the night Zoro insisted on staying on Johnny’s couch that morning. Just to be sure.  Later that day he called the Matron to update her on how Johnny was.

Reblog if your muse has had a near death experience.

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     The Matron walked from side to side along the hallway as she waited for the hunter to pick up, paying close attention to Alice’s aura. If she felt the need to be underwater, it meant her sensitivity was dangerously high, to the point where she’d rather hide away from everything.

When he explained what happened, she halted to a stop, growing deadly silent for a long second before sighing. There were too many factors, too many questions to be asked, but unlike the two of them, she had a clear head and could understand both the reasoning and the aftermath. She was at a momentarily loss at how to proceed, but first things first.

“Is your associate okay?” So that was the unsettling sensation that had been nagging at her ever since the heiress returned. Her bloodline had been fully awakened and the Matron could only imagine what that was like for all parties involved. “Are you okay?”

The line was silent as he considered his answers.  “he seemed to be.” He should find Johnny, he turned in a small circle trying to determine the direction of Johnny’s place. He ended up going back the way he came. 

“I’m fine. She wasn’t directing her power at me.” Johnny was breathing the last he saw him. So maybe not his place. A bar. Great. That would be easy to narrow down. “How is Alice?”

naturalis venatores [ 3swordstrawhat + mxgician]

{ ✠ } —— The hunter’s answer had only amused Hawkins further, though he didn’t immediately respond to that statement, instead finishing the rest of his drink as well. Briefly eyeing Zoro’s empty glass, Hawkins gestured for a refill of his own also and waited until their new drinks were brought out and the bartender was out of earshot before finally speaking.

“Was 200 years too soon to see me again?” He half turned in his stool towards Zoro, the heel of his boot edging against the other’s chair. His gaze didn’t quite meet Zoro’s when he raised his new glass for a sip. “That’s a shame. Though, I would prefer that we weren’t interrupted either. Nasty business, the sort of things some… folk can get into.”

Zoro frowned and nudged Hawkins boot off his chair. It’s weird enough they are having drinks does he have to be so...no. Not following that train of thought. He would like to keep their personal space, personal. Zoro’s lips parted to speak, clearly over thinking his response to Hawkins. Zoro didn’t want to give him any opening.He huffed and closed his mouth with a small frown. He settled for just downing his drink in one go. At this rate he should just have the whole bottle dropped off. Which he did before finally speaking again as the bartender left.

“no one fucking says folk.”  

{ ✠ } —— It was nearing the end of the day when Hawkins did finally get a hold of Zoro and not a moment later did he reach for the other, gloved palm curled around a hip while he nuzzled into soft green locks. The familiar sharp scent drew a quiet content sound from Hawkins and he lingered with a small show of possessiveness.

“Evening, Zoro. You’ve been missed.”

Zoro hadn’t been expecting the show of affection at all. He had spent time with the Hawkins Pirates after accidentally falling asleep on the wrong ship. Again. He ended up closer to Basil then he expected.  They where supposed to meet earlier in the day, the Sunny had arrived hours ago but the town moved around on him. It seems Hawkins found him before he found the meeting spot however. 

He hummed and turned into Hawkins embrace to hide the small smile on his lips. “The town kept moving around.” He didn’t mean to be late.

naturalis venatores [ 3swordstrawhat + mxgician]

{ ✠ } —— "Hn, why not? Was it too forward of me to ask?”

Amusement laced with his words before his lips wrapped around the edge of his glass for a drink. The cold liquid slid down his parched throat that ached for something else. It hadn’t escaped Hawkins’ attention, of course, that he had gotten a drink from the hunter before. 200 years had passed and still, he could remember the taste.  It burned, as essence from hell should burn like, and sat severely sweet on his tongue. 

Absently, he licked his lips. Red hues drifted from the hunter towards the bartender, then to the large mirror sitting behind the bar. His reflection stared back in a mirrored blase expression, equally waiting. What were they waiting for? They had all the time in the world and then some.

“Should we have had dinner first?” The edge of his lips did curl at that. Dinner could have hinted to a myriad of things, none of which the vampire elaborated on, not that he needed to.

Zoro snorted and looked at there reflection in the mirror. Damn he missed when they used silver in those things. Made spotting vampires insanely easy.  Now they showed up in pictures and mirrors. 

“No. “  As much as he wanted to leave, the younger vampires might still be around. And any other unwanted non humans that felt that fight. it was better to wait until things calmed down. Zoro downed the rest of his rum and motioned for another one. He was going to need more booze to deal with him. “I would rather we were never interrupted, and you were...elsewhere.” Permanently  dead.

     Putting more and more distance between that place and the fresh memories staining the back of her mind, she put Zoro out of her thoughts for the moment, unable to process the heartbreak and the intention behind it when she was still so scared of herself and what she could do. 

So she kept walking, putting one foot in front of the other without stopping. Even humans with no sensitivity for the supernatural wouldn’t dare to approach her right then, with her aura projected outwards like a mantle of glass shards, ready to cut and rub anyone raw if they so much as stepped too close.

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed when a car sent by the Matron - who’d sensed the sudden disruption to her usually withdrawn aura - pulled up beside her. Alice got in almost robotically, not asking any questions or saying anything, just allowing herself to be taken back to the Manor. Even after arriving, she couldn’t bring herself to speak and just retired to her chambers, letting the bathtub fill and sinking into it with no regards to her clothes.

Worried, the Matron decided to call the hunter, well aware that his aura had been erratic as well.

Zoro picked up the abandoned keys and purse before he started to follow her. He stayed yards behind her, even though no one would dare approach her now, he’s not going to risk it. When the car picked her up he let his feet wander. He walked aimlessly through the city, a meandering path that was towards his rarely used apartment in an extra lost way. The sound of his phone ringing drew him from the slight daze he was in.

The Matron. This was not going to be pleasant phone call.  He explained what happened, starting from when he started plan to the accidentally use of the banshee powers.   “everything went to shit”