Inside the bar, the air was thick with smoke and the low hum of conversation. The neon lights buzzed and flickered, casting an otherworldly glow over the mismatched tables and chairs. Silas led George to a corner booth where Eve was already seated, a half-empty glass of whiskey in front of her.

Silas slid into the booth across from Eve, shooting her a look that conveyed both annoyance and concern. "You sure know how to pick 'em," he muttered, his eyes flicking towards George who took a seat next to him.

Eve arched an eyebrow at Silas before turning her attention to George with a small smile. "I hope Silas hasn't scared you off already," she said, her voice smooth and calm. "He's just overprotective sometimes."

George slid into the booth quietly, choosing to slide across from her so that silas could “keep an eye” on him. And to be able to easily put his attention on Eve “you know it takes more than that to push little old me away” he gave her a grin and reached across the table for her hand “Better luck next time”

Silas studied George for a moment, seeing the determination in his eyes. Maybe there was more to this man than met the eye. Silas nodded slowly, a begrudging respect beginning to form in his mind.

"Good," he grunted, a gruff acceptance in his tone. "Just remember, actions speak louder than words. You stick by Eve, no matter what, and you won't have to worry about me." Silas straightened up, pushing off his bike and nodding towards the bar. "Let's go inside, Eve's probably got a plan for tonight that she'll want us to hear." With that, Silas led the way into the dimly lit bar, the weight of unspoken threats and unspoken alliances hanging heavy in the air between him and George.

Was that some kind of test? Well, if it was then George was more than up for the challenge. He stood a little bit taller, coming to his full height instead of slouching as he usually did to show Silas he was taking this seriously with a short head nod.

Once the other started to move, George briefly started to his back with a raised eyebrow before following suit with a shrug.He definitely was going to bring up that whole shovel talk to Eve later on.

Silas remained steadfast, but he was taken aback. Maybe George wasn't as feeble as he had thought. Silas snorted, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "You think I don't know that? But you have to understand, Eve's not just some mission to me. She's family. And if you hurt her, if you betray her, I promise you... "

Silas let the threat hang in the air, allowing its weight to sink into George's mind. "It's not about winning your approval, George. I'm simply trying to make sure that you know the stakes are real. This isn't a game, and Eve isn't something to be trifled with or taken lightly."

“Eve isn’t just…something to me” What he wanted to say was that she had become such an important part of his life that he would rather put himself on harm ways than see her be upset over him “I don’t take that lightly. Or that promise you’ve made” he made an offhanded motion with his hands, not backing down from a not so subtle threat hanging in the air between them “I don’t try to go around impressing anyone. If Eve wants me around,i’ll be around. Same logic applies to the people she deems important enough for that”

Silas watched Eve disappear through the bar's swinging doors, his jaw clenched in frustration. Silas's anger burned like a desert sun, his protectiveness for Eve a fierce and primal instinct that could only be tamed by her touch. He knew he had to trust Eve's judgment, but the sight of someone getting this close to her still made his blood boil.

Silas took a step closer, towering over George with a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Eve cares about you," he said gruffly, studying George's reaction carefully. "And that means I have to care about you too. But don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to bury you in the desert if you ever hurt her." Silas's voice was low and dangerous, his blue eyes locked onto George's green ones.

Being stared down wasn't new to him. George had grown up used to certain types of scrutiny and this wouldn't be the last he would go through. But this was related to Eve and, as most things, that meant most of george's usual reservations and judgment flew right out of the window

"I know she's important to you" just how important was becoming clearer with this conversation. But Silas wasn't the only one "And she's important to me too" You have no idea how much "so I don't plan to give you any reasons for that" to drive his point home, George stood up to his full height and locked eyes with the other

Silas stood leaning against his bike outside Eve’s bar, eyes scanning the horizon as he waited for Eve to return. The wind whipped through his blonde hair, tousling it back from his face. His leather jacket creaked as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the setting sun casting long shadows across the dusty desert landscape. Finally, he heard the rumble of an approaching motorcycle and turned to see Eve riding towards him, a figure clinging to her back. As they drew closer, Silas could make out the features of the man - tall and lean with piercing green eyes.

Eve came to a stop in front of Silas, the man sliding off the back of her bike.

"Silas," Eve said, placing a hand on Silas's arm, her touch both possessive and reassuring, “This is George. Don’t kill him.” With that she walked into the bar leaving the two of them alone.

@neverlandborn

Eve had been preparing him for this sort of meeting. More like running the hierarchy of the hunt with him with a warning here and there of who not to piss off. At least it was a two way street, it seemed.

“Hey-” he called after her, his hand lifting up to grasp her wrist before she left him standing there “ah, fuck” George grumbled as he stood a little bit more straight

Harry's alter ego chuckled darkly, a twisted smile crossing his face. "Oh, but you are, George. You've been twisting reality to fit your own narrative for years now. And it's time you faced the truth." The air around them seemed to thicken with each word he spoke, as if the very fabric of their world was being manipulated by his will alone.

Harry's alter ego paused, a haunted look flashing across his borrowed features before he continued. "You remember that night, don't you? The storm raging outside, the crack of lightning illuminating the darkness. You were there, George. You saw it all. And you knew what was coming."

He didn't like his space being invaded. While Harry was one of the few welcomed exceptions, this time it felt wrong and George couldn't pin it on being a gut reaction anymore. Green eyes narrowed as he stared at...whoever it was that currently stood in front of him "Who are you?" it was worded as a question but it clearly was a demand

The sudden darkness that cloaked them in its chilling grip seemed to sap the very air from the room. Eve's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to make sense of the shadowy figures that loomed around them. The whispered words echoed in her mind, a sinister promise of something malevolent lurking just beyond their sight.

As George called out to her, his voice filled with concern and confusion, Eve felt a surge of panic rising within her. “I can’t…you have to go. They'll hurt you.”

George's confusion showed itself on his face. His body was reacting quicker than his mind as he started to close the space between them "I'm not going without you" he declared stubbornly "Nothing can make me do that" he had survived everything in life so far out of sheer determination, this would not be the exception

George's words were like a soothing balm to Eve's soul, calming the storm of emotions raging within her. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to push away the fear that gripped her heart. But deep down, she knew that the darkness within her was not so easily tamed.

As they stood there, forehead to forehead, a sudden chill swept through the room, extinguishing the flickering candles that had provided their only source of light. The darkness seemed to seep in through the cracks in the walls, enveloping them in its suffocating embrace.

Eve felt a shiver run down her spine as a sense of unease settled over her. She pulled away from George, her eyes scanning the room warily. Shadows danced along the walls, twisting and contorting into grotesque shapes.

A low whisper filled the air, barely audible yet Eve could hear it clearly sending a shiver down her spine. "You cannot escape your fate," it hissed, sending a cold dread causing her to jump back far away from George as if she had been burned. Maybe she had...

One second they were basking in the moment, fighting the outside world for one more stolen moment and the next all the warmth had been sucked out-literally and figuratively.

Not even George’s quick reflexes helped him keep her close, his hands hovered over empty air when his eyes opened again “Ev…”

Harry's alter ego seemed to be taking control, a sinister glint in his eyes as he advanced towards George. The air crackled with an unknown energy. Harry's anger radiated off him like heat from a flame. It was as if Harry's alter ego had completely consumed him, leaving no room for negotiation or understanding. Harry's alter ego let out a chilling laugh.

"You always had a talent for twisting words, George," Harry's alter ego sneered, his voice like knives slicing through the tension-filled air.

There it was again. That sensation that something was off. He couldn’t pinpoint it quite yet but it was getting under his skin in the worst way

George’s eyes narrowed down, green pining blue that should be familiar but might as well be a stranger “I am not the one twisting this mess around”

Eve looked deeply into George's eyes, her heart aching at the thought of losing him. She knew the darkness that lurked within her, threatening to consume everything she held dear. But George's love had always been a beacon of light in her life, guiding her through the shadows.

A tear escaped Eve's eye as she reached out to touch his face. "I can't bear to see you suffer because of me," she whispered softly.

He had been willing to argue with her and stand his ground, both of them being well known for their stubbornness. But tears weren’t in his plans

“I know, I know” he coed back softly as he leaned into her touch to bump their foreheads together “we won’t let it happen”

"I never wanted things to escalate to this… but your constant provocations and deceptions left me with no choice. You pushed me to the brink, and now there's no turning back. The consequences of your actions are about to unfold, and there's no one to blame but yourself."

The blackness in Harry's eyes was not his. It had been years since his alter ego appeared to wreck his life. Harry had nearly given up on him completely.

There was…something crackling in the air. And it just wasn’t George’s knee jerk reaction to being abandoned (was this what was happening?)

“So it’s my fault” he drawled out, muscles tensing the more time passed

"I can't risk losing you to my own darkness, George."

@neverlandborn

“What if i am? I’m willing risk everything. Myself was included in that promise”

"I never thought we'd end up here, but fate has a funny way of changing our course."

@neverlandborn

“You have a lot of nerve to say that, y’know”

"Oh ." Wendy sat up from the couch. A worried look dawned her features as she studied them. "You scared me... What is it love?"

He gave her a look, the frown on his face deepening at her reaction “what’s gotten onto you?”

𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐐𝐔𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐒.