He doesn't.
[ in fact he's killed her many a time for her "insolence." ]
As long as we got a deal, I'll leave you alone.
[ in fact he's killed her many a time for her "insolence." ]
As long as we got a deal, I'll leave you alone.
[ that makes him snort. at least he's not the only one who has to put up with this. ]
fine. deal. fix it if you think you can and leave my other shit alone. and i won't kill you every time i see you.
fine. deal. fix it if you think you can and leave my other shit alone. and i won't kill you every time i see you.
Pleasure doing business with you, Macmillan.
[ except she definitely gets more out of this than he does. ☺️ ]
[ except she definitely gets more out of this than he does. ☺️ ]
she can walk into his workshop for requests anytime (he will hate it)
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bloodandbrass
2025-06-08 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ if he wasn't keenly aware of that, his life might be a lot easier.
he doesn't reply, though. she used his last name so that's at least worth ignoring her instead of getting angry. ]
he doesn't reply, though. she used his last name so that's at least worth ignoring her instead of getting angry. ]
[ when yui steps foot into the fog surrounding the outskirts of what is deemed safe for her and her fellow survivors, she never knows where it's going to take her. she always hopes it's one of two realms, but it never, ever is. so she's poking her nose in places they shouldn't be, as always, and it always ends with her getting brutally murdered because she's never learned to keep her mouth shut.
she wakes up by the fire, does it all again like it's her fucking day job, until there's that occasional pull to be food for the spider lady upstairs. rinse and repeat.
yui walks and walks until she finally sees the coal tower beyond the mist. she's probably died by trapper's cleaver lodged in her throat and then her head in one too many trials since their Deal, so dropping a flashbang or a pallet in his face was fair game.
she doesn't know if he's home, and she doesn't care. she keeps an eye out for the traps strewn across his property, and still it's not enough. her left foot gets caught in one — all because she spotted her new precious pet project aka the ✨VINTAGE RED CORVETTE✨ — and a strangled cry is ripped from her throat. ]
Fucking fuck—!
[ she's furious, falling to one knee to try and pry the fucking thing open, but its teeth are biting into her ankle. it takes every ounce of self-restraint she has in her to not dig into her toolbox and take it apart, even through the agonizing pain. she's done more with worse injuries.
but he's lucky that she doesn't. however, she does kick that stupid beartrap away with her good foot once she's managed to free her bloodied one. she plops her ass down in the grass and rummages through her rusty toolbox for bandages, or a shirt, or something —
well, if he didn't know she was here before... he's gotta know now, right? ]
she wakes up by the fire, does it all again like it's her fucking day job, until there's that occasional pull to be food for the spider lady upstairs. rinse and repeat.
yui walks and walks until she finally sees the coal tower beyond the mist. she's probably died by trapper's cleaver lodged in her throat and then her head in one too many trials since their Deal, so dropping a flashbang or a pallet in his face was fair game.
she doesn't know if he's home, and she doesn't care. she keeps an eye out for the traps strewn across his property, and still it's not enough. her left foot gets caught in one — all because she spotted her new precious pet project aka the ✨VINTAGE RED CORVETTE✨ — and a strangled cry is ripped from her throat. ]
Fucking fuck—!
[ she's furious, falling to one knee to try and pry the fucking thing open, but its teeth are biting into her ankle. it takes every ounce of self-restraint she has in her to not dig into her toolbox and take it apart, even through the agonizing pain. she's done more with worse injuries.
but he's lucky that she doesn't. however, she does kick that stupid beartrap away with her good foot once she's managed to free her bloodied one. she plops her ass down in the grass and rummages through her rusty toolbox for bandages, or a shirt, or something —
well, if he didn't know she was here before... he's gotta know now, right? ]
Edited (hehe whoopsie) 2025-06-08 05:16 (UTC)
[ one of the gifts he got here was an extension of a sixth sense he had back in the world, and that's the ability to know when someone's trespassing on his property.
it's not perfect, and it's not a guarantee, but he always gets the feeling that someone's out there when they decide to cross his territory, or go straight into it like they're owed. sometimes he can't find them. sometimes he sees them. sometimes he hunts them down like an animal. and sometimes he just ignores it. certain people have ... earned the right to trespass, at least temporarily.
the other thing he knows is when one of his traps goes off. either deliberately shut by an intruder's hand or stepped in. whether it's the former or the latter is usually easier to figure out by the screaming.
he hears yui cursing in the near distance and turns. 'not fucking with his traps' doesn't include if she accidentally steps in one, but how she gets out might cause a problem. he was already headed for the coal tower with mortar in hand - the damn thing's always on the verge of collapse if he doesn't keep the walls repaired - so he approaches from the side where he knows the car is, and sees her sitting in the grass, furiously searching a toolbox.
the trap, bloody as it is, is in one piece. that buys her leeway. he stops about ten feet away and watches. ]
Need better night vision.
[ because that's what she needs while her ankle's torn to shreds: a mocking comment. ]
it's not perfect, and it's not a guarantee, but he always gets the feeling that someone's out there when they decide to cross his territory, or go straight into it like they're owed. sometimes he can't find them. sometimes he sees them. sometimes he hunts them down like an animal. and sometimes he just ignores it. certain people have ... earned the right to trespass, at least temporarily.
the other thing he knows is when one of his traps goes off. either deliberately shut by an intruder's hand or stepped in. whether it's the former or the latter is usually easier to figure out by the screaming.
he hears yui cursing in the near distance and turns. 'not fucking with his traps' doesn't include if she accidentally steps in one, but how she gets out might cause a problem. he was already headed for the coal tower with mortar in hand - the damn thing's always on the verge of collapse if he doesn't keep the walls repaired - so he approaches from the side where he knows the car is, and sees her sitting in the grass, furiously searching a toolbox.
the trap, bloody as it is, is in one piece. that buys her leeway. he stops about ten feet away and watches. ]
Need better night vision.
[ because that's what she needs while her ankle's torn to shreds: a mocking comment. ]
[ there is a hulking outline on the other side of the old corvette that she can see from the corner of her eye. just because she made a deal with the guy doesn't mean he'll honour it. he could go back on their agreement at any point because he is the one with the upper hand, after all.
but he doesn't appear to move any closer to strike her down in one swift blow (yet) and maintains his distance, which she can appreciate to some degree. what she doesn't appreciate is his joke so she gives him a mirthless laugh while ripping the bottom hem of her own shirt and wraps it around her ankle, tying it tight and ignoring the pain. ]
Yeah, no, that wasn't part of my all-inclusive package. [ she so eloquently flips him off with an equally mocking smile. ] Fuck you, asshole.
[ yui braces herself against the nearest rock and gets up so he's not looking down on her any longer, making her way over to one of the cars with her toolbox in hand. she keeps her eyes on him the whole time. ]
Did I disturb your sleep? God, I hope so.
[ he's holding what looks to be mortar, so she guesses not but one can hope. ]
but he doesn't appear to move any closer to strike her down in one swift blow (yet) and maintains his distance, which she can appreciate to some degree. what she doesn't appreciate is his joke so she gives him a mirthless laugh while ripping the bottom hem of her own shirt and wraps it around her ankle, tying it tight and ignoring the pain. ]
Yeah, no, that wasn't part of my all-inclusive package. [ she so eloquently flips him off with an equally mocking smile. ] Fuck you, asshole.
[ yui braces herself against the nearest rock and gets up so he's not looking down on her any longer, making her way over to one of the cars with her toolbox in hand. she keeps her eyes on him the whole time. ]
Did I disturb your sleep? God, I hope so.
[ he's holding what looks to be mortar, so she guesses not but one can hope. ]
[ he watches while she wraps up her ankle (it shouldn't be that bad; the traps around here are meant to catch and injure, not kill) and forces herself up. she's vulgar about it, but that's nothing new. most of them are worse than him when it comes to language.
evan just snorts at the comment instead. she left the trap closed and undamaged, so as far as he's concerned, the deal's still on. ]
I don't sleep.
[ none of them do, to his knowledge. at least not on the regular. he makes his way to the tower itself, checking the patches he made before (barely holding) and finding the new ones (bigger than the last time he checked). he still wonders if one day the tower's going to fall, or if the timelessness of this place will mean it holds up forever, even when all the stones are basically dust.
he sets down the bucket and his cleaver by the wall and starts judging where to start. ]
Just your luck I was already headin' this way.
evan just snorts at the comment instead. she left the trap closed and undamaged, so as far as he's concerned, the deal's still on. ]
I don't sleep.
[ none of them do, to his knowledge. at least not on the regular. he makes his way to the tower itself, checking the patches he made before (barely holding) and finding the new ones (bigger than the last time he checked). he still wonders if one day the tower's going to fall, or if the timelessness of this place will mean it holds up forever, even when all the stones are basically dust.
he sets down the bucket and his cleaver by the wall and starts judging where to start. ]
Just your luck I was already headin' this way.
[ sleep is optional for them, too, but she's noticed she performs much better against most killers if got a few hours in.
she watches him like a hawk as he nears the tower that looks like it's going to collapse on in itself. she tries not to pay too much attention to his machete that's currently propped against the wall, and not in his hand. ]
Guess my luck's already running out. That's unfortunate.
[ just because her default state in a trial is injured doesn't mean she should be used to the pain, okay! though, she definitely walks like everything is a-okay, like she's good as new.
she realizes she's got her work cut out of her (never mind that he told her it wouldn't work anyway, she doesn't listen); the corvettes are in terrible fucking shape, the tires are flat and all crooked, and the hood is rusted to shit. it's a wonder she can even pop it open at all. oh, it's bad. ]
The tower's one of your 'other shit to fix', I take it? She looks old. Older than these babies. [ she gestures at the red cruisers. ]
she watches him like a hawk as he nears the tower that looks like it's going to collapse on in itself. she tries not to pay too much attention to his machete that's currently propped against the wall, and not in his hand. ]
Guess my luck's already running out. That's unfortunate.
[ just because her default state in a trial is injured doesn't mean she should be used to the pain, okay! though, she definitely walks like everything is a-okay, like she's good as new.
she realizes she's got her work cut out of her (never mind that he told her it wouldn't work anyway, she doesn't listen); the corvettes are in terrible fucking shape, the tires are flat and all crooked, and the hood is rusted to shit. it's a wonder she can even pop it open at all. oh, it's bad. ]
The tower's one of your 'other shit to fix', I take it? She looks old. Older than these babies. [ she gestures at the red cruisers. ]
[ every time he's out here there's some new problem. some new structural failure. he should be grateful that the beams inside are still holding up, but he's not. he should be grateful for a lot of things, but he won't be. this is his legacy, and it's disintegrating no matter what he does.
but at least it's something to do. ]
Everything here's before my time. [ he runs his hands over the cracks in the walls, figuring out where the damage is worst. ] Built to keep the company going. Warehouse, ironworks, this. Doesn't hold up great here.
[ neither does the mine, but that requires a lot less maintenance. as for the forest ... he'd rather not talk about that, given its current occupant. ]
Don't know why. Time don't pass here.
[ he feels out the depth of a long, ugly crack in the wall, grunts, and reaches down for the mortar. it won't hold for good, but it'll hold for now. ]
but at least it's something to do. ]
Everything here's before my time. [ he runs his hands over the cracks in the walls, figuring out where the damage is worst. ] Built to keep the company going. Warehouse, ironworks, this. Doesn't hold up great here.
[ neither does the mine, but that requires a lot less maintenance. as for the forest ... he'd rather not talk about that, given its current occupant. ]
Don't know why. Time don't pass here.
[ he feels out the depth of a long, ugly crack in the wall, grunts, and reaches down for the mortar. it won't hold for good, but it'll hold for now. ]
No, it doesn't. Time doesn't make sense here either.
[ she's nose deep in the car's guts, gloves on now as she pokes and prods to see what can be taken out, all while processing valuable, interesting information she's getting from mr. trapper for free.
it's amazing what someone can learn when they're not being threatened with imminent death as soon as they cross paths with a killer. she's gotta make more deals with these assholes in the near future.
she peeks over the open hood... she's paranoid. still doesn't trust him despite the conditional pact of civility they've got going on. ]
When was your time? [ and before he can say no: ] I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
[ she's nose deep in the car's guts, gloves on now as she pokes and prods to see what can be taken out, all while processing valuable, interesting information she's getting from mr. trapper for free.
it's amazing what someone can learn when they're not being threatened with imminent death as soon as they cross paths with a killer. she's gotta make more deals with these assholes in the near future.
she peeks over the open hood... she's paranoid. still doesn't trust him despite the conditional pact of civility they've got going on. ]
When was your time? [ and before he can say no: ] I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours.
[ he assumes that the survivors know almsot as much as he does by this point. all they do is run around and steal shit, listen in, go places they shouldn't ... almost as bad as certain other killers, except that he can tolerate them a little better.
he stays at the tower, patching holes, loosening unfixable stones and replacing them as best he can. it was never his job to do this, but it's not impossible. at least, in the short run, it's not impossible. ]
A long time ago.
[ sometimes the dates get mixed up in his mind. 1920? 1840? this place has so much bullshit in it, he can barely keep track of it most of the time. ]
19-something. Early. That -
[ he turns now, gesturing to the car she's digging through. ]
Was dumped here when I showed up. Never seen it before then.
he stays at the tower, patching holes, loosening unfixable stones and replacing them as best he can. it was never his job to do this, but it's not impossible. at least, in the short run, it's not impossible. ]
A long time ago.
[ sometimes the dates get mixed up in his mind. 1920? 1840? this place has so much bullshit in it, he can barely keep track of it most of the time. ]
19-something. Early. That -
[ he turns now, gesturing to the car she's digging through. ]
Was dumped here when I showed up. Never seen it before then.
Pretty sure these are from the 70s. What about motorcycles? Have you ever seen those before?
[ yui would've been more than fine working in complete silence, and she has no doubt he'd be the same way, judging by how all he does during trials is breathe, grunt and groan. but conversation with him so far has been rather –
pleasant, much to her dismay. he could tell her to shut her trap and get off his property at any point. instead he's actually entertaining her questions and satiating her curiosity.
she wonders if the war happened before he was taken by the entity, although she doesn't want to push her luck. she continues to pry dusty, rusted parts out of the car's engine and setting it aside. ]
So I'm probably a hundred years ahead from you, give or take.
[ a pause and then... fuck it. she'll push her luck. ]
You miss home?
[ yui would've been more than fine working in complete silence, and she has no doubt he'd be the same way, judging by how all he does during trials is breathe, grunt and groan. but conversation with him so far has been rather –
pleasant, much to her dismay. he could tell her to shut her trap and get off his property at any point. instead he's actually entertaining her questions and satiating her curiosity.
she wonders if the war happened before he was taken by the entity, although she doesn't want to push her luck. she continues to pry dusty, rusted parts out of the car's engine and setting it aside. ]
So I'm probably a hundred years ahead from you, give or take.
[ a pause and then... fuck it. she'll push her luck. ]
You miss home?
Heard about 'em.
[ but never seen one. slightly too early for that, although sometimes his memories suggest he's seen one anyway. maybe even ridden one.
but he's not going to humor her that far. there's being tolerant of survivors and then there's inviting disaster. he's starting to figure out where the fine line between those two things is. some people don't make his outside-trials life a living hell anymore when that used to be their sole goal, so he's probably better at it than some others.
but her question makes him pause in his work. the answer to that - the real answer - is a confusing, terrifying mess, gnawing at something in the pits of what's left of his soul.
fortunately, he's gotten very good at ignoring that kind of thing. ]
This is home.
[ but never seen one. slightly too early for that, although sometimes his memories suggest he's seen one anyway. maybe even ridden one.
but he's not going to humor her that far. there's being tolerant of survivors and then there's inviting disaster. he's starting to figure out where the fine line between those two things is. some people don't make his outside-trials life a living hell anymore when that used to be their sole goal, so he's probably better at it than some others.
but her question makes him pause in his work. the answer to that - the real answer - is a confusing, terrifying mess, gnawing at something in the pits of what's left of his soul.
fortunately, he's gotten very good at ignoring that kind of thing. ]
This is home.
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