Hello again everyone.
Well, I didn't get totally flamed for the twist in my last chapter, so I'm happy. XD I have to give a huge shout out to my supporters, you guys are the best.
A few people asked me, "What happens now?" Well, as I stated way back in previous author notes, both Tamara and Mihawk have things they need to got through. Tamara's done her trial...mostly, so Mihawk is on deck. However, I think both of them need a little time to reincorporate, so the next few chapters will likely be more relaxed and fluffy.
This chapter was much easier to write than the previous, hence why its being posted so soon. I knew exactly what was going to happen, unlike the final battle in which I struggled to find the right way to end it. This chapter might also make a few people somewhat disappointed, but I think the majority of my readers will like it.
With that, on with the story.
It was the crackle that woke her up. An odd, snapping and popping sound, one that was out of place in the dark, comforting recesses of her sleeping mind. With the slow awakening of her senses, Tamara reached out to feel the world around her as awareness started to occur.
Hearing and smell came online first, for some bizarrely odd reason. She scented moist air and smoke, fresh grass and moss. There was also an achingly familiar aroma surrounding her, a deep, masculine scent that made her heart-rate increase just from one small whiff.
The next sense to register in her mind was touch. Tamara was laying down, curled on her side with her head resting on something soft and slightly moist. Something was wrapped around her body, a heavy item that kept her toasty warm.
Finally, her eyelids fluttered rapidly, slowly opening and blinking to blurrily bring the world into focus.
She was staring into a small, flickering campfire. The flames twisted around, licking the air cheerfully and giving a warm, orange glow to the dark area. Her head was resting comfortably on a patch of moss that acted like a cushioned pillow. Tamara felt a small body pressed tightly against her stomach. A downward glance reveled Vigil curled into a furry ball, eyes closed and breaths steady. Cocooned around her entire body was a large sheath of cloth, one that was black in coloration with ornate red flower-patterned sleeves.
Jolting fully awake at the realization that she was wrapped up in Mihawk's coat, along with the sudden flooding of memories of the horrific battle, Tamara sucked in a sharp breath, jerking upright. Darting her eyes around frantically and quickly putting a comforting hand on her pet, who squawked in protest at the sudden movement, she locked onto her target.
He was sitting with his back against a large tree, eyes closed and deathly still.
Absolute soul-crushing terror and panic bulldozed into her with the force of a stamping herd of elephants. The flames of the campfire were orange...not green...and Mihawk was only a few feet away from it. That had always been a constant with him, fire always changed color in his presence. So if it wasn't, that could only mean...
Gasping loudly and scrambling forward-the long coat catching on her shoulders and dragging behind her like a massive cape- Tamara crawled to the swordsman side, frantically looking over his battered form.
Gods above! He was so pale, his skin a sickly white. She'd never seen his complexion in such a state. He looked like a ghost. Trembling and terrified to touch him, Tamara reached out with shaking fingers, unaware that she was whispering out loud as she moved.
"No...no-no-no-no. Mihawk-san. Please...you can't be dead...you can't...say something...Mihawk...please..."
He remained still as a corpse. As the tips of her digits hovered over his pulse point, a soft breath was gently pushed pasted his lips, eyelids partially opening into slits and iris's of burnished gold shifted to meet her gaze.
"Peace, Mi Pequeña. I've no plans to travel to the afterlife yet."
Startled, Tamara jerked her hands back. Relief flooded through her so strongly that she shook from the power. Stuttering, she rushed out a babble of near, incoherent words, "Oh, thank the Blues! You're alive, I-I thought...Are you alright? Are you in pain? Do you need anything? What can I-Mmmph..."
Her rant was cut short, when Mihawk raised his hand and gently pressed one finger against her lips. Tamara's heart raced even faster, all her thoughts grinding to a sudden halt. Especially since Mihawk had a small smirk on his face. Her cheeks heated to super high degrees at the display of amusement from the injured man.
Before she had a chance to act or respond, Mihawk suddenly frowned, pulling his hand away and wincing slightly. She open her mouth to speak again, but was cut off by the Warlord's deep baritone voice,
"Forgive me, Little Thing. I'm afraid I am currently lacking my usual fortitude, it was not my intent to discomfort you with my touch."
It took a few seconds for her to clue into what he was saying. Blinking a couple times, clarity hit her, "Huh? Oh...Oh! That's...you don't have to. I-I mean, its okay, Mihawk-san. I...you don't have to keep doing that. I don't mind you touching me."
Now it was him that looked a bit surprised, tilting his head slightly. His voice lowered in pitch, the thrumming of the tone vibrating through Tamara's bones and smirked at her again, "Are you releasing me from my vow? That may not be a wise choice on your part."
Her face was going to catch fire if she kept blushing this much. But it was damn near impossible not to. Especially now that she was almost certain that Mihawk was not only attracted to her, but appeared to be actively flirting with her. The last words he uttered before she'd pasted out barreled through her mind. How the hell was she supposed to deal with that? Or was she wrong? Was she reading into something that wasn't really there?
"I...I mean...Mihawk-san, I don't really understand. I...why did you come? You were injured so badly, you..."
Mihawk leaned back more heavily into the support at his back before responding, "Was I not clear, Mi Pequeña? Or are you unable to recall the previous events? Given the state you were in, that would be understandable."
Tamara stilled as he lifted his hand again, hesitating before reaching forward. He waited two heartbeats, enough time for her to protest if she wanted, before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear with a touch as gentle as the kiss of a butterflies wings. She was frozen in place, not having a single clue of what to do, how to act.
"You were...No...You are...something wholly unexpected. I never thought that you'd come to mean this much. You snuck up on me, crept past defenses I never even knew I had. You filled a hole in my life I didn't believe any other would ever be able to. My Little Thing...Tamara...I do believe I that am in love with you."
She stopped breathing. It was much like a moment that had occurred many months ago, when she'd first learned the name of the man who'd treated her wounds and saved her from the Humandrills. She couldn't think, couldn't move, was trying desperately to come to terms with what had just been said. Her emotions ran rampant, sky rocketing and tumbling into chaos.
Then horror suddenly filled her, as she remember things about herself, about her lineage, that made her physical ill. Disgust filled her, bile rising in her throat as she struggled to breath. She jerked away from Mihawk, shaking her head wildly and scrambled backwards, needing to put distance between them.
"No! No-no-no! You can't! You can't...I...you don't know who I am...what I am! I..."
"Tamara?"
His startled, concerned question went unheeded as she kept mindlessly chanting, "I'm not worth it, not to someone like you! Not to anyone! I'm filthy...completely disgusting, tainted and vile! You don't understand what I am! You shouldn't have come, not for me! I'm not-"
"Stop."
The tone of his voice was commanding, ceasing all of her babble instantly. It was almost enough to make her flinch, such was the bite behind it. Puffing slight, she hugged her arms over her chest, rocking back and forth while shaking her head, feeling herself starting to slip into shock.
She was a Celestial Dragon! A being hated, feared, loathed and scorned across all the world. Her very blood was poison, her soul was corrupted. She would destroy, enslave and burn everything around her, it was in her very genes. She was unworthy. Hell, she wasn't even human anymore. He couldn't love her!
"You can't..." was all she could say, whispering out the words so softly she almost didn't hear them herself. Vigil was very confused, padding over to her side and rubbing his head against her. Tamara couldn't even feel the touch, too lost in herself, imprisoned in her own mind.
There was a time of silence between them, with the only sounds being the crackle of the flame. Finally, Mihawk addressed her, "Look at me, Tamara."
His voice had softened again, asking for her to obey, rather than demanding it. Slowly, she lifted her head, feeling tears run down her cheeks, and met his beautiful, burning golden gaze.
"Do not ever speak of yourself in such a way again. There is nothing, nor will ever be anything about you that is not as pure as starlight. In this life, we are not able to choose our family. They are given to us and we have little choice but to accept them. But blood is only blood. It is a life fluid that keeps our bodies alive. It neither determines who we are, nor what we do or how we choose to live. That is something that is decided by each person born into this world."
"I have lived my life doing whatever I want, whenever I want. I became a swordsman, because it was expected of me. I choose to become a pirate, because I desired the freedom to choose my own path. I accepted the position of Shichibukai because it made it easier carry out this lifestyle. Do not think that any of those decisions were something that I did lightly. There were responsibilities, people and family that I left behind, because I chose not to be bound by my blood and what everyone thought was expected of me."
"While I cannot say that I fully understand what you are going through, I can say that despite what you might think...it does not matter to me. In any way. I have always, and will always, do precisely what I want to do. And I have chosen to let myself love you, Tamara. There is nothing that you can say or do that will change that."
She managed to stuttered helplessly as he paused in speaking, "B-but...
A shake of his head silenced any further protest, "No...your bloodline means nothing to me. I do not care. Be you common folk, pirate, navy or Tenryūbito, it means nothing. You are Tamara, you are Mi Pequeña, my Little Thing. And to me, nothing else matters. Do you understand?"
Her breath started up again, small almost panicked panting. He knew! He knew she was a Tenryūbito! He knew all that...and he'd still come. He didn't hate her, didn't find her repulsive or sinful. He'd still pushed himself, come inches away from death...for her. Mihawk's words hit deep, but she was still so confused, so conflicted. Tamara felt her teeth biting down on her lip so hard she almost drew blood, struggling to come to terms with things.
"I...Mihawk. I don't know...Everything is so...there's so much, I don't know..."
Again, he shook his head, ending her pathetic stutters, "I have never, nor will I ever, ask you for more than you are willing to give, Mi Pequeña. You've been through trials that would have turned most individual's into blathering simpletons. I do not expect, nor ask, for you to return my affections. I only wished for you to know. I know you've been through much. Whatever you need, anything you desire, you need only ask and I will ensure it is done."
Tamara felt herself starting to calm down, able to think with more clarity. Swallowing, she grasped the edges of his coat, pulling the cloth over her front and sank down into it further, trying to gather her thoughts as she tested that promise.
"S-so...if I said I wanted time alone to...figure things out, clear my head..."
"Then I will find a safe port for you to rest at, ensure you have all you need and leave you be."
She stared at him, almost not believing, "You...I thought...You'd let me go? Just like that?"
"If that is what you truly want...then yes, I would. Naturally, I would prefer to remain in your company, but I will not force anything upon you. If solitude is what you desire, than I will see to it that is what you obtain."
Tamara's heart was pounding, her head was fuzzy with an overload of information and emotion. She sniffled, brushing tears from her eyes and tried to think straight.
He loved her.
The 'World's Strongest Swordsman', a pirate unrivaled by any other, feared by thousands and known across the entire world, was in love with her! How the hell did someone deal with that!? She was so confused, trying so hard to figure out what to do. Finally, she took in a deep breath and looked up, meeting his questioning gaze.
"I...don't really want to leave. I..." Swallowing hard to moisten her throat, Tamara tried to form words that would make sense, "So much has happened. I-I'm just so...everything is upside down, I don't know what to do anymore. It's just..."
"You need time." His simple explanation seemed to kick start her mind and she nodded rapidly in agreement.
"Y-yah...Yes I do. I need to think, need to figure things out. It's..." She paused again. He waited patiently for her to continue.
"I'm not saying 'No'. " Mihawk's eyes brightened at those words, his features sharpening as he listened with rapt attention, "I want to stay with you, keep traveling with you and living on Kuraigana...If that's alright with you. And maybe, once I've...come to terms with things...Maybe I can...W-will you wait? Can you? Just for a bit?"
"For as long as you need, Little Thing. Take as much time as you like, I only wish to be near you while you come to terms. Though I will caution you, I'm not going to continue to pretend I feel nothing for you. But you need only speak up if I become too...amorous."
Tamara felt her cheek heat up at the low purr Mihawk emitted, the rumble causing something inside her to clench down. Looking away, she pressed a hand against her face, "T-that's alright. I-I'm fine with that...I think. And I was serious. You don't need to keep your promise to me. It was something I needed at the time when you made it. But...I trust you. I know you won't take advantage."
"I will remind you again that I am a pirate, beloved. You're treading on dangerous grounds."
The new pet name, along with all the sudden unveiling of emotion and his teasing, flirtatious tone was making her a little dizzy. Her head was so full of things, thoughts and feeling swirling around like a whirlpool. Mihawk seemed to sense that, and nodded towards her, "You need to rest, as do I. Sleep. We'll set sail once the sun is up."
"Do you want your coat back? It's chilly out."
He shook his head, closing his eyes again and relaxing back against the tree trunk. Tamara hesitated for a few moments, before slowly crawling forward. She'd been alone for weeks, surrounded by people that only wanted to use and hurt her. Right now, despite her churning inner turmoil, she wanted to be close to someone, wanted to be close to him. One glinting optic cracked open as she gently rested her head on his thigh, glancing up as she settled in, "Is this okay? I'm not hurting you, am I?"
"You could never hurt me, Mi Pequeña. Sleep now."
Hearing his magnificent accent roll off his tongue almost made her shiver. But she was still so tired, so drained. Sighing softly, Tamara let her eyes fall shut, feeling Vigil reposition to stay in close contact with her. Her transition back into dreamland was made even easier when she felt Mihawk's finger brush gently through her hair. Everything would be okay...eventually.
The second time she woke up it was because light was shining brightly through her eyelids and birds were chirping loudly. Grumbling softly, Tamara moved to curl back into her bed. Only to realize her head was resting on the ground. Blinking open her eyes, she looked around. The fire from the previous night was smoldering, almost completely burned out. Tamara's gaze roamed the campsite expectantly.
She was alone.
Even Vigil was gone. Sitting up, she felt a flicker of anxiety start to build up in her system. Then she noted that she was still draped in an over-sized coat. But more importantly, leaning serenely against the tree she was under was a massive, gleaming bejeweled black sword.
Calming instantly, Tamara felt her muscles relax. Mihawk would never leave his weapon behind. He would return. Stretching up her arms and yawning, she stood up, carefully placing her feet to avoid any twigs or rocks. Her dress was still torn on the front. Frowning, she grasped the frayed edges, pulling them taunt and managing to tie the two ends together over her shoulder. At least now she was properly covered.
She slid her arms through the long sleeves of the coat, pushing up the ends past her wrists. Glancing around with no sign of Mihawk in sight, Tamara turned her attention back to the huge blade sitting an arm's length away from her. She'd seen the gargantuan weapon before, but it wasn't usually this close and never without its owner nearby. Shyly checking the area again, she braved taking a step forward.
It was breathtakingly gorgeous. Sleek and shiny with an ornate gold cross guard etched with twisting, vine-line images that was longer that her arms at full extension. Smooth blue and green gems were inlayed in the guard, polished to a high gleam and the hilt was wrapped in a worn bandage that was an off white color. Swallowing hard, Tamara hesitated before raising a hand, inching fingers out towards the amazing sword.
"It's considered quite offensive to lay hands on a swordsman's weapon without permission, Mi Pequeña."
Squawking in surprise, Tamara jolted backwards, tangling her feet on the edges of the long coat and tumbled to the ground in an undignified heap. Spinning her head around, she saw Mihawk standing calmly on the edge of the campsite, holding a bag over one shoulder while smirking down at her.
"Can you not do that! Seriously..." Huffing out a breath, she planted a hand over her chest, trying to calm down her racing heart. The deep chested chuckle that followed her outburst actually made her feel a lot better. It was nice, having him sneak up on her like he always did, even if it did annoy her. It felt normal and natural, like nothing had changed.
He hadn't intended to be gone quite so long. When he'd woken at the break of dawn, Tamara had been sleeping so deeply he couldn't bring himself to disturb her. So he'd ensured she was comfortable and left her resting. With the destruction of the false Navy base, Mihawk was confident that nothing would dare to tread close to his Lady. So he'd chosen to prep for their departure while she slept.
Unfortunately, he hadn't taken into account his own injuries and the tasks he'd planned had taken more time than he'd anticipated. While the rest and lack of activity had helped significantly, Mihawk was still going to need some time to fully recover. By the time he'd returned to the encampment, Tamara was awake and staring at Yoru.
Curious and enraptured by the sword, Mihawk had watched quietly while she looked over his partner before braving an attempt to examine it. While he had no issue with her touching the blade, he couldn't quite tamp down the urge to surprise her, since he knew she had no idea he'd returned.
Her adorable squeak and graceless tumble, along with her irritated snarl had him laughing out loud. Walking towards her, he deposited the sack he carried on the ground before extending out a hand to help her back to her feet. She blinked up before smiling softly, sliding her palm against his. Pulling her back up, Mihawk released her and turned to look at his partner. Stepping aside, he reached out and ran a hand over Yoru's cross guard,
"Kokuto Yoru, one of the 12 Saijō Ō Wazamono. Swords crafted with skill unsurpassed by any living being in existence today. She is my partner in all things, in this life and in all lives I will ever have. You may touch her, if you like."
Tamara was listening with wide eyes that sparkled with wonder. At his encouraging nod, she shuffled forward, reaching out to brush the tips of her fingers against the blunt spine of Yoru's blade.
"Wow..." her voice whispered out, filled with breathless awe, "She's so beautiful..."
Mihawk felt the great sword vibrate with happiness, humming contently at the tender touch of his woman. He was pleased by Yoru's acceptance of his Lady and by Tamara's dazzled expression. Smirking down at her, he replied smugly.
"Of course she is. She's mine."
Tamara's cheeks flushed darkly and she ducked her head shyly. Mihawk almost chuckled at her fluster, but resisted. She was still in the midst of trying to come to terms with her new outlook, he needed to restrain himself to some degree. Stepping away to give her more room, he bent down and picked up the bag from the ground.
Digging inside, Mihawk withdrew a ripe pear, offering the tender fruit to Tamara. Her eyes locked onto the food, a delighted smile crossing her face as she quickly snatched it up. Pulling out another one for himself, Mihawk sat down against the tree again. Tamara mimicked him, settling onto the ground near him. Biting into the soft flesh, he contently chewed the food.
Tamara looked around the camp and swallowed her own mouthful before speaking, "Have you seen Virgil?"
"I have not. He was here when I left."
Before she could respond to that, the small cat bounded happily over a fallen log, galloping towards Tamara. Held in his mouth was some kind of small rodent. The feline beelined for his mistress, setting down the dead animal at her feet. She looked down at her pet and he lowered his head, nudging the present closer to her. Mihawk couldn't stop the rumble of amusement from leaving his throat at her slightly disgusted look.
"Uhh...thanks Virgil. But you can have that, I'm good." She reached out and gave the loyal cat a quick scratch to lessen the rejection. Fortunately he didn't seem to mind, meowing happily and picking up his kill again, settling down between them to munch on his own meal.
"Oh hey!" Mihawk cocked his head to the side at her excited tone, watching her lean forward to stare at the dying coals of the fire, "It's green again. Why wasn't it changing color last night?"
Looking over at the embers, he did note that the tiny licks of fire had shifted to emerald ghost flames. Biting into his food again, he replied almost distractedly, "I drained my Haki reserves over the last few weeks, rest has restored much of my energy."
Her head turned to look at him, confusion in her features, "Haki? What's that?"
Mihawk paused at the question, wondering how to approach this topic. Clearly, Tamara had absolutely no idea what she'd done, was unaware of the power she'd unleashed. She was already attempting to deal with her own internal issues, her turmoil over her linage, the trauma of her kidnapping and his own affection for her. He didn't intend to add to that load by telling her she possessed a power that only one in a million had, one that hundreds sought to control and utilize.
"Haki is...energy. It's ambition, the strength of one's presence's, something that can be concentrated and focused to empower individuals."
Wanting to give a demonstration to explain better, Mihawk lifted his arm towards her. Fisting his hand, he concentrated and coated the lower portion in Busoshoku Haki. Tamara stared at the blackened skin, reaching out to tap a nail against it, the tinkling sound ringing like a coin knocking on metal.
"Woah...that is so cool." Letting the Haki fade away, he offered another piece of fruit to her as she continued to talk, "Is that why you're so strong? You use this Haki to enhance yourself?"
"Indeed. The strongest in the world use it to better themselves. Different groups have alternate names for it. The Navy refers to it as the 'Six Powers', Skypieans call it 'Mantra'. In any case, it follows the same principle."
Tamara looked thoughtful, biting her lip in the manner that he'd come to know meant she was unsure of something. He waited patiently for her speak her mind, "Can...can anyone learn to use it? This Haki?"
"Generally, with varying degrees of success. I can teach you to utilize it, if you wish." Her face lit up at that comment, a delighted grin on her lips.
"Really?"
He nodded in response, moving to take another bite of his fruit. His hand paused halfway to his mouth, senses suddenly vibrating. Mihawk was on his feet an instant later, the lighting movement startling Tamara.
"What!? What is it!?"
Mihawk didn't respond, reaching out to grasp Yoru's hilt tightly, pulling her away from the tree, eyes locked onto the movement through the grass. Tamara stood quickly, trying to locate what had disturbed him so much.
Black, shiny coils slowly slithered into view, an elongated head with silted eyes and a flickering tongue. The serpent paused on the outskirts of the camp, pulling back at the sight of Mihawk in full battle mode, a sweat mark appearing on her head. Narrowing his eyes at the living weapon, Mihawk tensed in preparation to dice up the creature. A gentle hand was suddenly on his forearm, making him pause even as she spoke,
"Wait..."
He turned to look down at Tamara, who was staring at the Black Mamba. Watching with laser vision, prepared to act in a heart beat, he stayed his hand as she knelt down, extending out a hand towards the snake.
"Nina...that's your name right?" The serpent looked to Mihawk fearfully before cautiously slithering forward, pausing several times on the approach. It's actions were subdued, completely submissive. As it got close to Tamara, it lifted its head slowly before nudging its blunt nose into her palm, rubbing along her hand.
"You were a victim too, weren't you? Just another tool he needed, he was cruel to you as well, wasn't he?" Nina looked terribly sad and upset at her words, bowing her head in remorse. A forked tongue darted out before she slide up Tamara's body, curling her form into several neat circles before reverting back into a leather whip hooked over the sash on her waist.
Mihawk relaxed again. He watched as Tamara stood up, running fingers over the living whip curled at her hip. The carefree, lighthearted morning had ended. Her face was clouded with distress and uncertainty, eyes dimming as dark thoughts fluttered through her mind. Concerned, he brushed his finger over her covered shoulder.
"Are you alright, Tamara?"
She didn't answer right away, not responding to his touch, gaze focused on the ground and glazed over. Finally she exhaled softly, "No...I'm not alright, Mihawk-san...but I will be..."
"Dracule..." She looked up at him, eyebrows pinched together, "I would like you to call me Dracule."
Tamara blinked a few times before looking away again, "That...might take a little while to get used to, but...I'll try."
Frowning unhappily, but knowing that there was little he could do aside from simply support her, he nodded. Tamara shifted, sliding off his coat and handing it back to him. Much as he liked seeing her dressed in his clothing- it awakened a primal, possessive part of him- the attire was needed to carry his partner. Sheathing Yoru behind his shoulders, he moved forward as she started to take a step.
Without warning, Mihawk ducked down and scooped her up into his arms. She shrieked in surprise, slapping her palms against his chest, "I can walk!"
"You're not wearing shoes."
"I never wear shoes! Put me down!"
He smirked, ignoring her protest. She didn't really fight too much, only wriggling a bit as he started striding through the woodlands towards the ocean. After a bit she huffed and settled down, realizing the futility of her actions. It wasn't a long walk to the shoreline where his Coffin Boat was moored. Setting down Tamara on the soft sand of the beach, he started to untie the rope. Tamara looked over the small craft with a frown, rapidly coming to a realization.
"So...where am I sitting?" Mihawk smirked back at her and patted his thigh with one hand, which made her blushed hotly before she gave him a droll look, "No..."
He laughed heartily at that, shoulders shaking and head thrown back before composing himself, "I prepped one of the smaller Navy ships earlier. It's anchored around that outcrop. You can sit on the edge till we get there."
She looked out where he pointed and nodded in agreement, reaching down to scoop up Virgil in her arms. Helping her settle onto the tiny one man boat, Mihawk pushed it into the water, angling the sail and let the waves take them to their newest destination. Together.
So there we got. This felt right in my mind. Tamara, while she obviously cares immensely for Mihawk, is still just dealing with too much to full embrace the concept of being with Mihawk in a romantic way. Not that will stop him, lets face it, its Mihawk. But believe me, she will work her way through everything. I also am more of a fan of romances that focus more on the friendship aspect of the relationship, rather than primarly on the romance. It make for a better read, keeps you interested. I love romance as much as the next person, but too much is overwhelming and boring. So I hope the way that I'm proceeding with theirs is keeping people involved.
Now onto shout outs.
Nevermorea: You are a constant in this story, your reviews always make me smile. I constantly look forward to reading your energetic and encouraging reviews. Honestly, if no one else but you left me comments, I would be happy about this story for all time. Thank you so much for all your support, it means more to me than you will ever know.
Guest: Thanks so much for your reviews guys. Wish I could give you Kudos by name, but I get wanting to remain anonymous.
Kmbrun: Glad you approve of my twistiness. Happy to see you on the reviews again.
It will likely be a bit of a wait for the next chapter, as I am currently trying to write 2 stories. I recently fell in love with Disneys "Mandalorian" and I am writing up a fic on Archive of our Own. So between the two stories, I'll be trying to post one chapter on each one, alternating between the two depending on which one is inspiring me. But, I will be around, so hang tight.
Till next time.