Daan's Bar

by LieutenantLaevatein

In a post-Termina world, lost and hurt souls find solace at Daan's bar, which transforms from a mere refuge into a safe haven. Amidst daily chaos, festival contestants grappling with despair converge there, finding unity and strength in each other. Together, they evolve, forming a tightly-knit family, navigating paths of rediscovery and growth. Drinks on the house!

1. Fall 1944

Opening Story Notes:

Thank you for reading this. It means a lot to me that you've decided to not only choose my work but also to read these notes. I know it can be lengthy, but I want to be as clear as possible and I'd rather leave no stone unturned if I can help it. Everything I will be describing will either be accurate or my closest approximation to what I believe is the truth.

You probably do not have to read these opening notes (with the exception of the trigger warning section). Like I said earlier, I'd prefer to explain some things now just for the sake of completion. I haven't written a longer work in a while so some of this may be obvious to you, but I'd rather play it safe than sorry.

-Trigger Warnings-

It's safe to start off with this one.

Look, I don't usually express TWs explicitly. We're (probably) all adults here and I know you can read. You've seen all the warnings on this website time and time again. I'll have my TWs marked for this work as per posting this. And for god's sake, this is F&H we're talking about here.

By in large, this work will likely not be focusing on things of a graphic nature. Most of it will be a slice (or a fat chunk) of life, drama, comedy, romance, adventure, smut, etc. Again, the tags will help with this.

However…

Life is not always sunshine and roses. This concept, alongside me typing this out, should give you some warning of what you'll be getting yourself into. Yes, a slice of life indeed, but life still has its… moments. I'll say this now, but I'll try to be conscientious enough to bring up messages of caution when I write chapters that have overwhelming graphic content. I know this is all subjective, but it's worth mentioning. This chapter does not contain overwhelming graphic content, but future chapters might. In the case of those chapters, I will be writing a note at the beginning of the chapter stating something along the lines of:

CAUTION! This chapter contains scenes of overwhelming graphic content. Please exercise care when continuing to read through this chapter. CAUTION!

Or something like that. I won't be spoiling anything with the warning message, but I hope it is enough to keep you on high alert as you read. If you feel like you are approaching a scene that is questionable in a chapter that has the message above… yeah, make sure you are in a good headspace.

-Geography-

Of course, the geography of F&H in the 1940s is similar, but not the same as how we have it in the real world. One notable example is Rondon… it seems to be a mix of the United Kingdom and France, completely ignoring the body of water between them. Another is the Eastern Union. Just wtf man. Anyways, I've done my best to make sense of them (as well as the rest of the world) as you can see below:

Central Kingdom of Rondon = France

Northwest Kingdom of Rondon = UK

Southeast Kingdom of Rondon = Switzerland

Kingdom of Bremen = Germany

Bohemia = Czechia/Czech Republic (the majority of)

Oldegard = Sweden (maybe with bits of Norway)

Eastern Sanctuaries/Easten Union = Eastern Czechia/Czech Republic + Baltic Countries + Middle East (fuck man)

Northeast (Far) Sanctuaries = Russia

Kingdom of Edo = Japan

Vinland = Canada

South Vinland = America

Abyssonia = Africa (yes, the entire continent, fuck it)

If you personally feel like these are not accurate or a close approximation, do let me know. I've spent way too much time trying to make sense of it, but I would absolutely appreciate any input. Who knows? Maybe your 2 cents will change the story!

-Languages-

This section probably goes without saying, but each country will have its respective languages– Bremen = German, Edo = Japanese, etc.

The only issue I seem to have with the languages comes down to Rondon and the Eastern Union in general.

The way I understand it, Rondon overall is a blend of the UK and France, so it'll likely have English in the Northwestern parts, but French in the Southeastern parts. For the sake of simplicity, I'll have the narrative assume that the major city of focus in Southeast Rondon will be speaking the equivalent of both French and English unless stated otherwise.

Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, I'll have the common tongue be English. It reflects the real world and it makes things easier.

I'll probably have Daan be fluent in English only (with some understanding of French and a minor understanding of Dutch despite argued ethnic backgrounds– really the whole thing is a guess) while most other characters will at least be bilingual with English and whatever associated language their ethnicity and/or background beckons. For example, Levi would be speaking English by default while also being able to speak Czech. Karin would be speaking English by default but has the ability to speak German, Czech, and Arabic (makes sense for a journalist, no?)

That being said, any foreign languages spoken will be referred to by the canonical titles. I.e. Characters will understand and convey that Abella can speak Oldegardian, but they will not understand that she speaks Swedish (because obviously Sweden is not a thing in their universe… even though they are the same thing, so who really cares?)

Perhaps this explanation was too convoluted, wordy, and even unnecessary. That's okay, you'll probably not have to worry about this section too much. I'll likely have the work only use foreign languages for minor purposes/smaller details. Keep in mind that may change in the future, in which case, use a translation app lol.

-Characters-

I plan on adding nearly all, if not all, the contestants and even more. So if your favorite character doesn't appear, don't worry. Just look at the tags and be patient. They'll likely show up in an upcoming chapter.

I'll also have to fill in some gaps with events for each character to make their circumstances relative to the work. I'll explain this throughout the story.

Additionally, I'll try not to, but there is a small chance I'll have to introduce minor side characters (I won't even call them OCs because that implies a major role to me) for the sake of fleshing out the world around the main contestants. I will do everything in my power to make sure they aren't important and I will choose to keep them unnamed unless I have to. Again, this might happen just to make the world work.

Finally, their physical traits. It's all ambiguous on purpose, I'm sure. I don't really know how to address this part other than using my intuition and taking a wild guess. It'll probably be most notable with each character's height and eye color. If you aren't a fan of the physical traits I settle on… well, your guess is as good as mine.

-Relationships-

In all honestly, I haven't fleshed out all the pairings yet. You can look at the tags if you want an idea of how things will probably go, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it there for now.

The only other thing I will say is that if you read a scene showing a hot steamy scene between two specific characters, it doesn't necessarily mean those two will ultimately be together. Or maybe it will! Only one way to find out :)

Oh, and I might have some trouble deciding who will pair up with who, so feel free to let me know who your preferred ships are! I have some I am confident in, but others I'm not to certain of yet. Again, your input could change the story!

-Time-

This work takes place about ~2 years after the events of Termina. That should place the first chapter in the Autumn of 1944. I'll also assume the war has already ended with the alleged death of the Kaiser back in 1942. Of course, this wartime finale differs from the timing of when WWII actually ended.

Naturally, this makes everyone a bit older. For simplicity's sake, everyone is 2 years older than originally stated in the game. They'll likely look a bit different because of this (younger contestants may look more adult, any contestant may have a different haircut, etc.)

Of course, this extra time allows for events to occur throughout each character's life. Some are not significant, others more so. Again, I'll have this explained throughout the story, so no worries there.

Opening Chapter Notes:

This chapter will be a bit slower than most, probably just due to "groundwork". Setting the world up along a specific environment and setting up the introduction of our favorite characters are in part to blame. The other reason is my OCD and ADHD while being on PCP. Okay, I (mostly) jest.

Finally, I'm so happy to be publishing this out. Goddamn dude, I had this idea stuck in my head for weeks and it just sat on my computer for way too long. I don't know when I'll be putting out chapter 2, but I'm not going to make any promises. Again, it's been a while since I've type out a longfic so we'll see how it goes.

Aaaand that should be it! If I missed anything, I'll most likely address it later.

So without further ado, let's get into it! Enjoy!

Daan's Bar

~~~\\\-Story Start-/~~~

~~~\\\-Chapter Start: Fall 1944-/~~~

He sighed. Again.

Daan pinched the bridge of his nose harshly, blanching it as he tried to come to terms with the reality of his new business. It wasn't that it was struggling to keep open, nor was it that it was too much work.

No. In fact, this was the grand opening of his new bar.

Technically it was an inn by definition; it had three stories, the ground level being the main bar, the upper level having ten guest rooms and accommodations in general, and the basement being… well, a basement.

The exterior of the old Rondon inn stood as a testimony to bygone eras. It was a structure that seemingly defied time itself, steadfast in its old glory amid the evolving urban landscape.

It was a blend of weathered stone and timber. The exterior of the main entrance was adorned by a sturdy wooden door, its surface grooved from the hands of countless visitors and darkened by the elements. Above the entrance, a hand-carved wooden sign swung gently, displaying the inn's name. The sound of its faint creaking seemed to hum a nostalgic tune to an attentive ear. There was also a large plaque that had the bar's name if any given potential customer wasn't close enough to the sign.

Each window was framed with dark timber, hinting at the inn's rustic charm. Window boxes overflowed with vibrant Alpine flowers, their colors providing a stark contrast to the muted tones of the building. The sight of red geraniums, purple petunias, and sunny marigolds brought a touch of the countryside into this corner of the city.

As the building progressed upwards, wooden balconies jutted out, supported by ornate brackets. These balconies, reminiscent of traditional Rondon chalets, offered picturesque views of the city's skyline and distant peaks.

The roof, steep and angular, was made of aged terracotta tiles, worn by the harsh Alpine weather. Here and there, chimneys rose.

At the base of the inn, where the stone met the street, a quaint cafe terrace spread out. Wrought wooden tables and chairs sat beneath a canopy of ivy and string lights. Sure, the lights weren't working and the chairs needed to be organized, but it was cute. Even in the bustling city, this space offered a little sanctuary. It wouldn't replace a proper cafe, but it was a place where one could sip a coffee and step back into history.

Around the inn, the cobblestone streets echoed with the soft murmur of conversations and the distant toll of church bells. Every brick, every beam of the inn had a story to tell, and it whispered tales of old Rondon to those who'd pause and listen.

Its location was impeccable– just off the corner of Rue Barton and Rue du Mont Blanc, Daan's bar was naturally expected to explode in revenue between all the tourists and locals that walk through the area. Daan had made a wise investment, and the inn's potential was undeniable. A significant draw was that half of the guest rooms boasted picturesque views of the lake. Such views were sure to fetch a premium, greatly bolstering his revenue. Even if the inn only reached a quarter of its occupancy rate, Daan would still cover his costs, a promising prospect for any investor.

And this was not taking into consideration a four-car garage the inn had in the back. The garage was tucked away in the rear, with a small alleyway granting access to it. Sure, the alleyway was narrow, but this was hardly out of the ordinary for Rondon, where tight alleys were more the rule than the exception.

Inside the historic inn, visitors would be instantly welcomed by a warm and rustic charm. The entrance or foyer, with its creaky wooden floorboards and walls lined with vintage wallpaper, evoked a sense of timeless tradition.

Upon entry, one's attention would be quickly drawn to the large fireplace positioned at the left end of the foyer. The fireplace, built from centuries-old stones, casted a welcoming glow across the room, inviting guests to gather and bask in its warmth. Or at least it would if it was functional. Regardless, around the fireplace were several cozy seating areas, furnished with plush armchairs and soft cushions. Some were proper booths, some wooden chairs and tables.

Just opposite the entrance, dominating the main area, was an aged bar counter alongside a wall of empty shelves, beckoning to be filled with all types of booze. A masterful piece of old-world craftsmanship, the bar stood as a testament to the inn's history, likely serving countless guests over countless nights. A selection of bar stools lined the counter, offering visitors the chance to pull up a seat, order a drink, and soak in the ambiance. Scattered around the bar area (blending in with the rest of the room) were a series of booths, chairs, and tables, each set up to offer comfort and (in the case of booths) some privacy. Here, guests would enjoy drinks, share stories, or simply take in the unique atmosphere.

Directly ahead, upon walking in, a hallway beckoned. Following this path to the left, guests would find themselves in the inn's kitchen. Though it was not something Daan had planned to utilize, it was part of the purchase. If one were to continue straight down the hall, it would lead to the garage, the sounds of the city just barely audible through its doors.

Just to the right of this hallway stood an ornate wooden staircase, climbing its way up to the guestrooms. The balusters, worn smooth from countless hands over the years, led to a hallway lined with doors, each distinctly numbered. Half of these rooms proudly advertised stunning views of the lake, their windows acting as ever-changing canvases to nature's artwork. The other half, while lacking the lake view, still offer a glimpse of the charming city streets below.

The end of the upstairs hallway culminated in a picturesque balcony. Adorned with a plethora of vibrant flowers, it's a serene space equipped with chairs for guests to sit, relax, and drink in the panoramic views of the city's historic skyline and the shimmering lake beyond.

However, for those with a keener eye, an immediate sharp right turn upon entering the inn would reveal another staircase. This one, narrower and steeper, descending into the inn's basement, a largely empty space carrying the weight of its own untold stories.

Lastly, further to the right of the foyer, a doorway would lead up to another room. This space, a blend of old wooden beams and whitewashed walls, offered a multi-functional area. It could host gatherings, small events, or simply serve as a quiet retreat.

Regardless, Daan's purchase was a good move all around. The fact he was able to purchase the property at the price he did was considered a steal by most businessmen's standards. On top of that, the bar would also serve food– no hot meals requiring heavy-duty cooking, but rather small bites and snacks that only needed minimal prep time and a small refrigerator for storage. This, coupled with minimal overhead costs, made the prospect of substantial profits all the more attainable. All signs pointed towards Daan's venture being not only a passionate one but also a lucrative one.

See, when Daan decided to cut back on his time as a surgeon (he didn't have trouble finding a job when he returned to Rondon), he decided to trade potential capital for fun. Yes, the inn would be profitable, but not as profitable as surgery– to Daan, this was still worth it. After all the close calls in Prehevil, he quickly reasoned that life was too short to spend all his life in the operating room. He wanted to pursue a hobby of bartending in a more realistic, albeit, more invested manner. Notably, he still operated and worked in the clinic part-time, which was how he was able to make the majority of his income and not have to worry about the liabilities of life.

So what was the issue then?

Daan's dream was to open a place with a catchy name, one that would draw crowds in yet still be classy enough to justify the title of "high-quality". Though he thought this was going to be a one-man job, he had some help. Levi and O'ssa. Good friends. Six weeks ago, they were brainstorming ideas on what to name the bar. "Daan's Bar" was the winner and Daan left the legal documentation and titling paperwork to Levi, who was to bring said paperwork to the appropriate offices for registration and official construction of the building's exterior. What Levi failed to mention until it was too late was that he actually left O'ssa in charge of the entire process. Why? Because that meant Levi could spend more time with Marina. By itself, this wasn't an issue. No.

The issue was O'ssa was a huge troll. A jokester. A prankster.

So when Daan saw that the name of his bar wasn't "Daan's Bar", but instead was "Daan's Delightfully Dapper Drunken Dive Drinkery: Brews, Bourbons, and Bubbles Backed by Best Friend O'ssa (O'ssa was here)", he was a bit upset.

He sighed. Again.

Levi, knowing full well his fault in this, awkwardly stood next to the doctor.

"S-sorry. Again."

~~~\\\-/~~~

Levi coughed from the dust kicked up in the basement as he set down another box of supplies.

The sound of cardboard boxes piling up on top of each other filled the morning. It was slow and painful, but they were getting the job done. Well, that was the optimistic view. The reality was they were still getting step one done.

The now ex-soldier looked around the basement, appreciating all the hard, though incomplete, work they accomplished so far.

It had been two years since the events in Prehevil had ended. The festival of Termina didn't end as anyone expected. Not the contestants, not Per'kele, no one. All of the contestants survived and continued on about their lives. Bittersweet, perhaps, that most of them had split off into their own lives and went about things as before. Whether or not they showed how the festival changed them was variable and irrelevant. They were, to the dismay of some, effectively strangers now. It was rather unusual that Levi and Daan were even together at this junction of their lives, but what was the alternative? Was Levi to be a drifter? Was Daan to be depressed and isolated? The only exception to the rule seemed to be O'ssa who seemed to follow no rules and did whatever he felt. Some might've found him to be lacking discipline. Others might've found him empowered. But O'ssa was always true to himself, for better or worse. In this case, it let the magician be a part of Daan and Levi's lives. Sometimes. He often disappeared for days on end and then reappeared for an unknown amount of time before repeating the same process.

The now 20-year-old Levi sighed. Or at least he tried to before he coughed in the face of more dust.

Southeast Rondon would do, it would seem. Naturally, the Bremen Empire was not the ideal place to visit so soon after the war's end, and Bohemia was not a popular location for similar reasons. It made Levi wonder if the other contestants who originally came from those places ended up going back to their hometowns or if they decided to go elsewhere completely. The only person he confidently knew about their location besides the three associated with the new bar was Marina.

Ah, Marina.

She seemed to favor south Rondon. Frankly, she just didn't want to return to the Vatican. That being said, her current location was a fair choice with its beaches and unscathed land completely evading wartime struggles. It was also close to Levi. The two often discussed moving closer together, but they never pulled the trigger, for whatever reason. Of course, Levi did his best to go visit Marina every chance he got. Lucky for him, Marina felt the same way and often made the effort to venture eastward.

Levi coughed again, bringing an arm to his mouth.

Levi was no longer the scared little boy running around the streets of Prehevil. He was now a proper adult with a just bit more confidence, which could be seen in his light brown eyes. He was now taller than Daan, standing at a healthy 180cm, showing off a rather impressively strong jawline and even a bit of muscle if he chose to wear something with shorter sleeves. Everyday jeans and a casual T-shirt would be typical garb for him. Daan often recommended he wear slacks and a collared shirt for any outside activities, and Levi typically took Daan's fashion advice. The only exception to this being if it meant wearing long sleeves around Marina because… well, any excuse to get a pretty girl to touch his arms was obviously a top priority.

"Are you alright?"

Daan's voice brought Levi back to reality.

The doctor stood on the staircase leading down to the basement, one hand on the railing, the other adjusting the cigarette in his mouth. At 30 years old, the smoker stood at 175cm and sported a seemingly permanent 5'oclock shadow. His eye reflected a pale iris. He kept his iconic checkered pants, a staple in his everyday attire. Some type of collared shirt and a light suit vest were standard for him. In a pinch, a blazer over a plain shirt would do. While there was variation in his upper body attire, his pants almost always had to be checkered. He considered it "lucky". Notably, his eyepatch was gone. With his hair a few centimeters longer than before, he was able to have his bangs cover his left eye (or rather lack thereof). It drew less attention this way and he appreciated being more incognito. That and it would at least partially hide the dark circles underneath.

"Uh, y-yeah. There's just a lot of dust in here." Levi looked over to Daan with watery eyes.

The doctor took another drag from his cigarette, "We only have a few more boxes. We can do lunch after this." He exhaled smoke from his nostrils.

Levi smiled. "Sounds like a plan."

~~~\\\-/~~~

Daan put down a few small bills, covering the lunch tab. The younger man thanked him. The doctor's response was a grunt between another puff of smoke. They were both staring off at the lake. They quickly fell into a comfortable routine for lunch; Le Bistro du Lac quickly became their go-to considering its location right next to the bar. That was on top of the reasonably priced options. Well, it was still expensive, but it was one of the less expensive places to get good quality food. Everything was expensive in Southeast Rondon.

"Uh, sir…" Levi looked to the doctor.

Daan didn't respond and continued to smoke with his eye on the water. There was a long pause. Levi was going to speak again, but Daan then eyed him, not turning his neck.

"Uh, so…" Levi swallowed. The ex-solider did gain a lot of confidence after the festival. Working with Daan and O'ssa for so long allowed him to relax with familiar faces. He found it easier to open up to them. And that fact he was seeing Marina for the last two years was doing wonders for his confidence too. However, if he wanted to, Daan could be pretty intimating. It likely wasn't on purpose, but sometimes the looks he gave would make someone think twice about talking to him. "The Daan Look", Levi titled it.

"...so, um. About O'ssa?"

Daan didn't take his eye off him. He raised his eyebrow when Levi didn't follow up right away.

"W-why is he not here?" Levi tried to appear small, if just briefly. He didn't know if he was offending anyone with this question, but he wanted to brace for impact just in case. "I mean, he's not helping us with the moving or unpacking."

Well, so much for that confidence.

Daan finally turned to face him, taking his cigarette out of his mouth just for a moment. "A magician works in mysterious ways." A joke.

"Ha…" Levi tried to laugh, but it was so uncommon to hear Daan make a joke. The only exception would be if he was drinking. "T-that's funny."

The doctor shook his head and put his cigarette out on the ashtray between them while the waiter silently swung by and thanked them before leaving them alone again. "No it wasn't. Anyways, he has his reasons. I don't expect him to help out too much with the bar. Especially after he screwed up the name." Daan's face ever-so-slightly soured temporarily. If Levi blinked, he would've missed it.

"But– I mean he's supposed to help out still, right? I'm not complaining, I just don't know much about his schedule."

Daan sighed and pulled out another cigarette, putting in his mouth. "No one does. But I'm not paying him, so I don't expect anything."

Levi blinked in shock as Daan lit up his cigarette after a few attempts with his lighter. "Wait, he's not going to be an employee?"

"No. And if was, I would've fired him already." Daan leaned back, taking a long drag from the fresh cigarette. "It's just us two, kiddo."

"...So… we have a lot more work to do than I thought, huh?"

Another puff of smoke. "Yup."

Levi covered his face with his palms. It was going to be a long week.

~~~\\\-/~~~

Levi laid back on one of the many stools that were lined up against the bar table. Thank god they had back support.

The sun had set a while ago and he was covered in sweat. He took in the moment, scanning around at the bar's main room before looking up at the ceiling in exhaustion. Slowly but surely, it was coming together.

He didn't hear Daan pull out a shotglass alongside a bottle of whiskey, putting them both on the table. Hell, he didn't even see Daan get behind the bar.

"W-waah!" Levi nearly toppled over but was able to balance himself out and go back to a (less relaxed) seated position.

"Please don't die yet." Daan poured out a shot for himself, corking the whiskey right after. "You're my only help."

Levi shook his head. He tried playing it off with a joke. "You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

Daan downed his shot quickly. Almost as rare as it was to see him joke, it was rare to see him without a cigarette in his mouth. "You did good work today."

Levi smiled. "Thanks! I think we only have a few more days before everything is organized enough to open."

Daan looked at him again, then back to his shotglass. He opened the whiskey bottle up again. "I admire your optimism."

"Y-you don't think so?"

"I'd at least two weeks. At least." He quickly finished a second dose of his favorite poison.

Levi watched him put down another glass with ease. "H-hey, um, sir…"

"You're gonna tell me to slow it down?" The surgeon guessed.

"No, actually." Levi put on a brave face. "I… can I have some?"

That earned him "The Daan Look".

"Sir, I'm twenty years old and I work here too!" His confidence was coming through. "I'm not asking for the whole bottle."

Daan looked down at the table. Wow, this was actually going to work?

"ID?"

Levi looked at him incredulously. He did have his ID on him, but this was unnecessary. "Sir, you know me. You don't need to–"

Again, "The Daan Look".

"Fine…" Levi pulled out a worn-out wallet, flashing him his ID. "But this is the last time."

Daan glanced at it before grabbing a second shotglass. "It's a matter of principle." The muttered before filling up both glasses.

"You really don't have to check every time–"

"The booze is free if you have your ID. Special offer just for you."

"I will always cherish my ID card, sir!" Levi automatically saluted the bartender. He didn't even think twice about it. It got a chuckle out of Daan. The doctor pushed Levi's glass towards him before lifting his own and proposing a toast. Levi instinctively grabbed his drink and raised it to Daan's a nice clinking sound filling the somewhat still hollow bar.

"To new beginnings."

"To new beginnings!"

They both downed their whiskey. Levi near choked, coughing at the unexpected strength of the booze. He knew whiskey was strong, but still, this was next level. Unlike his companion, Daan sighed in relief. The edge was taken off.

"Levi, I've been meaning to ask you something." He spoke up while the ex-solider was still recovering.

It took a moment before Levi could articulate his response. "W-what is it?"

Daan leaned in a bit, his elbows on the table. "You've been seeing Marina for a while now…" The way he said it sounded more like a statement he was not going to follow up on.

This immediately got Levi's full attention. He was not expecting this conversation at all. "Uh, yes sir, I have. Ever since the festival. Why do you ask?" He ignored the burning sensation in his throat.

"Well…" Daan looked out the window and then back to Levi. "Maybe I missed it, but to be clear, you two are officially dating, right? As in, you're both boyfriend and girlfriend, right?"

"Uhhhh…"

Daan raised an eyebrow.

"We, uh, we actually–" Levi was moving his hands in a rather unpredictable way.

Daan didn't say anything.

Levi sighed in defeat. "We haven't actually talked about it yet."

"Why not?" The doctor's question might've been a bit too quick and sharp for the boy, he thought. He didn't want to scare Levi. He attempted damage control using a softer tone, "I mean, why haven't you discussed it yet?"

The ex-solider tried not to answer right away either, mulling over the question. "I… I think I know why. But it's– it's kinda stupid."

"What do you think it is Levi?"

There was a bit of silence. Levi remained stationary.

"Look, I'm not going to judge, alright?" Daan tried again, being as understanding as possible. "I just want to know what's going on."

"Why?" Levi look at him with raised eyebrows. He was confused at Daan's sudden interest. "I– I mean I'll answer your question, but why do you care all of a sudden?"

"Well, I'm just…" The older man thought for a moment, picking his words carefully. This was a difficult question for Daan to answer. "We're friends, right? What are friends for? I want to help and to help, I first need to understand. Does that make sense?"

Levi was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. "Y-yes sir!"

Daan nodded. They were on the same page.

"So… to answer your question," Levi interlaced his fingers and put his hands behind his head, now a bit more comfortable than before, "I think it's because I don't want to risk anything."

"What do you mean?"

Levi looked up at the ceiling. "What Marina and I have right now is working. It's nice, but… if I try to rock the boat now, I'm worried she's going to not want to see me anymore. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it', right?

When he didn't get an answer right away, the younger man looked back down to Daan. He was lighting up another cigarette. Ah. That explained the silence.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you there, kiddo."

Levi narrowed his eyes, mostly due to confusion, but there was a hint of skepticism. He didn't want to believe Daan's words, but he thought that he should at least hear him out. He was older and wiser. Plus look at all those grey hairs.

"Excuse me?"

"Shit, did I say that last part out loud?" Levi thought to himself in a panic. "Uh, I didn't say anything! S-sir!"

Daan stared at him for a bit before taking another drag and continuing. "When it comes to considering a more serious relationship, girls usually don't want to be left in limbo. If you don't give them a clear idea of where a relationship is going, they are probably not going to stick around. You'd be wasting their time. And yours."

Levi latched onto every word Daan said.

"It's something you should bring up next time you see her." Another puff of smoke. "When are you going to see her next?"

"Oh, she's actually visiting here this Friday! We have the whole weekend planned out." Levi's eyes sparkled, his face radiating. But only for a moment. He snapped out of it and bashfully looked at his boss, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, so I forgot to ask earlier, but um, can I skip work this weekend? I have plans hah…"

Daan made a small smile. "Only if you promise to talk to her about what we just spoke of. It's important for you both."

"Deal!" Levi was radiating.

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes, what is it, Daan?"

"How… far have you two gone?"

Levi was radiating all right. He was blushing like a tomato. "H-hey you can't just ask something like that."

"I can and I did." Daan was curt. He tried not to lose his patience, but he felt the question was important enough to supersede pleasantries. However, this was before he saw how uncomfortable he had made the less experienced man. He sighed. "What I meant to say was… you've been seeing each other for two years now. If you haven't discussed being more than just friends, then it begs the question of what the relationship consists of… physically speaking."

"...Um. Can I have another shot of whiskey first?"

Daan sighed. He had to convince himself to play nice. He pulled out the whiskey bottle and poured him another glass. He pushed it over to Levi but covered it before Levi could grab it. The younger man looked at the doctor. "Last one for tonight."

Levi nodded and took the glass once Daan's hand was out of the way. He downed the glass like an expert but handled the aftertaste like a novice.

"We, ah… we've held hands."

Silence. Levi looked over to Daan whose eye was staring him down, effectively saying "and…?"

"And we've kissed… a lot…"

"..."

"Annnnd…" Levi stalled as long as he could. "That's it."

Daan blinked. "That's it?"

Levi nodded.

"Two years together and you haven't even– All-mer it's worse than I thought…"

"Hey, you said you wouldn't judge!"

"I–" Daan held his tongue. He actually put out his cigarette before finishing it this time. "Levi… please, for the love of all that is holy, please talk to Marina."

"B-but that would–"

"Levi." Daan put up his hand, signaling Levi to stop. He was pinching the bridge of his nose with his other hand. "Please trust me on this."

Levi looked at him, but then back down to his lap and began twiddling his thumbs. He then looked back up to Daan. "Do you think it'll work? Do you think she'll be okay with becoming more… serious?"

Daan nodded, bringing his hands back down. "I think so. Marina's a good girl and she's had a lot of patience to put up with you to this extent. I think talking to her will push you both in the right direction. That is, if you are serious about her, which I assume you are."

"Y-yes!" Levi stood up from his stool abruptly. "I am!"

"Good. Because you're very lucky to even be in this spot and you definitely do not deserve her whatsoever."

"Yes sir!"

~~~\\\-/~~~

The morning sun painted the sky with hues of blue and gold as Daan and Levi stood before the weathered inn. Levi's eyes somehow simultaneously brimmed with excitement and barely stayed open from exhaustion. It wasn't even 5:30.

The seasoned smoker sported his typical stoic expression, pulling out a cigarette for his breakfast. He patted Levi on the back after bringing his cig to his lips.

"Alright, Levi," Daan muttered, "Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work."

Levi nodded somewhat eagerly, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, his hair a mess.

The two began the day's renovations. Though Daan quoted a two-week mark, Levi was hoping to get as much work done that week as possible. The less time unpacking, the more time with Marina. Solid logic.

Together, they continued from yesterday's spot. The laborious process of moving boxes, unpacking furniture, and decorating the inn was their lives for the foreseeable future. Now if only it was that simple.

Of course, they weren't professionals; they clumsily bumped into each other and made "stupid" mistakes along the way (according to Daan). Daan's frustration grew with every misstep, but it particularly showed when he discovered that another pack of his favorite cigarettes had been crushed during a move with one particularly heavy box.

"Great," Daan grumbled, further crushing the destroyed pack in his hand.

Levi noticed the distress in Daan's eye and decided to tread carefully. He didn't want to piss off his employer this early in the morning.

Minutes turned into hours as they worked tirelessly to bring life into the inn. Daan's grumpiness would rear its head occasionally, but Levi's youthful optimism and hard work helped to ease the tension each time.

The late morning had the two looking at the bar. Dust covered the counters, and cobwebs hung from the shelves. Besides the whiskey bottle and the two shot-glasses they had from the other night, it was bare. And yet, Daan's eye lit up at the sight, momentarily forgetting his general irritation.

"Levi, we're going to bring this place to life." Daan said with a hint of excitement.

Levi nodded in agreement, and together, they set to work cleaning the bar area. The room began to transform as they dusted, polished, and stocked it with various bottles of spirits they unpacked from the many boxes they had.

Late morning became early afternoon. A quick lunch at the trusty Le Bistro du Lac brought life to Levi as he scarfed down each plate he could, the day's work catching up with him. He was a growing boy, after all. Daan, on the other hand, was happy with a croissant, a coffee, and of course, his cigarettes. Pleural.

Return to work was quick. As they continued with their renovation, they decided to take a break from the main entrance/bar and looked into the basement. Certainly, it was a space that had seen better days. It was dark and empty, But Daan saw potential. He saw a cozy, underground lounge. Or another PRHVL bop speakeasy. Or even just storage. The possibilities excited Daan… well, as much as a man like Daan could get excited.

"Imagine this place…" Daan mused, lost in thought.

Levi's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. He didn't know what Daan's vision looked like for the basement, but he was happy to see Daan like this. "It's going to be amazing, Sir. Trust me."

Not a moment later, Daan and Levi stood side by side, equipped with brooms and dustpans, ready to embark on their mission to tame the clutter that had accumulated over the years. The dusty air hung heavily in the dimly lit basement, casting an eerie ambiance as they thought about how to organize the older materials left over from the newer boxes they had brought in the other day.

Levi wrinkled his nose, a playful grimace on his face, "Phew, this place needs some serious cleaning."

Daan's smirk was small, his expression etched alongside his more overt customary stoicism. He grunted in agreement, "Tell me about it."

Together, they delved into their task, sweeping away the thick layers of dust and cobwebs that had overtaken forgotten corners. Each sweep raised a cloud of dust, causing Levi to sneeze.

"I think I'm allergic to dust," Levi snuffled.

Daan chuckled. "That's a shame. It won't excuse you from cleaning."

Levi shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

In rather good spirits, they continued their work in comfortable silence, exchanging glances to signal if they missed spots. As they cleared a particularly dusty corner, something caught Levi's attention– a half-opened box with what seemed to be a...

"Sir, look at this!" The ex-solider picked up and displayed an old, dusty record player covered in grime to his partner.

Daan's gaze slightly softened, "Hey, look at that. It's my old record player. Wonder if it still works."

"Let's clean it up later and see."

They carefully carried the record player out of the basement, making a mental note to clean it later. As the dusty air slowly settled, they could see their progress. A clean basement.

"It's looking much better now," Levi remarked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Daan nodded, "Yeah, we're getting there."

The exhaustion from the cleaning was evident on their faces, but so was the sense of accomplishment. Daan decided to go for a cigarette but was quickly upset when he felt an empty pack.

Levi couldn't resist some playful banter, "You know, sir, I think you secretly enjoy cleaning. You're so particular about everything."

Daan rolled his eye, his irritability just coming to life as he pull the empty pack and looked into it, hoping to find a hidden cigarette. He was still in disbelief. "If we're going to do something, we might as well do it right."

Levi shot him an amused glance. Daan was none the wiser.

Mid-afternoon turned into late afternoon.

Daan was obligated to purchase another pack of cigarettes from a local street vendor before it was too late. Thankfully they had his favorite brand. Money was exchanged hands and Daan grabbed the fresh pack, a sense of relief washing over him just at the thought of having another pack.

Before he could pocket it, a seagull swooped in a stole the pack straight from his hand. What an asshole.

Both Daan and the vendor looked into the sky in disbelief.

"You know, I think I'll purchase another. Make it two actually."

Late afternoon turned into early evening.

Daan walked back into the bar. He didn't spot Levi right away but figured he was working in the upstairs guest rooms when her a long bang from above. He silently went upstairs and turned into the hallway, they were met with rows of doors leading to spaces that had long been neglected, covered in a thick layer of dust.

Well, except for one door that was open, light coming from within. Thank god they had some up-and-running water and electricity. Levi stumbled out, a paintbrush in hand. The younger man was startled to see his boss standing in front of him. "I–I didn't see you there! You didn't make any noise coming up the stairs."

Daan raised an eyebrow. "Should I have?"

Levi looked down bashfully. "Don't be too upset okay?" He sighed and stepped arise to let Daan take a look at the room he was just in.

Daan saw white paint spilled all over the wooden floor, its strong scent filling up the room. He looked back to Levi, who was expecting to get a scolding. Instead, he got, "Well, I'm not cleaning that up."

Levi smiled. "Yes sir."

The two continued with their cleaning duties upstairs. It took nearly another hour before the two were out in the hallway, catching their breaths. Well, at least Levi was. Daan was set on taking his umpteenth smoke break. Screw oxygen.

Levi wrinkled his nose, taking in a mix of smoke and the musty scent of the remainder of the guest rooms, "Looks like we've still got our work cut out for us up here."

Daan's grunted as he tried to light another cigarette, his lighter not cooperating with him. "Yup."

"Having trouble there?" Levi couldn't help but poke some fun.

"Damn thing is out of juice." Daan gave up, putting his cig behind his ear in the meanwhile. "Let's just finish up here quickly."

"Yes sir."

The early evening turned into the late evening.

Armed with cleaning supplies and fresh paint, they split up, each taking a couple of rooms to clean and renovate.

In one room, Daan accidentally knocked over a bucket of paint, splattering it on the freshly cleaned floor. That seemed to be the theme of the evening.

"Just great…" Daan mumbled in frustration, his lack of nicotine fix not helping. In retrospect, he should have painted the walls before wiping the floor.

Levi rushed to help clean up the mess, careful not to upset Daan further, "It's alright, sir. It's just a minor setback."

Daan put his hand on Levi's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it." He shot a small smile at Levi. Levi smiled back and nodded.

As they moved from one room to the next, Daan's initial grumpiness began to wane. Witnessing the transformation taking place, he found a glimmer of satisfaction in their progress. Levi, enthusiastic as ever, pointed out the results of their hard work, "Hey, Daan, look at this! We have curtains now!" The taller man pulled the curtains back and forth in excitement.

Daan managed a bigger smile than usual, finally catching some of Levi's enthusiasm, "It looks good."

By the time they finished, the once-neglected guest rooms had been transformed into warm, inviting spaces, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first guests.

Stepping back to admire their handiwork, Daan and Levi felt a sense of accomplishment filling the air. The initial exhaustion had been replaced with the satisfaction of a job well done.

"We did it, Daan. These rooms are ready for guests," Levi said, a touch of pride in his voice.

"Yeah, we did a good job, didn't we?" Daan replied, content.

Truth be told, they were not even close to done, but they managed a significant amount of success in a single day.

The late evening turned into a young night.

As they headed downstairs to take a well-deserved break, the weight of the day seemed to lift off Daan's shoulders. He appreciated Levi's tireless efforts and dedication, knowing that he couldn't have done it without him.

"We make a great team, sir." Levi said, his eyes shining.

Daan pulled out two shotglasses and the whiskey bottle. "Yeah, we do."

He then poured himself a shot and… capped the whiskey bottle.

"Uh…" Levi looked at Daan before the doctor could drink. He then pointed to his empty glass. "What about me, sir?"

"ID?"

Levi groaned and pulled out his ID, flashing the doctor his credentials. "You were serious about that, weren't you?"

Daan nodded in response before reopening the bottle and pouring Levi his share of well-earned liquor.

"To solid work."

"To solid work!"

They clinked their glasses in celebration, toasting their successful renovation of all the good work they did so far. The journey was far from over, but this was a good start.

~~~\\\-/~~~

Daan put out another finished cigarette. It was nearly midnight and Levi had left a while ago. Instead of sleeping in one of the guest rooms as usual, he was on his date with Marina. The date quickly evolved into a weekend escapade. Daan chuckled at the thought of young love. The kid deserved to be happy. Both him and Marina. He would let him have until Monday.

It was only the doctor in his own bar. He sat alone, babying another drink of whiskey. It was quiet. Only a single hanging light was illuminating him and his lack of company.

"I– I mean I'll answer your question, but why do you care all of a sudden?"

That question almost got him.

While he didn't exactly lie to Levi, he worded it carefully– he wasn't ready to speak his mind about these things. And he felt guilty about it. The fact that he prodded Levi to open up, followed by the fact he didn't reciprocate honestly…

He sighed.

The truth of the matter was that he was scared. He didn't want to be alone anymore. After the festival, Daan would've felt just as alone as he did the moment he lost Elise. It was a feeling he didn't want to face again. The fact that Levi didn't leave the train separately afterward was the blessing in disguise that Daan so desperately needed. Sure, the boy needed medical expertise for his addiction, but it was a welcomed excuse to Daan. Buprenorphine overseen by a medical doctor over an extended period of time? Yeah, Levi's addiction was a thing of the past.

Nevertheless, it seemed like all the other contestants dropped off the face of the Earth after the events at Prehevil. They likely went on about their lives like before, probably in their respective homelands. Laundry, groceries, commuting, shopping, work– their lives were probably just back to normal, with normal daily activities of living. They were probably fine.

And yet, Daan couldn't see himself going back to normalcy. There was no normalcy to go back to. The only thing he had left was the Von Dutch manor, which he was no longer a fan of. It was a legal struggle to obtain the property under his name, almost not worth the trouble he thought. He was close to simply relinquishing the estate to the local government, but after some hired legal counsel in addition to a month of licit contact with the state legal board, he was able to get the title under his name.

So it was a bit of a shock to Levi when he then immediately sold the place. At least he made a healthy profit. Most of the money was then used to purchase the inn.

The point still remained, however. If not for Levi, he had no one.

He didn't want to be alone.

"Alone? Why, you have me old chap!"

Ah. The demon.

Daan did what he usually did when he heard that voice in his head. He ignored it. He drank and ignored it.

~~~\\\-/~~~

The finely dressed doctor had his arms crossed as he tossed another finished cigarette onto the alley behind the inn, standing with mild irritation at the sound of an angry motorcycle pulling up to the garage at seven in the morning.

Again, the inn had a garage extension, capable of housing up to four full cars. Certainly, a motorcycle was easy to fit in, but it was empty space for the two men otherwise. Daan never really concluded how to use the extra space, so it would act as an extra storage area for now.

"Sorry I'm late, Marina didn't want me to leave, heh." Levi yelled over the sound of his heavy motorcycle. He then said something to himself as he parked it and turned off the engine. Finally, peace and quiet.

"You're not wearing a helmet," Daan stated more than asked. He reached for another cigarette.

Levi shook his head. "I left it at Marina's place."

"It's dangerous you know. Riding that thing without one. Even riding it to begin with."

"Yeah, and those cigarettes aren't? Levi quietly muttered as he looked away.

"Is that back-talk I hear?" Daan lit up another cigarette, not bothering to meet Levi's eyes.

"Did I really just say that out loud? I got to stop doing that!" Levi froze and then suddenly stood up straight at attention. "N-no sir!"

Daan didn't look at the younger man.

"Good." Daan then turned around and began walking back into the inn from the garage side. "Now, shut the garage door before you come in. We have a good amount of work today and I have to be in the OR at noon. I have a few cases so I probably won't be back until late. When lunch comes around, you'll be on your own until I come back."

Levi quietly groaned as he heard out Daan while pulling down the garage door panels. "Don't tell me we have to figure out the wires again." He didn't want to complain too early in the morning, especially after being an hour late, but Levi often considered the electric chair when being tasked with "the wires".

"No actually," The surgeon finally turned to face Levi, "I was thinking of hiring a professional to deal with that."

"The wires" the two were referring to was the building wiring of the inn. Though they primarily wanted to adjust the wiring in hopes of optimizing lighting control, they had planned on having a telephone installed down the line. The problem was that neither man knew much of circuitry. Sure, the local telephone exchange company would have it installed with no problem, but if the wire construction of the inn was not properly established, a working telephone would be the least of their problems– having only half the guest rooms with working electricity would be a disaster. Twisted wires from the local telephone exchange? Line currents? Voice signaling? Individual jacks? Main distribution frame? Four-wire cord rotary dials? Carbon microphones? Electromechanical switching? The two at least knew they would be in over their heads if they continued without help.

Levi perked up. "Really? Thank the g– I mean, that's a good choice, sir."

Daan mumbled and nodded. He turned back and walked into the bar, Levi followed closely behind. "When are you going to see her again?"

"Oh, she'll be swinging by for lunch! She said she had plans here today anyways."

"Really? Then why didn't you bring her back with you on the motorcycle?" Daan frowned again, walking down to the basement to being more unpacking.

Levi shrugged again as he followed his boss. "She didn't tell me. I offered, but she said she had to do something first. I think she just wanted to sleep in."

"On a Monday?"

"She has the day off."

"Luckly girl…"

"Tell me about it…"

"What is she doing now? She's still working at the…" Daan trailed off. He squinted his eye. "The, uh…"

Levi, enjoying the scene, let Daan squirm for a few seconds longer than he needed to before speaking up. "The university?"

"Ah, yes!" Daan snapped his fingers, his eye now open. "That's what I meant! She was doing research for a religious professor. Or was it an anthropology professor…?"

Before Daan could get lost in thought again, Levi spared him. "No, she quit that job six months ago. You need to catch up with the times old man."

Daan shot him a glare.

"U-uh, I mean sir!" That was the second slip-up today. He was on thin ice.

"...Well, what's she doing now then?"

Levi cleared his throat in an attempt to move past his mistake. "After the university, she tried writing some articles on her occult studies, but that fell through. She gave astrology a shot, but it ended up with her reading palms. She wasn't too happy about that. She also wanted to try working as a medium, which she was good at since necromancy and all, but she often scared away customers and got the police called on her a few times."

The doctor continued rifling through an open box, putting aside more important items in one corner of the floor and less important knick-knacks in another corner. "And now?"

Levi looked down. "And now… she's working as a waitress."

"I imagine she's not too happy about that." Daan hummed.

"Yeah, she lets me know about how happy she is every day," Levi answered sarcastically. His voice then shifted to one tinged with concern. "She feels like it's a step back from where she was at. She studied something completely different and now she's serving tables."

Daan frowned, sensing the frustration and disappointment in Levi's words. "Is she still passionate about her occult studies?"

Levi shook his head, "I don't think she ever was. She was kind of forced into it to begin with. I'm not sure what she's passionate about. Honestly, I don't even know if she knows."

The basement fell into a thoughtful silence as the weight of Levi's words settled between them.

"I hate seeing her like this, sir. She's so talented but life just doesn't seem to be giving her a break."

Daan softly began, "I understand, Levi. It's tough when the reality of life doesn't align with our ideals."

Levi nodded, a mixture of frustration and empathy in his eyes. He shifted the now empty box in front of him aside and pulled another full one in front of him, continuing to unpack. "I just wish there was something I could do to help her. She deserves better than this."

Daan rested his hand on Levi's shoulder, offering a reassuring squeeze, "You're doing what you can by being there for her, supporting her."

Levi sighed, not fully believing the older man's words. "Thank you, sir. I just hope things start looking up for her soon."

Daan patted him a couple of times on the shouler before he went back to his box. "They will. Sometimes, it just takes a bit of time for things to fall into place."

Silence again.

"At least she gets her Mondays off."

That earned a chuckle from the doctor.

"Alright, alright, enough chit-chat, let's get to it."

It took Levi a minute, but he managed to shake off his negative thoughts for just a moment. He leaned over his box, carefully pulling out an assortment of trinkets with a new attitude, "Yes sir! Let's sort these out quickly. Marina's coming for lunch, and I want to be at least somewhat ready!"

"Is that confidence I hear? I like it." Daan nodded and gave a slight smirk, his focus unwavering as he tackled another box, "Let's work efficiently."

The basement had transformed from a dusty space to a spot with potential, thanks to their previous efforts. But now, the challenge was to efficiently categorize the items so that the essentials were easily accessible. That and so it didn't look like complete dogshit at first glance.

Levi picked up a stack of old books, flipping through them thoughtfully, "These books might be valuable, but they're not exactly a priority."

Daan examined the stack Levi was holding. "Some are medical, some are occult… we'll have to focus on those later– I want to keep some of them."

Levi nodded and put the books down on the ground before moving to the next box.

The two moved with a sense of purpose, the boxes revealing a mix of forgotten memories and long-lost treasures. Some items held sentimental value, while others were more practical in nature. Their sense of time seemed to blur as they worked throughout the morning.

That was until they came across a particular box labeled "Prehevil".

Levi carefully lifted the lid of a box, revealing a collection of old letters, photographs, and weapons. "Looks like we've stumbled upon a time capsule here." Levi mutter grimly. Some of the bladed weapons still had what looked like blood rusted over them.

Daan walked over, his gaze fixed on the items, "Yeah, these bring back memories. None of them particularly good."

Levi's expression turned solemn as he pulled out a weathered journal, its pages yellowed with age, "You know… Bohemia used to be a nice place. Especially Prehevil."

"Yeah?"

"I mean, as nice as it could be. Anything is better than… you know…"

The basement fell into a reflective silence as they faced the artifacts from their time in the festival. Among the personal effects were items that spoke of their roles in those tumultuous days– a pocketknife, a rusted pistol, a worn-out canteen.

Levi's fingers traced the edges of the pocketknife, a distant look in his eyes. Daan's gaze fixed on the helmet, his face a mix of sorrow and stoicism.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Levi broke the silence. "I feel like we were there just last month."

Daan picked up the journal, flipping through its pages with a mixture of nostalgia and pain, "We've seen things that most people can't even imagine. The worst part is we'd probably be laughed at for bringing it up to anyone who wasn't there."

Levi gave Daan a sudden optimistic look. "At least we had each other. Then and now."

The look Levi gave the doctor was contagious. "And that's something to be grateful for, isn't it?"

The basement seemed to brighten as they shared a smile, a silent acknowledgment of the silver lining that had emerged from the horrors they had faced.

Suddenly, Daan caught a glimpse of his watch. "Ah, it's almost time. I'd better get ready."

Levi nodded. "You can leave it all to me. I'll see you after surgery."

Daan made his way back up to the ground level. Just as he was about to head for the guest rooms upstairs, he heard the front door knob jangle, followed by a firm set of knocks. Daan frowned and Levi came up to see what the noise was all about. The two exchanged a look before Levi went to answer the door.

He was greeted by a familiar smirk.

"Hey, handsome."

The now 20-year-old Marina normally stood at 158cm, though her comfortable platform shoes graced her an extra 10cm (putting her at a staggering 168cm!). Her hazel eyes reflected confidence and excitement. Her lip piercings were no more, now placed in the the more tradition location of her earlobes. Well, she did have a belly button piercing, but only Levi knew of that one. She wore a light pink romper, long enough to reach down to her knees. The top half of her romper covered her enough to hide her chest well but left enough to the imagination with her clavicles being exposed. A nice-smelling perfume emanated from her– not too strong, but enough to catch the attention of anyone close enough. Her hair was the same length and style as it was back during the Termina festival. That being said, she enjoyed different hairstyles frequently, so it was actually uncommon for her to be seen with her natural hair. The only thing unique about her hair right now was the fact it was covered by a wide-brimmed hat that had a small green bow. She was dressed for Summer despite the fact it was October. The only thing arguably not girly about her get-up was a small suitcase with was pulling around.

"Well, are you going to gawk at me all day or are you going to let me in?" She sported a coy smile at the boy, her hand on her hip. She then practically threw her suitcase at him– a quick peck on the cheek made it worth it.

"Uh– yeah haha, of course! I just didn't expect you here so early!" Levi stepped aside after putting her suitcase aside, letting his girl in.

Upon recognizing Daan, Marina immediately ran up to the doctor and jumped on him, completely expecting him to catch her lest they fall to the ground together. Her hat flew off but Levi managed to catch it before it hit the ground.

"Woah!" Daan managed to keep his footing as he instinctively wrapped his arms wound the girl's upper waist as she put hers around his neck.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it!" She looked up at him with an evil glint in her eyes, her legs dangling as he kept her suspended.

"Help what? Assaulting me?" Daan smiled back and put the girl down. He couldn't help but feel like he was looking at his daughter. Yes, Marina was in the "daughter-box".

"Well, when I see someone tall, dark, and handsome, I can't help but throw myself at them. Literally."

"Uh, are you sure have the right man?" Daan motioned to Levi, who seem to in shock at the whole scene. "Neither of us are dark and Levi's the tall one here."

Marina shook her head, "You're plenty tall, and no doofus I mean dark as in misery. I literally get depression just by being within two meters of you. I love it."

Levi felt like his heart stopped after hearing Marina bad mouth him. She wasn't even calling him "sir"!

Daan wanted to amend her incorrect use of the phrase, but instead chuckled patted her head. "It's been a while kiddo."

"You did not just call me that." Marina took a step back and pouted. "And you patted me like a dog?"

Daan didn't budget and kept his smile. "I did."

The occultist groaned and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you're such an old man!"

Levi nearly had a heart attack as his girl continued to insult his boss so brazenly. He nearly had another when he heard the rest of their conversation.

"Maybe. But my age means you need to listen to me."

"Ha! I'm glad you still have some sense of humor, geezer."

"Speaking of which, why are you dressed like that?" He ignored her jab, "You'll catch a cold."

Marina scoffed. "I came all the way out here for you to lecture me? I should just turn back now."

"Nonsense young lady. I have a jacket for you somewhere here…" He started to looked around.

Marina rolled her eyes, "Daan, I know you like to think you know something about fashion, but a jacket would not work with this outfit. Period."

"Ah, right, of course." Daan cleared his throat, "Obviously a jacket wouldn't do for your upcoming Broadway show. Either that or you're vying for the attention of boys."

"Now who's speaking nonsense? I already have a man." She retorted and walked over to Levi, hugging him at the waist. "A girl shows a little skin and suddenly you're acting like your dying."

"Well, I do feel a heart attack coming on…"

"Not funny." Marina frowned for only a moment before her smile returned. She couldn't be mad at Daan. "Besides, you have to admit my outfit is fabulous! C'mon, just say it!."

"Fabulously chilly, perhaps. Levi, could you go get a jacket for her?"

"Levi, don't you dare."

Levi was frozen in place. This wasn't fair.

Daan sighed. "Look, just take a jacket. It's cold outside."

Marina shook her head. "Unless you have a cute jacket that matches this pink color, it's not happening."

Daan opened his arms again, pleading. "Okay, hear me out. How about you just take the jacket with you, but you don't need to wear it unless you want to. You can get Levi to hold it for you."

Levi wanted to protest, but thought better of it.

After a brief pause Marina surrendered. "Fine. But only because you're forcing me to."

"Thank you." The doctor breathed a sigh of relief. "Levi?"

"Yes sir– the jacket, I'll get it." Levi felt his blood pressure return to normal at the dissipation of the tension. He brought Marina into a tighter hug before giving the nicely dressed girl her hat back. "Marina, we thought you'd be here later on."

Marina took her hat and the welcomed physical touch of the much taller man, rubbing her face in his chest before craning her neck up to look up at him. "I thought so too, but things worked out well. We got an earlier train ride."

Both men mildly scrunched their faces in confusion. "We?"

Marina pushed herself away from Levi and walked over to the front door. "You can come in now!"

In came a tall redhead with a smile to match her height.

"Hej!"

Abella's confidence was evident with her countenance reflecting a broad smile, showing her brilliant teeth. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean, full of kindness and hope. She towered at 173cm and donned a variation of her typical work overalls, this one being primarily cerulean with purple straps. Her undershirt and boots were the same as usual. Her fiery dark red hair shone in the light as she stepped inside with a wave. She had her hair in a low ponytail, braided all the way down her rump. Her hair stayed long– being an independent contractor allowed her to work with whatever hairstyle she wanted. Unlike Marina, she had a light jacket draped over her left arm while her right was holding a large duffle bag. Her toned arms held her belongings with ease.

"H-hello, ma'am!" Levi waved, "It's been–"

Abella briskly walked up to Levi, putting her face centimeters away from his. She squinted and put her hand on her chin deep in thought as the young man craned his neck back to avoid any awkwardness. Suddenly Abella gasped and took a step back.

"Levi?!"

The young man in question looked left, then right, then back to Abella. "Um, yes ma'am?"

The mechanic squealed and bear hugged him, quickly vacating all the air in his lungs. He didn't even have a chance to hug her back as he had his arms pinned down to his sides.

"Ooooh! You're so tall now! And you're so handsome! And look at those arms!"

Between all the hugging, pinching, poking, and prodding, Levi felt like he was a baby being coddled by a mother.

"M-ma'am–"

"Don't call me that." Abella continued to pinch his cheeks, "It makes me feel old. Call me Abella!"

"Abella, ma'am–"

"Teehee~ no, no, just Abella!"

"Uh… Abella…?"

Abella finally took a step back and brought her hands together. "Yes, honey?"

"H-honey?"

Abella laughed. "You're so cute~ Can I adopt you? I'm going to adopt you!"

Marina was certainly enjoying the scene before. Had anyone else laid on hand on Levi, she might've said something. But this uncomfortable situation Levi was poorly handling was wholesome. Or in Marina's mind, "Comedy gold."

The mechanic then turned her attention to Daan, who was also just enjoying the scene before him. What happened next, the doctor could not have anticipated.

Abella did the exact same thing as Marina and jumped on Daan, arms wrapped around his neck. He wasn't sure if it was luck or strength, but Daan thanked the gods that he was able to balance himself with the redhead's momentum. Though he had braced himself with another couple of steps back, he welcomed her overt physical sign of affection by naturally wrapping his arms around her waist for a moment before putting her down. Usually, guys enjoyed the idea of girls throwing themselves at them, but Daan didn't know if this applied in a literal context.

He put Abella down, but she kept her hands on him and looked him deep in his eye. It was… what was the word? Unnerving? Flattering? Confusing?

"Hej." She softly spoke with her accent, not breaking eye contact.

To be honest, he didn't know how to categorize Abella; if she wanted to be, Abella could be a mystery. Abella was in the "Abella-box".

"It's nice to see you too, Abella." Daan softly smiled and moved his hand up to the sides of her arms. "How have you been? It's been far too long."

Abella nodded. "Teehee~ It has! I am glad Marina told me to come. I had no idea you and Levi were living together here."

"Well, I'm not sure what Marina told you but…" Daan smirked, but then took a step back in confusion while putting his hands in his pockets. "Wait, where have you been all this time?"

Abella finally took her hands off Daan, clapping them to together in excitement. "Oldegard!"

Both Levi and Daan exchanged glances.

"Ma'am– I mean, Abella, are you saying you came all the way from Oldegard just to see us?"

The muscular woman put a finger to her lips. "Well, I also have a job to do. A big job I think."

The men both seemed more confused by her anwer.

"You guys seemed to be having trouble to the Inn, so I brought over a professional to take care it." Marina filled in the gap.

"But, how–"

"If I had to hear this guy complain about 'the wires' for one more night…" Marina pointed to Levi, who suddenly flushed at the exposé of workplace complaints. "Well, let's just say it's good that Abella is here now."

Daan gave Levi a quick dirty look, but let it go just as quickly. He was more shocked at Abella's willingness to come and help them. "So you came all the way from Oldegard to Southeast Rondon just to help us? That's uh, quite something Abella. I mean, we haven't even talked compensation yet– how long are you even going to be here for?"

"Oi, don't worry about the money! Just give me good food and I'll do whatever you tell me!" She winked at the surgeon. "And I'll be here as long as you need me!"

Daan smiled. "Well, I can't just not pay you. We'll figure something out. As for the food, eat 'til your heart's content. Just know we don't have a full-on kitchen so don't expect any hot meals. If you want to be warm, we plan to install a fireplace before Winter over there." He pointed to the left end of the main room, juxtaposing the last booth and the bar itself.

"A fireplace, eh?" Abella scrunched her face briefly. "Do you have a chimney?"

"A few, yeah. The main one funnels through that spot. Is that a project you could take on too?"

Abella slowly nodded after a brief pause. "Yes, I can do that. But it'll be a toughy."

Daan nodded. "Of course, we'll subsidize any materials you need. And beer can keep you warm until then."

Marina had butt-in before the redhead could respond. "Speaking of which, let's have a round! I can even pay for it!"

Daan shifted his attention to the smaller girl. "Your money is no good here, but you know what is?"

"What's that?"

"Your ID."

"...Are you kidding me right now?"

Daan shrugged. "No ID, no drink. Simple as that."

Levi put a hand on Marina's shoulder before she could retaliate again. "Don't fight it, just show him already."

Marina sighed. "How about we both get settled in first?"

Levi nodded with a smile, earning him another kiss on the cheek. He then took Marina's belongings upstairs as he followed her. "Sounds good."

Before the two could enter their room upstairs, Daan's voice came.

"Levi."

"Yes sir?"

"Jacket."

"Yes sir."

And with that, the two youngsters closed the door behind them, leaving the two adults to their own devices downstairs.

"Oooh, they share the same room together? Scandalous!"

Daan softly chuckled. "I was against it at first, but… well, you know, kids are gonna do what kids are gonna do."

Abella giggled. "Agreed."

Daan went for his new guest's belongings. "Let me–"

"Don't even think about it," Abella smirked and collected her things again. "I'm not a little princess that needs help. Just tell me where to go."

Daan snapped his fingers and then quickly turned to the bar next to them, specifically the cabinet proximal to the main entrance. He then pulled out a key and unlocked a spaced filled with numerically labeled keys. He then took one out labeled #4.

"You'll be in room four. The even-numbered rooms have a view of the lake, so consider it as an extra 'thank you'" He jangled the keys in front of her.

Abella took the keys. "Then I'm looking forward to it even more, thanks! Does Levi have a room with a view too?"

Daan nodded. "He's in room two."

The redhead hummed with a nod. She glanced at the ornate simplicity of her new key.

Daan exhaled. "Alright, I have to get going or I'm going to be late. Let Levi know where to work once you've settled in a bit. Also, make sure to eat something beforehand. I don't want you to work on an empty stomach."

The beauty laughed while making her way to the stairs. "You're sweet. Go. We'll be fine."

And with that, Daan left out the front entrance of the bar. Abella waved him off before she turned for the stairs.

A steady rhythm of steps echoed through the stairwell as Abella hauled her duffle bag upward, its weight tangible proof of a lifetime's work and memories… well, it was actually everything she deemed important enough to cram in her bag overnight. Regardless, it was precious to her. Every few steps, a metal clang would sound off, her tools shifting within.

Upon reaching her new room's door, she fumbled for her key, its ornate design unfamiliar to her fingers. After a couple of attempts, the lock yielded with a soft click. Sunlight poured in from the room's window, illuminating the empty space. The room was spacious, with wooden floorboards that looked worn but sturdy. As the engineer's gaze wandered around the room, she was met with two cute windows as well as a small balcony, framed by new curtains. Her eyes also met with an old wooden desk, one that was worn from years of use. It sat against one wall, while an empty bookshelf waited to be filled on the opposite side.

Abella smiled at the sight of the water from her window. Daan was right; the lakeview was certainly something else.

"He never mentioned anything about a balcony. He sure knows how to spoil a girl." She smiled as she made her way to the bed.

Dumping the heavy bag onto the bed, the redhead began unpacking. First, she pulled out multiple pairs of work overalls, each bearing testament to the many tasks they had been through oil stains, paint splatters, and patches sewn carefully on torn parts. She hung them up in the closet, aligning them side by side, ready for the next job.

Next, she laid out her other clothes, everyday wear that consisted mainly of jeans and simple tees, all neatly folded and ready to go. She would easily have them arranged in the dresser in minutes.

Her hand then brushed against the cold metal of her trusty pipe wrench. With a smile, she placed it on the desk, a symbol of the many battles she'd fought against stubborn bolts and leaky pipes. Oh, and the abominations of Prehveil.

She reached deeper into the bag, her fingers wrapping around the familiar handles of her toolbox. She couldn't help but open it before setting it aside. She admired the assortment of tools inside: screwdrivers of various sizes, pliers, a tape measure, and numerous others, each with its specific purpose, each with its own story. That was on top of all the spare parts and pieces she'd keep– spare wires, capacitors, resistors, pens, pencils, notepads, zip ties, flashlights, and so on. She reserved a special place for it on the floor beside the bed, always within arm's reach.

She then reached back into her bag, her fingers now pulling out a hard hat. Its surface was scratched and paint-chipped, revealing its history on various job sites.

"Would've been nice to have in Prehevil…"

Next to her hard hat, she found her safety goggles and a pair of gloves, their leather surface worn from handling countless tools and materials. These she hung on a set of hooks by the door, ensuring they were always within easy reach for a day's work.

Next, she pulled out a set of older blueprints. Unrolling them, she spread across the wooden desk, smoothing out the edges. Each line and annotation brought back memories of projects completed and challenges overcome. Tucked among them was a notebook, its pages filled with precise measurements, hastily scribbled notes, and the occasional sketch of a design idea. Sure, these were older projects, but if not sentimental value, it would give Abella a frame of reference for future creativity. Or she could put her coffee mug on it without staining the desk directly.

She paused when she pulled out her spare pair of work boots. Even though they bore the scars of many workdays, she'd never throw them away. They weren't just boots; they were her trusty companions on every site.

Her attention then turned to her lunchbox deep in her dufflebag. A robust, steel container, dented in places, with a thermos snugly fitting inside. A small smile played on her lips, recalling the numerous meals shared with her brothers. She had kept the same steel lunchbox since childhood. Everyone thought it was rather strange for a girl her age to want something so masculine, but they didn't question it too much.

Last, wrapped carefully in a soft cloth, was a framed photograph. It depicted a younger version of herself, her hair wilder, her smile brighter, standing alongside her brothers, their arms around each other. The background showed the snowy mountains of Oledgard. With a mix of nostalgia and pride, she placed the photo on the bedside table.

She sighed. Things were different now.

The war had taken her family, one by one; the war had left an indelible mark on many, but for her, it had taken everything. Memories flooded back—of her father's laughter echoing through the house, her mother's gentle lullabies, and the playful bickering of her brothers. It was all gone now.

She still remembered the days the news came. Soldiers, faces grim, delivering the message that another brother was gone. "Died honorably on the battlefield", they kept saying. She still remembered the shrieks her mother made. "There must be some kind of mistake!", her father would yell.

At the beginning of the war, she recalled feeling uselss. A feeling she hated more than anything in this world.

Then, that faithful day would happen upon her. Stumbling upon a wounded man while walking home. She would soon become part of the Nameless Liberty Underground. A calling. She finally had way make her efforts known.

Alas, her excitement withered as quickly as it came. Unlike the same pair of sullen soldiers.

No brother remained. The war had claimed them all.

Her parent's response? Her dearest mother had taken her own life by poison. Her lovely father, by alcohol.

The weight of that reality had crushed her then, and even now, years later, its burden remained. Oledgard used to be her home country, a place of national pride and cheer. To her, it was now a cold cemetery.

A single tear rolled down her cheek. The loneliness was overwhelming, an ever-present companion in the vast emptiness of her homeland. She missed the noise, the chaos, the warmth of her family.

She walked out to the balcony and gazed up at the bright sky. The crisp air alongside the warmth of a kind sun reminded her of the stories her father used to tell—of ancestors looking down from the heavens, guiding and watching over their descendants.

"Are you all there? Watching over me?" she whispered up to Valhalla.

The wind rustled the trees below her, the leaves whispering back as if in response. And in that moment, amidst her profound loneliness, A felt a small comfort—a connection to something greater, a hope that maybe, in some way, her family was still with her.

Abella sniffed, chuckled, and wiped away her tears. That was enough to keep her going, at least for now.

With everything in its place, Abella took a moment to survey the room. It might have be a new space, but with every personal item she'd unpacked, it started to feel somewhat familiar.

Abella, with a semi-contented sigh, gazed once more at the room that now bore bits and pieces of her life. Stretching her legs, she decided to get started on her newest assignment before getting too comfortable. She made her way back to the bar on the ground floor, taking her toolbox with her.

"Levi?" she called out while standing at the end of the old wooden stairs.

When she got no response, the mechanic quickly moved to the fireplace. No use in wasting time; she might as well get started on something.

Abella exhaled as she squatted down to take a better look at the next task in front of her, putting down her toolbox alongside her.

Originally, she figured that the mantle was empty and the parts had to be ordered or picked up, but on closer inspection, she realized that there was a fireplace already set up. The issue was more so that was old and in bad condition; the fireplace had long crumbled into disrepair. In fact, there was so much soot, one might even think there was nothing there to begin with.

The first task was to assess the damage. If it was completely broken, it would need to be replaced. If not, she would have a chance to salvage it. She scrutinized the stone, noting where years and weather had caused deterioration. Each stone was documented; she was determined to keep as much of the original as possible. Next, she cleared out the debris, where she discovered remnants of a flue. It was rusted but not cracked.

"Oi, we might still be good here…"

Then came the firebox, where the logs would be placed. Abella wanted to maintain functionality over aesthetics, but keep both if possible. After ensuring the firebricks lined the base properly, she focused on the grate. The cast iron grate, with its decorative twists and curls, was rusted rather harshly.

"Maybe I spoke too soon…"

Feeling a bit apprehensive, she reached into her toolbox and brought out a small cut of sandpaper. She muttered a small prayer before sanding down the grate, hoping the rust would just slide off and that there would be enough cast iron for it to stay intact. The rust came off and…

It was still intact!

She let out a silent sigh. No need to overhaul everything then.

Besides a proper damper, the rest was just finishing touches. The damper would regulate airflow and ensure that the heat was retained inside and not lost through the chimney. It only took her a minute to confirm the current damper was still functional. Old, but functional. Good enough.

And now it was onto cosmetics. Abella decided to restore the original stone facade of the fireplace with some manual brushing, painting, and even chiseling. She considered having it pressured washed, but the damage was superficial so she figured it wasn't necessary.

She then opened the gasline just a tad and, with a flick of her wrist on a tinderbox, the reborn fireplace roared to life. She smiled. Finishing a project was one of the best feelings in the world.

"Ah, ma'am! You fixed the fireplace!"

Abella nearly screamed as she jumped from the sight of Levi's youthful face suddenly popping up from under the bar counter.

"Åh shit, du skrämde mig!" She barely managed, her hand on her chest.

Levi could image what she was trying to say. "Um, s-sorry ma'am."

"Don't call me that." She gently reminded him with a small laugh, trying to calm herself down, "And what are you doing down there?"

"S-sorry, Abella…" Levi shook his head and then pointed towards the spot of the bar he was just at. "'The wires' are right underneath that cabinet. They kinda cause anything near it to malfunction."

"Malfunction how?" She walked over and crouched down, her heart still beating fast. She peered into the dimly lit space beneath the cabinet. There was a small circuit board, with a mess of wires going every which way.

Levi shrugged.

"Well this is a wired point-to-point chassis, so there'll have to be some kind of current management." She said, her tone back to normal. "I'm actually surprised you all were able to find one this small!"

Levi didn't understand half the words she said, but it sounded like she was impressed. He just smiled and responded, "Anytime we use anything on this side of the bar, lights will flicker. Sometimes, the thing we plug in doesn't even work."

"Hmm," she mused. "It could be an issue with the power supply or perhaps a short circuit."

She glanced up at Levi, "Have you checked the voltage across the resistors? Or maybe there's a fault with the transistors switching?"

Levi blinked, a mix of confusion and surprise evident on his face. He felt like he understood her better when she was speaking Oldegardian. "I... uh, the what across the who now?"

Abella stifled her amusement, and spoke a bit slower, "Okay, let's simplify. Have you noticed any patterns? Do the lights flicker at specific intervals or when certain appliances are used? Like, when you turn the lights on or off, for example."

Levi just stared at her blankly.

Abella kept an understanding smile and delved deeper into her analysis, pulling out a multimeter from her toolbox. "Okay, let me measure some values here. It'll help pinpoint the problem."

Levi watched in awe as the mechanic, with practiced ease, began to probe various points on the circuit board. Her fingers moved deftly, her brow furrowed in concentration. Several minutes passed before Abella sat up straight with an exclamation of realization, "Found it! You don't have a wiring problem; there's a capacitor here that's malfunctioning."

More silence.

She looked up at the ex-solider, "A capacitor is like a storage unit for energy. This one's not holding charge properly, causing the lights to flicker."

Levi nodded slowly, pretending to understand. "So, you can fix it?"

Abella grinned, her confidence evident. "Of course! I've dealt with trickier issues than this."

With that, she set to work. Her goal was simple. Remove the faulty capacitor, solder in a new one, and make sure the wiring was organized properly. She would choose to organize the wiring first. It was the least important part, but she liked having a clean, organized workspace when working on any project.

The difficult part of this task would seem to be the position she would have to get into to properly resolve the issue at hand. After some failed body contortions, Abella finally relented and settled to get on her knees and bend over for a better view of the circuit board under the bar cabinets. Why it was under the bar cabinet of all places, she didn't know, but she prided herself on not complaining about trivial things. To Abella, this was only another stepping stone in the challenge before her.

To Levi, however…

Well, as a young man, Levi couldn't tear himself from looking at her butt.

Now, he wasn't a usual pervert by any means, but Abella's butt easily stretched the fabric of her favorite overalls. It was for everyone to see. Worse yet, she began to hum a tune, her rear now bouncing around rhythmically.

How? How could Levi stop himself from staring? Henryk had a point all those years ago; her butt was so… big. And round.

"Mmmm… yeah, that wire should be right here somewhere... Ah! Okay. Got it. Now we just gotta make sure these all connect properly…" She continued fiddling with the wires, hoping to have some wiring organized before tackling the capacitor.

Levi felt like he was going to die due to pleasure. This… this was pornography!

"Oi, this wire isn't working properly." Abella sighed, "I'm gonna have to take another look…"

Abella slightly pushed herself out from under the cabinet to get a better view while reaching for her pillars from her toolbox. In doing so, her overalls began to slip off her shoulder. Her work ethic gave her the focus to be completely oblivious to her wardrobe malfunction. As she reached back deeper into the cabinet to make sense of the situation, her overalls slipped even further and was now below her waist and butt. In a seemingly contrived manner, her clothing situation was now exposing her white tanktop and black tights. As Abella hummed another tune, she unwittingly gave Levi a very enticing view of her rear end. Her tights were stretched so thin that the outline of her underwear was visible underneath.

Of course, Levi was speechless at the delicious view of her rear and thighs. They were only protected by the fabric of her tights. That and the layer underneath…

Abella wriggled and squirmed, adjusting her position under the cabinet as she tried to get a better view of the wiring. Eventually, she finally moved into the perfect position. She was finally able to see all the connections with the wiring.

But this came at a cost; Levi had only a single layer of fabric obstructing a view of her effectively underwear-clad ass. Naturally, he continued to stare at her backside. He was barely able to contain himself as she exposed more and more of her juicy rear end, albeit unknowingly.

After some time, she pushed herself even further under the cabinet, being pure subject to Levi's thirsty gaze. She had no idea that he was nearly drooling over her the entire time.

It was just so big! Big and round! And juicy! And–

And just at that moment, he turned back to see Marina looking at him. A very, very angry Marina.

Levi was, of course, freaking out internally. "How long has she been there?!"

Walking away with silent rage, Marina only stopped staring at him once she finally exited the front entrance of the bar. The moment the door closed, Levi snapped back into reality and rushed out after her in hopes of damage control.

Abella heard rushed footsteps as well as the door opening and closing a couple of times but only peeked out from below when it was too late. It was just her in the bar now. The only thing she noticed was that her overalls had slipped down quite a bit. A bit annoyed, she pulled them back over her shoulders and told herself the overalls had a mind of their own. Other than that, she resumed her work, not thinking much else of anything.

~~~\\\-/~~~

"Wait! Marina, wait!"

"Don't talk to me, Levi."

The chatter and ambient noise of the somewhat busy street seemed to fade into the background as Marina turned to face Levi, her face flushed with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Did you seriously just do that, Levi?"

Though he knew this was coming, he still stumbled over his words. "Do what? I was just—"

"You were checking her out! Right in front of me!" Marina's voice, sharp and filled with rage, cut through the air. Her volume wasn't the issue– it was her tone. Passersby started to cast curious glances their way.

"It was just a glance…" Levi tried to keep his voice calm, but there was a detectable edge to it. He knew his defense was weak, but he figured it would be his best shot lest he stumbled over his words again. He needed to buy some time to clear his head. If he didn't organize his thoughts soon…

"Just a glance?" the occultist's eyes flashed dangerously. "A glance is what you give a street sign, not another woman's ass!"

Levi's frustration started to show. "Marina, it's natural to notice other people. It doesn't mean anything!"

"Natural? We're–" Marina's face turned a shade redder. "Do I even mean anything to you? Does this relationship we have mean anything to you?

"Relationship…" Levi's stumbled over his words again. He had meant to discuss exactly this as per Daan's recommendation. Just not like this.

"Yes, relationship." The girl's tone became even sharper. "That thing that comes with boundaries and respect!"

Levi threw his hands in the air. "It was unintentional! What do you want me to do, keep my eyes closed?" He had never been in a position like this previously; the two never had an argument this heated before.

"I want you to show some respect! I don't want to feel like I'm constantly competing for your attention!" Marina's voice cracked slightly. She was hurt.

Levi's face softened slightly. "I… I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Sorry? Do you even know how humiliating that was for me? You're supposed to be on my side Levi!"

"I am on your side!" Levi tried to reason, "I told you, it didn't mean anything."

Marina took a deep, shaking breath, struggling to find words. "It's not about her, Levi. It's about us. It's about how little you value our relationship if you can do that right in front of me."

A tense silence settled between them, punctuated only by the distant honking of cars and the muted chatter of people around them.

Finally, Levi broke the silence, his voice softer, "I messed up, Marina. I'm really sorry. I– I promise I'll be more considerate in the future."

Marina looked away, tears glistening in her eyes. "Just… just leave me alone."

Levi took her hand in his own, a bold move. "Ma–"

Instantly Marina snatched her hand back. "I said leave me alone!"

A couple of nearby onlookers slowly down a bit, craning their necks and giving the ex-solider a dirty look. Levi didn't notice. All his attention was on Marina.

"Just for a bit." Marina's voice was now barely above a whisper. Her eyes were now tired and cemented to the ground. "We'll talk later, okay?"

The city continued to bustle around them, but at that moment, the world narrowed down to just the two of them. Levi's gaze matched hers as he dared not to look away from the ground in shame. "...Where are you going?"

Marina spun around and began walking away, the curtness in her voice returning with full force. "Out."

With that, they went their separate ways. The day would be longer and quieter for them in particular.

~~~\\\-/~~~

"Ten blade."

The fluorescent lights overhead shone brilliantly down upon the operating table, casting a sterile glow over the abdomen of the patient, anesthetized and ready for surgery. Within the halls of the Southeast Rondon University Hospital, murmurs and hushed tales circulated about the legend that was Dr. Von Dutch.

He wasn't just a general surgeon – he was the surgeon. Every incision he made was art, every diagnosis accurate, every procedure flawless. But alongside his impeccable record came a reputation that made young interns shudder and nurses whisper amongst themselves.

Yes, he bore a surgically scarred and shut left eye, only visible from his hair tied up into his surgical cap. But his surgical teamed seemed to accept it without a second thought, likely due to their respect, if not fear, of him. He was not a fan of exposing his trauma, but for the sake of patient safety, it was a small price to pay. That and no one questioned it.

"Have you worked with Dr. Von Dutch?" was the commonly whispered question among the fresh faces at the hospital. His aura was one of intensity and focus, making many believe he was unapproachable. The fact he was young for a surgeon was all the more reason to treat him as a mythical beast.

Today was a routine procedure, or at least it was supposed to be. Cholecystectomy. A relatively straightforward operation.

But the challenge was not the patient. No, it was the new nurse.

She had only been working at the hospital for a month. A fresh graduate, her eyes still held the wonder of a newcomer, yet they also betrayed a shimmer of anxiety every time Dr. Von Dutch's name was mentioned. Today was her first time assisting him, and the weight of the moment was evident in her quivering hands.

She handed Daan the scalpel. Their fingers brushed slightly, and she flinched. Her eyes met his, pale blue, easily mistakble for deadened gray. They were piercing, but not unkind. In fact, they almost appeared… sad? Maybe tired was a better word.

"Steady now, nurse." Daan said quietly, his voice baritone yet neutral.

She nodded, trying to calm her racing heart.

The incision was made with precision, the skill of Dr. Von Dutch evident in every motion. The OR was silent save for the rhythmic beeping of the monitors and the soft instructions being passed among the surgical team. The minutes passed rather quickly.

"Hemostat." Daan instructed, his hand outstretched and waiting.

The nurse, her nerves making her momentarily forgetful, handed him a pair of scissors instead. Realizing her mistake, her eyes widened in horror. This was the feared Dr. Von Dutch, and she had handed him the wrong instrument.

The room tensed.

Daan simply looked at the scissors, then at the nurse. His expression was again neutral, but his eye held a depth of understanding. Without missing a beat, he placed the scissors back on the tray and said gently, "Hemostat, please."

The nurse blinked, her confusion evident. She thought she might've died on the spot and was now in the afterlife. Thankfully, she came to her sense quickly enough and handed him the correct instrument this time, her hands still trembling.

The procedure continued seamlessly from there. The offending gallbladder was removed, and Daan opted to closed up the incision himself instead of the junior assistant surgeon for the sake of time. This was not his first procedure of the day. Everyone was in awe with his usual deftness, thinking he wanted his job done right. Little did they know, Daan simply wanted to go home earlier so he could help Levi with the inn.

Once the surgery was over and the patient was being wheeled out of the operating room, Daan began removing his gloves. The other members of the surgical team exchanged glances, silently asking each other if they'd all witnessed the same thing in the OR.

The new nurse approached him cautiously. "Dr. Von Dutch, I'm so sorry about earlier. I..."

He held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "It's your first time in this theater, isn't it? Not as a student, I mean."

She nodded, her gaze on the floor.

He continued, "Everyone makes mistakes. What matters is how we learn from them. I wasn't born knowing everything I do now. No one is."

She looked up, surprise evident in her eyes. "You're… not angry?"

He sighed.

"Anger serves no purpose here. We are a team. We support one another. Today, you made a mistake. Tomorrow, it might be me. What's crucial is that we communicate and continue to learn."

The nurse's relief was palpable. "Thank you, Dr. Von Dutch. I promise it won't happen again."

"Outside the operating theater, Daan is fine."

She blushed at his nonchalant comment. Being on a first name basis with Dr. Von Dutch? The Dr. Von Dutch? Her mind started playing out a million scenarios.

The reality of it was that Daan was not comfortable with that last name. Honestly, he wasn't sure how to feel about it, never quite settling with it, but also never quite hating it.

But the hospital had to call him something.

"O-okay, Daan."

He nodded, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I believe you. Now, go check on the patient with the resident doctor. And tell him to write up the report."

"Yes doctor."

Daan parted ways with the nurse, heading to the locker room to toss his hospital scrubs in exchange for his stored everyday attire.

The nurse, on the other hand, went back to the surgical team and gossip immediately started to fill the room.

~~~\\\-/~~~

Marina wasn't sure how long she had been walking around town now. The afternoon sun was still up, just as the remnants of the heated discussion swirling in her mind. She really did care about Levi– almost too much, she thought.

But after that?

She needed space, a breather. The crisp autumn air seemed to agree, urging her forward with every cool gust. She found herself wandering, lost in thought, until the inviting lights of a nearby bookstore caught her attention. At that moment, cafes did nothing more than bore her while bakeries only sweetly tickled her nose.

But this bookstore? It beckoned her.

Inside, the scent of aged paper and leather bindings immediately caught her attention. The store was silent, save for the creaking of wooden floorboards and the soft rustling of pages. There were a number of visitors browsing the shelves, some sitting down to read their selections. Between the sight and smell of all the books, Marina couldn't help but be reminded of something else that bothered her. Her history with occultism.

Her eyes snapped over to a tome laid open in front of another patron— an intricate tapestry of symbols and spells dedicated to Gro-goroth.

"Out in public? Daring choice." Marina silently thought as she walked further into the bookstore.

A sigh escaped her lips, she probably had memorized that entire book front to back. She probably had every old god's tome memorized for that matter. Each symbol, each incantation... she could still recall the meticulous notes scrawled in the margins of her own copies.

The decision to immerse herself in occult studies had been an easy one. Hell, it wasn't really even her own choice. The Vatican, the priesthood, her father… her fucking father…

She sighed, her hand absent-mindedly tracing the spine of another spellbook. "Honor thy father, as they say. What a joke…"

She hated him. But she still loved him. Dammit.

Marina shook her head. Her dad was not something she wanted to think about right now.

Marina continued to pursue the section, half hoping something would distract her, half hoping she would eventually get out of the hellhole called the occult section.

Blood magic, alchemy, the old gods… she felt a growing disconnect. Was she ever really connected to begin with?

Her legs eventually took her to another section, giving her a bit of breathing room. Marina began her meandering through the fiction section, pulling out a romantic novel titled "Back Again" and skimming the blurb. Her current emotional state quickly protested, and she promptly placed it back. Moving along, her eyes caught a bright cover depicting a mysterious door set against a stormy background. "What we Keep", it was called. Intrigued, she opened it, only to find it was another romance masquerading as a mystery. Back on the shelf it went.

Hoping to exit the romance scene all to together, she ventured to the arts and crafts section. Picking up "A Practical Guide on Edo Origami", she briefly imagined herself creating intricate paper animals and structures. But the allure quickly faded. She realized she didn't possess the patience for it.

A heavy tome on world history caught her eye next. She flipped through the pages of "The World as we Know it", looking at old battlefields and stories of monarchs long gone. While fascinating, it didn't truly pique her interest. She sighed, placing it back with a soft thud.

Honestly, she wasn't sure if she didn't care for any of the books or if her recent argument still left a sour enough taste in her mouth.

Wandering further, she stumbled upon the science and medicine aisle. Her fingers, almost magnetically drawn, settled on a book titled "Gray's Anatomy." Pulling it out, she found a cozy armchair tucked away in a corner and began to read. Each page, with its detailed diagrams and explanations, seemed to… not bore her.

"Huh."

This was certainly different from what she studied at the Vatican. The most she ever learned about medicine was from Sylvian teachings, but that was not her primary focus of study. Sure, she easily could've researched into the old sex god's teachings but…

This book. It was different. So scientific. So clinical. So… new.

Each page enticed her deeper into a world she hadn't dreamed of before. As she absorbed each page of human anatomy and the intricacies of its functions, she felt a growing certainty in her chest.

Hours seemed to pass in minutes, and by the time she looked up, the bookstore was bathed in the soft glow of evening lights.

Her mind now clear of the day's earlier events, Marina bought the book and stepped back into the night. If nothing else, this book would be form of escapism. If it was actually something…

"I guess time will tell."

~~~\\\-/~~~

He had always considered himself a decent person. Not amazing, but not evil. Just decent.

But this afternoon's incident had unearthed an ugly side of him. An insecurity, perhaps, or an unfulfilled desire. Whatever it was, it had hurt the one person he never wanted to see in pain.

"Why am I like this?" Levi whispered to himself, feeling the sting of guilt.

The urban soundscape seemed to grow louder, forcing the ex-solider out of his reflective state. The distant sound of laughter, the hum of cars, and the soft strumming of a street musician's guitar enveloped him. He took a deep breath and continued to walk any which way the wind would take him.

With each step, he ventured deeper into the city, away from his familiar landmarks. Neon lights illuminated food stalls serving exotic dishes, street performers playing their instruments, and beggars with their empty cups. The new foreign part of the city was momentarily distracting. It was a world he and Marina had yet to explore together.

"Marina…"

As he aimlessly walked, Levi stumbled upon a quiet park. The city noise had long faded into the background, replaced by the soft chirping of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves. He found a bench and sat down, allowing the tranquility to take over.

Closing his eyes, he replayed the earlier scene, searching for a deeper understanding of his actions. If he wanted any chance of apologizing to Marina, he figured his best course of action would be to learn from his mistake.

Sure, Abella was attractive for obvious reasons, but he tried not to focus too much on her physical traits as opposed to his reasoning for why he focused on her in the first place. His face contorted while he continued with the introspection.

Earlier, when Marina caught him staring, it wasn't out of desire or any genuine interest… no, the truth was in front of him. Perhaps he always knew, but he didn't want to address it. Coming face to face with it would mean it was real.

Levi slowly opened his eyes, a sad expression all around him. It was probably time to focus on it. No more ignoring it, no more running away.

He had never been physically intimate with a girl before, a secret he kept locked away, fearing judgment or ridicule. That moment was an unconscious reflection of his own uncertainties, a way to momentarily escape the looming anxiety of feeling inexperienced and out of place. This was a manifestation of his insecurities, ones he had never openly discussed with Marina or anyone else before.

Before he knew it, his feet began to move, aimlessly carrying him back into the controlled chaos of the city. Every sight and sound was but only a fleeting escape from his thoughts. The urban sprawl with its lights, sounds, and smells served as a poor distraction, all of it blurring into the background. His thoughts began to drift back, whether he liked it or not. Why had he let his insecurity build such a high wall around him? Was it societal pressure or self-imposed expectations that made him feel inadequate?

Maybe… maybe it was because he never learned how to be a normal kid.

War wasn't supposed to be for children.

Boot camp was a stark contrast to the soft meadows of rural Bohemia. Cold, hard ground replaced the soft grass, and the sounds of gunfire and shouts replaced the chirping of birds. Levi was thrusted into rigorous training, his days filled with drills, combat lessons, and survival tactics.

His nights, however, were battles of a different kind. In the stillness, memories of home would flood back. He'd remember his mother's frieghtened face and screams, his father's drunken stumble and attacks. He'd remember the beatings he would receive at St. Domek's orphanage, trying to ignore the screams of others being assaulted alongside him. Those memories were a torment, but he wasn't sure if his life was better or worse when he was at camp.

The children in the camp formed a silent bond, their eyes reflecting stories they were supposed to be too young to tell. Usually, Levi remained quiet, but he would still join a group sitting around a makeshift fire. They would share tales of their homes, their voices barely above whispers.

Days would turn into weeks and weeks into months. Levi became a skilled young soldier. But every time he held a rifle, every time he stood guard, he was unknowingly paying a heavy price. The war had forced him to grow up too soon, leaving behind the boy from Prehevil, replacing him with a soldier who knew too much of the world's cruelties.

He would never have the "birds and bees" talk. He would never play hide and seek with his friends. He would never learn what going to school like a normal kid would be like.

He figured he would never know what sex felt like.

That.

A young strapping boy in his 20's who had done nothing to touch a girl beyond wrapping his arms around her waist? Hormones would definitely have a say in that.

"I guess Daan was on to something."

He remembered all the movies, stories, and conversations that made it seem like everyone else had everything figured out, making his own inexperience feel like a glaring inadequacy. He had internalized these feelings and now, they were revealing themselves through his actions.

Levi felt a bit of the weight being lifted. He wasn't completely ready to face Marina with his newfound understanding, but he was ready enough. He wasn't prepared with just mere apologies but with genuine understanding… or at least close enough to it.

He suddenly gained control of his directionality and ordered his legs to take him back to the bar. The now active streetlamps shimmered off the roads and sidewalks, guiding him home. The air was slowly getting nippy, causing most people around Levi to put their hands in their pockets and further button up their jackets.

Levi, however, didn't seem to notice. He had only two things on his mind.

Love and redemption.

~~~\\\-/~~~

The foyer, aglow with the now working lights of the bar as well as the fireplace, seemed unusually silent. Only the crackles of the newly active fireplace and the occasional exhaust from a passing automobile from outside broke the stillness.

Marina sat on one of the armchairs pulled up to the fireplace, engrossed in her newly purchased book, her expression unreadable. She tried her best not to glare at the redhead sitting in the armchair next to her. It wasn't her fault the occultist was feeling like this, but every now and then, she couldn't help but shoot a dirty glance at her. It wasn't fair, but she couldn't help but think nasty thoughts towards the engineer. The least she could was keep it all to herself.

"Thank you." Marina spoke up, nearly avoiding a freudian slip.

Abella looked over, a mug of hot chocolate cupped in her hands. "Hm? What for?"

"The fireplace." The smaller girl kept her eyes on her book. "It's much cozier in here now."

The mechanic's eyes lit up. "Ah, yes! We call it mys in Oldegard. Very mys, very cozy."

Marina faked a smile as she briefly glanced at her company. Her eyes immediately went back to her book. Playing nice was hard.

Before either woman could say anything else, a tired Levi came in from the front door. A quick gust of wind followed him, reminding the women how chilly Autumn nights could get in Rondon.

After closing the door behind him, he froze at the sight of Marina. He hadn't expected her to be right next to the entrance. The weight of Marina's silence pressed down on him, making him more anxious with each passing second.

Taking a deep breath, Levi walked over and pulled up a third chair, taking a seat beside her while keeping a respectful distance. It was now or never.

"Marina... Can we talk?"

Without raising her eyes from the book, she replied with a cold, "About?"

"That... uh, thing. Earlier today."

"Oh, you mean when you were ogling that girl's butt?" She finally looked up, her hazel eyes icy. She made sure to enunciate that last part.

Levi winced, briefly looking over to Abella, whose eyes widened immediately. Abella was not certain of the details, but she took this as her cue to leave for her room. She had read enough romance novels to know when a lover's quarrel was afoot. Once the taller woman was at a comfortable distance, Levi spoke up again.

"I wasn't ogling. It was just a... momentary lapse. I… I'm sorry."

Marina raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "A momentary lapse of judgment? Or just a momentary lapse in your ability to be sneaky about it?"

Levi took another deep breath, fighting the urge to be defensive. "Look, Marina, I messed up, okay? I should've been more respectful, especially when I was with you. It was thoughtless."

"You're right about the thoughtless part." She retorted.

He extended his hand, trying to bridge the gap between them. "I… I know words may not mean much right now, but I promise, I only care about you. What I did was stupid and inconsiderate. I should have been more mindful of how it would make you feel."

She looked at him, her gaze softening just a fraction. "Levi, it's not about her. It's about trust. I trust you to have my back, to respect our relationship. And today, it felt like you disrespected that."

"I know," Levi admitted, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "It's just... sometimes, I act before I think. This is… this is all new to me, you know? It's something I'm trying to work on. I wish I could just take it back."

Marina sighed, placing her book down and turned to face him. "Levi, you can't just act without thinking. We're not primitive monkeys."

"I get it. I really do. I just... I wish you'd believe that this doesn't change how I feel about you. It was a stupid, fleeting moment that I regret." He then swallowed and spoke a bit softer, "Y-you're my first, you know… I've never been with anyone before…"

Marina gave him an understanding look. "You're my first too Levi… I know that we'll make mistakes but we still have to learn from them."

Levi nodded. "I know."

Marina studied his face, searching for sincerity. "Do you understand why it hurts?"

He nodded again, slower this time. "Because it made you feel less than. Because in that moment, it felt like I chose someone else, even if it was just for a second." Honestly, Levi was impressed with his own answer. This was working!

She leaned in closer, "And because it embarrassed me. Imagine if other people saw? They would've thought less of our relationship. They would think 'that guy is such a player, no way he's taking her seriously'."

Levi's face contorted with regret. "Marina… I'm so sorry. I didn't think about any of that. I was selfish. But you have to believe me when I say no matter how many stupid things I do, it doesn't change how I feel about you."

"And how do you feel about me, Levi?" Marina's looked into his eyes deeply.

"I love you."

The world stopped in its tracks.

They both stared at each other, wide-eyed, the weight of his unexpected confession hanging between them. They were both equally shocked.

Levi's mind raced and his face flushed. He stumbled over his words, "I... I didn't mean to say that– no wait, I did! J-just not like this. Uh– I didn't plan on it. It just... slipped. And uh…"

And then, without thinking, without planning, and certainly without expecting it himself, the words tumbled out of his mouth again, "Marina, I love you."

Marina, still processing, blinked a couple of times, then a large smile formed on her lips. Her cheeks flushed a shade of pink and her eyes became glassy. "Levi…"

The two sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their emotions hanging between them.

Suddenly, Levi grabbed her hands, palming them in his own. He already threw it all out there. Nothing else to lose anymore.

"I promise, Marina. I promise I'll be better. I'll show you every day just how much you mean to me. I'll show you that I love you."

"It's not going to be fixed overnight… but it's a start."

Levi leaned in, putting his forehead against hers, and whispered, "Thank you for giving me a chance to make things right."

"Levi…"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too." She couldn't stop a single tear from rolling down her eye.

Levi instinctively wiped it away with his thumb, "Hey, don't cry…"

Marina leaned into his touch, never taking her eyes off his. The two then started giggling like school children would. Ah, young love.

From the corner of the upstairs hallway, Abella felt her heart swell as she saw the scene unfold before her. She smiled caringly.

Her books were all of romance, filled with poignant moments of yearning, passionate encounters, and timeless love. Abella was no stranger to such narratives, and she would often lose herself in these pages, living vicariously through the characters, feeling their joys and sorrows as if they were her own. So when she saw these two, she managed to not only feel happy for them, but would imagine a beautiful fairy tail scenario of the two going about the rest of their lives together.

And yet, after only a few fleeting moments, her smile faded. She kept staring at the two.

Taking in the real-life romance unfolding before her, the lines between fiction and reality began to blur. Her gaze didn't pull away from the two who were now sharing a kiss.

Abella's heart now swelled with a mix of emotions. Sure, there was still the warmth that came with seeing the tangible display of love, but also an undeniable pang of loneliness that resonated within her. The characters in her book seemed to come alive in her hands, yet the very realness of the scene only amplified her own solitude. For Alll-Mer's sake, she was 29 years old! If only–

"No."

This was a trap Abella knew too well. If she gave this thought process anymore credit than it deserved, she would find herself in a dark hole again. She had gone down that path before and it was not something she would do again anytime soon. It was not something she would let define her.

Trying to shake off the melancholy, Abella silently retreated to her room, leaving the two lovebirds to each other.

~~~\\\-/~~~

The night had long draped the city in a veil of serenity. The street lamps had casted an ambient light around his surroundings, the harshness of the day replaced by soft shadows and quiet whispers. Most homes had dimmed (if not turned off) their lights, their inhabitants lost in the embrace of sleep.

But at the end of one particular street, a solitary figure emerged from the darkness. Daan stepped out, his silhouette sharply contrasting the dim backdrop. He held a cigarette between his fingers, its end not yet lit.

This small street was unlike any other. It culminated in a subtle drop-off, almost like the earth had taken a gentle bow, presenting the vast expanse of the serene lake beyond. Now, Southeast Rondon was well known for its beautiful lakes all around the region, no doubt a byproduct from all the snow melting off the surrounding Alps. This particular lake, however, was Daan's favorite. The waters reflected the silvery sheen of the moon so perfectly, he couldn't help but come back to this spot time and time again. Ever since he properly moved to the area, he had always been enchanted by this spot; despite living in the hustle and bustle of the city, this hidden gem offered him a slice of tranquility. The lake served as a silent companion, mirroring his thoughts, absorbing his worries.

He hadn't replaced his lighter, so his backup matchbox would do. He struck a match, the brief flare illuminating his features. The dark circles under his eyelids told stories of countless sleepless nights, of battles with insomnia, of the weight of his daily grind. The cigarette caught the flame, and he inhaled deeply, letting the familiar taste and sensation envelop him.

He exhaled. Fuck that felt good.

The smoke mingled with the night air, dancing gracefully before being carried away by a gentle breeze. Each puff was a part of his nightly ritual— a way to ground himself, to reflect, to momentarily escape the relentless march of time. There was comfort in this routine. In a world that was constantly changing, where days melded into nights and weeks blurred into months, this was his anchor. It was a small pocket of time where he could be with his thoughts, uninterrupted and unburdened.

The rhythmic lapping of the lake's waters against the edge, the distant hoot of an owl, the soft crackling of his burning cigarette- they all intertwined to create his favorite song: a symphony of solitude.

As his cigarette neared its end, Daan took one last drag, savoring the warmth. Then, flicking the remnants onto the ground, he stood there for a few more moments, basking in the peace.

And then everything went silent. Everything except for a particular voice.

"You must be considering it, no?"

Daan sighed. Of course he would ruin this moment.

"Such troubles for one man," the voice came as a velvety whisper that seemed to echo from every direction. "Wouldn't you like to have a simple life? One without worries? To make all your problems disappear? I'd hate to see a good friend of mine go through the woes of life when there are better alternatives!"

Daan did what he normally did. He ignored it.

But today, he was persistent.

"I've seen your struggles, ol' chap. I've seen the weight of the world bearing down upon you. I can offer relief… Truly, do you not dream of a life without burdens? A life where every wish is at your beck and call?"

Daan turned around and began making his way back to the bar. It was easier to drown out the voice with a drink and camaraderie.

"A life where you'd have all the answers. About her, sport."

The doctor stopped in his tracks.

"Ah, that got your attention, didn't it?"

Resisting the urge to engage, Daan muttered to himself as he pulled out another cigarette. As he brought it up to his mouth, he fumbled and dropped it on the ground.

"Fuck."

"Now, now, no need for foul language. Especially when you can simply have everything…" A snap of the fingers was heard, "fixed."

"Begone demon. I have no interest in your games."

"Oh~ You've finally responded! It's been months, Danny boy!"

Daan shook his head. "I have no issues, problems, struggles, or whatever word you would like to use. Save for you, my life is going quite well and I am in a good spot. Now leave me be."

The physician had no way of confirming this, but he just knew the demon's his lips were curling in amusement. "Oh, I assure you, you do, Danny boy. pushing down all your problems doesn't make them go away; repressing your pain doesn't actually make it any less painful. You're hurting. And I have the medicine."

"You know nothing of my pain, demon."

"Oh but don't I? I've been around a long time, Danny–"

"Stop calling me that."

It took a moment to realize Daan had articulated that last bit out loud. Thankfully, no one was there to judge him.

An internal chuckle was heard. "It seems like you are edge tonight, Dr. Von Dutch."

"Don't call me that either."

"My, my, feisty and picky. But those are names you've gone by, no? You're still Dr. Von Dutch to some and the last person to call you Danny was your beloved–"

"Stop! Just… stop."

"Would you like to know what happened? Would you like to know why?" The demon laughed. And then, just for a moment, Daan could've sworn he felt a cold hand on his shoulder, "Would you like to see her again, ol' sport?"

He shivered and stepped froward reactively. He needed to distance himself. "I don't do deals with demons. This conversation is over."

There was an uncomfortable pause. Then, the voice gave one last chuckle. "If you say so, Danny boy. Until next time…"

Finally, the sounds of the quiet world came back to him. The predictable tune of water against the land, the calm breeze of a fine Fall's night.

His usual lakeside respite was interrupted, thanks to a demon that seemed to be more and more antsy as of recent. It wasn't an overt, sudden change, but Daan notice that the voice in his head slowly became more and more active as time went on. Especially after the events of the festival. It used to be reasonable– a couple sentences here or there every week. Now? The damn thing would give full blown monologues on the daily. Sure, he could keep ignoring it, but… if this kept up…

With a quiet sigh, he turned, continuing his way back to the inn. The world would awaken soon, and he'd be swallowed once more by its demands.

He needed a drink.

~~~\\\-/~~~

The hum of an electric drill was interrupted by the soft creak of the front door. Daan stepped into his bar– his home, weary from a long day. He paused for a moment, letting his eye adjust to the bright interior. The fireplace was to thank for the extra warmth and light, the hanging ceiling lights alive from the corrected circuitry within the building.

He was amazed as much as he was thankful. He needed to share his thoughts with Abella.

As if on cue, from the shadows, a subtle movement caught his attention: Abella, engrossed in securing a loose floorboard. The glow from a nearby lamp illuminated her face, revealing streaks of dirt and sweat.

Daan blinked, the weight of surprise evident in his posture. "Abella?" He began, his voice filled with gentle amusement.

She didn't hear him over the whirling of the drill, so he only repeated her name after she stopped using her power tool for a moment. She jumped a bit at his voice, but shot him a half-smile once she saw him.

"Hej."

"The fireplace? The wires? Is there anything you can't do?"

"I like to think I'm a superhero."

Daan chuckled. "I guess your kind of superhero who comes out at night… It's past midnight. Thought I'd find you wrapped up in bed by now."

Abella kept her weak smile. "This board's been bothering me. Thought I'd fix it up before it became a tripping hazard."

Daan leaned against the doorway, his eye scanning the space before landing back on Abella. "You've practically renovated the whole inn within a single day," he remarked, a tone of playful disbelief mingling with genuine admiration.

Brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Abella shrugged, "Well, there were a lot of things that needed fixing. Figured you'd appreciate coming home to a place in one piece."

Daan smiled slightly, but then paused as his brow furrowed, "Abella… forgive me for asking, but are you... trying to finish everything up so you can head back to Oledgard earlier?"

There was a pause, one that stretched a fraction too long, weighing down the air between them. Daan's question hung in the air, its implications too vast to be immediately addressed. Abella's fingers fumbled with the wrench, the weight of the moment evident in her hesitation.

She averted her gaze, focusing intently on the floorboard. "I just... thought the house needed some attention."

The surgeon stepped closer, sensing something was off.

"Abella," he said gently, urging her to meet his eye, "Something wrong?"

She swallowed hard. "It's just... I thought you'd like it. A better bar. A better inn."

"Abella…"

A small sound came from the woman, but nothing intelligible. And nothing else.

Daan crouched down next to her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You know, I've always admired you."

This caught the redhead off guard.

"You've always been the hard-worker. You're smart, talented, and… you've always been intuitive, always seen through people."

Abella didn't have it in her to look him in the eyes.

After a brief pause, he continued. "Can't I do the same for you, just this once?" He kept his gaze on her, imploring her to trust him.

Abella took a shaky breath. "...I don't want to go back. I thought if I made everything perfect here, maybe you'd... want me to stay." She whispered, almost not believing she said it out loud.

Daan's initial surprise morphed into a look of soft comprehension. Instinctively, he wanted to ask why, but he figured he should ask for details at another time. He took a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I always hoped you'd stay. Not for the house or the repairs, but for the us. For Levi. For Marina. I know it sounds a bit selfish, but it would be a lot to us if you stayed– nothing would make us happier."

Abella's usually agile fingers faltered, the wrench slipping from her grasp. It clanged against the floor, echoing the loud beat of her heart. Her hand went to pick it back up but changed course at the last second and grabbed his hand which was still on her shoulder. She didn't dare look him in the eye yet.

"Do you mean that?"

"You never had to ask. This place is better with you in it." Daan's tone was warm. "Besides, I need all the help I get with watching over the kids."

Abella laughed softly. "Yes, I guess you do… thank you."

The doctor then squeezed her shoulder gently once more before retreating his hand. "Now get some sleep already. You've done a week's worth of work in a few hours."

Abella turned around, her eyes shiny, but a big smile on her face. She gave a mock salute. "Yes sir!"

Daan rolled his eye but gave a tiny smile of his own as the engineer quickly gathered her equipment and put it all in her toolbox before heading back up to her room for a proper shower and sleep.

Daan put his hands on his hips, content with that outcome. He had a knack for sensing when people were concerned. He also had a knack for saying the right things at those times.

He made it halfway up the stairs before going back down and heading for his favorite whiskey bottle. He pulled it out from the shelves, shotglass alongside it, and filled it up fervently. Fuck that demon.

The doctor down his shot like a college student, and then filled it up again before repeating the process. He let out a guttural sigh of satisfaction.

"Hard day at work, honey?"

Daan nearly dropped the whiskey bottle at the sound of Marina's voice coming out from the corner of the bar. She was well hidden by the silhouette of the roaring fire between them. In fact, Daan could only see the whites of her eyes until she stood up and walked to the bar table. She took a seat and put her book next to his shotglass.

"Please, give me some kind of warning before you decide to scare me half to death."

Marina rolled her eyes. "Oh please, it wasn't that bad." It would seem that Marina had a gift of sneaking up on men and watching them without their knowing.

"You'll give me an early heart attack at this rate." Daan feigned chest pain, "By the way, isn't it your bedtime yet?"

"Bedtime? Because you and Abella have to 'watch over the kids', right? Give me a break."

"You overheard that?"

"I've been here a while." Marina smirked, "Also, are you okay? You just had a double–"

"I'm fine." Daan waved his hand dismissively.

The occultist decided to not press him further. If anything, a less sober Daan would make this next part easier.

Daan let out a sigh of exhaustion and looked over to the book on the bar table. "Gray's Anatomy? Not what most would consider a daily read."

Marina started playing with her hair a bit, but quickly caught herself and stopped. She needed to appear strong now. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh?" The surgeon's eye narrowed in confusion.

Marina nodded. "I want to learn medicine. I want to be a doctor. Like you."

Daan had to hold back a laugh, covering it with a cough instead, a hand over his mouth. "Well, uh, that's not exactly something that happens overnight, you know."

"I'm being serious Daan!"

There was a pause.

"I want to do this." Marina stood up from the bar stool, her face full of determination, "I don't want to be a waitress at a stupid restaurant and I don't want anything to do with occultism anymore.

"Marina, it's a very long process…"

"I know, but I want to do this!" She then picked up the book and extended it towards him. "I need to do this!"

Daan sighed, "Medicine is no easy path. It's filled with sleepless nights, relentless hours, and heartbreak. There will be days where you question everything, where you wonder if you've chosen the right profession. Hell, it's not just a profession; it's a relentless commitment. It's not just about healing the sick. Those long, grueling hours, days, weeks? Your own health becomes secondary."

"I know it won't be easy…"

"And it's more than physical exhaustion. It's the weight of decisions— life and death in your hands. A wrong diagnosis, a momentary lapse in judgment, and a life could slip through your fingers." he continued, his eye distant as memories resurfaced. "Patients will share their deepest fears, their pains, their hopes with you. You'll be privy to their most intimate moments, and not all of them will be joyous. You'll lose patients, Marina, and the grief... it never truly goes away. You'll get attached to patients, and not all stories have happy endings."

Marina nodded. Another silence filled the room.

"There's also the perpetual learning. Medicine evolves every day. New diseases, new treatments, new techniques. You'll be a student for the rest of your life, always chasing the next breakthrough, always doubting if you know enough."

Marina swallowed dryly. "I know, but I want to learn, and I'm willing to try!"

"I can see that," Daan sighed, "But you really have to know what you'll be getting yourself into. You said you were serious, right?"

"Yes, I did. I understand it's hard," Marina whispered, "but I want to make a difference. I want to be there, in those crucial moments. Like how you were there for everyone in Prehevil…"

"Marina…"

She looked up, eyes with a fire that was impossible to ignore. "I can't think of a better teacher than you."

That last part got Daan. His face softened.

"An apprenticeship?"

Another silence. The ball was in Daan's court.

"...Normally, if you're actually serious about it, you would apply to the medical school associated with the university hospital… though… if you want to learn under my wing…"

The room was silent for a moment, the weight of Marina's request hanging in the air. Daan closed his eye for just a moment before looking back into hers. "Marina…" he began slowly.

"Yes?" Marina was leaning in, her eyes large.

"Medicine is a challenging path, but it's also a noble cause. If you truly, truly believe this is your calling, I'll reach out to the medical confederation of Rondon and request approval of a potential apprenticeship."

Marina's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Daan! I won't let you down!"

"Now, now." Daan put up his hands defensively. "I have to first hear back from them before anything is official, so don't thank me yet."

"I know, but I'm excited!" Marina's smile beamed across her face but then was quickly replaced with one of sternness. "And I want to be a doctor, not one of those ditzy nurses."

Daan shook his head. "I understand that, but part of becoming a doctor involves respecting the medical team. Nurses are a vital part of that team, ditzy or not. A little respect goes a long way, young lady."

Marina suddenly became bashful, her voice small. "Y-yes doctor…um…" And then her timidness was replaced with confusion.

"Daan?"

"Yes?"

"What is your last name? I never really thought about it."

"...Von Dutch."

"Really? Dr. Von Dutch? I would've never guessed." She put a finger to her lips.

"Daan is fine, Marina."

"If you say so, Daan." She smiled, giddy.

Daan felt a small smile creep up on his lips. "Now go to bed already."

Marina huffed. "Fine. But it's not because you said so. It's because I'm actually tired. Staying up for you to come back was brutal."

Before Daan could retaliate, the girl quickly gave him a warm hug. Then, as quickly as she embraced him, she left go, hurriedly grabbing her book and rushing up the stairs, a small blush on her face.

He chuckled and shook his head.

"Kids."

And with that, Daan put away the booze and headed upstairs for bed himself. Maybe he would actually get some sleep this time.

~~~\\\-Chapter End-/~~~

Fuck man, this took forever. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.

I do have a potential beta reader I might be working with in the future, but I decided to pilot the first chapter myself. Historically, I have the first chapter proofed by myself.

Anyways, this took up a ton of time– way more than I thought, so I'll probably be taking my time for future chapters. Regardless, I hope you are all having a great day.

Take care,

Laevatein