A/N: Wow, it really has been a whole year, huh? This particular chapter has been one of the hardest things I've ever written, and I think it contributed a lot to why I didn't work on this fic for a long time. But now it's done, as well as a sizable next chunk of the story, so we are back to updating! I know I've said this many times before so I will try to have this be the last time, but I will update every day until the entire thing is done. Even as this goes up I am probably in a word sprint writing out the final stretch. It's been a long time coming! I have also gone back and lightly retconned a few things from previous chapters, so if you remember something different than what is stated going forward, please consider the most current part the official canon. Sorry about all the mild past edits! When you work on a fic for almost a decade, you start to cringe at some of the ideas you thought were silly then but grate against the themes now.

All that said and done, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for supporting this fic in big and small ways these past nine years (happy anniversary!). If you have read this far, thank you. I hope you continue enjoying the rest of this fic until the end. It's been a pleasure to go on this journey with you all.

The man stood utterly transfixed. He stared straight upwards, mouth hung slightly open. Twenty minutes had gone by and yet he hadn't moved at all. Hardly blinked either. Perse began to wonder if she should intervene.

His appearance at the shop in the first place already caught her off guard. It was an odd time of day for someone who wasn't a "customer" to arrive. Usually at this hour, Perse could expect an older lady or two that needed a stray bit of yarn or fabric for a project. Not a man who looked her age. She'd greeted him of course, as was expected, but instead of replying, his eyes merely lingered at a space to the side of Perse, like he was trying to look behind her. Before she could speak again, his gaze moved back towards the store's content and he made his way over to one of the fabric displays she had up. Perse had an odd feeling about the man, but she refrained from probing. If he was just here to buy something or to kill time she would leave him be. She watched him examine her wares in silence, his eyes glancing between the different displays until he momentarily looked up…and continued looking up for far longer than any normal person would. Didn't his neck ache by now?

"Excuse me, sir?" she asked, moving towards him. "Is everything alright?"

He didn't look away as he spoke. "Who made these?"

Perse didn't even bother to look up, as she knew exactly what he was referring to. The ceiling was crawling with various knitted creations, all suspended from string in a way that looked like they were floating in place. Most were animals or plants of some kind, ranging from tiny butterflies to an enormous sea beast. A few humans appeared, paired with pets or riding on top of horses. Equally varied were the colors of the creatures, most appearing as the colors they did in real life with some creative liberties for the occasional mythical beast such as a winged dragon. Between all of them, threads of various sizes, shapes, and colors connected them, making rainbow after rainbow crisscross above. It was an almost nauseating display of color that nonetheless felt perfectly positioned throughout the top of the store. Perse rarely thought about it these days.

"Why are you wanting to know, sir?"

"Because I think they're beautiful."

His voice carried such breathless wonder that Perse found herself hesitating to continue. All she could do was stare at the man, whose eyes crinkled in that way when one was close to tears, with a tiny smile on his lips. No one had ever reacted in such a way to the creations; like they had unlocked a feeling of unparalleled wonder. A strange heat rose to her face and she felt herself wanting to take a step closer, look directly into his eyes to try and piece together even a fraction of what made him look…

She froze as her mind recalled training drilled into her. Don't get distracted. Don't get sentimental. Steady. Focus.

She adjusted her glasses and placed her hands behind her back. "I'm not sure who made them. They were donated anonymously."

The man finally turned to look at her. Perse's initial assessment of him had been on the blander side. He was a little shorter than average, although not significantly since he was still taller than her. Adequate fashion that framed an average build. Blonde, curly hair that sat atop a face that was, perhaps, slightly cute but not to a degree worth fawning over. Closer up, one part of his appearance did stand out; clear blue eyes that seemed to stare straight through her. From a distance their presence was minimal, but up close, she could feel a trickle of sweat run down her back from his gaze. Could she have misjudged him? Perhaps he was here for more than simple fabrics after all.

"That's too bad. I would have liked to meet them."

"Did you want to purchase one? We could see about one of the ones above if you desire. Otherwise, we do in fact have those that are available for…commissions." Perse used the codeword slowly, waiting with bated breath for a follow-up.

But the man just waved his hand. "No, I have no room for one. I move around quite a bit, so I try and keep my possessions to a minimum. And…" he looked away, suddenly sheepish, "if I'm being honest, part of my fascination was due to the threads in between the knitted creatures. Who put those in place?"

Perse blinked. That hadn't been the reaction she'd expected. "I did. I thought it would be a good idea to display some of our wares to those who saw them. I wanted it to be more than just–" Her answer was cut short by the man, who leaned towards her. Clear blue, sharp with focus, bore down on her as his smile widened.

"Really? Truly? Oh, then I have so many questions to ask you! Like, what were you thinking when you tied that orange one to the two up there? Or that dark blue one wrapping around the three of them? Is green so common because you had the most available, or was there something else…"

On and on he blathered, asking about the colors, the textures, the sizes of the threads she used. Perse's head began to spin at his dizzying assault of questions. She'd never in all her time at the shop seen someone so obsessed with the specificity of threads placed. And she had listened to numerous designers and professionals explain what they needed her products for. Compared to this man, they were nothing more than hobbyists.

"Sir!" She took a step backward, the barrage of questions finally becoming too much. "I'm afraid I don't have time to answer all your inquiries." She suspected he had hours worth of questions and she didn't particularly feel inclined to answer if they weren't connected to her…other job.

His body deflated. The spark in his eyes snuffed out like a breath to a candle. Only his smile remained, but one that looked similar to the one he'd greeted her with, an impassive, generic smile. "I see…my apologies for my exuberance. I tend to get a little…excited by this sort of topic."

Perse restrained herself from an incredulous look. "Excited" was putting it mildly. "…That is quite alright, sir. As long as you recognize the time and place for such enthusiasm." She straightened, mentally refocusing her mind and body. "Feel free to look around at your leisure."

"Right," he replied. His wandering eyes once again drifted up, and a hint of passion crept back into his smile. Perse glanced up again as well, and after a moment, gave a quiet sigh.

"Although…a few at a time, if worded properly…I will do my best to answer those."

He blinked, blue eyes shimmering as he smiled, a bit brighter. "Of course, of course! I'll do my utmost to keep them short Thank you very much, Miss…?"

"You may call me Perse."

He blinked again. Then he laughed. She felt a sudden urge to revoke her previous statement. "Is something about my name amusing?"

"Ah, ahaha, no…I'm sorry again. Just a silly coincidence is all." He shook his head and his eyes were filled with mirth, not mockery. "Well met, Miss Perse. My name is Percy."

Perse had thought that after his initial visit, Percy would become an infrequent customer at worst and a one-time visit at best. Instead, she found herself seeing him on an unusually precise schedule. Every other day they were open, sometime between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. His timing was impeccable; there was always nary a soul in the shop beside her when he arrived. Not that the shop was very busy generally, but given the nature of some of the "customers", it was almost a miracle that he never bumped into them when he arrived. Occasionally he'd either arrive or leave just as another was coming or going. It gave him a vaguely unnatural presence, to the point that Perse briefly considered the idea that he was a very persistent spirit.

He certainly wasn't aware of the store's hidden nature, as evidenced by a complete lack of reaction to several code words, as well as being completely uninterested in anything but the damn threads above his head. Every time he'd stroll nonchalantly around the store while asking her all that he could about the things.

She did her best to remain professional the entire time he was there. Although this resolve was constantly tested by questions both nonsensical yet strangely philosophical. ("Have you ever thought of a person as being mostly tied to orange?" "What feeling do you connect to this shade of green?") Despite her brain screaming in agony at the sheer absurdity of his asks, she answered them as seriously and considered as any other. You never said "I don't know" and especially not "I don't care" to a customer. Even if you felt both.

Admittedly, Perse would have been far more annoyed if he never bought anything, but he always left the shop with something in his hands, even if it was just a small spool of thread in one color.

One time, as he was checking out after his tenth visit, she foolishly joked that he must be making a coat of many colors with all the threads he bought. As the words left her mouth Perse froze, alarmed by the mockery in her tone. What had compelled her to use such a tone? To her relief, his gaze remained light. "I would, but I'm terrible at needlework," he replied. It confused her then as to why he bought thread each time. Perse mentally chastised herself after the fact and resolved to steel her tongue around him, noting that it felt particularly loose as of late.

On his twelfth visit, nearly a month in, an irregularity finally occurred. Perse watched as Percy's familiar average frame walked through the door, closely followed by a hulking figure mere steps behind. Perse wasn't an animal, but she could feel her hackles rising at the new person nonetheless.

Tall, with dull, shoulder-length blond hair and a muscular physique, the unfamiliar woman's eyes locked onto hers immediately. Their sharp gray was like a ruler, measuring her with its stare. It took all her training and mental willpower not to go into a defensive stance as she cooly stared back. She barely registered Percy, who walked towards her with a bright grin like usual. Only when she deemed it absolutely necessary on a professional level did her eyes glance towards him with a familiar, extra-neutral expression she saved just for him. "Good day, sir. How are you this afternoon?"

"Oh, same as always Perse. Say, I've mentioned Gilda before, haven't I?" He gestured behind him, towards the woman. Perse fought back a gulp, steeling herself.

"No, I don't believe I recall you mentioning her."

"Really? Well, no time like the present!" Percy waved a hand and Gilda lumbered over towards them. She glanced between Perse and Percy like she was waiting for something. Percy unsubtly cleared his throat.

"Gilda. Nice ta meet ya." Her voice was rough but higher than Perse had anticipated. Gilda nodded once before stalking off to a corner of the shop, picking up items gingerly as if she'd never seen them before. Percy sighed and put up his hands as if in defeat.

"My apologies. I forget sometimes that she's not really a talker, even if she is surprisingly good company." He looked back, a smile on his lips. Perse found herself frowning.

"So, you two are…friends?" she asked.

An emptiness entered Percy's eyes that left Perse chilled. His normally pleasant expression suddenly became completely unreadable. His eyes weren't on her or Gilda, but focusing on a space just beyond her back. She recalled that strange gaze the first day they met, only this time with the feeling of an intense emotion she couldn't quite place. An unease filled her like a bucket during a storm. Before she could gather the courage to speak, his words arrived like a thunderclap.

"Well…l don't like to put a label on it, so let's just say we do business together." Percy's eyes focused back on her, the emptiness replaced with his usual casual gaze, a smile back on his lips. Perse took a breath, startled that she felt short of one. "Anyway, don't judge her by the blunt greeting. She's like that with everyone. Gilda was just curious this one time when I mentioned the shop to her and wanted to come take a look."

"Very well, we're always happy when others recommend us to friends and family…" she noticed his eyes unfocusing and quickly added, "…and business companions, of course."

His smile twitched at the end of the sentence. "More than happy to generate extra traffic! Now, I have a few questions about the fabrics used over here." Making swift strides, he made his way over to the opposite corner that Gilda currently occupied. Questions swirled in Perse's head, all of them completely and utterly unprofessional to ask a customer. She banished the useless thoughts before cautiously stepping in Percy's direction. Whenever he wasn't looking, her eyes went to Gilda. She'd started staring upwards, much like Percy, at the ceiling creations. In awe or simply boredom, Perse couldn't tell. But every once in a while, she caught Gilda's gaze on her. Despite the familiar topics of conversation with Percy, the feeling of being watched made an unease build in her stomach. One that didn't go away even after the two left.

"There was another today?" An older woman, hair graying but not yet white, opened her mouth to let the smoke from the cigarette escape. She closed her eyes in thought. "What did she look like?"

"Tall, muscular, rather brusque. She told me her name, but not much else. I was told this was normal for her." The speaker adjusted her glasses. Both women wore dark, square lenses.

"Hmm…so someone likely not truly interested in perusing a craft shop for fun. Even if it's with her partner."

"She…she isn't his partner." The older woman raised an eyebrow. "He specified it was a strictly professional relationship." A snort, made between puffs. "I agree that it was quite odd. She glanced around the shop but didn't seem to know what to do with herself. She…looked at me like was…observing.

The woman put out her cigarette in an ashtray, grinding it down past the point necessary. Long, beautiful nails held it in a way that, even while getting crushed into a pulp, there was an elegant nature to it. "I've refrained from looking too much into your friend because your reports make him out to be an ordinary fool. But perhaps one of us was wrong."

"…You wish for me to look into him?"

"It was always a little suspicious, but now he's starting to become overt. Even you should have eyes open just wide enough to see that." She clicked her tongue. "Pray he's still a normal fool with abnormal tastes, or we'll all suffer from your mistakes."

"…Yes ma'am. I'll take full responsibility and investigate immediately."

"Good girl. Now, go do your job."

With that, the second woman vanished into the night. The one left behind brought another cigarette to her lips as she sighed and took another long drag. "Two fools…if that really is the case then they'd be perfect for each other," she mumbled.

Percy hummed an off-kilter tune–one he'd snagged from Perse when she'd forgotten he was around and started humming–as he made his way to the shop. His next visit came a day later than normal, as he'd been busy the day before confirming the identities of a few individuals for his current employer. Seeing as how it was partially a national security issue, they weren't exactly going to let him wait to report any longer than necessary. Hence the skipped day.

Truthfully, he wasn't sure it would be another three trips before the whole affair with the store, well really the front was resolved. He would be lying if he said that there was a certain appeal to the routine of it all; he so rarely got that with his jobs, and this one was special. The beauty of the displays along with the amusing store manager's attempts to answer his strange questions (the fact that yellow made her feel sad broke his heart, truly) always made him eager to return. Even though it was true he didn't like owning unnecessary items, perhaps he could sacrifice some convenience of travel to take one of the display pieces with him…

After checking to make sure no one else was already inside (an absence of turquoise or gray was a good sign) he entered. He immediately spotted Perse towards the back. She looked the same as always, long, dark hair done up in a tight bun, the right side of her part pinned back with a few clips. She wore a midnight blue dress that came down to her knees, over her midsection a sewn-in pouch for her to carry various crafting supplies. It must have been her favorite dress, as she wore it over half the times he'd come in.

In Percy's mind, Perse perfectly embodied the spirit of professionalism. Together, they easily chitchatted about any number of things Percy suggested through his questions, yet it never felt overly familiar or intimate. In this, he respected and appreciated her distance immensely.

Since he had been gone an extra day, he decided to break the ice with some teasing. "I hope this place hasn't changed too much since I've been gone." A remark such as that might lead to a thin smile or a glance that became the closest thing to an eye-roll; the sort of response that insisted he was conducting himself with impropriety. Strangely, he felt slightly giddy whenever she reacted to him this way. There was something that never failed to be amusing about provoking her to restrained exacerbation. He pondered on this paradox as he awaited her response.

A paper-thin voice replied. "Ah, it's you. I'm afraid it's the same as always around here." She didn't turn around to look at him, instead focusing on checking the quality of various fabrics on a table in front of her. He tilted his head, confused.

"I realize it hasn't been that long but…no, no, I really shouldn't be joking while you're working, sorry," Percy said, attempting to backpedal. Perse continued at her task without responding. "I suppose I'll just look around then?" An absent-minded nod as she walked towards another section of the store, this time counting spools of thread. His gaze lingered on her as he wandered around–he'd already looked at almost everything the shop had to offer–so when it became clear she wasn't about to face him anytime soon he slowly turned his gaze elsewhere. That is, up.

The creations towered above, along with the threads between them, as lovely and awe-inspiring as ever. Every time he saw them, they put a smile on his face. Instinctually, he began another question. "Say, do you think that a red thread signifies a sort of shared fate–"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm much too busy today to attend to an ask unless it's a serious question." Percy's cheeks took on color as if he'd been slapped. He stared at her, hardly able to contain his shock. Not that it mattered, given that she still faced away from him.

"My apologies once again, although if I did happen to have a serious question, would you be able to answer it?"

"If it's within my abilities of course. I simply don't have time for anything else."

Percy's eyes narrowed, wondering if he'd, no, knowing that he'd misjudged something fierce. He studied her back, looking for something that could solve his confusion. But there was nothing out of place. The one thing that could have helped was nowhere to be found, he bitterly thought. He forced his words not to waver. "Has something changed in the past few days? You usually answer everything I ask and still manage to watch the store without a problem. Is everything…" Perse was frozen, arms at her side. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he swore she trembled faintly. Yet, the voice that rang out was all too clear.

"Unlike some people, I don't have the spare time to enter stores and chat at my leisure. Some of us are trying to run a business here. And if you don't like that…" she finally turned around and cooly stared at him. Dark periwinkle eyes, framed sharply by her square glasses, held him in a strange intensity he'd never seen in her before. Her lips appeared just a curve away from a sneer. "Then I'd suggest you take your questions elsewhere."

They stared at one another. Percy's suspicions sprouted from seeds of concern to blooms of revelation. The distance between them, at first a comfort, now felt cold and there was a heavy tension in the air. A dull pang resounded in his chest, the unexpectedness causing Percy to look away first.

"It seems…I should be leaving now. I…won't come again if that is the matter. I'm sorry if any of my actions offended you personally."

With that, Percy made his way towards the exit. A part of him, a selfish part, wanted to turn around. But he knew what he'd see, two cold eyes filled with contempt. He knew it didn't matter, that what people thought of him didn't matter, but for some reason, the dull ache in his chest only sharpened instead of fading as he left. Percy wasn't yet sure what brought on this change, but one thing was for sure, he was now working on an accelerated timeline.

Two eyes did watch him as he left, the only thing Percy didn't account for was the pinpricks of salt gathering in them.

Perse sighed, shifting through the various documents scattered across her desk. It had been three days since Percy last came in, and she hadn't opened the shop since. This didn't mean she wasn't busy; on the contrary, she felt more consumed by work than ever. Zelle made sure to that personally. Another wave of fatigue rolled over Perse, and she fought not to close her eyes for fear she wouldn't open them again.

The "office" she sat at was in a building right next to the shop on the top floor. A space that also doubled as her living quarters. Well, technically only about a third of it did, with a small bed, closet, and tiny bathroom sequestered in the bottom right corner of the room. It was technically private, given that it was walled off to others and Perse had a lock and key, but it was also cramped, and she knew Zelle had masters for everything.

At least her desk wasn't in her room, the other two-thirds the actual office space. All the other furniture–a couch and a taller chair next to the nicer desk–were for Zelle when she had clients or worked. Zelle didn't live here, and it wasn't even technically her main office, so even the "nicer" desk could have easily been pictured at a quaint garage sale and not a professional setting. Perse didn't know how fancy Zelle's real office was. She'd never seen it.

Getting out of her chair, Perse straightened a stack of documents in her hand and walked over to Zelle's spot. Zelle sat with her head tilted, sneering through smoke as she gave her cigarette another puff and focused on the document in her hand. A lamp was lit next to her, as it was already late evening. Some light from the moon might have made its way over from the balcony windows if only the curtains weren't drawn. Zelle had been extra paranoid lately and had locked the doors after she drew the curtains. Perse knew better than to ask if either could be opened.

"I finished all these reports, Madam Zelle."

The woman glared at her. Perse didn't so much as blink. She set the documents carefully on her desk. Zelle picked them up, glancing briefly at the documents, then back at Perse.

"It's going to take a lot more than this to get back in my good graces."

"Yes ma'am. I understand."

Zelle twisted the end of a cigarette into the ashtray. "Frankly, I'm not sure if you do," she said. Perse braced herself, hands clasped tightly in front of her. More than anything, she wanted to get back to her desk and keep working, even if she was dead tired, even just as a distraction. But she'd listened to enough of Zelle's lectures to learn if she left now, it would only make things worse.

"You've let a dangerous rogue agent run amok in that store for the past month, and now I've got to work overtime to prove to my clients that this is still a trustworthy place of business. Cleaning up after your mistakes." Perse bit back a remark that Zelle hadn't explicitly told her to look into Percy when she first mentioned him; she didn't think he was anything worth noting initially either. It would probably turn into a case of her reporting the information wrong.

"Once again, I am truly sorry–"

"I don't want more of your pitiful apologies," Zelle said. "What I want is for this nightmare to be over and for everyone to respect me again!" She pushed the documents Perse had handed to her to the corner of the desk. "Go out and look for them again. Don't come back until you have an actual lead."

Perse's mouth dried. "I-I've already done a thorough search through town. It's like they've disappeared. It would be more beneficial if I continued working on reports from clients."

"No, I decide what's most beneficial for you to be doing. And right now, it's finding out where those two are and bringing them in for questioning." And getting out of my sight, Zelle's unspoken words echoed in Perse's mind. She resisted the urge to defend herself again. That would constitute an argument, one she had neither the energy nor the motivation to fight, let alone win. Zelle's purple eyes blazed. Perse bowed meekly, steeling herself to the possibility that she would be out all night, yet again.

"Well, if you wanted to find me so bad, I suppose I could have written down my address. Although I'm not sure it would do much good now, as I'll be moving soon."

Perse froze. The speaker was one she knew without even looking his way. The slightly teasing tone, much to her chagrin, felt like cool water on a hot day, putting her mind at ease with its familiarity.

Before plunging her into an icy depth when she realized how bad it was that he was here. She looked up in horror.

A young man, loosely dressed in dark clothing, stood before her, his back to the balcony door he'd just entered through. Bright moonlight shone past him, illuminating him in a soft glow. He pulled down the mask he was wearing to show he was smiling, the same kind of smile she saw almost every day at the shop. Light blue eyes echoed his mouth's sentiment. Percy.

"Your locks could use some work," he said, holding up a crude picking tool. "I'll admit, I wish your office was in the shop. Hardly anything of beauty in here."

Zelle sprang up from her chair, her back to Perse as she looked at Percy. "You." One word, filled with cold wrath, perfectly encapsulated Zelle's feelings towards him.

"Yes, me. You've heard about me from–" he faltered for a moment, looking at her. "–Perse? I assume?"

"I do know a thing or two about you," Zelle began, putting her hands behind her back. "I know about your oddly regular appearance at the shop, I know you ask inane questions with no real rhyme or reason and…," she flashed a hand signal, and Perse went rigid.

"…I know what you're up to." Restrain him on my next mark.

Perse tried not to feel too conspicuous as she unclasped her hands and began to channel her magic into some of the threads held in her dress. She wondered if the queasy feeling was from anger or anxiety.

Percy, mercifully, ignored her entirely. He turned his attention to Zelle, calmly peering at her. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"Don't even think about playing coy with me now, boy. It's clear you're playing the same game as us, only you're a little bit clumsier. And that clumsiness has now led to your demise."

"I'll admit I'm not the most graceful person, but I'm afraid I still fail to see your point."

Zelle was close to rolling her eyes, Perse could tell, even if she couldn't see her face. "You didn't really believe that your visits would go undocumented, would you? We looked into you after you appeared a number of times. A freelancer with the tendency to pry into other's daily lives? Did you think we wouldn't connect the dots? Whatever rival employer hired you, I almost feel sorry for them after the shabby job you did. And now, let me guess, after you screwed up promptly, you tried to patch things up, failed, and are now back to double-cross them in order to escape part of your punishment. Quite bold of you, really."

Percy's head titled. "You think I came here as part of an appeal to you? After I already sold you out?"

"That would admittedly be the better of the two options I thought of."

"The other being?"

"That you've got one hell of a death wish." A second signal flashed. Get him.

Perse didn't need to be told twice. In the blink of an eye, she leaped onto Zelle's desk and then into the air. In one hand she held a spool of thread, which glowed and began to unravel as she spoke. "Binding Threads!" Strands of the thread suddenly shot towards Percy and wrapped their way around him, everywhere below the neck. His arms were pinned to his side and his legs were similarly bound together. Unable to keep his balance after being so suddenly straightened, Percy crashed with a grunt to the floor.

Perse landed back down as Zelle slowly walked towards him. "Unfortunately, the only traitors I take are those who can prove they didn't turn because of their own mistakes. If you'd been a little more on the ball, I would have welcomed you in with open arms." She knelt next to where his head lay, and Perse's heart sank as she recognized that face; the one that meant there was no going back for Percy. "Instead, I'm simply going to extract everything you know about our rivals so we can crush them, then destroy you in a way that makes it clear what will happen to those incompetent enough to go after us. Your strange girlfriend as well, wherever she is. Both of you will end as sad, pathetic examples."

"Um…pardon me," Percy interjected. "Before you do all and such, since I have already been so audacious, would you perhaps give me the chance to give three clarifying statements?"

Zelle looked at him as if he were a talking fish. A desperate, flailing fish that asked if it could have three cups of water to breathe before it got sliced, boiled, and eaten. And yet, maybe because of the sheer absurdity…Zelle's thin lips drew a wry grin. "If you even think of attacking me, you'll be dead before you even understand what's happening."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry much about that possibility," Percy stated. "Alright, first statement…" He stared at Zelle, and Perse flinched as a familiar chill filled the air. The voice that followed spoke calmly, almost monotonously, while his eyes took on that same hollow expression she'd seen when Gilda came. "The woman you're thinking of isn't my girlfriend, or my anything else for that matter." He smiled, and she could tell by the way Zelle stiffened that even that unnerved her. "Just so we're clear."

"…Hell of a thing to want clarified," Zelle mumbled. "Alright, fine, I really don't care one way or the other. Tell me the next, and it better be more than that."

Immediately the unnerving smile vanished and his eyes brightened. "This one you will find quite interesting. It's a question I've always wanted to ask you, Zelle."

Zelle sneered. "Me? You're asking me questions now?"

"Just the one, promise. It's actually most of the reason I decided to come back here." For a moment, his gaze landed on her, then back to Zelle. "I wasn't quite sure until just now, but I always had this feeling, and it just never quite made sense to me…Madam Zelle, as you prefer to go by, why do you hate your daughter so much?"

Perse had a distinct sense that the world was ending. After all, she could no longer feel the floor beneath her feet. Was there an earthquake? Did a meteor hit? Fire and brimstone?

No. None of those things were happening. But it would be easier to explain if they were.

What on Earthland did that man just say?

Zelle didn't respond, only staring at him in silence, her mouth a hard line. Perse began to do something she hadn't done in years. Panic. Slowly, but the way her body began to shake was more than enough sign of it.

"Like I said, I wasn't quite sure at first, and I suppose there's still a part of me that doubts, but I'm much more certain now." He looked between Zelle and Perse. "Would you be able to explain to me plainly why? Otherwise, I'm afraid it's simply unfathomable to me."

"…You say such strange things with such confidence. It's more and more baffling." Zelle's tone gave no hint of shock, surprise, or anything that suggested this revelation shook her. Perhaps, if one knew her well enough, they might be inclined to say she was in denial. "I don't have any family, related or otherwise. Anyone who told you has now earned my eternal ire for lying."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Actually, no one told me. I guessed from the moment I looked at her, and now, looking at you, it's essentially confirmed to me. Believe me, she never mentioned you even once."

"Who?"

"Why, Perse-" his voice cut off as a SMACK sounded across his cheek, knocking the breath out of him. Zelle growled as she snapped her fingers, to which Perse started walking up to where Percy was. It was like an incredibly lucid dream was playing out, one where she could see herself, hear herself, but couldn't quite grasp reality. One hand clenched in control over the threads, the other clutching a crochet needle she'd pulled out as an additional weapon.

"You are doing a very silly thing, boy. It's one thing to come into my shop and threaten my way of life. It's another entirely to insinuate strange connections between myself and my employees. It's a disgrace, and it's extremely annoying as well."

"So you deny it then?" Red spread across his cheek, a darker red line trailing down where a nail must have caught skin.

"That I am anyone's mother? Obviously," Zelle snorted. Perse wasn't hurt by those words, because she'd heard numerous variations of them before. Instead, her mind reeled from Percy's declaration. How? How did he know?

"No…I meant the fact that you hate her. Because that is the part that truly makes no sense to me. That breaks my heart." His voice was but a whisper, but Perse latched onto every word as if it were the only sound in the room. "She is so talented, so capable, so generous and so creative…I cannot fathom the parent that would look at all of that and still behave as if she were not even there."

Zelle stared blankly at him like it was the only response worth giving to the statement. Perse's hand dug so hard into her flesh that she was sure it was just as red as Percy's face.

"Perse…I know you know all of this to be true. And I know it is not my place to define what she is to you. In that case, all I have to say to you is this." He looked completely pathetic, lying on the ground, bound in thread. Blood running down to his chin like a tear started in the wrong place. And yet, who wouldn't stop and look at him, if he called to you so sincerely? Blue eyes shone at her just as brightly as they did for the knitted creations on the ceiling. A light that made it clear that despite what he may have done, he meant every word he was speaking. "You're not less for not being loved by your mother. There are other ways to be accepted and connected to others."

It was like a spell had been cast on her, but no magic had ever made her feel this way. Was he secretly a Charm user? Those effects were supposed to wear off the second the victim understood what was happening, but for some reason, even after thinking that, she felt no change in her emotions. Perhaps because a part of her understood what he was saying.

And another was afraid of it.

Perse looked away as their eye contact was broken by an angry kick to Percy's side. Zelle's stature was small, like Perse's, but her strength was surprisingly high. She glared at Perse while he groaned. "This one seems to want to be punished early."

The spell over her vanished. Zelle's eyes became slits, and her voice a roar. "Now, Perse!" Suddenly, on instinct, the threads began to slice inwards. Not by much, but enough that Percy would start to feel them cutting through his clothing, getting closer to his skin. "Don't kill him just yet. We still have the information to get, but he doesn't have to have pleasant last moments."

"T-The third thing…" Percy groaned. "Was who I was working for."

"Oh? You were going to volunteer that information before being tortured? Leading with that might have put me in a better mood."

"No…I doubt that. Because the ones who hired us…were the Magic Council."

"What!" Zelle shrieked. The threads pushing into him relaxed as Perse's mouth went wide. This man was hired by the government? Perhaps their standards did get lower each year…

"Gilda and I were asked to investigate you two," Percy continued, ignoring their shocked faces, "to determine the extent of the classified information you've been leaking and to whom. They found out I have a way of…understanding people's connections with one another. All of your other clients should be getting arrested right now, as they've been dealing in national secrets…and you two will be next." He groaned softly, shutting his eyes. "Looking back, I shouldn't have given in to Gilda's demands to go with me there…then it might not have come to this."

"You! What would possess you to tell us all that then?!" It was all too much for Zelle, who was already on the edge of exasperation, to now dive off the cliff of despair. "Kill him, Perse. Who knows what he's told them? We can still salvage this. We can run. We can hide. We will survive." She looked at her not-daughter, eyes aflame. "You made this mistake Perse, so now you need to fix it."

His blue eyes met her periwinkle, and it felt like Perse was being torn in two. He gave her a sad little half smile, like even if she killed him, he wouldn't take back anything he said.

And that killed her inside.

It also made her hesitate, despite Zelle screaming at her and thus saved his life.

Because at that exact moment, the doors to the balcony burst open, windows shattering as a figure leaped inside with a weighty thud. The world stilled for a moment as the figure looked at her, gray gaze matching the light of the moon. It was about the time a fist connected with her side that Perse wondered if she would be waking up soon.

Perse groaned. This was getting to be a very long nightmare.

When the blow connected it was so solid that Perse's concentration on her strings snapped. The ones tying Percy up loosened and fell away in the process. As her vision blinked in and out of focus she recalled seeing someone help him up–probably the same person who hit her–and then flee. Zelle had screamed and must have attempted to attack them, for her cry cut off so abruptly Perse wondered briefly if she'd died. There wasn't anything she could do, is what she told herself upon recalling it.

Afterward was a blur. She gingerly got up, briefly looked for Zelle, then heard loud voices banging on the door. Panic overtook her, and she stumbled out the balcony window, running across rooftops until she stopped to collapse.

That was eight hours ago. Eight hours, and her life as she knew it was completely over.

The sun was now inching its way upward. Morning slowly but surely creeping its way towards her. Perse rubbed her side, which ached. Possibly with some broken ribs, if she were unlucky. She would have liked to get it looked at. Zelle had a doctor for such things…had a doctor at this point, probably. She sighed again and pulled her legs closer to her. She'd have to make do somewhere else.

Her mind bombarded her with other thoughts as a means of distraction from the pain. Where was Zelle? Did she get captured? Would she tell them about Perse? Should she have gone back for her? Could she? Would they be going to prison? Did Percy really work for the Magic Council? Did he really mean what he said back there? How did he know? How could he know? What else did he know? What else would he tell–

Despite herself, Perse yawned, then winced. At this point, the adrenaline from the frantic night was wearing thin. It was already past dawn, and she hadn't a sip of tea yet. She was liable to fall asleep soon if that didn't change. The pain did more to keep her awake at this point.

Perse looked down from the roof she watched from. People–who looked only as big as ants from her vantage point–walked to and fro, the early morning causing them to emerge from their homes once again. She kicked a shingle off the roof, hoping it would hit someone on its way down. It was petty, but if she knew someone else was starting their morning poorly, maybe it'd make her feel better.

"Feelin' sore?"

A flicker of terror reignited as Perse whipped around, eyes wide. "You…" she growled, pulling herself up as quickly as she could manage, wincing at the effort. The other woman didn't so much as flinch at her gaze, her eyes in perfect composure–something that Perse desperately lacked at the moment. "If you came to finish the job you shouldn't have announced your presence."

Gilda held up her hands in a placating gesture. "Woah, woah, easy girl. I'm not here to finish anything. Boss just wanted me to look for you, make sure you weren't passed out somewhere or caught."

"Right, you say that, and then when I've let my guard down, you'll take me out. I know your type."

Gilda stared at her quizzically. Perse fought the urge to grind her teeth. What was with this woman? Before she could think of her next move Gilda shook her head and shrugged. "Eh, I guess you can think whatever you want now," she said, moving toward her.

Perse put a hand in front. "Don't take another step!" She took out one of her needles threateningly. She still had plenty of string left as well, enough to bind the woman at least. Perse tensed, ready for the next swing of fists, or unexpected blast of magic. But she was soundly ignored as the muscular woman calmly walked past her and sat down on the edge of the rooftop. Perse held her stance and watched Gilda with the kind of focus one only acquires if they truly believe their life is on the line. Despite that, a sense of frustration started to build as she continued watching. Her nonchalant attitude, her complete dismissal of Perse…did she really think she was that beneath her?

"Boss wanted to take you with, but I didn't really wanna get stabbed in the back," she pointed at the needle, "so we had to leave ya. But they took that other one…Zelle or somethin'. She's with the council now. You got out just in time."

Perse felt sweat roll down her back at that revelation. If they caught Zelle, it would only be a matter of time before they caught her. A mixture of fear and annoyance threatened to bubble over inside the pot that was her chest. She stared coldly at Gilda. "Do you find joy in ruining other people's lives?"

"I dunno, do you?"

"Maybe I do!" Perse snapped. Despite the tense situation, despite the churning of her emotions (or perhaps, because) a need to speak her mind suddenly overtook her. "At least I'm not as arrogant as you two! I couldn't even tell what he was trying to accomplish with all that, besides sticking his nose into things that aren't his business. And you," she pointed right at her, "his weird little partner in crime, coming back just to get a rise out of me before you turn me in as well! You're just a pair of busy-body jerks, and I've never felt more insulted or humiliated in all my life!"

Perse panted. Her sides ached from the effort of yelling. She crossed her arms in an effort to hide her exhaustion, but couldn't hide her burning face, which was surely turning an embarrassingly bright shade of crimson.

It no doubt turned even brighter following the laughter.

Gilda's body shook with the fervor of an earthquake, the tremors rolling through her from head to toe. And the sound of it, not a polite chuckle or refined giggle like she'd been taught, no this was a full-on gwaff that reverberated in the crisp morning air. Perse's hands trembled. Getting ambushed and ratted out to the authorities was one thing; getting laughed at was quite another. Before she could decide how to respond, Gilda sounded off in between wheezy breaths. "That's the spirit! Was starting to think Boss was wrong 'bout someone for once. Guess not!"

Perse paused. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, simple," Gilda replied. "Boss's been saying for weeks now 'Gilda, she's so skilled and imaginative, she's got a real fire in her' and I was like 'whatever you say Boss man'. But then I get curious and make him take me with him to the shop. Was neat I guess, but didn't think much of ya at the time, I'll admit. 'Course, learning to trust what he says about people is the first lesson on the job."

"You're saying that man said all those things about me? Why?" She still couldn't quite wrap her head around all of the things he spouted last night. The new pieces just confused her more.

"Well–and this is his words, not mine–'Anyone who puts that much effort into running a storefront that even involves making creations to display is obviously either very bored or very passionate' and he didn't seem to think much that you were bored."

Perse's face was surely a tomato at this point. "He figured out I made all those things?"

"Those little yarn things up above the store? Yeah, he said it was pretty obvious. I liked 'em too. You really got the wolf right." Perse felt herself drifting. Once again it was like the world she knew was crumbling all around her. Had it really been that obvious? Just who was this man, that he was able to figure out all these deeply personal things about her…

Perse looked at Gilda for the first time not as a threat, but as someone who might be able to answer her questions. "Why did he come back? He could have just left us resigned to our fate. If anything, it almost felt like he was warning us."

"Boss always wanted to talk to you," Gilda said. "He just thought he would be able to do it more…private like. Then the Council told 'em that they would be making a move and he flew in a panic, said we needed to get in real quick before they came. He gets real particular about certain things, and also real stubborn, so I went along to make sure he didn't get his skull cracked open."

"What exactly is your relationship to him, anyway? You call him 'Boss' but he doesn't appear to care at all about you. He even went so far as to coldly clarify that…" she swallowed, hoping Gilda wouldn't be offended, "…you weren't in that kind of relationship."

Gilda's smile vanished and turned back to look at the people walking below. "So, he went off about all that then? You must have really ticked him off."

"He appeared to become irritated about the strangest things…"

"The thing is, Boss…thinks of himself a bit different than most people. He thinks he's an…exception." Perse cocked her head but waited as Gilda continued. "So he gets weird about things like that."

"What? Romantic relationships? Don't tell me he's someone who says no one will date him and then criticize those that do?"

Gilda frowned. "I didn't mean that, I meant everything."

"Everything?"

"Like parents and children, or friends, or people who work together," she said, spreading her arms around at the city. "Everything."

Perse looked out across the city. For a moment, she tried to imagine all the different kinds of people Gilda might have been referring to. She still didn't quite understand what the strange woman meant exactly…but another part of her, the part that would watch people enter her shop or when she walked through town and envy them, felt it understood completely. Perse found herself nodding.

"Boss…Percy…he doesn't even like that I call him 'Boss', but I started doing it so much he just let it slide. He doesn't like titles like that." Gilda rested a hand on her chin. "Not gonna lie, he's kinda exhausting to deal with all the time."

"Then why haven't you left? Surely you could go wherever and do whatever you wanted. An average person would have a hard time stopping you." Or even a powerful one, if their interaction proved anything, but Perse kept the second part to herself.

Gilda shrugged, then looked up. "I guess even when he's being annoying and not making any sense…I know he still cares about other people and how they feel about each other." Perse thought back to what he said to Zelle, to her. The words still echoed in her mind, and she doubted they would be going away anytime soon.

"And…" her gray eyes hung on Perse, burning steel in the light, "I also kinda want to prove him wrong one day."

"About…other people? I thought you said he was usually right about them."

"No…about himself."

The two stared towards the rising sun. Perse had a million more questions on her mind, on what Gilda meant, on what and why Percy was the way he was, but it was no use. Even if she knew the answers, her fate was sealed. There was no point trying to understand now. The sun was finally over the horizon. A new day dawned.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot. I was gonna ask you something," Gilda said.

"…Fine. Since you answered a few of my questions. But just this one thing."

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted to come with us."

Perse stared at her in disbelief. Gilda's grin returned. Had this woman lost her mind? "I'm wanted by the Magic Council."

"Sure, but not for anything too bad. You could just run away."

"They'll chase after me."

"We already gave 'em everyone else connected to Zelle, they'll be too busy with them for anyone extra."

"But eventually."

"Eventually can take a while."

Perse gave a weary look. "I thought you two were supposed to be the good guys, and now you're telling me to run from the Council?"

Gilda laughed again. "I dunno about that. Boss just does whatever suits his fancy. You saw that tonight. Although he tries not to be too mean…most of the time."

Perse shifted, the tiles beneath her feet feeling unsteady. "Why would you invite me? Isn't three a crowd?"

"Nah, the more the merrier. Tell you the truth, wasn't too sure until you yelled at me, but now I'm certain. If you can yell at me you can yell at Percy too."

"Does he need yelling at?"

"Yeah. Lots of times. But I don't think I'm always the right one to do it." Perse looked away. She didn't know how to feel about that. Gilda rose to her feet. "Anyway, just think about it then. 'Course, you don't have to if it just sounds like a big pain. We're gonna catch the next train, so you can think it over for a little bit."

"I'm not becoming a babysitter for an unstable man," she huffed.

"Course not. That's my job." Gilda smiled. Did Perse detect a joke or was she serious? Either way, the tall woman began heading to the next roof over.

"Wait!" Gilda turned around. "…I don't even know what you two do."

Gilda's smile turned proud. "We try and help people understand the things most important to them." She put a fist on her chest.

Perse snorted. "So, what, you expect me to believe you're psychiatrists? Therapists?"

"I think Boss once said something like 'String Repairs'." Perse's mouth opened while Gilda's grin spread. "So, right up your alley, right? Careful though, when I said 'ain't that just knitters' he got a real scary look on his face. Anyway…" she lifted a hand in farewell. "Train 134 at 8am. See ya." With that, she vanished across the rooftops.

Perse just stood there, not even having a way to check the time, wondering what on Earthland she'd gotten herself into.

In the end, the train was delayed by five minutes, which gave her just enough time to get to the station. Percy was visibly shocked at her presence, casting a wary look towards Gilda but not saying anything directly. Gilda was pleased and acted as if she knew from the start that she'd come.

Perse still didn't quite understand why she decided to go to them. Maybe it was because there was nowhere else to go. Maybe her curiosity was much stronger than she'd given credit to. Maybe still it was merely that someone had shown her a path and, so used to following instructions, she'd done what she'd been told. Even though no one had demanded her to do it.

Whatever the case, it'd been two years since then and she hadn't looked back since.

Perse opened the door to the house and carefully closed it behind her. Taking off her shoes she placed them neatly in a corner by the front door before heading towards the kitchen, hoping to make supper. If the others had been even half as busy as herself, no doubt they were hungry too.

She thought back to her day. The sign she'd painstakingly worked on the past couple of nights was complete and now hanging above the shop. It wasn't her best piece, but it was good enough that she was confident it could attract a few more guests to the little shop.

She paused upon passing through the living room. Gilda sat on an ottoman, staring blankly down at her hands, head hung. When Perse asked her late yesterday to help set up the sign, she'd done so without complaint, as well as without sound. It was only hours later that she managed to coax the story out of her, one which still greatly disturbed her. "It's not your fault," she said, repeating her words from last night.

Gilda didn't look at her. Perse sighed. "I'll go talk to him. I probably should have done that yesterday in the first place." Regretfully, she hadn't even thought about Percy, between the sign, comforting Mirajane, and thinking about what might need to happen next, she felt stuffed. Her statement finally caused Gilda to look up, eyes strangely fervent.

"Perse, be careful."

"I will be, don't worry. I'm the one who yells at him when your strength isn't enough. I've got this." Her friend still looked worried. And truthfully, Perse wasn't entirely confident in her assurances either. A familiar–along with unwelcome–anxiety quietly gnawed on her insides as she headed up the stairs, into the room connected to the balcony. She knocked once, twice, then announced her presence before opening the door a crack to peer in, hoping she wasn't interrupting anything.

Percy was sitting on the chair where the spool of the thread she'd enchanted lay, only now it was on his lap. His clothing was unchanged from the day before. Head bent down, he ran his fingers through the threads. Otherwise, he was still as stone. Perse mentally braced herself, then opened the door all the way. "Apologizes, sir. You didn't answer when I knocked."

Percy kept his head down. She took another step forward. "Sir?" Another step. She moved within a chair's length of him. "…Percy?"

His head snapped up, eyes looking right at her, although she could tell he wasn't quite seeing her. It was like he was looking beyond her at things unseen like he so often did when observing threads. But she found the glassy look in his eye far more disturbing than normal. Gilda's tale reverberated in her ears. He's not quite himself. She tensed with the anticipation of the unexpected.

Then, like fog on a sunny day, the haze in his eyes evaporated, and a wide grin covered his face. "Perse! You're here!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet. "How have things been?"

The question was so normal, yet because she had expected something less so, Perse fumbled. "F-fine. Good even. I put up the sign at the shop as Mirajane requested. But never mind all that, how–"

"Truly? Oh, that's wonderful! Now even more people will come by. I'm sure of it! After all, it was made by you, and you're such a wonderful artist Perse."

She felt a twinge of heat on her cheeks. "Thank you, sir. But I wanted to ask about you. Gilda said she…hurt you. Are you alright? She's quite distraught right now."

Percy's expression tightened. He rolled up a sleeve to reveal bandages roughly a hand's length up his forearm. "Just some scratches. She forgot her own strength. Don't worry, I'm not mad at her, I know it was just an accident."

"That's hardly the problem…" she murmured, examining the bandages. They were adequate, but she made a note to insist that they replace them when they finished talking. "I hardly saw you the past day. You didn't even come down for dinner. Now I respect the need to do your research at your own pace, but you should at least eat you meals. It's…worrying."

He paused at her words. "Well, I do apologize for missing dinner dinner. I just couldn't seem to tear myself away from this marvelous thing recently. In fact…" he held the spool out towards her, "why don't I show you a sample of what's been collected?"

Percy unwound the thread a half dozen times as Perse watched it, mesmerized. "See all the different colors? Each one signifies a different 'bond' that was extracted. Some are longer sections than others. From testing, my current theory is that the longer the thread, the deeper the bond. Similar to how thicker threads indicate stronger bonds. The way it's been enchanted merely substitutes "strong" for–"

"Testing?" Perse interrupted.

"Oh yes, one moment. I've found once they're attached they turn invisible to others. Funny that," Percy said, closing his eyes and turning around. Perse's eyes widened at the sight. Before she would have sworn nothing was on his back, but now she could see the same colorful strings attached to his back like spiderweb. They came in dozens of colors, from dull blues to rich oranges and so many in between. It was a regular kaleidoscope, the way the threads twisted around each other, giving off their unique hues.

Curiously, Perse noticed the distinct lack of red among the colors, which was strange considering the booth they got them from.

"I wasn't sure if it would work, but it did! I can feel them, Perse. It really is so…wonderful." He shifted to face forward again. "I apologize again for not telling the two of you sooner. I know this is just as much for both of you as it is for me. I just….I wanted to make sure. And now I am! And I think you two should share in it. I was thinking it could be the next part of the experiment."

"That sounds…nice," Perse said. "I'd be more than happy to participate. But we should do that all later. Why don't we all eat something and you could explain this all to Gilda as well…" To her dismay, he was already unspooling the thread further, clearly searching for something.

"Oh, but you must try this one first. I think you'll love it! I thought of you the first time I tried it, so I saved it! It's perfect for you, I just know it!" Suddenly he stopped, then slyly put his hand over the spool. "I shouldn't show you the color though. I want it to be a surprise. You'll have to turn around first." He took another step forward, holding the spool.

"Wait a minute, Percy–" She put up her hands in protest. "I understand your eagerness, but I don't think this is the right time."

He looked confused. "It's not going to take very long. In fact, it should happen instantly…"

"I understand, it's just…."

Her eyes met his. She hadn't realized just how much she'd been avoiding his gaze. "Please, Perse? Just for a moment? I won't keep it on for any longer than it needs to be. Not unless you want me to."

He looked so sincere, so hopeful in that moment. It reminded Perse of another time he'd looked like that, and that moment had changed her life. With only a heartbeat of hesitation, she turned herself around. She heard a happy hum and the feeling of something faintly poking her in the back.

Perse immediately thought of how much she loved her mother.

She loved the way she held her when she was young. The way the scent of freshly baked bread was synonymous with her. The way she laughed, delicately, but snorted when she found something truly funny. Recalling the way they had picnics after hiking through green fields on clear days. She could be quite opinionated, so they would fight over things big and small. Still, even though they disagreed on some things, she always made an effort to hear her out. She was the sort of person to stand up for what she believed in, even if was uncomfortable. She wanted to be just like her when she grew up. Tears, unbidden, cropped up in the corners of her eyes. It was a lovely, warm feeling of a child's love and dedication towards their parent.

And it was all a lie.

The person that they were directed to couldn't be Zelle, the same woman who locked Perse outside for three days when she failed to complete a task. The woman who commented on her appearance in a way that made her skip meals and take diet pills. The only scent synonymous with Zelle was the smoke from her chronic nicotine addiction–and the only expression a cold sneer of disdain. Zelle, the one who denied her all her life.

She wasn't experiencing her mother's love–merely a mother's. That knowledge caused two disparate emotions to fight within Perse. Joy and…revulsion. It was enough to make her nauseous. The feelings continued to roll over her in alternating waves, causing her to stumble back.

"See? Isn't it wonderful?" Percy spoke, his voice sounding miles away. "It's so warm and familiar, right? And just the right touch of conflict so that it isn't overly saccharine. It feels good, doesn't it Perse?" With all her strength she forced her eyes to meet his. Percy was smiling, a look of total serenity on his face, the haze filling his eyes again. "I wanted you to experience what you thought you lacked. Isn't it just what you wanted?"

Something inside Perse snapped, and with a gasp, she twisted her arm and yanked the string from her back. A string the color of a sunflower petal in shadow dropped to the ground. The second it was gone all the emotions that came with it left; except for the nausea, which made her fall to her knees. She panted from the emotional whiplash. Percy bent down, his smile remaining. But there was confusion in his tone as he asked, "Was something the matter? Not good enough?"

She answered him with a smack across the cheek. In an instant, his eyes cleared and he looked at her in shock. Her own eyes dripped with tears, the leftovers of the rampant emotions leaking out as she glared at him.

"Never, ever do that again." Her tone was icy as she shakily stood back up. "You can find some leftovers in the fridge, but don't ask me to make anything else. I've had a long day. I don't want to be disturbed again unless it's an emergency."

"Perse…"

His second-in-command didn't answer his call as she moved towards the door, wobbling a little, but not looking back.

He stared at the door as it closed behind her. Silence.

The sensation of the slap caused his face to tingle. It was…painful, in a way he hadn't expected. He stood up. For a moment, a sense of horror and shame took hold, and he found himself appalled by his behavior. What was he thinking? What had he given–

He still held the spool of thread in his hand. On the ground lay the piece Perse had torn off. It was still glowing. Percy picked it up and stuck it on. In seconds, any other feelings fled, and he was left in the blissful state of the bond.

When he considered again the fact that Perse clearly didn't want it, all he did was shrug. That was ok. More for him. He strode back to the chair and sat down. He didn't even register the pain in his cheek anymore, even as the red blossomed across his face.

Gilda rubbed Perse's back as she cried. When she came out of the upstairs room she was a mess of tears, and Perse never cried in front of others, not once that Gilda remembered. Something had gone terribly wrong.

"We need to do something. We need to stop him." Gilda widened her eyes. Perse looked at her, eyes wet and red and full of fury. "He's going to hurt himself. He's going to hurt other people."

"…Yeah." Gilda was in complete agreement. "You want me to bust him up right now?"

Perse sniffed then shook her head. "No. That wouldn't get to the heart of the matter. Even though I wish it would…" The second statement was a mumble, but Gilda still caught it. She chose not to comment as Perse continued. "We need to do something about that spool."

"Any ideas?"

A ghost of a smile crossed Perse's lips, and not for the first time in her life, Gilda was glad she wasn't an enemy. "I can think of a few."