Krusnik Mission Log (CONTENT WARNINGS AHOY)

[kaisoumods]

Krusnik Mission Log

CONTENT WARNINGS: The following log will involve discussions of kidnapping, stalking, child abuse, and human experimentation. Proceed with caution.

So let's take a moment to recap: amongst the numerous groups connected to the paranormal, one of the more infamous ones is Krusnik. For years, Krusnik's name was synminonous with the darkest parts of the world. Known for taking children no one would miss and other such people to do God only knows what to them, they're a group that seemed more like a horror story than anything real. There's been many efforts to try to stamp them out, some more successful than others, but they always managed to slink away into the shadows and survive another day.

In the past, Krusnik didn't usually go stateside. Too much risk, was the theory. However something must have changed, as they've decided to try their luck in Kaisou. Perhaps it was the active Spirit Vein that led them here, or more possible... the otherworlders that no one would think twice about if they disappeared. Gaining their hands on some of those would be a great benefit to Krusnik. And if they happen to get their hands on one or two escaped prisoners in the process...well. So much the better.

Like hell they will.

Thanks to the combined work of many factions and people; the alarms have been sounded. Alba, the researcher who asked for help a few times, has been revealed to actually be Georg Weissmann - a high ranking member of Krusnik. Now it's time to gather the wagons, make sure those vulnerable are protected, and as for Krusnik itself? It's time to root out these demons wearing human-skin once and for all.

Within the City

While only one Krusnik member had been identified in July, it turns out there's a sizable crew of them within the city. There's several operatives scattered throughout the city. Alba himself is no where to be found in the city, but plenty of his lackeys are. They primarily target the young (or young looking), though it's possible they may go after some slightly older people if they have particularly strong magical energy. It's never very many of them at a time, usually only one to three, and they seem to be focused in areas with a high concentration of supernaturally inclined people (except, notably, the Zodiac apartments and Cathedral Hill). Usually they will attempt to strike when they think someone is alone or their guard is down, so staying in groups and making sure there's someone keeping constant watch is a good way to deter them.

Though the groups are small, they are dangerous in their own right. All of them have been trained for combat to an extreme amount. Not only that, but they have magical abilities in some form or another, some who may rival the Libra app users thanks to years of experiments done to their bodies. Their modus operandi leans towards using stealth tactics to get the jump on their target. Not wanting to make their presence too known while in the city, they will tend to flee if they're met with a confrontation that'll draw attention. These aren't people who can be reasoned with, as they are nothing short of fullblown fanatics to their cause. Though, if you wish to capture and get information about their operation in the city, certain interrogation methods aren't out of the question.

In Hyrule

Hyrule was a dangerous enough realm on its own, but the presence of Krusnik operatives have heightened that danger even further for some. Just like in Kaisou, they will try to strike potential targets when they see an opening in groups of one to three. Since they are away from the prying eyes of the city, these Krusnik members will be more willing to have more drawn out fights in order to obtain their targets. Most of them are more than willing to fight to the death for their cause and have the combat ability to back that up, so you best be prepared for a challenging fight.

However should you manage to capture some of them alive, it may be possible to obtain information about their operation using interrogation tactics. As it turns out the leader of their operation and the target of the Black Order, Weissman, is in Hyrule itself. He's set up camp at the Coliseum Ruins in the southeastern part of the Hyrule Fields. The Black Order has been ordered to kill him on sight, so that'll be their destination. If there's anyone looking to dissuade them from carrying out their mission, they're going to have a tough argument to sell.

When you arrive there, you'll find that the place is covered in a red sludge that is toxic and painful to the touch. You'll have to do your best to avoid contact with it as much as you can. Once you get into the coliseum itself, well, it turns out Weissmann knew you'd be coming for him. This isn't the first attempt to take him out, after all. So as soon as you step into Coliseum, Weissmann will call down to you from his ledge he's using as his vantage point. Before you can react, he'll cast a spell that conjures an evil-looking eye before everyone who looks upon is magically immobilized. Now that he has a captured audience, he'll go into a full villainous speech mode. From mocking the Black Order's shortcomings, to emphasizing that all Krusnik is doing is trying to unlock humanity's full potential. "You could have the power of gods," he says "But instead you hold yourselves back with pointless barriers you call morals". He'll even callously speak of the "progress" the former victims have made: first lamenting that Johan would give up the power of his possession after failing to control it - a true failed experiment. Subject Zero, he notes, has clearly allowed her growth to stagnant while in the outside world. Kohinata, on the other hand... well, the Water Spirit he possessed himself with was weaker than Weissman would like, but it was still some progress.

When he's finished saying his rage-inducing, sociopathic piece - he'll decide that's time to finish you all off. Not by his hand, but rather the Silver Lynel he found living in these ruins. It's a massive centaur beast, wielding a claymore emitting flames. He'll release it from his spell, which it's now angry enough to charge and attack everyone who are nothing more than sitting ducks while under Weissman's Evil Eye spell.

Fortunately, for those who came prepared, there are ways to counteract the spell. Barrier spells will deflect the spell entirely, and extremely strong willpower stands a chance to make the spell's hold break. And if someone manages to break Weissman's concentration (by say, shooting him)- that'll break the spell entirely. Whatever ways you manage to free yourself from his magic chains, it's now up to you to fight off the Lynel and get to Weissmann. Weissmann himself, caught off guard by the surprise resistance, will use elemental magic to defend himself. How you deal with this man is up to you, but it's clear he'll be a threat as long as he keeps breathing.

The Base

Once Weissman and the Hyrule team are dealt with, there is only one more thing that needs to be dealt with: the demon's den that is their base of operations. You can find out information to its location either through interrogating captured agents, tailing their agents, or looking into a trail of breadcrumbs in the form of undertown gossip. Eventually, enough leads will bring you to a cluster of warehouses. Most seem to be just regular warehouses, filled with various stocks for businesses in town and for more illicit business ventures. In the middle of these stands a warehouse which outwardly doesn't seem any different from the others. By design, it is made to fit in, be inconspicuous. The inside, however, is a much different story.

You are not alone, first off. There are plenty of Krusnik goons to fight- who will quickly leap to defend their organization. They will fight back with weapons, elemental abilities, with everything they have. And they will fight tooth and nail. Worse still are other, younger members of Krusnik- former captives who have been beaten down and fully indoctrinated into Krusnik's cause. They will not listen to reason, and they will die for this. There's a couple among them that seem to no longer even have presence of self at all and act more like mindless weapons - results of Weissmann's handiwork, it'd seem. Some are exceptionally powerful- if you have the ability to sense them, you will quickly realize these people have been possessed by monsters and demons. There is no benevolence here. Mercy might not be an option.

The bottom floor of the warehouse is filled with rows upon rows of shipping containers. They all have padlocks and chains around them, but none are currently locked. Opening them, you will find a mattress in the back corner, with chains and shackles bolted to the side of the metal wall. Almost all of them, thankfully, are empty- but there's a few that house the three app users (Takame, Vergil, and Rose) who managed to get grabbed. All three of them are alive, though their harrowing physical and emotional states serve as a stark realization that the horror stories about what Krusnik does to victims are anything but stories.

The upper level of the warehouse has a few rudimentary lab setups. It's clear this isn't anything high-tech or powerful, but the remnants of something that once was. Mismatched equipment can be found everywhere, vials and medical equipment scuffed and cracked- things grabbed in a hurry from a crumbling coalition. It's not all scientific, of course. Ancient tomes line the walls, equally damaged and hodgepodge together. Pages are marked which indicate powerful deities, sheets of notebook paper pushed in amongst the pages, with scribbled theories on the best methods to give a "higher rate of spiritual contact". As any former Krusnik captive could tell you, and as is plane in front of you now, all of the methods are grizzly. Means of pushing a person to the brink of death, to try and induce a possession of a spirit. Ideally, of a god.

The furthest room on the top level is an office. Sitting in a chair is a well-put-together man. He's clearly heard the ruckus of all the fighting but hasn't stepped into the fight himself. He welcomes you with a smooth, relaxed voice, like you've dropped in for a cup of tea and not to root out an evil organization. If given the chance to talk (and oh boy, will he talk) he'll explain he is Philip, he's the second of command of this current operation, and you Libra users have it all wrong. Krusnik is trying to understand the Spirit World, the GODS, better. They are simply reaching out to touch the heavens, to bring this power down to mortal folk. He had memories of a previous life, where this was used to better another world. A lost world. That the touch of a god would give everyone an equal playing field, would rid the world of pain and suffering, why would anyone not want that? He does his best to make kidnapping children and forcing them to become vessels for powerful beings by bringing them to the brink of death a reasonable thing to do. Of course, it's not and you can deal with him as you see fit. Once he realizes you're on the attack, he will lash out- his arms turning into green goop - which he can mold into spikes or just straight-up try and suffocate you with it.

Work together to take this guy out. And make sure you do a thorough job doing it- there's always a chance he might reform if not eliminated completely.

Aftermath

Eventually, once Philip is defeated (be sure to be VERY thorough with taking him out) you can check around the office. There's a computer where the attempts to hack Libra originated from. From the scattered paperwork, they will find candid photos of the escaped Krusnik members- there are also candid photos of current otherworlders, especially the minors. All have scribbled notes, times, days, places- an attempt to work out a routine. The beginnings of a plan to try and capture them.

Further investigation will yield Weissmann's personal logs, as you can always count on the evil scientist types to write down their crimes. Amongst the various records of stomach-churning experiments, unhinged manifestos, and detailed crimes against humanity- they'll gain context to why Krusnik was here of all places. It would seem the previous attacks on Krusnik facilities, those carried out by Abel and Zero, were basically fatal blows to the organization. What is here in Kaisou is the splintered remains of the survivors, trying to start again. There are notes of smaller pocket cells out there in the world- but it's clear this was Krusnik's last attempt to get a foothold and gain power once more. With this crushed, they have no hope of truly resurfacing again.

The last thing in the office is the filing cabinet. Weissmann had the key, so unless you looted it off his body, you'll have to pick the lock. Once inside, you'll be rewards with a treasure trove of documents about the organization. Not just their heinous experiments, but information on who gives them funding, who would help them get new victims, and so on. Perhaps Alba was planning on relying on these contacts again, or was holding onto it for blackmail. Either way, it's a treasure trove of evidence to help pursue justice against those who helped Krusnik. And in the very back of the filing cabinet, there's also a notebook containing information on a glyph Krusnik developed to help conceal their presence throughout the years. Maybe this could come in handy...someday.

With everything explored and dealt with, there's only one left to do: figure out what to do about the warehouse. Maybe it'd be good to alert the proper authorities or the Black Order or Zodiac to figure out--

Oh what you want to burn it? Well... okay, that works too. You did just take out a nefarious cult so...yeah, you can burn this building, as a treat.

OOC Notes

This is the catch-all long for the Krusnik subplot! Should you post about this event outside this log, please remember to use relevant content warnings. The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here.

Comments

[advivo]

[ it starts as a cold chill that runs down his back, eyes widening as realization sinks down slowly and settles on his shoulders. oh, he really said that didn't he? he really just... anxiety slams him like a wave and dante laughs awkwardly, hand reaching up to rub the back of his head. he has to pull this back and deflect before vash gets it in his head that he's serious or something (he is) equally as ridiculous.

christ, what the hell possessed him to say that? it isn't like the three of them are serious or anything, they're just enjoying each other's company. it's just a casual thing. something that can be enjoyed and only mourned a little should it ever end, something that would tear apart hearts if the worst were to happen.

(he can't get close, he can't let himself get close. he'll just end up hurt, end up losing them. he's only ever lost the things that he's loved.

first his mother.

then vergil.

next it'll be vash, it'll be wolfwood. he's certain of it.) ]

Haha, what's that look for? Don't think too hard on it, just uh... repeating something Nick said. [ he turns his head, tries to break eye contact and bury his face in vash's shoulder. ] Sorry, 'm more tired than I thought I was.

[doubledollar]

[ there's a lot of feelings here, between him; between dante--and between Nick, too. Most of them unspoken, assumed--they're not people who talk emotions; because talking emotions means admitting things that hurt you as much as the things that please you.

And if there's anything the three of them are bad at, it's admitting they're feeling anything but Just Fine.

Dante using that word on him brings up a dozen thoughts and makes him come up with a dozen more, wondering if he deserves this from the man--from Dante, who he'd grown so very attached to, yes, but. Just like Nick. He's sure he's going to outlast and outlive them both.
Even if Devils lived longer than humans, he's sure his own lifespan was well beyond that, and he knows--he knows, there's a cruelty in watching those around you grow old while you stay the same; always the same.

It was something that he dreaded back on No-man's land, the look of terror and disdain others gave him when they realised 20 years had passed and Vash the Stampede hadn't aged a single day.

And then there was the fact--did he deserve it? did he deserve someone who'd care for him, after all he's done? dante doesn't even know--the thousands he's killed, how many people he'd failed time and time again--

he feels his breath catch when dante speaks, he can --

he can feel dante's anxiety, a tingling sense just behind his eyes that he's hurt dante in some way with his, admittedly, cold response and now he's set to panic.

Wait.
Nick?
Nick--said?

Ah, he feels his heart in his throat. Nick had said it first. ]

Dante, I.

[ ohhhh, he sounds so stupid right now. take a deep breath. put your thoughts together, then speak. ]

...Nico said it first. [ he lets out a small breath, almost like a laugh ]

Don't apologise. Please, anything but that.
I'm sorry, I. Reacted wrong. I just.

It's been a long time since I considered myself someone capable of being loved. By others.
[ he's... trying so hard to put his words together, to make sense. ]

I'll outlive Nick. And you, too.

[advivo]

[ there is a lot of feelings here, between all three of them; vash, dante, and wolfwood. more feelings than dante ever expected there to be, more feelings than likely any of them really expected there to be. all largely ignored all this time, because talking means admitting to those feelings and dragging them out from the shadows kicking and screaming. talking means acknowledging the fact that he let someone, let the both of them, worm their way under his skin and into the very marrow of his bones.

and that? fuck, dante is a devil hunter, he has fought things that most people would cower from with a laugh on his face, but the very concept of talking about any of that absolutely terrifies him.

(very little scares the legendary demon hunter dante, but some nights he still wakes up in a cold sweat with his mother's name caught in his throat. some nights he still wakes up drenched in fear of vergil slipping through his fingers.)

it'd be better if he kept his distance, but dante has never been the sort to stand at arm's length when he cares about someone. despite how much he fears losing them, he surrounds himself with the people he cares about, holding them as close as humanly possible because he's been alone for too long. because there is a part of him that never outgrew that needy stage he went through as a kid, that demanded the attention of everyone around him, that wanted to be loved and treasured.

it'd be better if he kept his distance and kept his mouth shut, if he had put those words far from his mind - but he can't do that, not anyone, words spoken can't be taken back despite how much he desperately wishes he could.

just let him crawl into the hole he has dug himself already, let him cover himself in dirt, and brush all of this off onto the exhausted mumblings of a sleep-deprived idiot.

if only it were that easy. although...

dante's half way to burying his face into vash's shoulder as the other's words hit him, stilling his movements as they settle in his mind. why is he apologizing? he isn't the one who literally put their foot in their mouth and said something stupid. vash isn't the one causing the damn problem here so why─

'it's been a long time since i considered myself someone capable of being loved. by others.'

he feels something snap, in the back of his head, and dante lifts his head up to catch vash's gaze again, blue eyes shining with a mixture of conflicting emotions. he can still feel the anxiety buzzing away under his skin, but dante's hands move to take either side of vash's head and tug him down, nudging him with a half-hearted headbutt. ]

You didn't react wrong, idiot. [ the usual timber of his voice is gone in favor of something quieter, something almost serious. ] And you're an even bigger idiot if you think you're not lovable. You're not the only person out here with skeletons in their closet, Vash. You're not the only one who has blood on their hands.

[ all three of them have blood on their hands, not just from the events that transpired today. their pasts are stained with the blood of people failed and people killed. ]

What's that quote...? [ a beat. if dante can't back peddle his way out of this conversation he might as well go all in. ] "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

[doubledollar]

[ there's a lot of emotions happening in this five guys tonight.

Vash has stopped feeding dante fries, his hands having paused over the big trayfull he'd gotten--given he can't dare eat a burger in front of Kni, who is currently over sitting next to Vergil.

His eyes dart up, over at Wolfwood who's taking another order at the counter, then back down at Dante, then back again.
There's... a lot of thoughts in his head, being called an idiot for considering himself unlovable, the mention of skeletons in his closet--

he wants to blurt out that he has THOUSANDS, and that Dante has no idea, but.

...Considering it, he's not sure of Dante's skeletons, either.
Despite all the emotions that built up around them. Neither of them had ever brought up the tightly latched closet that was their past misdeeds to one another.

As if they were afraid of what the other might think when it was opened.
Dante knew Vash was almost a Detrimental Pacifist, and...

Dante carried two guns and a sword for a reason. Vash wasn't stupid. The blood on Dante's coat was something he's been ignoring this whole time, but.


...but.

It's that final line that breaks the dam on the thoughts that have been curling and crashing waves against the side of his skull for what felt like an eon.
It's poetic--it's far kinder than anything he's ever deserved. He's not a reader like Kni or Vergil, but.

Words like that remind him of something Rem would say.
And that's probably why tears start to well out of his eyes, and pour rather ungraciously into Dante's hair as he just.

Curls around the other.
Wrapping his arms around him in silence. ]

[advivo]

[ in truth dante didn't know what to expect once those words left his mouth, he didn't know if vash was going to fight him or what. he didn't know if vash would laugh and brush this whole conversation off, or just shove another fry into his mouth in hopes of getting him to shut up so they can move on and talk about something else.

this, all of it, is uncharted waters and dante is as blind as a bat.

so he can't help but feel lost when all he is met with is silence when he watches vash's eyes start to well up with tears. the blonde curls around him, wrapping him up in his arms in a way that makes dante hold onto his tightly. one of his own hands goes to vash's hair, while the other rests against his lower back. ]

Vash... [ he's never seen vash cry before. ] I don't know how to do this, any of it. [ they've already gone this far, he might as well let it all out before his sensible brain kicks back in. ] Never stuck around long enough to get attached, it's too dangerous when you hunt demons for a living. Especially when all those demons are out for your blood because of something your father did over four decades ago. [ he is rambling now, muttering things that hopefully only vash can hear. ] Can't say I know what I am doing with you and Nick, but I've got you both so wrapped up in my everything that I don't know what to do with myself.

[ he breathes out and tugs vash in that little bit more as though he could smother all the words he's said between them, bury them back down into the dark where they belong. ]

... 'm tired.

[doubledollar]

[ it's absolutely uncharted waters and vash has never been in water deeper than his waist and it's dark inside that water and he already feels like he's flailing in it, all the bits of heavy metal keeping his body together weighing him down like stone--

he should say something, there should be words to be said here, but he was never good at talking with others about emotions--REAL emotions, not just the ones he put on his face, like a well-constructed mask.

He half expects dante to grab him and shake him off, to grab his face and call him dumb. it's what most people would do.
But instead what does dante do but EMBRACE him, press his fingers against him, card his fingers through his hair.

Being held like this, softly, was enough to make him feel like he could fall apart.
Dante's talking again, so what can he do? What can he do but listen, and hang onto every word like he's a god-respecting man and those words are gospel?

He doesn't know anything about demons but he knows everything about being hunted, about never being able to stay in one place due to fearing those who stuck with you getting hurt, or worse--

Maybe he didn't know what it was like to bear the sins of a 'father', but he certainly knew what it felt like to burden the sins caused by someone outside of your control.
His fingers grip Dante so tightly, they threaten to bruise him. ]

Nothing wrong with continuing on, blind, is there? [ vash laughs, his voice sounding quiet, weak--so much less loud and boisterous than it usually is. Like he's asking for permission, rather than boldly making a statement, as he is usually more wont to do. ] We don't need a map, or a guide, or any sort of plan.

Just a ticket to ride and whatever sort of skies come. Tough and tender ones alike.

[ he laughs. Breathless. ]

We can bring you home soon.
You promise me you'll get some sleep.

[advivo]

[ he isn't good at putting it to words, he's never been good at putting it to words. he prefers to let his actions speak for him so he doesn't have to drop the mask and unveil all those tender parts hidden underneath. they're the same in that; finding it difficult to talk about the emotions they are actually feeling, the ones hidden away in the dark where no one can see - vash is worse, of course, having roughly a hundred years on him.

what do they say about birds of a feather?

it surprises him that vash doesn't tell him to shut up during his ramble like a part of him wishes that he had, that he listens quietly while coiled around the devil hunter like he is the very last lifeline keeping them both afloat. guilt worms its way around his throat as they sit like this, as vash's grip tightens around him threatening to bruise - if he had just kept his mouth shut vash wouldn't be feeling like he is right now, if he had kept his mouth shut dante wouldn't feel like he is drowning in his own anxiety. but what's done is done, what's said is said, there is no going back on any of it now. and that is what terrifies him the most.

relief floods the devil hunter as vash speaks, voice quiet and weak but loud enough for his ears to catch, reminding dante to breathe exhaling a weak laugh of his own. ]

No, no, nothing wrong with that at all. [ as if dante could ever proceed anywhere with a clear plan in mind, his best work has always been flying by the seat of his pants. ] Wouldn't know what to do with a plan even if we had one.

[ he laughs again, breathing in shakily, his grip tigthening just a little. ]

Sounds good to me, sounds really good.

[ dante nuzzles in a little, tension slowly melting from his limbs at long last. ]

I promise. Cross my heart hope to die, stick a thousand needles in my eye. I'll get some sleep.

[doubledollar]

[ There isn't going back on this--not on words that have been said, but honestly, the truth is, Vash probably wouldn't want to hit 'undo' on this whole thing, anyway. What was said here was certainly anxiety-inducing, and giving him too many thoughts upon already-existing stress, but--if he was being realistic, it's something that needed to be said. To be heard.

Being honest with one another was important, right? That's what Nicholas had drilled into him for a while now--that all Vash does is avoid the truth and pretend things were 'fine', while hiding his true feelings, his true thoughts.

Dante may have hit the first domino with his casual words, but it'd been vash who set up the whole domino tower in the first place, after all.

When the man admits that no, it was fine to do as Vash suggests, there's a... weight sliding off of him. The buzz behind his eyes gets less feverish.

Even as Dante riddles off a little poem that has the humanoid typhoon reaching down to pinch at him immediately. ]

No needles in eyes! None of that! Your eyes are too pretty to damage, I won't stand for it.
"Oh don't worry, Vash, I'll heal so quick you won't even notice"--I don't wanna hear that either!!

[ he rattles off a quick response, sliding into Dante's casual and cool way of speaking for just a moment before his fingers aim for the man's ribs again. ]

I'm going to carry you and your dumb brother into the house myself and lock you both in until you get at least 18 hours sleep. Each.

[advivo]

[ yeah, this is fine. even as the domino starts falling around them over a few words, they can just keep going as they are now, living in the moment and not think about the ramifications of it all. he can live with this, so long as it doesn't lose him the very things he's trying so desperately to cling onto.

dante squirms with a small yelp, looking up at the humanoid typhoon with what can only be described as a pout on his lips. you pinch dante? as dramatic as it is there is an ease to his movements now, to the face his expression sits on his face. ]

You think my eyes are pretty? [ he quivers his lip a little for extra effect, it lasts a half a breath before dante yelps again, half-heartedly trying to squirm away from the fingers in his ribs. ]

Look I know I promised I'd get some sleep but if you're gonna carry me back to the house... [ he spares a look towards wolfwood, then back up to vash, eyes darkening just a touch. ] What if I don't wanna sleep?

[ dante you idiot, you were just talking about being tired. ]

[doubledollar]

[ he pinch dante, he pinch him like naughty devil that he is. a small grin moving across his face, the tension all but bleeding out of him. returning to a far more normal song-and-dance for himself and the silver-haired man. ]

I do think your eyes are pretty. Blue, like the sky, but with just enough silver in them to remind me of the clouds.
A sky without clouds can't have rain, after all.
Rain's pretty important.

[ a sky without clouds was too lonely.

...hah, and now Dante's getting back into the song and dance too, isn't he. ]

No--no, you naughty little--
You need sleep far before you need anything else. You think I'm gonna' let you exhaust yourself furthur, dummy?? You get sleep first, then I'll consider giving you a treat.

[advivo]

[ jokes on vash, dante doesn't mind being pinched especially by vash of all people. this song and dance is easy for him, for both of them, and it's helping dante come down from everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. ]

Smooth-talker, you keep that up and you'll have me melting in your hands.

[ he's not the most sappiest person in the world, but he finds himself becoming more and more inclined to it these days. vash's influence, he decided, because he wasn't like this before the man all but stumbled his way into dante's life.

dante chuckles, the sound more of a rumble than anything else, resting a hand on the other's chest. ]

But if you wear me out I'll sleep real good.

[doubledollar]

You always melt in my hands. Whether or not I'm using smooth words or not. [ he grins, cheekily--reaching out to pinch dante's chin between a thumb and forefinger. The comfort has returned to the conversation--the playful tone of Dante's voice a familar thing he's gotten accustomed to in these past few months.

He could probably listen to the man talk for hours about nothing. ]

You think I could steal you away from your real tired looking brother for long enough to wear you out?

[ serious question. ]

[advivo]

What can I say? You're just that good. [ dante's on grin is akin to the cat who caught the canary, far too pleased with himself, even as vash takes his chin between his thumb and forefinger. vash could easily direct him like this and dante would do without batting an eyelash, already melting into the other's grip.

he'd be happy to talk about nothing for hours, if it meant he could just be in vash and wolfwood's company, sprawled out like a lazy cat. ]

Hmm, [ he decides that he doesn't like this question, his grin falling into an almost defeated pout. ] Probably not. But I can dream, can't I?