Loving the RIGHT Brother

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N o e l

After that strange encounter with that weirdo from earlier, I had continued on my way to the grocery store as planned. I had managed to get everything on the long list Adela, my cousin, had made.

She was coming over for dinner later and had expected me of all people to make something for her knowing that I can't cook to save my life. It wasn't up until when the Limosa name disappeared that I had begun to make my own meals.

It was horrible at first but I guess I've gotten better, at least the food is edible now.

I had accidentally lost track of time while in the store and cursed to myself, it was getting close to dinner time and I hadn't even started anything yet.

I was about to be on my way home but as soon as I stepped outside of the market, a face I never thought I'd see again was right in front of me.

"Hey there" the man from earlier said, his face cool and composed while my jaw was most likely on the floor.

"Y-You again?" I stuttered out but the man didn't seem to care for my surprise as he grabbed my free wrist.

"Come with me" he said and just like that, I found myself being dragged off to some unknown location.

"Hey!" I cried out as I tried to tug my wrist out of the man's grip, who the hell does he think he is?!

His grip was a steel one though and by the time he finally let go, we were in a dark alley and I was pushed against the wall.

Is this some kind of shakedown?

"U-Uh..." I could only stare at the man in confusion.

This was a dark, dark alley. No one to see us and it was just us, lord, it's just us. Am I finally getting what I deserve after all these years? If so, I had better prepare myself...

"Relax I'm not going to murder you" the man said and I opened an eye.

"How do I know that?" I asked and the man chuckled.

"Well, I want some info from you first" he said and my other eye flew open at the 'first'.

"First?!" I exclaimed.

"I'm not going to kill you at all. Jeez, how gullible are you?" he asked and I let out a short sigh.

"I'll explain myself" the man started but I interrupted him.

"Can you explain why we're in this dirty alleyway first?" I asked as I looked around at two rats that scurried on by.

"No. Keep your mouth shut until I'm finished speaking" the man said, his tone going a bit dark as he narrowed his eyes at me.

Rude.

"My name is Silver Hawthorne and—"

"Hawthorne?"

I may have been a bit dramatic last time with the jaw dropping but now my heart feels like it actually fell out of his cage.

Everyone knows about the Hawthorne group, they were powerful and deadly, and they didn't get their name from doing nothing.

God, I'm going to die here today.

"What did I say?" Silver said and I put a hand over my mouth, this time intent to keep it shut until he says I can speak.

The last thing I needed was my tongue being cut out.

"Your relation to Eros Azure, explain it to me" Silver asked and I was so stunned at the question that I forgot he was waiting for an answer.