Veritas City.

Blair blinked. "I doubt that was a shot at your pride..She said the same thing to me when I found out about him. He's not the easiest person to fight, and he doesnt play fair. I got fucking stabbed." Blair said and sighed. "Walked up on him with his hand around her neck in an alleyway after she tried to end things. Havent seen him again until now. I cant touch him as an officer because of how high he ranks in the army. He's so high up there he didnt get sent to war. When I tried to open up a case, i got told it was 'out of my jurisdiction' and there was nothing I could do short of killing the fucker myself. But he's been in the wind until now." He explained.

Loris rubbed the back of his neck. "There is always Lor... her family is extremely close to the royal family and she wouldn't take to kindly to this guy. Maybe I should say something to her. I just hate the look in his eye and they he grabbed her. She looked so terrified. I have my ways of fighting and reasons why I don't. If I became a detective I could even steal Ivie." He joked trying to calm his nerves. He wanted to murder the guy right now, but his father taught him better than that. "I don't want to even work down here because I can't watch if he is coming in."

Blair wondered just who the hell Lorelei actually was some days but he nodded. "Maybe that would be a good idea. Either way he needs to either die or be locked up. Thats the only way he'll let her go. The fact that she's been dealing with him like this since she was seventeen kills me. He's the reason she's got such an awful reputation you know. Well she did run around with a good number of guys for a couple of months but...She already had that reputation, and im pretty sure she was rebelling against the fact that he told her she wasnt allowed to sleep with other men." He said and sighed. "I'll stay up front today and watch things. Theres an extra desk behind where Elise sits at the front so, i'll do my work there and come get you or Adrian if ive gotta leave for something so she's not left alone, okay?"

Loris shook his head, "If Adrian didn't hate me I wouldn't be so worried about him seeing it as self defense." He chuckled nervously. " but thanks, that calms me a lot." He said softly.

Blair blinked and slowly turned to Loris. "Does he hate you? Or was it just his mental health issues? Honestly it would surprise me if he hated anyone. He might not like you, but he already knows about Malcolm. He'll o what he can to help. Misha said he's on some kind of medication now. He didnt even remember handcuffing you. Wasnt a conscious effort." He said with a little sigh. "And with you making googly eyes at Elise now, he's got no reason to worry about you with Lor." He said and winked at him about Elise.

"Maybe, I am keeping my distance from him for now. Only will talk to him up there and he has no reason to come down here. Lor already knows my terms. I know he had a mental snap, but from what Lor was telling me... He wanted to subconsciously. So...anyway, I am making googly eyes? I thought I was making normal flirty eyes, fuck. No wonder she hasn't caught on yet." He sighed and smiled. "So how is Ivie and yourself?" He asked.

Blair shugged and shook his head. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want her to notice. Like..I dont know..Just tell her?" He said with a small chuckle. "Ivie and I are good. She's possibly the sassiest woman ive ever met. I dont know where she keeps all that sass." He said and chuckled a little bit. "Things are going well though, made blanket forts with Forrest last time I was over and I thought she'd just fall right over." He said trying not to laugh at her.

Loris looked at him, "Yeah, like you just told Ivie?" He smiled. "And that is cute, glad Forrest likes you. Ivie seems cute, puts you in your place. Your perfect woman." He patted his shoulder. "I heard she also got stabbed. I am feeling out of place. I feel like I should get stabbed too, but I also hear it is painful." He thought about it, "But no one has almost died of heat stroke like me. Awww I am special." Loris smiled. "But you should go up there now. Mother fucker would come in when we are having a moment."

Blair sighed at his little jab. "I didnt think I had a chance. You actually have one. Take it or she'll get snatched up by some asshole again." He said and then walked out of the room mumbling about everyone almost dying within a month. He walked back to his office and grabbed some case files and headed down to watch the lobby with Elise while they both worked. Malcolm hadnt shown up yet and he was glad. Elise looked okay too, which was a relief, normally when Malcolm came around she was a nervous mess.

Blair sat with Elise pretty much all day and worked in the lobby with her. They didnt talk much at all and ended up sitting in silence for most of the day, though Elise nearly crawled out of her skin every time someone opened the door and came in. Elise wandered off to the breakroom after work was finished and Blair took that chance to lock the front so no one else could walk in while he went to get Loris. He walked down the steps and then swung open the door. "You almost done? Elise is up in the break room, waiting for the rest of us to clear out before she locks up for the night." He said and then walked off to go tell Adrian to go home since it was way past when he was normally supposed to leave. He peeked in and saw Adrian putting a body away. "Hey, Elise is getting ready to go. Gotta finish up and get goin." He said. Adrian just nodded, put away some papers and walked out after Blair unlocked the door. Once Adrian was gone Blair locked it again and headed up to the break room to see if Loris was up there yet.

Loris had nodded and finished putting his papers away when he went meet Elise. "Hey hey hey." He said and stood in the doorway. He watched Adrian walk out and shook his head at the face he was making before putting his attention back on Elise. "You okay? Ready for marshmallows and scary stories? If you get too scared I believe I have some stuffed animals in my closet. Don't ask my why I keep Mr. Toof and Mrs. Lou around. It is a private matter between me and my therapist." He smiled before looking up at Blair who came stomping in.

Elise looked up and giggled at Loris. "You're gonna scare my underwear off of me huh? Thats not nice Loris, you should just ask if thats what you want, gosh." She said and winked at him before turning and grabbing her purse just in time for Blair to walk back in. "Loris and his stuffed animals are trying to scare me out of my clothes, Blair. Arrest them immediately!" She joked. Blair reached for his handcuffs and sighed before putting his hand back down and chuckling. "Im going to leave that mess to his therapist." He said and Elise pretended to pout before walking past both of them and out of the building. Malcolm wasnt there, thankfully. But the cigarette butts on the ground showed he was earlier, but probably got tired of waiting. "Alright, well lets go then. See you tomorrow Blair, have fun with Ivie." She said and winked before walking off with Loris.

Blair shook his head at the two and then walked back to his place and got Dawn, who was growing like a weed and then went off to Ivie's place since he hadnt for a few days.

Loris turned red and then redder when at Blair's comment. "Yeah, let's go before I start crying. No one likes a man who cries, dammit." He smiled and walked with Elise back to his place. "I have you know, I am a gentlyman and would not scare your undergarments off." He huffed before smiling softly. "Though if they have pugs on them... kidding. Not like I would wear them or anything." He whistled and then laughed softly before opening his door and letting her walk in.

Ivie looked up at Blair when he walked in with Dawn and sighed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god it is just you and my baby Dawn. I had Forrest go over to his fathers for the night. Some freaking man wouldn't leave me alone at the my freaking work. Had the damn nerve to grab my ass and then Will lost it and we had to freaking peel him off this dude. Will had to walk me home, but I could feel his eyes on me the whole time. I had never seen him before either..." She sighed and walked up and hugged him. "I missed you." She smiled softly. "But mostly Dawn." She said and let go to hug on Dawn.

Elise walked back with him and them blinked at him. "Well now I fear for my pug shorts." She said and walked in and then went to the guest room. "Im going to go get changed for story time, ready your stuffed animals." She said and then disappeared into the room and closed the door behind her. She got changed into another pair of pajamas and then came back out with her hair let down. "Tada!" She said and raised her arms up, which showed a little bit of her belly.

Blair hugged her back and then shook his head. "You too huh? Do I need to arrest someone?...I'll walk you to work in the morning just to be safe okay?" He said and smiled at her while Dawn licked her face and squirmed around like crazy. "She really missed you, apparently. I came to get her after work and she basically ran out the door." He said and chuckled.

Loris locked the doors and checked the windows before going to his room and changing into his pajamas before going out to the kitchen to get marshmallows and was walking back to his bedroom when she came out in her pajamas. He about melted and looked at her shirt and shorts. "ugh more doggo pajamas. Watch you go home with no pajamas because I stole them all. You would be so jelly because I look better in them." He said and chuckled. "You ready for some scary stories, Eli? My stuffies are waiting on my bed." He chuckled playful and evilly.

"Me too? What? I don't if it is the same guy. He smelt like cigs and he just looked... mean. Talked about how he works for the king himself as a knight. I was going to all BS, but then he grabbed me." She sighed before smiling down at Dawn. "Of course she came running, hello... I am her mother and she loves me more." Ivie said and looked up at him laughing.

Elise smiled and tried not to crack up about Loris' pajamas. "Oho, this is only the beginning mister, I have more dog pajama's! Cat pajama's too. Not to mention the other animal patterned pajamas. You cant steal them all Loris. You just cant you evil, evil man." She said and looked up at him before crossing her arms. "What if...What if the stuffie's dont like me Loris.." She said, looking up at him innocently.

Blair sighed and just wanted to walk out and kill that son of a bitch. "Sounds like the same guy who's been harrassing my friend Elise. Shows up and waits for her outside our work. Some douche-bag ex boyfriend who doesnt take the word no too well...Definitely going to walk you to work in the morning, and probably back home too." He said and then kneeled down to pet Dawn. "Yeah yeah, I know. You only love me when I feed you, otherwise its all mom. I know." He said and patted her gently.

Loris gasped, "More?! My dream of owning the whole set is going to come true!" He chuckled and handed her Mr. Toots and Mrs. Lou "I think they like you very much. Mr. Toots stop staring at her hair like that in front of your wife! How rude! And Mrs. Lou... my word, stop fawning over her eyes. She is our guest. Shame on the both of you. This is why I hide you two in the closet when people come around." He said and shook his head before sitting on his bed with the bag of marshmallows in his lap. He looked like a big kid.

Ivie shook her head, "Poor girl... hopefully he gets dealt with or Will is going to end up killing him like he almost did today." She shook her head and smiled before snatching her baby girl away and hiding on the couch. "I have food going in the over. Hope you like adult food... like brisket." She smiled.

Elise had to try not to laugh at Loris' stuffed animals and she hugged them tight. "Ugh...Theyre so cute..We gotta go get my penguin pajamas tomorrow and then theyll love me forever because I'll be one of them!" She said then tried not to melt when Loris looked like a giant kid on his bed. Elise set Mr.Toots and Mrs. Lou on the bed before she crawled in and sat criss cross in front of him. "Alright mister, you better scare me or else!" She said and giggled.

Blair looked over at Ivie and pouted at her a little. "I like..All food. Pretty much anyways. Dont you try to throw black licorice at me though. I wont have it. Not ever." He said and crossed his arms before Joining Ivie on the couch and putting an arm around her and pulling her close to him. "Mm I missed you too, maybe just a little." He said and Dawn growled playfully at him. "Hey! You can share." He said to dawn.

Loris nodded, "But I don't want to keep you in my closet, I would be so damn scared." He said and chuckled before looked wide eyed and scared. "I am scared to find out what the ELSE is." He said and wiggled a bit. "Okay, be prepared." Loris said and as he opened his mouth thundered sound and rain began to fall. He smiled evilly at her as the light began to fade he hurried and made the fire in the fire place before going back to his position.

"Sunset had fallen on the countryside, and the warmth of the day was fading with each passing moment. Vespers of an autumn breeze whispered through the fields, setting the amber stalks of corn into a somber dance… yet with each swaying step, two interlopers were revealed, standing stark and defiant against the motion of their surroundings. In seeing their still forms, one might almost believe that they never breathed nor blinked. Such was certainly the common belief, perhaps shared even by the figures themselves, which made it all the more surprising when one of them spoke.

“My arms hurt, Frank.”

The second figure remained motionless, though a flicker of expression may have crossed its face.

“Frank, my arms hurt.”

“Damn it, Jed!” With a shuffling of cloth and straw, Frank turned to face his partner. “When they sent you here, they said you was the best choice! You said you knew the rules! Now, shut up before someone hears you.”

Silence returned to the field, broken only by the rustling of currents through the corn. Even a nearby stream, which burbled happily in the hours of daylight, seemed to have hushed itself in preparation for the dusk. This night was an important one, and its task was all but sacred.

“Aw, who’s going to hear us, Frank?”

“S’not the point! What matters is if someone did. We ain’t supposed to talk.”

Jed considered this, though the contents of his head were hardly suited to higher reasoning. “Well, so what? It’s a stupid job, anyway. Ain’t nobody passed yet that hasn’t laughed at us.”

Frank sighed, removed his hat, and scratched at his leathery skin. “Look, Jed, that may very well be. Fact is, it don’t matter one bit. It’s got to be done, you understand me?”

“No.”

“Good, you… what the hell you mean ‘no?’ Ain’t no-one ever told you the story?”

The straw around Jed’s neck made a rasping noise as he shook his head. “Folks keep saying I’ll learn it when I have the need. I’ve been starting to think they don’t know it, themselves.”

“Oh, they know it, alright.” Frank cleared his throat and made a spitting motion at the ground, though his lips remained dry. “They know it, sure as they know their own mamas. Just that… well, it ain’t exactly pleasant talk.” He sighed again, as much from the frustration of having to speak as from the thought of his next words. “See, there was a time, some many years ago, when these fields were beset by a plague. Not a plague of illness, mind… no, this plague came as winged beasts from the sky. Black as night, they were, with voices like something from a nightmare.”

“Crows,” whispered Jed. His eyes scanned what little of the horizon he could see beyond the corn field. “I’ve heard tell of them. Figured they were a children’s tale.”

Frank shifted his weight, adjusting the rigid stick on which he rested his arms. “That they may be, but there’s truth in the stories. Crows are real enough, even if one scarcely hears of them in anything but legend these days. Back when their terror was at hand, they’d descend on these fields and eat their fill, leaving precious little for the folk who toiled with the seed. It brought a hardship on the land, leaving everyone desperate.”

“My arms still hurt, Frank.”

Frank rolled his eyes. “We’re talking, ain’t we? Have a rest. Hell, sit down, for all it matters now.”

“Thanks, Frank.” Jed dropped from his post and crumpled to the ground, suddenly looking very much like a lifeless pile of rags.

“So, what happened?”

Though he opened his mouth to speak, Frank hesitated. On any other night, the words were just a story… but on this night, they might be something more. “You keep a listen for anything amiss, alright?” Jed nodded, and Frank resumed his tale. “It was a dark time, to be sure. Dark enough that some reckoned they might employ a darkness of their own.” He closed his eyes and recited the secret verse, known only to those who stood watch in the field:

Gathered they the walls of green
Left to dry by day
Shaped into a sentinel
In clothing was the hay
Set upon tormented fields
Against the demons’ caw
Given life by darkness
The men of naught but straw
Gave to them the hallowed charge
Upon the darkest night
Paid the price for vigilance
When absent was the light
Gathered they one of the young
For empty demons’ craw
Taken by the darkness
The men of naught but straw

“Straw men,” whispered Jed. “Straw men, like… like us, Frank?”

Frank’s expression grew colder as he shook his head. “Don’t you be thinking that way. The straw men were something… something other than living, Jed. Scared the crows away, they did, but at a terrible cost. They were dead inside, see? Stayed where they were meant to, like statues… save for one night a year, when they’d come alive and have a reaping. Only, it weren’t corn they took away, but a child. One child, left outside past sunset.”

“Children are outside past sunset all the time, Frank!”

“Not on this night!” Frank hissed. He lowered his voice even further. “On this night, the children wear masks! The straw men can’t see those who hide their eyes, not unless they look at the straw men first!”

Jed fell silent, chastised. The sky had darkened considerably, with only the most tenacious rays of the dying light still piercing the walls of corn. Somewhere in the distance, a woman’s voice called out for her son.

“Hey, Frank?”

“What?”

“I still don’t get it, Frank.”

Frank sighed yet again. “Don’t get what?”

“Why we’re out here. Why we got to stand here like this. Why folks laugh at us. I mean… we’re straw men. Right, Frank?” In response, Frank launched a kick at his companion’s leg. “Owwwww! What’d you go and do that for?!”

“If you was a straw man,” Frank said, “do you reckon that would’ve hurt? You’re flesh and blood, Jed, so how can you be a straw man?”

“Well, I mean… it’s pretend, ain’t it? I fill my clothes with straw and play make believe, right?”

Frank tapped a gloved hand against the side of his hat. “Up here, it might be pretend… but here,” he thumped his fist against his chest, making his stuffed shirt crackle, “it’s all real. That’s what matters, Jed.” He swung his arm wide, gesturing to the fields around them. “You want to know why you’re out here? It’s so that fear don’t come back. Even one child being taken keeps that terror festering, keeps folks in mourning. Might as well have the crows back… but if someone goes to stand watch, then the straw men don’t come walking. They can all rest easy. They can laugh at their fear and get on with their lives. Now do you get it?”
“I get it, Frank,” Jed hurriedly replied. “I’m here to stand watch. I get it.”

“Good. Now, back up on your post. We got a long night ahead.”

Jed retook his position, and Frank readjusted his own. The wind had died with the sunlight, leaving the corn fields completely still.

“Hey, Frank?”

“Shut up.”

“Sorry.” Jed closed his mouth. “Only… what happens to them, Frank? To the children?”

“What children?”

“You know,” pushed Jed. “The children that they take away.”

Frank turned to regard his companion. The poor boy was hardly out of his youth, with only the barest hint of stubble on his chin. Even in the darkness, an earnest innocence twinkled in his eyes. “You sure you want to know, Jed?”

Jed turned to meet Frank’s gaze. “Yeah, Frank. I’m sure.”

As he had done before, Frank reached up to remove his hat… only this time, his entire head came away, leaving a rigid cluster of yellow stemming from his shirt.

“They become straw men, Jed. They become straw men.” "


Ivie gasped and covered her heart, "You wound me." She said and leaned into him, when Dawn growled she laughed. "Ugh I have the best daughter ever. Sorry Forrest couldn't be here, Dawnie... had to keep him where I know it is safe." She said softly and then she looked up at Blair. "You look super hot when you get protective." She smiled.

SCARECROWS by RamsesThePigeon

Elise flinched at the sudden thunder and looked at Loris wide eyed as he told his story, at one point picking up both of the penguins and holding them close to her, as she listened in horror. Elise was easily spooked in the first place, but Loris was really good at scary stories and by the end of the story she was shaking a little. "Jeeze Loris...Why you gotta scare me out of my underpants like that." She said then jumped a little when the thunder cracked and hid behind the penguins again.

"Oh I do? You just arent going to be able to get enough of me when I walk you to work in the morning then." Blair teased then kissed her forehead softy, earning another growl from Dawn. "Oh hush, I saw her first, little lady." Blair said. Dawn seemed to huff at them and went about picking up one of Forrests toys and putting it away before grabbing another one and laying on it.

Loris laughed and slapped his knee. "I am sorry, you asked for it. I was so scared of the ELSE that I had to try hard and spoop you. Your face is so cute when you are scared like that." He said and patted her head softly. She looked so tiny now and he couldn't help but pat her head softly. He bent down and got to eye level with her. "We can roast marshmallows by the fire and you can talk to me about anything you want if it makes you feel any better." He said softly.


She laughed softly and watched Dawn trot off before looking back at Blair, "So besides the douchbag ex, what else has happened to you? Especially in the few days you have been gone. Kensie said she saw your fine ass running after someone the other day. I was super jealous that she saw you running. Told her that I have to see Will run and guess what I did yesterday evening? Watched that man run." She shook her head and smiled. "You have competition, mister." She joked.

Elise got wide eyed when he mentioned roasting marshmallows by the fire and she stood up and practically leapt off of his bed and ran like a kid over to the fire. "Well come on!" She said and then ran back for the stuffed Penguins and carried them with her back to the fire and sat down. "Well, since you managed to scare the wimpiest girl ever when it comes to scary stories, I guess I'll let you see the rest of my pajamas." She said and looked up at him with big wide eyes like she was some kind of kid.

"Competition huh? No good. Next time i'll run around without a shirt on. Then we'll see if you wanna talk about competition missy!" He said and laughed evilly. "Nah, they put me on patrol duty for a couple of days so I had to run around chasing weirdo's for a little bit. I havent been doing a whole bunch other than the dumb ex thing, but I dont have to worry about Elise, Loris, who's totally in love with her, is making sure she's safe. But other than that I spent a good bit of time making sure I was ready for the sudden mountains of work I'll have to do now that Adrian is back at the lab. The boy works so fast its nuts." He said and sighed a little bit. "What have you been up to? Other than getting harassed and watching Will run around I mean."

Loris smiled and walked over to her and sat down with the bag. He grabbed two sticks and gave her one. "The rest? You mean the rest of the doggo and kitto pack? I just might die of cuteness, Eli. You will do me a good." He laughed and placed the marshmallow on her stick before doing the same on his. "I don't think you are a wimp, Eli. You are a very brave woman who I ad- additionally get scared of." He smiled and put his marshmallow in the fire.

Ivie laughed, "Ugh I can just picture Officer Bubble Butt running around. In the suit..." She fanned herself and sighed. "So Adrian is back... and Loris who kissed Lor is actually in love with Elise?" She shook her head confused. "Well okay then... and I have been at work and at Atlas'. Ollie is about to pop and I wanted to see how she was doing. Elwin is a mess, but everyone is doing fine. Forrest calls the baby woppy. Uhmm and then cleaning and cooking... wondering if my hot boyfriend is alive. So I guess the usual." She smiled and sat up before looking at him. "Also got in touch with my friend. She wrote back... she is planning on coming over to see Forrest. So I wanted to thank you... however you wanna be thanked." She winked and walked to the kitchen.

Elise looked over at him before she started roasting her marshmallow. "Yeah ive got dogs, cats, elephants, dinosuars, penguins...Lots of different ones, and thats not counting the footie pajama's either." She said softly then turned her marshmallow so it wouldnt but. "Im not brave Loris, im hiding at your place right now. You got drug into my mess because I didnt want to be a big girl and get things with Malcolm over with. He'd be gone again if I had just given him what he wanted when he showed up." She said, sounding a little sat.

Blair blinked and shook his head as he watched Ivie walk away from him and into the kitchen. He got up after a second and walked up behind her, trailing his hands down her sides to her hips. "However I want huh?" He asked and kissed the top of her head.

Loris shook his head, "Courage has nothing to do with that fucktard. How did you even meet him?" He waved a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter... but even if you stood up to him he is abusive. You are smart and THAT is courageous. And don't worry about dragging me into it. I am glad you did. You don't need to be giving him shit. Give him me and I will deal with him. Have some faith in me, Eli... just because I know how to knit and have stuffed animals doesn't mean I can't hold my own. I have.... done things. I am not perfect." He said softly and cupped her cheek softly. "You deserve a good man and fucktard is not him and he doesn't get to touch you anymore."

Ivie swung her his a bit and looked up at him. "Oh yes... and I already know. You want a lot of donuts." She said and shook her head before bending down and taking out the brisket. She showered it in its own juice and looked up at him. "We have to wait a bit. Do you want me to run over in town and get you your donuts now? Or should I just show up to your work? Hmm... I don't want to get trambled on. I will just leave them in the middle of the floor and run." Ivie laughed.