Mafia AU

[misfittoys]

[ A tale of two people leading double-lives and the inevitable misunderstandings that follow ]

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[dragonfell]

[ The pause is all she needs to spin her web — a crack is all water needs to begin to wear away stone. She does not need or want the warmth of Morax's generosity having found wealth and power in the arms of another. And emotions were fickle unpredictable— just as Osial had been ever since Morax had started to tighten the noose around his operation.

Her beloved would not understand. Or no— that's not quite right.

He would not be able to do what needed to be done. ]

"He does not."

"Too busy is he building fortifications to force your hand and lying traps to slow your progress. A number that is greater than even Morax and his Right Eye can escape unscathed. But alas, also not enough to guarantee his escape."

[ She takes one step to the side, hand still raised in plain sight as if to give them passage to the room behind her. The flickering lanterns cast dark shadows across her face, cast darker shadows still across Morax and Azhdaha. ]

"If it is the thirst of vengeance for blood that has already been shed, then by all means— I cannot stop you the same as I can not return to you what you have lost. Let the king and his knight continue ever so dutifully forward.

However, if it compensation and lost esteem you wish to regain, that is much more open to negotiation. I believe I have something that you want. Something worth looking the other way for in addition to what else you might ask of me."

[arcaico]

[Golden eyes fixed on her as though she were a serpent coiled in the shadows, waiting for her to strike. Beneath her polished exterior lies the cunning mind of someone who knows exactly what she gambles—and what she stands to gain.

When she confesses that Osial does not know she is here, Zhongli’s gaze does not waver, but the subtle shift in his posture—a fraction of a step forward, a tilt of his chin—speaks volumes. His mind is already fitting her words into the puzzle of this conflict.

Osial, ever prideful, ever reckless, has left himself exposed by this absence. Yet, the serpent’s wife stands before him offering a deal—not out of loyalty to her husband but out of a calculated self-preservation that reeks of betrayal. It is a betrayal within a betrayal, one that could tip the scales in his favor or sink them both into chaos.

He can feel Azhdaha’s steady gaze on him, the faint brush of his companion’s earlier touch still grounding him. Zhongli tilts his head ever so slightly.] What you propose is not a contract but a gamble. A bid that betrays not just your husband but the very foundation of trust you stand upon.

[He steps forward, stops a few mere feet from her now, and the light catches the edges of his face, illuminating the faint lines etched into his features by how tiresome this ordeal has all been. His voice softens, but the cold edge remains, cutting as cleanly as any blade.] Would you betray him as easily as he betrayed me,? Or does this betrayal wound you as deeply as mine does me?

[He glances over his shoulder at Azhdaha, the faintest flicker of trust passing between them before he turns back to Beisht.] You believe you hold something I want, [he continues, his tone still calm, still cold.] Then speak plainly, Beisht. If there is any truth to your words, I will hear it. But know this—if your offer insults the spilt blood, if it mocks the memory of Sky Bracer, I will not hesitate to remind you of the cost of betrayal.