pretend it's a seed.

gonna get the bestest, roughest bugs you've ever seen.

[blueberrydot]

get to know dana dreyfus :

Being the youngest of the Dreyfus girls, Dot never felt the same amount of pressure that Atta did. There were of course expectations still placed on her - ways she was supposed to behave and the importance of making good impressions in public - but none of it ever compared to what Atta had to deal with. No, Dot was always way more free to do what she wanted. She was a blueberry scout, one of the leaders of her troupe, and had little to no supervision usually when running around the isle. It was a good childhood.

When she was a teenager is when things got a bit more intense - she learned the truth about the man that her mother had brought into the family business and was even threatened by him in the middle of the packing floor. It was the scariest moment of Dot’s life and the point in which she officially decided she wanted nothing to do with the Dreyfus Company. She had always known she was likely going to pursue a different career field for herself, but she had planned to potentially at least minor in business or something so she could follow along somewhat. But after that moment of Hopper threatening her life - she decided fully against it. Even though it wasn’t her decision to bring Hopper into the company, she didn’t want anything to do with him whatsoever.

She’s always been the biggest supporter of Flik - finding his inventions and ideas to be brilliant and amazing. She’d follow him just about anywhere and would root for him no matter what. If anyone were to ever get her to potentially be willing to face and deal with Hopper again, it would be Flik.

Surprisingly, considering how much she hates Hopper and does absolutely everything she can to avoid him at all costs, she really does like his brother. Molt is funny and caring and pretty much everything that Hopper isn’t. She doesn’t support or agree with their marriage, knowing that it’s not what either of them want, but a small part of her is excited to potentially have him as her brother in law.

Majored in early elementary education in college and just recently graduated. She was hired to be a second grade teacher at Echo Elementary and is starting during the next semester! She’s very excited and has already signed up to help do a bunch of other stuff around the school for the kids.

Is a bit of a free spirit - kinda rowdy and doesn’t care about being all prim and proper despite her mother’s attempts to make her exactly that.

Loves her older sister but needs her to calm the fuck down. Yes, her life is intense and there are some things that she has every right to stress over, but girl… chill a bit please.

Was given the nickname Dot from her father. She has no memories of him whatsoever, considering he died a year after she was born, but she always loved listening to her mother’s stories about him and looking through old photos of him.

[blueberrydot]

closed starter for @samtwinduke location: unversity end of semester career fair

Maybe it’s because she’s the younger member of the school’s staff and therefore can potentially connect with college students the best or simply because she has the lowest seniority and no one else wants to do it, but once again for the second year in a row, Dot found herself being assigned as Echo Elementary’s designated representative for the university and community college. Which meant she was the one that got sent out to every career fair either of them held, standing at a little table with her school’s logo printed onto a scrap piece of paper and taped in front of. Most students tended to pass right by her, already knowing that education wasn’t a field they had any interest in - but every once and a while her smile and waving dragged in one or two of them. Which it seemed was happening right now as she made eye contact with a boy and offered a wave along with a held out pamphlet. “Hey there,” she greets once he finally bites and comes close enough to be heard. “I know you’re not one of the education students here, so you’ve probably never considered what working at an elementary school could offer you - but there’s so many options open, really. Some that you could ever be doing right now, part time, just for some extra cash.” It’s not exactly the best or most accurate way to sell substitute teaching, given how hard the job actually is, but she’s found it’s the best way to at least spark a potential interest in the idea. “Think you might have any interest in that? There’s also plenty of volunteer opportunities and options too, if you aren’t wanting to dedicate more than just an afternoon or two.”

[attaant]

For a moment, the tight embrace of her sister made Atta forget all about the largely unspoken conflict that had been between them for the past few months. They felt like themselves again, like they had before she'd met Buster. Maybe they could be again, maybe after tonight, but Atta didn't want to let her hopes get too unbelievably high. It was good enough, for now, that Dot was here, and that she hadn't made any kind of backhanded comment or denied spending time with her sister after dinner. Atta was going to have to take what she could get, and she simply accepted the wordless gesture with a smile of her own and a kiss to the top of her sister's hair.

"Wine for you, then," she announced, taking the two glasses from the counter and handing Dot one of them. Atta didn't think her sister had ever willingly asked her how work had been going, but she supposed it was a good thing she had, especially if she was wanting to know the truth about what she did every day. "Actually, it's complicated, right now," she admitted. "We hare warehouses off the island, and they've always been more difficult to manage, especially when the borders were closed. But, now that they're open, naturally, Hopper wants something to do with them." She hated having to bring his name up anytime in conversation, but especially now, when she was trying to keep spirits high. "I'm hoping other things are keeping him busy enough, for now, so I have time to prepare. I think we'll be fine: I've been in contact with the managers of the warehouses, and he hasn't tried to threaten them, or anything, so." Atta paused, feeling sheepish in offering the truth to her sister for the first time. @nohousedog

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

Buster stuck to the sidelines of the conversation, being nothing more than a bartender as the women did some much-needed catching up. He knew his place that night for maybe the only time in his life. Most of the time he would find a way anywhere he wasn't wanted but when it came to social aspects he preferred to stay quiet. Instead, Buster continued the meal that was to be served and kept his ears open to the chat going on behind him. It wasn't a secret that things had been all quiet on the Hopper front which was as much of a relief as a cause for alarm. Whatever he had coming was to be discovered soon enough but at least Buster tried to use the time to prepare for the future now that he had a family to protect.

"Dinner is served," the man eventually announced, coming over to the ladies with their plates balancing on his arm. That came as the perfect opportunity to slip in his thoughts on the matter while Dot probably didn't want to hear them he wanted to make his intentions clear. "When he comes back we'll be ready." That being the tip of the iceberg for what Buster wanted to prepare for Hopper's inevitable return. "Atta's got my entire crew in the palm of her hand, just like my dog, they like her more than me," he laughed as if it was a surprise they preferred his wife. He was smart enough of a man to know when he'd gotten something worth holding onto and Atta was a one-of-a-kind woman. "Can't blame them when the other option is me." Maybe then he could find mutual ground with Dot if she knew he understood the gem he'd found in her sister. @blueberrydot

[blueberrydot]

Despite being the one to bring up the question and topic of work, Dot finds herself sort of at a loss on how to respond to the truth she’s given by her sister. It was more than she’d ever really heard about the family business and the involvement of a certain man in that matter, and she wasn’t entirely sure how she was supposed to react. A part of her feels like she should offer to help, considering she was technically a part of the corporate even if she never did anything with her very minor role - but the thought of willingly getting involved in anything to do with one Colin Hopper was too horrifying to even entertain. “Well, that’s good then, at least,” she finds herself finally saying, though she’s not entirely sure if anything Atta had said actually was a good thing or not. Thankfully though she’s interrupted from having to express anything beyond that one sentence as Buster comes over with their plates for dinner.

Taking her usual seat at her sister’s table, she offers a small thank you as her own plate is set in front of her. “Well, I uhm, I’m glad for that at least, I guess,” she responds to the man she normally tried so hard to completely avoid and ignore. It’s the one thing Dot supposes he arguably is indeed good for having in their lives - his support against the terrifying mafia man that had been threatening and looming over their heads for so long. Even if the thought of just what Buster and his supposed crew do that made them suitable for challenging Hopper made her uncomfortable, it was better to have that in their corner than nothing. There’s more she should say, literally anything to fill in the silence that surrounded the trio, but she has no clue what it should be - so instead she turns to her sister, mouth open ever so slightly like she’s trying to speak but just nothing’s coming out and hopes that Atta can redirect the entire conversation. @attaant

[lizzies]

drr via instagram ♡

[attaant]

Though she'd played it off as simply being inundated with the start of the school year, Atta knew her sister better than perhaps Dot gave her credit for. Their lack of communication since Buster had gotten shot had been no coincidence, not when Atta had seen what the beginning of a school year brought for her sister in the past, and it was nowhere near as busy as this could be. Atta was trying to tell herself that Dot simply needed space--whether it be from Buster, Atta herself, or both of them. If she wanted Dot to come around eventually, Atta was going to have to let her do it on her own time, even if that meant denying practically every request to spend time together over the past month. It was just before Atta was going to begin to lay off that Dot had agreed to come over for dinner: a welcomed surprise, despite little confidence that it was going to end well.

"I'll get the door," she called behind to Buster at the stove, knowing exactly who was at her front steps. It was with a smile and a breath of relief that she actually showed up that Atta opened the door for her sister. Her grin faltered, though, as it seemed Dot couldn't even manage more than a sentence without making a dig at her husband's presence--Atta thought she'd mentioned that it would be the three of them. "I think it can still be a cake for two, right? We'll just forget to leave out a third fork." Atta's arms wrapped tightly around her sister as she set the dessert down, eager to squeeze in a hug after one of the lengthiest periods of absence between the two. "I missed you," she told her, "I want to hear all about your first few weeks. We'll hang out, just us, after dinner?" Atta asked quietly, hoping the offer was one Dot had wanted to hear. @nohousedog

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

A family wasn't something he'd ever had or understood. In fact, most of his life had been spent detesting the very thought and gathering who felt like nowhere could be home for them. Maybe that was why it had initially been so strange falling into a routine with Atta, never expecting to fall in love but certainly not get married. One woman, one woman who accidentally stumbled into his life, had changed everything. He felt like he was becoming a joke to the old version of himself after everything he used to hate had become his normal. Now every night he went home to someone, kicked off his shoes at the door, and sat at a dining room table to enjoy a meal with his wife. Bennett had miraculously turned into the very thing he said he never would. Still, this new life wasn't one he wanted to alter in any way. It was kept quiet from his co-workers, his contentment with this white picket fence lifestyle but Buster knew they could see the changes in him.

It hadn't all been good, knowing it was him that drove a wedge between the sisters. While he wanted to give Dot the time she needed to adjust to his addition she'd made it clear that she didn't believe his intentions. "Good, dinner's almost done," he chimed back from the stove as he smiled proudly down at his roast that had been smoking for the majority of the day. A good meal wouldn't convince her but he figured it never hurt to be well-fed, not to mention the fact he'd become quite obsessed with grilling and smoking since turning into a failed foster. When the younger Dreyfus entered her comment made it clear how she'd felt about Buster joining them that night. "Don't worry I'm just here to cook and then I've got to get back to the Junkyard anyway for a delivery," he replied holding up his hands in defense, giving his wife an unsaid acknowledging nod. That way the girls were still able to have their time alone but he at least put forward the effort in seeing her since the accident. "You want a drink?" The man offered Dot before pouring himself a glass of bourbon, Atta her current favorite wine, knowing they'd need it with the way things were starting. @blueberrydot

[blueberrydot]

Despite any bitterness or resentment or any other ugly boil of emotion she currently felt towards her sister and her husband, having Atta’s arm wrap tightly around her felt as comforting as it always has before all of this mess. It hurt, being separated from the older girl, but it was just so hard being around the two of them for a reason that Dot has yet to fully break down and get over. Putting space between them was just easier than dealing with the confusion of it all. “I missed you too,” she breathes out, returning the embrace with an equal firmness. And she genuinely meant it, she missed her sister and the way that things used to be between them more than anything in the world. Maybe it was that longing for the past that made it so hard for her to accept the present and actually move forward with the future that seems to be pretty permanent. As they pull apart rather than verbally accepting the offer to spend time just the two of them, Dot simply nods her head a few times and puts on a very clearly forced smile as she looks back over in Buster’s direction.

His mention of the Junkyard immediately had any tension that had been eased by her sister’s hug forming right back up in her shoulders. It was a reminder of exactly why it was that Dot was struggling so hard to trust him and welcome him into their family - his life of crime and the circle that he ran with, the trouble that he was involved in that felt all too familiar to the other man that had been slowly ruining the Dreyfus name. She doesn’t comment on it though, knowing that doing so would only start a legitimate fight - and that wasn’t something she wanted to deal with, not tonight. It was going to come eventually, she could practically feel it bubbling under the surface as they all tiptoed around each other, but not tonight. “Yeah, I’ll take a drink. Whatever Atta’s having is fine,” she agrees with a small nod, looking back to her sister and feeling so wrong for struggling with what else to say. “So, uhh, how’s work been?” It wasn’t the type of question she ever asked before, hardly getting involved in the business in any way at all, but it felt like a safe enough start. And it was at least a bit more personal than bringing up the weather, which had been her other option. @attaant

[blueberrydot]

closed starter for @attaant & @nohousedog location: atta's home

After the attack of the festival and her failed attempt to get any new dirt on her sister’s supposed husband, Dot had needed a break from it all. Spending time with Atta meant being around Buster, and she still just wasn’t ready to do that - not even after he took a literal bullet for her. There was a guilt there, of course, that she couldn’t seem to just get over it and start liking him for that one simple act alone - but it wasn’t strong enough to actually get her to take the time and effort to change her stance on the man. Instead, she put another forced amount of distance between herself and the couple and focused entirely on the upcoming school year. So much had happened over the summer that she’d barely been able to prepare anything for her classroom, and after what felt like a failure of last year, she was determined to come back stronger than ever this time around.

But now the first two weeks were done, the routines were starting to be built, and every major task to prepare for the year had been completed. Of course there was still the day to day amount of busy work and tasks at hand, but none of those were a good enough excuse to keep up the distance between herself and her sister. And the guilt of not spending any time with her, of barely giving her more than just a few quick phone calls over the past month, that was one that was starting to truly eat away at Dot. Which was what led her to agree to a dinner at Atta’s place, despite the fact that she knew Buster was likely going to join them at some point. Avoiding the two of them forever wasn’t a possibility, not if she wanted to keep a relationship with her sister - which she absolutely did. So it was probably about time she sucked it up and just faced the couple head on.

Arriving with their mother’s famous honey cake in hand, Dot waited for the door to open after she gave it a good few loud kicks with her foot. Thankfully it was the eldest Dreyfus that answered, and a bright and genuine smile grew on her face at the sight of her sister - but it faltered after just a moment at the sound of a distinctly male voice calling out from the kitchen. She shouldn’t be surprised that Buster was here already, but she had been naively hoping to get at least some time alone with Atta before he made his presence known. “I brought dessert, like I promised,” she states the obvious, holding up the round tupperware as proof before stepping in and making her way through the house to the kitchen. And there he was, just like she’d heard, but the sight of him feeling so familiar and at home here was different than simply hearing his voice. Taking a breath to steady herself, a forced smile was plastered on her face as she stepped into the room and set her container down on the counter. “Didn’t realize it’d be a full house tonight - I would have made a bigger cake.” It was her not so subtle way of trying to jab at Buster’s presence here tonight, and while she’d play it off as being completely innocent if either one of them called her out on it, she also knew they’d know exactly what she really meant.

[scamperoo]

"Oh, you want a reason to hate him," Scamp blurted aloud, realizing just what this meetup had really been about. For all that he'd thought she'd come here wanting some kind of evidence that she could trust him, it had been completely the opposite. Except, all Scamp had heard was that Buster had seemed to change for the better since meeting her sister. "No, you don't need to blindly trust him, okay? Shit--I thought you were coming here looking for a reason to trust him, like, that you wanted to hear that he was a good guy, or something." Scamp probably would've done the same, if it were one of his sisters with a guy like Buster, but he'd simply assumed Dot was going to support whatever it was Atta had wanted; apparently, he'd thought wrong.

It was a strange ask, to be requesting shit on her brother-in-law to maybe tell her sister and get her to divorce him. At least, that's what Scamp figured she wanted, but that meant implicating himself and admitting to shit he'd done, too. "Honestly? I don't think he's deep in that shit anymore. Not as deep in it as he used to be, at least. Also, before you say never, did you ever think I would be working more for your sister than Hopper when we first met? No fucking way. But, again, you don't need to blindly trust the guy. Buster's a big boy, okay? I think he can handle you putting him through the ringer." Scamp let out a sigh, trying to be as objective as he could. "My advice? Ask him point-blank everything you want to know. If he's really trying to stick around, he'll answer. And, if you want me to fact-check after, I will."

[blueberrydot]

It made sense that Scamp could come to a conclusion like that after everything she had just shouted out - but Dot knew that wasn’t why she was here. At least, not in the way he worded it. “No, I want a reason for Atta to hate him,” she clarifies, already having long enough of a list of reasons why she didn’t want anything to do with the man herself. Perhaps looking for a reason to trust Buster was what she should be doing, maybe it would make her a better sister if she went along with everything without any more of a fight, but she just couldn’t do it. The man was bad news, she knew it in her bones. And Atta had done so much to protect her over the years, it was time that she stepped up and did the same. “I already know he’s not - I don’t think anything’s going to really change my mind on that front.” Not even the man in question taking a bullet to protect her.

All she could do was scoff and roll her eyes when he tried to get her to really believe that Buster had started backing away from his life of crime. It was a laughable thought, honestly, as far as Dot was concerned. Men like that didn’t change, just like she had said, and Scamp trying to use himself as an example of the opposite hardly proved anything. “But you aren’t like them, okay? Not yet at least. Twenty more years of working with Hopper and you probably would be - but you’re still young, you weren’t in as deep as he is. It’s easier for you to start working your way out. It’s easier for you to want to get out. But after a whole life of living like that? I’m sorry, but there’s no way he’s giving that all up just for my sister,” she argues, not believing for a second that she isn’t right. At the advice she’s given, a snort escapes her before she can stop it. “Ask him? Why? So he can lie and try to manipulate me into thinking he’s some kind of newfound saint? That he really loves Atta and is willing to turn it all around just for her? Like I said, I’m not buying it.”

[lizzies]

danielle ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

[attaant]

Though she had a feeling her sister would stay with her, it still came as a bit of a pleasant surprise when Dot agreed. It was unfortunate, that it took a deadly, traumatic event to get her sister to spend time with her, but Atta would take what she could get, at this point. It had been made abundantly clear over the past few weeks that she was still upset with the decision to keep her husband around. No matter how many times she'd tried to convince herself that this was temporary, that Dot would get over it and learn to understand the choices Atta made, especially ones she thought were beneficial for their family in the long run. And, if the day had proven anything, it was that Buster was committed to the word he'd given, that he would keep the Dreyfus sisters safe.

Atta wasn't even going to mention him, so it came as another surprise that Dot herself was the one to bring up her husband, who was still very much in recovery from taking the shot that had nearly gone to her sister. It was the sorest spot of their relationship, and though she could gush about how heroic it had been, or how impressed she'd been by what he'd done for her, this certainly wasn't the time, nor the audience, to do that. "Yeah, he will," she confirmed simply, keeping it at that. Atta wasn't sure that the brunette cared to hear more than that, anyway. "So will Mavis, I think, thankfully. I mean, it's terrible, obviously, that she was hurt in the first place, but after all Myles has been through … I can't even think about if he lost someone so important to him." It was the first time she'd seen him happy, building a life for himself that didn't involve his brother, and Atta was simply thankful that it hadn't been ripped away. "I offered to let him stay over at the house, if he just needed some space, but I think he wants to stay here."

[blueberrydot]

There was probably more that she should say, regarding the topic of Buster and the bullet he had taken for her, but in complete honesty… there was nothing else Dot wanted to add. He was going to be fine, that much was just confirmed, and really that’s the end of her caring at the moment. Anything else she might say would only open doors for further lines of discussion that she wasn’t ready to have. Not after everything that had happened earlier in the day. Not on the one night she just wanted to be near her sister, without any of this newfound drama and tension that had developed between them. So she drops it. Nods her head to show that she heard Atta’s reply and took a small sip of her wine.

It’s not until her sister keeps going, this time about Mavis and Myles, that she’s really brought back to being fully alert and paying attention. “Wait Mavis was hurt?” is the first thing out of her mouth as she sits forward and sets her glass down on the table in front of them. No one had told her about the older girl being involved in the attack and Dot had been too nervous about seeing Buster to go anywhere near the room holding everyone that had been injured. A wave of guilt washed over her for having been so sucked into her own issues that she hadn’t thought to see who else might have been hurt, but she tries her best to stifle it, knowing there’s nothing she could really do now. “Is she going to be okay? Was anyone else hurt? That we know, I mean. I.. I only knew about Buster - no one told me about anyone else.” Then again, she hadn’t really spoken to anyone to have been told about them in the first place. It was also a bit telling, the amount of concern she had for Mavis, a girl she barely knew other than through stories Myles had told her, compared to what she’d shown for the man who had quite literally taken a bullet to save her life. But that’s not something Dot was going to think too hard on.

[scamperoo]

Though he knew there was a reason why Atta's younger sister was coming to him, of all people, to ask about her brother-in-law, Scamp certainly didn't see the fact that she sounded slightly jealous coming. It made sense, though, as he thought about it while the brunette spoke--some guy had come in and changed the entire dynamic of their lives, without her permission, almost like Hopper himself had done when his mother had revealed him to be the father of one of his sisters. Dot had every right to be skeptical of him, especially with Buster's less than shining reputation from before Atta had entered his life. It was a loaded question, but Scamp took a long breath before attempting to answer. "So, my relationship with him is kinda weird, and has a lot of history that I'm not responsible for--that's my dad's fault, per usual. I actually worked for Buster for a minute, and then the Locusts came in and ambushed the place one night, and I had to leave to join the dark side. He was pissed, and he can still be pissy with me now, too, but it's different now, I think. I was a kid back then, I think he might have, like, one ounce of respect for me now."

It was important for Dot to know just how deep their relationship went for her to understand just how he'd seen the man change over the years, in part because of her sister. "I've known your sister a long time, too, and I would've warned her about him if I thought she should be concerned. I promise, I would've. The thing that's different about Buster and Hopper is, with Buster, he'll do pretty much anything for the people he cares about. He's one of the most loyal people I know. And I think, uh, he kinda proved that to you, y'know, taking the hit. I don't think he would've done that for you if he didn't seriously care about you and Atta."

[blueberrydot]

As Scamp began to answer her questions, she started wondering if trying to talk with him about this was really all that smart of an idea. For all she would say that she had wanted the truth about Buster, no matter what it may be, there had definitely been an answer she’d been hoping to hear. And this seemingly positive report on the man wasn’t it. Maybe it was shitty, to have hoped that he’d be able to give her a bunch of dirt or backstory that could get Dot to convince her sister to kick Buster out of their lives, but well… she couldn’t find it in herself to really feel all that guilty for it. She didn’t trust the man and she simply didn’t want him around her sister - she wasn’t going to apologize for being the cautious one for once. Not after everything that the Dreyfus family had been through.

“Right, yeah. He took a bullet for me - so now I need to just blindly trust him and everything he does? He can just keep digging himself deeper into our lives and I’m just supposed to accept it? Forget the fact that he’s like a decade older than Atta and that she only just met him less than a year ago?” she shoots off her list of questions, voice getting louder with each one until she’s practically shouting. It’s not right or fair to take any of this out on Scamp, but who else is there for her to talk to? Certainly not her sister, considering the older girl was at the center of the whole situation, and it’s not like Dot had many other people in her life that knew the truth about everything. “I just - I thought she was trying to get out of this life of crime we’ve been stuck in. I thought that she hated everything Hopper made her do and what it all stood for. And now… now she’s just married and falling in love with some other guy that’s just going to drag her even further down into it all. Which he will. As much as you might say he cares for us, he’ll never change from that. Men like that never do.”

[nohousedog]

⨯⨯⨯

They hadn't met under normal circumstances, most relationships begin on a date and not marriage like his with Atta had. It wasn't how he'd expected to fall in love either, but he wouldn't complain with the cards he was dealt. There was someone else Buster had been trying to prove his loyalty to since their first meeting and that was none other than Dot. It wouldn't be something that happened overnight, he understood her desire to be protective of her sister in the same way the man was too. That didn't mean Dot fell through the cracks and she was considered family in the same way as his wife. He hadn't thought twice before using himself as a shield to protect the younger girl. Whether it had been her or her elder sister, Buster would've put himself in harm's way instead of them all the same. "As fine as one can be right now, I assume," he hummed in response to her. It wasn't worth either of them pretending what happened hadn't taken a toll while still having a silent agreeance to hold their own. The sight of the bottle brought a smile to his lips as Buster went to pour himself a glass. "Now we're talkin'." He poured some on ice, pushing one of the glasses over with his own, nodding for her to take. "You probably need it as much as I do right now." Even if it was Buster who took the physical brunt of the day, he knew it hadn't taken the weight of the situation off the other's shoulders. Dot had been through enough to not be a stranger to these sorts of things but that didn't necessarily make them easier to swallow. "Doesn't hurt to take the edge off," the man said before taking his first sip into its numbing escape.

[blueberrydot]

There’s a small flash of guilt that runs through her at his answer, considering she’s well aware of the fact that she’s a big part of the reason he’s in the condition he’s in at the moment. Not that Dot had really done anything wrong - it had been the hunters that actually hurt him, but he’d only been shot because he jumped in front to take the bullet for her instead. Why she had been even a potential target in the first place, she didn’t fully know (though she had her suspicions a certain mafia head had something to do with it) but she was still terrified of what it could mean in the long run for herself and her sister. Perhaps even Buster himself, but she wasn’t even close to ready to start lumping him in the same category as the two Dreyfus girls. And as a glass was slid over towards her, she couldn’t stop herself from accepting, even if it was a bit reckless to mix this vodka with the wine already in her system from earlier with Atta. But she’d need all the little extra courage she could get to continue with what she needs to say, instead of just running back to the room she was sharing with her sister and pretending like simply bringing the man a bottle of vodka was an even enough exchange for him saving her life. “Thank you,” she finally blurts out after taking two generous sips from her pour. “For jumping in front of me. You… You didn’t have to do that, but I wanted you to know I’m very thankful that you did. And I’m sorry, that you know, you were shot instead.”

[attaant]

Atta hadn't necessarily expected any kind of rejection from her sister, but it came as a pleasant surprise that there were no questions from  Dot regarding her decision. In a strange way, it was how things had used to be between them: Atta made decisions, and there was no one to answer to, sometimes not even her mother. Not easing into things like this might have been her cardinal mistake, followed by a string of others that brought the Dreyfuses to the most tumultuous spot they'd ever seen. She'd never intended for things to get this way when she'd decided to stay with Buster, or even when she'd chosen to take him up on his offer to begin with. All Atta could hope now was that, maybe, one day, her sister might understand why.

With a nod, she confirmed her sister's question, having just seen the man who'd made this place his second home. He was the reason they'd come here; Atta wasn't sure how she'd ever be able to thank him for their safety, especially when she felt like she'd hardly done anything for him to deserve it. "He is, his girlfriend, Mavis, was hurt, though. I don't know if she's officially his girlfriend, but it kind of sounds like she is," Atta explained with a shrug. As long as they were happy, she wasn't going to question it. She hardly had her own relationship figured out. She could tell Dot was struggling, but trying to be strong--the last thing she wanted was to push too hard in the opposite direction. "Do you want any of this?" she asked, holding up the bottle of wine. "I was kind of thinking we could hang out, just the two of us … if you're feeling up for it, that is. I wouldn't blame you if you just wanted to go to bed, either."

[blueberrydot]

“I know who Mavis is,” are the first words out of Dot’s mouth when her sister begins explaining why Myles was even here. She’d known about the vampire in his life for a long time now, back before the wedding and everything that imploded afterwards - but it says a lot that Atta just assumes she wouldn’t. A part of her wants to point out that not everyone in her life keeps secrets from her, but she keeps her mouth shut. No need to start another fight, not after everything that’s happened today. Even if it is kind of true, she bitterly thinks to herself.

Going to bed does sound like the better option of the two - because for all she wants to be near her sister, she doesn’t necessarily want to actually talk to the older girl. But that would be rude and it’s clear that Atta wants this, wants to spend time together like they used to before Buster swooped into their lives and decided to stay. “Yeah, I could drink a glass,” she finally agrees with a small nod, knowing that neither of them were likely going to stop with just one but not wanting to out herself or the blonde on that fact quite yet. It probably wasn’t healthy, the way they sometimes turned to alcohol to help them in tough times like this - but could they really be blamed? After all, they’d been through a lot these past few years. These last few months even: this island wide attack not even being in the top three worst situations.

As Atta pours them each their drink, she knows she needs to ask about Buster. Not because she actually really cares or even wants to know - but because it’s what’s expected of her. Because if she doesn’t she’s going to seem like a bratty little bitch that refuses to talk about him just because she’s upset. Or like she’s not beyond grateful and appreciative of the bullet he had quite literally taken in her place. So as she reaches to take her offered glass, bringing it to her lips for a hefty sip, Dot lets out a small breath of a sigh. “How’s he doing? He’ll be alright, right?” Even though she can’t bring herself to say his name, they both know exactly who she’s talking about.

[scamperoo]

It wasn't expected, especially not after the last time they'd had an at-length conversation had been when Scamp had been instructed to hold her against her will. But, upon hearing the reason why she wanted to speak to him, he was actually surprised this hadn't come sooner. Apparently, there had been some trouble in paradise, or else Atta's sister wouldn't be coming to him for dirt on her brother-in-law. Truth be told, Scamp probably wasn't the best person to ask--maybe Angel was, or even his father, though those two had enough of their own personal biases that had likely led Dot back to questioning Scamp himself. He could feel his lips part in shock, then close in a slight smile, before nodding his head in the direction of an empty room. Once the door was closed behind them, he took a seat, expecting the brunette to come with questions spewing every which way at him. "You can, uh, ask away. But, can I ask, first--is everything, like, good with you guys? 'Cause, from what I've heard from Angel, he's been around your sister's place a lot."

[blueberrydot]

Following behind Scamp into the empty conference room, she hesitates for a moment as the door closes before also taking a seat on the opposite side of the table from him. There’s so much she wants to say, a million questions she has to ask, but what catches her attention first is the way he seems to already know more about her sister’s relationship than Dot had just a few days ago. “Great. So I really am the last person to know about all of this,” she starts, unable to stop herself even though she knows she sounds like a whining child. It just all seems so wrong. When did she and Atta go from telling each other almost everything - to Dot being completely in the dark while everyone else their lives got to know it all. She wants to complain about that, to continue bitching about how much her sister has lied and hid things from her, but she knows better than to air out all their dirty laundry like that. That wasn’t what she came here for. No, she needed to focus on finding out more about Buster himself, that was what was important right now. “Things are whatever. We’ll… we’ll figure it out. What I need to know is can we trust this man in our lives? Can I actually trust him around my sister?” It might sound a bit crazy, asking such a huge question like that - but if anyone could understand her hesitation in just blindly allowing a new potential threat into her life, she feels like it should be Scamp. “I mean, I don’t even know how she met this guy. All I know was on her wedding day she told me she’d married someone that could take on Hopper, but it was all just business and she’d be divorced before I knew it - and now he’s at her house almost every night and they’re staying married and I just don’t trust him.” So much for not complaining. But she feels like she deserves to have a bit of a breakdown over this, considering she hasn’t had anyone else in her life she could be completely honest with about it all.

[attaant]

who: atta & @blueberrydot where: hotel transylvania

The past few months had been the most trying between Atta and her sister--that much had not been a secret to anyone who knew the Dreyfuses. It was strange, and lonely, to spend what should've been a happy time in her life to remain with the man she married without Dot's support. But, like she had done in the past, Atta stayed firm in her decision, knowing that this was best for their family, even if her heart held a bit of bias for Buster after getting to know him. All she needed was this one life-saving instance to know that she'd been right, because if it weren't for him, Dot wouldn't be sitting in the lobby of the hotel now.

"We're going to stay here the night," she informed her as Atta took the armchair beside her, placing the bottle of wine Myles had given her and two glasses on the table between the two. "I know we don't have anything, but we can go home first thing in the morning. I just don't want to risk anything, going outside, if we don't have to, okay?" It might not have been what her sister particularly wanted, but it wasn't the first decision Atta had made without her, and it likely wouldn't be the last. "Myles said we can have the room next to him, and Buster will stay with the rest of the people who need medical." With a sigh, after taking care of business, it was only then that Atta could begin to work on uncorking the wine and focus on her sister. "You're sure you're okay, right? Even if you have a headache, or feel off, you can tell me."

[blueberrydot]

It had been automatic, the way that she had searched for her sister amongst the chaos of the attack. No matter what was going on between them, no matter the drama or upset feelings she had, Atta was the most important person in her life. She was the person that made Dot feel the safest, even at the worst of times. So it was no question that she’d be following along wherever the blonde wanted to go. The only time that she had allowed for them to be separated was when Buster was being brought in, giving the two of them space despite the fact that he was in no real condition to do much of anything. It had only been brief, Atta returning quickly once she was certain her husband was being cared for, a bottle of wine in her hand.

Despite her annoyance lately at how many decisions keep getting made without her input or even a warning offered to her, Dot was actually okay with staying the night at the hotel. The last thing she wanted was to go back out into the open, where more hunters might be waiting. Of course, the logical part of her brain reminded her that if anywhere was going to be targeted actually, it would be the hotel, the known safe haven for magical creatures and beings. And if Hopper was the one behind the chaos at the festival then his next mark would surely be here… he’s shown before that he has no issue with aiming an attack at Hotel Transylvania. But she tried her best to shut those thoughts down. If everyone else said they were safe here, she’d just have to believe it. And it’s not like she’s really felt safe in her own home lately, anyway. So rather than fighting she just gives a small nod. “Okay. Is Myles here? Is he okay?” It’s not the person she should be asking about, considering Buster had been the one to save her life, but Molt’s the person she cared to know the answer for the most. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine.” Because she has no other choice but to be fine. It was the same thing that happened after the kidnapping - life had to just keep on going… whether she wanted it to or not.

[nohousedog]

- timeskip -

⨯⨯⨯

Buster went into autopilot when the attack happened; nothing else mattered besides making sure his family was safe. Up until now, he hadn't a worry in the world besides where his next deal was coming from. As it turns out getting married changed a lot more than his marital status. Now he was sitting in a bed at the Hotel Transylvania with the worst back pain of his life waiting for his wife to bring him a few necessities from the Junkyard. While he'd also asked for someone to bring him a glass of whiskey Buster was beginning to think that request wouldn't be fulfilled. He was rummaging through some of the dresser drawers when he got a visitor, expecting it to be Atta but instead finding her younger sister at the door. "Dot, how you feelin'? You doin' alright?" While it had been he who took the shot aimed at her, he felt the need to make sure she was recovering well. "You don't imagine they hide liquor around here anywhere, do you? I don't know about you but I could use a drink."

[blueberrydot]

On any other given occasion, any other day, Dot would want absolutely nothing to do with her sister’s supposed husband. And even now, after everything that had happened back at the festival, there’s a part of her that still wants to continue avoiding him. To just have Atta pass along her appreciation for the action he had taken to save her. But that seemed a bit too rude, and kind of wrong, given the fact that he easily could have died from the bullet he took in her place. So after a prolonged visit with Molt and a drawn out walk around the hotel itself, she decided she’d put it off long enough and made her way to the room she knew Buster was holed up in. It took a moment or two of standing outside the door, bottle of vodka in hand, simply working up the courage before she actually entered and once she did, she forced herself to put on at least an attempt of a smile. “I’m fine,” she lies, knowing that her internal scars and trauma of the festival were nothing compared to what he was dealing with. This is where she should ask how he’s doing, if he’s going to be alright, but the words get stuck in her throat, refusing to come out. So instead she takes the change in topic and runs with it, taking a few steps further into the room and setting the vodka bottle down on a small table. “Myles found some for me. I… I thought maybe you would be wanting something stronger than whatever’s in that monster juice they were handing out.” Whiskey was likely what he actually wanted, or at least that’s what someone had said he had asked for, but it reminded her too much of the other terrifying man that had been forced into her life. Vodka was a much safer route to go.

[scamperoo]

Working for Atta had its pros and cons, much like working for Hopper did, too. Scamp had been splitting his time pretty evenly, having eased his way back into the more dangerous business he’d been used to, but still keeping with the Dreyfus operations with the hope of one day securing a more stable, safe position. The blonde in charge was out of the office today, which was why the familiar voice calling his name made Scamp give her a probable scowl of confusion. He looked over his shoulder, despite the younger Dreyfus specifically having asked for him, simply to be sure that there was no way he could be mistaken. “Your sister isn’t in today, if you’re looking for her.” But, something told him in the strange urgency in her voice that Dot hadn’t been looking g for her sister at all. Maybe she did actually want to speak to him, for a reason that did admittedly intrigue him. “But, uh, yeah. I have time. What’s up?” 

[blueberrydot]

It made sense why he would assume she was actually just looking for her sister, it was normally a safe assumption to make, but today it only made her brow further even closer together and her frown all the more sour. Was she really just a shadow of her sister? Did she not have any place to stand on her own? Could she not possibly just be here because she herself was a Dreyfus and therefore technically also a part of the company? Even if she didn’t ever do anything with it. Whatever. Those were all annoyances she could focus on later, after she talked with Scamp. “No, I’m not here for Atta. I was looking for you, actually,” she corrects, squaring her shoulders and nodding her head when he agrees to speak with her. Though… the topic of conversation Dot plans to ask about hardly seems like one that should be so openly discussed, not in the hallway they are occupying now - where anyone could potentially walk by or hide around a corner to listen in. “Not here, though. In one of the conference rooms. I…” she hesitates for a moment before figuring it was best to just get to the point, knowing that he was probably already beyond confused by this entire interaction. “I have some questions about Buster.”

[mariusarmand]

DANIELLE ROSE RUSSELL.

BY JAMES LEE WALL. © |    2022.