#auevent

[ask-theoverseer-max]

Mira found a stick for their leader and set its slightly chewed ends at his feet "I found a good weapon for you to use, did i do great or what?" [the-real-entity]

Susie: If you find more please bring them in!

Maxwell: Not into the base.. leave them outside and guard them so other Highwaymen don’t use them as fire wood.

[kekeke-rose-blog]

Behind her Mask || Self-Para

“It’s good to see the snakes revealing themselves. They weren’t actually hidden at all. People hide behind the masks, but eventually, you see them for who they truly are.”

Harry Potter AU: (part 1) 2293 words, with mention of @acejaehwa @acekiyeol and a passing mention of @acexkimchi (no warnings that I can think of? sort of arranged marriage? idk)

Growing up,  Choi Ji Eun knew that she was meant for more than just a normal life. Born into an independently wealthy family, she was taught from the very first day she could remember, to keep her head held high, because she was better than more than half of the population of Great Britain. She was a witch, and she’d found out early on that her family was what they called pure, there hadn’t been a non-magical person in their family in more than a hundred years, and they’d told her that they weren’t going to change that now. She’d been brought up knowing this, knowing she had to be magical to continue being respectable, and so she did all she could to learn about her magical heritage. She went to her families dinner parties, sat across from faces that started out as strangers and grew to be friendly, and even more. She knew that these people and their children with them, would be her lifeblood for her future. They were respectable pureblood families, with respectable pureblood children. These were the children she played with as she grew up, but none really was able to catch her attention, save one. He was a stubborn, even petulant boy, even from the first time she met him, her parents pushing her forward to introduce herself, her mother whispering into her ear to not mess this up, that Jaehwa mattered.

At the time, JiEun didn’t understand, but the more her parents invited Jaehwa and his parents over to their home, the more she realized that they expected something of her when it came to Jaehwa, and so she never faltered in her respect and kindness, nor her private studies. She was the perfect little hostess, paying mind to his needs and whims, but somehow, still wondering exactly what it was her parents wanted with this boy who consistently bothered her for no reason more than to put a smile on his own face. There were days, weeks when she wanted nothing more than to find a way to wipe the smirk off of his face. These were the weeks when she learned the most, her mind spinning at the possibilities that magic afforded her.

When she grew older, her mother confided a secret, that she hoped that JiEun and Jaehwa would one day be wed, to combine their families, and bring together two of the most powerful pureblood families, making them both more powerful in the process. JiEun understood this, but part of her was confused. Why did her mother not simply want JiEun to be happy and successful? What if JiEun grew to hate Jaehwa? After all, they were still very young… and what if she never gained her gifts? She couldn’t help but remember the discussion she’d watched her parents have with another set of parents, discussing two people who hadn’t gained their gifts… squibs, as her mother mentioned once. The two of them, though not part of their families anymore, were still kept up on, and apparently they’d had a child, a son. He’d only be a few years older than JiEun, she’d thought. Her parents already telling her that regardless of his heritage, he wasn’t worth anything, because his parents were squibs. It was very likely he wouldn’t have any gift at all. She’d hated thinking about the possibility that she may never have a gift, that she might be sent away from her family, never to talk to them again. She didn’t have to worry about that for long though, as JiEun soon began having dreams, and when she awoke, those dreams weren’t only dreams. She’d woken up one morning to find her entire bedroom set stuck to the ceiling, her own body upside down over her floor. It had only taken her a moment to shout before her mother had come running, wand extended, catching the bed only moments from crashing down upon her daughter. Her mother had been so proud, they’d had an impromptu party. She’d been so happy, but the party came with difficult news as well. Jaehwa had come, and though he was happy for her, he came with the news that he’d be leaving for school the following September. He was headed to Hogwarts, leaving her behind to move on to bigger and better things. She felt broken somehow, and the few days that followed his announcement were rough. It seemed that she’d lost some of the control she’d tried so hard to gain, and so there were sharp and sudden magical consequences for her as she went through each day, trying ungodly hard to stop herself from doing anything stupid.

Time passed though, and she regained that control she’d lost from before. Each part of her working to figure her shit out before she saw him again. She’d grown to enjoy his company, even the teasing that seemed endless when he was around. She’d not thought about the fact that he was eleven and would most likely go away to school.

Working hard, studying, fulfilling an endless, insatiable need for more knowledge created a bit of a learning void when JiEun’s own Hogwarts Letter appeared. She’d been invited to begin her classes with the first years, and then be evaluated at second year level when she finished the school year. She had no doubt of her own abilities, and she figured, based on the letter, that she was probably able to join the third years when she started, but in order to make things not strange for her when she joined, she’d be placed with her fellow first years, to get actual in class knowledge of what magic was for a witch. Entering the school for the first time was like finally getting to go somewhere you’d always dreamed. She felt light as a feather as she’d walked into the great hall. Most of the other students were gasping in excitement staring at everything, while JiEun simply kept her eyes to the front, knowing what would come next, knowing where she needed to be. When her name was called, she advanced, the hat settling onto her head, the voice thoughtful and, if she thought so herself, mildly calculating. When it mentioned Ravenclaw, she scoffed audibly. There is no way. It simply wouldn’t do. No matter how smart she was, each thing she’d done was carefully planned, her own wit getting her to the point where she was, focused only on her goals. She wanted to be more than even her parents expected her to be. She was going to be more than anyone ever expected. The chuckle the hat shared with her before announcing her place in the house of the serpent seemed unsurprised, but pleased with the result, she joined her fellow Slytherins, eyes darting down the line of seated students until her eyes met a set of familiar eyes, a smile slipping over her lips as she nodded to Jaehwa, and sat.

As she’d expected, her classes were simple, she was able to sail through them without much trouble, and the time that she would have spent studying was spent studying new material her professors provided her with outside of class. She loved her courses in transfiguration and charms, and earned top marks in her other classes, both in her first year studies, as well as with the new material they provided. She successfully brewed a draught of the living dead in her second week, and within a month, she was learning OWL and NEWT level techniques in her courses. She had finally found a place to thrive.

The first year of courses was basic, and after that, she couldn’t get enough, Professor Binns offered her a pass for the restricted section, where she devoured book after book of knowledge as she learned more and more about the world she’d joined at such a young age. She’d known a lot about the world coming into school, but she’d found, the more she learned, that her parents view of the wizarding world was biased. She understood why they viewed it the way they did, they were a part of the purist generation. They believed that everything that could be claimed by birthright should be, and although she knew that the chances of having a squib child were smaller when witches and wizards came from a pureblood family, that it was still possible, though, she was surprised to find the opposite to be true as well. Four months in, she’d been invited to join in a fourth year charms course, and was seated beside one Choi Kiyeol for the duration of the course, and she was mildly horrified to find him whipping his wand around with no sense of decorum or point. It only took a moment for her hand to reach out and grasp his wrist shaking her head.

“Please… stop. I like having my body parts still attached.” She’d taken a deep breath and carefully turned to him, explaining the reasoning behind certain wand motions, showing him examples as she went. It wasn’t what she’d expected to be doing, but somehow, it worked. He went from foolish wand waving to successfully performing the charm each time, within only an hour’s learning. He seemed, lost, she felt as she smiled at him. Like he was behind or more alone than most, and at first he’d been annoyed by her presence beside him, although that slowly vanished as she watched him succeed. Biting her bottom lip, she offered to meet up with him outside of class, and he balked at first, but then, when she’d shrugged, he’d agreed.

They met up with the plan to go over simply charms work, but when they’d spent only an hour on the charms, they moved on, as she watched him succeed. It seemed, that true to his Ravenclaw spirit, he was eager to learn. Kiyeol had lost a little control with his emotions this year, when he’d lost his boyfriend to graduation, and JiEun was blown away when she heard who his boyfriend was. A grin spread over her face as she nodded. She knew Kim Ji Hun. Kimchi, the cabbage man, was a Slytherin pureblood family wetdream turned nightmare. He’d fought against his own extended family in the Battle of Hogwarts, and had graduated top of his class from Hogwarts only a year prior. Kiyeol’s past year had been an epic mess, and had been required to retake the year’s courses this year. He seemed to finally be working towards a success however, and the longer JiEun spent with him, the more annoyed she got. He was still so focused on what he read in the books, it made JiEun want to scream. Finally, nearing the end of her second year, she lost it. She knew that it was only a few more years, Kiyeol had to buckle down. She’d gotten so sick of watching him flounder around because he felt lost in the lines of text. She watched him die as she scolded him each time, and then renew with more spirit than even before. It was her biggest pet peeve to see people with potential squander it, and Kiyeol was the worst, however, she watched him, as he began working even harder, practicing, gaining ground in his studies. She was proud. Part of her knew he was capable, and she was glad that she’d believed that part of her, regardless of the fact that he was son of two squibs, he was a powerful wizard, and each success showed her more of that.

She’d grown so focused on her own education, and the teaching of others that it seemed to her, that Jaehwa had faded into the background of the school, until suddenly he was there once again, by her side. He seemed curious about what she was doing, spending time with Kiyeol, and it only took her a moment of cautious explanation to realize that he had also changed since the last time they’d had an opportunity for frank discussion. She was glad to find that he didn’t disapprove of what she was doing, not that it would have stopped her. She was confident in herself in a way she hadn’t been when she’d known him before. Her knowledge made her comfortable in her own skin, and she used it to her advantage, helping those who needed it, each case a separate but equal need for a different explanation than those they’d get in a classroom setting. She’d help first years in the Slytherin common room, and when she wasn’t paying attention to the people around her, she’d feel his eyes on her, and turning, she’d see his head tip back towards the book he read, or the game he played. She wondered, if perhaps, in putting him to the side as she had, she’d managed to pique his interest. The thought made her blush, and she tried to ignore her mind’s wish to search him out in any room she entered. He’d somehow managed to take over her mind once again, but this time, it was more than just her mother’s wish for her to spend time with him. She actually enjoyed their frank conversation, honest opinions and sarcasm flowed evenly and comfortable between them, and the teasing, thought it certainly hadn’t lessened between them, now it was an easygoing, mutual thing. She scored herself a point each time she saw a blush cling to his cheeks. The occasions were few and far between, but she enjoyed watching him flounder when they did arise.

She was capable now, and she wanted nothing more than to find things that made her heart race and her mind wander. She needed something to be passionate about.

[kekeke-rose-blog]

I’m not that girl || Self Para

“Wishing only wounds the heart”

Event Self Para #3

Wicked AU: There’s a guy I know, he loves him so…           

Keke hadn’t meant to do it. It was a freak thing… that moment in time when you meet someone and something just feels right. You connect on a base level, and even when you tell yourself that it won’t work out… it happens anyways. The moment Keke had met Kiyeol, she’d known that there was something there with him… but it didn’t take long to see Kimchi’s reaction. She’d known then… as she watched the two of them interact. They were like a painting, somehow too good, too perfect to be real. The way they danced around each other in conversation, their hands meeting for fractions of moments only to brush against each other as their eyes sparkled between each other.

It hadn’t mattered, though, when she’d he’d been there in front of her, her own eyes peering up at his, his energy was addictive. He had a way of making her feel like the only person in the room, and she knew that she’d dug herself a hole, because every time she spent time with him, it all came crashing down when he left. No matter how lost she got while she moved through the actions of doing things beside him, she wasn’t the person he loved, and Keke knew that. 

Moving away from school into her internship with the Wizard was the natural next step for Keke, but instead of what she expected… an opportunity to run from the heartbreak she knew would come from sticking around to watch Kiyeol and Kimchi figure their perfect life out together, she found herself surrounded by the thought of them, because as soon as she went to leave, Kimchi was there, whining about how Kiyeol wasn’t the same as before. What had changed him so drastically? Keke knew for a fact she hadn’t seen a significant change, and she was quite sure that Kiyeol hadn’t purposefully changed, so she tried to brush it off.

Instead, she ended up with Kimchi traveling to the Emerald City with her. Things headed drastically downhill from there though. Confused and angry, Keke ruined her chances of an internship, hating what he said about the way things should be. It was wrong, to think that people didn’t deserve to be free. Instead, she took the ability to fly, and ran away. Kimchi tried to stop her, but instead, she knew, she had to run. It was the only way for her to escape. She’d tried before, but this time, she had to succeed. She had to escape the thought of him.

She heard word of their wedding some months later, and she tried to be happy. Her heart felt cracked, and she was quite sure it wouldn’t ever really be fully whole again, but she didn’t mind. She’d left her life to forge out on her own. She fully intended to.

[kekeke-rose-blog]

"Don't dream too far, don't lose sight of who you are,

don't remember that rush of joy.

He could be that boy, But I'm not that girl..."

[kekeke-rose-blog]

“He could be that boy… I’m not that girl.”

Event Moodboard #4

Wicked AU: In Which Keke Rose, unfortunately green, fell for @acekiyeol, fun-loving, caring, and streetsmart, even if she knew he loved her best friend, the perfectly popular @acexkimchi.

[kimchixhr]

“But we’ll never be truly free, Until those in bondage have the same rights as you and me, You and I. Do or die.“

Event Moodboard #3

Modern Hamilton AU: In which Kimchi is a strong supporter of equal rights for all, especially the LGBTQ community.

“This thing called love is between two people. But if you let the things people will say get in the way, that’s a pity”

[kekeke-rose-blog]

Un-needed Knight

Event Self Para

Royalty AU: In search of justice, Rose changes the fate of those closest to her.

( 989 Words : Warnings - Violence, witchcraft sort of? : ft. @acexsora @taejinace and @acexkimchi )

Rose was born to a mother who wanted nothing more than their daughter to be happy. Unfortunately, in the current life, that was never quite possible. Her father left her mother when she was born, unready for the trouble having a child would cause. When Rose was three, her mother brought home a child. A small squirming baby boy. She’d named him Taejin, she’d said. That one of the maids at the palace had ended up with an unplanned baby, and that her mother had decided to bring him home instead. It wasn’t until years later, when her mother had gotten very ill that she’d shared with Rose the truth. Taejin was son of the King and Queen. The child had been the cause of the Queen’s untimely death, and for that, the King had ordered the child killed. Taejin had a brother, Taechul, who was the Prince. The only trouble was, according to her mother, Taejin was actually the elder twin. The real heir. She’d bestowed this information on her daughter in order to remind her that Taejin could never go to the Palace. He could never meet his brother, be recognized. Instead, they were to stay in their home, make a modest living, and move away from the city when they could afford to. Rose’s mother wanted Taejin to have a full and happy life, and that wouldn’t happen if they stayed so close to his roots.

It wasn’t until years later that Rose realized that dream of her mother’s was never going to come true. It broke her heart every day to live so close to the palace, so close to the demise of her brother. Instead of running away, they stayed, they worked, and they learned to fight, in case the perhaps inevitable came to pass. Rose took up her mother’s old position at the palace, learning to fight alongside new members of the palace guard. She became close with an equally able recruit named Sora, and the two became fast friends, always sparring together during training, and meeting up to practice outside of the regular times. They both continued to improve, and excel.

Not long after Rose’s sixteenth birthday, she was taken aside, and then taken to meet with the prince’s advisor. She was told that she had a great gift, that she had the power to enchant.  This new power was unbelievable, but under the tutelage of Kimchi, Rose gained a good control over her ability. It didn’t take long for Rose to want to share her new abilities with her friend, only, when she did, it wasn’t shared excitement that she received, it was a look of fear, of incredulity. Was her newfound skill something to fear? Was it something she should have avoided? Rose’s mind filled with questions, and she left. Taunts of her former peers echoing in her mind. “Witchy girl… stay away… nobody wants you here.” She received letters from Kimchi, urging her to come back, to continue her training, but she was scared. What if her peers found her. She knew she could fight but if all of them came at her at once… what would she do?

She never returned to the palace.  It wasn’t her place then.

It was her place however, years later, when finally she’d pulled every piece of her life together. Working as a mercenary, she’d made the right friends, and each step she took back towards the very place her mother had told her to stay away from, she felt vilified. This was her opportunity. She would make her brother safe again. She would take back his world for him.

The plans fell apart as she entered the castle however, and she was suddenly very much alone. It seems that regardless of how much planning you put forth, when faced with reality, even the most sure fighters lose faith. Each step towards her goal seemed somehow a failure until she stood there, in front of the one in which she’d planned all along. She saw little bits of Taejin in him, but there was a ruthlessness in his eyes that scared even her. However, he hadn’t expected her to get this far. Her ability to enchant objects had, in its basic form, finally helped her. The charm of invisibility had worked flawlessly, and she wondered momentarily, what Kimchi would think of her now. Here to kill the King.

It only took a few steps until she was within striking distance and she moved in, each step planned in her mind before she took it, and she stuck first, her mind confused as to why he didn’t fight back. She shook her head as she leaned in towards him. “Taejin will be free of the fear you place in his heart without even knowing he exists.” Her blade pierced through him, and she was startled when the door behind her opened with a clatter of footsteps. She was pulled from that distraction however, when the rattling voice of the King finally spoke. “And now your brother… he shall be King.” She stared, his words hitting her, and she wondered exactly what he meant. Taejin wasn’t… but he was. She frowned, and turned, eyes widening at the fact that only one person besides her and the King in the room. She couldn’t help it as she dropped her sword from her hand, the dagger still lodged in the chest of the king, she fell, somehow all energy drained from her. She’d saved her brother, but instead condemned him to another fate all together. Dropping to her knees, she peered up.

“Sora… I’m sorry.” Her voice was hoarse, and she bowed down to the guard in front of her. There were no more words available to her. She was at the mercy of her former friend, and only time would tell whether she had made a difference in the future for her brother or not.

[taejinace]

The Prince and The Pickpocket

“It wasn’t me, it was my evil twin...”

Self-Para: Royalty AU

(1789 words) :|: Warnings: Child Abandonment, Violence/Crime/Theft

(ft. @kekeke-rose-ace @acexsora and @taechulace )

Taejin grew up knowing that he wasn’t a part of his family. His sister, Rose, and his mother had always been very honest about that, but he never really cared much for where he’d come from, only that he always had someone by his side. It was as though, he felt like a part of himself was missing, and although he had Rose, it wasn’t exactly what he’d expected, and so he made due. He found himself acting out, and learned fighting from his sister after their mother died. They kept each other together, his own, less than fully legal actions bringing in some food and materials, while his sister worked up at the Palace. He didn’t have much of an opportunity to make his way near there, and it always seemed to feel dark and lonely, and so, he avoided it. He found much more comfort in the quiet comfort of the trees and plants in the forest than he ever did in town, and it was easy for him to collect nuts and berries and some wild vegetables that grew there, every once in a while, practicing his archery and bringing home meat for them to enjoy.

He’d only found out that he was capable of stealing recently. He’d gone wandering through a clearing, and had been stopped by a couple wanting to know the way through the forest. It was easy, he’d told them the way, and they’d been on their way, but he’d managed to swipe the bag of coins from the back of their wagon, the two none the wiser, as he nimbly jumped into the wagon, and then silently exiting once again. It had only grown more interesting from there. He’d heard stories of a thief who stole from the rich, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. There were so many rich people, and they had so much… how could they even realize that they were missing anything at all?

He found out, however, that not everything that the rich had was so simple. He’d heard whispers, that one of the higher nobles was planning on moving his priceless jewels from one locked warehouse, to another in a weeks time. The price of a jewel, any jewel, would be higher than anything he’d managed to steal before. There was a race in his heart, and he couldn’t help but want to think of some sort of idea as to how to satisfy it. It only took a few days for him to put his plan into place, a few of the local kids agreeing to help out for some of the soup his sister managed to make, when she wasn’t off fighting or killing someone.

Taejin worried about Rose, about the fact that even compared to what he was doing, she was in danger day after day. It wasn’t that he didn’t know she could take care of herself. He knew she was even more capable than he was with a blade or bow, and the sword that hung at her side was a testament to her skills.

When he’d been very young, Rose had gone away for a few days, left him with strict instructions not to leave the house, not to let anyone in. When she’d returned, she looked tired, lost, but the sword that returned with her gleamed like the light of a star, and she held it closer to her than he’d thought necessary. It was only when he grew older and asked again that she explained… the sword had come from the leader of the gang of Japanese thugs that lived in the next town over. She’d gotten a job to take him out, and her success made her somehow high on their hierarchy. The sword was the symbol, and to some, it made her untouchable.

She still wasn’t done though, he watched her as she made friends, whispers in the dark after she’d been sure he’d gone to bed, hushed voices echoing up to the loft where he slept. Plans to go after the King. Taejin had felt lost and confused, hearing this. He couldn’t figure out what it was that she had against the king, though she’d never been fold of him, and it seemed, she wasn’t the only one.

It only took a day before he had to be ready, fully alert the next night, as he stepped out, his black mixing with the inky darkness, standing in the shadow around the corner where he knew they’d come from. The wagon had several armed guards, their royal guard armor shining in the torchlight. He took a shaky breath, watching as he lifted his hand, giving the signal to the kids, who performed their task admirably. They surrounded the horse, reaching out, knowing better than to get under the hooves as the horse reared, making a distraction as the guards raced around to calm the horse. The last guard looked conflicted, and Taejin hesitated, waiting one moment, and then two, before one of the kids tugged at the man’s arm, pulling him towards the front of the wagon.

Slipping from the shadows, Taejin leapt quietly into the wagon, and his eyes widened as he saw what awaited him there. He’d expected the guards to all be outside the wagon, but one waited in the quiet of the inside of the wagon, seated next to a great chest. Taejin halted any movement before backing up rapidly, his foot catching the wall of the wagon, and he tumbled backwards, hitting his forehead against the wagon as he fell, biting back a shout at the pain, he landed on his feet, the only plus he figured, after years of practicing. He took off, the footsteps of the single guard now rapidly closing on him as he became slightly disoriented, dizzy. He put out a hand, glad to feel the feeling of a pillar there, and he stopped, holding himself upright, his head dipped, his breathing ragged. He was simply glad his hood remained in place to hide his face from the world.  

That happiness was short lived, however, and his face was revealed by a tug from a hand behind him. His eyes widened and he turned to face his pursuer. The look on their face, however, was certainly not what he’d expected, as the hand instantly let go of his hood and, now that he could see fully, the captain of the royal guard was now backing away, eyes widened, and… was she… bowing? He raised a brow, then gasped, hand instinctively raising to touch the cut at his hairline.

“Y-your Highness… What are you doing here? Now?” Your Highness? What kind of drugs would the captain of the royal guard be on to think that he was in fact the crown prince.

“I’m no one’s highness… least of all yours.” He crossed his arms, leaning his weight on one of his hips as he watched her, considering the likelihood of him being able to escape if he ran for it while she was still confused. “But if you think I am… You probably should take me back to the palace.” He was far too interested in what she meant in her mistake to really run. He was far too curious for his own good. It was part of what had gotten him into trouble tonight. Her face had changed however, twisting with confusion, and then annoyance, but he could tell she was still quite confused. “I mean it… I’d love to meet my doppelganger if he’s the prince. Seems to me it’d come in handy.” He was very surprised when she simply nodded. She’d reached out, and put a hand on his shoulder, but said no words, only the mild pressure on his shoulder a reminder that he wasn’t exactly a free man yet.

It only took a short time for them to walk to the outer gates of the palace, where she tugged his hood back up over his head, re-claiming her place as she grasped one of his wrists in her hand, the other staying on his shoulder, her directions now, somehow more forced. He assumed it was some sort of show for other guards, but he was surprised when he was taken to the prison area. He tried to turn around, but was unable, and his outburst of annoyance was muffled with a hand over his mouth. He immediately stopped trying to shout and took as much of a deep breath as he could, turning his head to try to look at her. Instead of getting a look at her though, he was pushed around some corners, and into a side room.

When they arrived, he was pushed towards an empty chair at a table, and she went outside to speak to someone, if the muffled sounds of voices were any indicator. He couldn’t help but put his head on his folded arms. Even if he wanted to, there was no use in trying to escape now. He pulled his hood downward and closed his eyes, his head throbbing.

What seemed like moments later, there was a knock at the door, and it opened, Taejin had instantly been awake, the sharp pain at his hairline making full sleep a joke. He stood rapidly, the person in a cloak, hood hiding their face was obviously someone important. He could tell by the quality of their clothing. It was only when they lowered the hood that he gasped. The person standing in front of him was him. His hands shook slightly as he raised his arms, and pulled back his own hood. He supposed this moment was as much like looking into a mirror as things could get, as the look of shock on the other’s face, was probably as much like his own as it could get. The voice from the doorway was a muffled curse, before his eyes raised to meet the guard captain’s face. It looked as though she believed that god was playing some sort of horrible trick on her. He looked back at the other, noting minor differences between his own mirror image and this person.

“This is his royal highness, Prince Taechul… and you, I’m assuming, are not simply a pinch pocket in disguise.” There was a small amount of accusation in her voice, but for once, Taejin couldn’t disagree. The only trouble was, he didn’t know what he was anymore, but no matter what he was or had been before… Standing here, the prince in front of him… Something finally seemed to click into place. There was something less missing now, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to do everything in his power to figure it out.