Holly froze, a sick look crossing her face.

"How do you know that?" she asked, her eyes narrowing as she leaned back in her chair, her arms crossing protectively against her chest.

"Haven't you read the Sorcerer's Newsletter?" Otto tilted his head, his confusion appearing innocent, yet his tone sounding boastful.

Holly grumbled under her breath, shooting a glance at Robin.

"I'll take that as a no?" Otto smiled, a gleaming, practiced expression. "It was announced a few months ago—the Crimson Crow was released."

Holly let out a long breath, her eyes sharp as she studied Otto.

"...on the condition she uses her powers only for the benefit of the U.S. government, that is," Otto added with a smirk, "or face the penalty of death."

Holly's glare deepened.

"Oh?" was all she managed, forcing a polite smile onto her face.

"Yes, and as soon as I read that, I knew I had to include you in my study," Otto explained, leaning back in his chair and placing a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Maybe with my help, people might fear you less and understand that sorcerers mean the general public no harm."

Robin shifted uncomfortably under Otto's touch. He could sense something brewing between his brother and Holly—a hidden conflict that he couldn't fully grasp, but he didn't like. Otto's words sounded pleasant enough, but something in his tone felt... wrong.  The way Otto spoke to Holly felt condescending, almost threatening.

"...You did cast quite a bad light on us after that stunt you pulled in Utah-," Otto continued.

"Hah!" Holly laughed, rising from the table and heading to a cabinet. "I don't care if people fear me, hate me, or think I'm evil. I just care that they leave me alone." She growled, as she bit into a pear and leaned against the counter with a scowl.

"Yes, but, when people fear something, they either try to get rid of it, or prove that they are what should be feared instead. So I am afraid you don't have that choice."

"So, you want to study my magic to prove I'm not a threat?" she asked, amused but unconvinced. "For my safety?"

"I think you will find it beneficial for us both, Miss Holly," Otto said casually, shrugging off her apprehension. "After all, you have all this destruction magic, which you are putting to waste while making silly trinkets and sitting around in this small hole-in-the-wall town."

Robin had to fight to stay silent. Otto's dismissiveness of Holly's life, the life she'd built felt personal—insulting even. 

"Even with this penalty hanging over your head, you still have the power to be a hero—or a celebrity, even! It's a waste, hiding here when people would kill for the gifts you have."

Holly's eyes flickered between the two brothers in the kitchen with her—a sadness deepening in her expression.

Robin tried to meet her gaze, to send her a look to apologize for his brother's insensitive words. He knew what Holly had gone through that made her decide to distance herself from the world, and why this life—despite any talents or potential she might have had in any other life – was so important to her. It was the same reason he had fallen in love with life at Sunshine Acres himself.

"I'm perfectly contented with my little trinkets and my 'hole-in-the-wall' town," Holly said coolly, taking another bite of her pear. "And you're right, there are people who'd kill for knowledge of my magic. They're far more dangerous than I am, even without magic. Or any magic, for that matter."

She set the half-eaten pear on the counter and walked back to the table, her expression turning serious. "So, here's the deal. Since, as you said, the government would come after me if I use my wartime magic in any way that doesn't benefit them, I won't be showing you any of the—"

"You wouldn't be—"

"I'm still talking," Holly interrupted sharply. "I won't be showing you my destruction magic. But I will show you how I've adapted those principles to improve my jewelry business and metalworking. You came to study me and my magic, and that is the magic I use now. If it's not enough for you, I invite you to leave.  In fact, you are lucky I have had the pleasure of meeting your brother before you and finding myself liking him ever so much. Otherwise, you wouldn't be getting a choice." She said, tilting her head, her eyes locked on Otto's, with her fury barely contained. "You would've experienced my destruction magic firsthand—and then, maybe, never experienced anything ever again." Holly added, dropping her fake smile before extending her hand to Otto with a different fake smile plastered onto her face, yet the seriousness of her threat still lingered in her eyes.

"Deal?"

Otto whistled softly.  "A real canon you are love. I'm surprised Robin's been able to hang around this long, waiting for me."

"I was just thinking the same thing about you," she said, her smile fading as her hand lowered, as if considering retracting the offer.

"Holly," Robin coughed, deciding to step in. "Could you excuse us for a moment?"

Holly's gaze softened slightly when it fell on him, her frustration melting into something more like sadness. "I'll be upstairs in my office." She sighed, lowering her eyes. "You have until sunset to take my offer—or leave. Both of you."

Robin's stomach churned as he watched her ascend the stairs, anger at his brother simmering below the surface.

Robin turned to Otto, his voice low. "Listen, Otto. If you're to stay here and use her magic for your paper, you need to show her some respect."

"I was respectful!" Otto protested. "I was telling her how powerful she was and how it'd be an honor to work with her, but she was the one who got all hissy and threatened me."

"Otto..."

"What do you mean 'Otto..'" Otto said, looking at his brother in disgusted disbelief. "You really like this girl? Come on, Robin, you can't be serious." Otto added with a mocking laugh. "There are so many pretty girls in London? You like THAT -"

"Otto. Listen to me," Robin hissed, poking a finger into his brother's chest. "Stop acting like you know what you're talking about. I have been waiting here for you for months. Okay? MONTHS!" And this is how you act as soon as you arrive? This is the type of person you are showing her I have been waiting all this time for?" Robin raged, his voice full of disappointment and pent-up frustration.

Otto looked at his younger brother, stunned, but Robin wasn't done.

"You don't know Holly, and you don't understand the situation you have found yourself in with her, and you are making this more challenging for yourself than it needs to be by being a jackass to her. Be grateful if you want to learn how she uses her magic. Stay, listen to her, and learn. If you only want to threaten her to do what you want her to, then just leave...because I won't stand for it.

"Robin, has she bewitched you or something? What's happened to my little brother—"

Robin stood abruptly, anger surging through his veins like fire as he paced before the table. "No! Stop acting like you know me, either. You have been sending me letters for years without a return address. Never giving me a chance to respond, not caring if I respond, and then saying to me, 'You don't know who I am'? Of course, you don't! How would you have known who I am ever since you left?"

"Robin, I-" Otto blinked, taken aback by his brother's anger.

"I wanted to write you that I missed you, Otto." Robin interrupted, his voice cracking. "To ask about the places you were, to ask when you were coming to visit home. But all I get for years is a few scribbled sentences about things you were working on. So finally, I get a hint about where I might find you, and I come all the way here to see you, and you don't even seem to care!"

Robin's voice had risen, echoing through the house. Robin knew it was likely Holly was overhearing every word, but he didn't care.

"So, yes. Otto, you wouldn't know what happened to your little brother. You never cared to find out. And now, I'm not sure what happened to you either."

Robin turned away, pinching the bridge of his nose as he let out a long breath, his body trembling after expressing so much of his pent-up emotions.

Otto was silent, at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry, Robin," Otto said slowly, taking a breath. "I'll admit, I came on a bit too strong. I didn't mean to make such a bad first impression after not seeing you for so long. I'll try to make more of an effort."

"Thank you," Robin said, turning back to face him. "But you need to apologize to Holly, too."

"Yeah, we will see about that," Otto scoffed, getting up from his seat and pulling Robin into a hug.

Robin smiled, feeling a brief moment of familiar happiness as his brother embraced him. "No, I mean it, Otto. You should—"

"Listen, I know she's scary, but I can handle her. You don't have to be afraid of her now that I'm here," Otto said, ruffling Robin's hair. "I've got this."

"I doubt that," Robin started, the momentary satisfaction of his brother's apology fading as he realized it wasn't as genuine as Robin had hoped.

"Oh?" Otto said, feigning insult. "It's been so long that you've forgotten how strong your big brother is?"
Otto added, punching his brother in the arm.

Robin laughed despite the dull pain from Otto's punch to his arm.

"I guess it has been," Robin said, rubbing his arm. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Not since this morning before the train ride," Otto replied, sitting back down. "Should we go into town and grab some drinks to celebrate my arrival?"

"Sure," Robin said with a shrug before realizing he wasn't ready to find out how Otto would react around his other new friends in town. "Or I could try to make us all something here."

"Make something?" Otto asked, with his eyebrows raised.

"Oh," Robin hesitated; he had gotten used to people understanding his role at the house and supporting his cooking. He had forgotten his initial feeling of being embarrassed by such a role until this moment, having almost forgotten that cooking was something he might be judged for.

Robin hesitated. "I've had to... pull my weight around here while waiting for you for so long."

"Oh, my poor baby brother, you truly are enslaved! I should have gotten here sooner."

Robbin bit his cheek, disappointment from his brother's judgment welling in his stomach. Of course, his brother wouldn't understand that Robin might be doing these things because he didn't mind. That he actually liked the life he'd built here. But hearing Otto's responses to these tasks made Robin realize that Otto would never be understanding.

"Well," Robin said, shaking his head as he dismissed Otto's comment. "If you're staying, you'll need to pitch in too."

Otto laughed off his brother's suggestion.

"One of us has to stay strong against that witch's grasp."

Robin exhaled, satisfying his brother with a fake laugh. However, Robin could already feel the weight of the next few weeks settling on his shoulders.