Hi everyone, welcome back!

So I made an entire armoury-type room for the Madhouse but I haven’t had any opportunity to show it yet. It has a lot of guns.

BAM.

Feast thine eyes.

And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

It’s just your average night with Noemi hanging out, doing her thing. chilling with her homies.

Noemi: I didn’t choose the thug life. The thug life chose me.

Oh hai Rush. I didn’t expect to see you in this chapter.

Rush: I wanna dance.

Noemi: So go dance.

He rolls his eyes at her.

Rush: With you, ice queen.

Noemi: What’s that supposed to mean??

But she allows herself to be lead away.

When they’ve crossed through the crowd Rush answers.

Rush: You’re too cold.

Noemi: Am not, ask anyone here.

Rush: To me, you are.

Noemi: After everything I’ve seen here and you staring at me night and day, go figure I don’t warm up immediately! You’re not exactly a master of first impressions.

Rush: I was just watching out for you! And you obviously needed it the night you decided to snooze in the dungeon.

Noemi: Well that was literally my first indication that you weren’t a sociopath.

Rush: You think I’m a sociopath? I’m still not sure about you, crazy.

She’s surprised when she realizes her banter with Rush has actually become fun, and even more surprised when it becomes completely magnetizing.

She hadn’t really meant to, and she hardly could have stopped herself if she had wanted to. But yeah.

This lasted a long time. Like, the repoman actually came and everyone stopped dancing and partying to watch him try to zap away a counter before I deleted him. But these two did not wanna quit.

Noemi: This is… really public.

Rush: You want to get out of here?

They did.

Tonight was the night that Noemi discovered the joys of a bear skin rug. There are oh so many.

Actually I just wanted to show off this dope rug.

So clothes become irrelevant, and Noemi ends up here again. The bed is just as comfortable as Noemi remembers, but that’s not really her main focus I guess.

It’s all pretty new for her, but Noemi knows what to expect. Her dad had begged Jemyn to give her the talk when she was still a kid, which had resulted in Noemi screaming hysterically and running away. Oscar and Jemyn had accepted defeat then, and instead left a stack of informative books in Noemi’s room for her to find. She would never admit to it, but she had read every word.

So while these two get to know each other better, I’m gonna show you something.

Look at the effort I put into this babe machine’s tats! Look at the sick-ass dragon on his back!! It doesn’t render very well in the game, but in CAS it looks like it was drawn by angels on steroids. Super thanks to whoever made this CC.

You guys done yet?

Noemi: No! Go away!

Sorry.

Noemi: snoooore

Yeah they’re done now.

It’s morning, rise and shine lovelies!

Noemi crawls out of the warm cozy nest. Rush watches her as he gets dressed.

Recalling the events of last night, Noemi can’t decide on what to say to him.

Noemi: …now what?

Rush: Now we go make coffee.

She scowls at him.

Rush: Now you keep sleeping with me, because you keep me so warm. You’re like a little furnace.

That seems to be good enough for her, and she busies herself by getting dressed and fixing her hair in the mirror.

These chickas are hanging out in the basement, talkin bout boys.

Rexie: So Jade, I haven’t seen you down here in a while.

Noemi: What?

Layla: You got better places to be, Jade?

Meg: Guys, I was the one who brought her here, and now she’s sleeping with the boss! I’m such a proud momma!

Noemi: You guys, shut up.

Rexie: Oooh, it’s secretive! Something’s going on!!

Noemi: Nothing’s going on, guys. It’s just like, a thing.

Rexie: Oooooh, a thing!!!

Meg: Jade and Rush have a thiiiiiing!!

The girls continue to squeal and giggle as they head upstairs.

Noemi tries fruitlessly to get them to be quiet about it, but they’re adamant about making it a big deal.

She can feel herself blushing bright red, and dawdles behind so noone notices.

Her heart almost stops when she sees something peering back at her out of the darkness.

She looks up to ask Rexie if she can see it too, but then when she looks back, the apparition is gone.

Her heart starts pounding and a buried memory surfaces.

She remembers now seeing something similar that night she had been stumbling around in the darkness.

Noemi pushes the thought out of her mind and races up the stairs to join her friends.

That night, Noemi’s just lounging in bed waiting for Rush, actively trying not to think about what she thinks she saw in the dungeon. He finally shows up and she pulls him hungrily down onto the bed.

Noemi: Hey babe.

She starts sliding her hands under his shirt.

Rush: You better not tire me out tonight, I’ve got to have my game face on early in the morning.

Noemi: Why?

Rush: We’re hitting up the military base when they’re still sleeping. Like, all of us.

Noemi: Should I be worried about you?

He rolls over next to her and pulls her into his arms.

Rush: Don’t ever worry about me. I’m not dying til I’m at least ninety.

Noemi: That’s a nice thought, but don’t get too cocky.

Rush: Can I ask a weird question? You don’t have to tell me, but what’s your real name?

Noemi: It’s Noemi.

Rush: That’s a beautiful name.

Noemi: What’s yours?

Rush: It’s long, and in another language. Rush is the pronounceable version.

She smiles and settles into his arms, yawning.

Noemi is sure it still must be dark out when Rush leaves. She immediately rolls over and goes back to sleep, as she has decided that if anything horrible happens she would rather sleep through it.

Because everyone at the Madhouse has a fucked up sleep schedule, she manages this without difficulty.

Night night Noemi. See you next time, readers!