THIRD PERSON POV:

"There you are, BirthdayBoogie!" GreenGoblin strays from the usual formal talk, a tint of excitement escaping his voice. "How are this month's sales going?"

A tall man leans over him, his lips merely an inch from Goblin's ear.

"Good, Goblin," Birthday chirps. "And what about you?"

"On schedule, as usual," Goblin replied nonchalantly, his eyes darting to the floor. Of course it isn't good. At least not while the recent murders have wrecked havoc and created a widespread mayhem.

"Are you sure?" Birthday leans in close and whispers into GreenGoblin's ears, "I've heard of some trouble brewing in your district."

Goblin turns and pinches Birthday's ears.

"Owwie, what the fuck is that for?" Birthday protested, momentarily startled.

But GreenGoblin silenced him with a finger gently pressed to his lips. "Rest assured, Birthday. Law enforcement is likely handling the situation discreetly. There's no need for alarm."

Birthday's child-like demeanor suddenly grew menacing.

"Goblin, this is grave," he hissed, his nails digging into GreenGoblin's shoulder. "Think about your family, and what if our investors lose faith? What will you do in that case? If you don't do something now, we are fucked!" Birthday snaps.

"Shush it Birthday," Goblin grits. "Murders don't affect drugs."

"Don't you grasp the gravity, Goblin?" Birthday seethed, his grip on GreenGoblin's shoulder tightening. "Those girls are the very daughters of our investors! What if they start suspecting and decide to reveal our secrets? Reflect on this, Goblin. It's not just our lives on the line, but the entire X group!"

Goblin glared at Birthday, his voice cold and cutting. "So you don't trust our investors? You seem to doubt our security system. Nobody can touch us. That's what makes the X group the most powerful underground organization out there. Even our low-ranked lackeys are untouchable. I expect more from a corporal."

Goblin's icy stare locked with Birthday's as tension hung in the air. Birthday's words had hit a nerve with Goblin, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He knew that Birthday was right, that the murders in his district could potentially lead to the downfall of the X group, and that included him and his family.

Goblin took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. I'm the bigger man, he repeats to himself. "You're right, Birthday," he said, his voice calm and measured. "I need to do something about this before it gets out of hand. I'll speak to our investors, assure them that everything is under control. And I'll increase security in my district, make sure that our operations stay under wraps."

Birthday nodded, the anger in his eyes dissipating. "That's all I'm asking for, Goblin. We need to take action before it's too late."

Goblin clapped a hand on Birthday's shoulder, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Thanks for looking out for me, Birthday. I appreciate it."

Moments passed as they stood locked in their thoughts. Finally, Goblin broke the silence, 'I should get going. Finally, Goblin spoke up. "I better get going. I have a lot of work to do."

"Yeah, me too," Birthday said, his expression sobering. "We'll talk later, Goblin."

With a nod, the two men parted ways, each one lost in their own thoughts as they made their way back to their respective tasks. Goblin knew that he had a lot of work ahead of him, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of impending doom that hung over him like a dark cloud. But he was determined to do whatever it takes to protect the X group, and his family.

BEEP

Goblin stares at his phone, reading a new notification, a text from BirthdayBoogie. 

"Start with the CCTV footage behind you, <3" Birthday jokes.

Goblin let out a small chuckle as he turned to face the camera, the sole witness to their altercation. He couldn't help but think about how different Birthday was from him. Dead serious when it came to business, but always able to crack a joke and keep things light. It was a trait that he both admired and found confusing. How could someone be so easy-going and carefree, yet so determined and focused at the same time?

Shaking his head, Goblin focused on the task at hand. He knew that he needed to review the CCTV footage and make sure that their conversation wasn't caught on camera. It was just another reminder of how important it was to keep a low profile and maintain the secrecy of the X group.

As he began reviewing the footage, Goblin couldn't help but feel a twinge of gratitude towards Birthday. He may be a bit of a wildcard, but he always had the group's best interests at heart. And for that, Goblin was thankful.

As Goblin watched the footage, he noticed something that made his blood run cold. The camera had caught their altercation, and it was clear as day. He could see himself pinching Birthday's ears, and Birthday's expression of anger and frustration. He knew that this was bad, very bad. If someone saw this footage, it could mean the end of the X group and everything they had worked so hard to build.

He quickly closed the footage and made a mental note to have it removed as soon as possible. He couldn't let anyone else see it, especially not their investors. He knew that he had to come up with a plan, and fast.

Goblin quickly sent a text to BirthdayBoogie, asking him to meet him at their usual spot as soon as possible. He knew that he needed to talk to him and come up with a plan together. He knew that he couldn't do this alone. If anyone could do this, it would certainly be Birthday.

What a snake bastard, GreenGoblin thought, he knew this camera was recording this whole time. 

As he waited for Birthday to arrive, Goblin couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. He knew that this was a serious problem, and one that could potentially lead to the downfall of the X group. He had to make sure that didn't happen, no matter what it took.

Finally, Birthday arrived, and the two men sat down to discuss the situation. Goblin filled him in on what he had seen on the CCTV footage, and the gravity of the situation was not lost on Birthday. They knew that they had to act fast, and come up with a plan to remove the footage and ensure the security of the group.

As they sat there, brainstorming ideas on how to handle the situation, Goblin couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions towards Birthday. He envied his easy-going nature and his ability to always keep a level head, even in the face of such dire circumstances. He despised how effortless it all seemed for Birthday, as if he had all the answers.

But as they continued to talk, Goblin couldn't deny the fact that Birthday was incredibly smart and cunning. He was able to think on his feet and come up with solutions that Goblin himself hadn't even considered.

"Why don't we just bribe the security guard in charge of the footage?" Birthday suggested nonchalantly, as if it was the most obvious solution in the world.

Goblin stared at him in disbelief. "Are you serious? That's illegal!"

Birthday just shrugged, "So is the X group, but that hasn't stopped us. Plus, it's just a small bribe. It's not like we're talking about a huge sum of money here. It's a small price to pay to ensure the safety and secrecy of our organization."

Goblin couldn't deny the logic in Birthday's words, but it still made him uneasy. He couldn't shake off the feeling that they were going down a dangerous path. But as he looked at Birthday, who was now discussing the details of the bribe with ease and confidence, he knew that he had to trust him.

As they continued to come up with a plan, Goblin couldn't help but be impressed by Birthday's cleverness and his ability to think outside the box. He realized that he had underestimated him, and that he had a lot to learn from him. He may have been a smart and easy-going bastard, but he was also the key to the success of the X group.

Further into their discussion, Birthday suddenly spoke up with a dark comment, "And if all else fails, we always have the option of getting rid of anyone who stands in our way."

Goblin's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What do you mean by getting rid of? Are you talking about murder?"

Birthday looked at him, his expression serious but casual. "I'm just saying, we have to be prepared for any eventuality. We can't let anyone threaten the safety and secrecy of our organization."

Goblin couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had always known that the X group was involved in illegal activities, but he never thought that they would resort to murder. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach.

"I can't believe you're suggesting this, Birthday. Murder is a step too far. We can't just go around killing people." Goblin said, his voice low and grave.

But Birthday just shrugged, "I'm not saying we should go around killing people left and right, but we have to be prepared for any eventuality. And if it comes down to it, we have to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves and our organization."

GreenGoblin knew that Birthday was right, that they had to be prepared for any eventuality, but the thought of murder was too much for him to handle. He knew that he had to get out of there, to clear his head and think about what he had just heard.

He knew that he had to leave, to clear his head and think about what he had just heard. He stood up, mumbling something about needing to take care of some things, and left the meeting without another word.

But as he walked, Goblin realized that he couldn't just leave. He had to support Birthday, who had always been a loyal member of the X group and had the best interests of the organization at heart. He knew that Birthday's suggestion, though harsh, was a measure of last resort, taken only to protect the group and its members. He knew that Birthday's easy-going nature and his ability to think outside the box had always been a valuable asset to the group.

Goblin made his way back to the meeting spot, where Birthday was still waiting for him. He sat down and looked at Birthday, who was now staring at him with a hint of concern.

"I'm sorry, Birthday," Goblin said, his voice low and grave. "I overreacted. I know that your suggestion, though harsh, was a measure of last resort, taken only to protect the group and its members."

Birthday looked at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I understand, Goblin. I know that it's a difficult concept to grasp, but we have to be prepared for any eventuality. And if it comes down to it, we have to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves and our organization."

Goblin nodded, knowing that Birthday was right. He knew that he had to support Birthday and the X group, no matter what the cost. He realized that he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way of the bigger picture.

_____________________________________________________

Ah, Finally got the motivation to finish this chapter. 

Well actually, I was planning on publishing it earlier or never but... got too overwhelmed with work. (not rlly, im still in school but u get the picture)

Exam week starts in a few days and french is hard. And I submitted my culminatings late. I swear if I don't get at least a 70, I'm actually gonna fail. 😭.·'¯'(>▂<)'¯'·. 

Anyways, how are the new characters? I luv them much better btw so sorry to all those Lev fans. 👍(^///^)

Who is the favourite?

Bye!!! o(*￣▽￣*)ブ