jonahxrivas

[jonahxrivas]

for: @unlost - Will location: burning man pumpkin

Many glances, from confusion to concern, were cast toward the giant pumpkin that had been turned into bonfire. Jonah knew he shouldn't be surprised by the antics people pulled here, but this was something new. And each time Jonah looked, he noticed Will lingering nearby too more nervous than he'd seen the guy. Jonah understood why though with Will being a fire fighter and all, and it probably didn't help that festival-goers found it amusing and added things to keep the fire going. Approached casually, giving a small wave to catch Will’'s attention. "You good, man? It smells a bit funk too, doesn't it?"

[jonahxrivas]

"Oh, that's not prying at all, yeah I'm full veggie now. Rohan is and I just gradually shifted to being meat free. It felt easier. People said I'd get cravings and stuff, but I haven't so far, so, I think it's going well." Maybe it would hit somewhere down the line, but till then, Jonah didn't mind this change one bit. "Yeah, for sure. I tried looking into that a bit, but hard to know what to trust these days. If you got any pointers, I'd happily take them." It was that or get back into proper contact with his friends from outside and see what the food chemists had to say about it.

"Depends on the species? A week ago we got a couple green sea turtles and one of them was about a 150 pounds. Some go up to 500, so..." he trailed off with a shrug, "But yeah, surf, swim, dive, all that." With a laugh he nodded at Efe's statement, "I get up around 7 but two hours isn't gonna make a big difference so yeah tomorrow sounds good. Thanks!" Jonah did appreciate this offer, while he wouldn't say he was lot, but having someone else to motivate him did feel good. "Won't tell, don't worry. I get it, they kinda do have it easy in town." For as much as he liked being human, magical powers did indeed make like easier sometimes.

"Nah, you're good. I just had to get that out," he gave Efe a quick grin. "They might do, man, I know it sucks waiting around but that's good, at least you're volunteering and keeping yourself busy too. Take a break though, you were recovering." He shouldn't be the one to say such a thing when he filled all his supposed downtime with repairs and isolated himself with things, "Well, can I help you with anything? Aquarium's looking good, and up and running, I can drop by the Coalition and give you a hand with things."

Efe flashed a smile. "Oh, yeah? Are you like...completely veggie now? Sorry if that's, like, prying." There did seem to be some genuine curiosity here. "I mean, just good to know...like, you're going to have to up your protein intake. And there are ways to do that without animal products." Efe laughed. "Turtles, huh? They pretty heavy, or...? You, like, surf and stuff, though. don't you? That counts. But sure. We can hit the gym. What time do you get up in the morning? We start at 5. I'm serious. I'll pick you up tomorrow." In truth, Efe seemed rather open to the idea of having a buddy for the daily workout grind. "I mean, I don't think any of them do that. Maybe they do, though. Could make my life easier. Between you and me, sometimes I get a little jealous of how...easy it all is. For, like, the vampires and stuff? Don't tell anyone."

Efe smiled. "Hey, man, don't worry. I'm just playing. Rohan's a good dude. I don't badmouth anyone. Or try not to anyway." He shrugged "That's what people always say. And then do they? I don't know. I've been volunteering a lot at the Coalition too. I think I took on too much while I was recovering, but then I'd feel bad leaving anyone hanging."

[jonahxrivas]

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not judging. I used to eat meat before too, well, not fish, but you get the point." With a nod, Jonah confirmed with interest, "Actually, yeah, that'd be great, man. I don't think myself unfit or anything but lifting turtles can't be the only weights I do, you know? I kinda need to work out more if I'm being honest, or at least get on the path to starting something proper." While he had no issue of any sort with his current fitness level or physique, nor did he think he wasn't strong to some respect, a set routine couldn't hurt. "We have magic potions, are you saying I can't get buff with a shake?" This came with a laugh and a flick of his hand to dismiss it, "Don't worry. It was never a thought of mine."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Well...I don't think I have it in me to hurt people with avenging but just don't go badmouthing him? Not that you will or anything... the most I might get is very annoyed?" He knew with the way Efe was asking it wasn't anything serious, yet, he couldn't help the way his mind wandered to the worst, and of late, things were hardly ever good for long. "Hmmm I see that. It does have more date vibe. And yeah, people are busy. Schedules will free up, don't worry."

Efe gave a shrug. "Hey, I'm not one of those, like...carnivorous as a personality dudes. I'm sure there are lots of good vegetarian alternatives. But if you need protein powder tips, I can give you some too. They're good to help bulk, but I think people think it's, like, magic, you know? That all you need is a shake to get jacked." He made a bit of a face, and while he himself worked out regularly, it was always more of a job necessity than for social media clout.

Efe laughed, raising an eyebrow. "Not over chili, huh? Just other things? What kinds?" He sighed a bit, however, voice trailing off. "Me too, I guess." With the way thing tended to go in Lunar Cove, he was sure feelings of vengeance were not entirely uncommon. "Good point. Maybe I'll give it to the pack. I just mean, it's...for two people, right? I feel like if it was intended to be a group hang, it would be something else. I think it's couple-y to go out to dinner one-on-one, don't you? Besides, a lot of my friends have their own stuff going on right now. I don't know. People are...busy."

[jonahxrivas]

"That's..." he trailed off with a huh. It wasn't anything he expected to her, at least not to that level of extremeness at least. "That's extremely harsh. It sounds a lot like she was trying to push you away?" Jonah then, reached the conclusion that maybe Ronnie had succeed in doing just that. "I get hearing that must've been tough, especially after finding the place like that, but hey, listen to me," he said shifting to look at her, "I've known you since you were a kid, you care a lot about people so what she said isn't true, believe me." On the verge of listing in all the ways she was good, his brows pulled to a frown. "Hang on, Ken? Are you seriously comparing yourself to him?" A mixture of incredulity and hollow amusement carried in his voice as he let out a laugh. "Do you even realise how much better than him you are? He's got maybe one or two friends, if that. But that's beside the point, I shouldn't even be commenting on it."

While his belief that she deserved better, or at least different, friends had remained unchanged since childhood, this comparison felt absurd. "Do we both know? I'm not pretending in the slightest," he continued, softer now, "You are so much more than how others see or say about you. You absolutely deserve friends who see all the brilliance in you, you do. Whatever is going on with Ronnie, yeah, shouldn't be your concern right now." But he did hope whatever it was, wasn't detrimental to the girl. "I think the best thing you can do is focus on your own happiness. You have me, you have Ben, we're never going away."

Bri narrowed her eyes over at Jonah, not believing him for a second, but deciding not to push him on it as much as a part of her wanted to. "I," She let out a small sigh, pulling one of the couch pillows tighter into her lap as she told Jonah point blank, "I don't know how else to say it, Jonah? She was the one who did it and when I asked if everything was okay, she looked me dead in the eyes and told me that she was just using me for a place to stay and I quote, 'only really like hanging around you because you buy me shit and dress me up and have enough money to make me feel like I've sort of got my old life back'. End quote," She scrunched up her nose, not bothering to hide how it physically pained her to have to repeat that one out loud. "Yeah, well, I thought we were best friends. She told me as much, but it was just one big heaping lie." Not that it was really all that surprising to her given that she seemed to find herself in this situation far more times than she cared to admit. Luna had a similar attitude when she had came back from the dead. Her own exe had never actually loved or gave a damn about her and it wasn't as if she was winning any popularity awards in this town, so really why would Veronica Bishop? "I don't know. No. I didn't do anything, and honestly, if there is something going on with her, I don't really care anymore." It might sound harsh, but after crying for a whole day straight about it, she was over it. If Veronica Bishop didn't want her in her life, so be it. "Oh yeah? Like who? Because I'm pretty sure Ken has more friends than I do at this point," She pointed out. "Look, Jonah, I'll be fine, okay? I figure it out." There had to be statistically one other person in this town who might want to be her friend outside of Dilan and Billie and, sure, the only person who'd talk to her when she actually tried to put herself out there and make friends had been a beekeeper who had only swung by On Pitch for his business, but he seemed nice? "But we don't have pretend everyone in town loves me when we both know the truth. It's fine."

[jonahxrivas]

When Rohan spoke, Jonah froze in place and grip on his his slackened. The light, carefree feeling that had enveloped him just moments ago now weighed heavily in his chest, replaced by a growing sense of worry. They had spoken about this before and he had eagerly looked forward to it. But now? Months had passed from the incident yet with scars etched as a permanent reminder on his face, Jonah couldn't feel anything but uncertain about it now. "What if they don't like me?" he asked, avoiding eye contact. Would he even be a good father anymore? "I still want that of course," he admitted softly, "but... I don't want to scare the kids. That'd be..." His words trailed off as he drew a shaky breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts and shook his head gently to dismiss the dark clouds gathering in his mind. "Yeah...this is a conversation for when we get home. Let me not ruin the sunshine."

He gave him a smile that did its very best to return to a brighter mood, "You say as if we need to try and keep it alive. You are a catch and I'm very good at...fishing?" This came with a quizzical head tilt that leaned into an easy laugh, "That was terrible, but you get it. You're a catch. Well, there'll be less of beach clothes, at least for this summer so you'll have to make do with regular me."

The dramatics and antic were far too charming and endearing to not cause a laugh to break through, "You're not neurotic, but yes, yes, I know. I'll worry about these. Ah, well, this bombshell I think I'll be able to handle better I think. You do what you need to do, just know that I'm here and will always be."

"You know, I've been thinking...and we can talk about it at home. Have a proper sit-down discussion. But I'm maybe feeling ready to look into expanding our world? We've talked about it, and I know things are tough right now. But I don't know if there will ever be a perfect moment." He trailed off, evidently somewhat embarrassed. He tightened his grip on Jonah's hand. "What I'm saying is, we have so much space. And there are kids out there who could use somewhere stable. And I just...you're going to make the most amazing father, Jonah."

Rohan laughed. "Why shouldn't I!? Is it a crime to keep the romance alive? Goodness," he scoffed with a playful lilt. He pursed up his lips to steal a kiss. "I'd say 'your loss.' I'm a catch. But good! Good! And you should know me better than that by now. You roll in soaking wet in your beach clothes, and my knees go weak. You look your most dashing when you look like you."

A low groan echoed from his throat. "I'm sure it is. And of course I love your random science facts. They're the reason I married you. I'm just a neurotic person, and I don't have the energy to worry about more invisible entities than the ones I used to see all the time." he sighed melodramatically. "You're all those things and more. Beautiful, inside and out. You make me so happy," Rohan smiled softly. "Thank you. I have some ideas floating around, but I need to...scope them out. A new theatrical venture. Not to drop too life-altering bombshells in one discussion."

[jonahxrivas]

"Look, knowing this place and its people has been wonderful, don't get me wrong. I still get caught up in the magic of it all sometimes. But that doesn't mean much anymore? I know things I can never share nor do I want to and risk the safety of everyone. I'm just trying to go through the remainder of my life calmly not… wallowing," Jonah said, though the signs suggested otherwise. "Not exactly, at least?" He sighed, "Man, aren't you ever just, I dunno, sad about things?" He understood that the feeling would likely pass in time, sometimes it festered, rooted deep inside, growing heavier with each passing day but he'd grown used to that ache, learned to carry it quietly.

He wrinkled his nose at the skewered mix Suresh offered, a flicker of displeasure crossing his face. Then he shook his head with a small, "I'd have to take a different potion altogether, wait for one hour, then take a water potion. I can hold my breath pretty well, but not for an hour." Jonah chuckled, "Thanks for your service, Atlas. Don't shrug." Pausing thoughtfully, Jonah's gaze drifted as he considered his next words. "Cthulhu would be brilliant beyond words." He grinned, "Would you go door to door instead?" The thought made him laugh, imagining Suresh's likely horror at the idea but it was amusing to imagine. "Aww, you'd avoid making a scene for me? That's kinda sweet." He laughed again, then added, "Yeah, Suresh, I guess I could. Want to meet me at the bottom of the ocean?" His grin persisted even when Suresh told him not to say that name again. "Do you think if I say it twice more, he'll appear like Bloody Mary?"

The tone shifted as the lightness slipped away causing Jonah to grow more serious, "Is there a guarantee that if I stop calling myself that, other people won't? What's being selfish gotten you, huh?" He paused, voice low, "I never said it was him. Rohan's the only reason I haven't fallen too far into my head. But there are others I still owe lifelong apologies to." He shrugged, brushing off the hurt, "I need to do that. I have to be okay with it." It was necessary if he wanted to make them feel valued and he did. "That's as real as I can be. I'll shut up now."

He listened silently, understanding that even this small sharing was a big thing. That kind of betrayal cut deep in ways no one could truly anticipate. After a moment, he spoke quietly, "I'm sorry..." His words lingered to let Suresh know he heard and acknowledged, but also recognising the masks and defences that Suresh hid behind, Jonah offered a gentle concession, "I'm sorry, but I just can't picture you with glasses?" It was a way out if needed.

"I think Rohan sees me that way. So maybe it's okay if I see myself as just... average. But what does that even mean?" He shook his head at the absurdity of it. "I wear it, it doesn't wear me. Are you gonna tell me you were born with it? Like that Maybelline ad or something?" He let out a hollow laugh. "I'm glad you have self-confidence, but from what you just said, it wasn't always there, right? Maybe I'll be like you someday, wear Versace instead of it wearing me or whatever you said."

"Lunar Cove sucks. That much we can bloody agree on, mate," Suresh replied flatly, his features hard. "Why do you think you're the boring dark-haired human boy? Well, you are. But the point is...you're the one who had visions of a new world and went out and found it. You're here. One of a handful of scientists on the whole bloody planet who knows things no one else knows. You simply must stop wallowing. It's sad!" He huffed. "No, I wouldn't skewer fish. I'd skewer...parking officers. Snooty salespeople. Blokes who sneeze weird."

Suresh rolled his eyes. "It's like suntan lotion, mate. You gotta reapply. Just re-administer on a timetable. Surely, you can hold your breath long enough in case there's overlap. Put it in a bloody capsule this way you can just hold it between your teeth until it's time to swallow. Why am I the one solving this for you? I'm such a problem solver. It's like carrying the weight of the world, bruv."

Suresh pursed up his lips. "What if it's Cthulhu? What then?" He blinked at him, eyes flicking up and down to take him in from head to toe. "That's the same Disney character I just said you were and you said you weren't, Jonah. It's mostly garbage. We're terribly bad at dumping. But you know that, and I don't want to hand out flyers, thank you." He sighed.

"I'm not going to punch you in the jaw, by the way. It'd be an international incident," he muttered, averting his gaze in a huff. "So you can hold your breath to swallow the hypothetical potion pill then?" He met Jonah's eye in a sort of challenge at that, but the macabre nature of his words did not quite strike him. He himself, after all, typically used the same. "You look like you would have been in debate club actually, and don't even say that name to me."

Suresh scoffed. "No one is going to spring it up for you. What steps are you taking to find it? Do you need permission? Fine. I give you permission. Be fucking selfish. Hoard. Shite, mate. Step one, stop calling yourself weak and pathetic. It just makes it okay for other people to do that." He narrowed his eyes. "Is he holding it against you? When's the last time he brought it up, hm? Be honest. Then you can shut up."

Suresh rolled his eyes once more with that. "Take that shallow sense of self-victory and apply it elsewhere. I think it'll turn things around for you. Certainly has for me, mate." He sighed very deeply, an almost wistful noise.

"I heard him making fun of me to get into someone else's bloody pants. This wasn't even...well, what the fuck ever. It's not important. I'm a different person now. I used to be more...well, like you." He gave Jonah another look up and down, trying to disguise this evidently still open wound with bluster.

"If I wanted to tell you to go fuck yourself, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself," Suresh retorted sharply. "See. There's your problem. You see yourself as a soft, average nerd. Why not a fit, smart, athletic activist who got a fucking scar protecting his goddamn man? I'm a career sound editor with a dad bod and grey hair. You know why I can wear Versace? It's because I have more money than you, but it's also because I wear it. It doesn't wear me. I know just how fucking better I am than everyone."

[jonahxrivas]

"I won't forget, and you better never forget you're my world too, okay?" His voice was filled with a tenderness that words could scarcely capture. He wasn't a writer and more often than not, words failed him in every form. But the deep, unwavering love and warmth he constantly received from Rohan was a feeling was too vast to be neatly contained to words anyway, and all he could hope was that Rohan felt the same from him even when he couldn't speak it properly.

"Oh my god, you're something else! You're actually asking me out?" he exclaimed with a laugh bubbling up as he grinned. "We’re married! What if I said no?" The words tumbled out again, light and teasing, but he almost dismissed the idea immediately, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Yes, my dearest husband, I'll go on a date with you. We should celebrate. Just…" he scrunched his nose, "Don't ask me to dress up."

Jonah shrugged, "The microscopic world is a universe all on its own. But come on, you're not even a little curious? Well, maybe not about brain-eating things, but you like my random science facts, right?" His features softened, a touch more sincere. "Hey, you're a lot of things, okay? Wonderful, smart, and crazy handsome too. But I'm the only one allowed to call you that." His gaze lingered, warm and earnest. "Let's get you doing something creative, then. I don't exactly know how I can help with that, but I promise I'll do whatever I can."

"And we have many, many more ahead of us. You're my world. Never forget that." The little voice in Rohan's head, the awareness that his husband could lead a quieter, calmer, safer life outside Lunar Cove, never really left him. But more than anything, he found, in this moment, that he was grateful to simply be able to be his. No, he would not consider himself so lofty as completing the other. They were fully realized people on their own, made better by their union. And that union was stronger than anything the universe could harness to challenge them. Smiling softly, he met Jonah's eye. "Will you...will you go on a date with me? To celebrate? I'll get all dressed up anything." This came teasingly.

"Is that what they're called? Personally, I don't see what's fascinating about little invisible things that eat your brain, but that's why you're the scientist, and I'm not." He jostled him lightly with his shoulder. "I'm just...I don't know. What am I? What does an Artistic Director do? Slightly worse versions of plays that have been performed thousands of times. The summer stock rotation is getting to me. I need to do something creative again. Harness all this raw, masculine wolf energy."

[jonahxrivas]

"It's not a lie, and you don’t need to worry about this," he said softly, but as mush as he wanted to ease her worry about him, he knew by now that sometimes what he said wouldn't be enough, so he left it that and hoped she'd realise. Confusion still lingered as he tried to make sense of what she'd shared. From her saying Ronnie was just redecorating to now mentioning she was planning to sell the place, there seemed to be something missing to the story that had been overlooked or brushed aside. "Okay, I still can't quite piece everything together. I don't really understand why you think she was just using you to stay there." He paused a moment thinking back in time, "When we were all together, she seemed nice and you and her are friends, right?" He admitted to himself that he hadn't kept in touch with Ronnie much after they went their separate ways, but from what he'd seen, she didn’t seem like a bad person, especially not someone who would just trash a house without saying anything. "Did something happen between you two? Or with her?" His brow furrowed, "A lot of people like you, Bri. What Ronnie did or said doesn't reflect on who you are."

"That fine sounds like a lie," She mumbled under her breath, but she didn't bother to press him on the topic as she curled into the spot on the couch, yanking the corners of the blanket closer into herself as she tried to ignore the guilt still gnawing at her chest at how her inability to text her cousin back quick enough had him risking his own safety and for what?

"Mhm," She mumbled under her breath, still fidgeting with the corner of the blanket as her shoulders lifted and fell into a small shrug. "Nope. Not kidnapped. Just here and I don't know," She chewed on her bottom lip as another sigh broke from her lips. "I tried to ask her what was wrong, but she insisted she was simply redecorating. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm getting rid of the townhouse. I don't want anything to do with it anymore. If she wants it, she can have it, and if not, I'll put it on the market. No point in keeping it when she was only using me for a place to stay. So, guess that just makes another person who didn't actually like me after all."

[jonahxrivas]

"If I found a fish on my face in the morning I'd be so very confused," Jonah laughed, the image of it materialising in his mind was utterly comedic. "Or that my turtle took it on herself to essentially go on an adventure in the night and onto my face." Sheila climbing onto the bed would actually be something he'd be interested in seeing. With a nod and watching Moose roam around freely made him smile. "Well, there's only one plan for the day and that's straight up," he pointed to the open trail up ahead. "It shouldn't take us too long, maybe a couple hours? Unless you want to take a different path? I have all the supplies so really, as long as we make it to the top, we should be good."

"No fish licks in the morning?" Remmy snorted. "Oh yeah, he's more routine than me, which is probably a good thing, though. Helps me remember stuff." They gave him a pet on the head before looking back at Jonah. "You sure?" They gave a glance around, then shrugged. It was pretty empty out here so early in the morning and far out of town. "Alright, cool." Leaning down, they unclipped his leash and started undoing his vest. He had his special collar on, though, so hopefully if someone else came along, they wouldn't need to put the vest back on.

"So, where to first?" They asked once Moose was free.

[jonahxrivas]

He nodded along, "Yeah I bet." It was understandable that such a demanding profession would require more strength than other jobs. He considered it for a moment, to get and become a volunteer, when he was needed ways to occupy time in between the rebuilding of the aquarium, but given both his mental and physical state that idea dropped rather quickly. "We have vegetarian alternatives that are decent, haven't gotten into protein powders though, not really sure if I want to either?" He didn't follow influencers to know much about that.

"Oh, you're fine," Jonah waved him off, "Your napkins are safe too, I'm not the avenging type... over chili of all things." Jonah laughed a little, "It'll go down perfectly if I were to picture it. The answer might be a resounding yes." Pondering for a moment, he tried to help, "No one at the station? Or perhaps a friend with a big appetite? Is it actually couple-y to share a big plate of ribs?"

Efe gave a soft sigh before allowing his features to settle into a softer smile. "It's pretty popular around the station. Gotta keep your strength up. We burn a lot of calories, you know? It's a workout." Having served in an urban fire department, Efe did find that Lunar Cove, in truth, could not quite compare on a typical day. But there were certainly more large-scale disasters, some bitter part of him still thought. "And hey, I guess the protein is good. Either that or the powder, which no one actually likes, no matter how many influencers pretend to."

He gave a gentle roll of his eyes. "Thank you. But I know I knocked your husband into second, so you can avenge him a little or whatever if you want. Steal my napkins or something when my back turns," he quipped lightly. "Nico's a good friend, yeah. Not sure how it would go over if I said 'hey, you all are pretty hungry, right?'" Efe laughed, though, at the thought. "I just...I don't really have anyone to go with right now. I'm not, like...It feels like maybe it's for couples. I don't know."

[jonahxrivas]

Despite still being concerned, his features softened instantly when he saw her. Jonah couldn't help but wonder though, when the door only opened a touch, if she might ask him to leave now that he had seen her, but thankfully, she pushed it open further, allowing him to step inside and saving from standing outside awkwardly.

"Yeah, I drove here," confirmed with a nod, "I'm fine, Bri, I'm more worried about you." The rest of her questions dropped into a quieter tone. He didn't want to lie, yet he sensed from her expression that his answers had the potential to be internalised, so he chose his words carefully. "It was time, wasn't it? Face the fears head-on, or whatever the saying is. Walking would've taken too long anyway."

Jonah sat down when she did and listened closely. He was glad she had decided to move here and more grateful that Ben was with her too, knowing he would be there for her no matter what was comforting. And after what he'd seen earlier, this felt like an even better decision. As the conversation shifted to the house, his expression grew more serious brows furrowing at the mention of Ronnie. "Wait, Ronnie did that?" He couldn't ignore that Bri hadn't answered his other question about how she was, but he decided to hold off on asking about it again for now. "I'm really glad you're here. I mean that. I saw the state of the place...I thought...well, I thought you might have been kidnapped or something worse. Why did she do that?"

Bri could hear her phone buzzing from where she lay curled in a ball underneath the blankets. Her knees were pulled tightly into her chest in her matching pajama set, but even the gentle fabric and the fluffy faux fur weighted blanket couldn't soften the ache pressing down on her chest. She even tried to clutch onto the fluffiest pillow she could find, tucking it beneath her chin like it might help make her feel a bit more grounded, but it didn't seem to do the trick.

Instead, she stayed hidden away, lying there in her and Ben's bed in the complete silence save for the occasional chime of her phone. The device trembled on the bedside table, slowly moving closer and closer toward the edge with each ding, but it might as well have been on the other side of the world from where she was, staring at it through half-lidded eyes. She'd grab it in a second. She just needed one more minute to compose herself.

Only the minutes stretched on, and her limbs remained heavy. Unmoved as though they had been filled with wet cement. Even blinking felt like a task too big. Her mind was stuck in a slow loop of exhaustion and guilt. Get up. Reach over. It might be important. But the weight of simply existing pressed down hard. It was only when the phone rang again, more insistent this time that she finally forced herself to sit up just enough to text Jonah back.

She would have likely curled back in bed if it wasn't for the frantic knocking that came at the front door and the sound of Jonah's voice. "Hi," She said quietly as she opened the door the smallest of peaks. She didn't want anyone else but Jonah to see her this way, standing in the hall with the weighted blanket still wrapped around herself like a cocoon and still in her pajamas even though it was the middle of the day. Thankfully, Ben had gone to work and didn't know that she had decided not to open Cabaret for the evening. But, she couldn't exactly hide the fact she was too numb to want to do just about anything with her cousin. Not when he was standing there as though he had rushed over in a hurry. "Are you... okay?" She blinked between him and the car as she opened the door a little wider for him. "Did you drive here?"

"How... how did that go? Did you feel like you were ready or?" Another pang of guilt tugged at her at the thought that Jonah might have gotten behind a wheel before he was ready, solely because she hadn't texted him fast enough. "I..." She pressed her lips together as she moved into the living room, slumping down into a heap on the end of the couch. "I live here now," She said after a prolonged beat, deciding to stick to what happened rather than feelings, seeing that she wasn't quite sure how to answer anything in regard to her mental state at the present. "We moved the rest of my stuff out after Ronnie... after she trashed the townhouse."

[jonahxrivas]

It was a bit funny how, despite some of his coworkers protesting about this place and the crayfish boil, they still ended up here for their team lunch. It was not his pick, and wasn't the popular vote, but Erin threw democracy out the window booked in a table. He could've not tagged along, but they didn't really give him a choice. Luckily, one of the staff mentioned they do accommodate dietary restrictions, which came as a great relief. As his group started arriving, Jonah kept his eye to the menu, mentally picking out what he could order with minimal hassle until Efe's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Do they? I don’t eat here much, or, well, hardly ever, not really my thing, but that’s good to know. That's a solid portion." He flashed Efe a warm smile, "Congrats on the win! Gloating is deserved." Jonah thought for a moment. "Maybe? Have you tried asking the wolves? They've got pretty big appetites. Or at least Nico does. Why do you want to give it away, though? Too much food?"

Open starter @lunarcovestarters Location: Moonlight Grill

While Efe himself was grateful to be back at work now that he had taken a proper leave to recover from his injuries, he did perhaps find a layer of frustration in being tasked with hard-hitting jobs like lunch pickup. But he was not a complainer, and in all things, he found dignity in duty. Maybe he should be content with the quiet, he thought. There were no real disasters, and so, he could take his time, regain his strength. That was a good thing.

Checking through the various orders, he gave a low hum, looking up and making polite conversation with someone else in line. "They give you so much food here, don't they? I won dinner for two in that chili cook-off, and I feel like one plate could feed six people," he sighed. "They're tired of my chili at the station anyhow. We ate it for like three weeks straight while I gloated." Efe smiled softly. "Do you know anybody who might be interested in all-you-can-eat dinner? I might just give the certificate away."

[jonahxrivas]

for: @cantfightmoonlight - Bri location: bri and ronnie's place → panic central → ben's house

Since they lived in the same neighbourhood, the walk from his to Bri and Ronnie's place was familiar and almost routine. He stopped by like this often enough that it probably didn't come as a surprise but still, out of habit, he sent Bri a quick text beforehand, just to give her a heads-up knowing she always preferred that, and he didn't want to catch her off guard. It was meant to be a simple, casual visit, just to check if she needed help with the move. He didn’t get an immediate reply, but didn't really mind it that much. She was probably busy, or maybe she hadn’t seen the message yet and on the off chance she wasn't home, then, that was fine too. The warm summer air felt good on his skin, and he could easily say this was just a leisurely stroll, nothing more.

But as he reached her house and saw the door open, a cold wave of unease washed over him. With no car in the driveway and no sounds of anyone inside, nothing to suggest activity, his stomach clenched. Hesitating only briefly, he pushed the door open carefully and peered inside. The scene that greeted him shattered any sense of normalcy. Everything was wrong, strewn all over the place. A sickening rush of panic gripped him, and his mind jumped to the worst things possible. Was she kidnapped? There were a few of those...what if that...what if this... breathing was erratic and his heart pounded wildly as he frantically called her, voice shot with desperation. Then, relief flooded him when she finally answered to say she was at Ben's. Oxygen rushing back into his lungs and he took a shaky breath, grateful just to hear her voice amidst the storm of panic that had overtaken him.

He told her he'd be right over because, honestly, he needed to see her, needed to check if she was okay. Maybe she already knew what had happened at the house, but that didn't stop the dread twisting inside him. Nerves prickled with each step as he turned around and headed back toward his house, to his car. Driving with one good eye wasn't something he'd dared yet. The doctors had told him it was possible, yes, but he'd opted for walking, playing it safe. Now, with urgency thick in the air, he shoved aside his fears and pushed past hesitation but is heartbeat hammered loudly in his ears and breaths coming quick and shallow as he eased the car into gear.

He shot a quick text to Rohan too, letting him know he was heading to Ben's to check on Bri. Said he was taking his car, that everything was fine. But inside, he carried a silent fear that he might end up a splattered wreck on the side of the road. Maybe he'd be fine. Maybe he wouldn't. But the drive was extra cautious and a jarring bump against a curb made his heart leap into his throat. Still, somehow, he arrived in one piece, every nerve was on high alert, as he finally knocked and waited for Bri to open up.

"Hey, what happened? Are you okay?"

[jonahxrivas]

He confirmed with a low. Teeth lightly caught his lower lip as his gaze settled on Rohan. Love like this had been a dream, something he'd yearned for and it felt as if it had always been meant to be Rohan. He was a dream, almost unreal, yet undeniably real in this moment. "It’s crazy, isn't it?" he murmured, a wistful smile playing on his lips. "How time can fly and feel so long at the same time? Only one year but it's like I've known you forever. A year feels miraculous in its own right." Both of them bore the marks of their struggles, worn and tired, yet alive and grateful for everything.

He leaned into the kiss, voice muffled but earnest. "Absolutely." Soft whines only made him more eager to seize this. "Right away." As they walked away from the fields, laughter bubbled up within him, "Naegleria? They're quite fascinating, but yes, yes, I'll keep that to myself. Facts on that don't really..." he didn't finish that thought, "Let me not ruin the mood."

"You'll what, huh? Is that a threat or a promise?" Rohan teased with a low growl, voice lost in this new kiss. He returned it completely, pressing his forehead to his husband's so he could speak into the electric space lingering between them as it ended. "I love you. So much. Every day, I fall even more in love with you. Can you believe it's almost been a year since we said 'I do?'" Protective arms came up to wrap around Jonah's waist and tug him closer. "So. You have a big, strong werewolf husband. He gives you full reign to take as much advantage of the perks as you want. And what I want? Is you. Badly. Let's pay and go home? Please?" He puckered up his lips as if whining before leaning in to snag one more quick kiss. Scooping up his basket, then, Rohan used his free hands to loop with Jonah's. "Are you saying I shouldn't sweep you off your feet, hm? You don't have to worry about that, though. I'm actually so afraid of those amoeba that, like, swim up your nose? Now, you know, normally I adore your science facts, but if you have any about them, just keep them private. I'm already horrified."

[jonahxrivas]

"Early is good," Jonah nodded reassuringly. "Did he? I bet that's better than any alarm clock. My pets are all marine animals, they don't wake me up quite in the way dogs do." He added with a soft chuckle, recalling childhood dreams of wanting a dog, only to surrounded himself fish instead. Not much had changed since then. He looked at Moose with a warm smile, "I don't doubt he's well behaved, definitely looks the type. You can let him off now if you want? Might even be good, give him a bit of freedom."

"I'm kinda early for everything so don't worry about it," Remmy said, giving a nonchalant wave. They certainly didn't want Jonah to think he'd arrived late, or to feel bad about that. "He's the one who got me up early, so I'd say he's pretty ready for the day. I'll probably let him off the leash once we get further away from town, if that's alright with you? Promise he'll be on his best behavior."

[jonahxrivas]

Beach bros and besties @nicocastillo

[jonahxrivas]

"It's actually the town," he said with a light shrug, wished he could deny it, wished it wasn't true, but lately it seemed more and more like the harsh reality. "I mean... I’ve watched it a lot of times as a kid, but I don't think I'm the Little Mermaid here. I'm the boring human boy. What would you skewer? Fish?" The thought made him crinkle his nose. "Hmm, maybe? But I can only take one water-breathing potion at a time since the effects don’t stack. Unless I take a different potion entirely after the first wears off and ride that out, then take another water potion..." He shook his head with a sigh, "Magic is complicated." The lesson learned the hard way when over-eagerness didn't result in two hours of being being underwater. "Why not? I know some say you should leave the unknown alone because you might not like what you find, and yeah, maybe my curiosity will be my downfall but... not to sound like another Disney character, but it’s a whole new world down there." He paused, eyes flicking over the other with genuine interest. "What’s the deepest you’ve gone? See anything intriguing?"

That brought forth a laugh, "Well, someone can if they so choose. Just proves me right though, doesn't it?" But he didn't push after that, just settled with the outcome and reaction he had gotten from Suresh. "Ah, well, not the first time I've had that said to me. I'd give you about five to six minutes before I drown? Maybe less actually since I assume with Siren song I wouldn't have the forethought for...well thought overall." There was an almost casual morbidness to his words, but he didn't seem bothered by it personally. His mood had been off-kilter lately. "You can debate it if you want but I'm not good at debate." Tone shifted slightly, lighter now as he offered a sly smile, "Have you met Ken?" But Jonah liked Suresh much better than the vampire.

"I know I know." Despite his voice being tinged with weariness brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of frustration crossing his face, "You think confidence and the will to fight are just gonna spring up overnight? Magically take hold? It's fucking hard, man. Believe it or not, but I don't actually want to be weak and pathetic. Wanting to help others is...I dunno just how I was raised." Jonah gave a slow nod as the memory resurfaced, "Yeah I have. Left town once when things got too much. That was very selfish of me. My mind didn't blow that out of proportion or anything either. I'm still apologising for it, I think I'd have to forever." His voice cracked just a little, a wet laugh slipping out as he brushed past the ache of old guilt that crept back in. "Please tell me to shut up any time." And he believed the other wouldn't hold back on taking up that offer.

"No, you're good actually. I don't think you can put me in a bad mood? Feel free to try if you want. I enjoy your company too much at this point to let you have the satisfaction of thinking you got to me." It was in a way to further lighten the mood and cap his emotions, but what he said was truthful as well, he appreciated Suresh. Listening to him, the honesty in his words revealed a vulnerability, another, even if small, glimpse into the other's life was met with understanding. "How do you know they didn't feel the same way?" he could help but ask, "But I get that," Jonah added on softly, "I don't have supernatural powers to keep him safe, but that doesn't mean I don't want to protect him. I know I need to toughen up." His voice carried a resolve, though a flicker of doubt still lingered. He remembered that moment after the attack, and Poppy telling Rohan to jump into the fight. That surge of emotion, not quite anger but something fierce and protective, boiled up inside him. Fleeting and raw, it served as a reminder still.

A surprising laugh bubbled through catching him off guard, "Why did that sound like you just go told me to go fuck myself?" Despite covering his mouth with the back of his hand to stile it, light chuckles continued, "A mean jock? Life nerf'ed me this round then, didn't it? Just a soft, average nerd here."

Suresh grunted. "Logged onto Reddit and read about stoicism and the modern man, did you? You stay out of those groups, bruv. They're creepy-crawly." He clicked his tongue, giving a dismissive shrug of his shoulders before turning up his nose. "Big fan of The Little Mermaid then? I wanna say she discovers the algae wasn't always greener, but I think she stays with the boring bloody human boy in the end, don't she? I should get myself a big trident to skewer things." He hummed. "Maybe you could get one of the other science-y blokes to come up with a mechanism for you to administer it again underwater. Like a vaporized version you could keep in your pocket," he suggested. "But don't venture too far. Who knows what's waiting at the very bottom? Perhaps I do." He did not, but he thought Jonah believing he did would be funny.

"Don't be cutesy, mate. Someone's likely to punch you in the jaw." Suresh waggled a finger at him and narrowed his eyes. He shrugged. "Shift? Humph. Just makes my voice stronger. Fills me with the urge to let it out. So you ought to keep a safe distance before I have you walking into the surf without a potion." He wrinkled his nose. "Up for debate." Still, Suresh did not actually try to talk down being friends.

But locking eyes with him, Suresh pursed up his lips in displeasure. "Who said anything about helping anyone? Help your bloody self. I'm not asking you to be Joan of Arc here, mate. I'm just saying no one is going to save your shit, so you better save it yourself if you want to keep it." He shrugged. "You know how I feel about all that. It's yours to conquer, bruv. Have you ever actually done something you had to apologize for? Or do you just sort of...make it up in your head and then feel bad about it?"

He groaned. "Do I look like I care? You do whatever you bloody want, but if I can't put you in a bad mood, then I think maybe you just have them less often than you think you do." Giving a low hum, Suresh gave him a look up and down. "You have a life with a person who seems to think you puke rainbows. Forgive the metaphor. But I felt like that once about a person. They didn't about me. But I digress. I almost struck him by lightning. But if someone else had tried to, I would have ended them."

Suresh cocked his head to one side. "You do actually. Carry yourself the way he does. Which is wild, considering how you look. In another life, you were probably a very mean jock sort. Why don't you go motivate yourself?"