llewellyn-baxter - Tumblr blog

[llewellyn-baxter]

Nobody out there understood better than Llewellyn himself how absolutely stupid and weak his words were. There was literally nothing the man could say, nothing the man could do-- to prove any of it. All anyone could do, was take his word... All they could do, was blindly trust that yes, he had just somehow wandered back into town ten years after the fact, with no idea where those years had gone. Nothing to show for them. Thankfully, his family seemed to have grasped onto his truth immediately-- none of them seemed to have second guessed any of it, because they knew the kind of man Llewellyn was and had been since birth. He wasn't the kind of man who would simply ditch his responsibilities and disappear, cruelly leaving them all in the dust without even a note of goodbye so the wondering wouldn't keep them up at night. Amelia and Rio... the others who may have known him his whole life but weren't around him as intimately as his family... They had to deal with the absurdity of the story and whatever opinions they carried of Llewellyn-- whether they married that with believing his story, or finding him some dirty rotten scoundrel, it was all out of his hands.

"I thought I could," he finally answered, truthfully, though once again his face gave way to the uncertainties now taking over. Pitiful and sad, really. "But I don't know anymore... Seems to be doing everyone more harm than good," Llewellyn spoke his thoughts aloud, no longer even looking at Rio-- his sight had unfocused just off, as if he was seeing something that wasn't even there. He was picturing all of the people in his life, and the things he'd picked up on in the past two weeks that weren't the same anymore. Maybe everything could have been okay, or at least a clear path forward laid out, if so much didn't feel so different. Ten years... That was like forever. So many big life events could happen in that span of time. That alone could be enough to make anyone feel empty and left behind. Couple it with all the looks and hushed voices-- people watched him differently, they spoke to him differently, they cared for him differently.

Finally, Llewellyn snapped back into focus on Rio's face and he shook his head. "Look, if you want to hit me or whatever-- just, get it over with then," the male stated, no fight in him at all as he simply sat his bum on the edge of that shop's garden wall. Which, funnily, actually put the taller man on better level for Rio to get those licks in. "If it'll make you feel better, go ahead. I won't say anything to Amelia about it."

For his part, he was pretty damn good at this whole 'woe is me' act. He spoke Rio's name as if he hadn't said it for ten whole years and it had just finally come back to him, which was rich. When running into Amelia he'd been all 'oh my gosh baby its been days since I've seen you I remember nothing from the last decade, pity me and let me back in.' And he could tell, even if she wouldn't come out and say it, that she was letting the anger start to dissipate and let him back in. She was going to give him a chance.

"You don't know what you were thinking?" Rio repeated, as if that were a clear indication that his whole story was bullshit, that he was fully aware he was playing some gag on all of them, that he'd planned this whole reappearance like it was all a grand scheme to win Amelia back. Sure, maybe it indicated some remorse over the whole fiasco...but then he considered the hell this would put Amelia through, again, and there were no excuses for that. She didn't deserve that and he'd already had to pick up the pieces Llewellyn left behind once.

"She mourned you for fucking years, do you get that? You blew up her life, messed her up real good by just up and leaving her like that. And if you knew a single thing about her you'd never fucking do that to her. So now, suddenly, you think you can just walk back into it like nothing happened? What the fuck is wrong with you, man?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

The male gave a helpless shrug and shook his head 'no', "I don't." There were no excuses that followed this simple statement, because quite frankly, Llewellyn didn't have any. He couldn't even come up with one off the top of his head if he tried. "Well I'd hope not," he looked taken aback by the suggestion, as it never occurred to him to consider anything like that. But maybe she was on to something? What if something he ate or drank had been spiked? What if he'd been knocked clean out, jumped by somebody? The possibilities stretched.

Llewellyn looked down at himself in some concern, wondering if there was anywhere he could see that he might be injured and just not feeling it or something. "Do I look like I need to go to the emergency room?" he genuinely asked, eyes back on her. "I don't feel anything-- am I bleeding? Does something look broken?" The male did a slow 360 spin, so she could check him over everywhere.

the frown that had settled onto her face earlier only deepened when the man suggested that he didn't actually know if he was coming off a bender or not - the way he gulped down all that water did certainly suggested to olusola that booze and perhaps substances had been involved. she took it back once finished, trawling through her tote bag again and bringing out a protein bar to, handing it over. who was she to judge? sola liked to party and smoke a joint now and again to relax.

still, she felt...not suspicious but, like there was something missing. "you don't know?" sola echoed his words. "were you spiked or something? maybe...can i walk you somewhere? home? a friends? maybe a trip..." on her fucking day off! "to ER?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"I am confused," he agreed with a sincere nod of the head, "but... I can't for sure say why, that's the weird thing." Llewellyn chuckled after saying this, even though he didn't particularly think it was all that funny. "I don't know--" God, it felt like those three words were going to soon become his mantra, they were the only ones that summed up his situation. "I don't think so?" He tried to check himself over a bit, even felt around his scalp, trying to see if there were any knots he could feel since he physically felt fine, for the most part. Just... dazed, confused, lost? "It doesn't feel like I'm hurting anywhere..." The other man's comments made him look more concerned. "Do you really think so?" Maybe Avery saw something that Llewellyn didn't.

At the suggestion they go find some water first, Llewellyn visibly relaxed. "Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah- that sounds good, maybe I just need some water, that'll probably clear me up," he said, latching onto that lifeboat of hope. "I'm sure it's just like.. heat exhaustion or something.."

As Avery listens the man he sounds more and more confused and that just makes the woldfworry even more, sure he doesn't know the guy, but he sounds like someone in need, "Right, sorry I didn't mean to judge! just--I'm a musician and a non-drinker most times so I always end up baby sitting people on benders and coming off drugs, you just seemed so confused," he shakes his head, it not like he doesn't believe the poor guy, its just that the whole thing is very--odd. "Shit, man, You think you're concussed?" Ave frowns, "Are you hurt?" he looks over at the other, he can't see any blood or anything, but the guy is too tall to get a good view of his head, "Hey, listen, Llew is it? I---I think we should get you to a hospital, man."

"Right, okay," Ave nods his head, he pats the other on the back, "Come on, big guy, we'll find you a place to get you some water, maybe the cafe, we can sit down and figure whatever is going on, okay? sounds like a plan?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Yeah, you don't look so good," Llewellyn said, faint concern tainting his tone as he continued to stare at this man. There was just something so damned familiar to him, the longer he stood there thinking on it. He couldn't shake the feeling that if he waited long enough, stared hard enough, something would clue him in. And, by the other man's behavior, it started to feel like maybe he knew Llewellyn. "Do.. do you know who I am?" he ventured, brow furrowed. "You do feel really familiar to me... Are we friends?" He straightened to his full height. "That's right, we're friends!" he gasped, with a sudden smile. "I'm pretty sure of that. What's your name again?"

Maybe not on all the details of how, when, and where... But, maybe his mind only needed some time to recharge or something.

The tall witch scratched the side of his head, twisting to look one way and then the other-- clearly just as confused as ever on how to answer these questions. "You know... I really couldn't say," Llewellyn admitted, sheepish. "Think I must have hit my head or something, everything feels so weird.." Now he was rubbing the side of said head, as if that would help the recall.

Llewellyn was looking at his surroundings as if he'd never seen them before, as if he hadn't walked the streets of Greywood as a kid time and time again. Yeah, clearly some time had passed - but Greywood was the same old town it always had been, wasn't it? He'd know where the cafe was at the very least.

"Am I okay?" Nate repeated, the whole concept of flipping the conversation onto him almost laughable. He blinked, glancing around like some camera crew might jump out from behind the lamp posts and bushes screaming surprise or something, though he wouldn't really know the occasion. Is this what happened when a long lost friend made a reappearance? Shit - at least a part of him was happy it was Llew making a reappearance in his life and not her.

"I uh - yeah, I mean, I guess it's a little something like that." Seeing a ghost. It had been...what, ten whole years now since he'd last seen the eldest Baxter brother? "You're - where are you coming from? Where are you headed? I'll...walk with you." Maybe he should call someone. Amy? Maybe one of his brothers would know what the fuck to do in this kind of situation - really anyone might have an idea or at least help Nate not feel like he was losing his damn mind.

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Okay Charlie," Llewellyn said, though he was too nervous about what was going on to be glad he could use the detective's first name. Maybe he was over-stressing this situation, however. If he was in trouble, wouldn't the detective cuff him and shove him in the back with little regard to Llewellyn's knees being jammed up uncomfortably? Instead, the other male was ushering him into the passenger side seat. He ducked down into the car and folded his legs in carefully-- his six-five frame sometimes had difficulty navigating these more compact spaces.

His hands stayed on the wallet as Charlie asked him not to use it. "Oh," Llewellyn looked mildly embarrassed then, and those nerves came back full force. What if he admitted he couldn't remember and the detective thought he was being a smartass? "John," Llew panic spat the first random name that came to mind, "it's John." The door was closed then and he stressed while watching the other round the vehicle and grab something from the back. He knew, he knew he didn't know and he was going to arrest him for lying. You idiot-- why the hell did you lie?! As Charlie got behind the driver's wheel, Llewellyn took the water, the expression on his features giving away the nervous guilt within as he struggled to figure out if he should do the right thing. A criminal record could end your career before it even starts, fess up right now. He's going to find out anyway. "Actually," his eyes closed as if he was in pain while uncapping the water, "I lied, sir-- I mean, Charlie--" Llewellyn heaved an intake of air before more words stumbled out in a rushed run-on sentence. "I can't remember my name, I don't know, please don't arrest me, I could have a wife and children that need me home."

Charlie shook his head slightly as he looked at the other. "You might just have one of those faces." Charlie said with a shrug. Did Llew really not know what was going on? Did he not get a sense that something was off or that time had passed him. This was being more and more concerning, Charlie knew something wasn't right. But he just wasn't sure what. But he knew he would have to go about this carefully. "Please, Charlie is just fine." Charlie said as he let another small smile grace his features.

As they walked back to the car, Charlie carefully pulled his phone and set a text off to the station, telling them the situation and to see if they could make sure there was some kind of hot food waiting for them when they arrived. Charlie wasn't sure if Llew would like his leftovers. "Promise, nothing bad alright." Charlie said as he stopped at the car and opened the front passenger door for the other male, he leaned on the door as he watched Llew. "No, you handed me your wallet. I want to know, if you know who you are." Charlie said, keeping his voice soft and calm. "Without checking your ID." Charlie gestured for Llew to get into the car, before he stepped away from the car and made his way around to the drivers side. Charlie quickly opened the back door, and grabbed some water bottles he kept there before he slid into the drivers seat. Charlie handed Llew the water before he turned the car on. "So do you know who you are?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

That water her child had shared with him must have been some really decent quality, because he certainly felt a damned sight better than before. Downright carefree in the moment. Llewellyn seemed content to sit there quietly, perfectly fine to smile around and admire their surroundings as the woman at his side divulged into her own bout of worry as she came to conclusion to who he must be. "Hm?" Distracted away from watching Ruthie's children playing around, his face turned in her direction.

"AH--" His fingers snapped and he pointed, a pleasant grin forming and brightening up his features considerably. "Yes, absolutely right, Llewellyn Baxter, that's me," the witch exclaimed, even happier to now recall that connection to himself. "My grandfather's name, you know," he shared, leaning in towards her as if divulging some huge secret, "and a good one, though maybe too unique? I never quite fit with the other Baxters..." He trailed off, mostly because while he was certain there were other Baxters, their names escaped him, even with as common and easy as they were. They had a simple name scheme, that's what he remembered-- then there was him, with this strangely old-timey sound that put everything to odds. It used to make him feel special, he remembered, until he was old enough to learn to be embarrassed by the differences.

"The year?" Llewellyn puzzled over this question, eyes rolling heavenward while he concentrated. "Twenty... fourteen." After saying this, the witch nodded with more certainty, repeating, "Twenty-fourteen. That reminds me, the NFL draft starts next month. I'm pretty sure this year they're planning to sign me to a roster, finally. I've done pretty well on the practice squad the last two years so.." His hands settled over his knees and he smiled at her, clearly excited for this opportunity ahead. "I've got a great feeling about it this year."

~~*~~

Ruthie nodded politely but raised her eyebrows. Yes, her children's names did rhyme. And most people commented on it. But few outright giggled. Maybe she had turned her effect on a little too high but the poor man just seemed so lost.

"Llew," she repeated. The name was tickling something in the back of her brain and it took a moment before it clicked. Much like how he had tried to remember his own name. "Llew, Llewellyn Baxter?" She asked and the pitch her her voice raised. This man had been missing for years. Several years. It was after she had gotten married but before the twins were born but she couldn't remember exactly when it had happened. There had been a big search and she vaguely remembered baking some things for the search parties. "Oh goodness sake stars above. You...do you know what year it is?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

Relieved to see her pull out some water, he graciously accepted it and quickly took a few quick sips. Llewellyn couldn't say as to what made him so thirsty right then, just that he was. And he couldn't say as to what else was going on with him, this queer sensation throughout his entire being like something was off, yet the what couldn't be answered. Honestly, the male reflected on her question seriously for a drawn out moment-- Llewellyn was deep in thought as he carefully attempted to sift through the emotions and thoughts and the physical peculiarities. "I--"

Llew idly massaged the side of his jaw, before his hand settled over his chest and the look he offered now was more apologetic, pathetic even, than anything else. "I can't say for sure," he finally confessed. "I think I do-- feel okay, that is-- but like, I don't also. Maybe just.. a little lightheaded.. and hungry.. weak.." Indeed, his knees did feel a bit unstable in that jelly-ish way, like one wrong move could send him careening into a faceplant any second. "Could I keep this?" he asked, lifting the water, his eyes going into wide saucers as if he was some eleven year old boy needing to convince his teacher he deserved it.

"Dario, I'll be home soon, okay? Then we'll talk about whether or not you're supposed to go to your dad's this weekend. Weren't you planning to stay at your friend's instead? What happened to that?" Elena rattled off one question after another on her phone, getting more and more frustrated. Her son was the absolute love of her life, her little darling, but he was growing up, and she knew that despite everything, the teenage years were bound to catch up to him too. The brief conversation was over soon, with Elena left as annoyed as before, only for her focus to shift moments later, as an unfamiliar man approached her.

"What? Oh, I think I have some-" she rummaged through her bag, eventually pulling out the water bottle she luckily carried everywhere with her. "Here you go. Really don't have to apologize for that." Maybe it was just the nurse in her that automatically made Elena look over the man, to make sure that he was okay, before immediately growing concerned. "Is everything okay? Are you feeling okay?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

Since she hadn't pulled away again, Llewellyn instinctively tried to reel her in closer to him because the man was absolutely certain that if they just got close again, if she just let him hold her or something, she would understand none of this had been meant to happen. To either of them!

"I know how it sounds-- believe me, I know--" Llewellyn got out in a strangled voice, free hand gesturing towards his head like he was going crazy, "--I sound like I'm on crazy pills, nobody really knows-- hell, I don't know if my own family really believes me but you got to, please.." How was he supposed to explain any of this to anyone? He couldn't even say for sure what happened to him! One day he was here, everything was fine and on track, and the next... they're all saying he's been gone for ten years!

As soon as she was close enough, his arm had snaked in about her waist to try and take her in against him. The man needed her and he knew he was being selfish in that moment, trying to seek that comfort from her now when she barely had any chances to process that he was alive yet... but what else could he do? When else would be better? Never, that's when. None of this would ever be okay again, he feared. "It doesn't feel like anything's change for me, Lia.. I don't know how to explain it-- I don't know what happened, I can't tell you."

Amelia tried to shake him off of her but ultimately she missed the comfort he always gave her, so she reluctantly let him hold her hand. Her anger subsided slightly just looking at him. He was safe and of course that was one of Amelia's main concerns but here he was right in front of her alive and well. But the flip side to that also broke her heart because that meant that he might have really left her because he couldn't handle their time together. So now the anger was turning into hurt and she didn't know how to process any of it.

"Yeah that's what happens when you've fucked off for a decade." She spat out, hurt clearly behind her words. "Oh you don't know what happened? You've been gone ten fucking years Llewellyn. What the hell do you mean you don't know what happened?" Amelia couldn't even begin to imagine where he could have been all those years. "Do you know how scared I was for you? I didn't know where you were or if you were dead and now you think you can just come back here and act like everything is normal and nothing has changed?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

Things had never been more complicated in Llewellyn's life than they were these days. Which was honestly laughable, considering how much the man used to carry on his shoulders just to maintain that perfect-looking life. He had worked so hard to cultivate the best life and path forward for not only himself, but his family and with Amelia-- there had been a plan. They should have been married and settled in Greywood with one boy, one girl by now. They would have been set with the money made from his NFL career. He could then focus on other things in life, like his magic, and seeing where that would take him. The possibilities had been endless, really.

Now? Llewellyn could hardly figure out what to do with himself. That brain fog had gone away, for the most part. The doctors had been right, that once he started going around people he knew, places he visited, etc-- it started jogging the memories and knowledge. But the problem was, it all still felt like it was ten years ago. The male hadn't yet been able to rectify that he was somehow ten years older... That everyone was ten years older, their lives in completely different states to what he remembered. Basically, his entire life had been blown up in his face and the only thing he couldn't figure out, was how it all happened.

"Whoa--" Llewellyn came to an abrupt stop as someone came up on him quickly, and he focused in on the man with faint uncertainty until his brain slowly came to log where he knew this person from, too. "Rio," commenting his name more to himself, which then brought to mind Amelia because the two came hand-in-hand, right? His heart fell unhappily, and even further once he understood that Rio wasn't there to wish him a welcome back. Couldn't be surprised by it, right? Amelia hadn't been happy with him, either. "I don't know," Llewellyn responded, honestly, trying not to look as dejected as he felt. "I don't know what I thought anymore, I'm sorry."

It'd be a lie to say it hadn't recently started crossing Llewellyn's mind that everything would be better for everyone if he had just stayed gone.

@llewellyn-baxter

He hadn't gone looking for him. Truthfully, he wasn't seeking a confrontation. He'd talked it over with Amelia and undoubtedly they'd revved each other up about the whole thing, but in the end - what could they really do? The asshole had come back to town pitching a story about - well, honestly Rio didn't even get the story. That he just vanished off the planet for ten fucking years and had just reappeared as if he'd never left? Sure. Seems like quite the story to try and redirect attention off your shitty decisions and try and brush the dirt off your sleeves.

I didn't mean to break your heart, Amelia, I just got lost for ten years but it's good I'm back now, no big deal!

So when Rio spotted the guy, a face that he could still recognize even a decade later, wandering the streets in an aimless daze? That spark of frustration lit the fire and heated it right back up.

"What makes you think you can just wander into town and start shit back up like it hasn't been a whole fucking decade since you last showed your face?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Oh.. oh, good, okay." Llewellyn nodded, trying to allow himself to feel some relief with the man's words but, that was kind of hard as they checked over the stuff in his wallet. This all felt like a traffic stop, but only Llewellyn had walked into it. "I do?" Once again, he sounded doubtful and squinted hard at the other. Trying to recognize him. "I'm sorry, sir, I just.. I can't place you, myself." There was just no sense of familiarity to him whatsoever. So how did the detective know him?

Those nerves came right back, some of the blood draining from his face. "The station? But.." Llewellyn, once more, appeared as if he might want to flee even though he didn't. The man wasn't stupid-- fleeing only made things worse, fleeing only made him look guiltier. He took back his wallet, feeling a bit numb as he pocketed it. "I guess.." He truly felt the detective was essentially taking him in to be booked over something he must have done and well... Llewellyn assumed he just needed to face the music then. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Dutifully, he fell into step behind the other and stood back from the man's car, waiting to be thrown into the back or placed into handcuffs, whatever it was. "I--" he frowned. "Yeah, I.. I just showed you.." Llewellyn made as if he was about to take his wallet back out for Detective Da Silva.

Charlie clasped his hand around the wallet as it handed over to him. "No, no. You've done nothing wrong." Charlie said with a soft smile as he opened the wallet up and looked over the contents. "Sorry, probably went about this wrong way." Charlie looked up at Llewellyn. "You just seem really familiar." Charlie said as he looked through the wallet before he found a drivers license, that was well and truly expired. Charlie's frown returned on his face as he saw the name before he looked back to the man.

"How about you come down to the station?" Charlie questioned as he closed the wallet and handed it back to the other. Charlie knew Llewellyn's name. He had been reading about the man since he got here, a missing persons case that they couldn't solved. That got passed onto Charlie. Fresh eyes, might of found something that the other detectives could of missed. "You aren't under arrest. I promise you that." Charlie let his soft smile return to his lips as he gestured to his car, that wasn't parked to far away. "You just look like you could use a good meal." Charlie ran his eyes over the man again, still not sure what to make of it. "And I have that water you want." Charlie said as he turned and headed towards the car slowly before he stopped and turned back to the man. "Weird question, but do you know who you are?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Uhm.. I don't think I'm much of a drinker," Llewellyn told the other man, slowly. "I don't feel like I've been drinking." And he didn't, not really. It was more like stuff was just missing or out of place-- it was hard to describe. "Maybe I got knocked or something," he came to this conclusion and looked to the other man as if Avery had any kind of information to back this up. "And it's got my head all... out of whack?" He had come from the forest, after all. "Maybe... maybe I just walked right into a low-hanging branch and just-- BAM!" Llewellyn punched his fist. Yeah, this sounded totally more plausible than going on a bender, anyway.

"I..." He shifted weight and peered around, feeling a bit overwhelmed by such a simple question. "Listen, I just need some water.. I'm still pretty thirsty," Llewellyn treaded to safety instead of admitting he wasn't sure where he lived, or if he even had anywhere he could go right now. Not because he was afraid to, but because he couldn't explain the why of it.

"Yeah, sorry I needed a little pick me up," he says , though to be honest it was only making him more restless, maybe it because it haven't been his frist of the day. Avery figured he probably should lay off, so when the other handed him he cup back with only a bit left it didn't even bother him, "Nah, we''re cool, it's only makig me more--tingly so, don't wory about it."

"You think?" Avery raises an eyebrow as he looks over at the tall man, he looked... confused? lost? something was off about the dude, "Hey, listen, man, have you been on a bender or something? 'cause no judment here," Avery smiles gently, "Just trying to help," he assures him, sure he's not exactly a drinker, but he've had a few hang overs, plus in his line of work, musicians, the whole industry, playing at bars, he had seen people coming out the effect of drugs and alcohol so it wouldn't be a first. "Llew, it is," he reaches his hand for a shake, "So, do you needed help getting somewhere? where do you live?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Ooh.." Llewellyn was not expecting for the woman to come back so bluntly-- clearly, she didn't have the same concerns about worrying her children. But she knew best on what her kids could and couldn't handle, so he deferred to the mother's judgment there. "I suppose I am, but--" the man sighed, a beleaguered expression coming upon him, "--this won't make any sense, I know, I don't really know why, either."

As he sat there, a feeling of ease settled in. Slowly, that worry creasing his brow faded away and instead, the male appeared much calmer, or serene. The concern for why he felt so lost and confused wasn't really there now-- or, rather, he wasn't stressed from it, anymore.

"Basil and Hazel," Llewellyn repeated the children's names with a little giggle. "That is cute, it rhymes.." The man focused back on her as she asked for his name. "Hmm.. I know I know it," he commented, thoughtfully. "It's something.. Right on my tongue.." Indeed, he was silently mouthing out words until one fit perfectly. "Ah, Llew! That's right." A hand slapped over his chest as he grinned and introduced himself again, "I'm Llew."

~~*~~

"Forgive me, but you don't look very alright. You look a little lost. And kind of scared," Ruthie moved to sit next to him. She had a strange urge to put the back of her hand on his forehead just to make sure he didn't have a fever or anything but that felt like an overstep. But there was something she could do to make it at least a little better. She let her guard down slightly and reached out with what she'd always called feelers. She'd always had the ability to make people feel calm. Literally. A gift the town had given her. It seemed most people that lived in Greywood had a gift.

"My name is Ruthie and this is Basil and Hazel. We were just on our way to get some lunch." Her son was still very focused on the man on the bench but Hazel started distracting herself with the toy horse she carried around instead. Ruthie hoped that maybe the lack of focus on him would help the man. "Maybe let's start with your name and go from there."

[llewellyn-baxter]

Good evening!

Llewellyn's eyes shifted towards the sound of that squeaking voice, before he suddenly let out a shrill scream that, quite honestly, was shocking to come from someone of his stature. "Holy CRAP, you scared the crud out of me, little bat!" The man exclaimed, slumping into the hardbacked chair with a hand over his now erratically beating chest. Listen-- talking little bat was not on his list of things he thought he would see today, if ever. "Shoot," he breathed out, drawing a hand through his hair and mussing it accidentally, trying to calm himself down.

Luckily, there weren't others around because it was still so early. That would have been doubly embarrassing.

"Help me with?" Llewellyn focused on the creature, wondering if he could actually be losing his mind now. Because he was sat there, having a conversation with a talking winged creature like he was freaking Snow White or something. "Uh---" He wasn't sure how to answer it, or if he should. "I must be hallucinating," this was said to himself, as he stared at the bat. "Hey little guy..." Llewellyn reached out with a finger extended to give it a poke in its stomach, flinching away when he felt it was solid. "Whoa! This is way too real... Holy crap, wow.. WOW. I've gone off the end, it's official... Are you hungry little dude?" Llewellyn started to pat himself down before he suddenly offered a half-eaten candy bar from his jeans pocket. "I mean, do you guys eat candy? Can you have candy? Here, try a bite, let's see.." He inched the candy bar across the desk towards it. "Actually, you're kinda cute, huh--" At least this was a pleasant hallucination, right?

Noelle was determined that next time they would not drink as many cocktails, while fun they were now feeling the effects. It had been kind of Avery to let them rest in their home and while they wanted to remain hidden under the blankets for the rest of the day, the librarian couldn't delay their work even though now they found themselves napping in one of the shelves in bat form, far too tired.

Hearing a noise come from somewhere the bat whines, stepping down from the shelve and walking towards the sound not noticing their current state. One step at time they make their way to the desks, noticing someone sitting their, a patron! How embarrassing, here they were sleeping on the job what kind of librarian where they.

"Good evening." Noelle climbs up the leg of the table, before stepping closer to the person, they seemed to have gone for the archives, there were newspapers about." Is there anything I can help you with today?" Glancing up at the other it dawns on them how tall he was, impressive, forgetting completely that they were still a bat. A talking bat.

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Whoa- what- wait--" As he wasn't expecting to be shoved away so roughly-- actually, at all-- Llewellyn's grip of her fell away as he easily got pushed back a couple of steps. Funny, how she could move such a large man and yet, she had, without trouble. He didn't understand what was going on, why she was so angry with him. Had he done something? The man stood in confused and shocked silence for several beats as he mentally racked his brain for anywhere he could have unintentionally hurt her.

He'd never hurt her.

And then, as it had so many times in the past several days, that crushing reality came flooding back. This wasn't just tomorrow for her, this was ten years gone from tomorrow. She hadn't seen him in ten years and, judging from her visceral reaction, she'd had no idea what happened to him, either. Of course she was hurt. It was all his fault and yet it truly wasn't-- but how did he explain any of that? Even to him, who this insane stuff was happening to, all of it sounded like some made up crap of an excuse. Like he had done nothing more than run away from everyone and come back with his tail between his legs and a terrible fake reason for it.

"I-- Amelia.. you don't understand," Llewellyn stumbled on his words, desperate to have her listen as he moved back in, trying to take one of her hands, "I don't even know... I don't, I just-- this is all so crazy, I swear it is, I just showed up! You've got to believe me, this--" he gesticulated wildly at himself, "--isn't me, it's older.. You're older.. Everyone is older! I don't know what's happened."

Amelia always liked to be outside, a habit she had growing up and wanted to be out of any foster home she was in. So when it was a nice day out Amelia decided to take her lunch time to just walk around and enjoy the weather. She stopped in her tracks when she heard her name being called, looking in multiple directions before she heard it again. Turning in just the right time to see a ghost from her past run across the street with long honks following in his wake.

She felt like she was in some sick dream. Here Llew was back and hugging her? She stood frozen in her tracks until her mind finally caught up with the words he was saying and Amelia pushed him off of her. "Days? Days? You fucking asshole!" Her blood was boiling now thinking back to how she was left in the dust by him. "It's been ten years. Where the fuck were you?"

The last time she saw her ex was when he told her he was going back home for something and then he never came back. Amelia tried texting him, calling him, but it was radio silence for a decade and she was heartbroken to say the least. The two were supposed to share their forever together and clearly he must have had second thoughts because Amelia was left alone with no word. She told herself she came to Greywood only because he talked about it so much, but in truth she was hoping to find him here but there was nothing.

[llewellyn-baxter]

The male stepped off a foot or two as the woman rounded on him with such a look that could only say 'what the fuck!?' without actually saying it, that he was genuinely concerned she might yell for help. That panic was there in his own features, especially as Llewellyn gave a wild glance about them as if to make sure nobody was witnessing this and take it the wrong way. All he wanted was some water!

However, that panic ebbed some as she seemed to reconsider the moment and even held out a flowery water bottle. "Oh.." Shocked, "oh, okay.. thank you.. so much, yeah, thank you." Llewellyn tripped over his words as he grabbed the bottle eagerly, quickly chugging down several swallows of water as if he hadn't seen a lick of water in days. He was so distracted by it, he missed the part of her requesting he not run away with it-- not that he would have. Finally, Llew was satiated enough to hand it back over and wipe his mouth, grateful to her. "Bender? Like, have I been drinking?"

Llewellyn wet his lips, hands coming to rest on his waist. Giving her question serious consideration as he attempted to recall his previous night, and came up with nothing clear. "Honestly," he said then, frowning, "I don't know. I don't think so but... It feels like I could have been."

she didn't really see the stranger walk into town, too busy with her own day when someone she didn't recognize asked her for water. olusola looked him up and down, clutching onto her tote bag and wondering what the fuck before that damned gut feeling kicked in. like, this guy really could use some water, and that someone should really cut him some slack. it seemed that such a task fell to sola, who pulled out a beautiful water bottle (it had retro flowers printed on the sides, and held at least 1litre of water) and immediately handed it over.

"please don't run off with it, i really like the pattern," olusola asked the stranger. "you alright? coming off a bender?"

[llewellyn-baxter]

"Huh?" Llewellyn merely blinked stupidly at the male, who gave him a funny feeling inside... One of those instincts that said he knew him from somewhere, somehow. "The cafe?" His stare passed on, looking in the direction the other had just gestured. It could have been any one of those shops, really, but the witch didn't want to appear even more dumb to ask which.

As his attention returned to the stranger, Llewellyn drew back as he found himself under close scrutiny. This guy looked as lost and confused as he felt! "Is.. are you okay?" he ventured, unsure, but also in the same boat of not knowing what to say in the moment. There was something weird between them, he couldn't say what it was. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Oh, the irony.

It wasn't uncommon for Nate to be lost in his own head. There was always something on his mind - sometimes something as simple as what to make for dinner that night, but more often than not it was something heavier. Worrying about something that happened in the family, or something with his students at school, or whatever else - always something.

Llewellyn Baxter and where he'd fucked off to a decade ago admittedly hadn't crossed his mind in quite a while. He'd already had experience with people randomly up and disappearing from his life when Llew did. It was becoming a strangely common occurrence, really. Sometimes they came back. Other times, not so much.

He recognized him almost immediately when a disheveled and confused looking man stepped into his path. It didn't fit the picture of the guy he used to know, who fit into Greywood from as far back as his memory would go. Sure, he was older, but that's what a decade did to people. Well. That was a relative statement, in Greywood - but that was besides the point.

"Llew?" It took him a minute to catch up to what he was saying, to get past the shock of seeing him again, not to mention the strange way he was acting. What the actual fuck? "I uh - no, I don't...the cafe probably does." He gestured vaguely down the street to the shop on the corner. "What are you - where?" There were too many questions on the tip of his tongue, colliding into one confused statement as he stared at him like he might just vaporize on the spot.

[llewellyn-baxter]

𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕪𝕟 𝕓𝕒𝕩𝕥𝕖𝕣

he was born thirty-five years ago, is a witch, lives in white oaks, is unemployed, and is in no coven. he looks an awful lot like derek theler.

"I'll march this road, I'll climb this hill on my knees, if I have to."

As the eldest born son to the beloved Baxter family, he was given the namesake of his Grandfather- Llewellyn. Though he wasn't the oldest of the clan, Llewellyn often behaved as if he was, alongside his sister. The two shared a shouldered responsibility that said they had to set the example for their younger siblings while also making their parents proud. He, especially, put added invisible pressure on himself to be, in a word, perfect. And, to be quite honest, it wasn't that easy to accomplish, either, despite how it probably looked from the outside. Indeed, it likely seemed that things came rather easily to Llewellyn. On the outside, it was easy to label him as one of those typical Golden Boys who lived a charmed life. Not only did he come from a good, respectable family, but he earned the straight As, he conquered whatever sport he tried, he made friends right and left, and always had someone on his arm. And, if that wasn't nauseating enough, Llewellyn landed himself on the "royal" court in his underclassmen years and managed to snag the coveted Prom King title two years in a row. Charmed, sure, but easy? Keeping up to those standards was a tall order. The amount of pressure Llewellyn was under to maintain that perfect life was insane and often overwhelming, though it wasn't anything he wanted anyone else to bear. The one time he had tried to talk to someone about it, they had laughed in his face because they couldn't imagine how someone who had his life had anything to complain about. And so, he believed that. He took it to heart that he needed to simply endure all the weight and responsibilities because other people had it worse. Llewellyn earned a full ride to university based on his football glory, and for a while it seemed he really stood a chance to parlay that to an actual career. That was his dream, to play in the big leagues and make a real name for himself, because it would be a badge of honor he could actually point to and be like, "Yeah, I did that, I worked hard for that." Everything was on the right track. But that all came to a crashing halt the day he disappeared. Not that Llewellyn knew he had. An innocent jaunt into the woods and surrounding mist wasted ten long years and nobody, not even his family, knew what happened to the promising young man. Truth was, Llewellyn had somehow stepped through a faerie portal and come out the other side. To him, it was barely noticeable and almost instantaneous. Unaware that it's been ten years since anyone has seen hide nor hair of him, and with a lingering brain fog, the man has wandered back into Greywood to be confronted with all the changes and realization that his perfectly charmed life has all gone.

“what power did he attain when settling in greywood?��

Ironically, the man has developed a gift of memory erasure. He is capable of taking away thoughts and memories, though it requires strict concentration and effort, as well as target focus on one singular subject. He wouldn't be able to take away someone's entire cathedral of memories, for example. And sometimes, if not done properly, those things can return.

penned by... poe