#metzli and cass

[deathisanartmetzli]

TIMING: Current

PARTIES: @deathisanartmetzli​ @stolensiren

SUMMARY: Metzli and Cass celebrate their first birthday.

WARNINGS: None

The end was coming. Metzli, of everyone in their multiple friend groups, knew that best. The sacrifices had volunteered, and half the town had made its exit. For once, people were leaving, and with each departure, Metzli’s heart ached. White Crest had become their home, and it was their first. It was a hard pill to swallow, but with the glass of water that was their approaching new beginning, they put on a smile. Which, really, wasn’t even that hard.

Cass was placing candles on a small cake they’d made together, and the first notes of Happy Birthday hummed between her lips. She had made the day a whole ordeal, as promised when the news of the information being found was announced. Both her and Eilidh had gone all out. It was an adjustment to just let it happen, and they had been adamant that Metzli deserved it, so they tried. For the most part, they were successful. They even let Cass talk them into streamers and a piñata. A big shindig, however, was out of the question. Intimacy was the name of the game, and Metzli felt fortunate that Cass was more than willing to oblige as long as they still celebrated.

“You know I told you nothing big right?” The streamers and confetti strewn all over the kitchen to the living room danced like they had come to life. Well, they had, but the little guys weren’t causing enough of a ruckus to do anything about it. Besides, Metzli knew it wouldn’t last much longer. The way the glitches worked, they didn’t let them stir anything up. Doing so was pointless. “Now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure you somehow managed to make those little things come to life just so you can secretly throw a party with a giant crowd.”

When it came to unavoidable problems, Cass’s solution had always been to ignore them until they became too big to ignore. Historically, it wasn’t a solution that had worked well for her, but… she still found it better than the alternative. Finding distractions, pretending the only place she’d ever felt at home wasn’t ending and that people she knew weren’t volunteering to stay behind and end with it felt better than acknowledging it as something she couldn’t change. It was childish, maybe, but it was all she could do.

And this distraction, at least, was a good one. Metzli’s birthday was something Cass intended to make a big deal out of. It was the first one her older sibling got to celebrate, the first one where they knew the significance of the day. That wasn’t something that could be glossed over — even for the end of the world. The cake was as extravagant as Cass knew how to make it, the decorations bright and everywhere. Her grin lit up her face as she turned, cake in hand, to face Metzli.

“You knew when you told me that that I was gonna ignore it,” she replied with a laugh. “Trust me, though, if I had the power to make decorations come to life, that piñata would be talking. There’s no way I’d stop at the streamers.” Though the town glitches working in their favor was a welcome surprise. “I do wish you’d let me invite more people, though. You deserve a party with a big crowd, you know.”

A wry smile slowly formed on Metzli’s lips, a reluctant acceptance creeping into their body language. Birthdays were something they coordinated for others, happily so. Receiving such affections, however, was completely foreign to them. They wanted to try though. It felt nice to be celebrated, that people were happy they were born. And without the people who gave them life hovering over them to whisper, or rather, yell their hatred for their existence, it was easier to let themself be shrouded in warmth. But only Cass’s for now. The celebratory hunt Eilidh had in mind would come later in the night. “I don’t want a party with a big crowd. Something like this feels right. I don’t know. I just…” Metzli trailed off with a sigh, laying their chin on their arm as they looked to Cass. She looked in her element. Happy and carefree. The way Metzli thought she always deserved to be. It felt nice that they were part of the reason for it, and a bright grin revealed the fangs that involuntarily lengthened at the smell of blood in the cake.

“You know me. I think you’re the only other person that gets me besides Macleod. You should’ve seen her this morning. She wore my favorite—Nevermind.” Waving a hand, it quickly slapped onto Metzli’s lips to stifle a fit of laughter. There was no way Cass wouldn’t gag at the thought of their sibling having sex. “She doted on me and gave me a framed piece of artwork that she made for me. I taught her how to frame and then she…” They bit their lip with a smile, “She gave me a portrait of us in the most beautiful poplar bark frame. Even pressed a datura flower onto the corner of it. That’s what she calls me. Datura.” A soft warmth fell onto Metzli’s cheeks and they were sure they would have blushed if they could. They wouldn’t have even minded it. Blushing because of a woman like Eilidh was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Metzli really did look happy. It was a relief, in some way. Part of Cass had been nonsensically nervous about this, afraid that she’d do a poor job despite knowing that Metzli wouldn’t care about such a thing. She knew Metzli was happy just to have her here, knew that her presence was enough. But… For someone who had spent most of her life trying desperately to prove that she was worth keeping around, those doubts crept in regardless of what she knew to be true. There was always going to be a piece of her that screamed she wasn’t enough on her own. It was nice, sometimes, being able to prove that she had something worth giving, even if it wasn’t anything she had to give. Even if it was just a cake full of blood and some brightly colored streamers.

“Well, I’ll always be around to make you feel gotten,” Cass joked, even though she knew it wasn’t quite true. That was the thing about having immortal friends — you kind of understood that they’d outlive you. There was a selfish sort of relief to that, too. As Metzli went on, Cass wrinkled her nose, dramatically pressing her hands to her ears. “Ew, Metzli, gross! I don’t want to hear about that!” But she was laughing as she said it, and everything felt light. It was nice to hear that Macleod had given Metzli something that touched them so completely. Though Cass hadn’t gotten off on the best foot with her sibling’s partner, it was clear that Metzli loved her and it was clear that Macleod loved them back. And Metzli, more than anyone Cass knew, deserved that. “You’ll have to show me,” she said with a bright smile. “I’d love to see it when we finish the cake.”

Metzli took advantage of the state of playful disgust Cass was in, dashing around the counter with intention. “Oh man, you should’ve seen it. Her boobs looked extra perky and she does this really flexible—ow!” Cass smacked them on the head before they could finish the monologue of their morning sexcapades. “Jokes on you, I like it rough.” Knowing that would earn them another smack, Metzli moved out of Cass’s reach to dodge her hand. They laughed from their belly and held their stomach as it tightened from the strength of it. “Oh man, I haven’t laughed like that in a while.” They paused, wiping a tear from their eye. Several more moments of laughter quickly ensued and then Metzli reigned it in with a gesture of surrender.

“Okay, okay. Ya no mas. I’m done.” With a sigh, Metzli spun the cake on the counter slowly, taking in all the decoration Cass had worked so hard on. “So I guess we just light this puppy up and eat it?” It touched them to have someone like Cass in their life. Never had they even dreamed of having friends, let alone a chosen family. It was only fitting that they spent the day with her, of all people. It always had been easier to accept love from their little sister. From the getgo, she made it easy. “Let’s get on it, lil sis. I wanna hear those pipes sing.”

Cass groaned as her attempt to smack Metzli into silence backfired, rolling her eyes and swatting at them again even as they moved away. “You’re the worst,” she complained good naturedly, rolling her eyes with a huff. But it was so good to hear them laugh like this, so thrilling to see them so carefree and happy. Cass would have done anything to elicit this kind of reaction, would have suffered a thousand gross retellings of Metzli’s activities with Macleod. It was worth it, at the end of the day. It was definitely worth it.

“You better be done,” she cautioned, holding out the stick she’d picked up to place next to the piñata like a weapon. “I’m not afraid to smack you again, you know.” She lowered the stick with a look, as if she was ready to pick it up again in a moment’s notice, then nodded. “Yeah! I couldn’t fit all the candles on it, but I got as many as I could.” The cake was a mess of birthday candles, and probably a fire hazard, but the world was ending anyway. What did it matter if they burned something down? Clearing her throat, she laughed. “I, uh… maybe shouldn’t sing anything. Don’t want to accidentally enthrall you again, right? But! I wrote a note!” She pulled a tattered paper from her pocket, waving it. “I can read it to you! Or you can read it to yourself. You know, whichever.”

Even more laughter ensued at the sight of the stick that was so clearly a threat on Cass’s part. She definitely would take a swing, but the likelihood of the attack landing was nil. Even with one arm less, Metzli had no doubts in their ability to evade their little sister, no matter how well they trained her. “I may be the worst, but you still love me.” They said with a chuckle, swiping up a glob of icing with their finger and stuffing their mouth in the process. Their eyes lit up with delight and surprise when they were actually able to taste the sweet concoction.

“You really outdid yourself. And you packed in all the candles you could find, huh?” A grin spread across Metzli’s face with a glee they didn’t think possible. “Can’t say I’m surprised. I love it. Thank you for going all out.” They said with a smile, nodding in agreement with Cass. Singing was definitely out of the question. “Yeah, you’re right. No singing. But for sure read me your note. It's just better not to make me cry.” As if to threaten, Metzli raised a fist, but they were positive Cass would understand that it was all in jest.

“I really, really do,” Cass sighed, rolling her eyes as if the statement wasn’t the best thing she’d ever said. And it kind of was. Loving Metzli was so simple, so easy, so true. It was strange, almost, to think of a time where they’d been a stranger in the woods who scared her, strange to remember the night they met when she’d been terrified of them and the way they exploded a person to dust right in front of her. It felt like it had happened a thousand years ago now, like Metzli had always been a part of her life. It would have been so much easier if they had, of course, but… Having them now was the next best thing. Knowing that she’d have them forever was pretty awesome.

She grinned at the praise, nodding her head quickly. “I could only fit fifty-eight on there, so I guess you get to be a little less ancient in spirit,” she teased, the grin on her face a bright reflection of Metzli’s. “You deserve to have somebody go all out for your first official birthday!” She’d keep repeating that until Metzli believed it, even if it took a hundred more years. Nodding, she looked down at the note. “No promises,” she replied, a teasing lilt to the words. But, as she cleared her throat, she recognized that there was probably some truth to it, anyway.

“Dear Metzli,” she started, glancing up to meet their eye with a smile that was almost nervous, because she didn’t do this often. Cass was someone who loved with her whole heart, but she didn’t tend to put that heart on display. There was something terrifying about the very concept of it, some part of her that expected rejection even now, even here. It was hard to spend your entire childhood walking on eggshells only to find yourself on solid ground suddenly and without warning. Cass was still trying to adjust her balance. “I’m not a writer. I’m not a lot of things, really, but I think I’m more things now than I was when I met you. I, um… I don’t think I’ve ever really known who I am. Like, for the longest time, I borrowed pieces of other people and tried them on for myself to see if it would make me somebody they might like more. To see if it would make me someone worth liking. And then —”

She broke off suddenly, a lump forming in her throat. She pushed it down with a wry smile, rolling her eyes in a way that was a little self-deprecating and a little nervous. “And then I met you. And it was weird, ‘cause even in the beginning, you never wanted me to be somebody else. You never wanted me to try on pieces of you, or of the other people you liked. You just… Wanted me to be me. And that was kind of… scary? I guess? Because I didn’t know who that was. I didn’t know if you’d still like me if I was me, but I didn’t know who else to be for you, either. So, you know, I gave it a try. And you… You accepted it. You encouraged it. You were the first person who ever did that. You were the first person who saw me for me and liked me anyway. You made me feel like I wasn’t too much or too little, like I was enough just like I was. You showed me what it was like to have a family. And I can’t — I can’t thank you enough for that. There aren’t enough candles in the world, or enough streamers. If I could give you the world, I would. You’d deserve it. But, you know, the world’s ending, anyway, so maybe it’d be a shitty gift with a bad warranty. So I just… I just want to try to make you feel the way you make me feel. Loved. Cared for. And enough. I hope I can do that for you.”

Flying and falling always looked a bit too similar when you put them side by side. But that was exactly what it felt like to be listening to everything Cass said in her heartfelt letter. She did say no promises, but damn, Metzli wasn’t ready for the tidal wave of emotions and outright love she spewed from her tongue. Tears welled in their eyes, and their brows furrowed together as they tried hard to not let a single tear fall. They couldn’t help but wonder, had they really done that for her? Soulless as they were when they had first met, was it really true that they still managed to spark the kind of light she never got but fully deserved?

A hitched breath stuck in Metzli’s throat, and they swallowed past the lump in their throat that was still continuing to grow. No, they were not flying or falling. For the first time ever, they could finally decode the sensation they always felt when Cass was near. They were rising. From the beginning, she influenced that experience because that’s who she innately was. “God Cass,” They sniffled, wiping the thick tears from their eyes as they finally said, “You’re an asshole.” Cass wouldn’t be offended. Of that, Metzli was sure of. So sure that they reached across the cold marble to reach the soft warmth of Cass’s hand.

The two had spent many a night cuddled up watching movies together, crying to each other in times of need, wrestling like nothing else mattered, and piecing each other back together when all hope seemed lost. They had spent just as many nights alone, unable to imagine what they had then. What a marvel it was to finally have everything, and it was all so special. Spending that single moment together though? It was the highlight of their relationship to Metzli, and with a blow of the candles, they smiled; their eyes soft and never leaving Cass’s as they said everything they needed to. No push-back, no denial. Just a simple statement. “Thank you.”

“You still love me,” Cass replied, echoing Metzli’s statement from before. She folded the note up and set it on the table beside the cake, bringing her hands up to wipe away the tears from her own eyes with a small smile. Everything she’d said was the truth, and she wasn’t sure anyone was more surprised by that than she was. Cass had spent most of her life living in half-truths and white lies. To be so utterly honest with someone was a sensation she wasn’t entirely familiar with. But… It was certainly something Metzli had earned, time and time again. They really had changed Cass’s life. They really had been the first domino to fall and leave her where she was now — as someone with a support system, with a family to fall back on. And she couldn’t thank them enough for that.

Taking their hand, she squeezed it tightly and offered them another smile. “I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean,” she said softly, eyes brimming with more tears. The best kind of tears, she thought; tears of joy, tears of love. Metzli had never caused her anything else.

Clearing her throat, Cass brought her free hand down to fiddle with the hem of her shirt absently. “Now, are you going to blow out these candles before something catches fire? I really don’t want to accidentally burn your house down on your birthday. That would be, like, the worst gift.”

On her cue, Metzli inhaled deeply, filling their lungs with more than enough air to extinguish the tiny flames on the cake. Smoke rose to form a small cloud above the melted sticks, and one by one, they removed most of them. Impatience, as it always did, got the better of Metzli, and they grabbed the rest of the handful to toss them to the side, frosting and all.

“Now do I dig into the cake? Heard you’re supposed to just bite into it if you’re the birthday kid, but I’m not sure if that’s a myth or not.” Metzli shrugged with a face that clearly said they had no clue what the right course of action was. They might as well really have been turning one with how lost they were. “Can you even eat the cake? If not, I made sure to make cupcakes earlier. They’re in the fridge if you wanna grab them.” In the mean time, Metzli decided to be risky and playful. Their mouth opened wide and closed around a portion of the cake, a big bite of it filling their mouth and activating their tastebuds with the most magnificent flavor.

Watching Metzli blow out the candles was an absolute delight, though with how elevated her mood was at the moment, Cass suspected most things would be a delight right about now. She laughed as Metzli tossed the candles aside, paying little mind to where they landed. They’d clean them up later, but for now… They had a cake to eat.

“Yes! You definitely dig into the cake.” Truth be told, Cass didn’t have much of a concept of birthday traditions herself; this year was the first time she’d properly celebrated her birthday, too, after all. “I think you can do whatever you want. It’s your birthday, so you get to decide what you’re supposed to do.” That was the beauty of it, she thought. Even if neither of them knew the ‘proper’ traditions for this sort of thing, they could make up their own. They got to decide how things like this went down in their family. It was kind of exhilarating. “I should probably stick to the cupcakes,” she agreed with a grin. “Besides, the cake was kind of made especially for you, anyway. You should have the whole thing.” She grinned as Metzli bit into the cake, laughing in delight. “How is it?”

No longer inhibiting themself with proper manners, Metzli essentially bit into the cake with several giant bites, effectively eating over half of it. Their face was covered with frosting and a million cake crumbs, and they couldn’t help themself when an idea came to mind. “Hey Cass!” They exclaimed, crouching and subsequently darting at Cass to tackle her and cover her with sticky sugar.

Laughter bellowed out of Metzli’s chest as they smeared the mess over Cass’s face, claiming she deserved kisses. “You’re just the best sister in the whole wide world. Don’t try to fight it! Sisters like you get kisses all over the cheeks and head!” Never had Metzli felt so happy in their life, and they were even happier getting to experience it with one of their favorite people.

Getting to annoy her was just a bonus, and before they inevitably tipped her over the edge that led to a chase, Metzli hopped off of Cass and sprinted toward the sliding door that led to the backyard. Their laughter receded into the yard, frosted footprints the only thing left in the wake of their attack. A breakthrough that was lost on them, but would certainly delight Eilidh. Life was messy, and that way okay. For once, Metzli, unbeknownst to them, finally understood that. “Catch me if you can! Bonus points if you get me with a cupcake!”

It was clear that Metzli was enjoying the cake, and Cass let herself bask in the pride of it for a moment before her sibling called out her name, capturing her attention. It didn’t take long to figure out what it was they wanted, and Cass let out a squeal as Metzli tackled her, swatting at them playfully. “Metzli Valeria Bernal, you are going down!”

Scrambling to her feet once Metzli’s weight disappeared from on top of her, Cass grabbed a cupcake and took chase, howling with laughter all the while.

[gossipsnake]

TIMING: February 24, 2024, (the evening of this) LOCATION: Inge's House PARTIES: Anita (@gossipsnake), Metzli (@muertarte) Inge (@nightmaretist), and Cass (@magmahearts) SUMMARY: After learning about what had happened to Anita and that she had been brought to Inge's house to warm up with Cass, Metzli comes over to make sure Anita is okay. CONTENT WARNINGS: None

It wasn’t right. Anita had been hurt, and any reasonable individual would’ve been motivated by panic and stress, guided toward their loved one with such a force that everything stormed out of their path. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for Metzli, who had to usually rely on logic above all else to mimic love. They didn’t know how to feel or what to do or how to process, but they had a location and a place to be, so they drove. And somehow, they’d done so calmly, even if they were going twenty over the speed limit. 

By the time Metzli arrived, there was not much they could recall from between their walk from the car and their knock at the door. Nothing else mattered except getting to Anita. They just wished they could have made the moment sweeter with a warm drink or a filling pastry, but that was something they could do another time. Their focus diverted completely to their sister. 

“Where was she found?” They rushed inside with a curt nod at whatever invitation they were given, not paying much mind to Inge so they could lay their eyes on proof that Anita was alive. It wasn’t as if she or Inge had any reason to lie. As far as Metzli was concerned, they both had their trust, and had given no grounds for them to not take her at her word. But between someone who thought themself a sibling, and the person they saw as their family, nothing else mattered more than reaching them. 

With utmost care, Metzli opened the door and reached Anita in a blink, hovering a hand over her hair. She looked tired and worse for wear, but she was warm and breathing, resting soundly in clothing that looked much too big now. Metzli thought perhaps their mind was playing tricks on them, which would be no surprise. Panic had a way of altering a mind.

Metzli retracted their hand and backed away slowly. “I am here.” They kept their voice quiet, waiting for Anita’s approval to get closer. Their touch would do her no good, considering their lack of body heat, but they still held onto hope that they could offer some sort of physical affection she usually claimed she didn’t need. It wasn’t uncommon for Metzli to find her cuddling up with Fluffy or leaning into their touch. As much as Metzli wanted to, they never picked on her for it, and they especially wouldn’t right then. Not in front of Cass or Inge. 

It was important that Metzli find out what was going on as soon as possible. Cass could only imagine the worry they must have felt when Anita didn’t come home. Were they looking for her? Were they scouring the woods, were they searching? She couldn’t imagine they’d be doing anything else, not if they had any inkling that something was wrong. Metzli was proactive, was dedicated, was loyal. And they loved Anita, Cass had seen it. If they knew Anita was hurt, they’d be worried. So they needed to find out right away.

She figured it would be better for Anita to text them, maintained her position practically curled around the lamia as she did so. She kept up that warm-but-not-too-hot temperature, gradually warming herself a little more to make sure Anita got the heat she needed without being too hot. She tried making awkward small talk with Inge at first, but she got the feeling neither of them really wanted that, so she gave it up after a few minutes. 

And, when Metzli finally arrived and entered the room, she let the relief wash over her all at once. 

She wondered, somewhat absently, if Metzli would display the same desperation if it were her in Anita’s position. She felt guilty for wondering it — Anita was hurt, and this should be about her — but her mind went there all the same. Cass was so used to being an afterthought and, in this moment, Anita was clearly anything but. She thought back to Alex, after she was hurt, to the way she would have done anything to get her out of Rhett’s cruel grasp. Hadn’t it been intoxicating, being the center of someone’s world? Even if only for a moment, even when it was over now? Hadn’t it felt good?

“She’s getting warmer,” she spoke up almost tentatively, like she was no longer sure of her place in this room. Neither Inge nor Metzli had the body heat to warm Anita, so Cass was necessary. She liked being necessary. It meant no one could make her go. “I think it’ll be a while longer before she’s… back to full strength.”

—

They had been at Inge’s place for a little while before Anita had the strength to even send Metzli a message about what had happened. And of course since she didn’t even have her own phone with her she had to rely on using someone else’s to even send the message. It felt like this was becoming a habit, needing help from others, and it made her feel uneasy. As much as she wanted to tell everyone to leave, not because she didn’t want them there but because she felt that her debt to them was growing with each passing second. Debt she didn’t know how to repay. 

Just before Metzli arrived, Anita had finally felt warm enough to shift back. While most things in life were aided by being an incredibly large rattlesnake, trying to get warm was certainly not on that list. “I’m gonna get smaller,” she said to Cass so as not to startle the woman wielding that much heat near her skin, “It’ll make it quicker. Warmer blood and whatever.” It took more effort than she was used to but the scales that spread across her body were slowly replaced with soft pink flesh, allowing her to curl up into herself and get herself under the aluminum blanket that the tall stranger had given her. 

When she heard Metzli’s voice there was a simultaneous relief and guilt that panged through Anita. She didn’t want to worry anyone… she didn’t mean to worry anyone. There had been nights, plenty of nights, that she didn’t make it home. She usually let them know that was going to be the case though, when she remembered to. “I didn’t mean to worry you,” she offered up. Normally the lamia adored being the center of attention - she thrived on it - but this type of attention, this type of care, felt so foreign to her. She didn’t know how to handle it all. 

“I just need to get warm. I already healed the wound.” Nodding towards Cass, Anita agreed, “Will be a while, for sure.” Even if her body got warmed up Anita wondered how long the exhaustion she was feeling would last. “I’ve never… I don’t know anyone who’s ever… guess this is why my father wanted me to stay in the desert.” 

_ 

She couldn’t recall the last time she’d turned on the heating in her cold apartment, but she had it blasting now. Inge could host, at the very least — it was one of the skills she’d taken with her from her former life. She could fret a little, offer whatever comforts Anita needed while waiting for her to warm up again. In a way, it was good to be on the other side of this: to help rather than to need to be helped. 

And though her body ached from all the walking, she got up and moved towards the door all the same when the doorbell rang. Her eyes locked with Metzli, she offered the, “Come in,” required for a vampire and let them burst in. She followed, pushing through as she tried to keep up their pace. “In the Pines. I was astral hopping and I saw her and got help.” This was the second time in a long time where Inge was confronted with the fact that she was limited, that in some cases she was powerless. She had none of the superior healing her vampire brethren had, nor the strength. Not even the bodily warmth to assist Anita. And even though she’d manage to help Anita, she despised the feeling.

She followed Metzli, no longer bothering to keep up with their vampiric speed and leaned on a chair in the living room. What a strange combination of people, two of whom she’d only met rather recently and in very different settings. Inge didn’t question it. Life was spontaneous. And pain connected, that too she knew. 

A small smile for Cass. Ariadne’s friend, she assumed. The one she’d asked her not to give nightmares. “Good.” She moved around the chair, sat on its edge, close to the gathering of people in her living room. So filled with life. She found it confusing. “You can stay as long as you need to, you know that.” Not often did she open her doors like that for people, and it wasn’t like Anita and her were as tightly entwined as she perhaps was with Metzli or even Cass — but still. Inge wasn’t going to kick her friend out. She wasn’t quite sure what to say. “It’s … you’re here now, hm? Just focus on getting warmer.” 

“Ay, mi hermosa.” Metzli leaned forward and planted an affectionate kiss to Cass’s head, fully trusting that if she was in contact with Anita, then it was safe to do so. Besides, they couldn’t help themself when the person they saw like kin was making them proud. She truly was a hero, and Metzli wholeheartedly believed that’s what she was meant to be. They smiled, “Thank you for helping her.” They didn’t care if Cass would bind them, and some part of them knew she wouldn’t. Regardless, it felt important to express their gratitude, and they turned to regard Inge, who they could see through the doorway to the living room. “And thank you as well, Inge. I…” Tears brimmed their eyes, a few daring to streak down their cheeks as they returned to Anita’s side and sat.

Metzli sniffled and cleared their throat immediately, trying not to feel too embarrassed. Anita likely didn’t have the energy to tease them, but they hoped she might. Anything to further cement that she was still there, and what Metzli was seeing wasn’t just a figment. It was asinine, really. They knew that. So, carefully, they reached forward, placing a gentle hand on Anita’s head for a few moments. They smiled warmly and retracted it before they could undo any of Cass’s hard work. Anita was real. Anita was real and even if Metzli had failed in finding her, she was alive and able to recover. 

“I looked for you. Was very scared you were hurt and I am very sorry I could not find you.” The possibility (and really, the inevitability) of Anita dying became far too real, and it choked them. It formed  a ball of some sort and it lodged itself in Metzli’s throat. Their leg began to bounce as discomfort overtook them, but they took a grounding breath to keep their emotions at bay as best they could. Some emotion was okay, but they didn’t want to overwhelm Anita or overtake the attention she needed. Instead, they breathed once more, offering Anita their hand, palm facing up. 

“I will be here until you can come home then. Whatever you need, hermana. Like Inge say, focus on getting warmer. We will help.”

A warmth that had nothing to do with the magma flowing through her veins filled her chest as Metzli addressed her, and she offered them the smallest of smiles. When they’d first found Anita in the woods, trailing behind Otis and Inge like a lost dog, there had been so much desperation. She’d been so afraid, so uneasy. If anything happened to Anita, she’d thought, and Cass didn’t prevent it from doing so, she was sure Metzli wouldn’t forgive her for it. She was good so long as she was useful, and she’d been useful tonight. She’d used the destructive force of her volcanic nature for something decent, for warmth instead of ruination. 

Metzli thanked her, and Cass disregarded it with a shrug. “You don’t have to thank me. I’m happy I could help.” She looked down at Anita with a small smile. “Everybody deserves somebody to help them, right?” It was something Cass desperately wanted, needed to be true. If Anita deserved salvation, if everyone did, didn’t she get to be included in that, too? 

She flashed Inge a grateful smile as the mare said they could all stay as long as they needed to. It was funny — she hadn’t liked Inge much at the beginning of all this, but she was grateful for her now. Offering her home not just to Anita, but also to Cass, who she probably still hated, was a pretty heroic thing to do. And Cass would know; she was a superhero.

“So, um…” She shifted her weight a little, repositioning Anita slightly so that they both could be a little more comfortable. “Anybody have any Uno cards?”

—

As much as Anita adored being the center of attention in normal circumstances, these were not normal circumstances. This collection of people surrounding her, from different aspects of her life, all coming together to help her out was not a dynamic she knew how to navigate. But they didn’t seem upset or annoyed, at least not visibly, at needing to tend to the weakened lamia. That felt surprising to her, mostly. Metzli’s reaction, their support, was expected. But the other two, that felt surprising. Not because of who they are or because of anything they had done but simply because having people around to support her was such a foreign feeling at this stage in her life. 

The idea of her absence causing Metzli to go out and search for her, knowing that she caused them any amount of fear, only added to the guilt that was cursing her. How many nights had she not come home in the past without letting them know? Did it always spark such a reaction? That wasn’t a question she really wanted an answer to. “Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have … been out there like that.” She reached out and placed her hand in theirs, keeping it there despite the cold. 

She turned her attention towards Cass, who was doing the work of a dozen heat lamps all by herself. “Is this tiring for you?” For all that Anita knew, whatever Cass was, and whatever powers she had, were foreign to her. “Don’t think I’ve played Uno since… college, maybe?” She didn’t wanna make presumptions but it seemed unlikely that Inge had a deck of Uno cards lying around. But Cass was onto something. If they had something to do to pass the time, maybe Anita would feel less guilt, or at least be distracted enough to not think about it for a short while. “Wouldn’t be opposed to playing a game or something, though.”  

__ 

The scene was a strange one. Inge had people over at her house aplenty, but it was never this kind of combination. Anita in her living room made sense, had occurred before, but Metzli she only knew professionally and then there was Cass, the thief who’d melted her things. Put together the fact that someone was being offered aid and she wasn’t entirely sure if she’d encounter this kind of thing again soon. She gave Metzli a serious look, nodded. “Of course.” It wasn’t like she’d done it for Metzli, but still. She didn’t mind a little appreciation.

Inge remained leaning on the chair until Cass said something about Uno. Now the scene was really becoming something completely foreign. It wasn’t a bad thing, though. She raised up, jaws tight at the movement. “I can find us something. I’ve got a deck of cards, so we can just play crazy eights.” She could host. Though the days of serving guests pickled eggs and vruchtenbowl were over, she hadn’t quite lost that. 

She moved away from the three others, feeling strangely out of place. She cared for Anita, certainly, and enjoyed her company deeply — but she and her had never felt this proximity she seemed to share with Cass and Metzli. No matter. It was hardly like she was jealous. Inge opened one of the many cabinets in the living room, most of them filled with various items. Old games from back at home, books and collections, dried flowers and trinkets she intended to do something with, one day. A deck of cards was produced and she returned, pulling an ottoman close to the small gathering. “If anyone wants something to drink, you can help yourself. There’s wine and other things in the kitchen.” No blood, that she only got when she had planned vampire visits. “But for now, I’ve got the deck. Shall I deal?”

Metzli shook their head at Anita and shushed her. “You are strong and your confidence is big. Maybe you make mistake, but you are alive. That is what matters.” They paused for a moment, offering Anita an intimate gesture by pressing their lips to the back of her hand. For someone not normally too keen on touch, it meant a great deal. It was something that required trust and comfort that they had only just begun to understand. “You matter to me. Worry will happen and that is okay. Just shut up and accept.”

There were various options that everyone presented for entertainment, nourishment, and comfort. Uno sounded interesting enough. If there were only a single item in a game, Metzli figured it couldn’t possibly be overstimulating or incredibly complex. It sounded quiet. Perfect, even. That was probably why Cass suggested it, and they offered a small and gentle smile to her as they gave Anita’s hand one final squeeze. She didn’t need her temperature lowered again. 

“Let us play this Uno game and I can pay for pizza if someone will like to order.” They turned their head just in time to watch Inge’s hair bounce around the corner as she mentioned a much more chaotic game. Crazy eights? That is bigger than one. Not by much, but enough. And the numbers were crazy? Metzli couldn’t make sense of it, but before they knew it, Inge provided the group with a deck of cards. They stared at it as if it were as atypical as themself, their back stiffening as they shook their head and responded. “I will watch. I do not want to gamble in your deal.”

Anita asked about her, about her well-being, and it was enough to make Cass’s chest feel warm in the metaphorical sense as well as the physical. She offered the lamia a small smile, shaking her head. “It’s not tiring. This is just… being, for me.” Without the need to maintain her glamour, this was actually less tiring than her day-to-day, even if the glamour only took a very small amount of energy to keep up. Regardless, even if it had been exhausting, she would have done it. Anita was cold, and Cass could warm her. That was all there was to it. It was a simple thing.

She hummed, disappointed but not surprised that Inge didn’t have any Uno cards lying around. It had been something of a long shot, given Inge’s whole ‘fancy lady’ aesthetic. Fancy ladies probably didn’t play Uno, which was stupid. Uno was fun. But, regardless, Cass knew how to work with what was given to her. Metzli wasn’t interested in Crazy 8s, though Anita didn’t seem to mind the idea. Cass considered it for a moment.

“Maybe we can do a round or two of that, then Go Fish?” She looked to Metzli as she said it, brows drawing together in a pleading look. It was an expression perfected from years of making sure everyone felt included enough to stay. If there was nothing for a person to do, they were more likely to walk away. And Cass didn’t want Metzli to leave.

She didn’t want anyone to leave, but Metzli was the only one who really could right now. Anita was frozen in place (though not quite literally anymore), and this was Inge’s house. If she could keep Metzli here, they could stay as they were right now. And Cass liked how they were right now. It felt kind of perfect… or as perfect as anything could be, under the circumstances. “Maybe we could have hot chocolate, too?”

—

It would have been too overwhelming for Anita to take the time to fully process and internalize the amount of care that was being given to her. So she was glad to have a distraction in the way of a card game, no matter what game that ended up being. Something to do other than talk about the situation she got herself in. “Crazy 8’s isn’t all that crazy,” she offered to Metzli in Spanish when they seemed uninterested in playing. She wanted them to have a good time if they were going to be stuck here waiting for her to defrost, but also knew that watching the others play might as well be as enjoyable as playing for them. 

Anita was feeling well enough to move her arms a bit, being able to do the absolute bare minimum action for a game of cards. As the cards were delt she reached out to grab her hand, fully accepting that it would be near impossible to keep her cards fully concealed from Cass.  “Hot chocolate would be amazing. Especially if you’ve maybe got some tequila lying around to throw in there?” She asked, looking over at Inge. She should have asked Metzli to bring some from home. Even though she knew the science behind it was flawed, there was no denying that a bit of tequila was known to warm just about anyone up. “I think after a few rounds of the game I should be warm enough to head home. I don’t wanna put y’all out all night.” 

_ 

She looked between the strange range of people and folded down the cards so they could be shuffled and dealt at a later time, “Maybe you can explain the rules to Metzli? It is not so different from Uno.” Inge got up, sure to not touch Cass and her searing skin again. She remembered how she’d burned her once and thought it some kind of metaphor — how warmth could be healing yet also dangerous. 

“Anyway — hot chocolate I can do. With tequila. I’ll also order a pizza.” And she’d pay for it. She was a gracious host, after all. It was a fundamental skill for women of her once-caliber. It was one she didn’t mind not having unlearned — though plenty of the other submissive housewife traits had luckily left her. “What kind of toppings do you like?”

Her eyes flicked to Anita, then. “Don’t worry. Neither Metzli nor I need sleep. You are hardly putting me out. You’ve —” Slept over before, she almost added, before remembering herself. Inge smirked vaguely and then gave Cass another one over. She was okay. Even if she’d stolen her bag and burned her hand. “And if you doze off, that’s alright.” She moved to the kitchen to heat up some milk on the stove, feeling a distant sense of a feeling she couldn’t quite describe. Perhaps it was as simple as contentment, but maybe something more rare — a feeling of safety and unity. 

They knew what Cass was doing when she made that face. They also knew she was scared that they’d leave, even if that was far from the truth. More than once, she had used it to get her way, ensuring abandonment of any kind wasn’t any option. It was how she operated, experiencing dismissal and loneliness far too long. If given the chance to live those moments again, Metzli surely would’ve given Cass what she wanted without any sort of plea. 

They just enjoyed her face far too much to give in immediately. They enjoyed the way she knew a certain look would sway any decision they made. As if Metzli was truly her guardian. “I am staying, mihijita. And I will beat you at this crazy game.” Gently, they reached over and patted her head, ruffling her slightly and playfully with a small but genuine smile on their face. “I will also beat Anita.” They chuckled, rising to their feet to help Inge out in the kitchen. A room they were comfortable and navigated well in. Never mind the fact that they had no need to eat actual food anymore.

“If you have chocolate that I can melt with the mix, I can help you make it very tasty.”

 “Pineapple!” Cass cut in immediately, eager to make her preferred pizza topping known. Normally, she might have let someone else respond first, might have pretended to like whatever the popular answer was, but… she felt comfortable, in this moment. She felt comfortable enough to be a little more of herself, to stop pretending even if it was only for a heartbeat. Later, the mask would slip back on as easily as breathing. She’d cut herself into smaller pieces, something easier to digest. But right here, right now… Cass felt good. And that was good. Wasn’t it?

She grinned a little as Metzli agreed to stay, feeling as though some invisible weight had been lifted. The teasing, too, felt good, felt like something she’d never thought she’d have. “There’s no way you’re beating me,” she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m totally gonna win. You’ll probably beat Anita, though.” She flashed Anita a grin — a quiet confirmation that she was only kidding, with a question underneath it: is this okay, are we here yet, can we do this? 

As Metzli and Inge went into the kitchen, Cass remained with Anita. This was good, she thought. However terrifyingly the night had started out, this ending was good. She wanted more nights like this. She wanted them forever. 

—

It was not very often that Anita found herself alone, physically. She usually had some body nearby to keep her company - either a meal or a tryst. Even when she spent time with people she cared about, the people in this room, it was almost always one-on-one. Genuinely, she did not know if that was an intentional doing on her part or if it was coincidental. Laying there, wrapped up in physical and emotional warmth felt so foreign to her. It made her think back to Mexico, before she left home. But even as she let her mind wander back there, as she shuffled through her cards and listened to discussions about pineapple on pizza, Anita was faced with the reality that home had never actually felt quite this warm. 

Back then she may have been constantly surrounded by a sea of family but they were all so preoccupied with themselves that moments like this - simple evenings - were scarce. Anita smiled up at Metzli when they returned with cups of cocoa and nodded at the indication from Inge that pizza was just a few minutes away. As she took that first sip of the spiked beverage, for a moment the guilt she had been feeling slipped away. For a moment she was just in a living room, playing cards with people who cared about her.

[vanoincidence]

@muertarte

[pm] She wanted us to trust her. Everything is so messed up.

[pm] [user knows blaming anybody in this situation is the wrong way to go] It's not fair. We could have done something, and if we did something, maybe we'd be dead, too. It's messed up. Everything is messed up. Nothing makes sense. She's gone, and we're still here. I know she wouldn't [...] I know that she [...] she loved us, and she wouldn't want us to regret what happened, but it's hard not to.

[muertarte]

PARTIES: @magmahearts @muertarte

TIMING: A few days ago

SUMMARY: Cass and Metzli go to the zoo to watch Blossom give birth to her calf.

WARNINGS: Mentions of past Emotional Abuse and Physical Abuse

The crowd of people surrounding the giraffe enclosure wasn’t surprising, but that didn’t exactly bode well for the anxious vampire. Having the sun shining was another issue, but the only thing on Metzli’s mind was seeing the calf being born. The hooves had already breached, it was only a matter of time until the nose peeked through as well. 

“I wish there was way to make people go away.” Metzli muttered as they ushered themself and Cass through the crowd. They sucked in a shallow breath, trying to get to the observation dome. Children were pushing and shoving trying to get to get, most not even tall enough to reach the higher dome.

“Blossom is in hour four of labor. Nose will come soon.” Metzli breathed, scanning the area and adjusting their headphones with their shoulder. “Want to go in there,” They pointed at the dome with their chin, pausing at the wall of people trying to get a better look at the enclosure. Blossom was still standing, stomach contracting sporadically as the calf made good headway. The buzzing of the crowd began to die then, the sensations of people bumping into Metzli no longer at the forefront of their mind. Just Blossom and the small oread at their side.

It felt like she was walking on very thin ice. With all she’d been through in the last few days — the mare, the cave-in, the injuries that the masked woman had helped her with that still ached beneath her clothes — Cass was a little more fragile than usual. She’d released Metzli from their promise bind without even really meaning to, though she wasn’t sure she regretted the decision either. Metzli didn’t deserve to be forced into a friendship they didn’t want.

Only they were still here, anyway. Dragging Cass through the crowd at the zoo like nothing had changed at all, like they were still forced into a friendship they’d made it clear they were unhappy about. Cass wondered if there was some strange delay on the promise release, if it worked differently on a vampire than it would on a human. She’d never bound a vampire before, as far as she knew. Maybe it took a minute.

But in any case, she intended to enjoy this while it lasted. And maybe, just maybe, make herself useful enough for Metzli to decide she was worth hanging out with even after the magic faded. She looked up at the dome the vampire wanted to go to, a determined expression on her face. Tapping the shoulder of the man in front of them, she smiled. “I love your hair,” she told him.

“Oh,” he replied, bringing a hand up to touch his bald head. “Thank you?”

“You’re welcome!” Cass beamed. “Go stand over there.” Obediently, and bound by the thanks, the man left, leaving an open spot for Cass to tug Metzli into. “Come on,” she said with a grin. “I can get us in there, no problem! It’ll just take a couple of minutes, okay?”

A smile almost took shape, watching Cass use her ability to get people to move away. For a moment, Metzli almost allowed the girl to do such a thing, but there were other ways to get people to leave. As much as they wanted to see Blossom have her calf, it didn’t feel right to take away a person’s free will. Not only that, but Metzli had a feeling Cass was still in her pursuit to deem herself useful to them, to anyone who was willing to be around her. 

They’d seen it more than once, watched her carefully since they had the fortune to thank her. She desperately wanted to squeeze out every moment possible for as long as it would have her, even if it cost her pieces of herself. Metzli wondered if it’d always be that way, even if they told her they didn’t need anything from her. Something they wished they were told when they were in her position.

“Girl,” They called out, bending at the waist to become eye level with Cass. “It is okay. Do not need you to do this. Have other method.” Metzli bonked their head light against Cass’s, handing over the umbrella for her to hold while they retrieved their wallet. “People like money.” They chirped, grabbing ahold of a few bills and handing them out as payment to people who moved away. In a matter of seconds, a path was cleared, parents ushering their kids out of the way to make room for the pair to enter the dome. 

“See?” Metzli moved forward, crouching into the small space to finally view Blossom right in front of them. A grin formed on their face, and they pulled Cass to their side, pointing at the future mother. “She is beautiful, yes?”

Cass was fully prepared to move the entire crowd through little binds, but Metzli’s voice stopped her. She turned to look at them, meeting their eye as they bent to her level. Her heart fluttered with a quick fear as they told her to stop, wondering if she’d done something wrong. Was Metzli angry with her for binding the man? Did it remind them of what she’d done to them after they’d thanked her, the way she’d taken their will away? 

If they were angry, they didn’t say it. Instead, they began handing out bills to people who agreed to move out of their way. Cass followed the vampire as they cut through the crowd, a little more subdued than she’d been before. If Metzli didn’t need her, then how long would they really keep her around? If they didn’t like the way she bound people, how long would they continue to accept her presence? 

Metzli’s method worked just as well as the one Cass had planned, and while it should have made her happy, it only served to leave a sour taste in her mouth. Being unnecessary was the first rung in the ladder towards being unwanted. Cass knew that better than anyone.

Still, she forced a smile when Metzli turned towards her, glad that an expression didn’t count as a lie. “She is,” she replied, and that was true, too. The giraffe was pretty amazing; Cass had never actually seen one this close before. Concern etched its way into her features as something occurred to her. “Does it hurt?”

With her plan interrupted, it was obvious Cass was either disappointed with how Metzli intervened, or worried that they were upset. That certainly wasn’t the case. Cass was fae. Bindings and deals were ingrained in her. 

Metzli could never fault her for using what she knew, what she existed in. It only felt like they could when they had become entangled in what felt like a con. As if the free will they had worked so hard to obtain was stripped from them. Things had changed though, and the fae they had disliked so quickly had turned into someone they wanted to care for. Even share special moments. 

“¿Qué dijiste?” The vampire blinked, unable to fully tear their attention away from the animal they adored. Her stomach was moving, signs that life was on its way. “Oh,” Metzli breathed, finally registering what Cass had asked. It made their chest bloom with something they couldn’t quite decipher, but they knew it was kind for the girl to take the mother’s pain into consideration. At Cass’s core, she was empathetic, often feeling way too much for others. “It hurts, yes. She is pushing out a whole life.” Metzli continued to stare at the giraffe, eyes sparkling with adoration. “But when it is over, she will see pain is worth it. Love is pain very often, but that is what makes it real. Effort.”

Metzli didn’t say anything, and it was better that way. The vampire had often assured Cass that they detested lying and didn’t participate in it themself, but it was often hard for the nymph to grasp this. When Metzli told her that something was fine while her instincts screamed at her that they weren’t, it felt like a lie even if logic told her it wasn’t. And she didn’t like thinking that Metzli was lying, not when she knew how much they hated it. She didn’t like doubting her friends; she just didn’t know how to stop.

Her brow furrowed as Metzli responded to her in Spanish, expression making it clear that she didn’t understand what the words meant. Some of the nymphs back in her aos si had spoken it some, but none had bothered teaching it to Cass. It was only thanks to an elder in the community who had found the idea of any of their number misunderstanding their native language that she’d been taught Hawaiian. No one had wasted time going the extra mile beyond that.

Metzli seemed to correct themself, switching back to English in a way that came as something of a relief, though the words offered nothing of the sort. Cass ached with the idea that there was an animal in pain, and that so many were watching it. If she were hurting, she wouldn’t want an audience for it. But Metzli made a good point — this was a different kind of pain. It wasn’t one Cass understood. Maybe she’d understand the sentiment better if she’d been loved herself. “And she’ll… take care of it? The baby.” The mother giraffe wouldn’t leave her baby on someone else’s doorstep, wouldn’t abandon it somewhere where no one would really care about it. Cass found herself frustratingly jealous of a stupid giraffe, and a giraffe that hadn’t even finished being born yet at that. 

Cass wouldn’t know it, but she wasn’t alone in her jealousy. There was something that ached inside of Metzli at the thought of a being able to follow their parental instincts. They couldn’t recall a time that either of their parents did, or if they could for that matter. It was as if Metzli were a monster, and they were treated as such, long before they were even bitten. Both Cass and Metzli understood what that was like, longing for a family they were prohibited from having. No reason given. The blasphemous act of simply existing was enough. 

“She will take care of it. The herd will help too.” A tinge of pain attached itself to Metzli’s voice, and they had to take to twisting and tugging one of their curls to keep from reacting emotionally. “It is nature for this. The calf will grow big and then will do the same when another mother has a calf. The cycle will continue.” With a deep breath, Metzli leaned slightly away from the glass dome and looked to Cass. “I wonder a lot what that would feel like. To have care. I know you do, too.” 

Most people took Metzli’s quiet disposition as a means to ignore, but that was far from the truth. If anything, they utilized the quiet to observe more, to take in what hidden truths lay around them. It was no different with Cass. She may have even been one of the people Metzli observed the most. In many ways, they were alike, something the vampire wanted to ignore. Now, though? They leaned into it, eager to discover if they could create a cycle similar to the nature giraffe’s followed. “We…can have herd. Like them. We can make one.”

The herd will help, too. It made the ache inside her grow a little more, and she thought of the aos si she’d been given to. In a perfect world, they would have come together to help raise her just as the herd would come together for this calf. Maybe in that perfect world, her human mother would have been welcomed into the community to help, or her oread father would have stuck around to show her how things worked. But in this one? Cass had been alone. And Metzli had, too. It wasn’t right, and it wasn’t fair, but it was how things were. 

She stared into the enclosure so that she wouldn’t have to look Metzli in the eye, watched the soon-to-be mother giraffe strain and struggle with the labor and tried not to wonder if her mother had done the same. She wondered, sometimes, if her mother would have kept her if she’d been human. She wasn’t sure which answer would hurt more. “I don’t know that I would have been good at it,” she admitted quietly. “Being someone’s daughter. I don’t know if it’s something I would have been able to do right.” Was there anything she could do right? Sometimes, she wondered.

When Metzli spoke again, Cass turned to look at them without meaning to. She searched their face carefully, looking for some sign that they might be lying. There wasn’t one. There never was, with Metzli. If they were a liar, they were the best Cass had ever seen. The alternative option — that they were telling the truth — was a more likely one. And a much more tempting one to believe. “You think so?” Her voice was quiet still, but hopeful now. She looked back at the giraffe. “I’d really like that.”

“You were not given chance, girl.” That’s all the vampire said at first, eyes shining with fresh tears.

Sometimes it felt like maybe being locked away was a godsend, like it was protection against the outside world. Out in the crowds of people that overwhelmed them, Metzli would tremble and scream as a child, begging for the noise to stop. Outside was worse most days. Having to rehearse obedience and closing off the insurmountable sensation of existing in a world too loud, too bright, and too textured. There was no name for what caused that then, and Metzli still didn’t know exactly why they were different, but they wanted to be special enough for their parents. So they created a world where they were. Somewhere where maybe, just maybe, there was a loving trait to being told to not be seen or heard. That they were this precious piece of their parents that was kept hidden because if anyone else discovered them, they may get taken away and that would break their parent’s hearts. 

But that was a lie, and Metzli hated lies. They always hurt worse when the truth shattered the illusion like heartbreak.

That moment with Cass, though? It wasn’t an illusion. There were no lies to tell. No longer were either lost children alone, broken away from a family tree that stemmed from a rotted log. They could graft themselves together and shape a herd—a family that could be worthy of a definition that began with the word love. “I think you would do well if you got one chance.” Metzli finally spoke again, watching as Cass stared away at the mother. “Me and…and Leila can try to show you. I only have bad examples from my parents, but I know what to not do now.” They inhaled deeply, hoping their words weren’t wrong. They’ve never been any good at talking. No one ever gave them the chance to practice. “I would like that. We-me and Leila—would like that.” Avoiding any possible look of rejection, Metzli looked back at Blossom, seeing that her calf was almost out. Tears began to fill their eyes and the world went silent. They stared away, not realizing they affectionately placed their hand on Cass’s shoulder, pulling her closer.

“Yeah,” she agreed quietly, “I guess I wasn’t.” It wasn’t fair, was it? There were few things in the world that everyone was supposed to be born with, Cass knew. There were few things that everyone was entitled to by default, but there were supposed to be a couple, at least. You were supposed to have parents. It was a biological fact. Everyone who was born had a mother who bore them, and a father who made it possible. But what were you supposed to do when that was all they did? When they brought you into the world and left you alone? It felt cruel, somehow, that even animals did a better job at it. The giraffe in the zoo would have her calf, and maybe she wouldn’t love it — maybe animals weren’t capable of that in any way that made sense to people — but she’d raise it. She’d make sure it was fed, she’d teach it how to be a giraffe. And maybe it was the bare minimum, but it was so much more than what Cass had gotten.

It was more than what Metzli had gotten, too. 

And it was so supremely unfair, wasn’t it, that this was a thing they had to have in common. It wasn’t right. Your parents loving you, caring about you… It was supposed to be the norm, wasn’t it? It was supposed to be something everyone got. So why was it different for them? Why was Cass alone? Why was Metzli? She wanted to scream, wanted to pull her hair out, wanted to break something. 

But then Metzli was speaking again, and some of that anger faded. She turned to look at the vampire, swallowing around the lump that had formed in her throat. “Really? You’d want to?” Her voice was small, tone uncertain. “I know I’m not… I mean, I’m not an easy person to… to want for that. I know that.” If she were easier to love, someone would have done it. “But if you — If you really want to, I’d like that. I’d like it a lot.”

There was no rejection, no sweeping crash of pain that accompanied the pair in that small dome. Cass had accepted the offer Metzli had placed in front of her, taking into consideration that love and peace could actually come at a bargain. For the small price of vulnerability, Metzli was building a family, experiencing a more pleasant side to emotion. 

“Yes. I want to.” The vampire replied, a lingering hope laying lightly in their tone. It was a miracle, really. Finding people and bidding loneliness farewell, something Leila and Cass and Metzli knew for so long. With a subtle smile, they looked back at Cass, and then to the mother. “L-look!” Metzli’s eyes lit up, watching as the fruit of Blossom’s labor would finally lay bare for all to see. “It’s here. It’s here!” They grinned, eyes full of awe. 

A cheer escaped them and they began to jump up and down with excitement. Lifting Cass into a tight embrace, Metzli let go of tension they didn’t even realize they were holding. “Thank you for being here, mija.” They knew what they were saying. Both the affectionate name and the possibility of a bind. What did it matter, though? If Cass needed a bind, they would oblige. Whatever she needed, as the person taking care of her, Metzli would sacrifice any free will so she’d have a chance. 

Yes. I want to. They were words Cass had wanted to hear all her life, words she’d longed for since she was a child. Hearing them now, from someone who she knew wasn’t using them to manipulate or twist things up, filled her chest with a genuine warmth. Neither of them had ever had anything like this before, but together, they could build a family. 

“Thank you,” she said quietly, the words heavy on her tongue. Metzli knew what they meant, and Cass trusted them not to take advantage. If Metzli wanted to bind her to her thanks, she knew they’d only do so for something that mattered. She looked back into the enclosure just as the giraffe finished her labor, a grin spreading across her face. “Whoa,” she said quietly.

And then she was being lifted off her feet, giggling as Metzli embraced her. Another thanks, a word that she knew the significance of even if she didn’t speak the language. “I’ll be here whenever you want me,” she said quietly, squeezing them into a quick hug before letting go. She knew Metzli wasn’t really the biggest hugger, and that was okay. “You don’t have to thank me for that.” Looking back into the enclosure, she smiled. One family in there, and another out here. It was nice. “What do you think they’ll name it?”

Metzli Cass meant it when she said she’d be there whenever they wanted. She couldn’t lie. There was no contortion of her face and no tension in her body to indicate a false statement. They patted her head and leaned into the dome again, watched as Blossom hovered over her calf and cleaned it up. “I do not know.” 

Datura!

The familiar voice perked Metzli’s ears, and they smiled just a bit wider, grabbing a hold of Cass’s hand. “Grab umbrella. Honey is here. Maybe she can help us convince the workers to let us name the calf. She has better eyes too.” Pulling them  away from the dome, Metzli took one last look at the spot the pair had been standing in just before Honey wrapped her arms around them both. She was always so affectionate, and though Metzli was reaching their cap on stimuli that day, they welcomed her with ease. 

“Let’s go see calf, mariposa. It’s here.” They looked down at Cass reverently, smiling subtly. “You ready, mija?”

[magmahearts]

TIMING: current. PARTIES: @ariadnewhitlock, @vanoincidence, @muertarte & @magmahearts LOCATION: the magmacave. SUMMARY: as cass prepares to leave town for good, ariadne, van, and metzli show up to speak to her. when makaio finds them, things go south. CONTENT: parental death, child death, emotional manipulation, domestic abuse

Something had shifted with Metzli’s last visit. Cass had always known, on some level, that her father was capable of being dangerous in the same way she was, but she hadn’t thought much of it. Most of the people she loved were capable of being dangerous, and it never made her love them any less. Even now, she wouldn’t pretend she loved Makaio less than she had before. He was her father. She still loved him, would always love him. But… she didn’t think it was safe for him to be around her friends anymore. Not after he’d tried to have her hurt Metzli, not after he’d made it clear that there was only room in her life for him. She loved her father, but she didn’t think he belonged here.

Which probably meant she didn’t, either.

She’d already started planting the idea in his head. The two of them would be better suited for somewhere far from Wicked’s Rest. Alaska had a lot of volcanoes, and would put a whole country between them and the people she loved. It had a lower population, too, which meant less risk of… accidents like what had happened with the security guard. (Or things that weren’t accidents, like what had happened with the hunter. Cass tried not to think about that one.) Makaio actually seemed excited about it, and that was a good thing. The two of them could start over somewhere fresh, where no one she loved was in danger and she could have the family she told herself she wanted. 

So, she was deep within the Magmacave, scribbling letters in a notebook. She knew she couldn’t say goodbye to her friends in person; they’d all ask her to stay, and Cass wasn’t sure she was strong enough to say no. The notebook would be a better option. She’d leave it in the woods near the cave, someplace where one of them could find it. They’d be sad, but they’d be okay. They’d move on. Everyone always did. 

If she were less busy with the writing, she might have known someone was coming before the footsteps echoed off the walls. She might have registered that those butterflies in her stomach that signaled the presence of another fae, of her father, were absent with the approach. But knowing probably wouldn’t have changed anything, anyway, and so it didn’t matter that Cass didn’t hear them coming ahead of time. Her pencil paused in its scribbling as the footsteps finally echoed close by, head snapping up. “You shouldn’t be here.”

—

Van remembered the last time that she’d seen Cass and how tense it had been, of how she re-ran the conversation over and over in an attempt to figure out how to have it better next time. She wanted so badly for things go right that she didn’t heed the warnings. So what if Cass’s dad was dangerous? So what if Cass thought she was dangerous? Van was dangerous, too. She could do things, too. Unimaginable things. For the first time in a long time, Van wasn’t afraid as she walked towards Cass’s cave. 

It almost felt foreign in a way, a forgotten kind of memory that was only linked to the dreams she used to have about all of them beneath the cavern’s edge. She thought about the times that she’d been there to visit Cass, with or without the others– of the comics spread out on the floor, of the movies they’d watch on their phones. Van wondered very briefly if she should’ve brought pizza like before. 

It was just as difficult as before, navigating her way through the cave’s entrance to the opening that would lead her straight to Cass. Before she turned the corner, she could hear her friend’s voice ring out. “You like, said that before.” She didn’t have to do much to dodge the overhanging parts of the cave, as she was already on the shorter side. Instead, she walked right through, feigning authority and confidence. The moment she finally saw Cass, however, it shattered. She was wearing the necklace. It burned itself like a plate against the magma, but she was wearing it. Van stuttered as she spoke, “I just really wanted to see you. I’ve been– it’s– I missed you. A lot.” 

—

Ariadne had missed Cass more than she could put into words. Except that she’d decided that she had to go by the cave now. There wasn’t any other option at this point. Cass could yell at her, ignore her, do anything, but she needed to see Cass. Cass was her best friend and she’d been the person to make Ariadne really understand what it was like to have a best friend who wasn’t part of your family. She also needed to make sure that Cass was okay. Even if Cass never wanted to talk to her again, Ariadne needed to see for herself that her friend was at least okay.

She should’ve brought cookies – M&M, or something like that. Chocolate-caramel-chip. All sorts. Lifesavers gummies too. Except she’d shown up, with only a embroidered piece of fabric that was another volcano. A volcano with stars shining above it.

“I’m sorry.” She nearly walked into Van as she arrived at the cave. “I – uh. I missed you. Also. I’m sorry. I know you said – but you’re my best friend in the whole world and I really, really miss you and I needed to see you because –” Ariande cut herself off. “Please, let me – us – let us in, just for a little while?”

There was something finite about visiting the cave again, feeling the stone beneath their fingertips as they trailed behind the two girls ahead of them. More than ever, Metzli felt like death was permeating around them. Whether it was from a separate source or from within, they weren’t sure, but they saw the way Cass’s father kept himself gripped to her. Quite literally. 

From what they’ve seen and what they’ve experienced, Metzli knew all too well that it would take violence to get Cass away from that man instead of sacrificing the life she made for herself. They couldn’t let her give up the home she had worked hard to make, not for anyone. Especially not a man who abused his position as a father. The very thought of that made Metzli’s stomach sink, gagging them into silence while they listened to Van and Ariadne speak until there was a pause. 

They swallowed, wringing their fingers together several times until the ball in their throat released their voice. “We love you.” Metzli breathed, “It has been too long since we are able to be with you. Just for a little bit, we will like to see you.” Their body stiffened, and they added, “Please.”

It was overwhelming, having three of her closest friends show up at once. For weeks now, Cass had felt as though she was drowning just dealing with them one at a time, trying to keep both her families intact while knowing they needed to be kept separate. Seeing Metzli, Van, and Ariadne all here, all telling her the same things they’d been telling her for weeks… It was hard. More than that, it was scary. Cass glanced towards the back of the cave, where Makaio was resting. Hadn’t he said he’d kill Metzli if they returned? Wouldn’t he do the same to Ariadne and Van? This was why she had to go. None of them could ever be safe so long as she was here.

Half panicked, she looked back to them, getting to her feet. Hesitantly, she put up her glamour, stone and magma giving way to skin and hair. It was the first time she’d bothered with it for weeks now, the first time she’d worn it in her cave since Makaio first introduced himself to her. She took a step towards them, gently pushing the notebook towards Van.

“I love you, too,” she said quietly. “All of you. But you can’t be here, okay? Just — Look, I’m not… We can’t do this right now.” Or ever, really. But if she told them her plans, would they let her go? The best case scenario was for them to leave, and for Van to open the notebook after. By then, Cass and Makaio would be gone, and it would be better. Wouldn’t it be better? “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve been — weird lately. But you guys really need to leave.”

—

Van hadn’t anticipated the others, but they were welcomed additions. What better way to prove to their friend that she was loved than to all show up? It might’ve been overwhelming, too. There was no sense in facing the back and forth of what it could mean for Cass, because it was clear that they all thought they needed to be here for their own reasons. She figured from her’s and Cass’s last meeting that there’d be no such appreciation for the sudden visit, but hadn’t anticipated panic. She remembered what it looked like on Cass’s features from the time in the grocery store, Debbie’s blood spilt between them. 

“What is this?” Van didn’t open the notebook that Cass pushed into her hands. Instead, she held onto it tightly at her side, fingers denting the flimsy cover. It was a little odd, seeing Cass in the way that she remembered her most easily, and while Cass might’ve argued that the former was more in tune with who she was, Van thought that they both were. She didn’t really know how fae glamor worked, but it was clear it was different across the board, given Regan only had to hide wings. Well, not anymore, but still. 

“What’s going on, Cass?” This was different than the last time, too, Van realized. “Are you okay?” Her voice trembled slightly as she took a small step forward, catching Cass’s hand with her own. “You can come with us, right? You can come with us, and you can tell us.” Her eyes swept behind Cass where she anticipated Makaio’s arrival, but all she saw was darkness. “You can come with us.” It wasn’t a question this time, instead it was spoken with finality– a plea dressed in the most basic of emotion. 

—

A part of her had wanted to be the only one here, but it made sense that Van and Metzli had shown up too. If Ariadne were honest, it was also a welcome addition, because it meant she didn’t have to convince Cass of her value all alone. Van and Metzli were perfect additions because she knew Cass loved them deeply too. So maybe this would work. Maybe she could get her best friend back. To show Cass just how desperately loved she was.

Cass’s panic was unsettling. Ariadne would’ve preferred anger, preferred being yelled at to go and being told she was annoying, no matter how much that hurt her. Cass’s glamor shifted, and Ariadne opened her mouth to say that Cass didn’t have to do that, that she was so incredibly beautiful in her true form, but maybe now wasn’t the time for that.

“Please come with us.” She echoed Van, taking a step forward and grabbing Cass’s other hand with her own, gaze falling to the notebook, wondering what was in there, if Van knew more, and what that more might have been. She hadn’t met Cass’s dad yet, but figured he had to be somewhere in here. “Just come on, we can – we can do whatever you want to do. Anything at all.” Because even on the most normal of days Ariadne would have done anything on earth for her friend. But now it seemed especially important to highlight that, to make sure that her best friend knew how much she’d do anything on earth for her.

“I missed you. I love you.” A mantra, almost. The way it flowed off her tongue was nearly like a prayer. “We love you. We love you.” She changed, not wanting to ignore the others who were there, even if a part of her wanted to wrap Cass up in their own little world. “What’s the matter?”

The reciprocated love, although quiet, meant everything after the months of pushback. It helped further prove to Metzli that it was never truly Cass who spoke so cruelly. Maybe she once believed the words as they flew off her tongue, but that didn’t seem the case anymore. They recalled the last time they were there, and looked to Cass’s shoulder. Metzli could still see the jagged grip on it, detested the idea that she was left with a bruise and an ache that they couldn’t soothe after they left. 

Quickly, the thoughts were shaken away before more could be conjured in a panic. Their focus was better set on getting Cass somewhere away from her father, somewhere safe. By the looks of it though, with Metzli’s trained eye and propensity for analysis, the notebook Cass was shoving into Van’s hands looked a lot like a goodbye. Their shoulders fell and their posture stiffened at the realization, and it was all they could do to keep their composure. If Cass left, she would be sacrificing everything for a man that did not deserve it. Metzli couldn’t let that happen, and they were glad to have the unexpected help to convince her of that.

“You should not go with him.” It was a quiet plea, much too quiet for anyone to actually hear, so they said it again. “You should not go with him. He hurts you. Love is not supposed to be painful.” Metzli paused with a swallow. “Not like this. Will you please listen? We can help you.” They took a step forward, taking a breath. “We can. Let us help you.”

Van didn’t open the notebook, and that was good. Cass wasn’t ready for her to do that yet, wasn’t ready for the goodbyes to be acknowledged. If they knew she was leaving, they’d argue, and… Cass didn’t want to fight with her friends. She’d done enough of that already. She would be leaving them with this terrible impression, this quiet doubt of who she was and how she felt about them thanks to the last few months of distance she’d forced between them all. The last thing she wanted to do was widen that gap at the end, make any of them think she loved them less than she did. She was sick of fighting with them, but she didn’t know how to stop. This thing with Makaio was a boulder rolling down a hill; the momentum was too intense to keep it from rolling to the bottom.

“I’m okay,” she said to Van, a quiet mantra she’d been repeating for a while now. She was fine, she was loved. It wasn’t Makaio’s fault that no one else understood him; how could it be? They didn’t know him the way Cass did, didn’t know his history. Even if they did, they couldn’t understand. No one understood her father the way Cass did, and maybe that meant that all of this was okay. She could go with him, and she could understand. She could go with him, and she could be understood. It didn’t have to be a bad thing. So, she repeated it, trying to make it feel right. “I’m okay.” It didn’t burn her tongue the way a lie would have, but there was an uncomfortable feeling in her chest all the same. 

She swallowed around the lump in her throat, shaking her head. “I can’t go with you. I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m — My dad needs me. He’s alone. He’s been alone for such a long time. I can’t… I have to stay with him. I’m sorry. But that doesn’t mean I don’t —”

“What’s this?”

A jolt of panic rose to her throat at the cool, familiar voice behind her. Her guts had been so twisted up in all the things she was feeling that she’d neglected to recognize the fluttering in her stomach that had signified her father’s approach, had missed the tug of the cave around her as his feet padded along its floor. Cass whirled to face him, fear and guilt spreading over her face. “I — They were just leaving. They came to get some things, that’s all. Right?” She looked back at her friends, hoping they’d take the hint and go.

—

Van had done a lot of running. She’d shied away from danger time and time again, favoring ignorance as a means to keep things normal. But the reaction Cass had to her’s, Metzli’s, and Ariadne’s pleas was anything but. She knew that Cass didn’t believe herself to be the girl from the grocery store, but there was another edge to it. Van listened to Ariadne’s voice, soft and delicate, and then to Metzli’s– still soft, but with an edge of knowing. What did they know that she didn’t? She cast a glance in their direction before it realigned on Cass’s face. 

Before she could echo Metzli’s sentiment about having Cass leave with them, the sound of footsteps and a minor vibration beneath her feet had her snapping her mouth shut. She looked past Cass to see her father– not traced in any kind of glamor, but more akin to the way that she’d seen Cass the last few times now; molten and blistering. She swallowed the plea she had tucked at the back of her throat, and instead held onto the notebook tightly. 

It occurred to her then, what it meant. It was a goodbye. Cass planned to leave with him. Metzli figured it out quickly enough, and maybe she should have, too. 

At Cass’s insistence that they agree with her, Van felt the weight of her’s and Cass’s friendship slip over her shoulders– a heavy weighted thing. The idea that if she didn’t fight back against the ill fated reassurances, she’d lose her forever. “We weren’t.” The words came out, never mind how minor, and they surprised her. Before, she would have relented– found her way through the cave’s mouth and escape only to message Cass later. But this had a certain finality to it, that if she turned her back, she might never see Cass again. 

“We’re here to see her.” Her tongue felt heavy and iron pulled from the back of her throat. 

—

Life was dangerous. Ariadne hadn’t been quite so aware of that when she was growing up (and she had a guess that being human then was a good part of it – and then there was how her parents didn’t have a clue about anything, and if they did have a clue, they kept all of that well away from her). But in the past year, and even more particularly in the last half year, and even more recently than that, she’d been terrified for Cass. Because her best friend wasn’t someone to shy away from friends. If anything, Cass was – or had been – ever-present in a way that provided unending comfort.

So her sudden drawing back was weird, especially when it came with confusing reasoning that Ariadne couldn’t find a way to make sense of. Wynne and Van had agreed about that, and now it seemed Metzli had, too. Even though she didn’t know them too well yet, they were Leila’s partner, and if there was someone whose opinion she knew would always be right, Leila was top of the list. Leila was scared for Cass too, she recalled.

Except before she could say anything else someone else appeared behind Cass. Non-glamoured, and beautiful in some ways (though not as beautiful as Cass), and she wrapped her arms around her torso, fingertips digging into each opposite upper-arm.

“Yeah.” She nodded, bolstered by Van’s words. “We’re – we’re here to see her. She’s my – my b-best friend and I just – I miss her. We all miss her.” Ariadne focused on Cass, not wanting to look her father in the eye, feeling incredibly tiny despite her height. “I can’t – can’t go, not yet.” The words burned in her mouth, and she found herself grateful that being dead meant she couldn’t blush anymore. Maybe it gave her an edge. Maybe it would allow her to help Cass.

—

Panic and fear were powerful feelings, sometimes unstoppable, but they brought out a violent honesty that was near impossible to suppress for most people. Metzli could recall countless moments they looked just as Cass did, and their mind went back to a painting still displayed at the gallery. A looming shadow in the background and a being unable to escape its touch. It was a sight Metzli had every instinct to protect Cass from, but they weren’t sure she’d allow for it. 

The truth was far too terrifying to witness, so what would make the illusion fall right then? Metzli wasn’t sure, but they knew they had to try. Even if it meant getting burned. Stepping forward, they placed themself between Cass’s father and the two younger women, becoming a shield. 

“Her friends miss her. I miss her too.” They stated firmly, keeping their eyes low and avoiding any gaze, but focused. Fear didn’t drive them to look away, not exactly. Looking at the man would only drive Metzli to violence, and they didn’t want to find out how Cass would react if that happened. “If you want to be good father, then you will be happy that she has so much…” Taking a breath, Metzli’s nape bristled, uncertain whether or not they were choosing the right words. “Family. She deserves every love. All of it. We will not leave her, and it will be w-wrong to make us leave. Wrong. Wrong.” 

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. 

They felt the emotion begin to run their mind in circles, and before they could trip over it, Metzli wrung their fingers against themselves and counted softly to themself until the episode passed. 

For a moment, it felt as though the world stood still. Cass was beyond hoping that her father would have a positive reaction to something like this. Maybe months ago, in the very beginning of their companionship, she would have longed for it. She would have imagined a world in which he cracked the smile that, until now, had existed for her and her alone, would have crafted a universe where he invited her friends to stay for dinner and listened to stories of Cass as she had been before he knew her. But naivety wasn’t the kind of thing she’d ever been able to afford, and she knew better than to hope for the impossible. The world stood still, not in anticipation of something decent springing it back into action, but to ask the question of just how bad things would be. 

Van was insisting that they were here to see her, not leaving as she’d suggested. Ariadne was saying, again, that she missed her, and Cass ached with the words. Metzli was standing in front of a man they knew wanted to see them turned to dust with their fists clenched and their jaw set. Makaio glared at the lot of them, fire burning behind his eyes. And Cass loved them all. She loved Van’s stubbornness and Ariadne’s bravery, loved Metzli’s careful words, but she loved Makaio, too. She loved his protectiveness, loved the way he said her name like it was a precious thing. And she wondered if she was supposed to. 

Her friends looked at him like he was a monster, and Cass loved him. She loved him even now, with her hands trembling and fear crawling up her throat. Could you be terrified of someone and love them still? Could you adore a person and still have nightmares about the things they were capable of? 

Makaio turned to look at her, and she shrank beneath his gaze. She felt smaller than she’d ever felt before, felt like an insect at the foot of a giant. “I told you,” he said coldly, “that they didn’t respect you enough to understand your decision to be apart from them. I told you this.” 

“It’s not — It isn’t like that,” she insisted, unable to meet his eye. “They’re just worried. And I was — I was going to tell them to go. Before you got here, that’s what I was doing. They just — They don’t understand.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “They don’t.” For a moment, she thought that might be the end. She thought, maybe, he would let her handle it. But Makaio sucked a breath, and Cass stilled. She knew, in a way, what he would say before he said it. Loving someone meant being able to predict what they might do next, after all. “So it’s time that you make them. You say you want us to be equals, Cassidy. This is how you can achieve it. Get rid of them, and you and I can carry on in peace. It’s the last thing I’ll ask of you, keiki. Kill them, and it can be just the two of us. The way it was meant to be from the beginning.” 

—

Van could understand to a degree where Cass was coming from. The idea of having somebody that loved you enough to stick around was something that drew her forward, too. But this was not right. The way that Makaio looked at the three of them, and then at Cass… there was something deeply sinister about it, and it made her stomach twist. She listened to Ariadne trip over her words, but the strength was still there. Metzli’s steeled voice sounded authoritative, and it had hope blooming through her. 

Cass, however, seemed frightened. She was being split in multiple directions. Between their begging words and the stern look from Makaio, she knew what kind of weight must be pressed onto her right now, and Van felt bad that she was making it worse. That there might be repercussions once they did leave. But if she, Metzli, and Ariadne had it their way, the repercussions would come later, after they managed to get Cass out of the cave and talk some sense into her away from Makaio. 

Defiant words crawled up and over Van’s tongue, pressed against the back of her teeth as she clenched her jaw. This was gaslighting 101, right? Like, how could Cass not see that? But she knew it wasn’t fair to impart that thinking on her friend, especially given the fact that when on the side of things where you thought this was love, it was hard to see it wasn’t. Maybe Makaio did love Cass, but not in the way that she deserved. Not in the way that everyone else in Wicked’s Rest did. 

Their prior conversation rattled around in Van’s head like a bell calling the livestock home, but home looked different now that she was in front of Makaio who was telling Cass that her friends didn’t understand, and that– 

“Whoa, whoaaaa–” That had to be what turned Cass over, right? Van’s gaze slipped over Makaio, then back to Cass, her hand still locked around her friend’s wrist. If Cass really wanted her to let go, she could pull back. Van wouldn’t stop her. “Are you serious– Cass, are you listening to him?” A nervous sweat licked at the back of her neck, and her throat suddenly grew dry. “Cass,” Van tugged on her hand, begging her to take a step away from Makaio. “She’s our friend! Why are you doing– why are you asking her to do this? She would never do that, not to us. She wouldn’t.” For once in Van’s life, there were no tears. Her magic was absent, held back by the ring wound around her finger. She could feel it bubble, but there was no spilling. 

—

It wasn’t that Ariadne wasn’t happy for Cass to have family in town. Ariadne knew that she was lucky to have the parents she had. Ridiculously lucky, and shouldn’t she want that for her best friend too? She did want it, but with everything that had happened recently, she wasn’t sure just how much joy she could feel. She didn’t like how Cass’s dad was looking at them. It kept making her feel small, feel like she could just shrink into herself. 

Her friend’s voice wavered and it made Ariadne feel sick. Cass was so often giddy and excitable and sure-footed. There was no judgment about her not being this way all of the time – and there never would be – but it was so much unlike the Cass that Ariadne knew that she had to do a double take. She didn’t want Cass to be afraid. She wanted to devour every hint of possible fear that her friend could have, keep them away from her. To never let her be hurt, not even one bit.

– so why couldn’t she move? She took another step toward Cass, on the opposite side from where Van was. Trying to keep her friend safe, as best as she was able. Which might have not been so very much, but something was better than nothing. Looking for any free space, she hooked her pinkie finger around Cass’s. Treasured the warmth from her friend.

Even if her dad did care about her, why would he want her friends to go away? Ariadne’s parents had practically literally jumped for joy when she’d admitted to finally having a few real friends. They’d wanted to meet them, for her to have them around for as long as it was possible. So it didn’t add up that Cass’s dad seemed to want them to go away.

Then he was saying to kill them and Ariadne shook her head right away. “Hey, uh, no. No thanks – there’s, uh, there’s no reason to do that! You know?” She was squeaking again, and she was maybe weak, but she could be better than that. She could be anything but weak. “Cass?” She echoed Van’s words. “Hey, Cass. I love you. Come on, you can – you don’t want to hurt us.” Didn’t say kill, because she couldn’t get the words out. “She won’t hurt us.” She narrowed her eyebrows, the hand whose pinkie was not around Cass’s clenched into a fist. “She’s not that sort of – friend.” Person, she almost said, but maybe Cass’s dad wouldn’t like that. Maybe Cass wouldn’t like that. Friend, however, was indisputable. “We can all hang out. We all love Cass so much.”

—

There was a sensation coursing through the vampire that they hadn’t felt since Chuy broke the news of his string of betrayals. It was an anger that had gone long past a simmer and a boil. Silently and with a bit of hyperventilation, Metzli wondered if that was what it felt like for Cass. The heat of her own body mixing with the anger. Her devil was dancing with her father’s demon, and the fiddler’s tune was only just beginning. Each pizzicato from the bow sent another rippling burn in Metzli’s belly, and before they could stop themself from speaking without thinking, they snapped. 

“You make her work to be equal?” Parents weren’t supposed to do things like that. Being alive, just existing was supposed to be enough. Every moment was precious, and Cass had such little self worth from her life of abandonment that she couldn’t tell what her father was doing. “You make her do things for you so you can love her? How…how dare you?” The words came out in a growl, acid dripping from their tone. Looking up, Metzli’s eyes were already red and their fangs were sharp. They had to unbury Cass’s eyes to the truth, expose the man’s secrets to the glare and reflect it out like a grotesque carnival mirror. 

“What-what is wrong with you?!” Their voice shook, but their spine was made of steel. Taking a step toward the two fae and van, Metzli swallowed, shaking with an anger akin to a volcano ready to erupt. With every plea that came from Van and Ariadne, the tremors grew, and when the man spoke of what was meant to be, Metzli vehemently shook their head. 

“If she does not want to kill us, you will be a bad father if you make her. What kind of father does not want their child to be loved? Why does this family threaten you?!” They took another step forward, staring daggers into the bigger fae with their lungs filled with a mixture of courage and anger. “You are not good father. A good daughter like mijita deserves a good father.” Metzli’s fist was balled tightly while they kept the last shred of composure they had. “Be one. Be better. Maybe I leave one time, but I choose better and listen to Cass. Listen to what she wants!”

Makaio’s eyes slid to Van and Ariadne, and Cass was fairly unfamiliar with the feeling of being cold — volcanoes seldom froze, after all — but a chill ran through her all the same. She wanted to tell him to stop, but the words were caught in her throat. She could feel them stick to the inside of her mouth, feel them cling to her tongue and refuse to leave it. The world seemed to be closing in on her, two universes colliding in a way she’d always imagined would be joyous but was anything but. 

“She’s killed for me before,” Makaio said, and Cass flinched. “More than once now. It’s asking very little for her to do it again. Things like you die so easily.” 

They’re not things, she wanted to say. They’re my friends. I love them, just like I love you. Why can’t I have both? I want to have both. Please. Was it a selfish thing to want? She’d spent all her life longing for one family, and now she was throwing a fit over her inability to have two. Would she spend every waking moment wanting more? She wondered, with a sharp pain in her chest, if it would ever be enough. If her father had wanted to merge with the family she’d found in Wicked’s Rest, would Cass be happy? Or would she still long to add to it, still want in the way she always had? Maybe nothing would ever be enough for her. The thought was a stifling one, a thing that ached. 

People were taught not to want, weren’t they? People were taught to be happy with what they had. Maybe Cass’s life would have been easier had she ever learned that lesson. But she didn’t. She wanted, even now. She wanted this moment to be different, to be better. Ariadne was scared, Van was confused, Metzli was angry, Makaio was close to eruption. Cass closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, taking a moment to steel herself. 

He wasn’t expecting her to pull her wrist from his grip. She’d never done it before. So when she yanked, her hand came free fairly easily, and Makaio’s expression shifted to one of surprise. Cass planted herself firmly between her father and her friends, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. “Stop it,” she demanded. “I’m not — I’m not going to hurt them. They’re my friends. I’m sorry I’m not what I wanted you to be. I’m not — not what anyone wanted me to be. I know that. But I’m not going to hurt my friends.”

The surprise was still present on Makaio’s face. It rippled, a rockslide that shifted his features from shock into rage with a quiet rumble. His hands, now free without her wrist in his grip, clenched into fists at his side. Cass had seen her father angry, but never at her. In spite of everything, it hurt. She chewed her lip, standing firm despite her nerves.

“Stupid girl,” he said lowly. She flinched as if it were a physical blow. “I thought, with time, you could be shaped into something worthy. Perhaps it isn’t too late. If you won’t do what needs to be done here, I will. Let the slowness of their deaths be a lesson to you.” 

He took a step forward; around them, the cave rumbled.

—-

Ariadne echoed her sentiments about not wanting to be killed, and Metzli conveyed the anger that stirred inside of her, displaying it for both Cass and Makaio to see. Van stayed still– silent in her disbelief that somebody could request this of somebody they claimed to love. The idea that Cass had killed for him before didn’t bother her, not in the way she thought it might at the confirmation. Instead, she thought of Debbie. Of the branding she and the others shared on their stomachs after being slashed with what Van knew now to be iron. She considered telling him, but what did it matter if she did?

Instead, she made eye contact with Cass. She hoped that her expression conveyed a certain neutrality, but the kind that was loudly on Cass’s side. Even if Cass had killed before, it was clear that it wasn’t in the vein of cruelty, but in something else– the hope for a connection, maybe. It was clear that Makaio had made their relationship all about what she could do for him, not what they could be together. Van hated him in place of Cass. Hated him enough to envision him dead, crushed beneath the weight of his choices. But now wasn’t the time. Her magic was stagnant, a boat out to sea with no power to move forward. 

She listened to the way Cass fought back, insistence laced with longing. Van couldn’t completely understand the way that Cass felt, but she knew what it was like to love somebody who had the wrong idea. Would Jade ask her to kill a friend for the sake of her duty? Was it wrong to impart that idea onto her? Her chest tightened as Makaio began to speak, calling Cass stupid of all things. 

Cass was the opposite. She was kind, compassionate– loving, fierce, loyal. She was everything Van had hoped for in a friend, so when Makaio began to shake the walls of the cave around them, Van enveloped herself in the love she had for her friend and she stepped forward, grabbing onto Cass’s arm. “She’s better than you’ll ever be, and she’s– she’s everything, and if you don’t see that, then you’re…” Van shook her head, fear beginning to worm its way through the adrenaline as the walls around them continued to rumble, “I don’t know what you are, but you’re not a father. You’re somebody who wanted something, and Cass is more than anything you could’ve hoped or dreamed for, and–” She held onto Cass’s arm tightly, partially forgetting that the other two were there as well, “she’s killed for me, too– protected me, and that’s what it should be about, love and protection, and maybe she did that for you, but I did that for her, too, and I helped her, and we share something, and I don’t think you’ll ever share it with her because you don’t know her and you never will.” The words came tumbling out laced with something that was hard to identify. She turned to Cass, “we can leave, we can go– he can’t hurt you when you have us.” 

—-

Cass was one of the bravest people she knew, full stop. It was something Ariadne had believed forever, and right now was only further proof of that. She just wished that her friend didn’t have to be so brave. She deserved a break from things, and she deserved to have support from people closest to her. From her father, of all people.

“I don’t care if she’s killed. She’s still my best friend!” Ariadne shout-squeaked, wishing she had the ability to seem just a bit more frightening in this moment. She’d never really wished to be scary, but if it could get Cass’s father to back off, she’d wish for it a thousand times over. Wish for it until she couldn’t wish any more.

Van looked over to Cass and Ariadne did too. “She’s my best friend for-ever and always, and I love her no matter what.” That much was true. Her stomach turned as she thought back to the hunter who’d almost killed them both, and how that seemed to be when Cass had stopped talking to her in the same way. Ariadne should’ve followed after her. She knew that. She should’ve reassured her – or maybe not even stopped her. Even though she didn’t like the idea of that, and she didn’t know if she could go back and let Cass kill someone (even though maybe they did deserve to die, if they tried to kill her. Maybe, maybe.). What she did know was that she wished she’d never let go of her friend’s hand, literally or metaphorically.

Cass spoke, but her words wavered and Ariadne’s heart hurt. She shouldn’t be feeling that way. She was a volcano. She was bright and powerful and sometimes pretty loud and excitable and it felt wrong to see her looking small. It felt even worse when her father called her stupid. That wasn’t what parents were supposed to do. Van seemed to think along the same lines, and Metzli would too, Ariadne knew. They’d talked about protecting family. Cass was family.

You didn’t let go of family. Cass was family. She moved closer to Cass. “She’s not stupid. She’s one of the most brilliantest,” okay, not her finest word choice, “amazing people I know. She’s anything but stupid. She’s clever and caring and so so smart.” The cave’s walls were rumbling, but Ariadne didn’t move. “We’ll keep you safe.” She echoed Van again. “We’ll keep you safe and I’ll make sure he never hurts you. Make sure you’re happy.” It was all she wanted. She wanted to wrap Cass up in her arms and protect her, to tell her what familial love should feel like. Her parents could adopt a grown up, right? She could give Cass a family who wouldn’t force her to do what she didn’t want to do, right? “I love you. I love you forever.”

—-

“You do not scare me with your threats.” Metzli growled, unwavering in their place as Cass’s father attempted to strike fear in them by weaponizing the truth. Cass had killed someone, but that didn’t shape her into anything different in the vampire’s eyes. They were more worried for her mental well-being, knowing the guilt that riddled her heart for smaller things than murder. Taking a life was never easy, even when it was right, and Metzli wasn’t going to let a strange man perpetuate an idea he had no ground to uphold. 

“Cass, it is okay. I still love you. It does not scare me that you have killed. I have too. It is scary and heavy when it is new, but we can be okay again. Come with us,” Metzli breathed shakily, eyes glistening with hope when she talked back to her father. “I love you, okay? You are not stupid.”

Family loved, unconditionally, and Cass dreamt of having her father fill his role the way he was supposed to. She fell prey to her own wishes, making excuses and rearranging the image of a family in hopes of the pieces fitting together seamlessly. You couldn’t force them to fit, and despite the pain, Metzli could see that Cass was beginning to accept that, in her own way. Even if she was still telling herself she was the cause of the puzzle not being cut correctly. They could work on that later, help her see that she was always perfect the way she was. When her father was out of the way and they were all safe, Metzli and Van and Ariadne would help her, and others too. 

It looked like it was time to leave, anyway. Cass’s father was throwing a tantrum violent enough to shake the cave, endangering everyone who wasn’t stone. They had to act quickly. 

“Come with us, mijita.” Rubble began to bounce off Metzli’s shoulder, and they looked up to see the integrity of the cave diminishing. They stepped closer to be a shield, watching Van pull Cass toward the group. She came to her senses, so she was going to leave with them. She had to. Right? 

“We will take care of you. Come with us.”

She was wavering. She knew her father could feel it, knew he saw the way her body language screamed of her uncertainty. Where she’d previously leaned towards her father, she leaned back towards her friends now, making no move to shrug their hands off of her or step away from their comforting words. Makaio’s eyes flickered between them, glowing faintly with his rage as he scoffed.

“They rally behind you because they know you don’t want them,” he told her bluntly. “They’ll leave the moment you’re more accessible to them. They’ll walk away freely, as everyone always has. Who has stayed with you, Cassidy? Who besides me?” 

Cass swallowed. Those old fears were swirling in her gut, reminding her of all the times she’d felt alone. But — but Van’s hand was on her shoulder and Ariadne’s words echoed in her ear and Metzli stood beside her the way she’d always imagined a parent would, in a way that spoke of the pair of them as equals. Makaio had never done any of this for her. 

“They love me,” she said quietly. “They love me, too. Why can’t — Why can’t you be okay with that? They love me, like you do. They —” 

“How could anyone love you?” Makaio snapped, and Cass’s mouth shut with such force that her teeth gnashed together painfully. “You are a disappointment. You are a failure. I thought you could be made useful, thought something good could come from you, but I was wrong. I spent months playing pretend for a sad little girl, and now I see it was for nothing. If I can’t make use of you, Cassidy, I’ll be sure you pay for wasting my time.” 

It was jarring, this shift. For months, she’d been so sure that, if nothing else, her father loved her. Whatever else he was, he was still her father. He still cared for her, still wanted what was best for her. That thought had driven her all the while, had inspired her to push everyone else away and to defend him to the bitterest of ends. And now, standing here with the cave rumbling around her, she realized it was a lie. Makaio wasn’t someone who loved her. The people who loved her were the ones standing behind her now.

Cass turned back towards her friends, her heart in her throat. They wanted her to go with them. She wanted to go with them. But…

“I won’t leave you. I promise, I won’t.” Her words, the ones she’d spoken to him months ago, echoed in her mind now. She glanced towards him, saw it in his eyes. He remembered, too. He was probably tugging the bind now, causing that anchored feeling in her chest. There was only one way for her to go with her friends, only one way for her to leave.

Her father had to die.

In spite of everything, the thought made her stomach twist in violent discomfort. He didn’t love her, and maybe he never had, but Cass loved him. Even now, even standing in this trembling cave. She loved him, and she wanted to go, and the only way for her to do that was to force the bind to shatter. 

The cave rumbled violently, the two oreads’ control warring with each other. Rocks fell on Metzli’s head, and they were small enough not to do any real damage, but a few feet away a much larger chunk of cave ceiling came loose and shattered against the ground. She glanced back to her father, and he was stepping forward. He burned dimly — never as bright as Cass herself, which might have been why he’d sought her out the way he had — but it was a dangerous glow all the same. A hand snaked out, trying to grab Van behind her, and Cass shoved him back. 

“You think you can protect them?” Makaio sneered. “They’re going to die here, Cassidy. And when they’re gone, you’ll have only yourself to blame. And only me to fall back on.” 

Cass whirled around, panic in her eyes as she faced her friends. “Go!” She yelled over the sound of the rumbling cave. “Go outside! I — I’ll meet you up there, I promise! But you need to go, now!”

—

Both Ariadne and Metzli continued to echo her own sentiments. If it were just her and Cass alone with Makaio, would they have gotten this far? Would Van so clearly be able to see the shift in her friend’s demeanor? The stark realization that she’d been manipulated? It wasn’t Cass’s fault, and Van didn’t blame her. Despite the hurt she felt due to the growing distance between herself and her friend, Van wasn’t angry at anyone other than Makaio. This was his fault. He preyed on the fact that Cass wanted nothing other than to be loved and he twisted it like a knife until it was too late to pull back without any blood loss. 

But now, Cass was hemorrhaging. They all were. 

Small rocks from above began to rain down, hitting the ground with enough force to make snapping noises. Van’s anxiety had begun to show its head in the way that iron coated her tongue, slipping down through her throat. She pushed it away. There was no room to be afraid, especially when Cass needed her. What good would it do, anyway? 

Makaio’s words lit a fire beneath Van and she clenched her jaw, her magic still stagnant, but glaringly obvious now that she’d become more aware of it. It was there, and she would allow it to help if needed. She would trust her magic to protect them all if it came to that, but she knew she also needed to trust Cass, too. Van had learned that fae could not lie, not without some level of discomfort, and so the vitriol that Makaio spewed told her that he believed she was nothing. “Cass is the greatest thing to ever happen to you, the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and the fact that–” She looked towards Cass, recalling the night with Debbie– of their blood spilled, of dumping her into the pit, of everything else. The late night talks, the sweets shared between them, the jokes, the reassurances. How it had all come to an end because of him. 

Makaio reached out for her and Cass put herself in between them. Van’s hand was still on her shoulder, grip loosening only due to the constant rock fall. The sound of the cave groaning made her skin crawl. This would likely be all of their ends if they didn’t leave, but Van couldn’t leave without Cass. “Not unless you come with us– you can’t– we can’t leave you, Cass.” Her grip tightened almost instantaneously, a hopeful thing laced with an edge that reached her tone as she dared Makaio to challenge the three of them. “Please, come with us. Don’t stay here. Just leave. Please!” Worry spun circles around her as her vision became hazy from the dust as it bloomed around them, larger chunks of rocks beginning to fall at their feet.  She could see the look in Cass’s eye– had seen it a dozen times. There was a promise there, and she knew it to be binding, but what if she didn’t make it? Van enveloped Cass into a tight hug from behind, attempting to drag her backwards. “Come on, help me!” It was said to the other two behind her as she tried to bring Cass towards safety. 

—

Her best friend’s father wasn’t really much like a father at all. Fathers weren’t supposed to act like this, to do things that made their children scared or uneasy or even significantly uncertain. Ariadne knew that she’d won when it came to parents, but she also knew that right now, Cass’s dad wasn’t meeting even the bare minimum requirement. Cass deserved so much more. Van and Metzli were echoing the same sentiment, and she knew that Nora and Wynne would think the same. Cass had so many people on her side, Ariadne just wished she could make sure that she knew that. Because Cass doubted the love people had for her, and she’d been given love, but the love she’d been given hadn’t been real, and yet she’d been convinced that it was.

And now she was realizing just how much it wasn’t and Ariadne wanted to take away every bit of sorrow and fear that Cass must have been experiencing now. She was grateful that she wasn’t alone with Cass and her father, but in the same thought, there was a certain part of her that wished it was just the three of them. Because then maybe, somehow, she could deal with this. She could prove to Cass that she could be strong, that she could do anything for her friend. For her forever friend. Or at least as close to forever as she was going to get. Hundreds and hundreds of years sounded pretty neat.

“Cass is the best thing in the world. I didn’t know anything really about friends – best friends – until I met her.” Ariadne didn’t look right at Van, mostly because she didn’t want to hurt her other friend. She and Van had been friends, but Van had been closer with Chance, and the two of them had grown apart until just over a year ago. Besides right now was all about Cass, and Ariadne was intent on keeping it that way.

The cave made a sound that was unsettling. One it had never made when it was just Cass around. Because Cass loved the cave, and the cave loved her, and things were balanced, then. With her father around, things were darker and cloudy and Ariadne opened her mouth to speak as Cass stood between them and her father. She wanted to scream that she couldn’t die, that she was already dead, that it didn’t matter, so long as Cass lived. Not in any form of a ‘want to die again’ way, but Cass mattered more than anything right now. She grabbed Van, reached out to touch Cass’s arms, to pull her as tightly as she could. “Just come now. Please, Cass. Please.” She had to listen, didn’t she? “You’re still my favorite superhero. My favorite friend. I – Cass, please.”

—

The structures around them all groaned and cracked, but nothing sounded louder than the way Cass urged them to leave. Van and Ariadne protested, and Metzli kept their hand out for just a little longer until a larger piece of stone crashed into their shoulder. Their arm went numb momentarily from the sudden impact, and it suddenly became very clear that they might have to do as Cass says instead of convincing her to join them. 

She was promising, becoming an anchor to two tethers in separate directions, if the look in her father’s eye was any indication. It looked a lot like the look in both Eloy and Chuy’s eyes when an opportunity to exploit a weakness presented itself. The smug smile on his face was taunting and arrogant, making a pit in Metzli’s stomach as they pondered on the possibilities. He had something to use against Cass, but they just didn’t know what and time wasn’t on their side to figure it out. 

“Van. Ariadne.” They swallowed, placing a hand on the young mare’s shoulder, but it fell quickly when another rock landed on them. With a hiss, Metzli tried again and tugged her gently toward them. They didn’t want to force them to follow, but if Cass was promising she’d meet them outside as the cave around them collapsed, Metzli didn’t really have an argument. No matter how badly that they wished they did, unsure if an oread could prevent themself from being crushed by their own nature. They loved her, so they had to listen. 

With a little reluctance, the vampire tugged again, ignoring the way panic marched up and down their skin. “We have to trust her.” Metzli’s voice shook, but they did their best to not waver as more and more rubble began to surround them. “We have to go. She is promising!”

She couldn’t concentrate. It was taking all she had to keep herself together, to keep her father from getting too close to her friends, to make sure he didn’t hurt them. She knew she needed to take a more offensive stance, needed to fight him off directly, but with Van’s arms around her and Ariadne trying to help their friend pull her from the cave, Cass couldn’t focus on any of that. With the rocks falling around them, she couldn’t focus on any thought beyond the desire for her friends to be safe, for them to get out and get free. She could deal with Makaio, she knew she could. She recognized now that her strength had always surpassed his, that he hadn’t offered to help her destroy tourist sites or hurt hunters not because he wanted her to learn, but because he wasn’t sure he could. Cass was the stronger oread. She knew that now.

She just needed to prove it.

Maybe there was something selfish in the desire for her friends to leave the cave. She wanted them safe, of course she wanted them safe. But, at the same time… she didn’t want them to see what she was going to have to do here. She loved them all, and she knew now that they loved her, too, that they always had, but some dark voice in her mind still whispered that if they saw her cross a line — if they saw her do what needed to be done to separate her from her father — that love would falter. They would look at her differently, they would flinch away. Cass didn’t think she could handle it, not after everything. She wanted them to be safe. That was the main drive behind the insistence that they go. But it wasn’t the only one.

Makaio took another step, his face twisted into something terrible. For months now, Cass had thought the rocky features of his expression an immovable thing. His face was like that of one of the sprawling cliffs near the Magmacave — constant and smooth. Seeing it now, she realized she’d been wrong. Rage was capable of causing an earthquake that could shift that cliff into a crater, could make it into a terrifying thing. She thought of the Allgood pit, with the steep edges and the stench of death. Her father was much the same.

Pulling her arms free from Van’s grip, she moved to shove her father back, a resulting crash echoing through the cave as stone met stone. Her expression was one of desperation as she looked to her friends, locking eyes with Metzli. Of all of them, she thought, Metzli understood the most. Hadn’t she helped them take out Chuy in that crypt, when they were still mostly under his control? Hadn’t they said nothing when she’d let her magma seep into his skin? Her expression turned to one of pleading as the vampire called out.

“I promise!” She repeated desperately. She looked at Metzli, begging with her eyes. “Metzli, I can’t — I can’t do this with all of you here. I can’t keep them safe. Please. Please help me keep them safe.”

—

Van could barely hear Metzli or Ariadne over the sound of the cave splitting at the seams. Its groaning was a mournful thing– the acknowledgment of what was to come if they all left this place without Cass. Van’s fears were becoming a reality; that she would lose Cass forever. She tried her best to keep her arms around her friend, dodging the litter from above them by burying her face into Cass’s shoulder. She committed the feeling of Cass’s frame to memory, because it was the only thing that eased her into pulling away. 

That, and Metzli’s arm snaking around her waist. Van let out a yelp as she was torn away from Cass. “Please, please– we have to take her with us!” She knew the ending of this story. She knew Cass may never come back from beneath the rubble, and who would she be if she left without acknowledging that? “Cass, please!” She shouted again, struggling against Metzli’s grip, but it was no use, they were far too strong for her to remove herself from. She tried to twist the ring from around her finger, to let the explosion of magic take them all down– to at least sacrifice herself in favor of the others, but Cass was becoming harder to discern from the dust and rubble. 

Ariadne hadn’t followed them out, and thus another wave of panic washed over Van as she tried to peel herself away from Metzli. She gulped in the fresh air as soon as they broke free from the cave, and just as she managed to wiggle free, she watched as a large chunk of the cave came crashing down into the entrance, sealing them off from those left inside. “Ariadne is still in there! Cass!” Van threw herself at the rubble and immediately began trying to clear it away. “Cass! Ariadne!” She screamed as she scooped away the debris. The larger chunks were unmoving, and so she turned towards Metzli. “Help me,” Van pleaded. 

There was a look in Cass’s eyes that Metzli had seen only months ago. Suddenly, the fiddler’s tune began to ravage the strings with fervor, and the devil began its dance, though to the blind eye, one would only see Cass’s father. She needed to join in, and everyone else needed to let her, trust that she could out-tempo his tune. They just needed to get the others safe, but they only had one arm. 

For a few beats, the vampire looked around, trying to figure out a way to get both of Cass’s friends out in their arm. Then it clicked. Ariadne would be fine. 

“I love you.” They said shakily, “I am proud of you.” Squeezing their eyes shut, Metzli nodded their head and tears rolled down their cheeks. They wanted to stay and fight for the girl they saw as their own, but the world had other plans. It always did, and before Metzli knew it, they were dragging Van out of the cave, only looking back to see Cass disappear in the clouds of dust. “Ariadne will be okay. It is night time. We have to trust.”

When they made it out, they were welcomed with fresh air, still warm from the day. Metzli looked back to the mouth of the cave and finally set Van down, arm ready in case she tried to run back in. “We will wait.” Their voice was shaky yet firm in its command. “Too dangerous to be inside with flesh.” Taking a breath, Metzli added, “I want to stay inside too, but no one ever listen to Cass when she was child. Loving is listening. I am sorry.”

Cass was telling them all to leave and Ariadne was five again, refusing to leave the ice cream store. Except this was much more important than that. This was about her best friend. Her best friend who was desperate and afraid and it made Ariadne shake with anxiety, because Cass wasn’t listening and her stubbornness was one of Aria’s favorite things about her, but right now she just wished that her best friend would listen. Except she wasn’t, and now Metzli was dragging Van out and Ariadne ducked out of the way.

She’d help Cass. She’d get her out. Everything was dusty, and it was becoming harder to see. She was grateful that she didn’t have to breathe. Except Cass did. But maybe because she was part rock and volcano and maybe that meant that it would be okay for her?

“I’m not leaving, Cass!” She screamed as loud as she could manage. Doing something that made her lungs hurt like she’d run for too long in the cold. “I’m not. Not until you leave. We’re best friends, and I love you, and come on, please!” She ran forward, grabbing onto Cass’s arm. “Collapse it or whatever you’ve gotta do and then hold my hand and we’ll run and you can — it’ll be okay, right? Please.” She wasn’t going to cry. Ariadne was going to be brave, for her and Cass’s sake. And also for Van and Metzli who were outside, and safe – because they had to be, because she could only worry about so much right now.

“I’m staying and then we’re going together.”

—

Metzli pulled Van out, and Cass hoped they understood the flood of gratefulness that flowed from deep within her chest even if there was too much chaos to properly voice it. With two less people to worry about in the cave, the oread could focus more of her attention on holding her father at bay and a little less on where the stones were falling around her. Van and Metzli were safe; Makaio couldn’t use them against her so long as they were outside the cave, and Cass could focus more of herself on defeating him and joining them at the surface. Van and Metzli were safe. 

But Ariadne wasn’t.

It struck her all at once, her friend’s voice echoing through the cave. Metzli couldn’t drag the pair of them out, not with only one arm, but she’d hoped Ariadne would go with them all the same. Instead, the mare was gripping her arm and begging her to leave, and Cass wanted to shout her frustrations into the collapsing structure around them. I can’t, she wanted to yell. You don’t understand. I can’t leave him, I promised. But saying it aloud felt like saying too much, and there was always a risk that Aria wouldn’t understand the weight of it, anyway. She’d explained promise binds to her friend, but wasn’t it the kind of thing that was impossible to understand from the outside? 

She couldn’t leave her father, and she couldn’t do what she needed to do with Ariadne watching. She wanted — She wanted an after, a place where all of them could exist unchanged. She wanted a world where her friends wouldn’t see her differently, a place where she could exist outside of this moment. It was already a slippery concept to hold, already like trying to grip a stream of water between her fingers. But if Ariadne stayed, if she bore witness to what Cass knew needed to be done here —

Even if she got out physically unscathed, the bond between them wouldn’t be the same. Cass knew it as surely as she knew her name, as surely as she knew what she had to do here to free herself from her father. She needed Aria to go. She needed the cave empty for this next part, needed it to be only herself and her father the way it had been for months now, even if she needed it for different reasons than she had then.

She set her jaw in a stubborn line, stomach churning with the knowledge of what she had to do next. There was only one way to get Ariadne to leave the cave quickly, only one way to contain the damage. “You thanked me,” she breathed, the sound of her voice rumbling along with the cave. “Back — months ago. You thanked me and I didn’t — I never cashed it in. I’m cashing it in now. Go outside, Ariadne. Get out of here. Now.” She made the bind with practiced ease, even if doing so made her feel a little sick. This was what needed to be done for all of them. Cass knew that.

—

Cass seemed mad. Which didn’t make sense – she couldn’t actually be mad, could she? She was stressed and maybe Ariadne had overdone it with the staying, but she couldn’t help herself. She also couldn’t not stay. That wasn’t an option. Friends didn’t let friends stay down in a cave that was falling apart alone, or something. Some modified version of the actual phrasing. 

You thanked me.

Ariadne’s stomach turned and she wanted to refute that fact, but it wasn’t really possible to, because Cass couldn’t lie and Ariadne was sure she’d messed up more than once with her expressions of gratitude, even though Cass had told her not to do that. But she was forgetful and she loved her friend so much, so messing up was something she was bound to have done.

She just wished Cass wasn’t so keen to use it. Cass hadn’t really ever cashed in on thanks or promises before, and Ariadne didn’t like the implications of what Cass was doing right now. “I – no!” She shook her head. Except, of course, that did nothing. It was nighttime, and with her friend’s words, she found herself suddenly outside, cursing herself that she actually was good at astral projection. That wasn’t how things should have worked, and she collapsed onto the ground, in front of Metzli and Van and shook her head.

“She – she made – I – she made me go. She’s still there!” Turning towards the entrance, Ariadne screamed again, “Cass!” Turned back to the other two. “I – she’s – I – why did she do that? She – I – Cass!”

Dust and rubble collected at the entrance of the cave, and Metzli watched in horror as it covered it completely. Their heart begged their legs to move, but they wouldn’t comply. Cass wanted them to trust her, believe that she could do the impossible when her father so clearly did not. Metzli gritted their teeth at the thought, keeping an eye on Van. “Please,” They whispered, watching and waiting. Their entire body continued to tense, and it wasn't until Ariadne appeared out of thin air that Metzli allowed themself to relax. Slightly. 

“You are out!” The vampire blurted, still keeping an eye on Van as they embraced Ariadne tightly Leila surely would have somehow had a heart attack if anything happened to either of them, and it was a relief to Metzli that they would have no bad news to share once Cass was out. They swallowed, “She wanted us safe. We have to trust her. We have to. She is strong. Her father is not. He is a weak coward.” Squeezing a little harder, Metzli planted their cheek atop Ariadne’s head in a soothing manner, shifting their eyes back to the cave entrance in hopes of seeing Cass crash through soon. 

Van was not gentle with the rocks she pulled from the small mound blocking her entrance to the cave. Instead, she threw them behind her. Some were too large to throw, so they rolled at her side. She could hear voices behind her– Ariadne’s, but she made no move to turn and see if her friend had escaped, because the question of Cass and why she’d forced Ariadne out had come to light. 

She focused on the rocks, pulling each one back, hopeful to see Cass’s face on the other end. “Help me! We can– we can dig her out!” She knew that realistically, Cass would be able to get herself out, but what would happen if she didn’t? Would she think that her friends ran away? Cass had spent so much of her time worrying she wasn’t loved that Van needed to show her she was. “Please, help me.” Exasperated, Van could feel the sweat begin to bead at the back of her neck, and her eyes burned from both the tears and the salt. “We can get her– we can get her out! We have to try!” 

Ariadne disappeared from the cave, into the astral and off to safety. Relief was a palpable thing, a pressure pushing down on her chest hard enough to force all the air from her lungs at once. Ariadne was safe. Van was safe. Metzli was safe. She hadn’t doomed them with her stubbornness, hadn’t been too late to save them from her downward spiral.

She hoped she wouldn’t be too late to save herself, either.

Rocks still fell from the ceiling, from the walls. The safe haven she’d built for herself felt anything but safe now, and she felt a piece of herself crumble with it. She thought of a story she’d read once, years ago, when the public library was her safe haven and she’d picked books off shelves with a desperation built from bricks of wanting to understand and be understood in return. It hadn’t been one of her favorites or anything, but it wasn’t a bad story. 

It was about a chicken, because most children’s stories seemed to star animals in the place of people. He’d gone outside one morning and been so sure that the sky was falling. He’d run through town, warned everyone he saw with a desperate plea: the sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling. And everyone took shelter, everyone hid away in their homes trembling and afraid because the sky was falling, and no one knew what to do with that.

And then came morning, and the sky was still there. It hung above the Earth the same as it always had, and that silly chicken realized that the piece of the sky he’d been so sure had fallen on his head was a tiny acorn. It must have felt so much bigger in the moment, Cass thought. It must have felt like the world was ending.

It was the kind of thing she realized she could relate to now. All her life, the smallest acorns had convinced her that the world was at its end. The people she loved never loved her back the way she wanted them to, they left when she needed them to stay. Every time she stood staring at someone’s retreating back, she was that stupid chicken running through town, screaming for all to hear. The sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling. And the next morning, the sky was still there. 

There was another fable, wasn’t there? About the boy who cried wolf. It taught that if you made enough false claims, no one would believe you when the claims were true. If you screamed about a wolf in the bushes over and over again, if you convinced the shepherds to come with their guns and their staffs only to find the bushes empty time and time again, they’d eventually stop coming at all. There would be no one left to save you from the wolf, no one left to keep it from devouring you. 

For years now, Cass had felt as if every acorn that fell on her head was an apocalypse. The sky fell, but only for her. She warned everyone around her, and maybe it meant something the first few times. Maybe it scared them, too. But there had never really been a wolf hiding in the bushes and, sooner or later, the shepherds had stopped coming to save her. 

So what was left for her, now that the sky really was falling? What would Chicken Little have done, had his piece of sky wound up being larger than an acorn?

Hands grabbed her, slamming her against the wall. The cave shook harder, her own fear crumbling the walls the same as her father’s anger. His eyes were glowing a faint orange as he glared at her, rocky face twisted into something rageful. Cass wondered if she looked the same. The thought that she might no longer felt like a comfort.

“Stupid girl,” Makaio snapped. He sounded different than he ever had before; it took Cass a moment to realize that he was afraid. “Do you understand what you’ve done? You ruined everything. For the both of us. Do you truly believe that those… insects you drove from this cave are capable of loving you? Of staying with you? I am the only one who could have done that. I am the only one who could have made you great.”

She thought of all the things she wanted to say, all the things she could tell him. She thought of Metzli, who took her to the zoo and asked her to help them name a baby giraffe. She thought of Van, who ordered takeout while she sat upside down on the couch and played Go Fish. She thought of Ariadne, who saw every movie Cass dragged her to even when she probably had no interest in them. And she thought of other people, too, of people not outside her cave waiting for her. She thought of Kaden, who let her call him her sidekick with only a faint roll of his eyes. She thought of Leila, who had always been willing to fight for her even when Cass wasn’t sure she was willing to fight for herself. She thought of Wynne, who asked for her opinion on things. She thought of Mack, who liked her even after she accidentally threw her down the stairs, or of Thea, who talked about comics with her even after Cass accidentally shaved her head. She thought of Elias and Nora and Regan and Jonas, of Alex and Ren and Luci and Milo. 

She thought of all the people she loved and the ones who loved her back, and she couldn’t find the words to name them all to tell Makaio that he was wrong, but she knew he was, anyway. He held her against the wall, and she stared at him for a moment before her mouth fell open, words tumbling out: “Would you believe me if I said the sky was falling?” Makaio’s expression flickered — rage turned to confusion, but only briefly. Cass decided not to let it stop her. “Everyone believed Chicken Little. I never understood why. He said the sky was falling, and everyone believed him. Would you — Would you believe me?”

Makaio pulled her forward, went to slam her back into the wall again. Cass let her arms shoot out, let them land hot against his chest and shove him back with all her strength, magma surging forward. He grunted, stumbling back. She was stronger than he was; it was the only reason he’d ever wanted her around.

“Because I think… I think that’s what love is. You know? Believing someone when they say the sky is falling, even when it’s right outside the window. And they —” She gestured towards where the mouth of the cave had stood before. It was gone now, buried by rocks and rubble. “They would believe me. If I told them the sky was falling, they’d go into their houses and they’d lock the doors and they’d be afraid, but they’d believe me. I could tell them there was a wolf in the bushes a thousand times, and they’d still come to look.”

Makaio stared at her for a moment, but he made no move to step closer. His face was still twisted in that strange, unfamiliar expression that she now knew to be fear. It wasn’t the rocks he was afraid of anymore, she thought; it was her. She didn’t know if it felt good or not.

“I won’t release you from your promise,” he told her in a low, gravely tone. Cass closed her eyes, nodding her head.

“I know,” she admitted, barely a whisper. She opened her eyes, saw larger pieces of the cave falling now. A chunk came down to Makaio’s left, close enough to shake the ground beneath his feet. He didn’t move. Another landed just behind Cass, so close that she felt the sharp pain of it brushing against her spine. She didn’t move, either. 

Rocks fell between them until she couldn’t see her father anymore. They fell beside her until she couldn’t see the walls of the cave, either. She took a deep breath. She closed her eyes.

The sky was falling. 

—

Metzli held tightly onto Ariadne, careful not to crush her, but enough that it might've been uncomfortable. They didn't let go until the rumbling stopped, only a few smaller rocks tumbling down here and there from the disturbance. Silence surrounded the trio and it was as if an symphony had died, unable to swell into a crescendo and keep rhythm with the pace Metzli's heart would've set if it could leap. 

“Please,” They whispered beneath their breath, as if some higher being above could hear their petition over the billions of others. Closing their eyes, they counted, over and over again, only opening their eyes when something in the wind changed. Their eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and relief at the sight of Cass outside the cave, and without another moment of hesitation, Metzli let go of Ariadne to run to her. They stopped short, restraining themself in case she needed a moment to not be overwhelmed. 

“Y-you did it!” They grinned and blinked, squeezing their fist tightly shut to keep their excitement from bubbling over. “You-I…I am so proud.”

She fought against Metzli’s hold on her as the cave seemed to collapse into itself. She screamed as it did so, falling to the ground the moment that their grip on her loosened even just by a fraction of anything. Ariadne didn’t bother to look down and see if her knees were scraped, if glitter was on them, because she was fine and Cass was the only real priority now. The only priority, full stop.

Then she was outside of the cave and Ariadne ran toward her, with little regard for the concept of personal space. If Cass didn’t want a hug, she’d deal with apologies after. She needed to hug her best friend, she needed to pull her away from the falling rock and hold her and never ever let her go again.

Except as she went to grab Cass, she found that her best friend was intangible and Ariadne screamed again, completely collapsing on the group as she let out a loud sob. “She – she’s not – she’s not here! You – Cass!” She gulped for air, feeling suffocated even though she didn’t need to breathe. “Where are you? You’re there but you’re – where are you? Please – just come over here. Hold my hand. I’ll make sure things are okay.” 

—

Pain was sudden and intense and everywhere. It was an all-consuming kind of thing, and Cass couldn’t bite back the scream that came on its heels but she didn’t think it mattered, anyway. The sound, ripped from her throat against her will, was lost to the deafening boom of falling rocks. The sound of stone hitting stone swallowed up everything else; she couldn’t hear her own thoughts bouncing in her head, couldn’t hear if her father was still trying to speak to her, couldn’t hear anything outside the cave at all. It was is if nothing existed except for her and the rocks falling around her; they were the same. They were a part of her just as much as she was a part of them. 

It was overwhelming, how much it all was. The pain, swallowing her up with gnashing teeth and an acidic burn, knew every part of her. Her head, her shoulders, her legs, her stomach. There was nothing that didn’t hurt. Even the tips of her ears ached in a way she’d never known possible. Her eardrums, too, hurt with the noise of it. The rocks falling, her own hoarse yells, the rumbling and the pounding. Light was swallowed up, until only the faint glow of her own magmic veins remained. And then those, too, disappeared, falling beneath stone that cracked everything open with its weight. She thought of Atlas in the myths and wondered if his shoulders had hurt as much as hers did now. 

It went on forever, somehow. The pain, the sound, the darkness. And then, abruptly, it all stopped. Nothing hurt anymore; silence surrounded her. She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes, but there was the barest hint of light visible from behind her lids. She opened them slowly, afraid of what she might find.

The sky was still there. Hanging above her head, just as blue and endless as it always was. She stared up at it for a moment, heart in her throat as she wondered if, once again, she’d built an apocalypse from an acorn. Something felt strange, felt wrong; she felt different in a way she couldn’t quite put her finger on. 

But then, a voice called out her name, and the worry and fear that came with that strangeness seemed to melt away. Metzli was running towards her, Ariadne was calling out. She’d saved them and, impossibly, she’d saved herself, too. Ariadne went to wrap her up in a hug, but she — she missed, somehow. Cass didn’t quite register it as strange, adrenaline making it difficult to focus as she scanned the surrounding area. Ariadne and Metzli were here, were in front of her, but she couldn’t fully relax until she saw —

“Van!” She stepped towards her friend, still crouched by the stones that had once been the cave’s entrance. She was out. Didn’t Van see? She’d promised to meet them outside the cave and, somehow, that fae magic had pulled her out to let her keep it. “Van! I’m here! It’s…” But Van didn’t look up. She was still at the rocks, still looking distraught as if Cass hadn’t spoken at all. “Van…?” 

Dread built up in her stomach, gripped her by the throat. No… 

—

Van only dared a look over her shoulder as Metzli spoke. Their gaze was trained on the nothingness in front of them, and then Ariadne followed suit. She twisted around, watching them, hopeful to see what they could. Cass was out? Cass was– 

But Ariadne was stumbling forward, desperation whistling from her open mouth. Van couldn’t stand. She couldn’t move. She remembered what it was like watching Erin speak to somebody that wasn’t there. She remembered the absent feeling, of being on the outside of something that she couldn’t put together. It was uncomfortable, and it revealed everything that Van needed to know. 

“No, no– no!” She turned back towards the rocks. The majority of what was left were too heavy for Van to lift, so she started to kneel against the ground, arms hugging them as she tried to wedge them from the spots they’d landed in. “Cass!” Van screamed, but not behind her towards the others– of where Cass was presumably at, but to where she’d been left in the wreckage of her father’s doing. “Cass, I’m– I’m going to get you, I’m going to figure it out, I’m going to– we have to–” She turned towards the others, eyes glossy. “We have to get her out of there. She’s not out. She’s not out.” 

Van had lost, and she had lost again, and she would continue losing those she cared deeply about and she knew that she would. It would consume her, twist her insides until she couldn’t breathe, and then over time, she would heal. But at the moment, she wasn’t sure she’d ever heal from the loss of Cass. Of one of the truest friends she ever had. “The necklace,” Van choked out, turning back towards the rocks, “the necklace is in there, too.” But the notebook was there, on the ground a few feet behind her, dropped from when she beelined for the cave’s entrance. She scrambled towards it, still on hands and knees and gathered it to her chest. It was the last thing any of them had of her. She had to keep it safe. 

“She’s– Cass?” Van knew from Erin that the others on this plane of existence could hear her– could see her in a way that she could not see them, and so she hoped Cass was listening. “I’m– I’m sorry.” 

—

“N-no. No!” Metzli shook their head vehemently in disbelief, rejecting the sight of Ariadne passing through Cass. “We-I-I can fix this!” The march of ants became frenzied, each step accompanied with a fierce bite full of venom. It was overwhelming and Metzli feared it would eat away at the beautiful music that Cass had brought into their life. They met that silence with a sorrowful noise, choking on sobs as they leapt into action. 

“I know first aid.” The vampire used their strength to toss aside the larger stones, urgently trying to make an opening. With each reach, their nails dug against the rubble, tearing off when Metzli’s movements became too erratic. 

“Can-does-does my bite–Cass!” They pleaded, building an opening and trying to crawl inside only to find there were more rocks. “No!” Metzli's voice became a scream, the crunch of their knuckles slamming against the wall of stone joining in the noise. There was nothing but a crack left behind with a smear of black ooze, and Metzli quickly turned to Cass and ran back to her. It was no use to panic. Being a ghost couldn't have been easy to realize, and as someone who loved her, Metzli knew they had to set everything aside to provide a safe space for the one they called theirs.

“You should not be dead. You-you…Mija?” Parents weren't supposed to outlive their young, they weren't supposed to put them in a position that led to their death, so maybe, Metzli thought, they were just as bad as Makaio. They had outlived everyone in their bloodline, and now, they had outlived another. 

“I…am sorry.” They sniffled, nearly hovering their damaged hand over Cass's cheek before thinking better of it. “You saved us. You-you…are hero. Our hero.”

Cass was her first real best friend. She’d had friends before but none were quite like Cass. Van couldn’t see her and Van was the only one of the three of them who Cass had forced outside of the cave who was alive, and that had to mean – no. She didn’t want to say it out loud Didn’t want to think it, either, but thoughts had minds of their own (which wasn’t like, physically possible but still, it seemed right, and somebody smart had probably said that before) and so Ariadne couldn’t stop her thoughts from racing – from going ghost ghost ghost.

Which meant Cass was dead and another sob escaped from Ariadne’s mouth, loud and eerie enough that she wasn’t sure if she even recognized it herself. “No!” She looked around, desperate, “Cass, please, please come back. I’ll do anything!” She shook her head, and she kept shaking her head, “we were supposed to be friends for hundreds of years!! Not just – not this short of a time.”

Cass couldn’t be dead. Her best friend, who was so full of life and light and fire (quite literally, as a matter of fact) couldn’t be gone. She’d touched Cass not even ten minutes ago, and now she couldn’t. It seemed impossible. “Please!” She scream again, and she felt like she was going to be sick and she couldn’t think and Cass was dead and she’d known Cass might die before her, but that wasn’t supposed to be a problem she had for like, almost a thousand years. Cass wasn’t supposed to be dead yet.

“There’s so many movies I wanna watch with you, and places we’ve gotta go! You need to take me to the best volcanoes – Cass! I love you. Je t’aime beaucoup, pour toujours.” I love you so much, for always. “You’re the bravest and best person I’ve ever known. You are my superhero. I love you. I love you so much. I’ll never stop.”

Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. 

It felt different hearing it this time. She’s dead, they’re dead, he’s dead– they’re all dead. We killed her, it killed him, the fire killed them and others– how many different ways could something be said that made her feel this lost? Suspended in something she couldn’t quite identify. Her muscles felt like jelly as she watched Ariadne plead with the space in front of her. She forced herself to memorize the way Cass felt beneath her arms just moments ago, of how she smelt of ember and pine. Metzli called Cass her their hero and the word echoed, morphing itself into the word dead and can’t. Heroes can’t die. Hadn’t that been what her father had told her time and time again as he lifted his dvd’s up for her to see, X-Men on the cover? 

But that wasn’t true, right? Heroes died all the time. Cass was dead. Behind the rocks, submerged in them– probably an unrecognizable thing. Was it cruel to imagine her in that way? Van imagined her father, Makaio in that way– of his eyes opened and unseeing, of blood trickling from his mouth. Something akin to relief rose in her. It made her feel sick, too. 

Ariadne continued to plead with the ghost of her friend she could no longer see, and Van was left on the ground with the notebook pressed to her chest. Her mouth felt dry. “Have to tell– have to tell Thea, tell Nora.” She needed to tell others before she could completely fall apart. How would she be able to get in contact with Ren? Would Ren care? Her mind raced as she stared at the ground, memorizing the way the rocks she’d managed to carve away from the entrance had gathered at her feet. 

“She’s dead,” Van croaked. It was a confirmation for nobody but herself, because she already knew that. She already knew that Cass was dead and she wouldn’t be coming back. She knew that life would be forever changed. Whatever was in the notebook she held would be her final goodbyes, and that in itself made Van bite the hand of grief, drawing its blood until there was nothing left but skin and sinew. She couldn’t fall apart now, not when others would need to know. When Cass deserved a burial. When– She looked at Ariadne and Metzli, both grief stricken. Van wasn’t sure what to do for either of them, but she would figure it out. 

“I’m sorry, Cass,” Van said again, a small half-sob building in her throat as she got to her feet, legs wobbly. 

—

Van finally looked up and, for the briefest moment, hope was a living thing in her chest. It fluttered and rose and sang until the moment her friend’s eyes looked past her, looked off into the middle distance and then back to the rocks. Van couldn’t see her, even with Metzli and Ariadne looking at her, speaking to her directly. Ariadne’s hands had gone through her, not past her. The rocks had been falling from every direction, the pain had been everywhere. And Cass knew. Cass knew what it meant, what it all added up to. The pieces came together like a puzzle no one wanted solved. Cass knew the answer, and everyone else did, too.

The chaos that came after the realization was an immediate thing. Everyone was yelling, stones were being tossed aside. If there was ever a physical embodiment of love, it was in the way Metzli’s hands gripped at those rocks, the way Van dug at the dirt, the way Ariadne screamed and sobbed. She’d been right, down in that cave when the sky was falling. The people here loved her enough to come to her aid every time she called for them. She’d been stupid not to realize it all along.

There was a certain tragedy that came with a certainness that arrived too late. If she’d known weeks ago what had been proven to her now, she wouldn’t have slipped as far as she had. But what had been proven to her now couldn’t have been made certain without what had preceded it. It was like one of those stupid riddles, the ones with no right answer. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If you can only be saved by knowing you’re loved, and you can only believe in the love your friends have for you when they’re mourning your loss, did you ever stand a chance?

They were all apologizing, and Cass wanted to cry, wanted to scream, wanted to shake the Earth with all that she felt. But already, her form was flickering; she’d had a promise to keep, and she’d kept it. She’d met them at the top when it was over. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t finished; she wasn’t meant to stay. 

“I’m sorry,” she choked on a sob, though there was no wetness on her face. Maybe ghosts didn’t cry; maybe they weren’t capable of it. “I’m — Tell Van. Tell her, too. Make sure she knows. I’m sorry. I love you — I love all of you.” She looked to Ariadne and Metzli in turn, looked to Van who was trying to look at where she stood but couldn’t quite find the right position. The ache in her chest wasn’t a physical thing; on some level, she knew it. 

That didn’t make it hurt any less.

The world flickered around her, going from black to golden white before resetting back outside the cave. “It wasn’t your fault. Okay? I need you to know that. It wasn’t any of your faults. It was — It was me. Or it was him. Or — Or maybe it was both of us. I don’t know. But it wasn’t your fault. You were — You were everything to me.”

She looked to Aria, forcing a smile. “You’re — I think you’re the best best friend I could have asked for. When I was a kid, I never could have imagined that I’d find someone like you. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good friend to you in the end. I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you deserved, what I — what I wanted to be. I’ll still love you for a hundred years, even if I’m not here to do it.”

Turning to Metzli, she swallowed. “And you… You were my family. Not him. I should have seen it sooner, I should have —” She could fill an ocean with should haves now, couldn’t she? She closed her eyes, willing herself to remain a little while longer. “Please don’t… Please don’t hate yourself for this. It wasn’t your fault. You deserve a family. And you have one. With Leila, with Aria, with so many people who love you. Please don’t… Please don’t let me be the thing that ruins that.” 

Van still couldn’t see her. Cass choked on a sob at the realization, looking back to her friend still standing by the ruined mouth of that empty cave. “Tell Van… Tell her I’m glad we were both in the supermarket that night. Tell her that everything that happened, all of it, was worth it just to get to know her. Tell her I wouldn’t change any of it, not for a second. And… and tell her she was right. We would have been friends either way. All of us. The Allgoods were written in the stars, I think.” 

She smiled, looking back to Metzli and Ariadne. The world flickered again. “I’m okay,” she told them. “I need you to know I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt. I’m going to be okay. Whatever’s next… I think we’ll see each other again someday. Just not too soon, okay? I don’t mind waiting.” 

Another flicker, and it was over. The space she’d occupied was empty, without so much as an echo left behind. The final rumblings of the cave silenced as the ground came to settle beneath the remaining three pairs of feet. There was no more cave; there was no more oread.

And the sky was still there, in the end, still hanging above the Earth as it always had. There was just one less person to see it.

[kadavernagh]

@vanoincidence replied to your post “[pm] My friend is gone.”:

[pm] No, not THea. Cass. She died.

​[pm] Cass... what happened? Are you– where are you? Where is the Metzli must mean

[banisheed]

TIMING: May 26th, 2024 LOCATION: Ireland PARTIES: Metzli (@muertarte), Anita (@gossipsnake), Xóchitl (@vanishingreyes) & Siobhan (@banisheed) CONTENT: Self-harm tw SUMMARY: Receiving a devastating admonishment from "Cass" while in Ireland, Metzli spirals, concerning their friends.

The darkness trembled, the air damp and the grass soft. It sank with every movement from the monster laying deep within, blood staining a nearby trunk. Its head pounded and they whispered to no one at all, pleading for a different outcome as they refreshed a page repeatedly. A whimper tumbled out with each failed attempt, and were it not for the familiarity, the creature would’ve surely thought its body was covered in ants. 

“Please. Please.” It said to no one, “I did not leave. I am here. What did I do? What did I—” It turned into a choke, body melting to the ground completely as panic tightened their chest once again. The monster screamed, emotions too scrambled to process. It beckoned its mind to comprehend. 

THUD! White flashed across its vision. THUD! Its head throbbed but still no understanding washed through. THUD! Once again, white flashed across, but it remained, and it grew stronger as distance lessened with each step the monster heard. It continued its rampage for understanding when the white sheet of light uncovered what lay within the darkness; Metzli. 

Anita had lived alongside Metzli for enough time to know what to do when things were bad. She was not naive enough to think she could fix things, but she knew how to respond. To minimize as best she could. When she got the ominous help me message, followed by screen shots of the messages that Cass had sent them, she knew this was not a fixable circumstance. Not while they were in Ireland. Rushing out of the cabin she partially shifted to listen for her hermane.  The echoing thuds knotted up her stomach, but sent her on what was undoubtedly the right path. 

When Anita finally reached Metzli, her heart tightened. While she felt a deep pain in seeing them experiencing so much pain, Anita also felt a deep rage towards Cass. She was mad that Metzli had taken a few weeks to go to Ireland? So mad that she would cut contact? Say those things? There would be time for that anger later. “It’s Anita. I’m here. I’m going to touch you, okay? Just going to pull you away from this tree.” She gave warning before crouching down and wrapping her arms around them, pulling them towards her and away from the tree, whose bark was spattered with deep red specks of their blood. 

“We don’t need to be in Ireland anymore. We helped Siobhan. We were good friends. Let’s go back home, yeah?”

They tried to recall the last time they had an outburst like that. Their head throbbed while Anita led them away from the tree, and they all but sunk into her embrace. Metzli’s hand searched for something to cling to, tremors ravaging through. Fingers found purchase in their hand and they tugged. “What do I do? What-what-what…!” 

There was no answer, was there? At least, not one that Metzli felt was correct. Or one that Cass would find suitable in her current mindset. As far as she was concerned, they had left her, which wasn’t their intention at all. Friends helped each other, didn’t they? Metzli wondered if by visiting Ireland, they accidentally pushed their responsibilities as a surrogate parent. It felt wrong for that to be the case, but what would they know anyway? They were no parent, and they didn’t know how to be. With no examples of their own to follow, Metzli was lost in their horrible attempt at being something they could never be. Maybe they were doomed to fail from the start. 

But maybe they could still try.

“Home.” It sounded like a desperate plea. “Home! Home! Home!” They wailed, tugging and rocking in Anita’s arms. She was the one thing keeping Metzli from becoming completely undone. Had it been anyone else, the spiral would’ve been far worse, and they didn’t know if they would have been able to keep themself from hurting someone who didn’t know how to approach them and what pressure to apply. Only one other person could do what Anita had done, but she wasn’t in Ireland. 

They continued to tug. 

As strange, and chaotic, and at times quite fun as this entire experience had been - seeing Metzli unravel in this way made it clear to Anita that they simply could not be away from Wicked’s Rest any longer. Whatever was going on back there, whatever was going on with Cass, things were spiraling. It hurt, a deep guttural hurt, to see Metzli in this state. Anita just kept herself focused on the fact that there seemed to be a clear path towards helping them out of this pain they were feeling - getting them back home. Things had been so strange this entire trip, maybe it would be best for everyone if they left Ireland. And to add insult to injury - Anita hadn’t even seen any breasts the entire trip. 

Leading Metzli up and away from the tree, Anita followed the path she came down back towards Siobhan’s cabin they had been staying at. One arm wrapped around their shoulder, tugging their tall frame town towards her petit stature. It seemed, slowly, that they were beginning to calm as they walked back. Maybe it was the crisp Irish air or the simple promise of returning home. 

The house came into view and Anita let out a deep breath that she didn’t even realize she had been holding in. As they approached the door, while she wasn’t sure if this was the right time to mention it, she figured it was obvious enough, “We’ll have to get on another plane to get home. I’ll look when we get back, I’ll find the one that will get us home the fastest.” Pushing the door open, she was already starting to make a mental list of what they needed to get packed up. 

Siobhan wasn’t talking to Xóchitl: she could’ve apologized, she should’ve apologized, but she was more concerned with avoiding the human altogether. She hadn’t yet figured out if she’d been wrong, anyway. If it wasn’t crass to borrow a legal term: the jury was still out to her. Thankfully, she was saved from being stuck with the human for a moment longer by the door banging open. Siobhan stood, setting her book aside. First, there was Anita. Then, there was Metzli, helped in by the lamia. All of Siobhan’s attempted prickliness dissolved. “What happened?” she asked, approaching them. “What’s going on?” She looked at Xóchitl, then back at the other two. “How can I help? What’s happening? Níl cuma sláintiúil ort, mo chara.” 

Xóchitl wasn’t talking to Siobhan. Part of her wondered if the other woman would even bother giving her the time of day if she did talk to her. Her stomach was still done up in knots, she’d returned to sleeping with nightmares every night, ones with Mackenzie, each one increasingly more graphic, increasingly more terrible. Now Metzli was struggling, and she cursed herself for not being able to be there for them with her fullest self.

Still, she shot up from where she was sitting when the door opened. “What is the matter?” With a small glare at Siobhan, she added, this time in Spanish, “What happened? What is going on? What can I do?” She steadied herself, because if she was out of it, she wouldn’t be able to do anything, and helping Metzli mattered more than any anger or pain she felt at Siobhan. They were important. Far more important. Xóchitl tried her best to offer Anita and Metzli a calm smile. 

“Home,” Metzli exhaled desperately, barely hanging onto the doorframe. A fire bellowed in their chest, burning the tips of their fingers and the edges of their skin. There was an inherent wrongness in the way they felt. Where was the root of the pain? How could something so internal flair with a powerful sweep of physical pain? Metzli struggled to understand it, letting out a sob as a heinous atrocity cloaked their every sense. 

“Home!” The pain needed a source to be physical, but they still could find none. It was a cruel puzzle they could not complete, and without hesitation, slammed their head into the doorframe. Metzli wanted to will the source to bloom into reality, but the pain continued to spread in parts that had no sense. “Home.” It wasn’t a yell that time, their voice becoming nothing more than a pitiful whimper. 

“Home.” They looked to Xochitl, and then to Siobhan. When had they gotten there? Was their body even theirs anymore? White flashed across their vision and they heard a thud, but none of it felt real. Metzli was afraid it never would again, and they heard another thud, the sound growing distant as they let the pins of pain consume them completely. Each point sank further and further down into their flesh, reaching its crescendo as specks of black littered their vision. Until everyone in the room disappeared.

In the walk from the woods to the cabin, Anita had almost forgotten that they were not the only two on this trip. The immediate questions as they pushed through the doors was not what she had been expecting and, whether it was fair to the other two women or not, were not things that she really cared to deal with at that moment. She knew what was going on and she knew what needed to happen to help, it felt like a waste of time to explain it all. But for some reason she did. “Something is going on with one of their friends back home. I don’t know what. She’s cut off contact.” 

Okay, maybe Anita didn’t explain it all, but she gave enough rough context. But then Metzli had found another wooden surface and the thudding noises had begun again, harrowing echoes that followed their whimpered cries for home. In that moment, Anita felt frozen. Like everything about the past few weeks had just come to a head and she couldn’t fight it anymore. She just stood there, looking around the room as it became blurry. Why was it blurry? She blinked a few times and the blurr cleared, flowing away as soft streams of tears down her cheeks. Turning away from Xóchitl and Siobhan quickly, Anita began to gather and zip up hers and Metzi’s suitcases. “So, yeah, they need to go find their friend. So we’re going home. Tonight.” 

Seeing Metzli in such a state was alarming as though she’d swallowed an ever present ringing bell. Her mind dissolved into a paste— Metzli sad, help now, friend, love—but other than the initial movements and gestures, Siobhan didn’t stir. “Which friend?” Siobhan asked, swallowing her jealousy and embarrassment like a pebble; didn’t she need Metzli? (What for?) Didn't she want them to stay? (Why?) “Who needs help? How can I…” What would she do? Wasn’t she Siobhan the incorrigible, the untamed, unpredictable, fae killer, cursed vestigial limb of her mother? “You should go,” she said, suddenly completely sure of herself. There was Anita crying, there was Metzli losing control of themselves (Stop, stop, she wanted to tell them, and yet simply stood there). “All of you.” She glanced back at Xóchitl, roping her into the plan. “Go home.” 

She broke off from the group and tore off into the one bedroom, with its own bed, and pulled their luggage out (not her own, not yet, she wasn’t ready), starting on the process without argument. “If it’s serious; you go. If you need to be home; you go. That’s how it works with home: you go back.” And always, it would beckon a child back. She had no real reason to keep them here but her own selfishness, which thrummed with frail thoughts such as: of course they want to leave, they don’t care, no one cares, no one loves you. Which for the moment were easily trampled; later, when it suited her, she might revive their meaning. As was her want, her nature, she could predict nothing and had no desire to. All she really cared about was Metzli and Anita and Xóchitl, who seemed to her in need of a friend the likes of which she could not provide—particularly on account of not wanting to talk.

Regardless, Metzli was in pain and that was enough. 

She didn’t want to talk to Siobhan. So instead, Xóchitl just focused on herself, and then, when Metzli and Anita returned, on them. It was easier to do that than to focus on the desperate, drowning amounts of anxiety that she felt. Except Siobhan was being kind, or something close to it now, but Xóchitl still didn’t trust her. It still all felt far too faked. But she wouldn’t give Siobhan the satisfaction of breaking down again. Or getting into a fight in front of their friends because it wasn’t worth it.

That and Xóchitl wasn’t keen to discover that they’d side with Siobhan, not when she had to spend an ungodly amount of time in an airplane with them.

“Okay.” She kept her gaze trained on Metzli, on Anita, on the wall of the house. Anywhere but Siobhan, and maybe Xóchitl should’ve felt guilty about that, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel anything but grief and confusion and a twinge of anger. “We’ll go.”

Anita was relieved that there was no resistance to the announcement they were leaving. Had she not been so preoccupied trying to regain control, trying to stabilize herself and her emotions that were clearly betraying her at the moment, she may have noted the tension between Xó and Siobhan. She may have even made more note of the momentary hesitation where Siobhan almost offered to help. 

Packing for Metzli was easy, they traveled lighter than she had, and as Anita threw items in bags she hoped that there was nothing that she was leaving behind. Then she looked up and managed to see beyond herself for a moment as her eyes caught  Siobhan, whose face was stunning as ever but painted with a very subtle expression that Anita recognized all too well. After zipping up what she believed to be the last of their luggage, she looked over at Xóchitl, “Call a car to take us to the airport?”

Taking a few steps over towards where Siobhan had positioned herself, as distanced as she could be from the others in this cottage, Anita felt a strange desire to reach out, to hold her. Did she think there would be comfort in that? But then she recalled Siobhan telling her she was getting soft, and Anita decided against moving any closer. “If we forgot anything you can bring it back when you decide to come home. To Wicked’s Rest.”

 A parallel of their arrival, Siobhan watched the three leave up the windy, winding hill of the old farm, against the long, dancing grass and the gray horizon. Again, she was alone. Something more important than her existed, as something always would. The selfish pit of wanting hardened in her chest. As she’d told them, if they needed to go home, they ought to. Home was—by its nature, Siobhan guessed—a place one returned to; a place one could return to, a place that occasionally tugged on its tether and reeled someone back. A place to go. A place to be needed. A place one must be. 

The hut, her home, was empty again. Siobhan watched the space the three left, as though they might materialize over the horizon again, as though the days would rewind and again, she would be greeting them and apologizing. She hadn’t done it right back then; would they let her try again? She turned and took a seat at the broken kitchen table. It would be nice, she thought, to go home. 

[bookofbolden]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Eleanor's Apartment PARTIES: Metzli ( @muertarte ) & Eleanor SUMMARY: Metzli and Eleanor's reunion doesn't go as planned when Metzli's hunting trip is cut short due to an unwelcome pest living in Eleanor's closet. WARNINGS: None.

Eleanor’s apartment needed to be cleaned and it could no longer be put off. Because of the rushed manner of her exit she hadn’t had time to straighten things up before she was on a plane to Canada with her sister and brother-in-law and upon returning she realized that she’d been stuck with the unfortunate task of getting everything back into order which was made harder by the cobwebs and dust that had accumulated during her absence.

She wouldn’t complain too much however - her present state of mind was a lot better and clearer than what it had been before her “vacation”. She’d had plenty of time to focus solely on her work and as a result had found joy in doing so again because nothing felt forced. Words flowed through her as they had back when she’d written her first two books and it felt good to feel as though she were truly back to her old self again. She picked up a broom and headed for her bedroom; she still didn’t sleep in the bed but there were dirty clothes and spiders that needed to be dealt with.

“I’m sorry but you’re being evicted.” Eleanor muttered under her breath as she swept a particularly large bug into the dustpan. She wanted to focus her attention on the laundry that desperately needed to be washed but the dull sound of thudding caught her attention. At first she thought that perhaps one of her neighbors had made the noise but when it came again she realized that the sound was too close to come from another apartment. She hadn’t forgotten the last time she’d had unwelcome guests show up unexpectedly so she immediately dropped the broom and dustpan and pulled out her phone just in case she needed to dial for help.

The thudding came again from her closet, its door left ajar after she’d hastily packed her bags a few months prior. Eleanor slowly approached the closet and attempted to open the door fully but when she was met with more unidentifiable noise she jumped back and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Sure that it may just be a startled rodent she decided to text the first person who came to mind while she tried to catch her breath and think of a plan to trap whatever had made its home amongst her belongings.

Something’s in my closet, it’s making noise!

Run! Run!

Trees and people and the like became a blur, rushing past as the air pressed against Metzli as they ran. “S-sorry!” Their shoulder bumped harshly against a stranger, but there was no time to check in or say much more. After receiving what could only be described as a call for help from Eleanor, Metzli dropped what they were doing to help. Which was arguably just as important, and it may have been foolish to not at least get a small creature for a quick meal as they ran off from their hunt. 

It is fine. An uncomfortable rumble shook in their stomach, as if to respond with irritation, and they groaned. It’d been a few more days than usual since Metzli had last eaten, their mind in a million other places while they continued to be pushed away from Cass. Taking care of themself had subsequently been pushed further down their list of priorities, much to both Leila’s and Anita’s chagrin. So that’s why when Metzli rushed up the stairs to Eleanor’s apartment (because elevators were just as evil as the metal cars in the air), they looked a little worse for wear despite throwing their body against her door, and thrusting it off its hinges.

“Eleanor!” They gasped, looking around frantically. “Where are you? Are you okay?!”

Eleanor screamed and ducked when the door went flying, her hands above her head and her phone dropping to the floor with a gut churning crack. She looked up to see a familiar figure standing over her and she couldn’t decide between confusion, irritation, or happiness so she went with all three.

“I’m fine, everything’s fine! There’s just a rat in my closet - look at my door! I’m never getting my deposit back now, Metzli! And the noise complaints!” Eleanor let out a sharp breath then looked over her friend before it hit her that they hadn’t been in the same room for months. “Metzli! I haven’t seen you since… I’ve missed you so much… I’m so sorry, please don’t hate me.” Without thinking she wrapped her arms around them in a tight hug. “Even if you hate me for leaving without saying anything I don’t care, I’m still gonna be here because I’m back and I’m not leaving, not if I can help it.” Irritation took over again and she pulled back from the hug. “It’s just a rat and you destroyed my door.”

But even with the frustration Eleanor couldn’t keep the smile off of her face. She had possibly missed Metzli the most so having them right there in the flesh, however unceremoniously they’d entered the apartment, she was delighted to see them. “I wasn’t told that vampires destroy your things when you give them permission to enter.”

The emotions Eleanor bounced from caused a bit of whiplash, causing Metzli to have quite a few of their own. Their mouth opened and closed several times as they were met with the challenge to make a coherent sentence while they struggled to make sense of what they felt. “I…I-uh…I-I…” The ants bit down on their nerves, and they forced themself to blink and take a breath. “I…” It did almost nothing to quell the frenzy, and they were about to piece back the door to keep their hand from being idle when they felt Eleanor’s arms wrap around them. The march ended almost instantly, and Metzli sighed a breath of relief to see that Eleanor was safe. 

“Um…hmph.” A nervous chuckle escaped them and shook their head a little incredulously. It seemed absurd that Eleanor could think there is a reality where Metzli would ever hate her. They were sure there wasn’t a capacity for that anywhere in them, especially when they immediately pulled Eleanor back in when she attempted to back away.

“Can fix your door. Your building master will not know.” With a final peck to the top of Eleanor’s head, Metzli backed away and chuckled at her attempt at humor. It worked effortlessly, though one might believe otherwise as discomfort washed over Metzli’s face. Their stomach growled audibly, but they quickly shook it away and put their focus back on the rat problem. “You did not specify anything in your text message. Was thinking there was danger.” Again, Metzli’s stomach growled, but they continued. “Last time there was visit, it was bad vampires.” They rubbed their thumb against their index finger and swallowed. “Of course I come to protect. That is what I do.” They sighed, picking up the door and propping it as best they could against the frame of the entrance.

“So…I help you with this rat and then I help with the door?”

Eleanor felt a little embarrassed by how Metzli seemed to struggle to keep up with her erratic train of thought but the overwhelming happiness washed it away almost immediately. Being in Metzli’s arms was one of the most familiar feelings in the world for her which was exactly what she needed at that moment. “Did you just laugh? Did I make you laugh? Oh, my gosh I missed you so much you have no idea. I wanted to text or call but I… couldn’t. I mean, I could I just… didn’t think I should. Which makes the whole situation even worse, I know, but I can’t lie to you. But please know that every day I was gone I missed you and I wanted to talk to you and make fun of you for not smiling enough or whatever else we sometimes bicker about. I missed it.

“My landlord is a creepy asshole so if you’re able to spare me from having to have a prolonged conversation with him then you’ll be my hero. I’m sorry that I made you think that something worse was going on, you were just the first person I thought to text in the moment. Do me a favor and ask for clarification next time before you come busting in, okay?” A chill ran down Eleanor’s spine as she again remembered the visit from the less than friendly vampires. “I don’t want to talk about that -” She heard Metzlil’s stomach growl and frowned. “Are you hungry? Do you need to go?” It was a hard question to ask because she didn’t want them to leave but if it was necessary then she didn’t want to keep them there. “You’re always wanting to take care of everyone else, you have to remember to take care of yourself too sometimes, okay?”

She nodded. “Yeah, rat then door. Then you go find something to eat and we can properly catch up, please. I want to hear what you’ve been up to. C’mon, it’s in my bedroom closet - I was cleaning and heard it just a few minutes ago. You got here fast.” She cautiously opened the door to her bedroom but took a step back for Metzli to enter first.

She hadn’t changed a bit, saying so many words in one breath. It was difficult to keep their smile from creeping onto their lips as Eleanor rambled the way she always did. While small, that smile was one of the very few that actually reached Metzli’s eyes, emphasizing the genuine humor and happiness they felt. They were analyzing as always, but far softer and relaxed. Eleanor was a rare type of person, taking on problems and friendships she didn’t quite understand because she needed to attempt some sort of sympathy on the unknown, without the influence of another’s emotions, or sometimes, in spite of. 

One could say her inability to detect Metzli’s emotions was what made their friendship so easy, but if they were to break down what made it work, truly, it was Eleanor’s kind nature. Having experienced tragedy and fury and joy that was not hers, she knew all too well what lay behind quiet faces. And having been the monster that was too often the source of many tragedies, they knew it all too intimately. Like Metzli, Eleanor wanted to be kind, especially when things didn’t make sense. In a place like Wicked’s Rest, where sense was lost most days, it was the most nuanced strategy one could take. Especially now that empathy created a burning pit of guilt. If they could help it, Metzli would keep pain at bay for others, even at their own expense. Even if it meant losing a meal. 

Which just turned out to be a miscalculation on their part, but the sentiment still stands.

“Was hunting when you text me. My new diet is…annoying, but other things are making it hard to hunt.” Shrugging, they followed Eleanor and felt their shoulders fall as she lightly scolded them. She was a good friend, and even if Metzli hated getting in trouble, it didn’t feel so bad when the motivation was care. “Much distraction right now.” They stepped into the bedroom and sniffed the air to find any animal-like scent as they continued. 

“Forget to eat and this new diet is only animals. They do not fill me up like humans.” Peering into the closet, Metzli shuffled a few things around, still finding nothing, but hearing the scratching Eleanor described. “Guilt makes me not want to take from humans. Do not want to cause pain. Does this have sense?” Unable to see what they were reaching in, Metzli felt around a shelf blindly until a strong set of teeth sank into their hand. They hissed and retracted their hand quickly, presenting their wound to Eleanor. The bite looked too human to be an animal, but the area was far too small for a human. It was confusing to say the least. 

Eleanor closed her mouth long enough to actually look over Metzli properly, another surge of happiness making her hands shake. Something was off but still they smiled and it was genuine, she could tell in their eyes. They were a lot stronger than they’d ever given themself credit for, physically, mentally, and emotionally. She had met lots of people like Metzli, people who preferred to keep what bothered them buried within but with those others she’d always been able to pinpoint exactly what it was; even without her abilities, however, she could tell that whatever it was played a much bigger part than what was being led on.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your hunting - next time I’ll give a little more context, I swear. What’s wrong? How can I help?” Eleanor softly touched Metzli’s arm as they passed. “Is it all the diet or something else? Don’t downplay it either, you know that I know you better than that. I can’t read you but I can see and hear you.” Seeing someone she cared deeply for seem disoriented didn’t sit well with her - she had always wished that her abilities came with the option of taking another person’s pain on herself because she would have done it in a heartbeat for Metzli.

“You’re eating animals? I could so make a pop culture reference right now but I’m not going to. And you’re lucky I’m not a vegan or else you’d be getting a firm talking to. But all jokes aside, yes, you’re making a lot of sense. I get it, it sounds like a very hard thing to do but… you have to do it, right? If the animals aren’t filling you up then you might be creating a totally different issue that’s going to have to be fixed sometime in the future, you know? I just want you to be alright, that’s all that I ever want, honestly.” She looked down at the ground as Metzli began to search the closet. “But what else is distracting you? Are you able to tell me?”

Eleanor immediately took their hand when it was presented and frowned at the wound. “That’s definitely not a rat, but what else could it possibly be?” She asked herself more than Metzli. “Do you need alcohol for me to clean it? I don’t know how this kind of stuff works for vampires. You’re not gonna get sick are you?” Panic set in but she focused on her breathing to calm herself again in record timing. Her sister was right, she was getting better at that. “What the hell is in there? I leave for a couple of months and a miniature monster moves into my closet? I have some of the worst luck in this town.” She pulled Metzli a few feet away from the closet to regroup. “We need to trap it, right? Have it run out of there and into the open because you’re not gonna be able to see anything in there, it’s pretty crowded with… with Lily’s stuff!” Her eyes grew three times their normal size as she remembered what she kept under lock and key in the closet. “We have to get it out! It can’t mess up her stuff!”

They paused for a moment to look at Eleanor’s hand at their arm, leaning into it for the pressure they preferred. It was soothing and it had been something Metzli had longed for since their conversation with Cass, but they quickly pulled away with a hitched breath. They didn’t deserve comfort, and they didn’t deserve to wear pain, but Eleanor did deserve the truth. She was asking for it, even. How could they deny her? What use would there be in lying or withholding the truth?

Metzli obliged, “Diet is fine. Eating happen more often, but distraction make me forget.” They shrugged, “Last hunting was more than week ago. I am supposed to eat three days a week to stay full. But-but I will be okay.” A pause, “I think.” For a few moments, they shifted their focus to their wound and marched to the bathroom.

“Mi hij— friend…she is not talking to me. She was family, but not anymore. My fault. Mistake. I am…not, how do you say…material for family. For parent.” They washed the wound in the sink and pondered on what to do. Any animal would be angry to have their home disturbed in any way, but if the teeth were any indication that this animal was more of the supernatural variety, Metzli knew they needed to be careful. Lily’s things were important, but they could cause bigger problems if they didn’t approach the animal in a gentle manner.

“When I look, stuff was not broken. Boxes are fine. It is in small corner, but mira. Not animal. Let me take picture and send to friend that will know what it is. It will be bad if we move it with no knowing.”

Eleanor never liked when Metzli didn’t sound sure about something they spoke about, especially something important like their eating habits. She began to feel even more guilty for having pulled them away from their hunt for something that paled in comparison. “I’m sorry Metzli, I didn’t know that you would be hunting. You should be out there getting yourself to one hundred percent… didn’t you just come back from overseas? You should be resting, not here dealing with… whatever’s in my closet. Hunting and mending your friendship, those are the things you should be focused on right now.”

It took Eleanor a moment before she was able to piece together the broken phrase. “Parent material? This is the friend that you once told me you treat as your child? You know, sometimes kids get mad at their parents and won’t talk to them for a little while. I’m not sure if your friend is still a teenager or not, or if they’re still very young, but I’m sure this will pass - sometimes I still get upset with my parents and need some time to myself. How long have they been avoiding you?” She was the wrong person to be giving parenting advice, especially since she had no desire to be a parent herself, but she could tell that whatever had happened to cause the rift affected Metzli immensely. “Are you able to track them down if they don’t reach out to you soon?”

A sigh of relief escaped her at the news that Lily’s things had not been disturbed. “I can’t let that stuff get damaged, it’s just a fraction of what she owned, the only things her parents would allow me to keep.” Eleanor’s eyes misted over but she blinked away the tears before they could fall. “They don’t like me much, but that’s a story for another time. Who would know what that thing is? I don’t want you to risk getting bitten again, who knows what kind of side effects that one bite could have.”

Maybe they should have been eating, maybe they should have been home with Leila, and maybe they should have been tackling the emotions they couldn’t understand so they could cope properly. But doing all of that, for Metzli, meant allowing the tons and tons of earth-shattering weight to lay on their chest. It threatened to end them completely and leave them useless when people needed them. Like Eleanor needed them, in that moment. Like so many people did. 

“I am where I want to be, cariña.” Their eyes softened as they hovered over Eleanor’s features, finally locking with hers. Just as with Leila, Metzli felt inclined to meet them, never feeling her gaze burn into their skin, never threatening to turn it into ash. They felt warm and welcomed, a pull that led their forehead to hers, even if they didn’t deserve to do so. “She is in town. Will be here when she need me. Or I will wait forever.” Never again would Metzli leave, even if it meant never being needed. They’d wait forever with no reward, if only to ensure Cass would remain safe and continue to have everything she needed and deserved. 

Until then, they were going to take care of who they could. Which meant walking past Eleanor silently and taking a quick picture before she could stop them. Along with reassuring her and comforting her. Because after everything Metzli had experienced, they knew that’s what you did for those you loved. “It is okay to cry.” They said, tapping the send button and moving back over to Eleanor while she blinked away her tears. “I am here. Hunt can wait.” Carefully, they cupped her cheek, hoping the cool temperature would help. 

They decided to ignore the way they could feel her heart thudding just beneath her skin.

While she knew her friend withholding themself from food could end terribly for herself, Eleanor was once again being selfish and was happy to know that they didn’t mind being with her at that moment. The nickname was comforting and familiar, as they’d once called her that before and she’d looked it up immediately to find its meaning. She had spent the better part of twenty minutes smiling from ear to ear. She decided to drop the conversation as a whole knowing that Metzli was just as stubborn as she could be and that going back and forth wouldn’t change their mind. For about the millionth time since she met them she wished that she could experience their emotions firsthand, but her ability to read their face and mannerisms was more than enough and she would have to be happy with that.  She closed her eyes when their forehead met hers. “I hope she knows what an amazing friend you are and that you’re willing to wait for her to be ready to speak again. You’re an amazing friend to all of us, you need to know that. Never forget that you’re the first friend I made in this town and you’re one of the biggest reasons why I stay, or at least why I keep coming back. You’re one of my best friends and I love you for it.”

Under normal circumstances she might have been upset with Metzli for having walked right past her and snapping the picture after she’d raised concern over it, but seeing as nothing dire had happened she decided to let it roll right off of her back. They were too alike, Eleanor and Metzli, and sometimes she felt silly for bickering with someone over something she knew she would have done if in their shoes.

Eleanor shook her head and looked away, ashamed of her reaction. How long had it been and she still couldn’t talk about it? “I’ve cried enough, I don’t care to do it much anymore. Just deep breaths and thinking about positives, that’s what my sister instilled in me while I was away. She helped me alot - I don’t know if the two of you would necessarily get along, she’s a lot more forward and distrusting than I am, but she has my best intentions at heart just like I know you do.” She leaned her head against Metzli’s cool hand and smiled at them. “I’m glad you’re here, you look well in spite of everything going on. I’ve said it before but I’m going to say it again: I missed you.” Another thud from the closet and she jumped. “But that thing has to go, it’s already starting to annoy me.” Not that she slept in the bedroom, but it still would have been awkward to know that another living being had taken up residence in her closet, especially one that had shown that it didn’t mind becoming violent if needed.

“I…” Eleanor’s words were supposed to help, weren’t they? That’s what she intended, what most people intended when they provided affirmations. It felt wrong to receive them, though. Made Metzli’s skin stretch too tightly against their frame, leaving them itchy and restless against themself. They didn’t know how to make their body feel like their own, never having felt home within it.

It’d never been theirs in either of their lifetimes to begin with. Now it was just an ill-fitting suit they couldn’t extricate themself from, and they just had to accept that. They had to experience the void blurring Eleanor away, watch the unbearable existence become vaster than the distance between breaths. Which weren’t Metzli’s either. Their lungs were that of a dead human turned monster, expanding with air inside of the cage beneath their skin. 

“I love…you too.”

They took a breath.

Then another.

Eleanor came into view, and without regard for what they didn’t deserve anymore, they became greedy with the presence of her and her heart. The sensation of which thudded against Metzli’s pinky, turning their eyes red and extending their fangs with hunger. Not saying a word, they took a step back and blinked, focusing on the picture of the bird thing with human teeth. They listened to Eleanor as they waited for their control to force their features to something more human. They watched as the bubbles from typing became a message, and it gave them a task that they were desperate for. 

“Maybe you stay at my house for one night. This thing is a Ch…chick…chickchar…ney. Chickcharney?” Metzli arched a brow, sounding unsure of their pronunciation and giving Eleanor their phone to read the information. “Give curse if you make angry. We will have to find person to move it maybe tomorrow?”

Eleanor wasn’t blind to the fact that Metzli was not acting like themself and she wondered if she’s said the wrong thing. The last thing she wanted was to make them feel uncomfortable so when they pulled away she turned around and busied herself with stripping the bed of its dusty sheets (no blankets or pillows, all of those were on the couch) so that she could throw it in the wash and put it back on where it would remain vacant. Fresh, clean, and vacant. As her hands were busy she wondered what exactly had gone on between Metzli and their friend for it to distract them so much and then she wondered if it had anything to do with Ireland. She really, really wanted to know what had gone down in Ireland.

She looked over her shoulder and politely shook her head. “ I don’t want to impose. You have so much going on already and you need to relax. I’d probably just get on your nerves with all of my typing all night long.”

Eleanor frowned and took the phone. “Yeah, Chickcharney… what the hell? You don’t think there’s already a curse in place, do you? You did kind of already piss it off.” She handed back their phone and rubbed at her eyes in irritation. Great, she couldn’t even hide away in her apartment for a night because of some curse spewing thing in her closet. “Y’know, this kind of stuff wasn’t supposed to happen until I’d been back like a month or so, not as soon as I stepped into my place. How did it even get in here?” She asked herself and looked over to the window but it was locked tight, just as she suspected it was. Perhaps it had come in through the living room window, the one she’d complained to the landlord about since she moved in. “Tomorrow… What, there’s exterminators for magical creatures? I should have known that.”

Eleanor looked at Metzli again, really looked at them, and frowned. “I don’t like the way you look. I mean you're flawless as always but you don’t look… like yourself.” She was worried, very worried, and she couldn’t contain it any longer. “Promise you’ll tell me if something really, really bad is bothering you? Don’t keep it bottled up please, I’m here to listen to you and help in any way you need.”

It seemed silly that Eleanor would think she could impose with the most soothing sound. The idea of hearing typing all night seemed satisfying and soothing, and if Metzli let Eleanor use their keyboard with the pink switches that produced a perfectly calibrated thumpy sound, they were sure they’d be the most relaxed they had been in weeks. “You can borrow my good keyboard if you come.” They smiled to themself and imagined the sound echoing through the house soothingly. 

Perhaps it made themself selfish to seek out comfort, but Metzli pushed away those thoughts completely for the moment, almost forgetting that the person who actually took precedence was in front of them. Clearing their throat, they reshifted their focus, and shrugged in response to the question about supernatural exterminators. “Friend say there is.” In Wicked’s Rest, Metzli wasn’t surprised there was a business for such a thing. Hopefully if there’s a curse, they could fix that too. Time would only tell. 

“Flawless?” They quirked a brow, chuckling and shaking their head with amusement. “No, cariña. I am okay. Just…” How were they supposed to tell Eleanor a part of them craved her blood and they were fighting against it? Sure, she’d likely understand, but Metzli knew it was never a good feeling to know you’re seen as a meal. She wanted honesty though, didn’t she? They sighed, “Just hungry. So-um, you…feel pulse on you. This, um…gave hunger, but I am controlling myself.” Barely, but they wouldn’t allow themself to hurt their friend. 

WIth the promise of having access to a good keyboard Eleanor quickly gave in with a smile and nod. She liked to collect keyboards, she had different ones for different moods, and always bought herself a new one whenever she started a new project - it had become ceremonial for her. “A good keyboard and you don’t mind if I keep you up all night with my typing? The only thing that could possibly make that offer any better is if you tell me you make a mean cup of coffee, which I will definitely need after a long night of editing. I’ll come, but just until this thing is out of my apartment, I don’t want to impose.”

She was relieved to hear the chuckle that Metzli gave and felt proud of herself for being able to add some humor to the strange atmosphere that surrounded them. Eleanor thought it weird that with everything the two of them had gone through together, this instance seemed to be the most awkward. Was it her? Should she have stopped asking such personal questions? She just wanted to know that her friend was alright, that they knew she was there should they need her for absolutely anything.

Oh. Eleanor blinked quickly as she put the pieces together, Metzli’s broken phrases taking a moment to resonate with her. They were hungry and she probably smelled like a grand meal to them at that time, especially if they were as hungry as they had claimed to be earlier. The new diet surely wasn’t helping either, they probably missed the taste of human blood, as much as they may not like to admit such a thing, which made her heart thump against her chest a little harder. It took a bit of time for her to wrap her head around the thought that her best friend might have been craving her blood.

“Metzli, I'm worried about you. We’ll worry about everything else once you’ve had something to… eat?” She let the last word slip out as a question because she wasn’t sure the best word for it. Although she was somehow able to keep her face completely void of any fear or panic her heart rate had increased considerably. “Is there anything I can do to help? Anywhere I need to take you?” She wasn’t sure how this kind of thing worked but she would support them through it without question.

“I do not sleep. Leila also not.” They shrugged, wringing their fingers against their pants, “And I can make you a charro of coffee. I make it old way. From when I was human.” Which Anita enjoyed greatly. It was a combination of spices with the best quality of coffee beans they could find. Modern technology has helped speed up the process, but for the most part, Metzli kept what they knew when they had no access to electricity. They were sure Eleanor would enjoy it, maybe even crave it. 

Like how they were craving—they swallowed past the grip their hunger had around their throat, finding it increasingly difficult to ignore. “I…” Metzli could feel their fangs extend again, unable to keep them dull and human. Eleanor had never seen the monster they were, and they trembled out a sigh as they took a step back. They held onto who she knew, their eyes burning into her throat while their fangs ached to sink into it. Here was a monster that could end her life in an instant, and she called them friend. She worried for them when she should have been worried about herself. 

Metzli shook their head, choosing to ignore the way they imagined hearing her heart. There was no possibility that they could, anyway. “Worry…self.” They pleaded, backing into the bed and stumbling onto it. “Need moment and will-will hunt. Come back when…” Metzli’s throat constricted, making it difficult to speak. A small growl lay trapped by sheer will and they looked to Eleanor again, knowing she may see more darkness in them than she had before. “Cr…crucifix,” They said, hoping the instruction was clear enough. “Cannot hurt you. Will not.”

The coffee sounded amazing and she was sure that it would have put A Latte to Love to shame but at that moment it was the very last thing on her mind. It was difficult for Eleanor not to notice the subtle changes in Metzli as they fought against their instincts but she remained rooted to the spot and tried to calm her racing thoughts. Her arms automatically shot out when they stumbled over her bed but again she did not move, it was as though her body knew that she did not need to move any closer but her mind and heart told her that she needed to get closer; she tried to pick up her feet but they remained frozen. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her arms shook as though she were cold. Unbridled fear had finally started to flood her system.

“I can worry about both of us at the same time. Does it make it better or worse when I talk?” Normally she wouldn’t have been able to keep her mouth shut but she figured that if her life truly depended on it then it shouldn’t have been too hard. Eleanor almost tripped herself as she took a few steps backwards but was able to catch herself before she landed on the ground. A pang of guilt shot through her stomach: how could she have been retreating from them? As much as they depicted themself as a monster she had never seen them that way and she still didn’t, even now as they were hungry and on the brink of losing control.

The crucifix was in the nightstand opposite her, all it took were a few quick steps and she grabbed it from its drawer without thinking. Although she gripped it firmly in both hands she held it in a low position as her stomach churned at the thought of what she was doing. It probably would have been of no real use to her with the way she tried to avoid holding it up in a defensive position. “Please don’t make me do this.” Eleanor’s voice was barely above a whisper as tears began to run freely down her cheeks and under her chin. “You just have to walk out, go hunt, and then come back and everything will be alright. Everything always turns out alright for us, you know that.” Attempting to sway a hungry vampire from turning her into a meal was an area she had no experience in. “You have… you have to go.” Her voice broke with each word and she had to remind herself that it wasn’t permanent, she wasn’t kicking them out of her life forever, just long enough for them to find something else to fulfill their hunger.

There was a sense of relief that washed through Metzli, as bittersweet as it felt. For once, Eleanor complied, allowing her human instinct to fear properly instead of stubbornly seeing Metzli as just any regular friend. Because for as deeply as they loved, they were a dangerous thing, made up of violence and darkness that could swallow up anyone if they weren’t careful. 

If they didn’t listen. 

“Okay.” Metzli nodded shakily, rising back to standing on wobbly legs. Red eyes trailed from the crucifix to Eleanor’s throat, and then back to the crucifix. They had to rub their eyes harshly to refocus on what the meal—their friend was saying. 

The instructions were simple and concise, and Metzli marched to the bedroom entrance with purpose before halting and lingering for a beat. As inhuman as their eyes were, red like the blood they longed to consume, there was an inherent sincerity and kindness in them when they looked at Eleanor’s tears. She did something difficult, and the gratitude they felt was nearly enough to outweigh the pangs in their stomach.

“Thank you,” They muttered, through gritted teeth. “Eat, then…come back. Coffee…k-keyboard.” It sounded like a promise, and Metzli swallowed one last time before making a break for the balcony door and leaping toward the hunt. 

Eleanor had witnessed Metzli’s red eyes once before during their fight against the unwelcome vampires but that didn’t make it any less terrifying. She hated to see her friend in such a state and hated even more that there was absolutely nothing she could do to help them. She realized that she’d started to clutch at the crucifix a little too tightly and immediately relaxed her grip just enough so that it wouldn’t dig into her skin - the very last thing either of them needed in that moment was for her to start bleeding.

She managed a shaky smile at their promise and nodded in confirmation. “Coffee and keyboard, yes. I’m looking forward to it, don’t forget.” Eleanor was surprised that they were able to stop and let out a few coherent words in their state. Once again she was witness to just how strong they truly were, all she could do was hope that one day they would be able to see it themself as well. Once they were safely out of sight she dropped the crucifix out of disgust and managed to walk over to the bed where she crashed down and allowed the frustrated tears to fall freely. Another bad memory, another reason why she would probably never again sleep in her bedroom.

The Chickcharney bumped around in her closet one last time and she took off one of her shoes and threw it at the door, not caring about the threat of a curse. The way she saw it, the curse was that the day had started out perfectly fine until the damn thing made its presence known.

[ohwynne]

WYNNE: Hi, hey, what's going on? ARIADNE: It's -- Cass. We -- she -- [user is not able to get full sentences out] WYNNE: What happened? ARIADNE: Dead. She -- she's -- she's gone. [ user is audibly sobbing] WYNNE:[User is quiet on the other side of the line for a while] What? No, that's not [...] possible. Where are you? What happened? ARIADNE: She -- her cave. We went to go and -- she -- her dad -- [user is not being helpful sorry wynne :/] WYNNE: Did her dad kill her? ARIADNE: She -- he was gonna kill us -- me and Van and Metzli and she -- she made her cave come down on them both. She MADE me leave. WYNNE: What — Van? Where are you? Can you — are you sure? You should come here. Or I can — where are you? She can't be — ARIADNE: I'm -- I think -- I don't know. I'm by a road. I can't move. Okay. Okay. I can come to you. Okay? Where are you? Can you send me a pin? ARIADNE: Please. You -- yes. I want to see you. Now. [ user sends a pin of her location. it's by the side of the road, a bit away from the magmacave ] WYNNE: Okay. I'm on my way. [User is going to steal Emilio's car] Do you want to stay on call? ARIADNE: Thank you. I -- yeah. I just. [ user is sobbing again ] Need to know you're there. I'm here. [User's voice is vaguely muffled. Also strained.] I'll be right there. ARIADNE: Okay. I love you. I'll -- I won't move. I promise. WYNNE: Okay. [Car keys rattle.] I'm coming.

[realmackross]

PARTIES: The Allgoods, @longislandcharm TIMING: July 29th (Evening/Night at Mack's Mojo Dojo Casa House) SUMMARY: The Allgoods and Winter come over for a Barbie themed sleepover at Mack's house. Good wholesome fun is had by all! :) WARNINGS: Unsanitary tw (what's new), mental health tw, alcohol abuse tw

Mackenzie was excited for the sleepover. She had made invitations. Made sure there was enough food for everyone. Had blankets and pillows at the ready. It was going to be a great night, and something she had needed for a long time. And with Winter having somewhat forgiven her, it was almost going to be like being back home. The invitation had said 6:30 pm, but at this point, as long as people showed up, it didn’t matter.

—

Alex was still surprised to receive a party invite that was extended specifically to her. She supposed she was actually doing the whole making friends thing now, which while scary, was kind of nice even if the car ride over had been a fairly quiet affair. Not that she minded all that much. Staring out the window while listening to Phoebe Bridgers was in fact a vibe. When they arrived at Mack's, she approached everyone who rode in Ariadne's car, keeping particularly close to Cass. When they walked up, she appreciated all the pink decor. A Barbie-themed sleepover was probably filling in the gap for some missed childhood experience. She waved to Mack as entered. "Hey," she greeted, "Thanks for throwing a sleepover... and inviting me. Hope you don't mind, I brought my guitar!"

—

Ever since Metzli's announcement that they were leaving, Cass had been... well, maybe down wasn't quite a strong enough word for it. She was devastated. Everything felt heavy and gloomy, the same way it always did when someone left. But this time, she had something she'd never had in the past to soften the blow: friends. The car ride with Nora, Aria, Wynne, and Alex had been quiet, but not uncomfortable. Cass already felt a little bit better just being with them. As they pulled up to Mack's house, she prepared to put on a happy face for the evening. The party wouldn't fix her... but it might distract her. She offered Mack a small, uncertain smile as they approached. "Hi," she mumbled, hoping the movie star wasn't still angry with her for the mime fiasco.

—

Ariadne hadn't entirely expected to play chauffeur to anyone except for Wynne, but Ariadne had been more than happy to drive Nora, Cass, and Alex. Especially since Nora and Cass (and Wynne) especially seemed miserable. She did her best to tap into who she was before everything, and had tried to cheer them up, with purple slushies and ham and avoiding overly peppy music. She pulled up to Mack's house and gave her a wave. "I - thanks for inviting me, even if we haven't talked a lot other than the whole dance thing I - this is nice of you." She wrapped her hand around Wynne's waist and pulled them close to her, pressing a kiss on their lips.

—

Nora didn't want to go. Didn't want anything. Wanted to sit in the pool of her own self-pity, writhing in anger and confusion. But Nora also needed something to grab onto, to believe. So when her friends asked her to go, more than one, she pulled herself out of the hell hole of her own creation and got into the car when Ariadne came to pick them up. Nora should have known this was a mistake when they pulled up to Mackenzie Ross's pink-decorated house. She shoved her hands in her pocket and forced herself not to think of it. "Sup." She mumbled, shoving past the front door and walking into the manor.

—

Milo hadn't been to a sleepover in... Well, it had been a while. And while he hadn't been feeling the best lately, he had somehow landed an invitation to a sleepover at Mackenzie Ross' house. There was no way he wasn't going to that, especially since Mack had been so nice to him so far. He was a bit nervous about who else would be there, but the last party hadn't gone terribly, and he could use some fun, honestly. He arrived at the massive manor home armed with some snacks and drinks, and an overnight bag. "Hey," Milo greeted the group. "Thanks for the invite, Mack. Your place looks amazing!"

—

When Mackenzie got the alert on her phone that people were pulling into the driveway, Mack couldn't help but let out a squeal of joy; reminiscent of her old self. All she had wanted was a nice evening where it didn't feel like life...death was complete shit. Already dressed in her pink pjs ready for the night, she went outside and started to greet everyone. It was like she was a completely different person, "Hey guys! So glad you could all make it! There's a few more people coming, I think, but go ahead and go inside and make yourself comfortable." She had been surprised to see Nora show up, but the past was the past, and she was trying to turn over a new leaf with the girl.

—

Alex smiled as Mack spoke despite the fact she felt a little nervous. A slumber party was unchartered territory and she wasn't sure what all this would entail. The decorations did fit the mood she assumed their host was going for. She was pretty sure she had just literally walked into Barbie World. "You really went full on Barbie Dreamhouse and it's giving," she told Mack. The effort was awesome and so was the fact they were all hanging out again. "Hey, Milo," she greeted as he approached with a wave. She still felt a little out of place, but she was surrounded by familiar faces who were becoming more familiar.

—

Winter hadn't been so sure about showing up at Mack's place for some party since she wasn't exactly over the girl disappearing on her but what else did she have to do? The ghost on her tail was also unenthused about this whole night which was clearly written on his face. Too bad that made Winter want to go even more. She loved to annoy him. Pulling up to her house, she rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath about this being typical Mack before making her way inside to find blobs of pink obscuring her vision. "Don't say shit about me being late. This is an assault to the eyes by the way." She gestured around them before moving further into the room towards the others she didn't know. "Winter...nice to meet you all."

—

"Winter." Nora repeated the name without much affect in her name. Most people here were familiar. Milio was here, Nora wondered if today was the day she should scare him. It could be fun, but the more she thought about it, the effort to scare someone seemed like a lot of work. Maybe she'd sit at this party and be normal, and do normal party things like stand around and eat chips from the chip bowl. "Where are the snacks?" Nora asked, disappearing into the first doorway she saw to try and find the kitchen.

—

The inside of the manor was even more impressive. Milo had only ever lived in apartments, this place was an actual dream house. He was relieved to see the familiar faces, especially those of Cass and Alex. Even if the latter had made him eat soap, he had become somewhat friendly with them. He smiled at them, offering a friendly wave to the newcomer. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Milo."

—

Alex waved. "Hey, Winter!" Her tone almost matched the vibe of the decorations. She still felt worried after her meeting with Nora in the mines, but by all indications, she'd been truthful when she said that Alex had helped. There wasn't anything in her mannerisms that was especially cold toward her either. She'd gotten the same characteristic monotone from Nora that everyone else had gotten though the bugbear had quickly gone to find snacks. So she returned her focus to the group around her and gave Milo a playful grin. "Promise I won't make you eat soap this time, bestie."

—

"I'm Ariadne," she gave a nod to Winter. "This is Wynne. My partner." She didn't let her hand leave theirs. "I brought a lot of candy, if anybody wants? I'm not the biggest fan of salty snacks. I'm much more of a sweets girl." Said with perhaps more enthusiasm than was necessary, perhaps, but she'd gotten decent at faking that this past year. The house was exceptional. She'd never been in a place this big (at least invited on purpose). "Hey Milo," she offered him a small smile.

—

Milo laughed. "I'd appreciate that, thanks." He greeted Wynne and Ariadne. "I also have salty covered," he said, holding up the bags of snacks. "Also, rum, if anyone wants drinks."

—

Mackenzie followed everyone inside, "Thanks, Alex. I just wanted to match the vibes you know? Thought we could all use something fun." All things considered in this town...She heard Nora ask about the snacks, "You're headed down the right path, Nora. Just keep going." She had heard Winter's snarky ass comment and was honestly surprised that she had showed up after their meeting at the drive-in, "Fuck you too, Bestie." She moved into the living room and somewhat relaxed, "It's been a while since I've thrown a sleepover, so if there's any games or whatever...throw 'em out. This is a night of fun, even for you Winter, you crotchety old bitch."

—

"Nice to meet you, Winter!" It felt like a battle to glue that smile onto her face, but Cass liked to think it was a convincing one. It wouldn't fool Nora or Alex or Ariadne, but it might fool some of the people who didn't know Cass quite as well. "I'll take some snacks, definitely! And, um, games would be fun. I know we did truth or dare last time, so maybe never have I ever to keep things fresh?"

—

Miyeon wasn't surprised that she was fashionably late. For someone with meticulous organization and a well-penned planner, she still found herself running late for pretty much everything that wasn't her morning show. She was surprised she got an invite to this but she was pretty sure it had to do with Mack trying to keep Miyeon from digging too far into her. Like you don't tattle on your friends or whatever so that made sense enough. "Hey,' she said as she peeked through the door. "I brought nachos. And sangria. It's pink! Well, the sangria. Not that nachos"

—

Winter waved absentmindedly at everyone introducing themselves. She'd never remember all these names. The mention of all the snacks hadn't peaked her interest until she heard"rum" and then later "nachos" and "sangria." Her ears perked at that, the girl ignoring Mack's digs at her age as she smiled at the two who had brought the alcohol. "Anyone with liquor is immediately a friend. I'm always down for Never Have I Ever if it's the drinking game version."

—

"We can do the drinking game version," Cass agreed. Her experience with alcohol was fairly limited --- technically, she wasn't even old enough to have it in the States --- but she thought it would probably help with the vibes here.

—

Seeing everyone mingling made her happy, but there seemed to be a certain sadness hanging in the air. They needed something to pep up the night. Mackenzie wasn't sure what was going on with everyone, because most of the time she lived under a rock, but Cass and Winter's idea sounded fun, despite not being able to drink or taste anything. "Yeah, let's do it! I'll go get more alcohol." She wasn't against spicing things up as long as people could have some fun.

—

"I could drink," Nora called from down the hallway. Alcohol didn't seem to work for Emilio, maybe it would work for her.

—

"I - don't really drink, but..." Ariadne, "my cousin says I should live a bit more, so... sure. Or I'll just stick with Dr. Pepper, or something like that." The nerves were setting in, now, and even though she knew that she was here to support Wynne, she found herself incredibly grateful that they were here, too.

—

Miyeon followed Nora towards where the snacks seemed to be and set down the nachos and the jug of sangria. "Hey, Nora," she said with a wave. "If you want a drink, rose sangria is a good place to start." She winked and grabbed a solo cup and started to fill it up for herself. "Never have I ever could definitely be interesting with this group."

—

Nora gave a slight shrug, filling a solo cup up with sangria. She downed it in one and filled it up again. "Never have I ever kissed someone in public." She stated, knowing full well Ariadne and Wynne had just kissed in public.

—

Alex threw a smile in Miyeon's direction when she entered the manor. It was shaping up to be a good crew and all of the faces were familiar, which made relaxing easier. Rum would also do the trick in that department. "Drinking game never have I ever it is," she exclaimed. She turned to Cass and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Any drink preferences? I can grab one for you."

—

"Whatever you're having," Cass replied to Alex with a soft smile that was a touch more genuine than the one she'd been sporting so far. "I'm not really picky." And she didn't really know enough about alcohol to know her preferences.

—

Ariadne raised an eyebrow, once again thankful she couldn't blush. She grabbed a cup of something, hoping Chance would be proud of her, and downed half of it. "Never have I ever... snuck out of my house without my parents knowing."

—

"Never have I ever is always fun," Milo nodded in a agreement. There was something in the air, vibes slightly off. "You can definitely stick to soda if you're more comfortable," he said to Ariadne. "Can also just add a tiny bit." He shrugged, giving her a smile. "I don't usually drink much myself."

—

Miyeon laughed. "Alright, damn. Make sure you have some water, too," she said as she watched Nora inhale a cup of sangria. She did in fact have to take a drink at her first declaration. "Uh yeah, no shame in that one." And then again, Ariadne was making a statement that had Miyeon drinking again. "Come on, give me one second to breathe oh my god."

—

Nora stares at Ariadne. Did Ariadne know she was a runaway? Nora hadn't mentioned that, had she? She downed the drink again. Running away was sneaking out to an extreme, after all. A buzz pulsed over her skin. Maybe things weren't so bad.

—

Mackenzie left the room and went downstairs to get more alcohol in a spare fridge that didn't contain her food. She had hoped people were enjoying themselves, but she couldn't really tell anymore. Maybe it hadn't been the right time for a sleepover.

—

Alex grabbed two solo cups full of sangria for her and Cass, immediately taking a sip from her own for Nora's statement. It was a little convenient that Ariadne had just said hers too. No one would know which she was drinking for and who didn't love a little mystery. "Here you go," she said taking a seat next to Cass. She looked around the circle and tried to think of a good thing she'd never done. "Never have I ever eaten soap," she grinned, knowing that taking a sip from his drink early on in the night would be way better than eating soap.

—

Wynne took a drink because they did sneak out that one time :/.

—

Milo mixed some of the rum with soda, and quickly took two drinks, catching up.

—

Cass took a sip for Nora's statement, lowering the cup as Ariadne made hers. Hard to sneak out without your parents knowing when you'd never known your parents to begin with. Swallowing, she shifted. "Um, never have I ever left the movie theater before the credits finished playing. Gotta catch the extra scene. You know?"

—

Winter followed the nachos. They looked delicious as well as the pink sangria that was placed next to them and soon she had a solo cup in one hand as she ate with the other. She eyed the room, noticing that a lot of these people didn't seem so into the idea until she heard the first couple of Nevers uttered, prompting her to drink both times. "Sangria's good...props on that." The third Never uttered made her raise her eyebrows though, making a point to lower her cup.

—

"Never eaten soap, but Lush has the prettiest soap I think I've ever seen. Like, way prettier than most soaps," Ariadne looked over to Cass apologetically, "I have, but I won't ever again, okay?" She nestled herself against Wynne, running her fingers against their arm.

—

Nora took another drink. She'd left movies halfway through the movie because they were boring. Her eyes followed Winter as she came to stand near Miyeon and her. "Yeah, the sangria is good." Nora agreed. There was a light flush pressed against her cheeks. Maybe tonight wasn't so bad.

—

Miyeon noted who was taking a drink and who wasn't. "Looks like we have a lot of rebels in here. Good to know." She smiled. She also took a drink at Cass's statement. She was very sweet and maybe a little naive. Miyeon made a note to look out for her if the moment arose. Ariadne, too. Didn't have to drink for the soap one at least. "Never have I ever... gone viral online."

—

Milo: And quickly added a third, throwing a playful look at Alex. "I see how it is." He took another drink at Cass'. "Never have I ever gone skinny dipping."

—

Nora blankly stared at Miyeon. A new suspicion rising. She downed the drink again. As she went to refill her cup, she wondered if the world was spinning a little. Some sticky alcoholic liquid fell on her hand, she stared at it for a minute, trying to decide how she was going to deal with this new and quickly evolving problem.

—

Wynne leaned against Ariadne and drank despite it not applying to them. They just wanted another sip.

—

Cass took another sip of her drink at Miyeon's statement. Technically it was Magma who'd gone viral --- a short video clip that the internet later decided was definitely fake --- but Cass was pretty sure it still counted. Milo's statement actually drew a quiet giggle from her, and she finished the rest of her drinks. Nymphs didn't tend to see much importance in bathing suits.

—

Alex took a drink at Milo's statement. She was pretty sure rinsing off in rivers and lakes when they didn't have a place to stay counted as skinny dipping anyway. She noticed Cass drink at going viral and looked at her curiously. That was a story for another time, she was certain. "Never have I ever seen a movie in theaters."

—

Mackenzie came back upstairs with more bottles and sat them on the counter. Pouring herself a solo cup full of the strongest liquor at the party, she went and took a seat somewhere near the circle. She noticed Miyeon had arrived, but prayed nothing happened that would give the girl scoop for her next radio show, "Never have I ever won an Oscar."

—

Wynne asked, "What is skinny dipping?"

—

"Never have I ever been a f-" Nora managed to swallow the word as her slowed mind realized that this was maybe something she shouldn't say. Her mind stalled, blanking on what she was supposed to say. "Uh. Been a uh. Movie theater." She took a drink because she had been to a movie theater like Alex stated. Then Mack was stating never have I ever won an Oscar, cause once more everyone in the room needed to know she was a famous actress. Nora's blank gaze turned to Mack. Who was supposed to drink to that? Herself?

—

Three more drinks down and Winter had to wonder how young these people actually were. She was only two years older than Mack but suddenly she felt like the crypt keeper. Still, she wasn't throwing out any of her Nevers just yet as she got a feel for who she was dealing with. Her eyes drifted to her ghoul who looked so bored he could die for a second time and Winter snorted softly before looking around at the others.

—

Alex laughed. "Unless someone in this room is secretly William Bowery, I don't think anyone here has an Oscar. Maybe an uncle Oscar or something."

—

Cass refilled her drink only to take another sip at Alex's statement, flashing her a curious look. They'd have to change that, wouldn't they? "I don't think anyone here has won an Oscar," she agreed with a quiet laugh. Looking to Wynne, she added, "Skinny dipping is swimming without any clothes on."

—

Miyeon also noted who was taking a sip during her own statement. "A room full of internet superstars, too." She noticed that Nora was looking a little wobbly. "Hey, you might want to slow down a little there," she said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to hold anyone's hair back tonight if I don't have to." Wait, was she about to say the word fox just then? Alright, Miyeon was already planning to find a hair tie, they were gonna need it.

—

Wynne nodded at Cass and took a long drink. Though they weren't sure what an Oscar was, they had never won one.

—

Ariadne pressed her lips against Wynne's ear. "I know a place we could do that sometime, if you ever wanted." Shaking her head, she refocused on the group. "No Oscar for me either, I don't think -- who's William Bowery?" She asked Alex.

—

Mackenzie caught sight of Nora glaring at her, "Does it look like I'm drinking, Nora." She looked over to Alex, "Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind." She looked over to Winter, but also to the man sitting next to her. That was new.

—

Milo looked between Mack and Nora before taking a long drink. Yikes. He'd certainly been to the movies before but no Oscar or viral videos for him.

—

Alex answered, "It's a pseudonym... co wrote a few Taylor Swift songs. Sweet Nothing, exile, betty... and I think those are it." She looked to Nora who did in fact look like she was drinking faster than the rest of them. Her head tilted with concern, but she wasn't sure how to press as much. Getting a good read on people was how Alex usually navigated social situations and Nora was hard to read. Maybe that'd change with time. She found she hoped it did.

—

"Sweet." Ariadne grinned at Alex. "Still getting my Taylor knowledge to exist at all. I like exile, even if it's way sad." She looked over to Nora, offering her a look that wasn't sympathy (as she didn't think Nora would be receptive to that), but was comforting, she hoped.

—

Milo took a handful of chips before casually offering the bag to Nora.

—

Mackenzie looked back over to Nora, "Are you okay?"

—

Nora doesn't like that more people were giving her attention. Looking at her while she looked like this. Nora's blank expression, still well practiced, stared back at each of them in return. "Fine." Fine, she'd slow down if they all stopped looking. "I am okay. This is a fun party, Mack." She took the bag of chips and somehow fumbled a few into her mouth. "Good chips." She answered, swaying slightly in place.

—

"Thanks, I'm glad you're having fun." Mackenzie wasn't sure Nora was, but she was concerned for her well being. "Eat all the chips you want. There's a couple of different dips in the fridge too if you're into that sort of thing."

—

Miyeon would make sure to check that Nora wasn't curled up in the bathroom later that evening. For now, she downed her drink and poured another. She had to catch up after all. Also, things were getting too serious or whatever. Time to lighten the mood. "Never have I ever not done wolf girl jumps at a party." Her words were slurring a little but she was pretty sure that made sense.

—

"I prefer using the name William when talking about him, his real name doesn't deserve to be in conversation." Winter drank again but only because she needed to get drunk to deal with this much longer, something that also prompted the next Never out of her mouth so that she could gulp down the rest of her beverage while still being in the game. "Never have I ever had my Julie Andrews moment and mattress surfed down the stairs."

—

She could sense Wynne's quiet unease, even if they weren't entirely showing it, and stood up, giving their arm a small tug. "We'll - uh, we'll be back in a little while." Ariadne pulled them along, off to find a quiet, empty room where they could just be together. Once said room was acquired, she gave them a deeper kiss, pulling their body close to hers. "Figured we could use some time just the two of us."

—

Milo laughed, drinking at Miyeon's statement, only to grin at Winter. "Oh, man, what an iconic scene. I always thought that looked so fun, but we didn't have the stairs to try to do it at home." He took another drink, thinking back on watching Princess Diaries with his sisters.

—

“Sorry I’m late, but I brought Dippin’ Dots,” Chaisai called, juggling a handful of flavors of ice cream novelty cups as Chaisai breezed through the door.

—

Mackenzie heard the door open and saw Chai enter, "Hey! Welcome to the chaos that is Never Have I Ever. Kitchen's that way." She motioned with her head, "And while you're there grab a solo cup and come join the fun."

—

Alex looked to Cass, assuming she'd know what the heck Winter was talking about. "Julie Andrews moment," she asked in a whisper.

—

Miyeon was intrigued by this proposal by Winter. "Okay I've never done that but like, there's no time like the present, right?" She looked over to Mack to see if she was going to go for it.

—

"It's totally fun, you really should try to do it at one point." Looking at the new arrival, Winter contemplated following just for the ice cream of the future but then she spotted the stairs not far out of eyeline. "Actually, Mack has a nice set of stairs there."

—

"Oh! Can I grab a mattress?" The idea did sound like the sort of thing that would cheer her up. Maybe when Milo was done, Cass would take a turn of her own. She turned to Mack, flashing her a hopeful look. She didn't think the movie star was her biggest fan, but... Maybe she'd be okay with this. For the sake of the party and all.

—

Nora nodded, still swaying lightly on the spot. "Mack has a good set of stairs." Then Cass was getting excited about it, Nora thought. And Nora was happy because Cass was happy, and found something she wanted to do that looked fun. And Cass deserved to have fun at a party. Nora gave Cass a thumbs up.

—

"Uh, considering I haven't done anything crazy daring lately..." Except kill a huge spider... "Count me in!" Mack stood up and walked over to Cass, much like she had at the last party, "Let's go grab a mattress." She reached out her hand with a smile.

—

"Oh, fuck yes," Milo exclaimed. Mattress surfing and Dippin Dots? ...he might be feeling the drinks a little, but he was so in.

—

Ray entered for the first time

Ray left the chat

—

Mack was reaching for her hand, and Cass smiled, glad to see that things did seem to be mending a little between the two of them. "Save us some Dippin Dots," she ordered, taking Mack's hand and letting the movie star lead the way to the nearest mattress to be repurposed for stair surfing.

—

Alex was starting to put two and two together with the whole mattress surfing thing. Cass looked so excited that she couldn't help but catch some of that thrill herself even though she would decidedly not be surfing on a mattress that night. "Go do mattress beach, Barbies!"

—

Chai entered the kitchen and poured himself a drink and unceremoniously deposited the Dippin’ Dots on the counter before returning to the heart of the party. “Did I hear mattress surfing? Like that princess movie?”

—

Ray arrived a little late to the party after his shift at the restaurant. He'd had a few drinks on the way over to curb his anxiety in the crowds and was proceeding to try and keep up with the rest as they drank more and more. even drinking to ones he'd never done to fit in a little. "That sounds fun."

—

Mackenzie had let go of the frustration she had been harboring with the younger girl. It had been more of a concern than anything, but here they were about to mattress surf and make good memories! Mack led her upstairs towards one of the spare bedrooms, "We can grab this one. I think it's perfect for mattress surfing." She started taking off the comforter, pillows, and sheets.

—

"I've lived out my Princess Diary dreams, you guys have fun. I'm going for the dots." Maybe not eating the way she was supposed to this past month was starting to catch up with her because all of this food seemed to be calling her name. Being a little buzzed didn't help either. Winter made her way to the counter with the ice cream and grabbed a random flavor before she came back to watch the goings on. She playfully reached over with her spoon towards the ghost at her side just to annoy him before she took another bite. "Thank you for bringing these."

—

Milo got up to help the girls. "Hey, Ray!" he called over his shoulder.

—

Ray smiled at Milo and moved to put his bottle down to come to help as well "Hey dude, you going to surf too?"

—

Alex waved and said, "Hey, Soup!"

—

As the others mingled, Cass helped Mack grab the mattress. It was big. Bigger than she'd really expected it to be. She had an embarrassingly limited experience with something as simple as mattresses, had only ever really slept on cots and couches when she could find them, and the ground when she couldn't. It felt heavier than she'd expected, too, but she wouldn't let Mack see it. After the mime fiasco, she desperately wanted Mack to think she was cool and normal and nice. She'd do anything for that, especially now. "Okay," she grunted, nodding. "I got a grip. Come on!" Afraid she'd drop the mattress if she took too long with it, she rushed forward pushing both Mack and the mattress along.

—

That zombie strength would have come in handy right about now. Mackenzie could tell she was footing a lot of the weight, but it was okay. Once they got it to the edge of the steps, they'd be good to go. The night was definitely going so much better than she could have imagined. Everyone was having a good time, and Mack was able to let loose for once and not feel so paranoid. As she moved forward, she could tell Cass was using all her strength and it was causing Mackenzie to stumble, "Hey, Cass, slow down just a little will you?" Okay, maybe they should have just drug the thing instead. As she kept walking, she felt Cass push again, but this time Mackenzie couldn't control the additional weight, and before she knew it, she was pushed into the railing, before the mattress gave her the final push she needed to go over the railing. Everything suddenly flashed back to the day she died on the set of Dropped. And as much as she wanted to scream or try to better prepare herself to land safely, all the training in the world couldn't help her. Instead, she hit the hardwood floor head first cracking her neck and back for the second time with a hard thud. And once again, the world went dark.

—

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just trying to..." Cass trailed off, unable to focus on both supporting the weight of the mattress and carrying on a conversation. She grunted a little, shoving the mattress forward again. This was the problem with having a huge house, right? So much more ground to cover. She didn't mean to shove the mattress into Mack... but that was exactly what happened. And then, Mack was losing her footing, was stumbling over the edge, and was hitting the ground with a crack that Cass thought would live in her mind forever. Her breath caught in her throat, and she dropped the mattress to run to the edge of the railing, looking over with a nauseous feeling tugging at her gut. There was Mack, laying on the floor below with cracks rippling out from the tile around her. Not moving, not breathing. For a moment, Mack was Kuma, was Debbie. Cass thought she might be sick. "Oh my god," she said, panic gripping her. "Oh my god. I didn't --- I didn't mean to. Oh my god. Nonononono."

—

Miyeon's hands clasped to her mouth, gasping as she saw Mack tumble over the side of the balcony. The sound of her neck cracking, the thud to the hard floor echoed through the house. For a moment, Miyeon was frozen in place, stunned by shock. Had she just watched someone die? Had she just seen Mack Ross /die/? Her heart was pounding in her chest and she ran over to see if the host was alright. She reached down to her splayed out wrist, trying to feel for a pulse. There was nothing. She could feel panic grip her, her breaths growing shorter. She didn't know what to do and, for once, she had no idea what to say.

—

If he’d have blinked, he would’ve missed it. But he hadn’t. It happened almost I’m slow motion. One second Mack was tipping over the railing, and the next she was crumpled on the floor below. “Oh, shit!” Chaisai exclaimed. Mack didn’t look good, but he couldn’t bring himself to step towards her. He could not be the sober one here. Responsibility was not his strong suit. He downed the remainder of his glass before taking a single, deliberate step towards his friend. “Uh, hey, Barbie. Get up, please. Please?”

—

One minute Winter was eating the delicious ice cream and enjoying the buzz and then the next all she heard was the sickening crunch of Mack literally landing on her head after falling from the balcony above. Everything went into slow motion, the Dippin' Dots slipping from her hands and landing on the ground while she stared at her friend laying there. She watched as one of the others went forward and checked for a pulse, rooted to the spot, and when it was obvious that there wasn't anything to feel she let a whimper leave her lips.

—

Milo had been going up the stairs to assist Mack and Cass. He wasn't incredibly strong or anything, but he figured another pair of hands couldn't hurt. He was about halfway up when he saw Mack tumble over her railing. There wasn't enough time for him to even try to react before she had hit the ground with a horrifying, stomach turning crack. He stared wide eyed at her body at the ground, neck bent at an unnatural angle, frozen for a moment before he came to his senses. "Oh my god," he breathed. This wasn't happening. This could not be happening.

—

Ray was turning to greet Alex as well when he heard the creak of the bannister, head swivelling back around he caught the very moment that Mack hit the ground. A guttural yell escaped Ray as he registered the bones he'd heard crunching and the sight of Mack on the floor. Dead. She had to be dead. He was stock still and unmoving as he whispered to Ryan in his head "Is she gone? Can you tell?" Looking to Miyeon as she checked for a pulse.

—

Nora knew she was drunk. Nora knew that alcohol buzzed in her vein, clouding her thoughts much like her time in the mines. But as Mack's neck cracked against the wooden floor, she had trouble grasping it. This couldn't be real right? This was just a joke? Wasn't Mack proud of her acting skills? "Get up Mack, come on, it's not funny." Nora's words slurred as she spoke them. "Mack?" Nora tried to take a step forward, but the world was spinning around her. "Fuck." She said finally, sitting down on the floor, giving up on movement. "Not again."

—

Alex had been sipping her drink and watching Cass from afar as she helped Mack get the mattress over to the stairs. Everything happened so fast that she couldn't even get a word out before Mack was tumbling over the balcony and a crack was echoing in her ears. She automatically tuned in on Cass, who's heartbeat was moving more rapidly with every second and quickly leapt up to go over to her. It was an accident and Alex was a bit stunned that someone was dead but she had to make sure Cass was alright. "Hey," she said softly, "You didn't mean to, it was an accident. Just breathe slowly, ok?" She placed a hand on Cass's back and tried to rub soothing circles despite the fact she felt like she was going to be sick. There was a slight tremble in her fingertips that she hoped wasn't felt by the oread. The whimper that left Winter's lips told her everything she needed to know.

—

Alex was there in a heartbeat, standing in front of Cass and telling her to breathe. Breathe, like Mack wasn't. Because Cass had killed her. The panic was all-encompassing, to the point that she didn't hear Nora's muttered 'not again,' didn't register Miyeon checking Mack for a pulse, and didn't take note of Winter's whimper. All that existed was the body on the floor and the fact that Cass had put it there. She tried to look at Alex, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from the corpse. She couldn't focus on anything else. "I killed her. I killed Mack Ross. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

—

Miyeon had never seen anyone die. She couldn't comprehend it. It didn't make sense. One moment Mack was there and now she wasn't. She was gone. And all that was left was a dead body that Miyeon was crouching next to. Oh god, that was a dead body. She scooted away on the floor and wrapped her arms around her knees, pulling herself in on herself. "Wh--what do we do?" her voice cracked even at a whisper. "She-- she--she..." Miyeon gulped trying to find her next words. "She's dead." Miyeon couldn't tell if she wanted to scream or cry or simply curl into a ball and disappear. Maybe all of them at once.

—

"What do we do?" Winter was still rooted to the spot, her voice a horse whisper as if anything above that would break even more in the room. What did they do? When Mack disappeared from her life months before she had been pissed at the girl but still thought she would see her again and now...now she was definitely gone. She could feel tears welling up but she refused to let them fall. No, they had to figure this out. There was no time for crying.

—

Another crisis for Cass. Nora was grateful Alex was there helping her. Nora wanted to help too, but her legs had buckled under her. Why had she drunk so much? No one else had drunk as much as her? That was so dumb of her. "We dispose of the body." Nora answered. Cass wasn't going to jail for this. They weren't going to jail cause of a dumb accident. "And we never talk about it again." Which, in her drunk slur, sounded silly and not at all serious like the moment intended.

—

He didn't know what to do, wasn't sure he was breathing. Everything the others were saying sounded muffled under the sound of his blood rushing. This couldn't be happening. She had to be okay. There was no way they had all just watched Mack Ross die. He stumbled down the stairs, wanting to check her pulse- Miyeon had to be wrong- but once he was standing there, staring over at her, he couldn't get himself to move any closer. No. No, no, no, no, no. He wasn't sure if he had said it aloud. He couldn't- This couldn't be happening again. His head snapped up at Nora's suggestion, though. "What?! We can't just- This isn't- We have to tell someone! I'm not going-" Milo couldn't get the words out. He wasn't going along with this, this wasn't going to be another fucking death pit situation.

—

Of all the things that could have been suggested, that was not what Winter had expected. Immediately she snapped, her eyes finally leaving Mack as she turned her head towards Nora. "What the fuck? Maybe we call a fucking ambulance? We could be wrong, right?" Even if they weren't wrong, and there was no way they were, Mack still deserved more than a fucking body dump.

—

Alex had hardly had anything to drink, but the suggestion still made her feel sick to her stomach. Even if it was an accident, they'd been underaged and drinking and she couldn't see it shaking out well for Cass. It felt shitty. Mack was her friend. It was new, sure, but they were giving the whole friendship thing a try even if it was new to both of them. But it was Cass and she couldn't let her go to jail. All she could do was nod and move her hand to take Cass's in her own instead. The silent gesture said more than words could, it let her know that Alex was going to be there no matter what they had to do.

—

Ray finally got control of his feet but couldn't get them to do anything useful - especially when all his body really screamed for him to do was run away. But he always ran away. He had to stop. But what were they going to do? Were they actually going to dump a body? "Is that the only way?" he wondered quietly looking to Nora and finally tearing his eyes away from the corpse.

—

Everything was muffled. Words were jumbled. Nothing made sense. But there was a brightness. The lights above. Mackenzie could recognize light. She could recognize that there were other people around her, but everything felt off. She couldn't move. At least not at the moment. But she knew her body was doing something - healing itself. And with the healing came an insatiable need to feed. She was soooo hungry. Food was all that mattered and the room she was laying in currently held many options. Easy pickings. Who first? The little one on the floor? The two on the balcony. She could make out blurs of shapes as her eyesight started to come back. The ones on the floor would be the easiest, because right now her legs and neck were not working. Groaning slightly, she started to move her arms. Things were starting to work, but pitifully. Grunting, Mackenzie began crawling towards Nora. Fitting, since she had just suggested dumping her body, but Mack didn't hear that. All she knew was food. Nothing logical, since she was still in her infancy and dumb as a box of rocks.

—

"I don't want to go to jail. Oh god. Oh my god. They're gonna --- They'll put me in ---" She couldn't even form a thought. What would happen to her? This wasn't some random person Cass had killed. This was a movie star, someone famous, someone loved. There was no way they'd do anything less than throw the book at her. The public would hate her. She'd rot in prison. And then what? What even happened when someone not human was arrested? Were there protocols in place, rules? Would they lock her in a special cell, or would they just kill her? She didn't want to find out. "We can't! If we call for an ambulance, they'll --- We're going to get in trouble and I don't --- We should --- We should promise not to tell. We should..." The body groaned. Mack groaned. And moved. Crawling towards Nora, looking... hungry? "What the fuck is happening?"

—

Of course, Mack had been acting. What kind of fucking play was everyone working on? Nora watched as the body groaned and started crawling towards her. "Come on Mack. We get it. You're an actor, you're sooo good at playing dead. What is all of this?" Because Nora, despite accepting the supernatural, despite being trained by a slayer, wouldn't consider something as supernatural as the undead at a Barbie's Dream House Party.

—

“Dispose of the body?” Chai echoed, incredulous. “Cave girl, we cannot do that. We should probably—we should—I don’t know what we should do.” Should they call the police? It was an accident, no one should get in trouble for that. But the potential for underage drinking was there, he figured, looking around at the group. Would that be a problem? “We can’t throw her away,” he insisted. A feeling of dread snaked its way up his spine. images of his friend being struck by lightning flashed across his mind and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked back towards their friend— their dead friend—and suddenly the corpse moved. “Holy shit. Nope. Nope.” With that, he turned away, heading for the kitchen. He was definitely too sober for this.

—

Fuck. Milo plopped onto the ground. He was shaking and his chest was stuttering and he wasn't breathing properly, and already he could feel that familiar tingling underneath his skin. He needed to breathe. He couldn't lose control here. But then Mack's body started moving, scaring the ever loving shit out of him, and a lamp went flying across the room, shattering against the wall. "What the fuck?!"

—

Alex usually hated her sense of hearing, but in that moment, she was grateful that she was quick to realize Mack was moving. She had been dead and now she was moving with a hungry look in her eyes. She honed in on the sounds coming from Mack and notably a heartbeat was not one of them which could only mean one thing. Shit. Mack was undead and while she didn't know much, that meant she was probably as ravenous as Alex was on the full moon. Did she know she was undead? Alex hoped so, that would mean she had a stash of food for herself somewhere, but she had to be quick. "Cass, Nora," she directed, "You keep an eye on Mack. Do not let her get close to you or anyone else until I get back. Got it?" If anyone could handle a hungry undead, it would be the giant bear and the superhero, even if the former was more than a little intoxicated and the latter in a state of shock.

—

Again, a noise had her head snapping in another direction only to find Mack moving. How the holy… Winter couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening right now and even with Nora's words she felt her stomach drop. Even if Mack was an actor she knew better than to think she would pull something like this on everyone here. Winter might have but not her, right? The lamp flying across the room elicited a scream. With everything happening she was super jumpy. "What the actual fuck?!?"

—

Ray muffled a scream when the body started to move again. She'd been dead. She'd been confirmed dead. In a panic, wanting to get everyone away from whatever was happening he rushed for Nora and scooped her off the floor and moved them rapidly away from Mack. "What's going ON?"

—

A lot was going on. All of it was confusing. Fear was an intoxicating snack for Nora, and she reveled in the sweet snacks of her friends as they all freaked out. For what? Mack's acting wasn't even that good. She just fell and played dead. A sober Nora, one who could read a room and pay attention to many facts, may have picked up on the true seriousness of this situation, but Nora was really into making a fool of herself lately. Ray was picking her off the floor and pulling her away from the crawling Mack, but Ray was a runner. He would be scared of anything. Nora patted his arm gently, there, there. This wasn't even scary.

—

Alex figured if there was a stash of blood in the manor, it wouldn't be in the main fridge she had guests going into. If that had been the case, someone would have already called Mack out on it. There had to be another fridge somewhere. Maybe her bedroom, basement, or garage. The size of the house had seemed cool before, but now it seemed overwhelming. She was 5'1" and while she was quick, that was a lot of ground to cover. She wasn't sure she'd be able to pick up on the smell, but maybe she'd be able to hear the hum of another refrigerator. She normally tuned that out, but she ripped her ear plugs out and closed her eyes to get a sense of what direction to go in. She ran as fast as her feet could take her down the stairs, shuffling around rooms until she found the two refrigerators. In a rush, she ripped the doors open on both, breaking the door off the one that seemed to be for human food. Well, at least if she had this many fridges it wouldn't be an issue to replace later. She quickly gathered as many containers of brains and body parts as she could and flew back up the stairs. As she reached outside, one of the containers fell on the ground, but she couldn't be bothered to stop and instead raced toward Mack. She quickly knelt down and took the lid off one of the tupperware with brains. She handed it to Mack carefully. "Here," she said softly, "You'll feel better after you eat this. I can grab and send someone down to crab more, too. Cass or Nora won't be freaked out by it."

—

Mackenzie heard the voice yelling at her. She still couldn't make out the words. The only thing on her mind was eating. She needed her strength. She needed food. Nora looked like a mighty tasty blur. As she pulled herself forward with her arms dragging herself across the floor, Mackenzie groaned louder, before the word food escaped her mouth. She saw another human figure scoop up her prey. Growling in anger, Mackenzie felt her strength grow along with a healing crack of her back. Pushing herself up off of the floor to her knees and then to wobbly feet, the actress grabbed her head and cracked her neck back into place, "Hungry..." Looking around, her eyes hazy and glazed over, she spotted Winter and started to move towards her.

—

Miyeon thought she was shocked before but then the dead body moved. Mack Ross was dead on the ground one second and then standing up the next. She didn't move. Other than her jaw hanging open in shock, her eyes stuck to the girl who was definitely up and walking after she snapped her neck. She was frozen in place, trying to hold her legs tighter to keep from shaking. She was one second away from just turning into a fox. It might be the only way she could figure out how to move. "Someone t-tell me what is going on?" she whimpered. A lamp crashed and made her jump out of her shock. Yeah, fuck this, she didn't care who knew or who saw what. A burst of smoke surrendered Miyeon and in her place was a small fox, scurrying away to Nora, hiding behind her legs.

—

Keep an eye on her? Why? Cass wasn't thinking logically, but she trusted Alex. "I'll make sure she's okay," she said, moving towards Mack cautiously. She crouched down next to the movie star, reaching out to put a hand on her arm just as Alex rejoined the party with... tupperware? "I don't think she wants a snack, Alex," she said with uncertainty.

—

Winter was having a psychotic break, that was the only explanation. First a ghost was following her around, one who looked decidedly amused at this point, and now her friend was coming back from the dead and snapping her neck into place while things flew across the room on their own. She had to be in some room back home making this up in her head. Did she miss Mack that much? Now a person was a fox? Yea, she had lost it. That was all there was to it.

—

Alex realized how close Cass was to Mack and whispered urgently, "You need to back up, Cass. She needs the snack. It's not a human thing."

—

"Alex, I don't think this is a good time for flirting," Cass replied uncertainly. "She's hurt."

—

Chaisai pounded a glass and re-entered the crime scene in time to see Alex return with…leftovers. He turned to ask anyone else what the hell was happening when he saw something that caught him off guard. “Is that a fox?” he asked no one in particular. “What is even happening tonight?” All of this had to be some immense prank, and it wasn’t very funny. The fox seemed out of place, too.

—

Milo saw Alex returning with tupperware, and noticed the one that had fallen had opened to reveal what appeared to be a brain. Fuck this town. "What the fuck is wrong with this town?" Milo shuddered at the sound of Mack's neck snapping back into a normal position, pulling himself up and away from the zombie??? Only to see Miyeon disappear and a fox to appear in her place. What the fuck?!?!?

—

Alex shook her head. "I'm not flirting with you, Cass," she retorted in a hushed voice, "Mack is a zombie. If she doesn't eat what I just gave her she's probably gonna eat everyone at this party. And no, still not flirting. I mean literally, not in a fun way."

—

Ray felt Nora pet him on the arm but he was very busy watching Mack for what she was going to do next. He didn't let up his hold on the bugbear for a second, she was clearly too far gone and needed to stay away. This wasn't right, there was something going on here. The sickening crack of her neck going back into place made his stomach turn as the others started to put themselves between Mack and the Party.

—

Nora's head swam. Ray was panicked, Miyeon was a fox between her legs, Winter, that was her name right? Her ghost looked like he was having fun. That was nice. Ghosts deserve to have fun. Alex was giving instructions. Did Nora need to go get something? What did Nora need to go get? Maybe she would never drink again. Maybe having control of her conscious thoughts was a lot better then the fuzz that settled it now, even if it worked. In this confusion, she'd forgotten to think about her body and the mines.

—

A zombie? Mack Ross was a zombie? Had she always been a zombie? Cass's brow furrowed as she looked at the tupperware in Alex's hands a little closer. Brains. Okay, so the zombie thing wasn't a new development. Her eyes scanned the room --- Nora, drunk and confused with a fox that... probably had to be Miyeon hiding behind her. Winter, having a breakdown in a way that was totally not how Cass liked to meet new people. Chai and Milo, both looking more than a little lost. Ray, watching it all unfold. Was this what parties were always like? "Um, okay. Mack Ross is a zombie. Cool. Okay. Sure. What the fuck?"

—

Mackenzie had noticed Cass coming towards her. Food that was right in her path was so much easier than the person freaking out on the other side of the room. Reaching out, she moved in the direction of Cass before grabbing her and pulling her in closer with extreme strength. Leaning her newly healed neck to the side, she opened her mouth wide and laid into Cass's shoulder with a hard bite. However, whatever she bit into wasn't budging. Mack growled in frustration as she gnawed on what felt like a rock. Angry, she pushed Cass as hard as she could out of the way, before smelling the brains that Alex had brought up from downstairs. Turning her attention on the werewolf, she started moving towards Alex, "Brains..." She reached out trying to grab the food that wasn't quite in her reach yet.

—

Nora picked the fox up. The fox was soft. Nora buried her face in the soft fox coat. This was a fun party, she thought, enjoying more tasty fear snacks.

—

"Hey!" Cass screeched in a damn good impression of a banshee, jumping back as Mack Ross's zombie teeth tried to take a bite out of her shoulder. "You're gonna rip my shirt!" She hadn't broken the skin --- Cass's skin was pretty hard to break, after all --- but her shirt was all wet with zombie slobber now. Gross. At least the brains seemed to spark something. Cass grabbed the tupperware from Alex, much more content to put her hard-to-bite hand in the line of fire than risking Alex meeting the zombie's teeth, and thrust it towards her. "Here!"

—

Alex rushed towards Cass when she realized Mack was about to bite her only to let out a breath of relief when that didn't go according to plan. Even though Cass always had a certain radiance about her, it was easy to forget that she was stone and magma underneath it all. Before she could reach out to nudge the container towards Mack, Cass was already doing so. She was grateful the oread had caught on and she quickly looked to inspect her. "Are you ok?"

—

Miyeon was moving. Oh god, the world was moving and she was getting taller all a sudden. Then she realized there were hands grabbing her. Hands that smelled like Nora's. Oh, okay, she was petting her. That was fine. She snuggled into her friend. It definitely felt like the safest option. The wolf girl and rock girl could take care of the not dead girl.

—

"I'm okay," Cass assured Alex, turning to let her look at the shoulder in question. "See? No harm done." She directed the last part towards Mack, too, knowing that if their roles were reversed, she'd want to make sure she hadn't hurt anyone. Glancing over to where Nora had Miyeon, she was pleased to see the both of them safe, too. And the boys all looked alright, which mostly left... "Um... Hey, Winter? Are you, uh... How are you doing?"

—

Mackenzie yanked the brain out of the container and started to sloppily shove it in her mouth. Dropping to the floor, she consumed the brain without savoring it knowing it wasn't going to do much considering she had just died AGAIN. When she was finished, she could automatically feel things start to make sense again, but she still had a need to feed, "Alex...food. Want more food." She looked up at the person she knew to be Alex.

—

Ray was stunned as things started to seem to wind down again. It felt like a fever dream. "Uhm excuse me but ...what the actual fuck?"

—

The sight of Mack biting another human was the icing on the cake of this whole night, Winter leaning back against the wall and nodding at whoever was talking to her. "Oh, I'm so good right now." Even in times of crisis sarcasm tended to take over but there was less bite than usual in her tone. Her gaze kept flicking between Mack and the fox and then to the person Mack had bit. Cass...they were the one who had asked, right? "What is going on?"

—

Milo knew necromancy was a thing, but he wasn't sure what the fuck all of this was. This seemed proper Night of the Living Dead zombie shit. "Yeah, seconding that. What the fuck? Also, she just bit you, Cass???"

—

Now that she was a tall fox, Miyeon was able to see the ghost floating around Winter. Her little kitsune stomach started to grumble. And the nachos were not going to cut it. She tilted her little head and made a small little yip, asking to be let down. She wanted a snack, too. And she didn't want the gross-smelling whatever it was that Mack was eating. She was just going to eat a little bit of the ghost, it would be fine.

—

“She, um, she didn't bite me very hard! Didn't even break the skin!" Cass rubbed at her shoulder, pretending it hurt. "It'll just be a bruise, that's all." She looked to Mack with uncertainty. She thought she was probably up to speed now, but it wasn't really up to her to tell everyone else, was it? If Mack wanted a lie... well, she'd need someone other than Cass to tell it.

—

Alex was relieved that the only damage done was some slobber on Cass's shirt. "Okay, good," she said, reaching to give Cass's hand a squeeze before returning her attention to Mack. Cass was checking in on the others and Mack was devouring the brain from the container. Alex quickly grabbed another and shoved it towards the zombie. "Here," she said. She looked for Nora in the crowd and saw her holding a... fox? The fox girl thing suddenly made sense. Huh. And everyone else had a lot of questions that Alex had no idea how to answer, so she looked to Mack, hoping she'd have her fill enough soon to give whatever the PR reason for this would be.

—

Nora, face still pressed to the softest fox she'd ever held, was sad to let Miyeon go. But Nora had always lived by the motto, animals only stayed as long as they wanted. That went with her new friend too. Nora put the fox down. "It wasn't very cool of Mack to bite Cass like that. They should take away her Emmy. Crimes against Cass."

—

"Also, can we address the fact that Miyeon turned into a fox because." Fuck, she had said something about a fox girl at the last party. Milo had thought she was just a furry, he didn't think he meant she was a literal fucking fox!

—

Alex looked around and shrugged, "Uh.... We're all just really drunk?"

—

Milo gave Alex a look. "Bestie..."

—

Alex stifled a laugh under the pressure. "Okay, you got me there," she relented, "But I am very specifically not Mack Ross' PR so I will let her explain her stunts."

—

"I had one cup." She whispered the words, now spotting the fox nibbling on the ghost following her around but Winter wasn't very concerned about that even if he seemed to be. Wait, the fox was biting the ghost? Was that normal?

—

Ray made a face and leaned down to mumble to Nora "Are there other people here that are...like you and stuff too?"

—

Chaisai could feel the anxiety begin to ebb away. “This is a really weird prank.” Something deep in the pit of his stomach tugged at him, told him that something stranger than a prank was at hand here. “Wait, where did she go?” The fox could not be their friend. “I’m not drunk either,” Chai said, agreeing with Winter. “So are we all like, weird here, or is it just…” He let the question hang in the air, looking from Mack to the fox and back.

—

Fox Miyeon was running towards Winter, which seemed like a bad idea. Winter was already having some kind of a breakdown. Cass wanted to tell Miyeon that maybe she should take it easy, but... There was so much going on. It was a little hard to figure out what she should be focusing on. She looked to Mack, chewing her lip for a moment and offering her a small nod. However Mack wanted to play this, Cass would follow along. She owed her that much after tossing her off a balcony.

—

Mackenzie consumed the other brain enjoying all the meaty bits of it. Finally, something more satisfying was happening. She started to feel like her old self. Memories came flooding back. Names started to slowly come back. And when she realized where she was at and vaguely what was happening, she knew she had to go back downstairs. If she didn't eat enough, they were all going to be scrambling for their lives again, except Cass, who was surprisingly tough. Looking around, she could feel emotions again and that sucked harder than the fox sucking on the ghost. Without words, she stumbled downstairs and towards the room with the fridge. The door was gone, but that was okay. It didn't matter at this point. She just wanted the contents.

—

Miyeon trotted off towards the ghost, but it was a little too far away. She leaped onto a chair and then hopped onto the table and was about to take a little nibble of plasmic energy when she heard her name and her ears swiveled towards the source, turning to see that it was Milo. Oh. Right. Whoops. She did sort of shift in the middle of a party, didn't she? She hadn't even thought about it long enough to weigh the consequences. Between the not-dead dead body and the flying lamp and the buzz of the sangria, she sort of didn't have the time. Cool cool cool. She should probably shift back. But her clothes were in the middle of the room. Uh, the tablecloth was going to have to do. She nuzzled her nose under the edge of the fabric and shoved as much of herself as she could underneath it before poofing back into her human form, wrapping the tablecloth around her to try and cover up as much as she could. "Um, don't ask. Can you hand me my clothes, Milo? Please?" She saw the looks she was getting. Yup, okay, this was fine. "Literally don't worry about it. What's going on with Mack? Is she dead? Is she not? What is going on?"

—

"Fair enough, I guess." Though Alex did seem to be the one who knew what the fuck was going on. Seeing another poof of smoke followed by Miyeon poking her head out from under the table just confirmed his suspicions. She had definitely turned into a fox, then. And Mack had just wandered off??? "Seems like we're all weird here, yeah," Milo nodded, a bewildered look on his face as he gathered Miyeon's clothes. His hands were still shaking, but the events of the past few minutes were so fucking weird that he wasn't freaking out as much. That was a plus. As he neared the table, he averted his gaze, feeling incredibly awkward as he held out the bundle of clothes in his hand.

—

Chaisai covered his eyes out of respect, despite this bewildering turn of events.

—

Nora watched Mack consume a brain. Maybe this wasn't acting. Maybe this was. Nora didn't know, but Miyeon was naked now and it felt like a real television party suddenly. Nudity was always included in those.

—

Miyeon said "Thanks," and took her clothes back and ducked behind the counter to quickly throw them back on.

—

Mackenzie made her way through quite a bit of the food she had stored up, and when she was finished everything felt normal again. Well as normal as dying in front of your friends, coming back and trying to eat them, and then consuming brains in front of them could be. FUCK. They had just seen all of that. They knew what she was. Winter knew what she was. Walking back upstairs, she quietly stood at the doorway. With "Dance The Night" from the Barbie soundtrack blasting in the background, Mackenzie knew she had to follow the lyrics of the song and present herself with poise. She had done this before, right? This was part of life in the spotlight. Fuck, fuck, fuck. "Hey guys...so, uh, what'd I miss..." Her smile was uneasy; mouth covered in slime and other things; skin pale; and her eyes still somewhat white and glazed with the skin on her neck bruised from previously being broken.

—

"We're all weird here..." It was all starting to sink in and Winter glanced at her ghost in time to see the fox had turned back into a person. If she had a ghost and he had been told all of her life about mediums it would have been ignorant to think that other things didn't exist, right? It was a lot all at once so she let her body slide down the wall so she could take a seat and breathe a little. "What did you miss?"

—

Milo couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you died, and freaked everyone out so much that someone turned into a fox, so." He snorted. "I'm so sorry. This is just fucking nuts, and I've felt like I've been going insane lately. Came here to get away from that, but I should've known better in this town." He took a few breaths. "Sorry. I'm glad you're okay? I guess? Also, sorry about your lamp."

—

Ray finally let Nora go, taking a deep breath. It seemed Mack was back to...normal felt like too big of a stretch for the moment. Everyone had secrets it seemed. He wanted to go to bed. He didn't quite know what to say to Mack or anyone really. "There's bits of glass on the floor from the lamp watch out?" he offered instead of anything of substance. "Got a brush?"

—

Alex nodded as the group seemed to acknowledge they were all weird in some way. A few years ago, that would freaked her out and even though she struggled with how she saw herself, something about this band of weirdos made her feel a little more okay about it. "Guess we are," she said nonchalantly. She gave Mack a knowing look as she returned and simply nodded. They could discuss *that* later.

—

The fact that this had all been happening while the Barbie movie soundtrack had been playing was just the icing on the disaster cake. Milo rushed to help Ray as the other went to clean up the mess. "I can get it. My fault anyway."

—

Miyeon tilted her head as she looked back at Milo. "Wait, that was your fault?" she asked. She had kind of assumed it was the ghost. "Okay so like you missed a lot. Sort of maybe because you died. I don't know. But like there's a lot going on here. Clearly." She looked over at Milo, Winter, Nora, Cass, Alex, and her gaze landed on Mack last. "Um, but, I guess everyone's okay? Mostly? Are we good? Is it time to keep partying now?" She wasn't sure what she hoped the answer was going to be if she was honest.

—

Chaisai sighed. This night got weird quickly. “Alright. Never have I ever died. Anyone else? Never have I ever turned into an animal. Can we talk about what the fuck is happening? Where’s Ashton, ‘cause it feels like we’re being punk’d. Is this Celebrity Pranks?”

—

Ray dropped to a knee next to the shattered lamp and shook his head lightly "Don't worry dude it's-...your fault? What do you mean..." he trailed off for a second before mumbling to the other "I need something to do with my hands anyway, I'm still a bit spooked to be honest." he showed Milo the slight tremble in his fingers with an awkward smile. "I'm not made for excitement like this..."

—

Winter pointed to Chaisai. "That. All of that."

—

Oh, shit. Well. He hadn't really been thinking when he'd admitted to that. "Uhhh... Don't worry about it?" His voice was uncertain as he repeated Miyeon's earlier words. Milo nodded at Ray, raising one of his own shaking hands. "Me either, dude." Chai's words made him burst out into another fit of laughter, though. "Again, I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh."

—

Mackenzie was ashamed, embarrassed, but more than anything scared. Would they know that she was the one who killed Brody? If she had a heartbeat, it would be pounding so hard right now. She watched as Milo and Ray went to clean up the lamp, "It's fine...It's uh, don't worry about it." She glanced around the room seeing the mess and chaos that had ensued while she was out of it. Everyone was stressed and scared and laughing? Barbie Sleepover had gone to Barbie Nightmare in a heartbeat. Ironic choice of words of course, "Um...look I know...I know this is probably a shock to you all..." She noticed Nora looking unamused, "some...I just, I'm asking if you guys could not tell anybody...please. My life depends on this being kept quiet. I did some things that I hate myself for, and...it's the whole reason I'm here in Wicked's Rest. You don't have to talk to me...or acknowledge my existence anymore after this, if you never want to see me again, but...all I ask is if you...could just please, please not say anything..."

—

Alex was glad she didn't have her drink on her, though on technicality, she wasn't sure a werewolf counted as an animal. That was definitely more turning into a monster. She chuckled nervously and found her way back to Cass. They were all a little weird, but she wasn't sure she was necessarily ready to broadcast that she was a werewolf specifically.

—

Mack was upset. And Cass still felt a little responsible for it, given the fact that she was the one who'd knocked the movie star off the balcony. If she hadn't done that, no one would know anything at all about what Mack was. So Cass looked at her friends, and nodded. "Okay," she said decisively. "Everyone has to promise. Right here, right now. Look at me, and promise not to say anything about this to anyone not at this party."

—

Nora may have still been drunk, but she trusted Cass. So when Cass gave an instruction, Nora was the first to look at her and make the promise. Nora knew Cass was only asking this for a good reason.

—

Ray looked up with a handful of lamp shards "I promise."

—

Chaisai looked at Mack, confusion crossing his face. His brow furrowed. He didn’t quite understand what was happening here if he were being honest, but he nodded slowly. “Sure. Promise.”

—

Miyeon nodded. She knew that there was no way she was going to put any of this into any sort of journalistic anything. And not even just because they could all blackmail her with the turning into a fox thing. No, this was the sort of secret that you just kept. Supernatural stuff. Her parents may have kept most of it from her but they did tell her that much, that things were safer when the whole world didn't know about the strange things lurking just beneath the surface. And who was she to argue? "I promise."

—

Alex didn't need to be asked twice. She vaguely understood the binding thing, but even so, it didn't matter. Cass was asking her to make a promise and if Cass asked, then the answer was always yes. "I promise," she said without a shred of hesitation.

—

Milo narrowed his eyes, thinking back to the death pit. He didn't want to say anything, not that anyone would believe him if he told them that Mack Ross was a fucking zombie, but whatever magic Cass was using... Mack was clearly anxious and feeling miserable, though. He nodded. "Promise."

—

Winter was staring at Mack while she spoke. She wasn't planning on saying anything about this to anyone anyway but how could she when her friend was obviously very upset about all of this and needed some reassurance. She rolled her eyes at the other asking them to promise, still a little shaky about it all, but she nodded anyway. "Promise."

—

Tears barely came out of Mackenzie's pale eyes as she watched everyone around the room promise not to say anything, "I'm so sorry. I just...wanted this to be soft and fun, and I fucked it up." Stammering and looking down for a minute, she took a beat and made a decision, "You can all go. Just...yeah." Mackenzie was defeated. Looking back down, she left the room leaving everyone to decide if they wanted to leave or stay. She didn't care anymore.

—

"And I promise, too," Cass added, nodding to each of them in turn. She crafted the bind carefully, tying the metaphorical knot around each person who'd said the words. They'd be safe now, just like they had been when she'd used the same method to ensure no one would ever find out about Debbie. Mack would be safe. Turning back to her, Cass ached with the look on her face. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm really sorry." But Mack left the room, and everything felt a little emptier than it had been before. "I, um... I'll go get Aria and Wynne. Tell them the party's done. I think we should all go home."

[fearhims3lf]

TIMING: A few weeks ago

PARTIES: @amonstrousdream @fearhims3lf

SUMMARY: Leila finds out who the mare was that haunted Cass.

WARNINGS: None

The Abstract was the place mares wandered next to beings of ethereal quality, picking out meals through glimpses into the physical realm. Mateo had never ventured much farther than that, knowing and respecting there are some boundaries that cannot be crossed and should not be tested. Besides, his hunger was in need of sating and that was his first priority.

“Hmm…” Mateo rocked back and forth on his feet, shaking his head at the brief glimpses of a potential meal. Not enough ingredients, he thought. He wanted more. “Maybe the next one,” Mateo muttered to himself, eyes still stuck to the preview as he began to move on. He bumped into a stranger, almost irritated until he caught a glimpse of how pretty she was. “Oh damn–my bad, ma.” Shuffling to the side, he smiled, tilting his head curiously. “Never seen you here before. Who are you?”

The Astral was one of the few places where Leila really did feel like a ghost. Mares were nothing but whisps of shadow flitting from place to place, following the sugary scent of dreams wherever it led them. For a long time, she had never really paid attention to the place. By the time she had become ethereal and gone hunting for a meal, she was absolutely starving. Metzli had put a stop to that. Nightmares had become more of a regular thing- a necessary evil in order to keep surviving. Without the blindness that came with hunger, she could meander freely and see more than just her next meal. 

Which was important. Especially now that Cass was being tormented by someone. Now, the astral was a place where she stood vigil as well. Leila could still remember the nights of terror that slowly drained the life from her, and she wouldn’t let that happen to their kid… Well, no, not theirs… She and Metzli were just looking out for and taking care of the girl. But she wouldn’t let anyone else hurt her. Neither of them would. 

She was trying not to let the intoxicating smell of dreams drag her away from her post. But little by little, she strayed, dreamy eyed and lost in the astral. Until someone bumped into her and sent her mind reeling back to attention. A man. A mare. And friendly, surprisingly… Leila stared for a moment, surprise making itself evident on her face. She’d never encountered another mare in the Astral before… “Sorry, it was my fault. I should have watched where I was going… I’ve never seen anyone else in here before. My name’s Leila.”

“Nah, fam. You’re good.” Giving his best charming smile, Mateo looked Leila up and down, pocketing his hands. “Nice to meet you. I’m Mateo.” His eyes wandered to the ethereal space around them, and he shrugged. Leila wasn’t the first person he’d run into.

Hell, Inge was the first to stumble into him his first week in Wicked’s Rest, though he wasn’t even sure she resided in the town. She very well could be in a neighboring town, or even state, but only time would tell. Mateo was on a subtle search, waiting for her familiar face to pop up. Until then, all he could do was be on the lookout.

“Wait.” Mateo took a step back, surprised. “You really never seen anyone else? Shit, you’re probably the second homie I’ve run into since I moved to town.”

Fam. A younger mare by the sound of it. But it did beg the question of if mares were, in fact, some strange family by way of the dust that ran through their veins. Leila hadn’t ever had cause to question it- but now, after meeting several of her own kind in the span of what felt like a blink in her life, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“Er- no… not until coming to Wicked’s Rest, at least. And in the Astral, not once, not ever.” Her fingers wound and pulled themselves together, a modicum of control that brought her a little peace. If her fate was out of her control, at least she had control over herself. Who she was, how and when she fed, how she acted… it was a fight against being what she had become. And Leila was determined to win. 

She’s never been caller homie before… a first. “Maybe Wicked’s Rest is a hotspot for people like us…” Her voice was nothing more than a murmur as she contemplated it. But the clouds of her own thoughts vanished and bright red twinkled back at bright red. “It’s nice to know I’m not alone.”

“You ever just chill in here? It’s peaceful as hell. My brother taught me how nice it is.” Mateo smiled fondly, reminiscing silently for a moment before returning his attention to Leila. She looked uncomfortable, in a way. If her hands were any indication, at least. It was similar to what Mateo did to calm down. Wringing his hands together felt as close to a relaxing massage as he could get at any random time. 

Mateo breathed, tapping his chin as he began to peruse again. He waved Leila to follow, welcoming her to join in on a meal. He’d done it before with his brother and figured it was the friendly mare thing to do, especially in a place like Wicked’s Rest. Or a hot spot, as Leila called it. “Yeah, might be a beacon. Been having fun honestly.” 

Humming to himself, Mateo spotted a familiar cave, looking a bit miffed. “There’s so many people to feed from. Like this chica.” He jutted his thumb toward a sleeping Cass. It wasn’t possible for another visit thanks to whoever helped her mare-proof the place. Assholes. Mateo rolled his eyes, “She’s got real problems. Kinda sad I only got to visit once.”

The man spoke and left her with a million more questions. Who willingly spent time in the astral? The idea of being surrounded by dreams at all times felt overwhelming. Leila had only just gotten a handle on spending more time in that strange place between dreams and waking. But what puzzled her more was a brother. Had a nightmare fed upon two people, gorging itself on every terror it could before two hearts stopped beating in the same home? Or was it a title of affection- another mare, made family by experience rather than blood… 

She followed after him, whoever he was, curiosity taking over all logical thinking. That was, until the cave came into view, and the gentle whisper of a dream tugged at her- a terrible invitation. One she could ignore now, thankfully. Besides, even if she were starving, the cave was safe from the likes of her. Safe from him, too… 

Or so she had thought.

Leila froze in place while the other mare spoke, red eyes rolling casually as he spoke about Cass like she was nothing. Like the pain he’d left her with, the terror and hurt he’d instilled in that poor girl was nothing. In another situation, she might have spoken rationally. Another time and place, another dreamer in another bed. But something snapped. His words were a match that unwittingly set a blaze. 

“You…”

Without a thought in her head, Leila lunged at the stranger. Not Cass, he’d hurt her Cass, Metzli’s Cass… Not again, though.

“Me?” Mateo quirked a brow, confused as to why there was a burning ire in her expression. She had seemed so innocent and sweet before, the energy changing in an instant. “Whatchu mean, fa—” There was no time to finish his sentence, his body being sent to the ground by Leila tackling him.

“Yo, ma, what the hell is your problem?” Leila was quickly shoved away effortlessly. She practically weighed nothing, standing at what, five feet? Mateo towered op ver her, at the very least. “If you wanna cut of a meal, all you gotta do is ask, but right now it’s a firm no.” He scowled at Leila, standing back up and dusting himself off.

“Besides, like I said, the little puta made it impossible to get into her crib.”

Leila was not an angry person. In life and in most of her death, it took a lot to get anything more than a bit of frustration out of her. But as she knocked Mateo to the ground, all she felt was rage. He hurt Cass. It was the only thought she could wrap her head around. He hurt Cass. The dreams that she fed on, that they fed on, the nightmares they created hurt people, whether or not they meant to. 

He shoved her aside as if she were nothing, sending Leila scrambling to get to her feet. In that moment, Leila didn’t notice how much taller the other mare was. She didn’t care that he was stronger. Her hands were balled up in fists as she marched right back up into Mateo’s face. “What’s my problem?” The words came out of her mouth like a snarl, eyes flashing like some wild thing. “I don’t want a cut of your meal, Salopard-” 

While she was by no means an expert in swearing in spanish, Leila knew what puta meant. Without another thought, she took a swing at him, her fist colliding with his jaw. “That girl is my family!” Her voice was hoarse with rage. “You want to call someone a puta? Mírame, connard. I have to protect her from meeting the same fucking fate I did! You want a meal, go find some asshole. But don’t you dare try to feed on her ever again.” 

Oh shit, this lady was mad. Now, Mateo had seen his fair share of angry women in his lifetime, most of them having charged out of room after messing up a bed, but never had a mare attacked him for doing what he was made to do. Mateo supposed it made sense. If it were his kid, or really, anyone in his family, fists would start flying immediately. That’s just what you did for your family. So when Leila’s fist made contact with his face, Mateo couldn’t help but feel impressed as his back hit the floor. 

“Damn, ma. That was a nice punch.” He rubbed at his jaw, face contorted with pain. When Leila began to make her speech though, Mateo rolled his eyes and began to stand up. If she was going to punch again, he’d be ready. “Look, how was I supposed to know she was your kid? I eat where I eat and don’t ask questions. Everyone gets nightmares, ma. It ain’t my fault hers were particularly tasty.” He hissed, crossing his arms and backing away in preparation for Leila to retaliate. And to leave, but he wanted to see how she reacted first. After that, Mateo was positive that he’d need to make a run for it before things got worse. Not like it’d be right to kill Leila for protecting her kid. Plus, she was pretty hot when she was angry. 

Maybe he could…no, no. Bad idea. 

She’s never been a violent person. She’d lived in fear of such harm coming to her. But Leila’s unlife was so very different from the life she’s lived two hundred years prior. Survival had become something to fight for. There was a difference, however, in fighting for herself to live and fighting to protect a loved one. She would hide and starve to save herself. But for her petits? The family that she had found for herself in the strange little town of Wicked’s Rest? She would go down swinging for any of them.

Leila rubbed at her knuckles, the feeling of bone against bone making the mare cringe. His argument was stupid. All nightmares were tasty to them. If there was terror in sleep, it was a meal to them. “I don’t care if she is the only meal left in this town. You do not eat from her. If you know other mares who even think about her, you tell them the same. She is not a meal to be made. She’s protected by me.”

Yeah, it was definitely about time to leave. Shit was getting boring, and as much of an asshole as he’d always been, Mateo knew better than to get between a mama bear and her cub. To both save his ass, and out of general respect. Fact was, Mateo could see Popa in Leila, and that made it harder to instigate her further. There was no fury like a mother’s, and Mateo had always been a mama’s boy. 

“Okay, okay, hot-shot.” He tried to keep playing his part, hiding the fact that Leila had indeed won in their little battle of the wits. It had been since the summer of ‘98 since Mateo had lost such a battle, and while he hated losing, he had to admit, Leila was a good opponent and he had a wicked streak. Oh well, he thought. Time to set a new record. 

“Guess I’ll just—” In a blink, Mateo disappeared with that grin he loved to tease others with. One that read, I had fun at your expense, with a snide tag of catch ya later!

He was gone in a flash, vanished from the astral. As to whether or not he would listen to Leila’s warning was a mystery to the mare. His attitude was so unbothered. But Cass would not be made a meal of, not on her watch. 

And so the mare sat and sat and sat outside of that cave, far into the night as the stars whirled past and the moon turned into day once more.

[honeysmokedham]

TIMING: July 18th LOCATION: in the mines People: Metzli @muertarte & Nora @honeysmokedham SUMMARY: Metzli comes to visit Nora in the mines to see why the girl is obsessed with the place. CONTENT WARNINGS: none

The way Nora spoke about the mines with a reverence that bordered on obsession was a cause for concern. As beautiful as the gems that covered her body were, Metzli wasn’t sure how safe she was. They needed to see for themself, experience what she spoke about so that they could be assured she wasn’t in danger. 

Nora had plenty of people that cared for her, but how many had actually ventured out to do this very task? Showed her the contents of their heart through action? Metzli wasn’t sure, but they were more than willing to try.

“Nora?” They called out, their voice echoing down into the darkness of the mines before fizzling into nothing more than silence. There was a hint of natural body odor, mixed with past due ham and stale dirt. Oddly enough though, they smelled Cass too. The familiar scent of sulfur and sediment was clinging heavily in the air, likely from how often she visited. But the other? Had to be Nora, Metzli thought, walking into the void until they managed to see a jagged and distorted figure in the distance. Even with their night vision, they couldn’t recognize the person in front of them, but the scent grew strong enough for Metzli to know it had to be Nora.

“I have come. Like you recommend.”

The mines were a holy place. A place of protection and safety. Nora was a simple acolyte in the worship of the mines. A simple jester in the court of its whims. Whatever the mines wanted of her, she would do. Nora knew what the mines wanted, because she could swear she heard it whispering in the crystals that wrapped around her body. The mines wanted more people. The mines wanted a city to have and to hold, until death did them part. Nora was loath to leave the mines, how could she when they gripped her so tightly, so she had taken to inviting people to come join her. 

“I have come. Like you recommend.”

Those words were a chorus of angels, singing their ascension into the mines heavens. Another potential disciple, come to see the most wonderful place to have existed. “Metzli.” Nora slid off the rock she’d been sitting on, gravitating closer to the entrance. Cass wasn’t in the mines at the moment, and Nora had found herself like a ghost haunting the empty mines with no clue what she was going to do. Now that another presence had entered the mines she found herself with a purpose again. Get people to stay in the mines. 

“Welcome.” Nora approached slowly, giving Metzli time to take in her appearance. The crystals. The monster within revealed outside. “Welcome to the mines. I hope you decide to stay. The mines welcome everyone.” 

With Nora finally turned to them, Metzli could get a good look at just how the mines had changed Nora. They’d seen the image she sent them, watched her during dinner, but there was something entirely different, something hauntingly beautiful about Nora being in the place that complemented her new form. Even still, Metzli could see there was an underlying tone of malice. Not the usual malicious energy Nora gave off to intimidate others. It wasn’t quite her own.

“Do not know if I can stay, but I will like to visit.” Finding a rock that seemed suitable enough, Metzli took a seat and glided their fingers gently over the jagged stone. It was unlike anything they’d seen before, and they didn’t know much about rocks like Cass did, but they knew what energy felt like. “Do you have enough food down here? I only brought a little.” Nora had always kept her ham in her pockets, so Metzli did the same when they packed it in a ziplock bag. “Here you go.” They handed it over, face unchanging as they asked a serious question.

“Why do you stay here?”

“I wish everyone would stay here.” It had been her heart's desire for what must have been a lifetime now. Every day, Nora was on the website asking people to join her in the mines, and everyday people were questioning what the point was. Some people might get tired of talking about the mines. Some people might find how repetitive and consistent a person could really get about a singular place to be tiresome and hard to keep describing over and over and over again. But Nora loved it. Nora figured she could read a dictionary if she ever ran out of the adjectives to describe the mines. But she only needed one. Perfect. 

“People have been bringing us food.” Nora admitted. It really spoke to the life that she and Cass had made here. People cared about the two of them. People wanted them to survive, even if they were whisked away in the mines. At another time, Nora would have reflected on that deeply. How touching that was. How it was everything she could have asked for. Currently, she could only wish that they stayed in the mines with them. “I will never say no to more food.” Because at the end of the day, Nora was a hungry one. Nora accepted Metzli’s offering with a nod of thanks, shoving the baggie of ham into her pocket, but not before a piece found its way into her mouth.

“Where else is there to go?” Nora asked, her monotone voice trying to convey how serious she was about the mines. “The mines are perfect. The mines are safe. The mines are the only place anyone needs to be. To leave would be to betray them. I wish you would stay. You could understand if you stayed.”

Nora’s wish felt like it came from deep within her, yet still so far away. The two hadn’t known each other very long, but Metzli didn’t take Nora to be the type to be so obsessive over something like a mine. For a few beats, the vampire pondered, scanning the surroundings and appreciating the beauty that Nora was speaking of as she pocketed the ham.

Taking a deep inhale, Metzli closed their eyes. They could’ve sworn they could hear a faint melody around them. As if the stone was singing to them, asking them to stay. The chorus swirled together in a gentle hum, practically lifting Metzli’s chest with its energy. No wonder Nora wanted to stay, encouraging others to do the same. It felt safe. It felt welcoming. But it wasn’t home. Not for Metzli.

“It is beautiful, yes.” Their eyes opened, landing on Nora gently. “But I was in something like a cave long time. It will only feel like home because you are here, but there is more to find outside. That is why I cannot stay. I am sorry.”

There was a reverberation in Nora’s crystal chest. It echoed up through her throat and against her crystal jaw each time she spoke. It was the voice the mines had given to her. It was the gift at a second chance, one she had to use to convince everyone to stay. The mines wanted people here. Didn’t they see? Didn’t they see how the mines would protect them.

“The mines want to be your home.” A tone of sadness touched Nora’s monotone. “Please, Metzli. They want you here. They want all of us here. It's not home because of me, or Cass. We’re just here enjoying the home that was offered. It’s home because the mines make room for us. Because it offers us shelter. Please, come deeper. I’ll show you. I’ll show you everything.” 

There were caverns of glowing crystals, and caverns of darkness. Every now and then the scent of a monster could be caught up ahead. A few times Nora had come face to face with another crystal beast just like her. They would stare at each other in silence before heading their separate ways, because they both understood. The mines were safe. 

The tinge of developing sorrow in Nora’s voice made Metzli’s throat tighten, guilt balling itself up and lodging there. She wanted to share something she loved so desperately, but the vampire would continue to deny her. There was something strange about the mines, something they couldn’t figure out. 

At the very least, Nora hadn’t been hurt, and if Cass was more than capable of taking care of herself and the young bear. Metzli did have to wonder, though. How did Cass not behave this way if she had been spending just as much time down in the mines?

“I do not want to go deeper, Nora. I want to go outside. What is so scary about outside that you hide in here? Are you not fear itself?”

“Scared?” Nora blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. She let the words wrap around her, as she tried to understand why Metzli would think Nora was scared. Is it because she kept saying the mines were safe? Nora blinked again, her eyes were getting dry from all the blinking. “I’m not scared of anything. I can go outside the mines. I went outside the mines for Cass’s birthday dinner.” 

Nora’s arms crossed her body, her right hand absently tracing the lines of the crystal going up her left arm. “It’s not fear that holds me here. It’s love. Lead by love, or something.” Nora glanced back into the depths of the mines, fondness filling every inch of her as she considered the mines. “I just really like it. It’s like ham. Other food is okay, but if I know ham is my favorite food, why would I eat it? The mines are the best place. Why would I go someplace else? It could be your favorite place too. If you let me show you.” 

Of course Nora wasn’t actually scared. It felt a bit stupid to think that was a possibility, but even still. There were holes in the logic. “But they call you back. You cannot stay away. It is…strange.” Brows furrowed, Metzli deep in thought as they tried their best to formulate a string of words that made sense, or at least struck a chord with Nora. “It is okay to love mines, but it changes when you cannot be something without it.”

When the word love was tossed in with the description of the mines, it was a little alarming, though the vampire wasn’t sure why. Or maybe they did. Because before Metzli had the time to think, words tumbled out of their mouth. “I love you but do not hold you to one place. Maybe I am…” They scratched their head, struggling with words. “Maybe I am confusion. I do not think I can understand, and I do not want to be shown what is deeper. I am sorry, Osito. I hope you are not mad.”

“Is it strange to go back to something you love?” Nora asked, tilting her head. Her tongue worked her lip ring, flipping it around in a circle as she considered. “You would always go back to Leila right? Because you love her?” Maybe Nora didn’t know much about love. Her dads were in love, the way they looked at each other often made Nora think that surely there wasn’t room for anyone else in their world. It was a look she’d often longed for someone to look at her with, but monsters were not made for love. Perhaps, it was like that with the mines? Maybe she could love the mines so deeply because she was a monster? Cass claimed she liked the mines, but did she actually? Or was she just happy to be where Nora was. 

“I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for the mines. You hear me when I say that, right? Look at me.” Nora turned again, showing off her gently glowing crystals in all their glory. “I think to love me, is to love the mines. Because the mines made me.” Nora wished she could understand why people were so hesitant about the mines. Why people told her to be weary? “I’m not mad. I just wish I could show you what I see. I just want to share my happiness.” 

“No. That is not strange part.” Metzli shook their head in disagreement. Of course they’d go back to Leila, and maybe Nora had a point there, but there still seemed to be something lacking in the logic. Yes, they looked forward to the evenings after a long day at work, but it wasn’t an obsession that conjured about the need to bring others toward her, to worship. Though most nights, Metzli was sure the way they treated Leila bordered pretty close.

“I am looking.” And they were, albeit with a tinge of worry pinching their brows together. Had Nora truly died? Would she die if she stayed away too long? That wasn’t something Metzli could let happen, if that was the case. “Maybe the mines make you this, but you are more than just the crystals on your body. I loved you before the mines and I will still love you now.”

“There is nothing strange about this. I have found a place to be happy. A place where I can be myself, a place where I can exist and be me. Be Nora. Don’t you see? People don’t get to be that lucky. I’m getting lucky. There is nothing strange about it.” Nora should have been aware that the strange part was the amount of words she used to defend her choice. How everything inside of her screamed for her to change for the mines, to become the perfect vassal of its wishes. That was strange.

“I love me now. I love me, like this. I want everyone to feel that about themselves. You could too. You could feel this, Metzli. You could be happy here. Everyone can be happy here. You can bring Leila. Wouldn’t that be nice? We could all be down here together. We could have dinner together everyday. Just think about it, please? Just promise me you’ll think about it.”

Metzli tilted their head curiously, growing concern pinching their shoulders together. Their back straightened, mind unsettled at the way Nora’s obsession was altering her. Whatever the crystals were doing, it was so obviously not reflective of what Metzli knew Nora to be, and they were fairly certain that the image they had was accurate. Nora was fiercely honest about who she was, acceptance necessary for any sort of mutual respect to be cemented. 

The crystals were altering her, bidding her to practically beg. Another thing Metzli knew Nora wouldn’t do. Someone like her, despite needing to be accepted for who she was, had too much pride and self-respect to beg for anything. Metzli didn’t feel right leaving her, but they knew they couldn’t stay. So, maybe just for the evening, they’d play their part in their love for Nora, and give her the peace of mind she sought after. Altered mind, or not. 

Though, the dinners every night sounded like a dream come true. But the vampire knew they could do that outside the cave. A conversation for later, they thought.

“Okay.” They nodded once, face back to neutral. “I promise to think about it.” All of it, really. The worry, the overabundance of words spoken by Nora, how beautiful she did look…everything. Metzli stood up from their seat, closing the distance and gently place their arm over Nora’s shoulders. “Give me a tour. I will need to leave to leave in a few hours, but I want to spend time with you.”

Made out of crystal, Nora was resplendent. But Nora felt even more resplendent as Metzli agreed to think about it, and agreed to stay for a few hours. A few hours was all Nora needed. A few hours was enough for the mines to charm someone, and make them realize how this could be the home everyone wanted. A few hours was enough time to accidentally brush a piece of flesh against one of the many purple crystals and hopefully, just hopefully, become resplendent themselves.

Nora reached forward, without hesitation and without second thought, grabbing for Metzli’s hand, careful that the talons didn’t pierce anything they shouldn’t pierce. “You’re going to love it.” Nora told them. Because they had to love it. Because everyone had to love it. The whole city could move down here. The mines could expand, they could grow and flourish. Wicked’s Rest could become a ghost town, forgotten by the world, as all the citizens moved into the darkness of the caverns, away from the hot and annoying sun. 

Nora led Metzli deeper and deeper, into the belly of the beast. Letting the darkness swallow them whole, consume them, devour them. Willing for that darkness to never let them go. Nora pointed out rocks that Cass had told her about, and she pointed out caverns where she’d seen other crystalline creatures hanging out. Nora was putting on a production. As if the more she shared of the mines, the more Metzli would be able to embrace. 

Eventually they ended up in the home cavern, where Nora lived. “This is home. It could be your home too. Look how big it is.” Nora pointed towards a fort set up in the back. “That’s where Cass and I sleep. You can sleep in there too, or you and Leila can have your own fort. That would be nice.” They would need more blankets. Did amazon deliver blankets down here? “Just think about it. Everyone we love. Down here. Safe in the mines.”

They didn’t think it possible, for reverence to drip from Nora’s tongue the way it did. Maybe it was easier in her current state, something so obviously manipulating her. As if it was mocking her very existence by twisting her into a person she was not. It was hard for Metzli to watch, truly. Nora had been her own person, but now? She existed for something outside of her control, outside of the connections she had built herself. 

The whole ordeal was cruel, and it was all Metzli could do to keep themself from brushing against a crystal. They were grateful they had layered so much to protect themself from the sun, granting them a suitable barrier. Metzli knew that it’d be over for them if they lost their autonomy. They needed to have their wits about them if they were going to figure out a way to detach Nora from the crystals, as painful as it would be to see her disappointment. Metzli didn’t like doing things that upset their loved ones, artificial or not. The crystals were a parasite. 

“Home is above, Nora. Not down here.” Kneeling in front of Nora, Metzli was careful to avoid crystals. “Where we have dinners and celebrate births, and take walks at night, and enjoy the entire world.” They took a deep breath, sighing apologetically. “I have to return above, but it is beautiful, like you say, and I will visit as much as I can and maybe we can have a dinner down here one night.” Metzli’s eyes met with Nora’s, and they gently cupped her cheek to bring her head to theirs. “I promise I will return. Thank you for showing me around. Being with you was very nice.” 

At her core, Nora was still in there. Metzli had seen it on Cass’s birthday, her love for her friend winning out against the crystals. They had no doubt she’d save herself, somehow. And if she couldn’t, Metzli made a silent promise to jump in whenever she needed, keeping a watchful eye even if the cave walls separated them.

Because that’s what you did for family. 

The tour had been over too quick, they had circled the path Nora took daily, and ended back at the entrance. Metzli was kneeling in front of Nora, one of the few times Nora had gotten a good look at Metzli’s face. Because Metzli was normally so tall, so stoic, a tower surveying the field. “Home is the mines.” Some people thought home was where the heart was. But Nora’s heart was beating in the mines, the shafts were its arteries, and the real world was an open bleeding wound. The people who she loved were drowning out there, they weren’t happy. They could never be. Not until they were safe inside.

“We can celebrate all of that here.” Nora insisted. “We can still go out for night walks if you want.” Maybe. There wasn’t really a point. Why would you want to walk out night in the above world, when it was always night down in the mines? Where darkness cradled them and protected them. It shielded their eyes against the sun. It would shield Metzli. Wasn’t that good for a vampire? It frustrated Nora that they didn’t see it. That they were letting themself ignore the mines for the above world. And for why? What did the above world have that was better than the mines? Nora knew the answer to that, and it was nothing. “Leila will come, if you come Metzli. I know she will. It won’t be a problem.” 

But Metzli wanted to return to the real world. Nora sighed. “Okay. Come back often. And stay whenever. You’re always welcome here. Okay?” Because inside she could hear the mines screaming at her. They screamed to do anything to make sure that Metzli didn’t leave. Shove them into a crystal, or hold them until they agreed to stay. But Nora wanted them to stay in the mines because they loved them as much as Nora did. Not because she had tricked them into staying. “Thank you for coming. It was nice. It’ll be nicer when you agree to stay.” Nora eyed a crystal near them. Something inside her fought it, something inside her told her not to do it. Nora’s eyes shifted away, shaking herself to get over that weird feeling. 

“Next time you’re here, we’ll have discovered more cool places. I’ll have more caverns to show you. Cass will have more cool rocks. It’ll be nice. It will be really nice.” Nora promised. It was a promise to get Metzli interested in coming back. This way, maybe the mines would be placated. Because the mines were never happy when she let someone slip past her and back into the world. 

[gossipsnake]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: The Pines PARTIES:  Anita (@gossipsnake) and Inge (@nightmaretist) SUMMARY: Anita & Inge Find an Egg! CONTENT: child death tw (references to death of an adult child), pheromone influence, discussions of motherhood

Something had changed between Anita and her. Or, at least, Inge assumed it had. If there was an occurrence to change a casual friendship (with added benefits), it would be saving someone’s life from hypothermia while they were a ginormous snake. It wasn’t an unwelcome change, though. There was something nice about the deepening of this particular relationship.

So they were passing through the woods near Anita’s home, hiking the way humans might and divulging in the latest rumors. Perhaps not much had changed after all. “This Max —” She bristled still, at the sound of that banshee’s name, but she sounded amused too, “She looked like a freshman and thought she’d kill me. It was … almost endearing, you know? Like an angry toddler.” She scrunched her face up in demonstration.

When the pair turned a corner Inge’s eyes fell on an unusual sight. Which was, of course, quite usual in a town like Wicked’s Rest. Things didn’t tend to be usual. There was a great chance the trees were watching them and there was some kind of fae monster lurking in their branches — and she liked that. But this was something else. This caught her attention like nothing else. “Is that … an egg?”

_ 

Metzli and Cass, they had both seemed to want to talk about the occurrence this past winter in the woods. It wasn’t that Anita didn’t like talking about it (to a certain extent) but it did make her feel her own mortality more than she would like. She wasn’t like Metzli, or Leila, or Inge for that matter. She wasn’t immortal. But Inge hadn’t brought it up much, not explicitly. Anita could tell that things had shifted between the pair, however. They spent more time together neither at work nor naked (though they still did both of those things), and it was really quite enjoyable. 

“I’ve gotta admit, as annoying as that Max sounds, I’m kind of glad to hear I wasn’t the only one up to my ears in banshee bullshit.” Anita had told her a fair bit of what had gone on in Ireland but not quite everything. There were certain things that didn’t feel like her palace to tell. Was this growth? Like that meme from that HBO show? 

Anita was so caught up in her moment of self congratulations that she hadn’t really noticed anything strange until she heard the question, and she instinctively began to answer it before she even laid her eyes on the thing, “It wouldn’t be uncommon, this is prime bird egg laying season honestly…” she trailed off as her eyes landed on the egg in question and quickly corrected herself. “Okay, that didn’t come from any normal bird.” Almost immediately, she took a few steps closer to get a better look at the thing. 

_ 

Though her confrontation with Max had irked her, it would serve to be a story worth repeating down the line. Inge hadn’t encountered a lot of banshees in her days, after all, and it was somehow refreshing that it hadn’t been a slayer (or other type of hunter) who’d wanted to kill her for once. She would very much prefer it if no one wanted to kill her, but to get hung up on wanting such things was childish. 

“Banshee bullshit,” she repeated, “That rolls off the tongue nicely. I am still a little offended that Siobhan didn’t think to invite me, you know. I thought we had something special.” She wasn’t sure if she would have gone. She hated Siobhan. She was glad Siobhan was back, though, but only because all their other colleagues – save Anita – were dull and incapable of challenging her. “With Dolan back we’ll have plenty of banshee bullshit to come, though, but just her brand.” She hated her so much, which was why there was a hint of fondness in her voice.

There was not a lot of time to overthink her feelings about the banshee who’d left her on a wall, though. The egg was taking up most of her headspace. It smelled … strange. Earthy and musky, like a perfume she might have whiffed off someone else. Was Anita wearing a different scent? She followed the other, stepping closer to the egg. “It’s beautiful.” A branch snapped and she whipped around as if scared something would come hurt the egg. “It’s … it’s all alone, out in the open … that’s bad parenting.” 

_ 

It was no secret that Inge and Siobhan were not exactly fond of one another. But they were without a doubt Anita’s most enjoyable co-workers. While that wasn't necessarily because they were her only known non-human co-workers it certainly didn’t hurt. Though there was something about the organic chemistry professor that gave distinctly non-human energy, Anita had yet to crack that case yet. “I’m sure there will be all kinds of new and exciting bullshit to deal with when the new semester starts, banshee bullshit and others.” 

Despite being a reptile, Anita was never actually an egg herself. Rattlesnakes, like a few other species of snakes, give live birth to their young. She felt much more kinship, however, to species who laid eggs than those who didn’t. “Very bad parenting…” she repeated in agreement as she carefully looked around, wondering if there was any sign of the mother nearby. All that she saw around them was open forest and a few large predator birds flying overhead. Anita knew these woods - they were not kind. 

The smell of the egg was so distinct that, and at first, Anita was worried it was rotten. Abandoned by a mother who perhaps knew it was never going to hatch. As she moved close towards it the egg seemed to shift. “It’s hardly even in a proper nest. I wonder if its mother was eaten by something out here. Or, maybe it got separated from her somehow.” Nobody had ever accused Anita of having a maternal instinct before, but all she wanted to do was scoop this egg up and find a nice warm incubator for it. She looked over at Inge, about to say something when the egg seemed to move again. “Whatever kind of egg this is, that little guy is a fighter. I don’t want to leave it out here unprotected but I’m worried trying to move it might hurt it.” 

_ 

Inge had never thought much of eggs. Eggs were simply food — they were part of Sunday breakfast when she’d been a mortal, boiled at the exact right level of hardness for Hendrik. They went into her quiches and the sweet things she baked. She’d had chickens, with her once-husband — a trio of clucking hens that he’d gotten from the farm he worked at. She’d search for their eggs each morning and sometimes they were warm to the touch, and she incorporated them in food or gave them to her parents.

But those eggs? What did those eggs matter? Those small, insignificant chicken eggs, that were naturally overshadowed by the egg in front of her. Now this was an egg. This egg had something to achieve besides being cracked above a bowl or boiled in water. Inge moved closer, its scent working itself into her nostrils and finding its home there. “Who would do such a thing … to leave an egg so beautiful? A child so innocent, so in need of protecting …” 

She swallowed thickly, wondering if Anita was right. Maybe its mother had died. Her mind trailed off for a moment, thinking about how she had died when her daughter had been young — but then it was quickly pulled back to the egg. She was able to lift her gaze from the egg after a moment to look at Anita. “We — well, it’s clear, isn’t it? We cannot abandon it in the wild like this.” She crouched down, placed a hand on the shell. It was warm. “It’s a fighter, and it should be looked after. And we’re … well, the perfect pair, aren’t we?” She could look over the darling egg from the astral at night and Anita was a fierce protector. “It’s beautiful, truly.”

_ 

It was reassuring that Inge seemed to feel the same way as Anita about this egg. Maybe that should have been concerning, but all she felt was relief in knowing that the two of them wanted to protect this precious egg together. Thinking of how Inge had helped her out of that dicey situation this past winter, getting help, keeping her alive  -  Anita nodded genuinely at the question, “Yes. We are the perfect pair.” Her attention quickly returned to the egg, as Anita took her phone out to take a few photographs of it. It was so beautiful and she had never seen anything like it before. It was like she suddenly understood why parents posted so many photos of their children online. 

“You’re very lucky we found you, sweet egg,” Anita said softly, “if humans had come across you they probably would have tried to make an omelet out of you. Humans are quite awful.” Just then the egg twitched again, or rather, the creature inside of the egg twitched. Anita grinned, “I think they agree.”  The egg didn’t stop twitching though. “Do you think it’s about to…” she trailed off slightly, almost astonished at how fantastic their timing seemed to be. The smell seemed to be getting a bit stronger and Anita frowned a bit as she looked at the “nest” that this little babe was laying in. “We need something softer for it, if it’s going to hatch here. I have some clothes in my bag,” she said as she took her backpack off. A lamia, or any smart shifter, never left home without a change of clothes on them. 

_ 

She had shed any maternal instinct like Anita had shed her skin, had thought herself rid of it now that her adult daughter had been dead and buried for over a decade. It had never fit her well anyway, that role. She had made a better aunt to her nieces and nephews, made a better mentor than a mother. But today, here and now, Inge knew suddenly that she had been an absolute fool to try and rid herself of this duty. She was a mother, and she needed to use her maternal skills to take care of this abandoned babe, this poor, lost little soul. She would nurture it. It was the very thing she was born for.

She nodded, “You are so very lucky. We understand you.” The egg was twitching and Inge looked at it with interest, but also with worry. It was beautiful, it was doing so good — “It might be,” she said. “But you’re right, this is no place to come to earth.” She had no extra clothes on her, and just wore what she was wearing. It wasn’t like temperatures bothered her much any more. She still worked on undoing her jacket and then the top she was wearing, standing only in her bra. It didn’t matter — the egg needed the softness. “We’ll take care of you.” She started to surround it with her own clothes, then looked at Anita. “I have nowhere I need to be.” She had multiple appointments, but she could forgo those. She already had.

_ 

Anita had seen many creatures be born. She had even seen many eggs hatch, incubated many of the snakes that lived at home with her. But never had she felt so immediately protective of an unknown creature before. As she bundled up the t-shirt and leggings that she had pulled from her bag she was so caught up in making sure that whatever was about to hatch from this egg had a soft landing spot that she hardly even made note of Inge’s half-undressed state. Hardly, she was a true MILF now but she wasn’t blind. “Classes are out for the summer, I don’t have anywhere I need to be for quite some time.” 

It was mostly true. People would worry if she disappeared for a while, wouldn’t they? Metzli would. At least a person would worry. But Anita had worries of her own to consider, worries about this precious life that she and Inge were about to foster into the world. More movement was coming from the egg now and far more rapidly until eventually, finally, the first small crack in its shell occurred. “Oh!” Anita said with a wide grin, looking over at her newfound partner in all of this. “That was impressive. A little fighter in there. She’ll fit right in with you and I.” She said with a playful nudge, the smile never leaving her face as she scanned the forest around them, making sure there were no outside threats incoming. 

_ 

All the worries she’d been occupied with were melting away, replaced with the nurturing care she felt for the sweet egg. The only way she could be made to think of those concerns was in the context of that egg — what if her demons were to catch up not only with her, but with this darling thing, too? Inge crouched down at the egg, nodding at what Anita was saying, “Same here. And whatever I do have, I can set aside. This is … oh, egg. No appointments matter in the face of you, I think.” 

Her eyes met Anita’s at the same time, a kind of glee shared between the pair that was new. She may have brought life into this world before, but this was different — this was done without her body tearing open, without her sweat and tears. And Anita was a better partner, was she not, than Hendrik had ever been in parenthood? Because Inge did recognize what was happening for what it was — a parental instinct, a need to take a young thing under her wing. “Very impressive,” she said, putting an arm around Anita as she pulled her towards her and looked at the egg. Its shell broke a little more and a round head poked out. “Oh …” Her eyes shone, her hand pressed against her mouth. “Oh — she’s … a beauty, Neets.”

_ 

Anita was no stranger to the feeling of intoxication. She often lived her life seeking it out, in fact. Not just in the form of her favored tequila but in the intoxication that could be found through an array of thrilling activities. Each type of intoxication, that brought on by killing, by lust, by adventure, by defiance, were all unique. As she was crouched down beside Inge as this sweet darling egg began to hatch Anita felt an intoxication unlike any she had experienced before. With Inge’s arm wrapped around her, there was a feeling of security as the beautiful babe shed its literal shell to be welcomed into the world protected by the two women. “Si… she really is.” Her eyes darted between the mare and the egg, equally intoxicated by how the creature was hatching and Inge’s reaction to it. “ Just like her mami’s,” Anita beamed. Practically, scientifically, Anita knew that there was no genetic relation between them and their egg but that didn’t stop the swell of pride she felt. 

The creature, their sweet egg hatchling, didn’t look reptilian. It wasn’t really a surprise to Anita since the egg itself hadn’t seemed particularly reptilian. While it would have been incredible to stumble upon a lamia egg in the wild she knew that wasn’t what had happened. She mirrored Inge’s gesture, and wrapped her own arm around her, as she used her other hand to take a few pictures (and maybe a video or two) of the egg’s hatching. “I’m glad we found her together,” she said, resting her head on Inge’s shoulder as she put her phone away to admire the egg more without the distraction of the screen. “It’ll be nice figuring all of this stuff out together, how to take care of another person. A very small vulnerable person at that.” 

_ 

Anita said what Inge felt. She bestowed the title of mother on both of them and the mare did not shy away from it this time, did not consider all the anguish and trouble that came with that part of her identity. Why would she ever denounce motherhood, after all? Why had she ever despised this feeling of responsibility? As she looked down on the egg, she knew she would give anything and all for it. “Just like her mums indeed,” she said, cocking her head to the side so she could see her hatchling child from a different angle. “Please share those pictures with me. We’ll have to take many — infants grow so very fast.” She leaned her own head against Anita’s, hand rubbing small circles on the other’s shoulder.

She nodded at her words. Her mind ventured to Vera once more, for a moment, and when she had been an infant. The nappies and the breastfeeding and the sweet smell of her and her laughter — all of it seemed to pale in comparison to her new child. Perhaps this was what she’d needed, as a mother: a different child. “I’ll teach you,” she said, “How to be a mother.” Anita didn’t know of her late daughter, but Inge didn’t remember why it should be something kept quiet. It was important they were honest with each other, for the wellbeing of their child. “I’ve done it before. It’s hard work, but for her? It’s all more than worth it, don’t you think? We —” She sighed. “Will be amazing parents.”

_ 

A symphony of questions flooded Anita’s mind at the unexpected admission that Inge had done this, motherhood, before. It hadn’t even been something that she had considered a possibility, despite knowing the other had been alive far longer than she had. Sometimes she forgot that people existed outside the context in which she knew them. There wasn’t time to dive into all of the questions she had about this past child of Inge’s though, because the child in front of them kept working so diligently to break away pieces of its shell. “I’m glad to have you as a teacher.” 

Thinking of her own lack of experience as a mother; thinking about her relationship to her own mother, Anita felt a small pang of fear wash over her. Their baby was becoming exposed to the harsh realities of the world and she couldn’t help but wonder if, even with Inge’s help, she had what it took. “I’ve not done it before, obviously. But I’ve seen it done. You can learn a lot from observation. I may not know exactly what to do … but I think I have a sense of what not to do.” She inhaled a quick, sharp breath, before nodding in agreement. “We’ll be amazing parents.” 

[vanoincidence]

[pm] I am sorry I was wrong. This is my fault.

Cannot make it right. I know. Can only be sorry.

[pm] We all could have done something, but we didn't. Now she's dead. We all have to live with it.

[muertarte]

TIMING: Current

PARTIES: @magmahearts @muertarte

SUMMARY: Disconnected from their usual self, Metzli goes out to hunt for dinner. Cass is out on a patrol against her better judgement and hears the sounds of their victims. She is startled to discover who the assailant is.

WARNINGS: None

Finding a new place for a meal wasn’t difficult. Humans were so oblivious to their surroundings, even in a town like Wicked’s Rest. It made them easy prey, taking out any sort of fun, but the blood was enough. Tasting life’s final moments was a high that few could understand, and with a barrier between heart and mind, there was no guilt to twist or sour the divine and luscious taste coating Metzli’s tongue as they tossed the second body they’d consumed aside.

She fell to the ground with a meaty thud, limp and lifeless, eyes vacant of whatever person she once was. They stared, tilting their head side to side curiously as the whimpers of their next meal became nothing but a muffle in the back of their mind. Continue. Their mind commanded, an outside voice beckoning them. Metzli inhaled deeply, pupils dilating into large saucers as they turned to regard the man behind them with a wild and hungry expression. 

Blood dripped from their chin, broadening the already large stain on their flower-pattern shirt. The man continued to blubber and cry, filling up the small room in the abandoned building. “Shut up.” Metzli commanded, wiping their face messily with the back of their hand as they approached. Their gait staggered a bit haphazardly, almost a little drunk from the amount of blood they’d already consumed. Continue! Master Jesus’s voice roared, making their eye twitch hungrily. Using too much force, Metzli gripped the man’s throat, choking him as they raised him to be eye level with them. He pleaded with his life, but it was futile. There was no negotiating with a monster that only spoke in grunts and teeth.

She shouldn’t be out here. Deep down, she knew that. The injuries from her altercation with Rhett hadn’t quite healed, and with her anxiety spiking every time she tried to convince herself to go back to the cave where she’d been grabbed to speed up the process, there was little she could do to rectify that. It wouldn’t have mattered much anyway, she told herself; Dr. Kavanagh said that nothing could speed up the injuries from the cold iron, that they’d never heal quite right even with the magic she’d used to help. They’d be a part of her forever. The thought made her sick, but she pushed the feeling away. 

She’d wanted a distraction. That was why she was here, why she was wandering around like she was still a superhero, like she ever had been. She knew she wasn’t. Superheroes didn’t fail the way she’d failed outside that cave, didn’t mess up so badly that their girlfriends had to rip through a man just to keep them alive. Cass was just Cass now, not Magma. But she’d never liked Cass much. She’d always liked Magma better. So… she was wandering. Glamour down, no attempt to hold onto that slippery concentration to keep it up, to keep her human. Just Cass wandered through an abandoned warehouse, pretending to be Magma. Pretending to be something worth being.

There was a noise up ahead. A whimper, a thud, a harsh voice. Trouble. She should go, she knew. She should, but she couldn’t. Even if she was just Cass now, she still couldn’t leave someone who needed her help. So she made her way towards the sound.

She saw the bodies first. Two of them, strewn haphazardly to the side as if they were nothing. Anger burned within her, remembering the way Rhett had spoken about her like she was just the same. A thing to be killed and tossed aside. She was more than that, wasn’t she? Everyone was more than that.

The figure came into view next; tall, broad-shouldered. One arm held a third man with a grip around his throat, the other ended just below the elbow. The figure was familiar, Cass realized, and her chest felt tight. “Metzli? What — What the hell are you doing? Stop.” 

Cass was greeted with a growl, deep and guttural, a warning to stay away from their meal. At first, recognition evaded Metzli, the young fae they saw as their own, just an enemy threatening to steal what was rightfully theirs. “Leave.” They hissed, teeth bared and stained with blood. When Cass stood her ground, Metzli tossed the blood bag aside, coughs accompanying the whimper and thud. 

Kill. 

Metzli blinked, the word shocking them when they were met with Cass’s face again. Briefly, there was a break in the feral trance, love outweighing all else so they could fully register what they’d done. “Cass?” Looking around, Metzli quickly realized they didn’t know where they were or how they got there. They raised a hand to analyze, thick blood coating it and dripping down onto the floor. Panic would usually be the first thing they’d exhibit for something as heinous and horrible as behaving like a monster in front of Cass, but nothing came. They were empty, and they always would be so long as Master Jesus was around. Even worse, this likely wouldn’t be the last time Cass bore witness to what Metzli really was, so they explained. Desperately.

“C-Cass, this is not me. I…I do not know how I got here. I was with Master and then…” And then Cass had caught them. “I was getting better. I was. I…” Trailing off, something tugged at the back of Metzli’s mind and they squeezed their eyes shut to fight back. It was no use. Master Jesus was winning. 

“Run.”

Metzli told her to leave, but there was no way Cass was going to do that. Not when they were still gripping the man, not when there were two bodies already strewn to the side. She didn’t know what was going on, didn’t understand, but she knew it couldn’t be allowed to continue. She wasn’t a very good hero, she knew. Good heroes weren’t grabbed by villains in the woods, good heroes didn’t need to be saved by forcing their girlfriend to bloody her hands. She wasn’t a good hero, but she still wanted to try. And a hero wouldn’t leave, so Cass stayed. Cass had to stay.

Something seemed to shift, though Cass had no idea why. The look on Metzli’s face went from foreign to familiar. They looked around like they were lost, said her name like they’d only just realized she was there at all. Cass felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest, a quiet uncertainty. She’d been so caught up with her own things lately that she hadn’t been keeping up with Metzli’s. What if they hated her for it? What if that was what this was? 

Metzli tried to explain, and Cass wished she understood more about vampires, wished she knew more about the situation. Why were they with their master? Hadn’t they said they wanted nothing to do with him? Had they changed their mind? Still, a voice whispered that it was probably her fault, somehow. That Metzli had grown so tired of her that anything had seemed a better alternative. She was self-centered in her doubt, arrogant in the way she hated herself. Anxiety made everything about her, even when it wasn’t. 

“I’m not — I’m not going to leave,” she insisted when they told her to run, standing her ground stubbornly. “I’m not.” 

Metzli struggled with their hands clasped around their head, trying desperately to keep themself from giving into the urge to bite someone they loved. They had already hurt Leila, had fought against friends for a person that wanted to see Metzli suffer. But they were powerless to stop Master’s claws from latching onto them, forcing them to use their skills as a killer to attack. 

Eyes went blank, fingers flexed and their body prepared to pounce. As they did, a more loving part still managed to overshadow Master’s desires just long enough to reduce the weight of their tackle. Kill, he commanded, and Metzli nearly complied, unsheathing their knife and cocking their arm back to strike. “Please!” They begged, desperation piercing through just as the blade found purchase, though it was neither flesh nor bone. Wood splintered and parted, debris dancing in the air as Metzli’s eyes paraded between monster and friend. 

“He will make me hurt you. I do not want this!” Backing away from Cass, they had a death-grip on the hilt of their knife, hoping that they could force it to remain in place. What more could they do when the pressure in their mind was growing stronger? Distance, Metzli thought. That’s what they needed if they were going to have property of their mind again. “Run.” They said again, using the last bit of will. “I will chase. Run to Pines.”

Metzli pulled out a knife, and Cass didn’t understand. Her eyes went to the blade and for a moment, her shoulder ached. For a moment, she was standing outside her cave with Rhett’s hand grasped around her throat, her heart pounding and her pulse racing. Trusting the wrong person had ended poorly for her then, but this wasn’t like that. This wasn’t like that. Was it? She hated herself a little for the doubt that crept in, for the quiet question. Metzli didn’t deserve it, knife or no knife.

Still, she flinched when the blade splintered wood, her eyes darting to Metzli’s would-be victim behind them. She couldn’t leave while there was still someone who needed saving. Not if she wanted to be a hero. She didn’t understand what was going on, but it was clear that Metzli wasn’t in control, and… that meant she couldn’t trust them. She couldn’t take them at their word. It hurt a little.

But there were solutions she could use, too.

“Promise,” she demanded, trying hard to keep her voice from shaking. “Promise you’ll follow me.” If she could guarantee that Metzli would follow, she could leave without concern. But until then… Cass wasn’t going to let someone else get hurt so that she could get away. She was finished with that kind of thing.

At the chance to act on their instincts, to play with their food before the inevitable, Metzli’s mouth began to water, and they promised in earnest. “Yes.” They breathed, hungry for the chase to begin as they nodded enthusiastically. “I promise.” It came out as more of a hiss, fangs presented as another kind of promise. That they’d sink their teeth into flesh and spill blood into their mouth. Metzli had heard fae blood was sweet, but they had yet to prove that for themself.

With a shudder, they stepped forward, urging Cass to turn and run. Already, there was a pull as she slowly took heed of their demand. They took chase and kept their pace slow, knowing it wouldn’t take much to catch up and end it all too soon. So, despite how hunger rattled inside Metzli, they stayed far back. They knew patience well, how the thrill made the elixir that much more potent when fear pumped into a prey’s veins.

Binding Metzli to their promise felt so much heavier now than it had all those months ago, when Cass had first met them. There was a certain level of guilt to it, but what could she do? She couldn’t let them kill anyone else, and they clearly weren’t in control. (She repeated it to herself, determined to believe it. They weren’t in control. They weren’t. This wasn’t something they wanted to do. She wasn’t nothing, no matter what Rhett’s voice still whispered in her mind.) 

As Metzli stepped forward, Cass turned and took off in a sprint. She could feel the vampire behind her, farther back than they should have been. Were they letting her pull ahead out of love, or were they playing with her? Normally, she’d assume the first. But now… All she could do was pick up her speed and hope for the best.

A sharp yank nearly sent the vampire reeling backwards, but the promise they’d bound themself too won out. Whatever pace Cass set, Metzli synced with with ease. Hunger slowly became less of a motivation while their legs needed nothing more than Cass to move for them to keep going. It was all too easy to grow lost in the run that the hunt soon fled their mind, just as Master’s grip on Metzli’s mind did as well.

“Cass!” They called out, a familiarity attached to their voice once again. “Slow down. I cannot feel him here.” The running continued a little longer, though Metzli was sure that Cass had heard them. If she was as good of a hero as they knew she was, they knew she was taking a precaution. It would take much more than a change in tone to convince her. Metzli had proven more than once that they were good at pretending to be a person. They couldn’t blame Cass for that. She’d been burned too many times, even as she was made up of magma.

“I promise I will not attack you!” It was important to say, they knew that. “I promise, Cass. I will not hurt you if I can stop it.” Metzli urged, still continuing to chase as they had promised they would. “He cannot have influence right now. We are too far from his crypt.”

If she tried hard enough, she could almost pretend it was a game. She could forget about all of it, could close her eyes to it and let herself act like it was something it wasn’t. Only ever for a moment, though. Maybe she could have gone longer before that knife sunk into her shoulder, before the world proved to her that she wasn’t half as invincible as she thought she was even if she was made of stone. Rocks could break, stone could shatter, magma could cool. Even volcanoes went extinct after a while, became corpses lining the sky after erosion wore too much of them away.

Metzli’s voice called out, pulling her from her thoughts. She slowed a little when they asked her to, but didn’t stop quite yet. (She could still feel Rhett’s hand around her throat, the way he wrenched her arm when she’d gone to take the paper from him. Fae didn’t lie, but everyone else could. Even the people you trusted.)

Eventually, though, they spoke again, and she stopped. They made a promise, and she didn’t bind them to the first — it was too wide, too vague, too close to something that might hurt them if the monster controlling them forced their hand — but she let herself tie them to the second. They wouldn’t hurt her if they could stop it. Cass would take that, even if only to release them the moment they parted ways here. She stopped, turned to face them, offered them a small smile. She felt a pang of guilt for not getting to them sooner; maybe she could have saved more than just one person if she had. “Hi,” she greeted quietly.

The chase ended, leaving the vampire to stand there lamely as they stared silently at Cass. She looked tired, but no harm had come to her, and that was what mattered most to Metzli. If anything could matter to them anymore. If they could want for more than just what Master had commanded. “Hi.” They replied dryly, only then realizing their face was still covered with blood. “I am…” Trailing off, Metzli looked to the ground and removed their jacket to wipe what was left of the crimson on their skin. It was dry and flaky, but otherwise came off with a few scrubs of the fabric. 

They thought they should at least apologize, but there was no desire to lie. There never was, but it felt even more prominent than usual. When Metzli was in the clan, they never apologized unless forced to by the pain and guilt instilled on them by Eloy–or rather, Master Jesus. It was all so confusing, having to be bent to someone else’s will when you saw them as an ally for so long. After a few long beats of silence, Metzli managed to utter a weak apology, finding that it wasn’t a lie if they knew they would have felt guilt had it not been for Master. Logic worked in their favor often. Mixing that with their new experiences had to lead them to who they were under the monster Master wanted them to be.

“Are you okay? I wish you did not see what I did.” But a more selfish part of them knew they would be glad she had arrived and stopped them. “I…” Metzli slowly made their way to the ground, crossing their legs to sit and feel the world around the two of them. A small semblance of peace, where Master couldn’t reach them. “He is making me be the monster I used to be. Still am sometimes, but I only hurt bad people now. Or-or I did.” They sighed, gripping a clump of grass to show themself they still existed, that they could still be grounded. “It is hard to understand, I know. There is strong relationship with creator and their vampires, even if you do not want it. You are forever connected and–espera…” Metzli narrowed their eyes at Cass, realizing she was out of bed and doing her work when she should’ve been at home. “Why are you not resting?”

Her chest ached, and she knew it wasn’t only because of the still-healing injuries she’d sustained from Rhett. There were certain truths that were supposed to be undeniable things, but for Cass, they always proved false after a while. Your parents were supposed to want to protect you, but hers had given her away. Fae were meant to feel drawn to other fae, but none had ever wanted to keep her around. Being kind was supposed to make you likable, but everyone she’d ever clung to had run from her in the end. Metzli was supposed to protect her, but she was standing in an uncertain position ready to run from them again in a heartbeat. It wasn’t their fault. She knew it wasn’t their fault. There was a terrible, god-awful man who was controlling them and making them do things they never would have done on their own, but Cass’s heart was pounding and her chest ached anyway. That undeniable truth had been taken from her anyway. It felt so monumentally unfair.

Metzli apologized, quiet and not entirely sincere, and Cass shrugged. “It’s okay,” she said, even though it wasn’t. Even though nothing felt okay, even though nothing had felt okay in such a long time now that she scarcely remembered what okay was at all. Maybe nothing ever had been. Maybe she’d spent all these months in Wicked’s Rest just fooling herself. Anything could be taken from you in an instant. By a ranger with a gun, by a warden with a knife, by an elder vampire with a few well-placed commands. Okay was a thing that didn’t really seem to exist for people like them.

“I’m fine.” The lie tasted like acid on her tongue, churning her stomach and making that ache in her chest feel bigger, but she showed no outward sign of it. She followed Metzli’s lead, settling onto the ground and putting a palm flat against the Earth. She could feel the small rocks beneath her. If she concentrated hard enough, she could feel the heat from the planet’s core, the familiar magma that felt more like home than anything else did right now. She let herself focus on it instead of that ache. There was a distance between her and Metzli; she made no move to get closer to them. She told herself it was for their benefit as much as hers. If they hurt her, they’d hate themself for it eventually. But it was a selfish thing, too. If she hurt them, she’d never forgive herself. “It isn’t your fault, Metzli. This isn’t something you’d do if you were in control. I know that. It’s his fault. He… hurt those people. Not you.” 

She huffed a little laugh, rolling her eyes a little at Metzli’s question. The concern wasn’t real, but that wasn’t Metzli’s fault, either. “I’m tired of resting. I’m tired of feeling… weak and helpless. I want to feel strong. I want to help people. I’m better now, anyway.” Another lie, and it burned like one. Dr. Kavanagh hadn’t been lying about the cold iron wound being slow to heal. It was moving at a snail’s pace, no matter what she did to speed things along. Maybe if she could bring herself to go back to her cave and let it help, it would go faster, but… She kept thinking about what had happened just outside of it. Of those hands holding her in place, of that knife against her head. “I’m better like this.”

There was distance between the two, one that should not have been there if there was no reluctance, or fear fueling it. “You are not.” Metzli countered with a shake of their head, watching Cass carefully. She was touching the ground to soothe herself, as she often did when things were a little overwhelming. It was similar to the way Metzli fiddled with their fidget cube, and at the thought, they reached for it out of habit. 

“Even if it is not my fault, what you were seeing is not good. But…” They trailed off, rubbing a thumb against a smooth section of their cube. “If I could feel, I know I would be glad you stopped me. I would be glad at least someone got away.” There was an attempt at a smile, though it looked more like a grimace to most. Not to Cass though. She knew Metzli better than most. Just as they knew their young fae as well. There was lie after lie based on logic alone. The pain on Cass’s face didn’t make it any easier either. Normally, that would irk the vampire, but they were surprised to find that it didn’t. Not because they couldn’t feel, but because she wasn’t lying to them. She was lying to herself. She needed to be okay.

“You are not better completely.” They tensed, searching their mind for what should come next. Settling on a decision, Metzli rose to their feet and planted themself next to Cass. “But that does not mean you are helpless or weak. You can still help people without putting your body in danger. You are helping me right now and there is no fighting. You do not have to fight or get hurt.” Pain would just be a reminder of what that hunter had done to her, continuing the cycle of her ache. Metzli wanted to quell it, if only for a night. She could be the strong one, and they could be what she needed. With or without feeling.

“Helping has much variation. Help me to your cave and then help me stay in one place. Protect people from me. From m-my…from Master.” Metzli swallowed and took a breath, leaning in to bonk their head against Cass’s. This didn’t have to be what happened with Leila and Parker. This could be a different ending. They were far enough away to have that chance.

“I kind of have to be.” Wasn’t that how it always was? Kids like Cass didn’t get to fall apart the way other children did. When she was a teenager, other people her age had stressed over homework and schoolyard crushes while Cass struggled to find enough food to keep her from starving. Other kids resented their parents for strict rules and punishments deemed unfair when they broke them while Cass would have given anything just to know what her mother’s face looked like. She was fine because she had no choice. What good would it do her now to fall apart over the bodies Metzli left in that cave? What good would it do either of them? It served no purpose. She knew that. So she pushed it away, she ignored it. She was fine, because she kind of had to be. She knew Metzli would understand, even if they had no access to the feelings associated with that understanding now.

It was almost painful, the familiarity of their movements. It would have been easier if she could have told herself it was all someone else. If Metzli didn’t look like Metzli, didn’t talk like themself or move like themself. If their hand weren’t absently playing with that cube in a way she’d seen a thousand times before, it would have been simpler. But there was this strange in-between to it, this odd way of feeling. Metzli was Metzli, but they weren’t. Cass was fine, but she wasn’t. “I know it’s not good. But I know you wouldn’t do it if you were in control.” She still believed that, at least, even with the strangeness. The way Metzli spoke of their past, of the things they’d done… Cass knew they’d never do any of it if they had a say. She still remembered the way they’d locked themself up at the mere thought of hurting someone again. That scared her, too. If they got out of this in one piece, if they took care of Metzli’s sire the way she knew their friends were planning to do, what were the odds of a repeat performance? How likely was Metzli to leave again, to isolate themself again, to claim it for the best? The idea of going through all this just to lose them all over, just for them to leave made her stomach churn far more than the lie regarding her own well-being had.

She shrugged, still looking at the dirt. “I’m well enough. I don’t know when I’ll be better completely.” If she ever would. Dr. Kavanagh had said that wounds wrought from cold iron healed differently. There was a chance that this ache in her shoulder would be there forever, would never fade entirely. The thought of always feeling like this made her want to scream. She registered Metzli moving, coming to sit beside her, and she didn’t tense even if logic seemed to suggest she ought to. She told them once that they couldn’t hurt her. Back then, it had been arrogance. She’d felt invincible, and she’d been proven wrong by Rhett and his cruel hands and his sharp knife. Still, she couldn’t fathom the vampire ever harming her. Even now, with their sire’s control hanging so heavily over their head. 

“I’m not good at it,” she admitted quietly. “At helping people. I always mess it up. I mess everything up, I think.” Over and over, time after time. She tried, she failed, she mourned. She thought of Kuma, who had tried so hard to slide into a role similar to the one Metzli had taken here, who had cared for Cass the way she’d always imagined a parent might, who had died for it. Maybe it wasn’t Metzli’s sire who was the biggest threat to them here. Maybe Cass should have been far more worried about other ways the vampire might meet their end. “I — I haven’t been back to my cave,” she admitted. “Since… I got hurt. It was just outside of it. He grabbed me, and I was…” She trailed off. No point in talking about it now, she knew. No point in any of it. “I don’t know if I can go back now.”

How stupid, Metzli thought to themself, to not have the forethought to realize what going back to the cave meant. The pain that would reside there until the blood that had painted the ground had been washed clean. And even then, memories used a different kind of canvas to put a picture together. She needed a new home until then, and Metzli thought of Alex’s cabin as an idea for a moment before realizing how weak it might feel to be there. They recalled their first visit, when Cass was still sleeping, and thought better than to suggest it. Instead, they nodded and offered a reassuring hand to the nymph. 

“You help me.” Mistakes were inevitable, that was just a fact of life. It was something both Metzli and Cass had learned with vengeful hands just how wrong it could be to simply exist. As if the people who’d punished them and berated them were perfect, or had any say as to how the population should run. Metzli wanted to be better, to offer something kinder to a girl who wasn’t given what she was due. “When we are not good at something, the mistakes will happen. This is natural.” Their brows furrowed, in thought. “The punishments we get are not.” With a shake of their head, Metzli breathed quietly, voicing a new idea for the two of them to venture on and find safety in. Maybe a little fun too, for Cass. 

“There is hotel we can visit. We can go and order service all night, and then make sure workers get good tips. Maybe you call Alex too. Like vacation for a night.” Again, Metzli bonked their head against Cass’s, a gentle smile ticking up the corner of their mouth slightly. “You do not have to return to anything until you’re ready, and you can help in more ways than you think. This is all new, yes? Then let us try a new approach and be more gentle than the treatment we have before.” 

Because doing the same thing over and over again only to suffer made no sense. They could find moments of freedom and be the change. “We can just exist naturally. You have helped very much tonight. You deserve to know this and to feel accomplishment.” Metzli paused, wishing they could feel the words they knew were truth because they had felt the emotion countless times already. “I am proud of you, and I am lucky to have you here right now.”

“Not enough to matter,” she replied, shaking her head. After all, what good had she done Metzli lately? What good had she done them at all? In all the time she’d known them, she’d watched life throw terrible thing after terrible thing in their direction, and not once had she ever had the ability to stop any of it. She was just as useless to Metzli as she had been outside her cave, with that hand around her throat. Insignificant help might as well amount to no help at all in the grand scheme of things. 

She pressed her tongue against her teeth, a thousand words dying on the tip of it. But I want to be good at it, she thought. I want to be a hero who actually saves people. I want to be worth something. Any of it was cruel to say now. It was forcing Metzli to rely on the memory of feelings they’d lost to provide comfort Cass probably didn’t quite deserve when it was Metzli who was in crisis, Metzli whose life had fallen apart. She’d always been so good at taking, Leilani had told her once. At sapping things away from anyone stupid enough to care about her and then having the gall to demand more when they were empty. It wasn’t Metzli’s job to put their own problems to the side just to comfort her. It wasn’t Cass’s right to continue to take when she’d been given more than enough. She was owed nothing and deserved less. She knew that.

But god, taking was still all she wanted to do. She told herself that this would help Metzli, too. That it would benefit them to have a night away from it all, in a hotel with room service and fluffy robes. It was a lie at worst, an understatement at best, but she forced it to take root in her mind, anyway. “A hotel sounds nice,” she said quietly. “You’ll be able to stay?” The last thing she wanted was to cause more problems. She’d done enough of that already. 

The words Metzli spoke next were ones Cass had longed to hear all her life. And she hated herself for the way she didn’t know if she could believe them or not. Metzli didn’t lie, she knew that. But that didn’t mean that what Metzli believed to be true actually was. No one had ever been lucky to have Cass in their life before, and why would that change now? Selfishly, she refused to speak her doubts aloud. If she never spoke them, they were so much easier to ignore. “I’m lucky to have you, too,” she said instead, and she knew it was true. “Do you want to go now? To the hotel?”

Cass’s mind was filled with doubt and hunger, at odds with itself. She was starved for so long that she took and took, not realizing she was giving herself away because she believed love was a kind of emptiness. Her heart would never be filled until she unburdened herself from that doubt, making room for something much more fulfilling. She was on the right track, though. Metzli would keep her there, even if she didn’t realize it. She just needed time. 

“Yes, I will be able to stay.” They pocketed their fidget cube, readying themself. “I will try to stay as long as you want. We can have that time.” Metzli paused for a moment, looking kindly at Cass as they stood up and offered a hand. “We deserve that time.” It felt important to add, to affirm what they had both longed for since childhood even if Metzli was numb to that particular pain. Even if they could not feel the guilt or tragedy of what they’d done over the past few days.

“Let’s go.”

[magmahearts]

@ohwynne from here:

[pm] Do you want to watch a movie soon? Or something else. I haven't gone to see the leg. I'm just sleeping a lot. Is the leg alive? How have you been?

​[pm] Yeah. We can watch a movie. What movie do you want to watch?

Are you [...] okay? Usually when people sleep a lot, it's bad. I don't think the leg is alive, but I don't know for sure. I don't know how to, like, check the pulse on a giant leg that sticks out of the ground. Grey's Anatomy didn't say.

Everyone went to Ireland. You know? You left, and Nora left, and Metzli left, and nobody even told me until it was already decided or until they were already gone, and that's Like, was I just not worth telling? Nobody could have given a little 'hey Cass, I'm planning a trip to Ireland' moment? Or 'hey, Cass, do you want to come to Ireland?' I don't want to go, but someone could have just asked me. Nobody ever asks

[user takes a moment. she's upset. her father notices. he puts a hand on her shoulder, and she feels better. she leans into him. these days, he feels more and more like the only steady thing.]

I'm good. Everything here has been normal.