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luvcherry · 3 years

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Chatroom [2] ◇

Natasha Romanoff x Reader 3rd POV. Word Count: 9k.

Part One || Part Three

Chatroom Masterlist

Summary: The Summer after her first year of college is over and it’s time to go back to campus. Going back to campus also means being close to Natasha again.

Warnings: minor (very, very tiny) hints of manipulation and semi-public sex.

A/N: I’m very happy to be getting this out after it’s been sitting unfinished and unedited on my computer for so long. The next part will come in June, but I’m still working out what direction I want this story to go in. I hope you all enjoy!

☆・*。

Y/n has a girlfriend.

A girlfriend.

It feels rolling off of her tongue as she says it. Of course she hasn't told anyone, not even her friends, and especially not her parents. It was nice to have a little secret for once. Something that no one could intrude on. It's just her and Natasha and no one else.

Her lie wasn't a huge one, at least not in Y/n's eyes. It was not as bad as that time Cindy almost hooked up with a senior who lied to her and had a fiancé or something crazy like that. Natasha had no one, but Y/n of course. She didn't worry that her girlfriend might be dating someone else because Natasha assured her all the time that it's just her.

They still talk on Chatzy, but Natasha had convinced Y/n to get an AIM account. Over the summer she had to go to the local library to talk to Natasha on AIM.

One thing Y/n wish she did have was someone to guide her through this. To give her pointers and steps on how to be a good girlfriend. The advice from the magazines geared towards women and young adult women seemed cheesy and was mostly for girl's with boyfriends. Y/n never thought about liking girls before because she hasn't even thought about liking boys. Her parents shut down any thoughts of her getting wrapped up in romance and dating before she hit middle school. It always felt like something other girl's did but not her. Things are different now. And she didn't know how much it would hurt to be away from someone. When her parents moved her out of her freshman dorm, she cried before they even reached the family car.

"Oh honey, you'll see your friends again. It's just a few months that are going to go by in a flash."

Y/n had nodded as if she was crying for her friends. She considers Cindy and Amy as the sisters she wished had growing up as an only child, but she did not cry for them. Y/n knew that this was the closest she'll get to her mother consoling her over something related to a relationship. Not even a few days since leaving and she felt the pain and absence of Natasha. She wanted to feel the way she did when she had skipped a class to sneak away to the city again to meet Natasha all the time. It was like she was high on drugs, or maybe it was the adrenaline, but her heart had not felt alive in years, maybe even ever. They spent the day at the art museum, a Van Gogh exhibit was in town for the next few months. Y/n had never seen such expensive and beautiful things up close and this was a feeling that she could only associate with Natasha. Natasha had shown her things she had yet to discover and that just seemed so out of reach because of the parents she just so happened to be given by whatever source is hiding in the heavens.

Two months was too short to say I love you to someone, but Y/n thought it all the time. When she would talk to Natasha in her university's big library, her fingers would ghost over the letters that'd make her heart stop if she ever heard Natasha say it. However, she refrained because she didn't want to come off as clingy. No matter how many times Natasha told her that it was "cute" when she held her hand too tight or suggested they cuddled for the tenth time during their days together. There were a lot of insecurities that came with being in a relationship that Y/n didn't know existed.

Her parents have been married for two decades and her mother acts normal around her father now, but Y/n wonders if her mother ever had the same feelings that are festering for her over these hot summer days. Her grandmother was also strict, but she was ideologically different from Y/n's mother. She didn't marry until she finished college and had a job while Y/n's mother had gotten married at a considerably young age to Y/n's father. Her parents are never cuddly like her and Natasha are.

The summer was hard mostly because it was boring. If she had someone to hang out with or do something to occupy her mind then it wouldn't be so hard. Two of her friends from high school came back, but they did not come back the same girls they left as. They reminded her more of Cindy and Amy instead of being timid. Despite the new addition to her life, Natasha, Y/n felt like she didn't fit in with her old friends. Every time she opened her mouth to say something about this person who is now a part of her life, nothing came out. The fear that her friends would revert back to their old selves at her revelation was an irrational one, but it was a reflex to feel like everything would get back to her parents. If they found out she was dating someone, they'd probably not let her go back to Brecker and she'll have to go to the local community college.

Y/n only hung out with her high school friends two times before she started to reject their offers to hangout. That sinking feeling that she only fits in with Natasha was troubling because she thought that breaking out of her mold and doing something that defies her parents would change her. "Baby steps...remember Y/n. It takes baby steps," Natasha's voice echoes in her head whenever she starts to worry. It's comforting but also a reminder that her girlfriend is hours and hours away.

The local library was her place of solace, but it was just her luck that the computers they had in the computer room were all from the 90s and needed to be replaced. The fundraisers and events they had to raise money for 20 new Window's Vista computers did give her something to do, but by the time they were getting the new computers, it was time for her to leave.

And that day to leave couldn't come any quicker. Her mother looked like she was going to cry dropping Y/n off at campus which was odd because her mother didn't even cry when they dropped her off for her first year of college. She's a sophomore now; college now feels like a beast she understands but has not tamed yet.

"I'm going to miss you so much honey." Y/n's mother held onto her like she didn't want to let go while her father kept his distance. While her parents could be very impassive, her mother could show more emotions than her father.

Once her mother let go of her, her father stood in front of her and patted her head like she was still 10 years old.

"Remember to be on your best behavior. I talked it over with your mom and if you get all A's this semester, your mom and I will buy you a phone."

The news came as no surprise as her mother let it slip some time in June that her and Y/n's father were considering letting her have a phone. While they believed for quite some time she was "too young" and that it could lead to something nefarious, they realized it would make checking up on her much easier. The only way for her to communicate with them was the phone on the first floor of the dorms or her friend's cell phones. They trusted her, and they believed she wasn't going to put herself in troublous situations like parties, but they had less trust in the people she's around on campus. Initially Y/n was excited about the phone, it would be an easier way to communicate with Natasha, but her parents would be able to check who she calls and text. Once again she is given an inch of freedom but still doesn't have the proper room to live how she wants to.

"Thanks dad."

Y/n hugged them once more before they headed back north to go home. Y/n felt a weight being taken off of her shoulder. She was tired of putting on the facade that she is the same Y/n of the last ten years of her life. She hated to act like she wasn't experiencing what many people in college experience.

Amy and Cindy had great experiences with their roommate last year, but why is Y/n two for two with awful roommates? She feels bad calling Martha 'awful' but the sentiment is only reinforced every time she gets up to scooch Y/n's container over to her side of the counter they have to share. Amy and Cindy boasted about living in sorority housing this year and how it is so much better than the regular dorms. Maybe they were right but Y/n is not fond of the idea of joining a sorority. She had gone back-and-forth on it especially since her friends kept talking about it but it was Natasha's input that had the most impact on her.

"That stuff is kind of lame babe. It's just catty bullshit. No offense to your friends I'm sure they're great, I also had some cool friends in college that also were in sororities but the amount of drama is not worth it."

Y/n had felt that way all along but it felt grounding to have someone else with the same opinion as her. Her friends and her mother told her it would be great to join a sorority but it was only Natasha that made her confident in her decision not to join one. And this is a common theme between the two. The warmth she feels inside from the constant affirmation from Natasha is indescribable. It's like they're the same person sometimes and for someone who is the only child and has felt so alone amongst her peers this is all she could ask for.

It's the first day back and all Y/n wants to do is go to the library so she can hop on the first computer that she sees to talk to Natasha. It's been a few months since she has talked to her and Y/n hopes that Natasha still likes her and wants to be with her. She lives in a major city and could find and date anyone she wants to; which is why it's so crazy to Y/n that Natasha wanted her.

Y/n knows her friends are going to be expecting to see her. It's Saturday and the next few days are filled with countless events before classes start on Tuesday. Y/n isn't feeling up to going to any parties and very few of the events sound fun, but she is trying to plan a way to see Natasha before the new semester starts.

The library is mostly empty for the most part which is not surprising for underclassmen move-in day on campus. She has no clue when Amy and Cindy are coming to campus, but she wants to talk to Natasha first before she sees them. It will be impossible for Y/n to get out of Whatever they want to do today.

Some time after they first met up, Y/n and Natasha moved on from Chatzy to talking on Myspace. Y/n felt attached to Chatzy though as it was the place she and Natasha "met." She longs on from time to time to talk to Natasha and her internet friends but all of their private conversations happen on myspace.

Over the Summer Brecker University sent a letter to parents saying they were banning myspace and friendster for anyone using their internet connection due to a huge bullying scandal that led to revenge porn. Of course Y/n's parents freaked and asked her a million questions; did she know the people? Were they her friends? Does she hang out with people like that? Is she on Myspace?

Y/n freaked out not only because of her parents overbearing questions, but because Myspace was her favorite way to talk to Natasha. She loved seeing the 'online now!' symbol next to her name. Even when Natasha wasn't online, Y/n loved to go to her profile and look at her blog post and go through her photo albums. She had countless photos that made her life seem like so much fun and amazing. Y/n often imagined herself in those photos with Natasha. If she had her arm around a friend, then Y/n imagined that was her instead. Countless daydreams of attending parties and events with Natasha plagued her mind. It feels so reachable yet so far away at the same time. She is only beginning her second year of college and it's going to be a while before she can live a life that's even a little bit similar to Natasha's. She hoped her girlfriend wouldn't get tired of waiting for her.

'omggggggggg I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when it said you were online!!!!!!!!!!!!! Birdie I missed you so much !!!!!!<333333'

Y/n was only online for all of five minutes and she was already greeted with a message from Natasha.

While Y/n's parents thought the bad influences lurked on college campuses, they were actually next door. Grace and Johnny were twins and Y/n's age. They had been neighbors for more than a decade, but the twins were different from Y/n. They were forced to hang out with each other because they were the only teens on the block at the time, but they were never really close friends like that. When there was a neighborhood BBQ, the three always hung out though. They were actually the first to find out about Natasha. Y/n felt like she was cheating on her friends but there is something about the twins that just makes her feel like she can trust them. Maybe it's because they have less strict parents and a more rebellious nature that she knows they won't go back and tell her parents.

"I can't believe you if all people have a girlfriend." They often talked near the little pond, away from the adults so Johnny wouldn't get caught smoking his cigarettes.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Besides that fact that it's a girl you're dating, your parents don't seem to be the type to let you date at all."

"First, she's a woman not a 'girl'. And second, I can make my own decisions. I don't need my parents to dictate my life," that fire she spoke with was easy for someone like Johnny and Grace to see through.

"Well good for you Y/n," Grace gave her a sympathetic smile as an apology for her brother saying something that was borderline uncomfortable for Y/n.

"Thanks Grace. But, I have a problem. We talk on Myspace but my school is banning Myspace from all the IP addresses connected to their wifi. I don't have a phone or laptop so I use the school's computers but now I can't even talk to my girlfriend."

"You know there are ways around that right?" Y/n shook her head, confused. Johnny isn't sure why he expected her to know any of that, "remember when they banned practically every website that isn't google or ends in a 'org' or 'edu' senior year of high school? There was a work around in days."

"We only had like three shitty computers so I don't know why our school got all puritanical on us when every website takes ten hours to load anyway," Grace interjected.

Y/n was less interested in the story she couldn't recall and more focused on what Johnny said about the work around.

"Can you show me how to do it?"

Because of the computers in the library being replaced, Johnny had to show her how to do it on his family's computer. She wasn't sure how foolproof his plan was since Myspace wasn't blocked on his computer, but it worked for her and Y/n couldn't be happier.

'I missed you so much Natasha. This Summer was soooooo boring without you!!'

'lol but it's okay because we r talking now! I missed u so much...wanna see ur pretty face :('

Y/n's heart clenched in both happiness and sadness. So many things are reminded that Natasha is close but not as close as she needs her to be.

'Same. I'm not sure if I have time though. First week back is such a busy time. I hate it!'

'lol I remember those days everyone just goes to parties and get drunk and they also let some fucked up things happen. 20 people from my college got expelled the first weekend back for defacing a statue of the founder. Totally overblown but idk those guys were kind of assholes so maybe they deserved it'

'Yea...I know my friends are gonna want me to go to parties but I don't really feel like it.'

'good girl...even though I want to break free from your shell, I love how you dont get caught up with shitty people. I admire how you dont give into peer pressure.

Natasha admired her. It sounds so unbelievable to her that she has to whisper the sentence to herself and the words taste delicious on her tongue. She is used to admiring and looking up to Natasha, not the other way around.

'Thank you! But I still wish I could see you...'

'Doesnt ur school have its first game next weekend? I could come!'

Somehow, taking buses and trains to the city to see Natasha didn't sound so crazy. This is what Y/n wants, to see Natasha, but the actual thought of her on her college campus sounds so daunting she almost feels compelled to close the tab and leave the library. But she doesn't.

'You sure? I never been to one of the games so it might be lame...'

'Are u kidding? You go to Brecker where there is always a party every weekend and where the administrators put more into the sports rather than the actual studies they offer.'

'I don't know...'

'I'm coming. I need to see you birdie.'

It was a demand. Y/n does not like being bossed around, that's what her parents are for, but she doesn't feel moved to challenge Natasha. Plus she wants to see her. She would be an idiot to say no when she's been plotting how to go see Natasha.

'Okay...the game is on Saturday at 2'

'I know. Maybe you can show me around(;'

It's such a major risk, but Y/n loves the idea of pointing out all the buildings she attends classes in. Natasha seems to know a lot about Brecker though, even when their first game is. It's a blip on her radar that it's a little odd that Natasha knows when her school kicks off their season, but it's not like she attends a small college.

'That'd be great. I'm so excited Nat'

She wasn't lying but she wasn't completely honest with herself or Natasha. She is scared shitless about being seen with Natasha on campus. Going to the city to spend time with each other was the safest option because no one knows who Y/n is there. She's just deathly afraid of what her friends would say. She isn't exactly sure why either; just that it fills her up with so much anxiety.

"I gained so much weight over the Summer because my parents were insistent on taking me and my brothers to almost every fair and waterpark within a 100 mile radius."

"You look great though; besides, all of your classes are across campus from our dorm so you'll probably lose five pounds a day from all the walking," Amy teased.

It was only 1 pm and Cindy and Amy had dragged Y/n to about 5 campus events. They met up at 10 am where the two were so happy to show Y/n the sorority dorms. It was their attempt to get her interested in sorority life. The dorms were very nice but four people in a room sounded like hell to Y/n. Her friends seem to love it though.

The talk of parties was a topic that dominated their conversations. There was a rush of adrenaline occurring inside of Y/n after attending those five events. It had been a Summer of minimal socializing and getting to hang out with her friends and talk to other people boosted her. She notices how she's a bit more social than she was at the beginning of her freshman year. She wonders if that's due to being used to the campus or if it's because Natasha is helping her become more comfortable with herself.

"Nothing looks fun until 3 when they have the volleyball games by Brandt Hall."

"Okay let's go to that and then go to our rooms at 6 to get ready. I wanna try to the new café place in the engineering building some time between all that."

"Speaking of rooms, Y/n, how is your roommate?"

"She's nice but very...strict? She got mad about me using the middle drawers and insisted I just use the ones closest to me."

"She sounds 'nice'", Amy quips sarcastically.

Y/n wanted to avoid her which is another reason why she's kind of leaning towards going to a party tonight. If she stays out too late then she might come back to a sleeping roommate.

"Y/n, do you remember Luke from English class last year?" Cindy interrupted, changing the topic.

"Yea, why?"

"He asked me about you. I think he likes you."

Y/n almost groaned out loud. At the most inconvenient time someone would have a crush on her and ask her friend about her. She can see the excitement in Cindy's eyes and the intrigue in Amy's. She knows exactly what those looks mean.

"He's really cute. You should talk to him."

"No," Y/n says firmly. Her friends were expecting to hear that from her, but not for reasons they know about.

"Don't you want to branch out? Your parents aren't here to spy on you Y/n. Are you going to wait until you're 30 to date?"

'I am branching out' is what Y/n wants to say but she keeps her mouth shut. She barely remembers what Luke looks like but she hopes she doesn't come across him. It's awkward to have this conversation while tiptoeing around the fact that she is already in a relationship. Her friends would probably rather he be with someone who parties too hard on the weekend rather than someone Natasha's age.

"I don't know him and I don't plan on getting to know him." Y/n rejecting their ideas is not new, but the spark in her voice is. It prompts them to shut up and change the topic once again.

Y/n's first class of the week is a 9 am history class. They were to meet in one of the library's computer rooms for the first day. Her classes had rarely utilized the internet beyond researching and writing papers.

Y/n picked the furthest computer from the teacher, one that made her screen out of sight from anyone else but her. While their teacher talked about the syllabus and the typical first day of class things, she did Johnny's trick to get onto myspace. Once again Natasha was online and she felt like luck was on her side.

'Good morning cutie :)'

She wasn't used to initiating messages and she wondered if adding the 'cutie' was kind of cringe. She was still learning about how relationships work.

'Good morning to u too!

you're up pretty early...let me guess your in class?'

'I am! History. She's just going over the boring stuff now.'

'I didn't know I had such a naughty girl on my hands(;

you should be paying attention'

Y/n felt her cheeks heating up. It reminded her of the times they had fooled around together. She can even hear those typed words in Natasha's voice in her head.

'It's so boring though :( She's talking about how much tests are worth and stuff like that'

'Does sound pretty boring I'll admit that haha

anyway I cant wait to see you this weekend! We have to tailgate!!! The best food comes from tailgates and it's free'

Y/n is not too fond of the idea of tailgating. Everyone packed into a parking lot with loud music playing sounded like a fair with the fun. But Natasha seems keen on it.

'Maybe. I'm not sure.'

'It'll be fun, I promise!

Also...I got you a gift

I think you're going to love it(;'

Had Natasha thought about her all Summer long like Y/n did about her? She feels her heart beat faster in adoration but then she feels guilty that she doesn't have a gift for Natasha. She could come up with something before the weekend but it wouldn't be particularly thoughtful like Natasha's gift probably is.

Just before she could reply the teacher was dismissing the class. She wanted to stay and talk to Natasha longer but she had another class to get too.

One thing that was shocking to both Y/n and Cindy was that Amy tried out for the cheerleading team and actually made it. They thought she was joking when she said she was going to try out but she wasn't joking at all.

"How do I look in it?"

"As great as a person can look in that awful color combination."

Y/n laughed at her friend's bluntness. The purple and orange combination was an eyesore, but Amy did look great in it.

"God, I'm so nervous and excited for tomorrow. I could throw up but I also hope I don't because then I won't be able to cheer and if I don't cheer for the first game then that sets the tone for the rest of the year! Some of the girls are sort of bitchy and they'll definitely make my life hell. Oh my god I hope there aren't any first game hazing rituals. What if they steal my uniform and hide it from me!?"

Amy was rambling and Y/n felt sympathetic. She was going through a similar thought process about Natasha coming to visit her in less than 24 hours. She wanted to send a last minute message telling her something came up or that she was sick but she feels guilty even considering that. Natasha is driving to see her and to waste all that gas and time would be disappointing. She has tried on numerous outfits to make sure she looks good in them yet she still can't decide which one is perfect.

"You'll be fine. You worry too much sometimes," Cindy was as nonchalant as ever. She seemed to have mellowed out over the summer but she still loved to party as evident by her behavior last Sunday night. "Are you going to the game Y/n?"

"I might...why?"

"Wow I'm kind of shocked you're even considering it. I'm going with some girls from sorority, but you can tag along."

Y/n smiled and nodded. Even if Natasha wasn't coming she wouldn't just be a "tag along" and go with Cindy.

Luckily the attention was off of her again once Amy started to freak out again.

The next morning Y/n was woken up by the sound of her roommate's alarm. It is 7:30 on a Saturday morning and this girl's obnoxious ringer is going off. Martha hops out of bed with a spring in her step while Y/n still feels tired. But she can't go back to sleep because she realizes what day this is. Instead she just stares at the ceiling for two hours before deciding to get up and get herself ready for the day.

Natasha promised to come around 11 in the morning so they could spend time together before the game at 2. Despite it being her campus, Natasha told Y/n where to meet her. She wanted to meet her in front of the welcome center by the union. Campus would be very crowded with visiting parents, alumni, and students who are eager to attend the first football game of the season. It will be easy for them to blend into the crowd, but also make it more likely for someone to see them together.

She decided to go with the outfit with the denim skirt. Never would she wear an outfit like this around her parents or even to a party, but she is so fixated on pleasing Natasha that she didn't hesitate to pick the closest thing she has to "sexy" clothes in her closet.

It's a hot, sticky day in August and the last thing she wants to do is be a part of a crowd. Campus never looks as crowded on regular school days, but for football games it's a completely different story.

Y/n waited outside the welcome center for five minutes before she felt a pair of arms sliding around her from the back. Alarm set in for five seconds before happiness took over. She turned around in the person's embrace and it was indeed Natasha. Her arms fly around her neck and she squeezes so tight like she never wants to let go.

"Someone's excited to see me," Natasha joked into her neck as she hugged her back. She pulled back and kissed Y/n on the cheek, watching her turn all sheepish.

"Hi. I'm glad you're here," Y/n admits. It feels like they have been apart for years. All that worry Y/n had about Natasha not wanting to be with her anymore after their time apart instantaneously dissolved.

"I'm glad I came. It's been a long time since I've been on this campus. Not a thing has changed so far."

Y/n never brought up their age difference, nor did she bring up the fact that Natasha lied to her about her age. She thought it was just her fault for making up her own conclusions. Plus it wasn't that big of a deal to her because Natasha is so kind and sweet to her.

"Do you want to show me around now?"

Y/n grabbed Natasha's hand and led her away from the welcome center. It feels so surreal to be walking around campus holding hands with her girlfriend. A sense of pride rushes through her; she wants people to see them together. She wants people to know that she isn't a prude and knows how to go after her own happiness. This confidence boost is something she wishes she had all the time but her fear is that it will dissipate once Natasha leaves. But she doesn't want to focus on that now.

"...this is the communications building."

"Ahh, my friend who went here was a communications major. She wants to work in radio, but recently she's been doing webcasts."

Y/n nodded before continuing her tour. She just wanted to show what buildings she frequented because the campus was too big and it was too hot to go any further.

"This is the library, I remember it. Do they still have that giant bell statue?"

"They do it. It's on the other side though."

Y/n wanted to go inside the library to cool down. It was quiet, empty, and well air-conditioned. The blast of cool air on her skin once they walked in calmed her down. It was easier to fathom that Natasha is actually here with her when they were alone together.

"This place was always so big. Way bigger than my college's library," Natasha whispered as the walked past a librarian who looked close to dozing off.

Y/n wanted to hide for a little bit so she could have some time with Natasha before going to the game. The library was always a place of solace for her and now it's an incredibly special place for her. She leads her girlfriend through the rows of books and to an aisle that she frequents when she wants to hide away.

"I came all the way here just for you to bring me to the library."

Natasha was just teasing her but Y/n feared that she was really thinking that she's lame.

"It's the only place to really cool down," Y/n tried to explain. "And it's quiet."

"I know baby I'm just joking with you."

Y/n looked away when Natasha called her baby, worried about what stupid expression her face would make if she kept eye contact with her.

She sat on the floor with her back pressed against the books on the shelfs and Natasha joined her. They sat close together, similar to how they do at Natasha's apartment.

"How was your Summer?"

"Long and boring. I wish I was able to talk to you because maybe it wouldn't have been so bad."

Natasha likes that Y/n is always thinking about her. She likes that her girlfriend needs her.

"I have your gift back in my car."

"Can you give me a hint?" Y/n asks with excitement. The last gift she got was from Amy and Cindy on her birthday, a pair of American Eagle skinny jeans that they wanted her to wear to a party. She had never worn anything like that and she wasn't too fond of how tight they were.

"Just that you'll love it."

Natasha wraps an arm around her and it feels so close and intimate. Her nose pressed into her cheek before Natasha kissed her cheek once again. She keeps kissing her, trailing along her face until her lips are placed firmly against Y/n's lips. It feels so surreal to have her all over her again. Natasha's hands rub her sides absentmindedly and she just can't pull her lips off of Y/n. She tastes like watermelon candy and her lips are incredibly soft. Y/n moves them with a hint of shyness but it's still a difference from their first kiss together.

Y/n didn't realize the heat was taking over them until she felt Natasha's hand sliding up her inner thigh.

"N-nat...we can't do this here."

"Sure we can."

Natasha kissed her cheek again and she can feel the heat radiating off of her. She loves how cute Y/n can be at times and how hesitant she is at times despite the fact that they've been intimate before. Sure it's a public setting, but they were hidden away behind rows and rows and rows of books.

"What if someone sees us?"

Y/n wants to give in, desperately at that. But she might die on the spot if she gets caught by one of her classmates or someone who knows her through her friends. They probably wouldn't judge her too hard, as they have done worse things in worse places, but she didn't want to be seen like this.

"It's a Saturday. You really think someone's going to be searching for a book on hermeneutics on a Saturday? When there is a football game today?"

Natasha was right, the library was partially empty when they came here. It just felt wrong to do something so naughty in a place that feels sacred; they were in the religious section and even though Y/n is not big on religion but her parents would send her to church camp if they knew what she was doing amongst these religious texts. This was the only place they could be together like this though. She can't bring Natasha back to her dorm. Not only would Natasha look out of place in the hallways with her, but her roommate would make a huge fuss about having unverified guests. Y/n can't believe how similar her and her roommate would've been if she had not met Natasha and let loose a little bit.

"But-"

"Shh. Stop whining. Be a good girl for me, okay?"

That's all Y/n wants to be, a good girl for Natasha. She placidly nods her head and spreads her legs a little bit further for Natasha. It was not a coincidence that she wore a skirt today. She borrowed it from Cindy because her parents would never let her own a skirt so short. She felt out of place wearing it. Natasha enjoyed it though, being able to caress Y/n's bare, smooth thighs in public and seeing her squirm because of it.

"There's my good girl...always spreading your legs wide for me. You know I'm going to make you feel good. That's all I want to do."

Natasha whispering in her ear made her eyes shut lightly and she leaned her head back against the books. She was sinning amongst religious books and the irony was not lost on her. She just can't bring herself to care, not when Natasha is sliding her hand up her inner thigh and moving dangerously closer to her covered sex. She never wanted to sin so bad in her life, but Natasha brought her to that point.

"You're so wet. Who are you all wet for?" Natasha's tone is teasing and Y/n gets flustered knowing that she has to answer.

"You."

Natasha slid her hand inside of Y/n's panties and started rubbing her clit. She was wetter and more sensitive than she'd like to imagine. She hadn't touched herself in a few days because she knew Natasha was coming to visit her and she wanted her girlfriend to make her cum. She tensed up as Natasha pressed harder into her.

It was so hard to hold back. She had gotten so much more comfortable with Natasha compared to their first time and they both made the discovery that Y/n is loud in bed. Once she's drowning in pleasure, she can't stop herself from crying out for more. Sometimes it makes her feel like a slut, but she surprisingly enjoys being a slut, for Natasha only though.

But she nearly gave them away when Natasha slid her fingers into her pussy and started pumping into her.

"Shh," Natasha weakly giggled. She was so close to Y/n that it nearly made her lightheaded. "Don't wanna get caught."

Y/n nodded at her again but she couldn't make any promises. It felt so good, especially after doing what Natasha had instructed her to do.

"I love the way you look with my fingers inside you. You're my precious girl."

Y/n's mouth gaped in awe, but nothing came out. She was closer to cumming than she thought. Natasha can tell she is too because of how Y/n's walls grip her fingers. She fucks her quickly so their chances of getting caught are lowered. She just wants to see her pretty girlfriend cum.

"You can do it, baby. Do it for me...cum Y/n."

It was Natasha's voice that broke something in her. It wasn't just her orgasm though, it was her entire sense of self. It was already shaky to begin with as a sheltered girl now in the wild world of college, but she didn't care about her own identity at the moment. She just wanted to melt in Natasha's arms and let her take her home to keep her there forever. The orgasmic high has her thinking things she would have considered crazy just a year ago. She doesn't care though.

Natasha pulling her fingers out brought her out of her haze, but her limbs felt so lazy. Y/n isn't sure she's going to be able to get up and walk normally as if nothing happened, as if she didn't just have an amazing orgasm in her college's huge library. She watched with hooded eyes Natasha sucking her mess off of her fingers.

"You always cum so hard for me," Natasha smirks at Y/n who pulls her eyes away in embarrassment.

Natasha stands up and Y/n's eyes begin to follow her again.

"C'mon...let's go to the football game."

Y/n didn't know what to expect but it surely wasn't the rowdiness of students and adults alike. She had convinced Natasha to skip the tailgate and now the two were sitting in a sea of people at the stadium. Football is a huge deal at her college. They're team is the best in the state, and best in the country. It's no surprise that Y/n isn't too fond of sports. Her father never watched them growing up so she didn't know much about them, especially football. Natasha however seemed to know a thing or two about football. She'd throw out some technical jargon as if Y/n would immediately understand it. Y/n just nodded along, pretending like she did get it.

The only thing she understood was how people get so excited at these things. She doesn't know shit yet she felt compelled to stand up cheer when their team made a touchdown. The adrenaline of being a part of a crowd of overly-hyped people was getting to her and she was having so much fun. They weren't close enough for Y/n to see which cheerleader was Amy but they looked great so she assumes Amy did amazing.

"I told you that you'd have fun. You were practically screaming at that last touchdown."

Natasha had her arm around Y/n and for the first time since she's been on her campus, Y/n was not worried about someone seeing her. In fact she wanted people to see her. She wants people, even strangers, to know that she's not some scared little girl. If only her parents could realize it too.

"I hate to leave, but it's getting late."

The sun was beginning to set and Natasha had to ride home to the city. Y/n almost asked if she could come with her, but she kept her mouth shut. She felt somber, having to be apart from her girlfriend after not seeing each other for three months. They had so much fun today; it's surely a time that will be remembered. Y/n is sure this is the best day she's had on campus so far. She wishes Natasha was a student, or hell even a teacher. She just wishes she can be near all the time.

Natasha leaned against her car and wrapped her arms around Y/n's waist, pulling her body towards her. There were people walking to their cars but that didn't deter Natasha from kissing Y/n. It was their first kiss in public and Y/n felt her chest heating up. The kiss was tender and something she will fantasize about tonight. She doesn't want Natasha to let go but she knows she has to.

"Let me grab your present," she whispers against her lips. Y/n reluctantly pulls away but she's excited to see what Natasha got her.

She grabs a yellow bag from the trunk of her car. Y/n can see the outline of a large, rectangular box and her curiosity grows.

"I hope you love it," Natasha says as she hands the bag off to Y/n. She could give Y/n a pair of socks and she would still accept it happily.

She grabs the box through the bag and pulls it out of the bag. It's a 2009 MacBook; a laptop that Y/n knows is stupidly expensive.

"H-How?" Y/n asks dumbfoundedly.

"I have a friend who works in tech. He owes me a favor or two and he got me a discount on the new MacBooks."

"Natasha...I can't accept this."

"Yes you can. I know you love that big library, but it's time you have a computer of your own. That way we can talk any time we want."

Y/n never realized how limited she was in her hours of talking to her girlfriend until she said those words. The shock subsided and she felt so grateful. Not just for the gift either, but that Natasha was so patient with her and kind to her.

"I don't know how to thank you."

"You can thank me by giving me another kiss before I have to go."

The box is back in the bag and Y/n carries it as she hops over to Natasha to kiss her again. It feels so much sweeter knowing that she's so cared for. Natasha pulls away with a giggle on her lips because she knows that if she had the choice Y/n would never pull away. But she moves her mouth near Y/n's ear and whispers, "there is another gift in the box. Open it when you're alone."

Her tone of voice made Y/n shiver. The smallest things Natasha does and Y/n is turning into a puddle of herself. She nods hastily. Natasha keeps her eye on her even as she gets into her car. One last wave and Y/n is left alone watching Natasha's car peel out of the parking lot and head in a direction that is far away from her. If it weren't for the laptop in her hand that she can use to talk to Natasha tonight she probably would've cried seeing her leave her after such a great day. But instead of being sad she's bolting back to her dorm so she can set up her laptop and find out what the other gift is.

Y/n's dorm room is empty, and it looks as if her roommate has been gone for hours. Y/n knows Martha isn't a party-person so she prayed that the girl went home for the weekend. She said something about only living 30 minutes away but wanting to live on campus because she is the 2nd child out of 5 siblings. Y/n wondered if that's why she was strung-up over things like space.

Y/n wasted no time getting her laptop open and began setting it up. There are some confusing things, but she digs out the manual from the box. And just like Natasha told her, there was another gift inside. It was small enough to fit inside the laptop's box but it wasn't too small either. It's just in a plain cardboard box which piqued her interest. She uses some scissors on her desk to open it and inside is a note, some very risque lingerie, and a vibrator. Y/n nearly drops it when she recognizes it from some TV show she was watching with Cindy and Amy in the lounge room last semester. Her face burned with an intense hit as she continued to stare at it. Natasha intentionally bought this for her.

She hopes to god that Martha isn't going to come back tonight.

Y/n has to set up her laptop now. She can do all the extra shit like customizing her profile name and photo later, she has to talk to Natasha.

But she has to wait until Natasha actually gets online. It's only been around 30 minutes since they actually departed and who knows how bad the traffic is both here and in the city.

In the meantime Y/n reads the note she almost forgot about due to the shock from the other gift.

'For my best girl

love Nat'

She wonders what Natasha's intentions were giving her this gift, but it isn't exactly hard to figure out what they were. There was still more time to kill and as it was getting darker, she figured Martha wasn't coming back. Her fingers brush over the lace on the lingerie and it feels so damn expensive. Y/n has never considered herself to be "sexy" but the material, now in her hands, feels sexy. Is that how Natasha sees her? She feels both riled up and anxious at the possibility of that being true.

Her roommate had put a large mirror on the back of their door and it would be perfect to see how she looks in the lingerie. It was a vibrant red, a color that Natasha said really looks good on Y/n. She didn't really believe, not believing she had a color, but she enjoys that Natasha kept her comment in mind when picking this out for her. She handled it delicately, careful not to rip as she laid it out on her bed. It was just her size too. She undressed herself and slipped it on. There were so many straps that it was a bit confusing, but she got it on. She hesitated to look at herself in the mirror but she eventually did. The material hugged her body and made her look good. Y/n couldn't believe it began laughing at how ridiculous she felt. Feeling cute or sexy even was such a foreign thing for her yet she stood in front of the mirror feeling like a completely different person. If it weren't for Natasha, she may have never experienced something like this.

So she sat there in her new lingerie waiting for the 'online now!' symbol to appear on Natasha's page. Wearing this made her feel like an adult even though she still feels like a little girl sometimes.

Her excitement nearly bubbles over when she sees that Natasha is online.

'Hiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! I love my gift. It's perfect Natasha....I also liked my other gifts...'

'I knew u would(; I wanna see you wearing ur gift from me and using ur other gift from me the webcam on the laptop is sooo good'

Y/n knew exactly what she meant she thought she was going to die. In the back of her head was the story of the leaked photo scandal that happened at her school, but her brain was short-circuiting thinking about how hot the idea sounds to remember that.

'Do you really want me to?'

'Of course baby I wanna see how good you look getting off. I missed you so much...I miss you all the time and this will be somethin for me to cherish when we r apart'

'Okay I'll make it tonight but how do I send it to you?'

'have you heard of megaupload? '

'No.'

'google it and make an account my friends and I use it to download songs'

'Are you sure it's safe? Like these won't be public or I won't get hacked?'

'u will be fine and ur photos are safe with me...more than safe(; I had so much fun with you today baby but im getting tired so I will talk to u tomorrow okay?'

'Okay. I enjoyed today too'

'Love u <3'

'Love you too <3333'

The laptop was near the bottom of her bed, the webcam recording her as indicated by the blinking red dot. Y/n angled the laptop so it wouldn't capture her face but it was undeniably her body. She tried to pose sexy but couldn't conjure up any poses that she thought made her look good. But she kept trying for her girlfriend.

The lace from the lingerie was gliding against her core and she felt a small buzz inside of her. She laid back, spreading her legs with the vibrator in hand, and her body clad in the sexy material. Her nipples poked through the lace and was somewhat irritated by it. The agitation only made her nipples harder, something that was surprisingly picked up well by the webcam.

The vibrator was one that took batteries, but Natasha took the initiative to include some in the box for Y/n. She turned it on and gasped at how loud it was and how it buzzed intensely in her hand. There was a button that turned the intensity down and she found the lowest setting. She was a little bit nervous to do this, but the red light was getting to her and she knew that it was now or never. She spread herself wider, made sure she was comfortable, and brought the vibrator to her clit.

"Shit!"

She nearly jumped out of her bed and prayed to god that the people in the dorm next to her could not hear her through the concrete walls. Even on its lowest setting the vibrator felt so powerful. She has never experienced something like that and she's almost embarrassed that her first time using one, and reacting like that is caught on camera. But it's something Natasha might say is cute.

Y/n gathers her composure and presses the vibrator to her sex, slowly this time. She inhales sharply when it makes contact with her through the mesh fabric covering her core. She thought about how it was so counterproductive to wear lingerie without someone here to peel it off; she had not even a single thought about taking it off herself because doing a striptease for a camera would be too humiliating for her to do right now when she was just taking baby steps.

It doesn't feel all that bad, in fact it feels really good. Small sighs and "ahs" escape her lips and she knows that those are the noises Natasha likes the most. They're reminiscent of the ones from their time earlier in the library today. Y/n uses that memory of them together to get herself off. The vibration against her clit is still so intense that she feels herself about to cum in a matter of seconds.

And when she does cum she has tears in her eyes and an euphoric wave is washing over her. Natasha's name is on her lips and she doesn't care how loud she is. She's drowning in pleasure and her unadulterated feelings for her girlfriend. Y/n wishes she was here so bad. So, so bad. She stares at the ceiling, forgetting that the webcam is still recording her just laying there. Nothing matters besides the rapturous delight Natasha makes her feel even when she is not here.

#I hope the online chatting dialogue isn't too confusing! It's a lot of italic text....#natasha romanoff #natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff fanfic #natasha romanoff smut #smut #marvel smut #marvel fanfic #mcu smut #mcu #imagines #smut imagines #f/f #f/f smut #f/f fanfic

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wickedsrest-rp-archive · 3 years

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ZOOted | group chatzy

TIMING: Midday, August 29, 2021. LOCATION: The Main Street of Downtown. SUMMARY: What’s black and white and silent all over? The creatures at the zoo make their grand escape. TRIGGERS: Brief vomit (marked in chatzy), animal death.

Anara Kingston was just getting ready to open up her family bistro for the day, hands propped on her hips as she admired the storefront that multiple generations had made thrive on the corner of Main Street in Downtown White Crest. There was your usual display of signage, an eye-catching banner that advertised a meatball sandwich special, and a small paper in the lower left corner of the front window that proudly read ‘127 days since last accident’. The notice was actually one of the larger draws of the establishment in a town such as White Crest, where oddities and danger seemed to lurk around every dark corner. People wanted to feel safe while they ate, munching on overpriced meals while they tarried the day away. Anara leaned forward to polish the glass in front of the advertisement of their sanctity, only to stiffen when she heard a foreign braying of...was that a donkey? No. She’d been around enough of the farms that peppered White Crest to know it wasn’t the sound of such a creature.

A clopping of hooves was quick to follow the strange barking, and to the shop owner’s amazement, none other than a genuine zebra had begun to parade down Main Street, children and adults laughing and pointing alike as the escaped creature began to graze on the flowerbeds of a plant shop.

Nell stared for a solid minute at the zebra that had waltzed down Main Street as if he owned the place, already trying to figure out whether this was some bullshit she was willing to deal with today, or if she should simply call Kaden at Animal Control and make this his problem. Unfortunately her decision was made for her as a swarm of pixies, seemingly also escaped from the zoo, buzzed after the zebra to tug at anything they could get their grimy little hands around. With a deep sigh, Nell made her way over to the swarm that was doing their best to scalp a woman by yanking at her hair. This was now officially a problem she needed to solve.

Sai huffed as he ran down the sidewalk after a black horned Scapegoat that had gleefully decided to aid some oddly silent goats on their break towards glorious freedom. “No Ibulba! They live in the zoo!”

Keys rattled as Metzli strode towards their gallery, deciding to walk through Main Street. Yuca was leashed and in tow, picking up her pace in excitement. She always loved walking about the gallery. All the pets and enrichment she could ask for, making for a very happy cat. That was until, a swarm of sprites zoomed past the two and made the vampire stumble and trip, dropping their umbrella. Yuca mewled terribly, angry and shocked by the sudden interruption.

Metzli barely had enough time to react as they saw the swarm circling back around. Eyes widened and they reached for a door, any door to swiftly let Yuca inside, but it was no use. The sun made their skin sting and bones ache, but getting their cat to safety was the top priority. Leaping into an alleyway, only a few of the sprites managed to find them and picked and prodded at their skin. “What the fuck!” They yelled, hoping they could catch someone’s attention as they wrapped their arms around Yuca.

It had been drizzling on and off all day, leaving the pavement tiles slightly slicker than Chloe liked as she navigated her trolley along the road. Her mind was fractured in several place - thinking about the strange flower order she’d processed for a funeral this morning that for some reason wanted tree roots in the bouquet as well as flowers, about the grocery shop she’d just finished, and the painting of Lydia’s face that stuck with her. She didn’t notice the rumbling of animals at first, until something pig-sized, black, and white cantered past her. Chloe screamed, jumping back as she waved her umbrella at the mime-like creature, her eyes wide. After a second, her hand clutching her chest, Chloe realised it wasn’t another evil type of mime, but just a… an anteater? No, what were they called… The ones with the longer noses that looked a little like pie-bald pigs…. The word would come to her in a moment, but it didn’t look too threatening.

Unfortunately, most things in White Crest didn’t.

Bly had spent the morning in a coffee shop with Nas and overall it had been a really freaking good time. Nas had to meet up with his girlfriend so he had left them alone in the shop until they had finished their coffee. Leaving with the shop, overpacked backpack slung over their shoulder, they stopped short. Was there like a fair and they had missed the advertisements? It didn’t really seem like a fair, but White Crest was weird like that. “So, uh, is this like an event? I didn’t buy a ticket so I’m not sure if I’m allowed to be here?” They looked over to a person nearby, hands splayed out in front of them. “I don’t have cash on me either, so I can’t even buy a ticket!”

White Crest’s one and only white Bengal tiger prowled around, looking at all of the strange and new sights that one never gets to see from behind a cage. However, she only had one thing on her mind. Where, oh where, was that zebra?

Alcher didn’t often go into town, but something had piqued her interest today. She could smell the animals crowding the streets, free from their cells at the local zoo. It was something she knew would be fun to watch, if not join in on. Unfortunately, being a wolf in this commotion might end up with her being chased by the humans who thought animals belonged in cages as well, so it was in her human guise that she showed up downtown, arms folded as she watched. Someone spoke up nearby, and Alcher shrugged. An event, not that would be funny. A smile curled her lips. “I can not say, but I can say I am enjoying this, are you?”

Nell didn’t necessarily want to kill the sprites. After all, as far as murderous pint-sized things went, they were decently harmless for the most part. And perhaps she could relate with being so angry at a world while being so little. Not that she’d ever admit that. So instead of burning them to bits with some form of iron, she looked around for any sort of box, container, something to hold the creature within. Seeing the person struggling with their umbrella nearby she yelled out to them. “You got a box or something? A bag? Anything?”

Morgan couldn’t remember how she’d convinced herself that taking Sundew along her usual weekend walk/leisurely shopping trip would be relaxing. On their way, the smug pixie delighted in reading every sign, front page, and logo they passed. When Morgan said Sundew didn’t have to, she knew how smart she was, she seriously didn’t have to, the pixie only cackled and circled higher to see more things, and then spoke of her ambition to market something to humans as ‘natural and organic’ and fill it with cat droppings. And this was before Morgan went from giving Bex a look of apology one next and starting a zebra eyeball-to-eyeball the next.

If Morgan had ever learned anything useful about zebras, it vanished in that moment. All she could process were its stripes, its beady, wicked little black eyes, and the tension freezing her cold muscles.

“That's a dummy looking horsey,” Sundew giggled. “It’s hair is almost as funny looking as yours!”

Morgan ached to take the pixie and squeeze her quiet, but it dawned on her, just in time, that there were a lot of people she recognized just beyond her (at least one she never wanted to see) and stare-down with a zebra was going to be the least of her concerns.

“Sai!” Morgan called. “You’re proficient in animal handling, right??”

Things in White Crest had been pretty mild, all things considered, which to experts like Leah meant that mischief was right around the corner. She had been thinking it all morning, and the thoughts continued to plague her as she sat for a quick lunch in the park. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind again than she heard a rumbling close by- literally around the corner. She stood up suddenly, confusion lacing her features, and walked toward Main street where she saw the contents of the zoo quite literally spilling out into town. A couple of lemurs hung from a tree nearby and suddenly, a dalmatian soared past her, running in the direction of a pet supply shop. Did the zoo hold dalmations now, too?

“Uhhh, I mean, I am trying to enjoy it but, like, there’s a tiger here now.” Bly said etched the animal began to look around looking like it was trying to find prey. “I’m pretty sure it would probably try to eat me if it had a chance. I don’t want to be eaten today?” There was a lemur somewhere nearby, Bly could hear it and they were starting to think this wasn’t an event. “Do you think we should like call the government or something?”

Sai ran up to one of the zoo employees that’d been rather nonchalantly pursuing the escaping animals, recognizing their striped uniform and panda hat. “I’m sorry… sir did you ..” he panted hands on his knees. “See which …way…the …goats..went?”

The Quiet Panda Fan regarded Sai expressionlessly for a time. Eyes with strange white pupils and black irises, contacts no doubt, seemed to bore into some deep place inside of the wizard. The Panda Fan turned and walked into an alley out of sight.

“Oh thanks!” Sai followed after, thinking Ibulba and the goat exodus had run into a dead end. He walked into the alley only to watch the Panda fan be torn apart by some unseen force, sinews, sin, and fuzzy panda kitsch unraveling into a haze of hair-thin black and white strands. The pale and dark flesh-ribbons swirled around Sai like a school of curious Koi fish before slithering onto the walls of the alley. Black and white murals of zebras, penguins, pandas danced beneath a picture of a black sun with white rays all over the alley walls. Above it all were the words “BENEATH THE LOATHSOME NOISE OF LIFE, BLESSED SILENCE WAITS.”

Sai swallowed as he stared, but thankfully Morgan's voice called out from somewhere on the street. “Uh…uh, yes! Yes I can help,” the wizard shouted, running aware from the black and white murals now adorning the alley bricks.

Forming into a ball to protect Yuca and their face, Metzli heard Nell call out her question. They answered in a frustrated huff, “Does it look like a have a fucking box?!” Swatting away with an arm they growled and hit several of the few sprites picking at them, even managing to grab one and bite its head off without a second thought.

Somewhere, in the distance, screaming could be heard. A waddle of penguins had just stolen a man’s coffee.

“I think it’s cute,” Bex had said when Morgan insisted Sundew didn’t need to read every sign possible as they strolled downtown. She was like a toddler, learning to read for the first time, and eager to show off and prove to people how smart they were. Bex gave Sundew a smile, and a quiet wink when Morgan stopped and Bex nearly ran into her. In the street, a zebra trotted by, and for a moment, Bex wasn’t sure she was seeing things right. She rubbed her eyes, looked between the animal and Morgan, snapping to and realizing it was, in fact, real, when she called out to Sai. What was he doing here? Why was there a zebra downtown? But as she looked around, she noticed more animals roaming the streets and took off in a trot after Morgan. “What’s going on-- what is that?” Wide curious eyes, not sure if she was supposed to panic or be of help somehow.

The anteater? Pig? shaped animal slowed to a trot in front of Chloe, then snuffled at a nearby plant pot full of purple gardenias, its long nose prodding and poking at the flowers. Skeptically, Chloe bristled the umbrella at it, not trusting that anything this innocuous looking could truly be innocuous. Someone yelled at her and she tore away her eyes from the creature for a second to look at the young woman. “Uh!” She yelled back, looking at her trolley full of groceries, before remembering that she’d packed some extra reusable cotton bags in case she bought more. Turning her gaze back to the animal that was now happily monching on the flowers, she pulled out the reusable bags. “Will these do? What is going on??”

Alcher regarded the tiger that was pointed out with a placid expression. “She is beautiful, isn’t she?” The child was complaining, and they smelled so human, it made Alcher’s nose crinkle through the scents of animals free from their prisons. “You do not know that. Not all animals are vicious and want to eat everything.” A shrug, and she was strolling away from them and into the street. “What good can men in suits do? I say enjoy the show, kinder, perhaps it is a free one.”

Nell growled in frustration as the first person proved useless, though she supposed they were busy protecting their cat. Fine. As always, she’d have to do it herself. But then another woman procured a plastic bag, and there was hope for the people of the world and their abilities to respond to a crisis once again. “It’s gonna have to do!” Nell said while reaching out for the bags, already thinking of a spell she could use to make them stronger, harder to be torn apart by little sprite hands. “Looks like a jail break,” Nell replied dryly, recognizing some of the animals from the zoo.

The tiger could smell her prey in the distance. It was near a group of the two legged creatures, those humans who locked her in behind those bars and watched her. Now, she watched them. Now, they would not separate her from her meal. She moved forward with the confidence of a prisoner released from her cage after too long. Like a prisoner, she wanted a good meal, and she wanted it fresh. One of the humans, a strange smelling one, one that did not seem human at all, regarded her, and so the tiger returned the look only for a moment. She was so hungry. She would eat.

The sprites became preoccupied by Nell’s trapping attempt, giving Metzli enough time to get up and run off with Yuca in their arms. That’s when they saw the rest of the animals roaming about the street. Zebras, tigers, and several others. Supernatural others. “Whoa…” They said, amazed and confused. “What is happ—” They were interrupted by running into someone, and that someone was Morgan.

“My familiar is criminal,” declared Sai mournfully as he reached Morgan, Bex, and another clumsy person, face flushed from a long sprint down several streets.

“I guess?” Bly had to admit it did make sense that animals didn’t always want to eat people. Still… They didn’t want to test it. “They might get hurt if we don’t help them though! A tiger or a zebra isn’t going to do well in Maine. It’s cold here.” Then the tiger was looking at them and Bly was pretty thankful they didn’t pee themself. They slowly inched behind the intense lady, “I don’t like this. Making eye contact with a tiger is a bad idea!”

Sundew had never dreamed of a more perfect day. The humans looked so silly with their faces like that and one of them made the funniest sound when a fluffy cloud of sprites swarmed and picked at her nisty-nasty hair.

Sundew flew out of her hiding spot on Morgan’s shoulder and conjured a mallet just her size between her fingers. She bonked the human running toward them to help, then she flew toward the sprites, cackling, “Yes! Yes! Cage-free chaos!” Then she flew to the nearest human and bit their hand and left the image of a lion paw on their wrist instead. “Woopsie! Better get that checked out! I hope your premiums are good!”

Morgan looked from Sundew, to Sai, to Bex, to the zebra, and back again. There were people losing their coffee, people losing their sanity, Nell and Chloe maybe doing something clever with a plastic bag, and it was all too much.

“What do you mean criminal?” She cried. “Did Ibulba do this?” Normally this would’ve been outrageous but nothing was outrageous today. The zebra bared his teeth and Morgan jumped back and ran into someone else.

“Oh, hi. Nice day for a walk, huh? You really might wanna consider going anywhere else right now.” Then she saw Sundew fluttering back their way with a familiar, dangerous look on her face. “Or better yet, get down! This really isn’t safe for anyone!”

Chloe eyed the animal chewing on the plants, itching around it carefully. When she looked up at Nell again, she frowned, finally realising that the ungulate creature wasn’t the only thing running around. All of the animals were black and white, and despite the havoc they were creating, they were much quieter than a normal stampede. “Are you going to use a bag to try and stop-” Chloe gestured at the skunks, snakes and single cow, as well as the terrifying creature beside them. Its nose was too long and flexible. She didn’t trust it.

Bex glanced between Sai and Morgan. Sai seemed breathless and Morgan seemed panicked and Sundew was off making trouble with some small, butterfly-looking creatures that seemed to like her. As far as animal handling went, Bex had rolled low, she’d never been around animals in her life, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know anything about them. The zebra brayed at them and she scooted behind Morgan as well, when someone bumped into them. A familiar someone.

“Metzli??” she breathed, raising a brow. Why were they here? It was still daytime! “Oh, watchout!” She called, tugging on their arm as Sundew whizzed toward them, ready to spread more antics. “Sundew, no, please!” she tried. The pixie rarely listened to Bex, even though she often let them braid her hair in the garden and laugh about silly pixie things.

Nell shook her head while she mumbled a quick spell under her breath, and the cotton bag stiffened into something much harder. “What?” she asked with vague annoyance on her features while she tried to figure out how to herd the sprites into the bag. “You want me to use the bag on the tapir?” That was the long-nosed thing standing next to Chloe, right? She remembered seeing them in the jungles of South America. “If you wanna keep it as a pet you’re gonna have to use something else. Maybe think of a name for it first. But no- this is for them!” she replied, gesturing towards the swarm of pixies.

“Maybe? I don’t know? She is aiding and abetting it at least, and her unluck is very powerful ,” Sai confessed glumly, as if somehow convinced his magic goat would be put on trial for zoo escapes.

It was too late, Metzli was knocked to the ground and Yuca yelled out in terror. She almost ran off, but they managed to grab her leash and pull her back in as they got to their feet. They were too frantic between the chaos and trying to get into some shade. “Oh. Hi Bex!” They said in a daze and ran under a nearby canopy for protection with Yuca in their arms once again. Her hackles were raised and she was growling.

Leah watched from across the street as a panda bear chewed on pages from a book, and that was the last straw. Chaos and carnage she could let go, but book destruction? Unacceptable. She stomped across the street toward the bear, taking a deep breath to settle herself as she went.

The tiger and her gorgeous coat stopped to regard Alcher for a moment, and what a sight she was. Alcher simply stood and admired her back, giving a nod. She didn’t need help stalking her prey, but the proud zebra had strutted further down the street and seemed to be oblivious to the chaos it had caused, if maybe proud. Alcher could relate. She would want to kill it, too. Perhaps it would taste sweet, like the smell of fae hanging in the air. Fae blood was a treasure for someone like Alcher, though she did not indulge often-- fae held grudges, fae remembered, fae had magic she didn’t want to mess with. Alcher turned to beckon to the child, whose worry was palpable. “I think they’ll do just fine. Keep up, if you don’t want to be the next meal.”

The lemurs began jumping on people, using their little hands to flip people off. They’d learned things during school field trips.

Sundew would later tell her troop that she’d made fifty humans think they were turning into animals even if it was only more like ten.

“Can’t catch me!” She giggled, whizzing by Bex. She pulled on the girl’s hair as hard as she could, humans were so silly when they weeble-wobbled, and did several circles in the air to show how much she was enjoying herself. She circled around to where the sprites were clustering and touched her toes to the tops of their heads as she crowed, “Fly my pretties, fly!” Just to get them good and riled up.

The zebra in front of Morgan pulled its ears back and huffed silently, then, swift as chaos, it reared and lunged at Morgan, knocking her down as it pranced toward freedom. Morgan wheezed, wincing as her chest bent back into the right shape, and looked ahead into the thick cluster of goats and animals. “What I’m hearing, Sai, is that this is only gonna get worse until we find your goat. And so we gotta—“ she gestured vaguely at the mess brewing in front of them. “Find her?”

A tall jogger sighed and scooped up a grizzly bear cub that’d been making excited friendly noises at the bibio-voric panda bear and had begun to imitate to see if human literature was indeed delicious. “No Zeke,” Roy sighed, chiding his youngest sibling. “We can’t play with cousin right now.”

Bly’s mouth was dry, this lady just nodded at the tiger. The tiger who was hunting was nodded at by a Lady who didn’t seem to care. Their fingers drummed a rhythm against their sternum, drowning out the pounding underneath it. “You think it might be hungry after a different meal?” Their voice was reaching a scared squeaking pitch. “Should I call my mom?”

“No! I thought you wanted to use the bag on the tapir! It looks shifty!” Chloe yelled back, eyeing it suspiciously again. “I don’t want it as a pet!” All bickering about the tapir faded away as she saw the sprites twisting around in the air. Chloe froze, shrinking in on herself as she clutched her iron necklace her breath racing. “I- I can’t- I can’t I can’t-” She handed Nell an iron necklace with a long iron chain on it, fingers trembling as she pressed her back against the wall. Please don’t notice me, please don’t notice me, she thought as loud as she could.

Bex recoiled. “See if I ever share my gummies with you again!” she growled at the pixie as she incited a rebellion among the butterfly beings. Her eyes roamed again until she found Metzli under a canopy, cradling their cat. “Maybe you should get out of here? Your cat seems angry and scared and I think it’s just gonna get um--” she glanced back at Morgan, the zebra, wincing at the hit, refraining from calling out to her-- “worse.” She waved her hands a moment. “At least stay here! I’ll be back.” She backed away, then, and made her way over to Sai. “Which way did she go? Can you, like, track her?” She tried to think of a way for herself to be useful, but barring becoming a distraction, she couldn’t think of much. “Maybe we should split up?”

The tiger was close enough, now, her prey nearly in her mouth it was so close. She looked to the human that did not smell like a human, to the cub human next to her. They were not important. One did not smell like prey, and the other was too small to worry with. The tiger had her prey. She looked back at it and let out a silent snarl. Sound had not come out of her, not anymore. Not since she had been locked behind those bars, since the colors in her fur dripped from her like rain water. She lunged, teeth and claws sinking into the hind end of her prey. It, too, could not properly cry out. The tiger finally had her meal.

“She probably wants to take the petting zoo goats to the farm,” Sai said, watching with wide eyes as Morgan went from definitely dead to bodily wholeness in the span of seconds. “Which…would mean I’d be harboring stolen property aw shit noooooo!”

Bea heard the yells before she saw anything out of the ordinary. All she had wanted was to buy a bottle of wine and have a bubble bath tonight. Sighing, the witch cracked open a bottle, screw top, Thank God, and took a sip. She saw her sister doing something and determined it was likely best to go help her. “Hey, Nellie,” She said casually as she offered the bottle to her sister. “Who let the animals out of the zoo?”

The tiger took its prey and Alcher grinned. The young human was panicking and she rolled her eyes. “What good would that do? If you want to survive, you must think smarter.” She didn’t know why she was even bothering with this human child, but she didn’t know how to walk away anymore. She’d grown...soft. Shuddering, Alcher turned away. She could smell them on the air, her cousins. They were traveling together and were getting closer. She had been waiting for this. It was time to make a new home for them. “Come,” she ushered to the child, “I want to show you something.”

Nell shot the other woman an incredulous look, sparing the black and white tapir once more glance before calling back to her in exasperation. “It’s a vegetarian!” The witch couldn’t remember the fancy name for ‘plant-eater’ right now. She wasn’t sure what to make of the blond’s alarm, but it only took Nell a moment to recognize the iron that had been deposited into her hand. She still didn’t want to kill the things...but maybe she could use this to herd them. It covered more ground than her knife, anyway. Swinging the chain above her head in a wide circle, Nell moved towards the sprites with her bag in the other hand. “Get!” she yelled out of instinct, as if she were wrangling some particularly rowdy cattle. “Into the bag and I won’t singe your wings off!” Bea? What the hell? Where had Bea come from? “I don’t know who let them out. Would you care to help get them back in?”

Miriam had decided to go for a walk, her skin mostly covered as she wore a large sun hat and glasses, looking for a meal before she headed back home. She was drawn to an intense amount of misery and pain, despair coming from a particular area of town. She was curious, this much concentrated agony unusual. “That little fucker waddled away with my cappuccino!” was all Miriam heard as she stumbled upon, well, a herd. All sorts of wildlife ran amok, and she blinked against the sight of it. She should turn around. She was going to turn around. This was just a little much for even her.

Mom always said not to lose your head. She also always said that letting strangers show you things would often end up poorly. Bly had already lost their head, might as well let a stranger show them something. Plus, she wasn’t scared and it was a good idea to be with someone who wasn’t losing their shit. “Uh, yeah sure? Is it another tiger cus I’m not sure if I can deal with that. Especially after witnessing that…” They trailed off looking at the tiger feasting, it made their stomach turn.

Of course Yuca was upset, her predators were roaming about and Metzli could do close to nothing to help as long as the sun was around. People were running and screaming as they glared quietly. They opted to simply threaten, baring their teeth in a predatory show of dominance under the safety of the shadows, petting Yuca and cooing at her every so often. They needed just a little more time before they were able to bolt back home.

The wine was ignored and Bea let out a little huff through her nose. She wouldn’t offer next time then. Screwing the top back on, she placed the bottle back into her tote bag gingerly. It was a pretty nice wine. “Direct me, Nell. I don’t exactly have experience in this.” If Nell wasn’t here, deep in the fray like she always was, Bea might have considered leaving, but her sister was and so Bea couldn’t leave. “What are you going to do with the bag after you get them?”

The sprites were only too happy to listen to Sundew. With a cascade of hissing and fluttering they rose, spread and circled the room. When the iron started flying into their cluster, their humming grew louder. Yes, it was going to be a cutting kind of day after all.

Morgan nodded along to Sai’s words. “Mkay. No one is harboring stolen animals. Petting zoo. We got this. We totally got this.” She stood slowly and staggered forward. But maybe, uh—” Morgan didn’t want to broadcast that she couldn’t remember what Ibulba looked like under these circumstances, but just then, every fluffy goat in the distance looked the same. “A description so we can all be equally aware and prepared would help!” She nodded encouragingly, then stuck her hand into her bag and took out a snack to eat on her way to the goats.

Alcher walked through the animals as they gave her a wide berth, especially those one might consider prey. Even in this form, they could sense what she was and she moved like a fish through water, smooth and gliding, the child in tow. Good, they’d decided to follow. She made her way down the alley and towards the edge of the streets, where it met fields of grass and eventually grew into trees. She looked back at the child. “Not a tiger, no,” she pointed at the pack of only black and white wolves, stalking the edge of the forest. They, too, had found prey, and Alcher was eager to watch. “Watch how nature truly works. This is what the world makes of those who are weak.” Of those who are prey, like little human children.

“Everything here is weirdly quiet and mime shaped so the tapir probably eats hearts on the DL!” Chloe yelled back. When she noticed the sprites, her body trembled, remembering the time she’d seen them swarm and slaughter a nearby bird. The other thing she’d learned was that wherever there were sprites, there were pixies lording over them like a bite sized monarch. She shied further back into the street, terrified to get any closer, when suddenly the sprites grew more and more energetic, spreading out and urging into a frenzy. One zipped inches from Chloe’s face as she choked on the kind of scream banned by fae promise, unable to do so much as swat them away. “Maybe- maybe- maybe something sweet!” Fae were renowned for their sweet tooths, she knew.

Sai shoved a hand in his pocket and grabbed a handful of Parmesan cheese from the baggie in there. He covertly held the Parmesan flat on his hand while moving closer to Morgan to screen the cheese from view. The Tyromancer murmured a few phrases under his breath and the cheese grains shaped themselves into a moving perfect replica of the black horned Scapegoat. “That's her”

Bro, Mom was one hundred percent right. This was a bad idea. A messed up teaching moment. The dizziness wasn’t fading as Bly looked over the scene that this woman had lead them too. “I really, really prefer when I see nature working through a documentary.” Why had they had coffee today? That always made their anxiety spike and their anxiety was already spoke. “I mean this is metal as fuck, like maybe you should write for horror movies, but I’m not a prey animal? I’m not going to be in situations like this very often and a pack of wolves isn’t going to eat me. I’m not weak. Or like I’m not usually weak?”

Bex watched in awe as Sai shaped the cheese, a bit gleeful at the creation of it. She wondered if one day she could do something like that. Maybe not with cheese. Definitely not with cheese. She glanced up and squinted down the street towards where Morgan was headed, the heard of goats far enough away to look like a stripe of cotton on the horizon. “Okay,” she nodded and started off across the street, looking both ways and letting a heard of quick moving raccoons scuttle down the road towards the alleys before turning to head up the sidewalk. She spotted Nell and Bea and another woman dealing with the sprites and decided it was probably better to not disturb them, pulling her own magic to the edge of her fingertips in case she’d need it. “Ibulba!” she called out as she got closer, “I’ve got um-- apples for you!” Goats liked apples, right?

Nell patience was worn thin. She already had so little of it to begin with, especially these days in the wake of everything that had happened over the past few months. Without warning she whipped the iron chain hard and fast enough to slice clean through a swath of the sprites, killing them instantly as their burned halves fell to the ground. “Get in the bag while you still can.” Again it had come to violence. Was this what she was supposed to be doing? Killing sprites and helping people? But the sprites weren’t being helped. The reason she couldn’t be worthy in the way Dave had said— was it because she’d never been able to solve things without adding more violence? Trying to shake her head of the thoughts she spoke again to Bea. “I’m gonna put them in the bag and glue them to the fucking ground. Then I’ll deal with them after.” Bea wanted direction. The biggest threat was the tiger, though she seemed happy now that she’d gotten her meal. “Just herd the animals back towards the zoo. Starting with this guy-” Nell nodded in the tapir’s direction. “A shadow leash or something.” The blond’s continued fear drew Nell’s attention, and she didn’t hesitate to dissect the sprite into two, the necklace swinging inches from the woman’s face.

Alcher frowned and turned to look back at the child, golden eyes reflecting sunlight in a way human ones could not. “Oh, but you are, child,” was all she said, before she moved forward swiftly and finally ripped free of her human flesh. She wanted to join the pack, the ache of needing one too hard to resist.

There was finally a chance, a chance to run in the midst of the chaos. Everyone was doing their best to do a multitude of things. Stop the chaos, run from the chaos, and even ensuing more chaos. Normally, Metzli would be excited by their own dangerous plans, but they would never dare risk Yuca’s life like that. And so they ran as fast as they could, inconspicuously. Running past Bex, they pulled her to the side as an ostrich that was running next to them nearly trampled her. “Watch your back!” They yelled as they continued to run, and get the fuck away from the fun. It was fun they were willing to miss out on. “This doesn’t mean I like you though!” Their voice trailed off into the distance as they finally escaped with Yuca. Passing by Bly and taking the chance for a little chaos. “Watch out. There’s a leopard behind you…!” Even yelling “Made you look!” As they continued.

Ibulba was watching approvingly as the quiet petting zoo goats tore through an upscale clothing store. Stalls and hangers toppled inside the store, the destruction escalating in unlikely domino effects as some unseen force seemed to play havoc with probability. Ibulba and several other goats were munching on a delicious Marie-Chantal Miller wedding dress they’d pulled out from the shattered viewing window. But her ears perked up at her name.

Ibulba turned to face the familiar she-human who was holding an apple to her. Ibubla turned back to look, and saw the sacking of the silky human-covering place was well in hand. She trotted over to Bex, seeming at home in the surrounding anarchy, and took a prospective bite of the apple.

Bex stumbled when Metzli whizzed by her, yanking her out of the path of a storming ostrich. Scrunching her nose, she shouted back, “Yes you do!” before she reached her destination and found the clothing store in utter disarray. Well...most of the dresses were tacky, anyway. She wondered if expensive clothing tasted better than bargain bin. But Ibulba was happily trotting over to her and she held out the apple she’d had in her bag and reached out to pat her head. “Hey there,” she said casually, smiling at her. “Sai’s kinda worried about you, ya know. Can you go back to him? I think he really needs your help.” From what Bex had seen of her, and knew of her, she was fiercely protective of her spellcaster. It was the bond between familiar and caster Nell had told Bex about, and she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. “Besides, looks like your friends’ve got everything under control here.”

Shadow leash. Bea could handle that, and she could start gathering a decent amount of animals with her as she went with them. “Alright. I’ll be back when I can okay.” It was good to see Nell take charge. There was energy in her voice, a commanding tone that had been missing. “You’re doing a good job,” She said offhandedly as she subtly made a shadow leash for the tapir. The animal moved uncomfortably as it realized what she had done but she was already walking along, forcing him to follow.

VOMIT TW BEGIN

This was it, this lady was a serial killer and Bly was about to be a victim. Then her skin… changed and there was a wolf in her place and finally that bile that had been working it’s way up erupted, Bly choking on it as they let out a surprised wail. As they spit it up into the grass, someone screamed about a leopard and it took all Bly’s strength to sprint away as fast as they could. They were pretty sure they had screamed, but they were running to fast to know what left them as they reentered the chaos.

VOMIT TW END

Morgan had just enough calm to take note of the image without choking on her fried brains. “Beautiful,” she deadpanned, and shambled with Bex toward that goat.

Sundew flew somersaults into the air, faster and faster, speeding toward the ground. A big black and white furry creature sneezed and swatted at her and sent her veering off course, into Morgan’s head.

Morgan caught the pixie in the palm of her hand. She had a few irritated words lined up and ready to go when a hundred little cuts pinged on her head and back. The sprites, scattering from the threat of iron, had landed on her, and had decided to take out their aggression on her body. Morgan lurched away from Bex and Ibulba and fell on her knees.

“What was that for?” Sundew asked. She had fully expected to meet the eternal pixie night after that swipe, but the dummy boob had caught her on purpose and for absolutely no trade at all.

Morgan was a little occupied with being bitten by angry sprites. She gave Sundew a dirty glare, so clear even the pixie knew what had to be done. She gave a whistle and ordered the sprites to go home. “There, are you happy now, Dummy Boob?” She asked.

Morgan looked around, dazed and bleary eyed. “You know…maybe yeah,” she said dryly. “Come on. I’ve got a real live bad luck goat for you to meet. And a big ol farm she needs to go home to.”

From an alley, a friend was watching. It was not seen. It was not heard. But it was watching. Perhaps it, too, would one day find a companion to romp through the streets and eat with.

While the sprites rammed into Morgan, Nell saw red. With another uttering of her magic, and a tug on the bond that linked her and the witch’s familiar, Taki was blipping into existence at her side, as easily summoned as breathing air after nearly a decade of doing it. “Roast them,” she told Taki, waiting for the fiery inferno of his breath to make barbecue out of the bothersome pint-sized fae. “Morgan, duck!” A swath of flames erupted from the Ovinikk’s mouth before Nell could realize the sprites were retreating on the orders of Sundew— and the stragglers of the pack screeched as they were set ablaze.

Ibulba closed her amber eyes and concentrated for a moment. She could feel her partner’s mounting anxiety from here. When Ibubla was still a kid, she’d been presented with a young he-human. He suffered from convulsions and visions, but Ibulba has souldbounded with him nevertheless, discerning that his gentleness and diligence would provide balance to her chaos. Ibulba reached through the bond and found her human partner.

Ibulba opened her eyes, munching pensively on the apple while nodding for Bex to follow. Several petting zoo goats looked up questioningly, but Ibulba knew she’d done what she could. They must find their own freedom and delicious silky snacks now. She had a hyperventilating partner to attend to.

Ibulba wove her way unerringly through the stampedes, seeming to navigate through some superior sense of probability. She occasionally checked to see if Bex was following. Eventually she sprinted straight into her caster’s embrace, allowing him to bury his face and mumble inane worried things into her wooly fur.

Relieved, Bex followed Ibulba back to Sai, who grabbed her and hugged her so gratefully, it was as if they’d been parted for years. Or, perhaps, that their distance had pained him. She heard Nell’s familiar voice, too, and looked up from Sai and Ibulba, watching as Taki opened his mouth and let out a roar of flames. Something heavy fell in Bex’s stomach as she heard the anguished cries of the small butterfly critters. Winced and looked away, deciding that keeping her focus on Sai and Ibulba was the best idea. “C’mon, we should maybe get her back to the farm,” she ushered, looking back over her shoulder at Nell and wondering if she noticed her, too. She looked angry. Bex wished she could reach out with her own magic and help calm her down, but that wasn’t within her grasp yet. She patted Ibulba’s head again and smiled at Sai as best she could. “Maybe invest in a leash, too,” she teased.

There was little left of the tiger’s prey as her stomach became overly full. Still, it was so good, so fresh. She would not waste it. And, as the humans’ sounds grew louder, she would not be caught again. No more cages. No more bars. Only fresh, warm prey. She grabbed what was left by its leg and began dragging it off, away from the noise. She would finish it later, after some peace and quiet and freedom.

“T-t-the tiger,” one of the zoo keepers, scrawny and trembling and a voice that was beginning to fail every few words, managed to say. They were a new hire. They’d find their words eventually. Or perhaps lose them. They pointed in the direction of where the tiger had gone, but it was too late to go after her with all the other chaos on the loose. They would have to follow the blood smears and hope it led them to her. After all, how hard would it be to locate a white tiger?

It was all gloved hands on deck as the rest of the zoo keepers, along with some of White Crest’s finest joined together with tranquilizers and began systematically and, for the most part, silently dispatching animals to get them sent back to the zoo. It would be hard work, but it would be done.

While the tiger wandered off, Anara Kingston took inventory of the wreckage that had been done to the front of her bistro, the lemurs that were still flipping the bird to anyone who so much as glanced in their direction, and the actual birds that were fluttering around with teeth that looked a little too human. Hold on. Birds didn’t have teeth, did they? It didn’t matter anymore. With a resigned sigh she turned back towards the sign she’d been so proud to display, sullenly erasing the number on it, changing it to read ‘0 days since last accident.’

#chatzy #wickedswriting #wcw

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walker-journal · 3 years

Text

Extreme Noodling (Dave+Adam)

Timing: Near Winter’s end, before Dave got bit

Summary: Dave and Adam wrassle some giant catfish (the google searches for this chatzy changed us as people I’m pretty sure. I know too much)

Content Warning: lots of fish gore

The frost-flecked marsh water sloshed around Adam’s boots as he waded through the mire. Feathery moss hung in pale sheets from old maples and gnarled gum trees. Vertical clumps of reeds and cattails marked where the sparse islands of solid ground gave way to sluggish swamp water. This particularly frigid winter had touched the murk with thin sheets of ice, the fragile pristine white breaking under the slightest pressure for brackish mulch to pour through the cracks.

Adam was out in the frigid marshland today at the behest of David Herring, a sailor whom Nell has possibly summoned from hell as a birthday stunt. Adam was trying to take his return to Hunting gradually. His powers were slowly returning day by day, although resurgent strength and sharpening senses hadn’t brought any answers along with them.

Even more grueling training and keeping busy at work would have to suffice now, resolved Adam as he held his rifle dry across his shoulders and waded towards where Herring was waiting.

Dave had braced himself against a nearby tree, his bag hooked over some higher up branches. Despite the frigid early spring weather, he stood in shorts and watershoes, already water and mud logged, but like this he could feel everyone and everything coming, no matter how big or small.

It was always a smart idea to have your back braced against something when you weren’t sure exactly where you stood with the person you’d called for back up. Dave wasn’t the type to calculate who owed who after surviving something together, and you never knew exactly what flavour of hunter you were getting until they had their knife against your throat. Most of the time, it had been alright, but considering the blood that stained Dave’s hands, he wasn’t surprised when things went the other direction fast. But the water in the marshes was even more still than the lakes, so he felt the ripples of Adam wading through the water long before he saw the young hunter approaching, so he was ready and waiting by the time Adam had slogged close by.

“Walker,” he greeted, raising a hand in greeting. “You gone up against a prodigium catfish before?”

Adam had to give mad props to the titanium viking balls this dude must have to go all beachwear in an ice swamp. However, as Adam might still want to have kids someday, these waders were staying on. Manly bayou bonding would have to wait.

“Read about them, never hunted them before,” the young Hunter admitted, the hot hills of California and the holy land having been more alghoul country then noodling holes.

Dave nodded, watching Adam intently - mostly to be able to read his lips to make sense of what he could hear. At least the swamp was quiet, in the harsh way that winters often were. He didn’t have any kind of teeth guards on this time, his long canines exposed as he talked.

“This’ll be my fourth,” he replied, “but most of the others were juveniles. Feels about… fifteen feet, at a guess. Right now it’s about sixty feet that way.” He pointed deeper into the marsh land. “Fortunately, they ain’t agile creatures at that size, but they’ll crush you if they can. If you’ve read about them, I'm figuring you know about the barbs and arms.” He shifted, unstrapping a machete from the bag he’d hung from some tree branches. “If you think you can land the perfect shot, take it. Otherwise I’m thinking it’ll be better to get it in shallow water and incapacitate its arms for an easier kill.”

“Gothya, watch out for the barbs and baby Kermit arms, we gotta beach it in the the shallows unless there's an opening,” Adam reiterated, looking out at the hushed landscape of frost and brackish silt.

“But before we start I gotta ask,” the Hunter insisted as he knelt on the soggy crust the snowy embankment. He leaned the nonessential gear against the grey trunk of a willow.

“So...are you like sensing the fish right now? Do aquaman powers come with the whole wereseal thing?”

“Selkie. Something like that,” Dave replied, with just one eyebrow raised at Adam, unsure if he was missing out on some youthful slang or that Adam was not as informed as some of the other hunters around. Wereseal. The damn nerve. Not that there was anything wrong with being a werewolf, but Dave didn’t lose control like he’d gotten rabies once a month. It was all this damn tv, now everyone thought that just because you could change forms you’d have to be some cheap knock off were-

Dave hmmphed. Tiny pulses of water against his skin warned him of the large, slow being stirring in its tunnel, its mouth resting nearby the surface, waiting for prey to come nearby. “Any other questions? Ain’t exactly your college classroom.”

Ok, wait...so like, could Dave sense fish? If he could, was that a Dave-Selkie thing or a Dave-Dave thing? A tinge of frigid heat flickered in the back of Adam’s skull as something grew near, farther and larger than the palpable “otherness” that radiated from Dave. The Hunter tensed, but wasn’t going to pass up his last chance here.

“One more question….did uh….a hot Turkish motorcycle chick call you from a Hell Dimension for her sister’s birthday?”

The frosty mire stirred with an upwelling of bubbles that brought the brackish scent of rotting things with them. The dirty ice cracked upwards as an enormous bulk briefly surfaced fifty feet away.

“Its like..ok if its yes, just been bothering me.”

Dave just… stared at Adam. Had he heard that right? The words were distinct on the lips, but the sentence made no sense, not even when Dave happened to know there was a Turkish spellcaster who summoned things from hell dimensions. He wasn’t sure if he should be offended or complimented by the idea. “A hell dimension?” Dave repeated, just to make sure he’d heard right.

“The fuck are they teaching hunters these days? No, Walker, unless you consider Texas a hell dimension.” He cocked his head, considering. “Guess that wouldn’t be too far from the truth.”

The turbulence of water under the surface against his ankle had Dave looking around suspiciously, but the giant catfish was just reasserting itself in the water bed much, much to the starting of many smaller fish nearby, that darted away, including in their direction. Whether or not Texas was a hell dimension would have to be debated another day, preferably over a chilled beer. “If we steer it a little to the left, the water there’s pretty shallow, and lots of land for you to use.” Not sure he was prepared for whatever other questions Adam might have, Dave began to wade deeper into the water, looking to get much closer before he caught the catfish’s attention.

“Not gonna lie,” Adam began with cheerful candor as he parkored his way between the more solid clumps of sodden shallows. “Texas sounds like a rough time for anybody who likes water.”

Dark hazel eyes glanced again towards the breach of a large slick mass against the ice, glimpsing what might’ve been a piscine whisker, before they focused back to Dave, crinkling with suppressed mirth around the edges.

“Waaaaaait,” came the dire moment of revelation. “If you have magic skin...in Texas, did you like accessorize it?”

“Dave, my dude...did you wear sealskin chaps?”

Adam was just in the start of pantomiming the Dave sauntering around Huston in this deviant form of cowpoke asswear when bulky shape burst from the icy murk.

“Hell yeah!”

Dave’s eyebrows raised right into his hairline as he looked over at Adam, deeply unimpressed at his realisation. For a brief second, he almost knocked Adam into the water to quiet the kid, before remembering what they were here for. Maybe later.

“You’re lucky that thing works better dry,” Dave retorted, looking down pointedly at Adam’s rifle, but the tiny quirk at the corners of his lips belied his grumpy demeanor.

It was one thing feeling it stirring in the muck, and another for the large form to crash through the crackly thin layer of ice. Dave grinned, his canine teeth bared as the form surged through the water, its wide mouth gaping for prey, not realising that it was no longer the predator. In the water, Dave was the more obvious target, so he started backing into the shallower waters, letting it think it was hunting him.

Considering how big the damn thing was, Dave hadn’t really expected it to be able to grab a nearby tree and use that to propell itself at Dave, barely diving out of the way before its jaw shut around him. When it’s body crashed through the water again, it sent waves of water and mud flying, but in missing it had given Dave an opening to drive the machete into its back, hoping to slice through the spine. The catfish flailed in protest, grabbing Dave with an arm like a tree trunk and dragging him under water.

----

“Aw shit,” Adam laughed as he tried to get a hold on the slick flailing creature that was driving Dave down into the murk, “it's trying to send you back to Texas!”

The icey bog water stung Adam’s bare arms with a cold burn that was soon replaced with an oiliness that seeped between his fingers. Adam gritted his teeth and lips shut to try to to get any of the frigid brackishness in his mouth as the catfish bucked and flailed beneath him.

Adam plunged his combat knife into the creature’s side, grime mixing with pale blue blood and the sudden reek of raw damp chicken. Trying to keep hold, Adam yanked out the blade and brought it down again and again, attempting to get the catfish to favor its wounded side and hopefully roll Dave out of the water.

----

It was fortunate that Dave was both hard of hearing and currently being wrestled by an enormous catfish underwater, because if he had heard Adam’s comment, there might have been a sea creature versus hunter alliance. The heavy set slime on his skin kept the catfish’s hands sliding off him, but as he was knocked deeper and deeper into the dirt, the chance of dying from being crushed by catfish was increasingly looming.

Dave bared his teeth and bit into the scaled underside of the catfish with little success, unable to open his mouth enough to get any kind of hold, but the overhead action above the water seemed to have more of an effect. Dave kicked himself out from underneath the catfish as the catfish trashed and tried to reach for the human above it, more interested in a prey that it could actually drown.

It curled its other arm around Dave as it reached for Adam, distracted by the dagger slashing deeper and deeper into its side. It wasn’t watching as Dave opened his own maw and bit down on its arm, bone snapping under his canines.

When Dave emerged from the water, it was with one of the arms firmly between his teeth, torn off the body and dripping blood into the water, he grimaced, dropping it onto the roots of a nearby tree that had started to sink into the water as the soil beneath it had given way to watery mud.

----

“Holy shit,” Adam effused in admiration of such unmitigated badassery, a grin brightening the Hunter’s grime-covered face as he climbed up the side of the flailing catfish. He hoisted himself up with each deep stab of the knife into the catfish’s spongy flesh as if it were a rock-climber’s spike. “That was fucking ace….hey what’s it taste like? Bet you got like Marsh-Mono now or something…”

Adam’s preliminary diagnosis on what disease Dave had doubtless contracted was cut short as the Hunter accidentally stabbed too deeply and pierced an organ. Greenish black fluid hemorrhaged from the wound and Adam let out a stream of gagging curses as the slimy knife slipped from his fingers into the acrid effluvium.

That momentary loss of purchase was all the catfish needed. Adam plunged into the marshwater as the fish spun into a deathroll and opened its toothless maw wide.

Adam’s world became warm and damply dark.

----

“Ah, fucking hell,” Dave groaned, wading deeper into the water. He couldn’t see where Adam had gone, but he couldn’t feel anything human sized with flailing limbs moving around in the water. If he’d been knocked out, it was a matter of moments before the human risked drowning. You couldn’t heal an absence of oxygen in your lungs. Thick blue blood pumped out of the catfish’s side, murking up the water, but it was still kicking, moving towards him with its still remaining arm. This was going to be tough just by himself, and without Adam moving around in the water, Dave had no fucking idea how to find him.

The catfish swiped, and Dave dodged out of the way with a slash at its side, seeing where Adam had been hacking deep into it, where it was also bleeding and oozing viscous pus into the water, stinking up a storm. Still no sign of the wayward hunter. Shit, shit. Hoping that with its movement he might get a better feel of where Adam was. “WALKER!” He barked, watching the catfish and staying well away from its brutish arms.

Which was when he realised there was something else moving inside the catfish and he realised exactly where Walker was.

“Jesus Christ.” He drove his hand into the deep gash in the catfish’s side, causing it to spasm in pain, hoping he could distract the catfish long enough for one of them to think of a plan to get Adam out of the monsters without… risking killing him while fighting the catfish.

Adam’s silver knife appeared from the catfish’s belly, a brief protrusion of metal followed by an upwelling of dark blue ichor. The enormous fish thrashed as Dave’s hand in its wound exacerbated this new pain burrowing out from the inside. The catfish bucked in spine-twisting arcs on the frosty mire as it instinctively tried to get free of whatever invisible thing was tearing at it.

The knife blade surfaced again when the panicked flailing no had briefly subsided, the incision growing into a long fleshly tear that spewed gummy stomach lining. Long strips of blue-tinged mucosa and yellowish subcutaneous tissue spurted from the wound each time the blade retreated, staining the marsh ice in a splots of organic dyes.

Adam’s gore-caked right arm snaked through the widened opening, trying to find some kind of grip outside as the fish’s frenzied motions turned his world into a dark barrel-roll hell of sloshing fluids and pythonic stomach muscles. It was a dicey business as the fish’s jostling and this cramped space made accidentally stabbing himself a real possibility. The Hunter had nearly opened up a vein when he’d had to fold into the fetal position to retrieve the spare silver knife.

It was times like these where being trained to abandon thought and focus only on each incremental steps of survival came in handy. The horrid smell, the acrid taste of bloody filth in his mouth, the vertigo of the fish’s thrashing, the burn on stomach acid in his skin and eyes, and the rip-popping compression of the catfish’s spasming stomach messes would’ve made it easy to just panic.

Luckily, Adam had spent enough time being taking doses of ever-higher concentrations demonic Terevi venom as a teenager that being digested was no longer an excuse to slack off. It’s really those salt of the earth family values that build character y’know?

Adam stuck out one leg through the widened opening and placed it again one fleshy end of the wound for leverage as he pressed the knife’s blade upward, sawing his way through sinews and fat as frigid marsh water poured in through the opening.

Something suddenly gave and the world spun. Adam hit the squishy sod with a groggy oof but convulsing to hack up catfish blood.

The first time the catfish tried to roll, Dave punched it in the eye. The second, he sliced off one of its barbs and it knocked him into the water with its remained arm. Dave’s head smacked into a tree branch and he briefly saw stars. He got out from under it, and saw a shape tearing through the scaled belly. A leg. Walker. He almost wanted to surge forward and grab him, but the bleeding hole wasn’t enough to fit a whole man through, and yanking Adam out of place might trap him and make him suffocate. Dave couldn’t let the catfish roll again, or Adam’s leg would snap like a matchstick. Dave hacked at its back with the machete again, blood spewing his body with every swing, now he knew where the hunter was cutting his way out from, keeping the catfish from grabbing at Adam or rolling again. With a final hack and a burst of bloody flesh, its intestines spilled out into the water in large ropes and bobbing in the water like grotesque pool floats. Adam along with it. The catfish spasmed, and twitched, its gills trembling, before at last it became still.

“Jesus fuck,” Dave said, rushing over to Adam’s side. He paused, waiting for the worst of the convulsions to pass before bending down, picking up Adam’s arm and swinging it over his shoulder. If the kid passed out, Dave was worried he’d faceplant into the swamp and breathe water. “Easy does it. Easy does it now,” He muttered, lowering Adam to sit on some firmer ground. “Keep your eyes shut, I’m gonna get this crap off your off your face so you can breathe,” Dave said, not being precious as he wiped the acidic gunk from Adam’s face, pulling a flask of water out of his belt and using it to rinse Adam’s face. He held his hand so that the water wouldn’t go into Adam’s nose nor mouth. Wasn’t looking to waterboard the guy afterall, just make sure that the acid didn’t cause permanent injury to his eyes or anything.

Pressing the half-filled flask into Adam’s hand so that he could drink or wash himself as need be, Dave stepped back, giving Adam space to catch his breath and assess his own wounds. He leant against a worn out tree, feigning a casual demeanor so Adam didn’t feel as intensely scrutinised as he was being. The thick sludge of blood and grime covering Adam from head to toe was mixed with stomach acid, and the little skin that Dave could see was turning pink where it wasn’t battered blue. “Always thought hunters had a flair for the dramatic, but you really take the cake,” he joked with the hint of a smile on his features, but the worry was there. Adam’s injuries would heal faster, but Dave wasn’t the one who’d just been eaten. He just remembered the feeling. “When you’re ready, you’re gonna need to get back in the water to wash the rest of it off.”

He didn’t ask, are you alright. He didn’t ask whether it hurt. He didn’t need to. He knew how trauma was what each hunter collected by the armful, this just another harrowing near death experience out of dozens that Adam had walked away from. This one might not even leave a scar, just a story to tell over a beer. Tomorrow, Dave would feel like he’d been hit by a truck, and in a week his muscles would still give him hell. In a week, Walker would likely be right as rain. But healing hurt, both the mental and physical sort, so he waited for Adam’s cue before coming in to help him get on his feet again. His own legs began to protest under both their weights, his ribs creaking. For right now, the adrenaline rushing in his weathered veins made this just about bearable, but they needed to make a move before the tides turned against them.

“I’ll tell you what, Walker. Once we’re both patched up, I’ll buy you dinner and a beer just to celebrate you not being dinner.”

#extreme noodling #dave #adam #seizethecarpe

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nelllraiser · 3 years

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sharks and strippers | group birthday chatzy

LOCATION: a frozen pond in the forest. PARTIES: @chasseurdeloup, @divineluce, @beatrice-blaze, @whatsin-yourhead, @connorspiracy, @phoenixleah, @notsoharsh, @corpse--diem, @detectivedreameater, @letsbenditlikebennett, @halequeenjas, @walker-journal, @seizethecarpe, Jack SUMMARY: nell’s birthday party has a surprise guest.

It was technically still two days until Nell's birthday, but with that actual day of celebration stuck right in the middle of the full moon and during the beginning of the work week, it had made much more sense to have the party today. The three Vural girls had pooled their magic to freeze over the pond they'd found to make a suitable outdoor ice skating rink, and hired someone to rent out skates for those that needed them. Fairy lights were hung around the perimeter of the new ice rink, and not all that far away was a bonfire pit already stacked with wood and marshmallows for s'mores nestled into the surrounding snow. Somewhere nearby was a speaker to play some music to skate along to, but perhaps most important was the little tent and table where guests could find an assortment of alcohol. Whoever said intoxication didn't mix well with ice skating hadn't watched their friends hilariously fall on their asses countless times. The spicy aroma of mulled wine and hot toddy filled the air along with irish coffee. In addition to the winter drink staples there were also the typical options for the more traditional. As she waited for others to arrive, Nell paced by the edge of the rink, realizing perhaps a bit too late that a magical invitation might not be all that intuitive for everyone receiving it. "You don't think they'll get lost, right? I mean- if you saw a golden trail come from an invitation you'd follow it, wouldn't you?" she asked.

Kaden wasn’t really up for a party, but this was for Nell. And the invitation was from Bea. So he’d make a brief appearance. Plus, it was a decent distraction. Might as well. And he knew it would be a sight to see. He ripped the invitation, followed the golden light and ended up in the middle of the woods. Of course they made it a magical invite. It took a while to get there, but none of it felt like the middle of the woods. It was decorated to the nines, as expected. He dropped his present off at the table that looked like it was meant for that sort of thing and saw the set up for alcohol. His first stop. Easily.

Luce leaned against one of the tables that had been set up, her hands tucked in the pockets of her jeans as she stared at the ice skating rink she and her sisters had put together. The effort had taken more out of her than she'd thought it would and, right now? She just wanted to sit down. She didn't even really want to be here. But, after all the shit she'd put Nell through, she had to be here. It wouldn't be fair to Nell if she wasn't here at least pretending like she was enjoying the party. Wandering over to the drink station, she made herself an Irish coffee and took a sip from it. Fuck that was good. They might not have access to the family bank account anymore, but they could still throw a good party. "We're witches. They'll figure it out." Luce said with a shake of her head. "Happy Birthday, Nellie." She added, doing her best to smile in a way that she hoped was convincing.

"I think you're overthinking things," Bea told her sister with an amused smile. "If they don't find it with that, they'll hear the people eventually. Or they can just call one of us. They have my phone number." She went over to the tent with the alcohol,"What do you guys want? I'm getting an Irish coffee." She would be skating drunk later and no one would be able to convince her not to.

The invitation was a little strange. Remmy had fiddled with it for a while before realizing that it was asking them to literally rip the piece of paper in half. As soon as they put that together, they realized that was definitely a very Nell thing to do. Or maybe it was just witches that would do stuff like this. They wondered if Morgan had ever done a fancy invitation thing like this, as they followed the trail through the trees and came upon a lake, frosted over. Nell was there, and they spotted Bea and Luce as well, waving over to them and giving a slow trot over. "Hey! Happy birthday Nell!" they said, trying their hardest to stay bright and happy. They didn't need to think about other stuff right now. Held out the card they'd made her. "Sorry it's not much."

Connor had been happy to receive the invitation to Nell's birthday, but that had led to his tiny dilemma of what to get as a gift. He'd asked Bea for some ideas and brainstormed based on what he knew about her. She seemed the sort of person who would just get whatever she wanted regardless. Ultimately he'd decided on a punny t-shirt that had a cactus on the front with 'Don't Be A Prick' written under it and a six month cactus subscription service so Nell could try out a bunch of different types. He wrapped up warm, like Bea had suggested, following the trail to the party. He put the gift on the gift table, looking around for someone he knew before heading to the bar where he ordered a simple beer. "Hey," he greeted, recognizing Kaden, and recognizing Bea's photo from her online account.

As the invitation led Leah to Nell's party, Leah couldn't help but feel equal parts excited and anxious. It was always a blast to celebrate with the Vurals, but the rumors that they were going to be ice skating had her worried about exposure. She wasn't cold at all, but she was still wearing her heaviest coat, gloves, and a hat. She made her way right to the alcohol tent, knowing full well that's where Bea would be. "Surprise me", she said with a grin, still holding Nell's present under her arm. "Where's the birthday girl?"

As people began to filter towards the party, it seemed that Luce's and Bea's words had come true. With an instantaneous wave at those arriving, Nell greeted everyone with a wide and eager smile, just happy that people had showed up. "Hi guys! Thanks," she said to everyone that greeted her, already bouncing towards the bar where people were seeming to gather. "I'm glad you guys are getting your alcohol before you get on the ice. Then it can be my gift to watch all of you fall." In a moment she was grabbing her own drink in the form of a hot toddy, having already asked for it before the festivities began.

Harsh lurked in the shade, waiting for the sun to dip just a bit more. At least it was getting dark earlier and earlier now. He wouldn't have to wait too much longer to grace Nell's party with his presence. He ripped open the invitation, blinking at the sudden spill of golden light. Witches, they always had the best toys. He followed it, careful to still stick to shady patches where he could find them, just in case the setting sun had it out for him. It didn't take too long to wander his way to the end of the golden path. He dropped his small, neatly wrapped present off with the others before glancing around, grinning when he spotted Nell. He lifted a hand in a little wave before heading over to inspect the booze.

Kaden gave Connor a small wave as he ordered a hot toddy. "I see you all went all out," he said to the sisters. "I expected nothing less." He recognized a number of familiar faces and expected more would file in as the night went on. "Have to say, I'm worried about the ice skating. Did you bring magical first aid kits out here, too? You might need them."

“There’s no location,” Erin pointed out as she inspected the invitation. Keys in hand, jacket on, present in tow, she was ready to head out the door when she realized this one crucial piece of information. How did she miss that when she’d originally received it or when she had made the initial RSVP with Bea? She started out the door anyway, pulling her phone out, hovering over the older Vural sister’s phone number again. “Are you ready to go?” She called back to Marley, narrowing her eyes, scanning the invitation for the fiftieth time. With all the heaviness surrounding them lately, Erin had actually been looking forward to this. She dialed the number and shrugged at Marley as she waited. “I think there’s a typo or something. I'm calling Bea now,” she said, holding it out to her.

Marley picked up the invitation handed to her and read it over once, before rolling her eyes and looking up at Erin. "It literally says right here to rip it in half," she answered, not waiting for Erin to say anything before taking the paper and ripping it straight in half. She handed the two pieces back to Erin before pulling on her jacket. "There better be alcohol at this party," she mumbled, "I don't do parties without alcohol."

Connor smiled over at Nell. "Darling, people are going to be falling arse over tit by the time this is over. If watching people fall is your idea of a good time, you're gonna have a hell of a birthday." He spotted Leah, giving her a grin. "Hey, thanks for the book help the other day." He glanced around. People were still trickling in. "I hardly know anyone here. Some of Nell's friends are kinda old."

Bea grinned at Kaden as her phone rang. "Hello, this is Bea, if this is about the party rip the invitation in half. It'll guide you to us. Bring a jacket too!!" She answered chriply.

Ariana had followed the little lights from the invitation with a fascinated look on her face. While magic was over her head, she found it to be too cool all the same. The little glowing lights led her up to an outdoor ice skating area. She could hear the chatter before she approached and smiled when she saw some familiar faces. She waved in Nell and Connor's direction and brightly greeted, "Happy birthday! Hope you don't mind- I dropped your gift off by your house because it would have been a pain in the ass to carry home. You'll see what I mean."

There were too many people by the alcohol. And, when Luce's choice of who to talk with were between Remmy, Kaden, Leah, some random white boy who was calling people old? Christ. No fucking thanks. Slipping away from the crowd of people, she took her steaming cup of Irish coffee and made her way over to the fire that was roaring off to the side. She didn't care much about the heat or the smores, she was just glad to be out of the fucking away. She'd hang around and make sure the fire was going. She'd do her part to make this a nice birthday for her sister. Glancing across the fire, she pointed at the sticks that were left for people to stab marshmallows on. "If you want smores, go nuts."

Nell waved over at Harsh as he greeted her, hoping the sun would set a little faster so that he'd be able to join the festivities a bit more freely. Nevertheless, she waved him over to the bar where everyone was. Laughing a little she quickly said to Connor, "Why do you think I specifically chose an ice rink? Watching my friends make fools of themselves is my dream." Then she was grinning at Ariana, waving yet again with vigor. "It's that big?" Nell chuckled curiously. "So are you gonna skate with me?"

Connor raised an eyebrow at Ari's mention of her gift. "Bruv, what do you mean? Too big? What'd you get her? A life-size sculpture of Greg the dog?" he asked with a chuckle. He lifted his beer in a small toast. "Happy birthday to Nell, happy party-day to everyone else. I'm Connor, by the way."

Jasmine decided she maybe should have worn more practical heels for this little follow the light to Nell's birthday venture. Normally, she was all about the whole being extra thing, but today, her feet were not particularly feeling it. For Nell, it was all worth it. She'd had a gift in hand that she set down on the table as she approached. She gravitated toward Bea and huffed, "Leave it to you to go all out down to the invitation, Beatrice." She scanned the crowd and waved at a few familiar faces.

Ariana tried to muster her most serious face as she answered Connor's joke. "Obviously. What else would I have made Nell for her birthday?" At Nell's mention of skating, she lit up. Given most of her skating past had included playing hockey, but skating just for skating's sake was always fun too. "You don't have to ask me twice. I love ice skating."

Harsh glanced around, finding a few familiar faces. Huh, it really was a small world. Or a small town, whatever. He followed Nell's wave, casually keeping himself out of the sun. There were enough shadowed spots that it shouldn't be too obvious. "Thanks for the invite, it's pretty cool out here." Trying to catch Kaden's eye, he gave him a little nod. "Hey man, didn't know you were gonna be here. I really need to get out more, I can't remember the last time I went to an actual party."

Remmy,confused, watched Luce slink away and over to the fire pit. They furrowed their brow, but chose to ignore it for now, and smiled at Nell. Moose was already rolling around in the snow, happy as ever. The one person Remmy didn't recognize yet introduced himself as was Connor and they waved. "I'm Remmy," they said, nodding, "and I think I'm gonna try skating!" They backed away and headed over to the table full of skates to rent and picked out their size. They plopped down, put on their boots, and stood up. They hadn't been skating in ages, but how hard could it be? They gave a pointed glance towards Luce at the fire pit before stepping out onto the ice, watching Moose tentatively test it out before deciding to sit happily in the snow at the edge.

"I do have some magical first aid kits, just so you know. I'm prepared for a few scraps," Bea told Kaden. She looked over at Jasmine with a shrug,"You remember how her birthdays were as a kid. She deserves all out." Bea and her friends had always been the few people who came to Nell's birthday parties when she was young. Her classmates, and even the kids in the coven, had avoided Nell. Her sisters had to give Nell a good birthday, especially after how this year has gone for them.

Connor nodded, giving Remmy a smile. "Nice to meet you, mate. Once I've finished this beer, I might grab a pair of skates myself. Hopefully still got enough of my ballet co-ordination to not make an absolute dick of myself." He edged a little closer to Nell, lowering his voice. "How do you know the old people?"

Erins’ mouth gaped as she literally tore the invitation. “What are you--” Almost at the same time, Bea answered and confirmed her question before she could even say anything. Lights appeared out of thin air. “Oh. Thanks. See you soon.” Of course. Magic. That was pretty cool actually. She hung up and led the way. “We’re going to a 24 year old’s birthday party. If there’s not alcohol, I’m leaving,” she joked. Kind of. But if she thought the lights were cool, the frozen pond that definitely shouldn’t be frozen in this weather was just as cool. She moved towards the first familiar face she saw, surprised to see her realtor with Bea, as well as a few others that were less pleasant surprises. “Oh, great,” she mumbled to Marley when she saw Kaden, waving towards Bea and Jasmine. “Please tell me you see the alcohol.”

Ariana snickered to herself as she heard Connor whisper about the old people.

Leah R Sipped her sangria, eyeing the rink cautiously as she walked closer to Bea, Kaden, and Jasmine. "How good are those first aid kits at healing broken bones?" she teased playfully. There was no way she would be out there skating today, but it would be fun to watch her friends tumble over each other. She glanced at Kaden, giving him a short, tight smile, before she looked back to her friends. "That stripper dude that came to your birthday isn't coming, is he? I think it's probably too cold for a stripper."

Luce wasn't surprised by the way Remmy looked at her and she let out a sigh. This wasn't the time or place for drama. Taking another large drink from her cup, Luce looked at the fire and nudged it with magic. The flames turned a slight blue color as she helped it burn a little higher. Glancing over the firepit, she watched as Jasmine, Erin, Marley, and a few other stragglers made their way into the party. What the fuck kind of shoes was Jas wearing?

It took a quick moment to lace up her skates, and in another second Nell was making her way to the ice with her drink still in hand, beckoning the others along. Nell's snicker was quick to join Ariana's before she said, "You know old people need attention, too. If you don't pay attention to them that's how they get wrinkles." Her tone was purposefully loud enough for anyone in the vicinity to hear."

"I sure do," Marley answered, because she'd scouted out the bar table the second she'd gotten there. There were a few familiar faces around, including Langley, of course, but she really didn't care. She didn't exactly want to be here in the first place, but Erin had bullied her into going, and she did kind of like the littlest Vural. Even if she was annoying. Mostly. She split away from Erin and headed towards the bar table, not waiting for her, sunglasses snug on her face. The sun was bright and it was making her head hurt to look at, and this place had just the cure. "Mexican coffee," she said, pointing at the tequila and then the big pot of coffee. "Put a little extra love in it, too."

Jack hadn't expected to be invited back to an event by a Vural after the last time, and definitely not socially rather than as a performer. As he eyed the ice and his breath curling in the cool air, he was kind of glad of that though. He couldn't quite show off his incredible abs and biceps to the crowd in his coat, but there was no amount of clothing that could hide his immaculate silhouette. He slid over to the bar with a casual grace. "Hey Bea, how are you doing?"

Jasmine nodded as she remembered Nell's birthday parties when they were kids. She never quite understood why other kids didn't show up but she was glad Nell got to have something this special now. Even if she did have to walk out here in heels. Skates would actually be a nice change of pace. "Point taken. Next time just warn a girl and she'll wear chunkier heels." She nudged Bea's arm jokingly and gave Kaden a wave. She was just going to gloss over the fact she thought he was a stripper up until a couple of weeks ago. She smiled brightly as Erin approached and said, "You could not be more right, Erin. I need a glass of wine."

Kaden gave Harsh a nod back. "Yeah, I've been friends with Bea for a while now. Nell's had to put up with me at enough dinners over at their house. Guess that earned me an invite." In truth, he cared about Nell, too, but admitting that was different. "How do you know the Vurals?" He blinked in confusion as he saw the stripper from the last party walk in. It was... outdoors. And cold. There was no way they were going to be subjected to this again. At least no one was asking him to strip. Again. For now. Putain. "I think I'm going to need more alcohol for this."

Connor snickered, lightly elbowing Nell. "Oh, better make sure you give them all the attention then. Especially that truck-sized man over there." He could see the sheer size of the man's muscles even beneath the layers of clothing. "Is that Remmy person cool? I'm trying to decide how long is socially acceptable to wait before I ask to pet their dog."

"Not good at all," Bea replied. She wished she could drag her friend out there, but the risk of her breaking wouldn't be worth it. "You could hang out of the edge of the pond? We could try to skate around there if you wanted." She let out a soft laugh as Leah spoke,"I invited him actually. He's sweet and here he comes now!" She grinned at Jack,"Hi! I'm great, so glad you can come! How are you?" She looked over to Jas quickly,"Try the mulled wine! Jack, do you want something to drink?"

Harsh couldn't bite back a laugh. "Wait, you had a stripper at your party? Okay, I clearly need to party with you more often." He turned his smile toward Leah. "Hey, don't think we've met, I'm Harsh." Looking back toward Kaden, he shrugged. "Nell and I hang out sometimes, I haven't spent too much time with the others though. I guess now's a good time to change that."

Jasmine laughed al Nell spoke more loudly. "Yeah, if you don't believe in the old people. They just wither and wrinkle away." She shot a glance over in the area Kaden, Erin, and Bea were standing. She shrugged and looked over to Remmy and asked, "Hey, do you mind if we pet your dog?"

Ariana laughed al Nell spoke more loudly. "Yeah, if you don't believe in the old people. They just wither and wrinkle away." She shot a glance over in the area Kaden, Erin, and Bea were standing. She shrugged and looked over to Remmy and asked, "Hey, do you mind if we pet your dog?"

"Oh hey!" Nell exclaimed as she spotted the enormous man seemingly appear out of thin air which was...quite a feat for someone so large. "Have you met, Kaden?" she asked, pointing towards the man in question. "I think he's actually looking into the stripping business if you have any tips for him," she said in a hushed tone to Jack. Then she turned back to Connor. "Yeah, Remmy is great! And if Moose isn't working I'm sure they'd be fine if you asked to pet him. He's a good boy." Then she turned to Ariana, trying to tug her friend towards the ice with her.

Leah shrugged, not at all put off by not being able to participate in the more physical activities that her friends enjoyed. She was used to it, honestly. "I'll just hang onto the side if I get the urge", she teased, right before her eyes went wide at Bea's next words. "You, invited him? Are you buds with an immaculately sculpted stripper now?" Leah felt heat rise to her face at the idea of it, remembering how forward the man had been at Bea's party. A stranger's introduction was the perfect excuse to calm herself down from the embarrassment. "I'm Leah,” she said with a smile, shaking his hand. She wondered if her body heat crept through her gloves. "I'm good friends with Nell's sister, haven't missed one of her birthday parties yet." She smiled as she looked around at the other members of the party, most of whom she'd met at least once before. "Everyone here is pretty cool, mostly anywhere. There are a few stragglers", she said, her gaze falling to Kaden.

Connor nodded a hello to the other person close-by that he didn't know, who had introduced himself as Harsh. Ariana, in true form, wasn't shy about asking about the gigantic Leonberger. "Well, I don't see a vest on him, so I guess it's okay to ask." People were heading towards the ice, so he decided to go and rent some skates too.

A long, elongated shadow moved under parts of the ice, bumping against the ice occasionally.

Bea pointed at the ice and laughed, "Look, a shark."

“You and me both,” Erin grinned at Jasmine. “I didn’t know the whole town knew the Vurals.” She wasn’t surprised to see Marley already ordering something for herself and followed suit to the table and ordered a glass for herself. “I thought this was supposed to be a kid’s party?” She joked, watching the crowd. Not that she was complaining. She leaned closer to Jasmine, smirking, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “Also, did I overhear someone say there’s a stripper?”

Luce tossed a fresh couple of logs onto the fire and brushed the bits of bark off her hand. Walking away, she made her way back towards the ice, moving past Leah, Jasmine, and Bea. Raising an eyebrow at Leah's words and pointed glance at Kaden, she raised her eyebrows. As she neared the edge of the ice, Luce frowned. There was a dark shadow under the ice-- what? What the fuck was that? Looking over at her sister, Luce rolled her eyes. "It's probably just a piece of driftwood." She said, though she kept her eyes focused on the strange shape.

Connor turned his head at the mention of the word 'shark', furrowing his brow. "Oh, nah, not more White Crest bullshit. It's a birthday party, bro."

Nell saw the shadow moving beneath, and for a quick second wondered whether Ma'al's tentacley ass had decided to make an appearance. Was that cult appropriate? "Maybe it's Squidward," she chuckled, remembering the demon who had lived in the lake.

Jasmine tilted her head and gave Leah a questioning look as he gaze implied Kaden wasn't cool. She barely refrained from asking about it in the moment. Instead, she smiled brightly at Jack. "It's nice to have you here as a guest." Though she did slightly prefer his stripping attire. "Mulled wine it is." She agreed with Erin and said, "They really do, but it's good to see a familiar face. How do you know the Vurals?" She laughed at the mention of there being alcohol and a stripper at a kids' party.

Remmy stopped in the middle of the rink at the mention of 'shark' and glanced around their feet. They noticed the shadow swimming around under them then over to the edge. "Is that, like-- possible? Is he okay? Do you think he's scared?" they asked, skating over to the edge back near Moose and trying to scrape away some ice with the pick of their skate. "Should we do something!?" they asked worriedly.

Kaden rolled his eyes at Leah's pointed comment towards him. What he did to piss her off other than existing, he didn't fucking know. At least he knew why Marley and Erin disliked him. That was good and earned. His brow furrowed at the mention of a fucking shark in the pond. "Only in goddamn White Crest. What is it?" he asked as he approached the ice, drink still in hand but reaching for his knife, just in case.

Bea laughed,"Are you shocked that I became friends with him? He was fun at the birthday party and I love having connections with performers." She kept her eye on the shadow, "Luce's right, it's driftwood, but I'm also right and it's a shark. Driftwood shark. Sharkwood?"

Luce glanced over at Remmy, blinking at their question. "I really don't think that it's a shark. Bea's joking. Or hitting the irish coffee too hard." As Kaden walked up, hand going to the knife on his belt, Luce scowled at him. "Stand down, Ranger Rick. It's nothing. We would have noticed if there was a damn shark in the pond." Right? They would have noticed, right?

Connor hadn't even got to the skate rental booth. He'd turned to watch what was happening with the shark. He doubted it was spiritual in nature, so an exorcist wouldn't do any good. Instead, he stood at the edge of the pond, a little ways back. "Of course Kaden's got his knife." He wasn't complaining when the guy had helped with his Snicker Snacker problem, but at a birthday party? Only in White Crest.

With everyone distracted, maybe Marley could just slip away and go home. Erin seemed to be having fun with her actual friends, anyway. The woman she was with was one Marley recognized from somewhere. Like...a post sign or an ad for something. Marley squinted at her, luckily her gaze hidden behind her glasses, but she wasn't exactly being subtle about it. She sipped her coffee and plodded a little further away, sitting near the fire pit but away from most of the others gathered around it. Where the _fuck_ did she know that woman's face from?

Nell took note of her own knives that were nearly always on her person, not pulling one out but all too willing to take a tease at Kaden despite the hypocrisy of it. "It's the only way he knows how to make friends." It was...actually somewhat true considering all the people he'd to mistakenly hunt and then befriended.

Harsh returned Leah's handshake, more than a little grateful that her gloves probably hid the fact that he was a little colder than he should have been. "Nice to meet you. If they throw a lot of parties like this, I've got to get myself invited to more." The word 'shark floating around turned Harsh's head, his brow furrowing. Well, it probably wouldn't be a White Crest party without some kind of insane nonsense. He casually sauntered a little closer to the ice, trying to catch a glimpse of the supposed shark. "Well, if it's not hurting anyone, or itself, maybe we should leave it be for a bit."

Ariana looked down at the ice and tried to decipher what was underneath it. "Doesn't look like a shark." She peered over the ice as she tried to get a better look before shrugging and deciding to skate anyway. "Come on," she motioned for Nell and Connor to join her while also laughing at the joke's at Kaden's expense.

Leah shook her head with a laugh, grinning. "Listen, I don't know why anything shocks me anymore. As long as you think he's cool and he won't give me a lap dance, I don't mind getting to know him." She tilted her head as the attention turned to a figure under the ice. "A pond shark? It's pretty unlikely". It was more likely a Selkie or a mermaid, here in White Crest. She hoped whoever froze over the pond checked for anyone alive underneath, first. She nodded at Harsh's comment. "Yes, let's let it Bea. It's probably just, uh... saying hello!"

The shadow swam another lap of the pond at unbelievable speeds, banging its tail against the ice where the crowd was.

Remmy shrugged, then, looking at Luce and then everyone else who just didn't seem to care about what was under the ice. Whatever it was, it probably was okay under there. Still a tad nervous, Remmy stood back up and skated backwards, slowly, away from Luce and towards the middle again. "Should we at least give it a little place to get out?"

Erin should have been better prepared for that question. Any which way, her connection with the Vural’s was wildly illegal. “Oh, just family friends,” she shrugged, taking a hearty sip of the mulled wine. And then another when there was sudden talk about a shark in the pond. “Sharks and strippers. Why does this feel appropriate for a Vural party?” Maybe she should have been more worried about whatever was floating down there but she couldn’t bring herself to do more than drink again. Erin glanced over at Marley and narrowed her eyes. “Are you…good?”

Connor wandered over to Jasmine, almost like a child returning to a mother's side during a time of crisis. "Hey, do they have pond sharks in White Crest?"

Jasmine vaguely noticed one of the women staring at her. It wasn't entirely uncommon, her outfit did look great. She decided to stay at the table with the alcohol at the mention of a shark in the pond. It wasn't surprising to see Harsh check it out more closely. Ever the hunter that one was. She stayed close to Bea as she had no need to see what animal was in the pond. "I don't know what it is, but I think I'll let someone else figure it out." Not a ghost, not her problem was her mentality for today. Especially with a hunter present. She still felt eyes on her so she opted to smile and wave.

Luce jumped back as the shadow moved under the ice and began to smack against the ice. "Fuck!" She swore, startled by the sudden movement and noise. Glancing over at Leah and the random dude next to her, Luce glanced around at the people who were gathered. Pond shark, or whatever the fuck it was, didn't wanna be in there. At Remmy's words, she nodded. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Outta the way, people." She said before raising a hand. A small flickering blue flame appeared on the ice and began to melt through. As a hole began to form, Luce snuffed out the magic and then drove the heel of her Doc Marten into the weakened section of ice. Kicking at the ice, she broke open a small area of water and looked down at it. "Uh... shark? You there?" She asked, feeling real fucking stupid as she did.

Harsh grimaced. Alright, that probably wasn't normal. Pond sharks were one thing, but aggressive, turbo, pond sharks were probably worse. He glanced around. "Alright, maybe it's time to get off the ice." He drew a little closer, watching as Luce took charge. "We should give it some space. If it's confused, it might bite anything it gets close to."

Bea watched as she sipped her coffee. It was mainly whiskey, but she was happy with it nonetheless. Pond sharks were exciting and people seemed to be intrigued by it. "I gotta thank whoever put the shark in the pond, this is fun," She wondered if Luce did it as a surprise like Nell had hired Jack for her party.

Jasmine nodded. "Family friends, good stuff." She gave Bea a smile and explained, "I've known this lovely lady since kindergarten." Her attention turned to Connor as he approached and she gave him a pat on the shoulder, "I know the lake used to have a squid. Don't know about pond sharks."

Connor was too stupid to be scared of whatever was in the pond, and instead opted for excitedly intrigued. He sensed he was about to watch one of the Vural sisters do some magic and was thrilled at the prospect. "I love that."

"Wait, I wanna see what it is!" Nell told Ariana as she tried to skate away. "Maybe he just wants a drink..." she mused before tipping a bit of her drink onto the ice as if she were making an offering. "Here you go, Shark-Boy."

Jasmine pouted and scooted up towards the edge of the ice. "It's probably just a fish!" Maybe not in White Crest, but she wanted to skate. "Oh my god," she laughed as Nell poured out a drink on the ice. "You're really giving a whole new meaning to pouring one out for the homies."

Marley felt like her name was right on the tip of her tongue, the mystery lady at the table, but she couldn't figure it out. Grumpily, she sipped more of her coffee, finishing it off before standing up and heading over for another. While she waited, she looked at Erin, then to her companion. "I know you from somewhere, don't I?" she asked, rubbing her eyes briefly before glancing sideways at Erin. "Peachy keen," she said with a grimace, "I've got coffee and alcohol, what more could a girl want?"

Ariana pouted and scooted up towards the edge of the ice. "It's probably just a fish!" Maybe not in White Crest, but she wanted to skate. "Oh my god," she laughed as Nell poured out a drink on the ice. "You're really giving a whole new meaning to pouring one out for the homies."

Jasmine tilted her head and tried to gather if she recognized the other woman. "I don't think we've met, but I'm Jasmine. You've probably seen some of my advertisements around town." She raised her glass towards the woman and said, "Good to meet you."

Bea inched closer to the crowd, she wanted to see the shark. "Do sharks like coffee?"

Luce scowled as Nell leaned over and poured her drink into the ice. "Don't do that. You might... drown it? Can coffee drown sharks? Or is that poisoning?" She asked, looking around for anyone who might have more than a high school freshman biology background.

Adam busted in late pretty sure his ass was grass for getting 'delayed'. However when it turned out that the lady of the hour was peering as some shark circling beneath the ice, siblings and dumbasses in tow, Adam promptly decided to take a swig of birthday wine earlier

Connor couldn't hear all the conversation that was going on surrounding the shark, but he'd decided to forgo getting his skates for the time being. He put his empty bottle in the recycling and ordered another drink. "Well, whatever it is, Kaden is about to go all Crocodile Dundee on it's arse, so I'm not worried about it.”

Leah glanced toward Bea as she inched closer to the pond, pressing her lips together. "I don't think they do... but are we sure that's even a shark?", she wondered aloud. She sipped from her sangria again, she was far too sober for this.

Remmy skated over a little closer to the hole Luce had made and watched with the others, wondering what might come out of the hole. "It-- I...don't think sharks can drown, Luce," they said, a little confused. Could they? "Don't they like...breath water? They've got gills and stuff..." They looked over at Luce and Ariana, pouring stuff onto the ice and into the hole for him. "Maybe we're scaring him by all standing around. SHould we give him some space?"

"It's a shark for sure, I have a degree in this," Bea told Leah seriously, though they both knew that was a lie. "Do you think the shark can get caffeinated?" Seeing Adam, she waved,"Adam! There's a shark here!"

Jasmine took a sip of her mulled wine and looked towards Kaden. Crocodile Dundee? She trusted Harsh to handle it more if it was really needed. "Right, well, he can have fun with that then. I'll be over here enjoying my wine away from the wild life."

Adam threw up his hands and said. "People told me NOT to bring my guns to a party! What the Hell!"

Jasmine shook her head at Nell's gun nut boyfriend.

Connor had watched Adam stroll in. He hoped the guy had brought Nell a bloody good present for turning up late. She didn't seem too upset about it though. "That's Adam. He's just... special."

“Oh, I remember the squid,” Erin shook her head. Boy howdy did she ever. “Jasmine’s the one who got me set up in my apartment, actually,” she added, glancing at Marley, though it was hard to keep her attention off of the group circling the hole in the lake. Leaning against the bar, she ordered another drink. “They look like they’ve definitely got it under control.”

Luce raised an eyebrow at Adam's outburst before returning to the hole. There wasn't anything going on at the moment, but that didn't mean it wasn't gonna pop out of the ice and try and eat them or something. Poking at the water with her boot, Luce looked at Remmy. "Shark's got stage fright? I mean, I've heard weirder shit, so you might be onto something there." She said before shuffling back a bit.

One minute, Dave had been scouting out whether there was any Gryndylow in this tiny pond, beating the pond bottom with his fin to disturb whatever was down there and get a feel for it. The next, he was resurfacing and had banged his head against a lid of ice. No way in hell had it been anywhere near cold enough to freeze over the entire pond in the ten minutes he'd been down there. But it had. Dave had swum around and around, looking for any gap, and had bounced his body against it to try and break the ice until he had a headache. It was only then that he began to worry, the oxygen in his arteries slowly running out. When he'd noticed shadows moving over the ice, he'd tried to get their attention, banging on the ice. Suddenly part of the water warmed up, and he felt the ice crack through his whiskers. Dave swam up quickly, poking his heavily scarred snout out of the water to breath deeply. Imminent threat of death solved, he now had to address the seal in the room: that there shouldn't have been a seal in this pond, and that there definitely shouldn't have been a loose leopard seal on this side of the equator.

As soon as the seal's head broke the ice, a look of slight disappointment came over Nell's face. "Oh. It's a seal." A shark would have been cooler.

"Oh, yes! Right! That's where I've seen your face! On the bench outside the precinct! You're the realtor gal, Jasmine Hale," Marley said, excited suddenly, that something, finally something could come to mind without hours of sitting and thinking about it. She sighed with audible relief and grabbed her next drink, sliding up next to Erin, suddenly much less moody than before. She leaned against Erin as she held her hand out to Jasmine. "Marley Stryder. Nice to meet you. For real. You're like half a celebrity in this town, considering your face is everywhere."

Adam looked at Bea with a scowl that betrayed just a hint of disappointment that a deadly predator hadn't shown up at a social occasion. "It’s a fuckin seal.”

It struck Connor that he'd been the first to ask how Nell knew all these old people, but now he was the one hanging out with them all while the rest of them were skating. "Jas and I only met after I'd found my beach house, but she's pretty good at her job. I bet your place is sick." He turned his head at the commotion as the shark - which actually now revealed itself to be some type of giant seal - emerged from the icy water. "Don't stab it! Or shoot it!" He called, stepping closer to the ice. "Just... I dunno, let it wobble off or something."

"Well, it looked like a shark!!" Bea isn't sure why anyone believed her, but it was nice to know her influence. "Do seals like coffee? Or whiskey?"

Ariana stopped skating as she saw a seal emerge from a hole in the pond. A seal. In a pond. Was it Ricky or Skylar? She'd never actually seen them as seals before so she skated closer to the opening. She eyed Adam and Kaden to see what their reaction would be. "See, it's just a seal. No reason to not skate."

Kaden was waiting for a monster of some sort to pop out from the hole in the ice. It was absolutely the sort of thing that would happen in White Crest. When he saw a seal, a leopard seal at that, all he could say was "putain de merde." There was no reason a seal like that could be in a pond unless it was a selkie. He really should stab it. He would have a year ago. But for now, he sighed and put the knife away. "Leave the seal alone."

Harsh glanced at the weirdo yelling about guns. "Yeah, I still don't think shooting it is the best idea. But I think we should all give it some space, like they said," he noted, nodding at Remmy. His eyes went wide as a seal poked its head up out of the ice. Well, that was new. He moved closer carefully, kneeling near the open hole. "I think it's alright, but uh, I wouldn't give it any alcohol."

Luce swore as the ice was broken and a big fucking animal poked its head out of the water and huffed. "What the fuck is that thing doing in our pond?" She asked. Looking over at Nell, she realized her sister was right. It was a seal. And now Adam had figured it was a seal. Okay, apparently everyone was a fucking zoologist or whatever. "Yeah, what the pasty british kid said. No one attacked it. Just stay away from the hole and let it have room to breathe or whatever."

A seal? Wait-- it wasn't-- Remmy blinked and focused on them. No, not Skylar. Sighing with relief, they skated back over, still keeping a distance. "Umm, are you okay mister seal? Or um-- misses seal? I can't-- I don't know seal genders..." they looked over at everyone else, up to Luce, shrugging. "Maybe they got stuck? Do you need help? I think there's a river close by..." But no one else seemed to be moving to try and help the surprised looking seal. "Should we help them?"

Leah laughed at Bea, shaking her head. It was definitely not a shark, then. But a seal, which meant it was a selkie, which meant they probably needed some room to breath. "Maybe we should leave it alone", she said, agreeing with Kaden for once. She was surprised that he wasn't attacking it, didn't hunters hate selkies, too?

"Big seal," Bea observed. "I'm kind of disappointed that it wasn't a shark, but a seal is cool too." She considered her little sister's friends for a moment, before speaking to the crowd,"Don't try to pet the seal too."

Adam disappeared off to the greenhouse for a time and returned with some plywood planks. Merrily slide-swearing his way out to the pond, Adam proceeded to cover the hole so people didn't plunge in.

If Dave had been able to hear the reaction and thoughts of everyone there, he would have been offended. As Immo's most murderous character, he was definitely more dangerous than the average shark.

Connor couldn't even be upset at the pasty British kid comment, considering it was true. "Yeah, see?" He swallowed another mouthful of beer, deciding he was actually going to get his skates now. He joined the others on the ice within a few moments, but not too close to the seal-hole. "Come on, mate. Weirder shit happens in this town than pond sharks and pond seals. As long as it isn't eating anyone, it's fine." He looked over at Adam, who'd returned with some planks. "Dude, I know you're a football player or whatever, but you know seals need to breathe, right?"

As the wood covered the hole, Nell tried to pour a little more of the hot toddy through the planks of it, figuring the seal should also have a good time. "It's okay- maybe he just wants a drink."

Adam peered down at the seal whose hole he was boarding up, give him a long "Dude we gonna do this or naw?" stare.

Luce shrugged at Remmy's suggestion, shaking her head as she stared at the seal that still had its head poking out the hole. "I'm not about to try and get that thing outta here, I'd get my hand bitten off if I tried to help it out." Watching as Nell moved to pour more alcohol on the animal, Luce grabbed her sister's arm. "C'mon, don't fuck with the wildlife." She chided. "How'd you like it if someone dumped a hot toddy on your head after you got out of bed or whatever?"

Dave carefully considered his options, breathing deeply. They'd forget this, right? Regular humans would talk about the weird fish they'd seen. Just as he'd gotten enough air for half an hour, that fucking kid he'd met in the underwater cave that one time began boarding him up. I damn well saved your neck back then he thought aggressively at Adam, slowly slinking back into the water. As a hot liquid was poured on him, he jerked back in clear discomfort, diving back under the water. He'd have to wait until they fucked off before leaving.

Erin raised a skeptic eyebrow at Marley, her mood suddenly brightening. Didn’t have time to question it as the creature was revealed to be a seal. “Aw, a seal?” Wait, a seal? Her first thought went to Skylar. She doubted it was her but she started gravitating a little closer. “Jesus Christ, Nell, stop pouring alcohol on the seal!” She yelled.

"Aww, oh no," Nell said as the seal obviously didn't like her offer of a drink, not having meant to pour it on the seal. "Sorry!" she called down into the hole even after the seal had disappeared. "I can get something colder if you want?"

Adam murmured "Hey uh Nell....did you like...brain-warp this seal in here..or?"

Remmy frowned, a bit sadly, as Adam started boarding up the hole the seal was in. What if it was a selkie, like Skylar and Ricky? What if they were worried or scared? But they didn't have too much time to contemplate this, as the seal recoiled and dove back under. "Ahh, wait-- oh," they sighed, "bye seal." Waved at them before standing up again and looking down at Luce. "Are you gonna sulk by the fire pit the whole time, or?" they asked, raising a brow. "Don't tell me you don't know how to skate."

Nell considered the question for a long-moment in her inebriated state, wondering if she had actually Summoned the seal here. "...maybe? I don't think so. No- if it was me it would have been a shark. A shark would have been cooler," she lamented once again.

Kaden shouted out at Nell, "What did I say? Leave the sel-- seal. Leave the seal alone." He grumbled and went to refill his drink. He was going to need a lot more to deal with this.

Harsh rose as the gun weirdo moved to board up the hole. Well, crisis apparently averted then. He so needed a drink. Hands in his pockets, he wandered back over to the drinks table to grab something strong.

Adam gave Nell a helpless 'babe your crazy is hot but it scares me' grin and stood up to awkwardly scoot his way over to actually get some skates

Ariana kept skating around the ice and her features brightened up as she saw Adam grabbing skates. "Finally."

Bea looked over at the older crowd around her, "Do we want to get on the ice too?"

Luce looked over at Remmy, squinting as they waved "bye seal" to the weird fucking seal chilling in the pond they'd commandeered for the party. Okay then. Well, that was enough excitement she could take sober. She needed some real fucking alcohol. "I do know how to skate, but I'm sure not gonna do it when that," She gestured to the recently vacated airhole, "is swimming underneath us. Did you see those teeth? It'd fucking bite off a leg. I'm gonna drink is what I'm going to do."

Leah glanced at her friends, deciding what might be best to do. "I'll just walk on the ice, not skate. That's way less chance of me falling in, right? Walking and holding onto the side." Somehow, the drink in her hand was already empty, and a warm haze surrounded her vision.

Jasmine took another long sip of her wine and happily said, "Absolutely. Now that I know nothing in the pond will try to eat me, I'm game."

Connor skated around with Ari and Nell and Leah and now, Adam. "Are you the only one underage?" he asked Ari, giving her a little smile. "Don't worry. Fuck pre-gaming. We can post-game at my house now that it's not infested any more."

Kaden sighed. "Are you going to make me?"

Adam looked back at Connor with a frown, wondering if the infestation was ghosts or cockroaches or satan or something but decided not to ask. He tied up his skates and began breaklining across the pond, perhaps unsure of what 'casual skating' was.

Remmy shook their head. "Scaredy cat," they teased, before skating away. Moose had been following them along the outside of the pond, running back and forth, making sure to stay away from the hole. Finally, he settled into the spot next to Luce, laying down next to her as he watched Remmy skate away. They were choosing to have a good time, Luce could stay behind and be grumpy all she wanted. They skated up to Nell. "Wanna race?"

Jack was better in high heels than skates, but he got on the ice with enthusiasm. "I don't know what all the fuss was about that big fish," he said with a shrug, flexing his gorgeous muscles as he skated about with perfect grace - even when he lost his balance and fell on his ass.

Ariana knew Remmy wasn't talking to her, but couldn't resist a good race. "Hell yeah she does. I'm getting in on it, too."

Marley took another long sip, watching as everyone finally dispersed once the seal was gone and the hole was boarded up. She looked over at Erin, who had started walking towards the pond as well, yelling at Nell. "Ah, leave her alone," she said, grabbing at Erin's arm, tugging her back, "it's her birthday. Let her be crazy." Besides, she wanted Erin to stay with her. "Wanna roast marshmallows? I hear those are supposed to be good or whatever." Plus, she'd never done that before, and she kinda really wanted to try.

Connor was more than happy to join in one the race, provided they all stayed away from the hole. "Oh, I'll play too, but can I please pet your dog after? He's so cute."

Bea put on her skates and waved to all her friends. "Come on! Have some fun! See Jack is having a great time!"

Adam zipped to the far side of the pond and produced a 'flag' from the jersey under his jack, holding it up high for the races to take their places.

For the rest of the evening, Dave would periodically resurface in that tiny hole to breath, and spent the rest of his time judging everyone at their ice skating skills.

Erin winced when the muscle-y hunk of a man she could only assume to be the stripper hit the ice hard. She wanted to skate but she got the impression Marley wasn’t ready yet. “Sure, marshmallows sound good. But don’t think you’re getting out of getting out there with me,” she said pointedly before following Marley to the open fire.

Seeing Remmy come up beside her, Nell didn't hesitate to answer. "Hell yeah I do!" she echoed Ariana's sentiment. "I can start us off." Then she began a countdown. "Three...two...one...go!" On the word 'go' she didn't hesitate to playfully shove both Remmy and Ariana as she took off and Adam worked his makeshift flag, trying to get a cheap head start by throwing them off kilter. Then she called back to Erin and Marley. "Yeah! Leave me alone!" she laughed as she skated on, carefully avoiding the hole in the ice. Despite the seal, and perhaps even in conjunction with the seal, the warmth of the party had her grinning as she raced around the rink, unable to think of anything she'd trade this party, company, and seal for.

#sharks and strippers #chatzy #wickedswriting

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darkh0wl · 3 years

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[meta] We all know that Kyle's a furry, but what are his actual thoughts on being a werewolf?

[Meta]: Up until recently, (cough cough chatzy cough) Kyle had only one other time ever questioned what it meant to be a wolf. it gave him power, and that was something he’d never really had. He liked the idea of losing control and being powerful and connecting with this wild side. Now, after the whole ordeal with Bex, he’s going to be really torn. He didn’t intend on hurting Bex, just like he didn’t intend on hurting his mom. He bottled up all the conflicting emotions about his mom for years, but attacking Bex, intentional or not, has dredged them all up again.

Does he want to learn control and relinquish some of that power, that he loved so much, in order to keep others safe? Is that compassion, that I talked about in the Green Lantern ask, enough to justify domesticating the wolf? Or is he going to overcorrect and swing wildly in the other direction; is he going to throw himself harder into the loss of control and the lone wolf aspect of things?

I don’t have a good answer to those questions, it’s a very wait and see type of thing. But for sure, Kyle is feeling conflicted about being a werewolf. He still loves his wolf self 100%, but now he has to seriously consider his actions, and that’s not as fun as memeing on main.

#answered.#meta #Anonymous

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ingeanue · 3 years

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not to get all weepy on here but i miss my memories with amb and how chill tumblr rp was back in like, 2016. no aesthetic no direction just memes and good threads. and everyone calling her a rat and having ships that made my heart explode and all those chatzy nights where we’d have one big friend group. yeah.

#:(

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amberjade-rhodes · 3 years

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Making Up | | AJ + Bryce

WHEN: 1 April 2021

LOCATION: Bryce’s room

NB: After having a few drinks, AJ decides that enough is enough and goes over to Bryce’s place to talk to him; the two not having communicated since their heated argument almost a week ago. NB: this chatzy is a work in progress so will be updated as we go, however it is almost finished!

@brycecortez

It had been a few days since she and Bryce had gotten into an argument and he had sped off alone, the two not having spoken at all since that argument. AJ had called Lola to pick her up after learning that the last bus of the night was cancelled and had cried herself to sleep in the guest bedroom, having no idea whether she and Bryce were even still together. The argument itself had happened on the Saturday night and still not having answers, she had stayed back at Mars Bar on Thursday night when her shift finished, knocking back a few drinks with some of her co-workers. When she ordered an Uber to go home, she impulsively ordered it to Bryce’s apartment instead of the beach house. Once she got there, she gathered a few pebbles and stated throwing them at Bryce’s window; a decision that she would never have made whilst sober. As soon as he opened the window, she launched into the speech that she had loosely planned on the car ride over; talking quickly so that he didn’t have the opportunity to tell her to fuck off. “I don’t understand why you’re trying to push me away and I’m not going to lie and pretend that it doesn’t hurt. Hell, I’ve spent this whole week unsure if I even have a boyfriend anymore and my brain keeps telling me to cut my losses and run away before I get hurt any further but I can’t do that. I won’t do that. I refuse to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, especially when it means possibly losing one of the best things in my life. I love you, Bryce, even when it’s not pretty. Even when you make me cry or want to scream or quit, I’m still going to love you. God, I love you in this huge, stupid all consuming-way that makes me get drunk and do dumb clichés from romantic comedies! You don’t give up on something like that. I’m not sure if you’re ready to admit it, even to yourself, but I think you need me just as much as I need you so no matter how hard you try and push me away, I’m still here and I’ll still be here when you’re ready to talk to me”, AJ yelled up at him. “... and that’s all I came to say so now I’ll call an Uber and we’ll pretend that I’m not awkwardly standing outside your apartment whilst waiting for my ride”.

Bryce had spent the last few days in a haze, in and out of his emotions. One day he was sniffing ten lines of coke to help him get rid of his thoughts, the next he was completely numb to the point he didn’t need to touch anything. He had come completely out of touch with reality, almost to the point that he was becoming not functional. Bryce finally gave his professors, job and coach some bullshit excuse about his absence, blaming it on the military. All that they knew at this point was that he was out of town for a quick training. He had just taken a few lines, feeling practically on cloud nine when he heard a noise outside. He paused everything for a few moments, assessing what was happening before he heard the noise again and again. The knocking like sound almost becoming more and more frequent. Quickly putting the plate and drugs away, he got up and walked over to the window. Shock flooded his body when he saw Amber-Jade. The two hadn’t talked in a few days, and before that in a week. If he were being honest, Bryce didn’t know where exactly he stood with his girlfriend... if they were even still together after their blowout. He hadn’t been given the chance to say anything before she began talking. With each word spoken, he could feel his heart sink further and further into his chest - feeling the same heaviness that he had spent the last month trying to push away. He didn’t realise how much he needed to hear those words, /I’m still going to love you/. “Come inside”, Bryce requested, just loud enough for her to hear. He met her downstairs at the entrance, opening the door up for her and stepping to the side to let her in. “I’m honestly not sure if Ryan’s home. I haven’t really seen much of her”, he admitted, basically verbalising how he had been isolating himself. The man grew nervous as the two stepped into his room, knowing that it had all practically changed since the last time she was there. New furniture to replace the one he destroyed. A new mirror to replace the one he also destroyed. New TV, new everything. “Make yourself comfortable... do you want anything?”

Amber-Jade wasn’t stupid. She noticed the fact that Bryce didn’t say it back, that there was no apology for his recent behaviour; nor any sort of explanation or assurance that he still loved her and that they were still together. Still, he invited her inside rather than telling her to fuck off and in her mind, that was a step in the right direction. AJ quickly made her way upstairs before he could change his mind, which is when the pieces clicked into place for her. She wasn’t sure what the cause was but she recognised the symptoms - isolating himself from the people that cared about him, pushing people away, the substance use, the fact that his entire bedroom looking different... it seemed like a trauma response, something that AJ knew well because of her own engagement in such behaviours over the years. “I don’t know if she’s home either but I’m only here to see you so it doesn’t really matter”, AJ said softly. “This is going to seem a little weird for a moment but bear with me, okay? I promise that it’ll make sense at the end. Can you please go and make us hot chocolates?” As soon as he left the room, AJ made herself busy. She cleared enough space in the wardrobe for both of them to sit in there together before dragging as many blankets and pillows inside as she could; essentially building them a little fort. By the time he returned from the kitchen, it was finished and she looked at him nervously. “When I was little, I used to hide in my wardrobe with a good book so that I didn’t have to hear my parent’s arguing. I was actually hiding in the wardrobe on that night. My mind doesn’t allow me to remember all of the details, which I think is to protect me, but I remember enough to really fuck me up. It’s hard to explain how it feels but I’m going to try...”, she trailed off for a second, collecting her thoughts. “On a good day, I can manage how I’m feeling with exercise and maybe a few drinks but even on the good days, I can feel a little emotionally detached. I almost always feel guilty for the fact that I survived, guilty for not doing more, guilty for being angry at my mom for dying. The nightmares are pretty bad too, even on a good day”, she said softly. “Bad days, though? I can’t even get out of bed without taking something for the pain. I want people to be close to me because I hate the thought of being alone but at the same time, I can’t have them /too/ close to me. I’m angry at the world, I’m so anxious that it feels like I’m drowning under it, so I take whatever I can get my hands on because feeling like that... sometimes it feels like it might actually kill me”. When she finished talking, she avoided his gaze; worried about his reaction. “I think you might be feeling some of those things too so I thought we could get in here and just shut out the rest of the world for a while”.

Bryce furrowed his brows at her request. He found it odd, but he shrugged it off and left the room to go to the kitchen. He put milk into a pot and began the process of making the two hot chocolates. As what could be expected, he spiked his with a bit of Tito’s vodka, but kept hers the same. He walked back into the room with both mugs in hand, an expression of surprise evident on his face when he noticed the set up. Bryce didn’t understand where all of this was coming from; her words continuing to surprise him as she spoke about her own experiences. His eyes remained fixated on the ground as he tried to process; the more she spoke, the quicker he could feel his high slipping away, and the quicker he felt that black hole reappearing. Still, he was too exhausted to say anything, let alone be a dick to the one person that cared about him. “Okay...” He caved in, his voice quiet and broken. “Your hot chocolate’s going to get cold.” He said as he handed over the mug, all before walking towards the wardrobe. Bryce took a seat inside, taking a sip of his drink as he made himself comfortable. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I was sober for four years, and now that’s completely down the drain.” He said simply, taking another sip of his drink.

"Thanks", AJ said softly, taking the mug of hot chocolate before taking the seat opposite him in the wardrobe and closing the door behind them. The two were thrown into relative darkness, although the pinpricks of light seeping under the door were enough to see his outline. "I'm really sorry. I've never been sober for that long so I can't even imagine how rough that must feel right now", AJ said, her voice soft but empathetic. "If you want to get sober again, I can... I can quit with you. Go to meetings with you. Support you through it all". It was a big offer from AJ, who had barely spent more than a day sober since she was around 17 and Ollie had left the group home. "If you aren't ready for those steps yet though, that's okay too. I'm still here".

Bryce allowed Amber-Jade to close the door behind her, leaving the two in almost complete darkness. The light peering in from under the closet door illuminating the closet just enough he was still able to make out his girlfriends features. “I can’t ask you to do that.” He shook his head. “I’ll stop soon. I have no choice. I can be dishonorably discharged from service for this shit.” Sighing, he took another sip of the drink before putting the mug on the floor next to him. He brought his knees up close to his chest and rested his arms on them. “I lied to everyone about what happened when I left last year. To my sister, my brothers, Oliver, Lola. Allison’s always been very worried about me, especially when I leave. She makes it a point to know absolutely everything that’s happening wherever I am, and she heard about an explosion and freaked out when she couldn’t get in contact with me. I told her that it didn’t happen at my base because I didn’t want her or anyone else to worry, but it did. I watched a friend of mine die March 11th. /I/ almost died March 11th. And part of me thinks I should’ve.” This was the first time he ever said those words out loud, the first time he ever brought up the date. Bryce felt his chest tighten at the thought of opening up about something so personal to him. He hated nothing more than being vulnerable. “Nobody knows. Nathan only knows because he used to work with one of the guys that died that day. Nobody knows about any of it, anything that has happened during my service I keep to myself. It should’ve been me that died that day.”

“Except you aren’t asking, I’m offering. If you need someone down in the trenches with you, I’m it. I know how much serving means to you so I don’t want you to lose that”. It was easier for the two to engage honestly in this environment, where it was dark and they both knew that they were safe. She listened quietly as he spoke, her heart constricting painfully in her chest and a few errant tears burning down her cheeks. It was hard listening to Bryce’s confession, to know what had been haunting him and why he had been so intent at pushing her away. “I hope your friend is resting peacefully”, she said quietly. She didn’t want to depend on the “I’m sorry” cliche because they both knew that it didn’t help anything. “Your friend, your sisters, your brothers, Ollie, Lola... there’s a reason that you survived and I think they’re a large part of it. I know that you don’t see it but so many people are better because of knowing you, because they loved you. I don’t know your friend but if he cared about you even half as much as we do... he wouldn’t this life for you. He wouldn’t want you to spend the rest of your life wishing that you were dead instead”. Her voice was gentle and completely non-confrontational as she really didn’t want to do anything to trigger him. “All I’ve ever known is the darkness, Bryce. I’ve come to terms with it now because I’ve always been sure that there’s no escaping it; that it’s ingrained in me and I can’t do anything about it but... sitting here with you, listening to you... I don’t want this to be your future. Our relationship is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you’re the best person to enter my life and I will do everything I can to get you through this because you deserve more than a life spent hiding in wardrobes with me”.’ AJ’s anxiety and insecurity meant that there was a part of her that worried that if Bryce got better, he would realise that he deserved more than her but she loved him enough to take that risk; all she really wanted was his happiness, even if it meant that it wasn’t with her.

“I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready to do. I’ll get through this, I always do.” Bryce assured. If he were being honest, he had been completely thrown off by Amber-Jade’s offer. He didn’t know much about her drug use, and that was mainly because he had worked hard to stay away from environments that promoted drug use. He never had a problem with alcohol, but if there was one thing he struggled with often, it was compulsion. His head snapped up, looking at her with sad eyes when she said the comment about Eric. “Yeah, I hope is resting peacefully too. He was a good guy.” Bryce said in agreement, sighing immediately after. He nodded as she continued speaking. The man appreciated her words, it was comforting to hear, but it was still hard for him to hear. It was the same words people told him after the car accident, and when his father died; the same words he just couldn’t bring himself to believe. “I don’t want to live like this either, but I’m not your responsibility, Amber-Jade.” He said simply, his voice soft. “If this is because you’re scared of losing me, you’re not. I’m sorry for being up and down with you. Last week...you saw a side of me that I try to keep suppressed. The side that’s insecure, angry, and broken...it came out that night, and I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think there will ever come a time where I’m /ready/ to do it but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need to take that step. After that house party and then seeing you at that apartment... I think I’m starting to realise that I can’t keep being so self-destructive. I have people that care about me now, I have goals for the future, things I want to do and achieve... I can’t keep this up for the rest of my life”, AJ admitted, nervously rubbing at the back of her neck as she spoke. “I really hate the fact that I’ve become a stereotype”, she added. It was true — traumatic background, poor socioeconomic area and she had turned to sex work and drug use. She wanted to be better than that. “Do you want to tell me about him?” she asked. She was unsure if that would be helpful or not but she wanted to give Bryce a safe place to talk if he needed it. “You aren’t my responsibility but we’re partners, right? There’s no way in hell that you’d let me go through this shit alone. Whenever I’ve needed you, you’ve dropped everything to hold my hand and help me through the worst of it. I’m going to do the same for you and there’s no point arguing with me because I’m just as stubborn as you”, she pointed out, ending her sentence with a slight joke. “I’m not going to lie... I’ve spent the last week fairly certain that you had broken up with me that night and it did really hurt. Part of me just wanted to pack my bags and run away because that’s what I always do, it’s what comfortable to me. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realised that this is bigger than us. Even if you did end our relationship, I’d still be here and I’d still want to help you because I know what it’s like to be in the darkness alone. Yes, I’m scared of losing you because I always lose the people that I love but this is more than that, I promise”.

Bryce simply just nodded at her words. “I’m really glad you have people that care about you. If you feel as though you need to get clean, then do what you have to do.” In that moment, he couldn’t really say that he agreed. With his sister gone and his estranged relationship with Oliver, the man sometimes felt as though he was alone. That, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready to sober up; he loved how numb the drugs made him too much so give it up. “It’s not my place to tell you about him. I just want to forget about all of it. The accident, my father, the bombing, everything. I don’t want to relive things more than I’ve already had.” He stated simply, his voice monotoned and a bit emotionless. “Do you still want to be with me?” Bryce asked suddenly, finally looking up at her. “I know I over reacted at the drug dealers house, but I just want to make sure we’re on the same page here. Because I know I love you, and I do whatever the hell I have to do to make sure people respect that. I know I can’t stop people from hitting on you, but...I just need to know that this is serious. Because unlike you, I have nothing here, and I’m not afraid of packing my bags and running.”

AJ just nodded and said nothing further on the topic. She had extended the offer to help her boyfriend before he experienced any consequences, such as being discharged from active service, but it was clear that he wasn’t ready for that help. She wanted to be there for him but it felt like she was walking on eggshells; like she was just one conversational misstep away from causing their relationship to implode. Her anxiety really was sky high, her hands trembling slightly as she held her hot chocolate. “I get it. I’m the same way about my mom. I just wanted you to know that you can talk to me if you want to”. Whilst people knew that her mom was dead, no one really knew anything about who she was as a person; or the relationship they had shared before her untimely death. It was too hard to talk about. “Of course I do, I’m sorry for making you doubt that. I’ve just... I’ve been hearing comments like that since I was 15 so it just feels like white noise to be now. Sometimes it’s easier to just let the comments wash over me and just bite my tongue because the alternative isn’t always pretty. The racist and sexist verbal abuse I’ve received when I reject someone, the insistent wandering hands even after I’ve said no... those past experiences have made me wary of speaking up all the time. I just want you to know that even when I don’t push someone up against the wall and threaten them because of the comments, I always find a way to tell them that I have a boyfriend and that I’m not interested”, she told him. “This is serious for me. I didn’t flippantly make this commitment, Bryce. There is a reason why this is the first relationship that I’ve ever been in... this isn’t something that I take lightly. I know I’m not perfect. I know that you can do better. I know that it probably feels easier to just cut and run but p-please... please don’t pack your bags and run. Please don’t leave me”. Her voice broke slightly as she spoke and she placed her mug down on the ground so that she could pull her knees up against her chest; resting her head against them to conceal the raw emotion on her face.

“Thank you. I really do appreciate it.” Bryce said, his words sincere. “I understand, trust me I do. And I wouldn’t want you to do anything to jeopardize your safety, but...fuck, I don’t even know what to say right now.” His thoughts were messy, which only made his words just as messy. Hearing her voice crack the way it did...well it was a sound that Bryce never wanted to hear every again. “Hey, hey, hey...” he said quietly, immediately reaching out to grab her hand. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant. I don’t ever want to leave you, I love you, and if anything you’re the one that can do better. It’s just...I don’t know. I feel lost. I want to get better, but I don’t know how. I can’t bring myself to talk about anything...and I don’t want you changing yourself or feeling as though you have to look after me every second. I hate being that burden on you, I don’t want that.��

“That’s okay”, AJ said simply, allowing that part of the conversation to come to a natural conclusion. Neither of them would push the other to talk about things that they found difficult to discuss. “I meant what I said that night, Bryce. I won’t go back to that guy’s apartment again. I can’t control how other people talk to me but I can make sure that I don’t intentionally put myself in situations that make you uncomfortable”. It did hurt that Bryce didn’t fully trust her in that regard but she understood that he was in a heightened state so his ability to engage in logical and rational discussion was reduced. She started slightly when he reached out and grabbed her hand, sure that he was just trying to soften the inevitable blow he was about to deal her. When she heard his soft words instead, she slowly lifted her head, her cheeks stained with tears. “You aren’t the only one that feels like that. I spend most of my life feeling adrift and lost but somewhere along the way, you’ve started to feel like home. Being with you doesn’t magically fix all my issues but you make me feel steadier on my feet. Understood. Seen. Loved. You make me feel like maybe the rest of my life won’t be filled with bad things, that maybe I’m allowed some happiness too. I don’t think you see me as a burden, right? You don’t constantly feel the need to change yourself to be with me? Why can’t I be the same for you?”

Bryce nodded when she told him that she wouldn’t go back to the house. He felt like he was being a bit unreasonable, and he probably was, but it felt as though everything heightened. Especially emotions. “I change myself every day to be with you. Because you deserve more, deserve better.” He whispered. “I just don’t want you to see me like this. I don’t want anyone seeing me like this. All I can think about right now is how the coke and heroin in my drawer will help me forget about all of this. I can’t feel like this anymore…I’m scared, Amber. I don’t know how to get myself through this time.”

Amber-Jade looked at him sadly when he said that he changed himself every single day to be the person that deserved to be with her. She reached out and gently stroked his cheek, a sad smile gracing her face. “You don’t have to be perfect, Bryce. I love you exactly how you are, flaws and all. All I really need from you is to be here, to be with me, to not leave me behind”, she assured him. She didn’t need him to be trying to fit this perfect ideal of a boyfriend; she just wanted the Bryce Cortez that she had fallen head over heels in love with. She just wanted him by her side. “I know that it’s not easy to let someone see you like this but I’m not just anyone, okay? No matter what version of you I see, I’m not going anywhere. You won’t scare me away, I promise”. The one good thing about her past was that Bryce’s current presentation wouldn’t scare her away, she was able to take it in stride and focus on helping him. “Do you want me to get rid of it? I can toss it out right now if that’s what you need. If you aren’t ready for that... maybe we could go to bed? I can hold you until you fall asleep, it’s what my mom used to do for me when my father was high... before she started using herself”.

“I don’t want to leave you...you’re the best thing thing that’s ever happened to me.” Bryce spoke quietly, not being able to maintain eye contact with the other. He gave a shy smile as she stroked his cheek, finding her touch rather comforting. “You shouldn’t have to see me like this, though. It’s not fair to you, especially given your past.” He realized in that moment just how much of a monster he probably was a week ago, and just how selfish he was for forgetting the history of her parents for just a split moment. “You don’t need this in your life. You don’t need /me/ in your life.” He whispered, letting out a defeated sigh. Not saying another word, he grabbed his mug and shimmied his way out of the closet, offering her his hand to help her get up. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to. I don’t want to ruin any plans.”

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me too. I never thought that I'd have this with someone... I never even /wanted/ this with someone until I met you", AJ said softly. Noticing the way that he smiled for the first time all night, she kept her hand on his cheek and shifted the rest of her body a little closer to him. "I'm not letting you go through this by yourself. We're in this together so even though it's hard right now, I'm still going to be here every step of the way. You've seen me at my worst and loved me just the same and nothing is going to stop me from doing the same for you". AJ certainly hadn't entered into their relationship lightly and she was in it for the long haul, for better or worse. "I do need you, though. I wouldn't have started dating you if I didn't need you. I wouldn't have fallen in love with you if I didn't need you. The way I feel about you... how much I trust you... how I can be truly myself around you... none of that comes easily for me so I'm not throwing in the towel just because you need me a little more than usual right now". She took his hand and got to her feet, the two of them leaving the closet together. "I'm not going anywhere. Could I please borrow a shirt though? Sleeping in this skirt isn't exactly comfortable", she said with a small smile, trying to lift his mood somewhat as she gestured at her leather skirt.

Bryce didn’t hesitate to pull the girl closer to him, taking full advantage of her shifting closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. “I love you.” He whispered, the words coming out more easily this time than other times. Those were three words he didn’t say often to anyone, but with her it seemed to come naturally. The man simply nodded at her statement, still finding it hard to believe that someone could love him as much as she did, especially in that moment. But he wasn’t going to question it; he already questioned her enough the last week or so. He picked up the two mugs from the closet and walked them over to his desk, taking another sip from his before putting it down. “I think this conversation sobered us up, but I have a confession...I may or may not have spiked my drink.” He said with a sheepish smile, sighing in relief as the words left him. Bryce chuckled softly at her request, turning to look at his girlfriend and smiling. “It’s a nice skirt, though. You look good.” With that, he pulled out a cotton shirt from the drawer and put it over his shoulder. “Hey, about what you said last week, and earlier...” He trailed off, beginning to help her get out of the tight skirt and her shirt. “I know this wasn’t easy for you, to be with someone — because it’s not easy for me either. I never want to hurt you, but I’m still not used to all of this.” He admitted as he helped strip her of her clothing, unhooking her bra before helping to put on his shirt.

"I love you too", AJ murmured in response, holding her boyfriend tightly. She had /hated/ arguing with him, hated the uncertainty as to whether they were even still together, and was incredibly relieved to know that she hadn't lost him. AJ knew that they still had a lot of things to work through, both individually and together, but at least they were still in this; at least they were still a team. "I'm kind of offended that you only spiked yours, where was my liquid courage?" she jokingly questioned, laughing softly as she noticed the sheepish smile on his face. The bigger conversation about his sobriety would happen on another day, right now she just wanted to support him through the worst of it. "I always look good, you have a very hot girlfriend". Again, another joke. She just wanted to keep that small smile, that laughter, that lightness in play for a little while longer. "I'm not used to all of this either and I know that I'm not perfect. I just... I want you to know that I would never do anything to break your heart, Bryce. I wouldn't betray you or cheat on you or disappear on you. When I made that commitment to you, I wholeheartedly meant it". She was quiet as he finished helping her change into one of his shirts before leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss against the corner of his lips.

Bryce was still a bit in denial about the status of his mental health. A part of him knew that he was lying to himself when saying that this relapse is just a way for him to cope as he got through this tough anniversary month. But one thing he did come to realize was that this doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else in his life, so he really needed to be careful with how he treated some people — especially now that he couldn’t just run away like before. “I’m pretty sure liquid courage is what brought you here to begin with.” He joked lightly, attempting to push any dark thoughts and cravings to the back burner. “I do. I’ll never deny that.” He said lightly with a smile. Bryce sighed as she spoke, nodding his head slowly to show that he understood. “I know.” The words came out in a whisper as his head hung low, not being able to find the courage to remain eye contact with her. He gave off another shy smile when he felt her lips pressed against the corner of his mouth, attempting to hide the fact that he could feel his heart beating all over his body. He /hated/ being vulnerable, and although he knew it was necessary for the two to make things right, he found himself attempting to push off his fight or flight. “There’s food in the fridge if you’re hungry. I’m drained so I think I’m going to call it a night.”

“Touché. I can't believe that I actually threw pebbles at your window and then gave a big speech... I never thought I'd be recreating that cliché", AJ groaned before laughing softly at her own expense. She really had pushed herself out of her comfort zone tonight but it seemed like it was worth it because she and Bryce had actually spoken again; and patched up a few of the issues that they had been experiencing. "It's refreshing that you see me as more than just a pretty face, though", she added. In her past, she had predominantly been treated as a piece of meat so her relationship with Bryce really was refreshing in that regard. She just squeezed his hand gently when he hung his head and said that he knew, not pushing the point any further as she didn't want to make him feel any more upset or guilty over everything. "I'm not hungry, I just want to go to bed with you", she assured him. Right now, there was nothing that she wanted more than curling up with Bryce and hopefully making him feel safe and secure, at least for tonight.

“If it means anything, I’m really glad you did.” Bryce admitted, speaking in a soft tone. He didn’t want to admit it right there in the moment, but he didn’t realize just how much he needed someone; how much he needed /her/. “That’s because you are more than just a pretty face, Amber-Jade. The looks are merely just a bonus at this point.” He said in a sincere tone, giving her a shy half smile immediately after. Nodding his head, Bryce began to undo the bed; pulling the sheets out so the two could climb in together. “It’s a new bed so it should be much more comfortable than before.” He chuckled softly. He hadn’t gotten much of the chance to break in the new bed, considering he found himself to be an insomniac as of lately.

"I'm a little embarrassed but I am glad that it seemed to work". AJ had never been the type to engage in grand romantic gestures, yet Bryce was seemingly the exception to her own rules. "You know that I feel the same way about you, right? It's not just physical attraction and sexual chemistry... this is real", she said softly, the two of them climbing into bed together. "Holy shit, it feels like a cloud! I think this might just be the most comfortable mattress ever... you have good taste, Cortez". When she was sure that Bryce was comfortable, she curled up behind him; essentially taking the 'big spoon' role. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise", she whispered, the woman holding her boyfriend until he eventually drifted off to sleep.

#chatzy #c: bryce #finished #finished thread #look at us go!#we actually finished something lol

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cryxmercy · 4 years

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This Year’s Love {Flashback}

When: A couple of weeks ago, immediately following Arthur’s Birbday chatzy. Where: Arthur’s house Who: Mercy & Arthur @arthurjdrake

TW: none

This year's love had better last Heaven knows it's high time I've been waiting on my own too long

****** The water was warm against Mercy’s hands as she stood at the kitchen sink, rinsing and drying the last of the plates and wine glasses from Arthur’s party. Her own glass was still in use - it sat half-full beside the sink - and Mercy herself was just a little bit (see: a good bit) wine drunk. The guests were gone for the night, Mercy declining any offers of help when it came to cleaning up. Evelyn had done the majority of everything else, so Mercy could do this. And she certainly wasn’t going to ask Arthur to do it. It was his party after all. And it had been a good one, if Mercy said so herself. Arthur had looked happy. He had even seemed to relax a bit, and she’d seen him smile and laugh more over the course of the evening than she had in awhile. She smiled to herself. It was a good night.

So Mercy hummed along to the music that still played softly in the background, her dress swaying slowly against her knees as she moved absently in time to the slow, melodic strains. A few solitary blossoms had found their way into her hair over the course of the evening, and she’d lost her shoes somewhere along the way, but she couldn’t be bothered to find them. She liked being barefoot.

She liked being here. With Arthur. It felt good. It felt… like coming home.

Leah had suggested he wait to open his gifts until after other guests had left and Arthur had tucked them away until that was the case. He’d fawned over the large book on libraries of the world sitting on the floor looking at the images before being entirely taken by the phoenix print she’d had done for him. It was beautiful and he wanted to get it framed. Maybe have it put in his office.

Eventually, Arthur folded the book shut and placed it on the coffee table. Fully intending on getting started on reading it later. But he was curious as to where Mercy had gotten to. He hadn’t seen her since the last person left, explaining why he gathered his wine glass and wandered in the direction of the musical refrains. He leaned his shoulder on the door jam, watching as Mercy swayed back and forth. His head tilted to rest lazily on the wood, a smile playing at the corner of his lips as he looked at her. In the fashion of the woman that was her namesake, Freyja, goddess of love, beauty, war, gold and magic she was beautiful and bewitching. And Arthur? Well, it was easy enough to say he was utterly entranced.

“You do know we have a dishwasher,” he eventually spoke up, though not loud enough to interrupt the music or her focus.

Mercy had slipped off earlier, saying her own goodnights and thank yous to the departing guests before giving Arthur time to do the same. And to become absorbed in looking over his gifts while she straightened up. She was almost done by the time he joined her, but she didn’t realize he was there until he spoke. When he did, Mercy smiled softly. “I know…” She dried the last of the glasses - still humming quietly - and then her hands before calling the task complete. Snagging her wine, she turned to lean lazily against the counter, raising the glass slowly to her lips as she gazed across the kitchen at him. He cut quite the figure, she thought. His tall, lean frame backlit by the soft light from the hall, long fingers gripping his wine glass with casual elegance. An almost smile playing around the corners of his mouth. But it was the way he looked at her - familiar blue-grey eyes the color of faraway storms brewing over the ocean - that made something in her chest flutter softly.

Maybe it was the wine, or the warmth of the evening. Maybe it was the music, or the lingering happiness from the party. Whatever it was, for once, Mercy didn’t push it away. Instead, she took a step towards it. Along with a step towards Arthur. Her own expression was soft, cheeks flushed with the same hint of pink as some of the flowers tucked into her riotous hair. “What we don’t have…” Mercy slowly drained her glass before setting it aside. “... is a birthday dance. Unless you’ve had too much wine to keep up...” she teased, though there was a hint of gentle uncertainty in her words even as she held out her hand.

For a while Arthur was content in his silence, happy to simply stand by and observe lost in his thoughts and memories of today and times past that they had shared like this. But the messages he’d received from Deirdre lingered in the back of his mind, was Mercy really so unhappy here that she’d taken to letting out her frustrations to people she barely knew? Or maybe she did know them… She had been in town a lot longer than Arthur had, maybe she valued this Deirdre as a highly viewed confidant that Arthur was not privy to.

Today had been enjoyable, and for a while Arthur had forgotten about everything that had been playing on his mind. But standing there a part of him couldn’t help but yearn for more. Questioned what would really be so bad? As always his friends had gone above and beyond. But he pushed those thoughts away, not wanting to ruin a lovely day with uncertain sentiments especially as she stepped towards him. His temple remained resting against the door frame a smile growing as she neared. “You’re right.” He finished the final sip of his own wine, pushing with his shoulder off the doorframe and slowly closed the distance between them. “I might’ve…” he admitted but the smile remained as he offered both hands out and wiggled his fingers “wanna test me?”

Mercy had found herself becoming lost in her thoughts a few times throughout the evening. As a result she’s been more quiet than usual, but still utterly content to watch Arthur enjoy the party and his friends. More than anyone, he deserved peace and happiness. And more than anything, Mercy wanted to help him find it. Even if Mercy herself never did. That didn’t mean she was unhappy; gods no. Mercy felt happier than she had been in centuries. It was just… was wanting more really all that bad? Was she selfish for it? For being unable to not feel the way she did? The way she’d always felt? Because how many years did they have left together in this lifetime? Forty? Fifty if they were extremely lucky and nothing terrible happened? Again.

Mercy had meant what she said to Deirdre about not wasting the time you were given. That it would never be enough. But saying and doing were entirely different things. Mercy had no idea that Deirdre had said anything to Arthur about their online conversation. Especially in regards to… certain subjects. If she had… Mercy wouldn’t have been very happy with the other woman. Especially if she’d gone and put ideas in Arthur’s head. Ideas that made him doubt certain things. Doubt her. Besides, Mercy frustrations weren’t from unhappiness. Her frustrations had grown partly from being so uncertain. So unsure of where things stood after everything that had happened. And not wanting to humiliate herself by assuming. Or worse, asking.

But most of those thoughts weren’t able to penetrate the wine drunk happiness of Mercy’s current mood. Her smile grew too, lazy and crooked, as Arthur waggled his fingers at her. Mercy took his hands, giving him a small pull towards her. “Always,” she said, letting her head fall back so she could look up at him. Gods he was so tall... “Good thing one of us is perfectly sober…”

Arthur wasn’t going to let himself get carried away with those thoughts. Not right now. Not today. Mercy had gone above and beyond so there was no point getting caught up on anything other than the here and now. So he swayed a little as she took his hands in her own but held them firm, an anchoring point to focus on even as the rest of the room tilted a little on its axis. He wasn’t sure how much wine he’d gotten through but it was enough that he was feeling lazy and relaxed.

“Pah” he snorted as she pulled him closer stepping slowly along to the music that drifted out of the speaker. “Mm, yes- me.” His grin was playful as he took her hand and raised it over her head to encourage a twirl before pulling her in gently once more as they stepped in lazy circles around the kitchen. “Because I’m very sabre… sober right now.”

Moments like this didn’t happen all that often. Not in Mercy’s experience. Moments to just… be. To not worry about the past or the future or any thousands of other things that may or may not happen. It was hard when you’d lived as long as Mercy - year after year, century after century… with survival the only thing between moving on and looking back - to slow down and just… live. She wasn’t sure she remembered how.

But tonight had come close. So Mercy laughed as Arhur spun her around, twirling effortlessly (except for a slightly drunken tilt) on her toes before moving close again. “You… are very drunk…” she grinned lazily as they swayed. “But I think I might be too.” Enough wine had disappeared from her glass over the course of the night that Mercy felt quite the same as Arthur: lazy and relaxed. The music played softly in the background, and after another small spin with drunken tilt, Mercy found the pleasant warmth of skin beneath her fingers as she steaded herself with a soft, lazy laugh. Her thumb brushed the nape of his neck as they started to sway again.

A quiet giggle escaped Arthur as she spun, and he gripped her hand to stop her from tilting too much off kilter “woahhh,” setting her to rights he grinned the act softening the lines of his features. Years that were starting to make themselves known in the creases around his eyes or the grey that was starting to dash his temples. But there was no helping the affection that bled into his expression when he looked at her. “No I’m not silly,” he giggled again, leaning in and resting his temple against her own.

It was a lazy pattern they wove around the kitchen, and Mercy was very warm. It drew Arthur in and he nuzzled affectionately against the flyaway strands of her flower braided hair. His hands wrapped around her waist, eyes closing as he settled into the warmth of her presence. “You happy?” it was an important question to ask. And one he needed to know the answer to.

“‘M’okay…” Mercy laughed as the world tilted a bit before Arthur steadied her. Her own broad smile softened as she looked at him again. Saw so many of her own feelings reflected across his face. A face that was more dear to Mercy than anything in this world or any other. Though where Arthur had started to show the first signs of growing older - gracefully, as always - Mercy remained as she had always been. And would always be. Unchanging and eternal.

She laughed quietly as he defended his sobriety. “Whatever you say.” Mercy’s own eyes closed as he rested his temple against hers, and she let her arms slip lazily around his neck as they circled absently to the music. He was so very very warm, and so very very close. Her fingers stroked soft patterns along the back of his neck, occasionally finding the wispy ends of his hair in their idle travels. Her heart might have beat just a bit faster as he nuzzled against her, or as the warm, gentle weight of his hands circled her waist. Mercy might even have made a small, soft sound of approval.

When Arthur asked his question, Mercy slowly opened her eyes, but otherwise stayed just as she was. Still pressed close, still swaying in lazy circles, still unable to control the rising beat of her heart or the flush of her skin. Idly, she wondered why he was asking. Did she seem unhappy? Had she done something or said something that made him think she was? It was a simple question, so a simple answer seemed best.

Mercy closed her eyes again, and tipped her cheek against his. “I’m with you.” As if that should explain that yes, of course she was happy. Another moment passed, Mercy holding Arthur just a bit tighter.

“Are you? Happy?”

“I say… M’not as think as you drunk I am.” How many times had that line been used over the centuries? Far too many. But it was true, and Arthur settled feeling a sense of contentment as they step-stepped around the center island of the kitchen. It was a haphazard pattern but that was often the way of things with them. It always had been. They were the counterbalance to each other’s lives. Mercy made Arthur opt for more chaotic choices in life whether Arthur brought some semblance of order to her decision making. They made each other better.

Even if they hadn’t properly talked about things. The kiss, the memories, her moving in. Or anything else. Not in detail. But at some point they would have to breach that conversation. Approach things and make a choice to decide whether they were on the same page of things, wanted the same things. But it didn’t make the notion any less terrifying. And if Arthur was being honest with himself he was afraid. No matter how many people told him it was silly. He couldn’t help the feeling.

Arthur wasn’t sure what to make of her answer, but surely if she wasn’t happy wouldn’t she have said so? It was a bit of a non-answer that left him stewing in thought until she returned the question and Arthur answered without needing to think about it. “Yes. I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”

Mercy laughed quietly before becoming completely absorbed in the slow sway of their gently erratic steps, and Arthur’s familiar warmth. The feeling that settled over her was one she’d not felt in almost two hundred years. It eased over her, soft and welcoming, and Mercy didn’t try to stop it. If she were honest, she didn’t want to. She wanted to let it consume her. Consume her and burn away the armor she’d surrounded herself with over the last two centuries.

Though as much as she wanted it gone, without her armor, Mercy was vulnerable.

And that terrified her more than anything she’d ever faced.

But being here with Arthur, and slowly starting to find their rhythm again… despite everything that had happened, everything that she also knew they needed to talk about, past and present.... Mercy was starting to feel that armor loosen. No matter how hard she tried to hold it together, to pull the pieces back around herself with whatever excuse she thought made sense, Arthur always found his way between the cracks. Mercy wondered if he knew just how many fingerprints he’d left behind over the centuries.

On so much more than just her carefully constructed defenses.

So when he answered with such absolute surety, Mercy let out a small breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She was probably the only other person in the world who knew the weight his statement carried. Gods, but when had her heart started to beat so fast? For a moment there was only the gentle strains of the music in the background, and the soft shifting of their feet against the floor. Mercy’s fingers drifted to dance lightly over Arthur’s jaw. “Me either,” she breathed, eyes still closed as they danced in a small, ever-slowing circle.

The lazy haze of booze and happiness of simply sharing some time with friends was enough to put Arthur in a good frame of mind. One that didn’t want to worry about the dangers of the outside world, not when he had the world wrapped up here in his arms. Had this been what it was like? The time before he’d finally gotten the courage to ask her that one question. To tether their lives together in a way that couldn’t be put into words. His head tilted, resting his temple back against her own as he settled into the comfortable warmth that radiated from her. A warmth that seeped into his bones and warmed any ice that had settled over the last two centuries.

Two hundred years of feeling as if he had to atone for some sort of mistake. It brought with it it’s own set of complicated emotions that left him wondering more often than not if this was the ending he was deserving of. To be alone after so long.

And yet once again, by fate perhaps, or maybe the will of their Gods or perhaps in a greater faith than even the Old Ways kept; a faith in what they shared had brought them together once more. He didn’t dare question it, whatever it was. His fingers kept a gentle hold in the small of her back as his face pressed close into the crook of her neck inhaling shallowly and letting the wash of her perfume settle over him. “Hmm,” the laugh rumbled against her neck as he nuzzled her again “you smell good.”

Mercy didn’t believe in fate. At least not in the sense that the pathways of their lives were already laid out before they were born, that they had no free will, or that their choices were not their own. Because every choice Mercy had ever made had brought her here. From the moment she’d decided that eternity without Arthur was not an option. The moment she’d given up her mortal life so that she might see him to the halls of their ancestors. The moment she realized that Arthur too, was eternal, and would always come back to her… no matter how much time or distance separated them. So if it was fate of some kind, then it was a fate they had made for themselves. A fate they had chosen. Because they chose each other. They found each other. In every lifetime. Even if that lifetime wasn’t their time.

But maybe this one was.

Maybe they’d finally suffered enough.

For now, Mercy's thoughts didn’t drift any further than the man in her arms. And the overwhelming desire to never let him go again. Because the last time she’d let go, she’d spent centuries trying to tell herself it was for the best. That he was better off without her. That he would be happier that way. And all she’d done was hurt him. And lie to herself. Over and over again. So now, Mercy wanted nothing more than to keep him right here with her, safe in this perfect, peaceful moment. Where there was no danger, no terror waiting in the shadows, no evil that wanted to tear them apart. Where they could just… be. For however long they had.

They’d wasted enough time, after all.

His warm breath on her neck made her own catch in her throat. Her fingers curled against his skin and in the fabric of his shirt, nails catching ever so lightly. Goosebumps pebbled her skin, and once again her traitorous heart threatened to beat out of her chest. But her head tilted to the side anyway, unable to stop herself from wanting more. “Do I?”

Over the years fate and destiny and the paths of their lives had been a topic of passing night-time conversation. Sometimes they were peaceful and other times they brewed into heated debates about nature and the course their lives had taken. Arthur wasn’t sure what he believed these days. Fate wasn’t predetermined, it couldn’t be otherwise what was the point of it but some things seemed rather inevitable in the end.

But those things were a far away concern. Notions for a time that wasn’t filled with hazy happiness and warmth. A warmth that flared like a beacon to him and reeled him in without question. It always happened, even moreso when he was in a rather inebriated state and unable to control his natural affinity for any kind of warmth and he wanted to sink into the warmth he’d found. Stay right there til the end of time.

“Mmhm,” Arthur sounded again, feeling the pressure at the nape of his neck as the material of his shirt was pulled a little more taut. “Honey, lavender, chamomile” the proximity caused his lips to ghost over her skin, butterfly touches before he affectionately nuzzled the wild tangle of her hair threaded with flowers such as it was. “Jasmine… lily of the valley.” His head softly bumped her own again, eyes closing as they continued to sway barely an inch between them. “Stunning.”

Mercy’s skin soaked up Arthur’s warmth, growing more flushed and bright with each passing moment. When she felt the gossamer brush of his lips against her neck, there was no denying the soft, breathless sound that rose from her throat. Or the way she pulled him just a bit closer as he finished his list.

Her fingers trailed over his cheek with gentle affection, and Mercy tilted her face just a bit, brushing her nose softly against his. Her voice was warm and soft, gentle… even as it trembled: “Careful…” Her thumb brushed the corner of his mouth, fingers cupping his face. They trembled too.

“... a girl could fall in love…”

And then she was kissing him, soft and slow and sweet.

A few words and the lightest motion it transpired were enough to bring Arthur’s focus crashing back down, surrendering him helpless and completely at her will. It should’ve been terrifying, it was terrifying; the power that she wielded, the things he would do if she simply spoke the word and yet he found himself entirely at peace with the notion. After all, nothing beyond what she wanted truly mattered, did it? He should tell her now. He should tell her the truth of all the thoughts and fears that rattled inside his mind, the fear that left him so terrified of taking that leap. But that would summon old ghosts, and aren’t their lives thick enough with ghosts already?

He had no answer for her. Only the look of a man lost in a trance, struck dumb by heaven’s light itself. Their faces were close, eyes glassy and lips parted equally mesmerised, held in thrall as the entire world beyond fell silent.

The touch of her hand against his cheek was soft, and his eyes fluttered half-shut, pressing his face into the curl of her fingers. How long has it been since anyone touched him like this, with softness and gentleness? He could feel the hundreds of years of solitude tremble in anticipation and a hundred more etched in the painful sinews of their skin begin to unravel. For a moment the simplest touch took his breath away.

They were so lonely, the both of them. They had lost so very much.

The touch to his face was guiding, and by now he was boneless, unresisting to any way she wished to mould him. The trace of her thumb parting his lips a fraction and then--

Their lips brushed for the first time, the barest, lightest peck, and an almighty shudder trembled through his frame from head to toe. Stunned, eyes still half-closed and a tension that vibrated through him as his hand floated up to cup her chin, long fingers stroking the underside of her jaw reverently, ghosting her skin in a gentle response before responding in kind with a kiss that was soft and searching.

More than once, Mercy had torn the world to pieces, bled it dry, and then burned what remained to ash… all for him. She would do it again and again and again, without hesitation or regret. Because without Arthur, the world meant nothing. It was cold, and empty, and cruel. And it deserved to suffer as Mercy suffered when everything she loved was ripped from her grasp, over and over and over. No matter how hard she tried to hold on.

But a world with Arthur? That was a world Mercy would protect with every fiber of her being. It was the only world worth living in.

So she welcomed the way anything outside the ever-slowing circle of their dance started to fade away. And they descended into a place that was just for them. A place where time was meaningless, and where it was impossible to tell where one soul ended and the other began. Because they were bound together. And even Death herself couldn't keep them apart.

Mercy made a small, soft sound when he turned into her touch. A touch that turned from hardened steel to gossamer the moment she felt his skin against her own. A touch that told a story. One that stretched across a millenia… overflowing with more life, more death, more loneliness and loss and fear - and more love - than anyone but those that had been there could fathom. A story that deserved a soft epilogue.

For they had suffered enough.

The first brush of their lips sent fire coursing through Mercy’s veins. Gooseflesh rippled along her neck and arms, and the world narrowed to the one single point where their mouths met. Where Mercy felt him tremble. Felt the tension that moved through his frame, like the slow draw of a bowstring as the brush of his fingers moved along her jaw. The last time she’d been touched so gently… was several lifetimes ago now. But the hands were the same ones that had touched her then. As if she was something beautiful and precious and worthy of someone like him. Someone good and kind like Arthur. So powerful was the memory, that it was Mercy’s turn to tremble as Arthur kissed her back. His mouth was warm and pliant, and She made a small, soft sound low in her throat before pushing slowly up on her toes and deepening the kiss.

Arthur’s fingers caressed her skin delicately, along her jaw and the column of her neck while his other hand steadied at her hip. An anchor point to stop himself from getting lost in the maelstrom that a simple act had stirred up as Mercy rose up onto her toes. Their heads turned at the same time, spontaneous and searching, and abruptly the kiss deepened into something that no words could describe.

Arthur was sure in that moment no other act felt more right than this. The slow, sensual kiss that had Freyja fast overtaking his every sense. The grasp of hands or press of his tongue; skilled in rhetoric yet right now put to far better purpose than delivering a smart retort. His fingers flexed and curled, brushing down the side of her neck until the need for air made him draw back from her lips a fraction of an inch and breathing as if he’d just run a marathon.

His head tipped, reverently pressing his temple back against her own lost and savouring these moments. Committing them to his memory so he might never forget them. “Come with me?” he asked, searching out her hand so that he might take her to his favourite nook in the house. A cosy corner in the sun room surrounded by windows that looked out over the river and had a comfortably wide sofa. Somewhere that if only for a moment they could just be.

The need to breathe was secondary to the need to stay right where she was for the rest of her life. Mercy would gladly lose herself right now, and stay lost, if it meant they never had to leave this moment. Never had to leave each other.

But breathing came anyway. In a series of soft, gasping breaths that did little to soothe her burning lungs as they briefly pulled apart. Mercy felt light-headed and drunk, but the wine was no longer to blame. Arthur was. Arthur, and the way his fingers pressed ever-deepening divots into the warm flesh beneath her dress. The way the warmth of his mouth molded itself so perfectly against her own, stealing her breath in a slow dance of give and take.

There was no stopping the frantic beat of her heart, or the way she trembled as he pressed his temple to hers. She held him close, fingers in his hair as she inhaled the familiar smell of his skin. Like Arthur, Mercy committed the moment to her memories. Where it would exist as long as Mercy herself did. So there was no protest when he asked her to follow him. Mercy merely nodded, flushed and breathless, and let Arthur lead her where he would.

Arthur was almost certain his heart would thunder out of his chest right there and then as they drew a fraction of an inch apart. Could she feel it? The things her very presence alone could accomplish and bring about. The chaos of her being stoking the embers that so typically remained a carefully gated inferno, pushing the gates open and allowing some of his warmth to transfer. Unbridled and blazing, like standing too close to an imploding star, beautiful but destructive.

He pulled on her hand, a gentle pressure but his steps were unhurried. In fact, they were rather slow, as if afraid that pushing too hard or fast might make her run away. It was far from a baseless fear given her track record. Yet after a small coax they were drifting to a secluded area just off the kitchen and Arthur turned back to her. Dark stormy eyes gauging her expression, fathoming what she wanted and wrestling with the conflict about his own desires.

Eventually, Arthur pulled her close, a hand bracing on the curve of her hips the other cupping her jaw and drawing her mouth to his once more. It was easy to pick up a similar rhythm to where they were before, even if this was all they shared tonight… It was enough. It was more than enough for tonight at least.

If Mercy was the storm, then Arthur was the calm. The port to which she had willingly tethered herself for centuries. Lest she rage out of control without him there to hold on to. Without him there to calm the troubled, chaotic waters of Mercy’s existence. One word, one gesture, one glance was all it took for Mercy to bend to his will. She did so by choice, because of all the beings in the entire universe, all the people that had lived and died and would live and die in the centuries to come… Arthur possessed something they didn’t. Something they never would:

Mercy’s heart.

She wondered if he knew the things she would do for him - the things she had done - and how the thought scared her to death sometimes. She wondered if he knew she was his, wholly and completely. Body, mind, and soul. She wondered if he knew just how much she’d missed him. Just how lonely she’d been, and how many nights she’d lain awake wondering if he was lonely too. Wondering if she’d made the right choice in leaving, or if she’d simply been a coward, too scared to face the possibility of history repeating itself. So many things she wanted to tell him. So many things she wanted him to know.

That she wasn’t going to run away this time. She didn’t want to run away. That she was scared… terrified even… but only because she loved him so, so much. And because she knew she didn’t deserve for those feelings to be returned, and that she would never be good enough for him. Even if the only thing she had ever truly wanted.

So many things she wanted to say, so many terribly important things… but they all faded to the background as he turned to look at her once more. As if he were trying to read the faded pages of her life, her thoughts, her wishes. Her desires. It was a look that set her heart back to thundering in her chest. A look that she wanted to bare herself to… in every way possible. To tell him everything. To show him…

So when they fell so easily back into another soft searching kiss, Mercy raised her hands to his face, stroking along the line of his neck as her fingertips searched gently over his skin. She didn’t know what would happen next, tonight, tomorrow, or a month from now, but this was more than enough. This was… perfect.

So it was almost effortless as Mercy found herself giving Arthur a gentle push onto the sofa. Even more so as she followed, dress riding up her thighs as she slid a leg across his lap and settled flush against him before leaning in to kiss him again.

Perhaps this time the story would be different, Arthur hoped it would be but the amount of times they had come so close and had it snatched away wasn’t lost on him either. And a small part of him, a part that was shoved away from the light of day worried there might just be a reason for that. But maybe this time it would be different. If the Gods even did exist he’d pray to whichever one was listening, just one chance. One more chance to get this right.

But right now those thoughts of deeper contemplation were tucked away, out of sight and out of mind. The barest pressure of her hands pushing him back was met with a willing and complete yielding of control as he sank back, fingers digging divots into her waist and pulling for fear that any space between them might cause her to vanish or for this to end and Gods he didn’t want it to end.

Because this was life, blooming soft and bright, a delicate warmth that needed tending and care. Arthur reclined, guided by Mercy’s touch and actions making space as she settled atop him with a grace rarely shown yet stunning enough to steal any coherent thought or comment from him. His right hand gently settled on the outside of her knee, an anchor as he took some time to simply look at her, eyes dark and filled with a complex array of emotions and thoughts. They stayed that way for a little while, the air around them static until it crackled and as if drawn by a magnetic force, his fingers curled once more around the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss that left him reeling.

It continued that way, give and take for several long moments until the passion settled into something quieter and with a final soft peck he turned his face to nose against her affectionately once more. Hand smoothing reverently over the ridges of her spine before he reached for the blanket that hung over the back of the sofa, drawing it down and up over them. Comfortable. Content. In love. Even if they hadn’t had that conversation yet.

Mercy had wondered too - in the darker moments that stained the long ribbon of her life - if there was a reason they always fell short. But for the life of her, Mercy could never work out what it might be. The simplest solution was that it just hadn’t been their time yet. Mercy often wondered when it would be. When would they have finally lived long enough? Suffered enough loss and heartbreak? When would the price for being allowed to be together and be happy be paid in full?

Perhaps they would find their answer in this lifetime.

Perhaps they would find each other again.

Mercy followed Arthur onto the sofa, settling across his lap as if she’d done it a thousand times. The warm press of his fingers arching her back just enough to pull her flush against him. His skin blazed hot as embers beneath her, and Mercy knew she would gladly burn herself to cinders if only they could stay here for a little longer. If only they could have one more chance. Just one. Mercy promised whoever was listening that she would do whatever it took to be worthy. To finally be deserving of this life… to finally be deserving of Arthur.

Arthur who was so solid and warm beneath her. Who she wanted to hold close yet devour all at once. The way he looked at her, and the gentle touch of his hand against the bare skin of her knee… the smallest of gestures… but they were enough to steal away what little breath Mercy had left. Along with any thoughts that were outside this moment. When he pulled her in again, Mercy gripped him just a bit tighter this time. Her hands slipped just so beneath the collar of his shirt, fingers dancing across his shoulders as she pulled him closer to the oh so subtle movement of her hips.

Still, Mercy didn’t protest as their touches turned softer again. Her back dipped lazily beneath the play of his fingers, and she closed her eyes, humming her contentment - her love - into his ear as he pulled the blanket around them.

The comforting warmth of her presence was enough to still the rush on thoughts from overwhelming him. There were so many potential what ifs. Questions lingering from things that had been but also the possibility of what could be. Possibility of a chance at finding happiness with the person he was quietly convinced was the only one he should ever be with. Arthur’s history with relationships in this lifetime set a poor track record after all that he hadn’t met the right person.

After all, why should you settle for less? For a person that concedes to your limits and never encourages you to push through them and persevere for more in life? A partner that challenges in equal measure to the support they provided to the structure of your life? It had been the lack of these things that had resulted in his past relationships breaking down and left him uncertain he might ever find the right person that would fit into his life. Fit and understand.

But Mercy understood better than anyone. Perhaps even better than he did himself.

So Arthur settled into quiet and comfortable contemplation, curling his arm around her as they lay there together. Finally with her in this moment, finding a sense of peace in this shared space that he hadn’t felt in several lifetimes prior. Closing his eyes, Arthur smiled. Maybe this would be their time. He truly hoped it would.

#wickedswriting #chatzy #p: arthur #p: this year's love #//literally just soft idiots being SOFT

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kadavernagh · 4 years

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Fate’s Edge || Solo

For more context, read this Chatzy. TW for suicide.

Why did she always have to be so chronically early?

Regan had spent nearly an hour broiling in her own thoughts, kneading her phone nervously in her hand. She’d even walked the Hanging Rock trail a couple of times to try and excise some anxious energy. Nothing was effective. At least the sunshine was back, and they had an emerging spring day as a backdrop for what would likely be a painful conversation.

Her dad had been in town for almost a week now, and she wasn’t able to keep pushing excuses onto him for why they couldn’t see each other. After months of missed calls and unanswered texts -- in both directions -- she knew the only way forward, the only way to preserve the relationship they had, was to talk this out. It had been over a decade since Liam died, and though she no longer grieved her brother, his ghost loomed large over Kavanagh family dynamics. Reilly couldn’t compete -- you never could with a dead older sibling. Al rebelled. Mom fled to the warm California beaches. And dad... dad drank, aged, and searched for blame. Apparently, Regan thought, that blame landed on her.

This whole time.

Now that she knew, everything was viewed under a new lens. The way he retreated from conversation whenever she brought up pathology, the way he tried to get her out of the house whenever she brought something dead into it, the way he sometimes “forgot” her when taking Al and Reilly out.

Yet, even after waiting an hour, it felt like everything was moving too fast when she saw him approaching.

Her jaw went slack.

“Dad.” It was all she could think to say.

He was in sorry shape -- disheveled hair, wrinkles snaking across his face, and dark half-moons under his eyes. He’d recently reached 60 years old, and though Regan knew objectively that was a large number, it occurred to her that this was the first time her dad really looked old. Probably felt old, too. His face was a twist of anguish; an expression she hadn’t seen in years, made all the more evident by the sun casting deep shadows in the valleys of his skin.

She had to ask.

“Dad,” she said again, meeting him with concerned eyes, stopping mid-pace, “don’t take this the wrong way, but are you -- last I heard, it had been a couple of years since...”

She was met with a sharp laugh, much louder than appropriate. Her dad wiped a tear from his eye, and laughed again, stomach bouncing. “That’s the funniest damn part of this whole mess,” he howled, “I haven’t touched the stuff.” He breathed in. It was a long, shaky breath, the oddity of which didn’t escape Regan. “Come on, how about a hug?”

Though Regan failed to understand what was so humorous about that, she did sign in genuine relief. “Good. I know you’ve worked hard.” Alcohol was always an awkward conversational topic between them, but an important one. Her eyes grew wet and despite herself, she slid her arms around her dad and hugged him. He really didn’t smell like alcohol, though she could tell he’d been smoking. A habit picked up during the divorce filings. “Warm.” He choked, causing Regan to pull away. “What? I... I don’t have a fever.” Odd comment. But then, he looked exhausted.

She stared down at the path and started walking again, the two of them deciding on an unspoken pace. They’d talked for a bit -- pleasantries exchanged as they both shared updates on her brothers. No new information. Something to fill the void between them. They quickly ran out of topics to discuss that didn’t involve Regan, and a painful silence drifted in. The chirping of birds and gleeful shouts of children darting around the park provided some ambiance, but it didn’t take long for Regan to grow frustrated with the lack of progress.

“Is this... is it about Liam? About an apology?”

A grunt in response. She could see the muscle tic in his jaw.

“What’s it like to do the sorta work you do?”

Regan paused, stunned. She hadn’t expected him to bring up her job -- he famously hated discussing it, always wished she could’ve pursued just about any other medical specialty.

“What -- what do you mean?” She gulped. A little lie never hurt anyone, right? Would it make him more eager to apologize? To approve?

She chanced it. “You want a vivid description of me cutting through an intestine, all of the larvae spilling out as purge fluid leaks from the decedent’s nares? I... I try not to focus on that. Just the value of the work I’m doing. The closure I’m providing. Never the -- the death.”

A flash of Liam, now bones in a coffin, watching a Sox game with dad.

His eyes snapped to hers, sharp and daggerlike. She could tell some decision cemented itself, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. He certainly didn’t believe a word.

“You make a living dealing in ugly things, Regan. You thrive on death. Always have. Always will.”

Regan nearly growled at the searing accusation -- though, she admitted silently, it was because there was more than a splinter of truth to it. At least her brothers never voiced it so plainly, though they likely thought it, too. She kicked back, instead.

“Thanks. I see that you now intend to provide me with some life lessons. I thought those were reserved for Al and Reilly.”

Regan dug a thumbnail into her finger. Bad habits -- unstoppable. Some things she could control with meticulous precision. Others she could not. Why was she still feeling the guilty twist of her stomach that had always made her behave, always such a good girl? The constant fear of disappointing her parents returned as surely as the bile climbing her throat. But now she also knew -- he would always be disappointed, wouldn’t he?

Their walk was as good as over. They wandered over to the edge of the path. Stared out over the sea. It looked so calm, but she knew storms raged just a few miles out. Parts of vessels washed up almost weekly. Sailors went missing. Likely more than anyone knew. Likely more than anyone would believe, on such a peaceful day. But Regan was starting to understand that White Crest had hidden teeth.

After a moment, her dad’s eyes swayed toward hers. She’d never seen such a hopeless look in anyone’s face.

“I am sorry.”

And there it was, in all its glory -- the apology she was waiting for. It wasn’t specific, and the weight behind it was wrong, but it --

What was he doing?

He took several calm steps toward the edge, steeling himself. Looking down. Another step. Nothing underneath his foot.

Fear stabbed Regan’s gut.

It all happened so fast.

Regan lunged forward, hands red and raw as they scraped the ground, dad falling, no, jumping, a snap as his spine hit the cliffside, not even a shout as the rocks and the waves took him, smashed him, killed him. A red wave lapping at the land as he was swallowed by the sea, worthy of nothing.

Regan stayed, shaking, on the ground. But her hands were to her sides now, completely still, and her head heavy as a stone, and she was trying to breathe, but her lungs weren’t -- why weren’t they --

A darkness spread through the back of her skull, getting bigger, pushing at the edges of her brain, clouding her vision. Her stomach and throat convulsed, desperate to pull in air. As her insides crushed with grief, she couldn’t hear anything other than her heartbeat -- slowing -- and her own raw lungs heaving.

The thick, heavy panic welling up in her chest refused to be denied. Her chest was on fire and her lungs were searing and it was like being underwater or having her insides pressed into a crushing execution. The agony clawed up her throat and burst from her mouth in the form of an ear-piercing scream, high-pitched and inhuman, it felt like her jaw was about to be blown straight off her skull.

It couldn’t be stopped. She tried. The force of the scream just pushed her hands away like they were leaves in a breeze.

How many minutes passed? Hours? Days?

Regan could barely hear anything beyond the vibrations and thrumming in her skull, and even those stopped eventually, leaving her in a still, dead silence. It was transient. Weaving in and out. Her consciousness, she half-realized. Her throat felt like it’d been scraped with razors, and her whole body ached. She choked out a glob of blood. Stared down at the ground. There was more of it there, a small puddle staining the nicest jogging path in town.

Dad.

The word shook her thoughts. Scrambled them a second time.

Regan pulled out her phone, checking three pockets before locating it. Back pocket. The screen on her phone was cracked and smeared with blood. When did -- how did -- she pressed frantically, urging it to work.

911. 911. 911.

“Is this about that scream? We’re sending someone out to investigate, don’t --”

What? The phone slipped down against her cheek. She only realized when she felt the vibration of the operator speaking again.

“Hello?”

“N-no, this isn’t -- I -- my dad just -- he -- someone needs to retrieve him -- his -- the --”

“Take a deep breath, honey. Where are you?”

“Hanging Rock. I’m at H-hanging Rock. This is Regan. I -- Dr. Kavanagh.”

A pause, agonizing. She could hear muffled conversation.

“On the way.”

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wickedsrest-rp-archive · 4 years

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Undertow || Season 1 Finale Chatzy

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Dark Score Lake (opposite side as Storm Front) PARTIES: @nelllraiser @athenaquinn @offrankies @laylacooke @jane-the-zombie SUMMARY: The ritual at the lake

This was different than anything Nell had ever done before, leading a ritual that she didn’t even yet have all the parts for. To her understanding, she was simply meant to wait here with the circle she’d drawn in the ground, at least able to prepare that much when it came to the magic that would be needed to be rid of this plague on their town once and for all. Her hand tapped against the strap of the backpack that was on her back as it was holding rather precious cargo, something that would be needed to complete the ritual properly. The others will come, she’d been told, and all she could do was blindly put her faith in the words of Winston, hoping that they’d been right. She wasn’t sure if they’d get more than one shot at this, and having White Crest pulled into a hellscape, or vice versa, was something he wouldn’t let happen to the town. So she waited at the edge of the lake, not all that far from where she’d first met the cultists. So much of the situation still didn’t make sense, but it didn’t matter. She had the instructions, and she would follow them, doing her duty to make sure that the demon was taken care of. She squinted along the skyline, looking for anyone who might be approaching for the ritual. With the sun behind them, it was hard to make out a face, so Nell called out to them. “Hey! What are you...doing here?” How the hell else was she meant to figure out if someone was compelled or not?

She’d just been finishing reading another one of her books for the fall semester (she knew that it was far in advance, but until other summer obligations started up, she might as well get ahead on things - after all, one never knew when she might have to put in extra hours or days of training and she was not about to fall behind in any of her classes) when Athena felt herself stand up, close her textbook, and brushed her hands against her jeans and adjusted the scrunchie on her wrist as she made her way down the stairs and outside, not speaking a word. It was a long walk, but that wasn’t something she minded at all. More exercise was good, and she could feel the comforting cold iron against her hip bones (it was the only place that made sense to keep the knives when she wasn’t in the mood for wearing boots, after all). Athena could feel the coolness of her rings against her fingers. The only benefit of Rio leaving home was that at least he couldn’t hide them any more. She continued to walk, making her way through downtown, only occasionally glancing around. Finally, she felt herself come to a standstill, a bit of a ways away from the edge of the lake. Someone called out to her. “I am here because,” her voice trailed off, “it is the right thing to do.” She heard another sound and turned around.

Layla had been laying in her corner in Frankie’s room, snuggled up and trying to finally get a goodnight’s sleep, granted it was still early. A lot had been going on since the night she faced Kaden’s ghost of a mother, and with Winn on the run and everything else that had recently occurred, it had left her feeling drained both emotionally and physically. And now knowing that she had taken a human life, a dark shadow seemed to loom over the teenager’s heart, permanently. However, with eyes wide open, she got to her feet, and with no words, found herself going for a walk. Her mind seemed to be hollow. No thoughts about the past several weeks or even about the woman she loved. Just the idea that she needed to get to the lake. She needed to meet up with everyone else. Barefoot, wearing a pair of shorts and Frankie’s yellow hoodie, she walked along streets and through grass and dirt, until she reached where she was going. Seeing the other two people waiting, she stood quietly. Even recognizing Nell for what she was, but still no words or alarm. Just the need to be there and to wait for further instructions.

After a long and exciting shift, all Frankie wanted to do was go home and tell Graham all about the old man that had managed to drink seven milkshakes in a row, watch a bad movie and call it a night. But her body seemed to have different plans for her, because when she walked out of Al’s, her feet started guiding her in the opposite direction of her apartment, towards the lake. Just a quick detour. Right, she needed to take care of something first. Did she? Her head felt heavy, very heavy, the walk that should’ve taken her half an hour feeling like seconds, and before she even realized what she had gone to, she was standing next to three other girls. They were all glowing, so, so bright in contrast to the shadows that were already forming from the sunset, the red, purple and light blue blending together in her temporary dizziness, but it didn’t matter. Not right now. She needed to take care of something first. Her expression was blank as she walked next to Layla, eyes fixated on the brunette and her aura; there was a vague sound of dogs panting and… was that something slimy moving nearby? Catching her attention, but they were irrelevant for now. She needed to take care of something first.

Jane was having second thoughts about splitting up with Bo, if only because she was overtly concerned that Bo was going to get into trouble that Jane couldn’t bail her out from. The call came in late, and both of them were sent out to check on a disturbance at Dark Score, splitting up when they saw two disturbances on either side of the lake. Why they didn’t just send patrol officers out, she didn’t know, but as Janee approached the group, hand on her gun, she realized it was just a bunch of children. Jane scowled. Was this some sort of summer party? She hadn’t busted an honest to god party since she was back on patrol. “Hey!” Jane barked, flashing her badge. She looked down at the ground, seeing a strange circle. Oh god. What the hell was that? Was this a meme? Or wiccan things? She was about 90% sure it wasn’t some cult bullshit - there weren’t any white men around to lead any sacrifices. Jane was already exasperated. “Police. Does someone want to explain to me exactly what’s going on here? Don’t you know the lake is dangerous?”

Nell counted them as they came, knowing she’d need three for the ritual. One...two...three...people and— a fourth? There wasn’t supposed to be a fourth. However, it quickly became clear which of these things was not like the other when the cop opened her mouth. Of course there was a cop here. It would have been too easy otherwise, wouldn’t it? She squinted at the woman in question first, deciding what to do. What had been that...other cop’s name she met the other day? Would name dropping work? “Oh- don’t worry,” she began with polished ease, “I know Detective Stryder. I’m...helping her.” Sure- that sounded decent, right? Hopefully they’d at least know each other or something. Brushing the cop aside, she turned to the rest of those that had gathered. Layla, she recognized. That would be the shifter they needed. But the other two- one of them looked vaguely familiar, as if she might have seen a picture of the girl in a yearbook somewhere or otherwise. The other? An utter stranger. Pointing between them she asked, “Okay, what are you two? Which is the Hunter and which is the...regular human?” Her tone left no room for question, ready to get down to business and make this as quick as possible.

There was a woman from the police here. Athena turned her head to the side, examining her. That was odd. Especially because she was asking what was going on. As though - Athena glanced around her - they were all supposed to know. She had just gone on a walk. That was no reason to be questioned, was it? Then someone in front of her - who she thought she recognized from high school, though not from her grade. Older? Regardless, whoever this was was asking about hunters and regular humans and Athena made a face. “I think we are all regular humans, here.” She could at least say that nobody here was fae. Anything else was possible. As if she was going to out herself. For all she knew, this person hated hunters, didn’t respect what they did, and would do some sort of grievous harm if she found out. “Why do you need to know, anyhow?” She shook her head, briefly, her ponytail swinging back and forth. She turned to the policewoman, “the lake is only dangerous if you do not have a sense of self-preservation. I am not about to swim here.”

When Layla saw Frankie coming upon the group, her heart began to race and butterflies seemed to dance around in her stomach like they always did when she caught sight of her best friend and lover. But something was telling her to stay still. To not move. To just be. Even the new arrivals didn’t seem to phase her, and when she heard the police officer start to question them, she remained quiet. She wasn’t sure why she had been summoned or why she didn’t feel the urge to communicate. However, when she noticed Frankie move in beside her, Layla stepped over to be slightly closer and gently reached out her fingertips to at least feel Frankie. It was that connection that seemed to make her heart feel at ease. Everything was okay as long as she was there. Even having a bounty hunter nearby didn’t seem to phase her as long as she could see, smell, and hear her girlfriend’s beating heart.

The urge that led her there had disappeared as fast as it had arrived when the cop barked at them. Frankie blinked repeatedly, looking around in confusion, her eyes landing on her girlfriend, silently asking her what the hell was happening, but as much as she tried to move in closer, to take her hand and get both of them out of there, she couldn’t. Her feet wouldn’t budge. Her eyes moved back to the brunette and the purple softly moving around her, the familiar black of a recent loss sputtered on it like painting drops, and a weird red joined the mix. And then she looked back to the cop, the lack of aura suggesting that she was a… vampire?, and then back to the brunette, actively looking away from the bright red that the blonde was irradiating. Her hand grasped at Layla’s, just to feel something familiar and remotely comforting. “Uhm--” She started, feeling her heartbeat speed up. “I don’t—I didn’t know the lake was dangerous. I’m so sorry ma’am.”

“Detective Stryder?” Jane looked at Nell, a bit amused, crossing her arms over her chest. “You mean my partner?” She glanced to the other three, fighting back an eye roll at the defiant answer. Oh crap, did one of them just call her ma’am? A ma’am? God, she was like the crypt keeper compared to these girls. “I’ll remind you all that the lake was closed off for a long time because of dangerous activity.” But something was clearly going on here that wasn’t normal. The dark haired girl had just asked about hunters, and somehow, she was fairly certain that she hadn’t been talking about deer hunters. She turned to Nell, hands on her hips. “Cut the bullshit for a minute please, what’s going on here? Magic? Hunters?” She paused. “Zombies?”

Nell squinted at the girl who had been first to reply, realizing this was perhaps going to be a little harder than she thought, even sans demons or otherwise. “Sure- let’s pretend we’re all regular humans for a second.” Now what? What was the customary greeting for a ritual like this? Thankfully, it seemed that Jane had given her an in. “Yes- that,” she said as she pointed to the cop. “No zombies, though. But magic, Hunters, shifters, and humans. All in one place.” This was as good a segway as any to delve into what was needed for the ritual. “We were brought here to help White Crest, to make sure that asshole demon squid boy in the lake doesn’t eat us all whole, town included, probably. So- that being said- each of you was magically compelled to be here, each an integral part of the spell we need to do. Apart from you, I think,” she paused for a moment to jab a thumb towards Jane. “But if we could all get along for just like- ten minutes tops or something, that’d be great. And I can tell you all how to start the process. Then you guys can go back to doing whatever after we’ve helped yeet Squidward.”

“Who’s pretending?” Athena crossed her arms. She looked over to everyone else. “The lake is no longer closed off, though I apologise for whoever might have called you here.” She flashed a grin over to the policewoman. Charming adults had always been a strong suit of hers - she knew that was part of how she kept out of having people tell on her back in school. The teachers loved her. Hopefully she could just get the woman to leave and then - she narrowed her eyes. Ignored the hunter bit, but instead focused on shifter. So someone else here wasn’t human. Well, that much was intriguing. “Magically?” Was someone else a spellcaster? Just like Winston? She pushed that idea out of her mind for now. If she was here to help the town, then it was meant to be. It was what she was born for, after all. “Fine. Yes, I am one of those.” A small smirk covered her lips. “I can’t say I’ve ever been in a spell before, though. Does this make you the leader?” Her eyes narrowed, briefly. “I will try it for ten minutes, though I’m not about to make any promises. Those can be dangerous, you know.” She moved her hands to her hips and raised an eyebrow. “Fine, tell us what we have to do.”

Layla blinked a few times. All the talk around her seemed to bring her out of whatever trance she had been in, whether it was her mind trying to protect her or something more magical at work, “Frankie…” Her voice held worry. And as she listened to the cop, Nell, and some random person she had never met, who oddly reminded her of Rio, she knew that this wasn’t exactly the place she wanted to be. She knew fear had already gotten her into some sticky situations in the past, and being a werewolf surrounded by people, she mostly assumed to be human, especially Frankie, had made her worry skyrocket. With Nell explaining the situation, Layla’s eyes met the brunette’s, “Why me? I get you need a werewolf or whatever, but why me? There’s more skilled...wolves around White Crest, and I don’t want to accidentally hurt somebody.” She glanced back to her girlfriend and as much as she wanted to move and pull Frankie with her, she couldn’t.

“Demon?” Frankie’s voice was high pitched and her eyes grew wide in surprise as the apparent witch explained why they were there, and guessed that she was the human, definitely sure that Layla was the shifter, and definitely sure that she wasn’t a hunter. Sure, if vampires and werewolves were a thing, of course there had to be hunters – Teen Wolf had taught her that much – but she wasn’t ready for the world of supernatural that was right outside her window, and Demons was too big of a concept to grasp. Frankie had a hard time swallowing the knot that had formed in her throat, finally with the courage to stare at the blonde girl, but couldn’t help but squint from the bright aura. A shiver went up her spine as she recalled her grandmother telling her to stay away from the bright red, but she never explained why. “S-Squid demon? Like Cthulhu?” What the fuck? “I don’t – This is –“ She could feel the panic attack coming, her hand squeezing Layla’s harder, staring at her for a moment, and then at the cop in desperation. “Demons aren’t- They don’t exist, right? Right…?”

Jane was getting less happy with how this was going by the minute. Bratty young adults mixed with demonic - did she just say Squidward? Squid demon? Jane held her forehead a minute, before glancing up to the sky. Demonic squid demon. Great. Awesome. Wow. She let out a low sigh, looking between everyone. The girl that originally called it Squidward seemed to know what she was doing. Fantastic. She folded her arms over her chest. She didn’t exactly belong in the ritual, but leaving children here to do it themselves wasn’t exactly a smart idea. After all, she was the one that was going to live forever. It seemed like some of these children didn't even want to be here - and one was a werewolf and a hunter. Well, the red head was the werewolf, and if she had to make an educated guess, the one that wasn’t having a panic attack about the demon was the hunter. But who knew? “Why don’t we all take a minute to breathe,” Jane suggested, glancing at Nell. “Before someone passes out and before you all… you all… yeet… Squid… ward…” Some of those words were like a different language. Jane winced. “What exactly does this whole thing encompass?” Jane asked Nell. “What do you need? And how can I offer you to help?”

Nell couldn’t be sure, but based off of the girls reactions to the news, and the declaration of not making promises, she would hazard a guess that the blonde would be the one who was the Hunter. She already knew Layla was the shifter, and the one seemingly having a hard time grasping the concept of a demon was mostly likely the ‘innocent’ human. “What are your names?” she asked, realizing this would be easier if she knew them. “I’m Nell- and I don’t know if I’m meant to be the ‘leader’, I just know what’s going on so- I figured I’d organize. So the first step is that the shifter has to- well….shift.” Her eyes slid to Layla, still uncertain about her feelings on the werewolf. But those didn’t matter now, not at a time like this. “But it’s meant to be the Hunter who gets them to shift. But only shift,” she said carefully. “If anyone dies during the ceremony, it won’t work- so if we can just all keep from killing each other-” As if the universe had heard her and decided to make things far more difficult, a sort of slopping sound emerged from the lake, and hooded heads could be seen rising from it.,water sliding off their heads as they raised their hands, eyes embedded in the centers of them. “The cultists.” It made sense that they would be here. After all, they most likely wanted the squid demon to succeed, and they didn’t look friendly in the least. “Uhh- that’s something you could maybe help with,” she finished, turning towards the cop, motioning towards the cultists. “I’d love to breathe, unfortunately I don’t think those eyeball freaks are going to give us the opportunity. She turned towards the girl that seemed to fit the role of innocent human, “I’m sorry you got thrown into this, but we have to focus, alright? Panicking will only make things worse, and make it more likely that someone gets hurt. And you wouldn’t be here unless the magic thought you could handle it.” Nell wasn’t entirely actually sure of that, but she needed to say something to reassure the girl. “Same goes for you, Layla. I don’t know why the magic chose any of you, but it did- and that’s what matters. Not the why.” Not right now, at least.

Well, the redhead was the werewolf. If only more supernatural creatures were that willing to out themselves, Athena thought. Nell. The name sounded familiar, though she couldn’t quite place it right now. “Athena.” She crossed her arms again. How had she been allowed to know what was going on? Though, Athena supposed, she’d always been good at thinking on her feet. Dealing with unexpected events was something she was fine with - excelled at, usually, if her training sessions were anything to refer to. She narrowed her eyes at the next comment. Though before she could speak Nell was clarifying - first that Athena apparently had to be the one to make her, and then that nobody was allowed to die. “Well, you have to tell her that more than me, probably.” I’m not the unstable monster here. She glanced over to where Nell was looking - strange figures - with, were those eyes? - in the middle of their hands and shook her head. “Well, some of us were born to help better the world, so whatever caused me to be here is what it is.” She tucked a small strand of hair behind her ear, turning to the redhead. “So, how hard is it going to be to get you to turn?”

The teenage werewolf had pretty much ignored the cop, up until she wanted to plead for help to get her and Frankie out of there, and stat. Especially considering the strange looking people now emerging from the lake. A sight that made the hair on her arms stand on end. But as much as she tried to make herself leave, she just couldn’t. But how anyone else wanted to willingly stay was beyond her? At least that’s what it had seemed like when the hunter, Athena, and, of course, the bounty hunter, Nell, explained the situation and accepted their fate. Turning her attention back on Frankie, before hearing the question about shifting, she mouthed the words “I love you”. If anything was going to happen, Layla wanted Frankie to know that she loved her. Her eyes back on the hunter, she spoke up, “Impossible, because I’m not going to do it. I could kill somebody, and isn’t that like the last thing you want to happen?” The words were nearly impossible to get out of her mouth after the way the full moon had gone. If she could refuse this, she would, and the glare on her face indicated she was not changing, at least not willingly; of course there was that tiny little fact that she still didn’t know how to change willingly either.

If someone dies during the ceremony. Some of us were born to help better the world. Frankie’s head was spinning, and she had to hug herself to keep herself from shaking. Many people had warned her so far that this town was more than just a little weird and quirky, but this was definitely not something she had imagined in her wildest dream. It didn’t help that there were people emerging from the water, looking like they had been straight up taken from a Dark Souls game. “Frankie.” She managed to reply, though it mattered little. Her eyes focused on Layla, mostly to avoid the more and more vivid fire emanating from Athena but also because something familiar and vaguely normal would help to ground her. Nell was right - it wouldn’t help anyone to have a breakdown in the middle of whatever was happening, and after taking deep breaths while her eyes were closed, she weakly nodded, staring at the floor, trying her hardest to ignore the damn sounds and--- she couldn’t. It wouldn’t surprise her if she looked like she was about to puke; or worse, faint. “Okay, just-- I really don’t understand what’s happening and these damn dogs just won’t fucking shut up---” Her voice raised with every word she said, and she drowned a scream as the weird people got closer and closer to them, and with her feet finally cooperating, she stood in front of Layla, fishing her pepper spray from her backpack in a lame attempt to protect her.

Jane liked to think she was actually doing pretty well at being accepting considering everything was going on. She could freak out that there was a squid demon - named squidward? - later, there was a job to be done. “Jane,” she repeated her own name for the benefit of the children when she saw the cultists start rising out of the water. The hair on the back of her neck stood up - danger? A bit of excitement coursed through her as her hand went to her gun as the chanting started. Well they definitely didn’t sound human. Reports of cultists with eyes sewn shut and eyes in their hands had been flooding the station, along with the giant eyeball of a sun. Lord, those things were not human. She drew her weapon, and looked exasperatedly at Nell. The chanting was growing louder, the Cultists slowly making their way to shore. “Slightly adjusted plan,” Jane said. “You all listen to whatever the hell Nell says you should do, and don’t freak u ing kill each other. I’ll deal with them - or try to.” Jane hit the safety off her glock and took aim. “And stop complaining.” And then she started shooting.

So this was Athena? Nell gave her another quick once over, curiosity getting the best of her before she shifted back to focus. There’d be time for questions later, when they weren’t under a time crunch for a ritual, and when cultists weren’t attacking. She didn’t bother hiding her eyeroll at the derogatory assumption that Layla would need to be restrained from killing more than Athena, but didn’t comment on it for now. At least Athena seemed willing to do what needed to be done, and was ready to help. “The ritual...says the Hunter needs to force the shifter to change.” She gave Athena a meaningful glance, hoping she’d take it as wordless confirmation to do whatever she needed to do to get Layla to change. Generally, Nell wasn’t one to encourage things such as this, but they had a mission, and she wasn’t going to put the entire town into jeopardy. “No killing,” she reminded Athena and Layla before saying. “We can cover you while you start, though.” As for Layla, Nell’s patience was running thin. They needed to get this ritual done before the moon reached its highest point. Otherwise, it would be too late. “Look- we don’t have a choice. If you don’t do this- if we don’t do this- the demon gets its way, and it’s not going to be pretty. It wants to bring literal hell here, and plenty more people are going to die if you don’t do this. I won’t let you kill anyone. And you know I can make good on that promise.” After all, they’d had their scuffle in the woods. “We don’t have the time to be selfish or scared right now.” The words might seem harsh, but Nell didn’t have time to coddle during moments like these. “You’ll come in after the shift happens, Frankie. I’ll let you know when.” She did, however, nod approvingly at Frankie’s pepper spray. “Be careful.” Thank god Jane seemed ready and raring to go after the cultists, though. “Now go!” Nell reiterated to Athena and Layla before joining Jane in going after the cultists, magic bursting from her hands as she tried to keep them at bay.

The werewolf - well, the girl who was a werewolf - was already refusing. This might be more work than Athena would have initially thought. “I do not wish for anyone to die who does not deserve it.” She looked over to Nell, “and while I am slightly disinclined to believe everything she says, we all ended up here for a reason, and somehow she was given a sort of heads up about it, so…” She took a few steps towards the redhead. Layla, she’d said her name was. Not that it mattered too much right now. The other girl stepped in front of her - Frankie - and it was all that Athena could do to not roll her eyes. Was she going to be the one to entirely mess up the ceremony by getting in the way? Her gaze was briefly interrupted by the policewoman giving them instructions and then Nell yelling as well. This was why she usually did things on her own. Too many other people meant others could get hurt and that there was a risk for misunderstanding. Though, she supposed, given the weird people with eye-hands coming out of the lake, a bit of back up never hurt. Especially given that Nell clearly had some sort of extra powers going for her. She raised an eyebrow at Layla. “Well, it seems that you either have to shift, or else more of those beings, or worse, might show up. Are you truly that selfish that you do not care at all about the well-being of this town?” She reached her arm out and grabbed one of Layla’s hands, waiting to see if the cold silver of her rings would cause any further reaction, any reason to motivate her to start transforming. “How does that feel? Apologies for the rashes that might come. Terrible side effect, I know.”

What the hell was happening? It was like another nightmare she was stuck in and couldn’t get out of. Both Nell and Athena were trying to force her to shift, when normally, that’s the last thing any of them ever wanted. However, when Frankie stepped in front of her to try and protect her, Layla’s heart started to pound so hard, she thought she might have a heart attack, “Frankie, I appreciate you trying to protect me, but listen, if I change, which is probably going to happen, I need you to run. Don’t try and protect me, okay? Just. Run.” She had leaned in close and spoke these words only to the love of her life. But before she could say anything else, Layla felt the silver on her hand causing her to let out a growl of pain. With as much force as she could, she jerked her hand away; tears forming on the brims of her eyes, “It’s not going to work, Bitch. So step off.” Her glare was cold on Athena. She could feel the wolf inside her starting to try and claw its way to the surface, but she continued to refuse the change.

“I’m not leaving you--” Frankie’s words to Layla were cut short when the blonde reached forward, and between the growl, the bright colors, and the cop aiming her gun at the lake people, she didn’t know what to do. Her right hands desperately clutched at the small spray bottle, while her left reached forward to grab Athena’s shoulder to pull her away from her girlfriend, but she stopped mid-air, her aura even more frightening now that she was up close. The bright color flowing around her, mixed with even brighter shades of red and black painted made her breath choke on her throat. It was too much - too many noises, too many colors, too many people, and Frankie took a couple steps back, drowning a scream when she heard the cop shoot at a person, head yanked to look at the mess - blood that made her think it was actually ink flooding from the gunshot that had landed perfectly on their forehead, flopping on the ground as life left their body. The other people kept walking towards them as if one of them hadn’t just died next to them, and, after glancing at the hunter and the werewolf, she moved so she was now standing between Nell and Jane. “What the fuck what the fuck---” Hand shaked, and she screamed once more as another shot was fired.

Jane shot to wound, not kill. At least, that’s what she did at first until she saw the younger one - Nell magicking to kill. These things, whatever they were, weren’t truly human, and she would be damned if some creepy freaks with their eyes sewed shut were going to hurt a few teenaged girls - no matter how drama queen-esque they were acting. She was only somewhat aware of the arguments ensuing behind her as her and Nell worked - more kept coming. Fine by her. She didn’t mind getting into a fight. She could already feel the adrenaline pounding in her veins as she shot one of them in the head. She would need to switch to hand to hand soon, she had ammo on her, and her spare piece, but there were only so many bullets and … well, there were a lot of these guys. Only Frankie’s yelling made her briefly pause, glancing over her shoulder, and Jane cursed. “Hey, Nell.” Jane called, pulling out her push knife. “You may want to go babysit the children. Let me take care of these eye-handed freaks.”

If Nell had anything to say about it, Frankie would not be running when Layla shifted. After all, her’s was the blood they also needed to complete the ritual, and Nell had purposefully left that bit out so far. She could only imagine how much more difficult it might be to get Layla to shift if she knew she’d be made to take Frankie’s blood. So at the moment, that knowledge was a need to know basis. As she continued to blast cultists, she wasted no time in Summoning the three hellhounds that were bound to the tattoo on her arm, biting her thumb to swipe the blood over the circle on her arm. It only took a moment for them to spring forward, and to begin mowing through the cultists with poisonous and fiery breath, the stench of burned flesh quickly filling the air. With them helping Jane, Nell was free to return to Layla and Athena for the moment. She locked eyes with the Hunter, hoping the other girl would understand the silent pact she was making with her. She’d help if Athena needed it, to make sure Layla shifted whether she liked it or not. There was the entire town at stake, and Nell wasn’t about to let possibly thousands die because of Layla’s inhibitions. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Layla,” she said in a way that was barely veiled as a threat. “I wish there was another way, but there isn’t. It’s either you shift- or you condemn an entire town to death. We won’t let you kill anyone. And if you don’t shift, the blood of the entirety of White Crest will be on your hands.”

Athena narrowed her eyes. The wolf - still a girl right now - shook her hand off and it was all she could do to keep from snorting. She wanted to laugh - this girl had a human (as far as Athena could tell, at least) protecting her. Athena raised her eyebrows at the other girl, “you know she could tear you apart easily, right? Wouldn’t even blink.” Her stomach clenched for a moment as she thought back to Orion, to their birthday, to - she shook her head. The policewoman was shooting and then, all of a sudden there were Hellhounds? Athena shook her head for a moment as Nell walked over to her. She’d have to deal with that later, apparently. She did let a small, though unkind giggle escape her lips. “You wouldn’t want to be responsible for any more deaths, would you?” She grabbed Layla’s wrist again, taking a few steps closer, holding on tighter. Athena looked over to Frankie. Looked back over to Layla, keeping her grip tighter this time, the silver pressed cool against her wrist. She’d never made someone transform, but she was not about to fail at her first attempt.

Her attention shifted between all that was going on, including watching Hellhounds appear in the open. Layla had never seen one, but it had her heart pounding. However, it was Nell and Athena who scared her more. She wouldn’t admit it though. The pair was hellbent on getting her to shift, and now, they were trying to guilt trip her. Fuck. An entire fucking town? She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could just trying to think. With Frankie freaking out and at risk, Hellhounds and a cop killing cultists, and Nell and Athena advancing on her, everything was becoming overwhelming, not to mention she had literally just killed someone days prior and could remember every detail of it like the back of her hand. It was the hot burn of silver once again pressed to her wrist that broke her. But if they wanted a fucking werewolf, they were going to get a fucking werewolf. However, the one person she would refuse to hurt was Frankie, because if she did, she knew forgiving herself would be impossible.

Opening her now glowing yellow eyes to the hunter standing in front of her, the person staring back was no longer apparent. And just like that her claws begin to force their way out of her fingertips. Her human teeth began to drop out and dripping fangs with thick saliva replaced them. As she fell to her knees, silver still burning her flesh, Layla let out a deafening scream that even garnished the attention of the cultists continually emerging from the water’s edge. And soon her screams deepened into growls. Bones began to break and organs began to shift. Her body elongated and long red fur took growth out of her mangled and tearing skin. It was a slow and extremely painful process she had not mastered as a young wolf pup. Tail now jutting from her backside, perked ears atop her head, and a snout with the jaw strength of a great white shark, Layla had found her footing again. Though small in stature for a wolf, she stood towering over everyone in her presence. Hunched over and ready for a fight, or better yet, her next meal, she growled at Athena and Nell. They had wanted this, and now she was going to make sure they knew just how scary she could be. Letting out a loud roar merely inches from Athena’s face, she stood at the ready to fight.

She wanted to yell at them to stop pressuring Layla, to stop saying such nasty words at her. Despite everything happening around her - the shooting, the fireballs, and now demon dogs that had appeared out of nowhere - Frankie still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that demons were real and not just something to joke around and pretend to mess with when they played ouija. And if Layla shifting was needed to stop the potential massacre Nell had prophesied, then she couldn’t really say anything. At least now she could explain the noise she’d kept hearing since she arrived, but the realization didn’t bring her any comfort considering their situation. Her head was spinning once more, but she stood her ground as well as she could. Or at least she was trying to, until a scream emerging from Layla drew Frankie’s attention and made her head snap in her direction. The scene unfolding before her eyes made all the blood leave her face. It’s a lot better you’re not there when she turns into a wolf. Graham’s words kept repeating on her mind as she watched Layla shift, in both horrified fascination, until it was too much for her. Between the smell of burnt corpses, the bright colors swirling all around them the other girls,, the sound and sight of Layla’s bones shifting and the fact that a wolf had replaced her girlfriend, Frankie couldn’t keep her shit together anymore. Turning around from the others and moving as far as her body allowed her, Frankie bent over and puked, tears running down her face from the effort, both hands clenching to her thighs as she avoided falling on her knees and somehow succeeded.

Jane got punched in the face by someone with creepy eye hands as she watched, gapping slightly, as three ginormous hell dogs spawned out of Nell’s tattoo. She crashed down to the ground, cultist on top of her - never let them get on top of you! It was kind of sad that she could still hear her TO’s voice in her head, even after 14 years, but as her fist connected with the cultists face and she flipped him, quickly shoving her knife into their neck, and getting up to help the hell hounds… melt cultists. The smell of burned flesh reached her nose as their skin bubbled and blistered before melting away completely. The mingled chanting was starting to die out, and Jane cursed again as she leapt into the fray again. “If we could move this ritual along -” Jane yelled, struggling one of the cultists down to the ground. “That would be absolutely stellar!”

At least Layla had finally shifted. Now came for the tricky part, though. To get the human’s blood without letting Layla kill her. Nell glanced over to Frankie, her mouth turning into a sympathetic line. The poor girl had absolutely no idea what was going on, and Nell couldn't see any way to make this less scarring that it might already need to be. The moon rising slowly, but steadily was a constant reminder, telling her to hurry this along. So she finally revealed the next step. “We need Layla to spill some of Frankie’s blood! That’s the next part of the ritual we need to make it complete!” And Nell had to catch that spilled blood in a bowl. Looking to Athena once more she yelled over the chaos of the cultists and the wolf, “Just a little bit of blood! Even a pinprick will do it! If you can lead Layla to Frankie- I’ll make sure Frankie doesn’t get hurt any more than she needs to!”

The girl shifted, finally - and Athena stood still, not willing to let the sound that the wolf let out bother her one bit. Even though she could feel herself flashing back to her eighteenth birthday. To Orion, on the floor. To the wolf in the room with them. If there hadn’t been a silver pipe… She took a step back for a moment, before Nell’s words registered in her mind. They needed the werewolf to spill some of the other girl’s blood? Athena could feel her eyes narrowing. “This is the polar opposite of what I’m supposed to do.” She spat. “I live to protect, to help, not to hurt humans.” She glared at everyone around her, before focusing on the werewolf. “I don’t know and I don’t care if you can understand me, but if you hurt that girl over there I will make your life terrible. Apparently we can’t kill now, but trust me, you do not want to cross me.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Think you can handle that, or was what I just said too complicated for you to understand?”

Layla cocked her head to the side. The last thing she had remembered as a werewolf was killing an innocent man. And if wolves could have anxiety, she’d lay down on the grass and sob, but her animal instincts were telling her otherwise. These humans around her were just meaty playthings to paw at, stalk, and consume. Even the creepy snuggie wearing cultists were fascinating to her, but her anger lay with Athena and Nell, because in this moment, her transformation was their fault. Letting out another roar, she struggled to understand what Athena was saying. She still hadn’t learned that fine balance of being both human and beast, and instead of waiting any longer, she advanced towards Athena ready to pounce on her and rip her apart. But if she was going to succeed in not hurting Frankie, she was going to have to find that balance fast, regardless of the fact that she had no clue the magenta haired woman was her intended target.

It took a while before Frankie could process Nell’s words, and she slowly turned around, arms wrapped around her now even weaker body. Her face was pale and maybe a little green from the sickness this whole turmoil had given her, but shock was still written all over it. Shock and fear. “Wh--- What?!” As if the dying cultists and demons weren’t enough, now Layla needed to… hurt her? On purpose? Panicky eyes landed on the spellcaster, and then on the hunter, and then on the spellcaster again, and she tried to take a step back and get the hell out of there despite having told her girlfriend she wouldn’t leave her, finally understanding why everyone kept telling her to stop romanticizing a damn werewolf, but her feet were suddenly glued to the ground once more, and she felt like barfing once more, but held it, taking a deep breath and finally looking at the wolf. That was her. That was Layla not ten twenty feet away; not just the glorious animal she enjoyed seeing at the zoo behind a glass. Frankie’s heartbeat was wild, sweat starting to appear on the back of her neck and palms as her body reacted with fear. She hated it - every time she had thought about this moment she had imagined it differently, under completely different circumstances, and definitely with no spilled blood involved. But it didn’t matter what she had imagined or what she wanted now, and the sound of more gunshots pushed her towards a decision.

Her hand dropped the pepper spray, and she made her way towards Athena, one slow, trembling step at a time. The sound of leaves being crushed and rustled became louder than the sound of panting dogs and slugs, to the point it almost felt like a kid was jumping on a pile of leaves right next to her ear, but she continued walking, landing her shaking hand on Athena’s shoulder, wide hazel eyes still fixated on the animal. “It’s--- It’s okay.”

Nell’s exasperation grew once again, not having any patience left for anything that might get in the way of completing the ritual on time. “I know it’s not what you do! But it’s what we need for the ritual. So we just need to get over it, and get the blood. Then you can go back to doing whatever it was that you were doing before.” With the ritual’s end growing closer the cultists seemed to be renewing their attack, even more of them emerging from the water, reaching with eye filled hands, and gnashing mouths. The demonic language they’d been chanting before fell from them once again, and as it came to a close- something began to rise from the puddles of water on the shore. A Vodnik, seemingly brought forth by their combined efforts to add to their attempts to ruin the ritual and those involved with it. She stood at the ready by Frankie, and turned to give the girl a reassuring nod. “Thank you for helping. I wish there was another way but- there just isn’t. And I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” Nell followed Frankie, closely, half positioned in front of the girl to provide something of a barrier from the wolf that was Layla, but also leaving enough room for a claw or tooth or whatever it may be that was chosen to prick Frankie’s innocent, human skin.

“I would prefer if you did not tell me to ‘get over it’, thank you.” Athena bristled. “I know what I’m doing.” However, what was most unexpected was the other girl’s hand on her shoulder and Athena turned to look at her, “I won’t let you die. Okay?” She sighed. She wasn’t sure what her parents would think about this - not that she had any plans to tell them. Even though she was helping to save the town the fact that she was about to encourage a monster to hurt someone who’d seemingly done nothing wrong was not what she’d been raised to do. Though it was for bettering the town - that was what she’d been born for. Bettering the town and the world. Athena could still feel the cold iron blades pressed against her hip bone. If she needed to harm the werewolf, she would. The werewolf was close to her and she could hear its breathing - she shrugged the girl’s hand off her shoulder, instead letting her fingers wrap around Frankie’s wrist. Nothing too hard, but just enough. She knew she had a solid grip, even when being relatively gentle. “You won’t die. I’ve been doing this long enough.” Not this, but hunting. She’d never helped a monster harm a human. She looked up at the werewolf. “Kill her and this is apparently all off, so don’t think I’ll hesitate to kill you then. Got it?”

When Layla, through yellow glowing eyes, saw Frankie move towards the other two women, she put on the breaks. Her heart, in that moment, was outweighing her mind and even the instinct to kill. Panting and casting a shadow over the three of them, she growled in frustration. But her ears perked at the sound of water shifting and moving and something coming out of it. Looking back, she saw the Vodnik in all it’s ugly-ass glory and without thinking, let out a loud howl to the moon! Turning her attention back to the three women, Layla noticed Athena grab Frankie’s arm and without thinking it through, moved on instinct to protect her bringing up a huge paw and coming down hard hoping to hit Athena and free Frankie!

There was yet to be any color in Frankie’s face, still pale as a sheet, too focused on the wolf in front of her to notice anything behind her. “It’s not-- I’m not worried about me.” Though the way her voice was trembling showed the complete opposite. When the other girl grabbed her, a chill went up her spine. This was happening. Would she throw her at Layla as an offering? No- Despite her rough exterior and the bright red dancing around her, now that they were standing next to each other Frankie could notice the faint, barely visible brown hiding under the crimson color. The color of doubt. Despite how much she wanted to punch her for being an asshole to her girlfriend, the human couldn’t help but feel sorry about Athena. But whatever sorry she felt was suddenly cut short by the wolf lunging at them, a scream leaving her as she tried to push the hunter away. ““Layla no!” The claws barely got her but they still left a small yet deep cut on her forearm, blood slowly but steadily starting to flow out of it. Her free hand pressed the wound, and she moved so she was standing between the group and the wolf, tears forming on her eyes. “Stop---- Layla!”

The demon dogs - were they truly demon dogs? - were a hell of a thing. Jane had jumped on the back of another cultist, taking him down from behind as she watched the snarling hot breath melt and bubble away cultist after cultist faster than her or her gun ever could. The loud chanting was beginning to get to her, though, the strange tongue sitting strangely in her head as she was only vaguely aware of what the hell was going on in the circle. There was a big wolf, lots of high pitched yelling - god, what the hell was she doing in high school? It wasn’t going to demon summoning rituals. Or anti-demon summoning rituals. Whatever the hell this was. But as she saw one of the cultists slip by the dogs and her and get too close to the girls (and the wolf?), she jammed her elbow into the face of one and she launched herself at the other, bringing them down to the ground. “Hurry up,” Jane hissed at the group. “I can only keep doing this for so long, even with the help of Scooby Doo and his Fire Loving pals.”

“And I would prefer if a giant squid demon hadn’t decided to infiltrate White Crest and make a dinner of it. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the luxury of choosing.” Nell’s patience was continuing to run thin, the window for them being able to complete the ritual growing smaller and smaller. At this rate, they’d only get one shot. Finally, the second part of the ritual had been completed, and Nell was quickly darting forward to summon a bowl from thin air in order to catch the blood that was falling from Frankie’s arm. “It’s alright, it’s okay. No one’s getting hurt today. Not any more than they need to,” she tried to console as she watched the blood gather in the bowl, willing it to move faster. There was that same, strange pull in her gut she’d felt when her mysterious magic had manifested with Kaden and Montgomery, but she paid it no mind at the moment. She needed to focus, especially now that there was an angry werewolf about. “How’d you know his name?” she called back to Jane, the slightest air of a joke in her voice. Now it was Nell’s turn to complete the ritual, and to take her place near Frankie she called over the hellhound who’s name was, indeed, Scooby. “He won’t hurt you, he’s just going to help protect you,” she promised Frankie before turning and running back to her magic circle, being careful not to spill the innocent human’s blood. All they needed now was the demon to give the blood, and then be sacrificed. She finally reached into the backpack she’d brought along with her, pulling out an ornate jewelry box riddled with pearl inlay, and brimming with magic. But as she unclasped the box, and spoke a few demonic words over it, it wasn’t a string of pearls that began to grow from its depths. She and Darwin had prepared the twinned demons, summoning them beforehand so they would be ready. The Dator Vitae was quick to form, it’s hooked teeth filling the place where it’s face should have been. As always, he was dapperly dressed to the nines, apparently seeing this occasion as a fitting venue for his best suit and skin. Wordlessly, he bent forward to offer Nell his strangely smooth arm, knowing this was what he’d been brought here to do, and accepting his responsibility in it all. A little flash of silver later, paired with her magic swelling in her stomach and some carefully chosen words, the demon’s blood was filling a separate bowl she’d prepared. Once that was done, she gave him an understanding nod speaking more of those strange, twisting, demonesque words to him. In a flash, he was off and latching onto the back of one of the cultists necks, hooking those rows of endless teeth into the back of their neck. It didn’t take long for him to drain them, and before everyone’s very eyes the cultist simply...vanished. As if he’d never been there to begin with. Next, the demon advanced onto the Vodnik, sparing an eyeless look towards Jane, as if suggesting they take it down together. Meanwhile, Nell got to work, her circle beginning to glow as her chanting started.

“Bitch,” Athena responded, glaring over to the other girl. “I know that, obviously. I was just saying. Last I checked, I’m still allowed to have my own opinions.” All of a sudden the werewolf was lunging at her and Frankie, and the werewolf’s paw coming close to the two of them until it grazed the other girl’s arm and Athena glared. “Stop it. You are going to kill her.” She wasn’t allowed to kill the wolf. At least not unless Frankie died. Then, all bets were off. Nell came over and was taking the blood and Athena could feel herself physically stiffen, her hands clenched into fists. This is to help the town, she reminded herself, the cold feeling of her knives all too appealing against her hips. Then Nell seemed to walk over somewhere and Athena pulled a few bandaids out of her jeans pocket, unwrapping them to place on Frankie’s arm. “This won’t be a catch-all, when this is done you should clean it out, but this will help for now.” She heard a noise and looked up, a Dator Vitae appearing all of a sudden. As if this night could get any worse. “Keep that thing away from me. You’re all screwed if it decides that it’s keen on taking some powers.” She didn’t care that it seemed mostly focused on the robed figures. Those sorts of things could be highly unpredictable.

The animalistic side of Layla had wanted to continue to attack, but as she watched Frankie plead for her to stop, she gave up. It was the blood on Frankie’s arm that made the young werewolf let out a sad howl. She had done the last thing she had ever wanted to do. No, it wasn’t anything like during the full moon, but she had swore not to hurt her girlfriend, and that’s exactly what happened. Anger welling up inside her, as she watched Nell draw the blood into the bowl, the ginger wolf started to pace back and forth restlessly, before she couldn’t take it anymore. Turning her anger on the cultists making their way up the beach, the werewolf lunged forward and began to rip one of them apart with her sharp fangs. Giving no mind to the life behind whatever had made these creatures function, and when she was finished with one, she resumed to rip apart another and another, until her fur was covered in their blood; all the hurt she was feeling coming out in rage.

Frankie let Athena patch (or attempt to, anyways) up her arm, offering a weak smile that definitely didn’t fit on her pale, scared face. “Thanks.” Not the words she had expected to say to the girl who had been threatening her girlfriend not five minutes ago, but manners were always first. Her smile quickly fell when Nell started gathering her blood, and the human had to fight the urge to barf once more when she turned around and saw a… was that a demon worm? Attack the cultists, her lands landing on the wolf that was now helping the demon dogs tear some others apart. Whatever progress they had made after the full moon incident, Frankie was sure it was gone. Too tired, and now that the ritual seemed to be almost over (or so she thought, considering what the witch had said), Frankie allowed herself to slowly kneel, curiously but lowkey terrifiedly looking at the demon dog that had taken watch over her.

“If we could cool the teenage dramatics until after this is done, that would be fantastic.” Jane swore quietly as the cultist beneath her fell limp. They aren’t human, Jane reminded herself as the adrenaline pounded through her body. They aren’t human and they didn’t apply to human law, just like the redhead who was tearing them apart with her wolf claws. Jane could stop and process the carnage and the blood and the horror later, but she needed to focus on pushing this through to the end. Besides, there was a part of her that liked it. That liked the danger of it all even if she was gambling with more than her own life. Nell wasted no time calling Scooby - the choice in name made her smirk, despite the carnage around them - and calling… Well. Jane didn’t quite believe her eyes as she stood, push-knife in hand as the thing grabbed a stray cultist. It looked to her, the invitation extended as it advanced towards the Vodnik.

She moved forward without thinking. The blonde didn’t like this thing and wanted to stay away from it, but Jane didn’t quite mind it, even if she didn’t know what it was. The Vodnik hissed in it’s little puddle just as Nell’s circle began to glow. Things happened quickly after that. In magic that Jane had never seen before, water rose and slammed hard into the Dator Vitae and Jane - the demon stayed on its feet more easily than she did, and she slammed down into the cold dirt. Water around her denied physics, seeming more solid as she thrashed once, twice, three times before she pushed her way too her feet just as the Dater Vitae burst threw the cocoon off water the Vodnik formed around Jane had her gun drawn immediately was the Vitae’s teeth sunk into the Vodnik’s neck, ripping him from his puddle. The Vodnik screamed and the water splashed back to the ground, and Jane wasted no time in shooting. She emptied a whole magazine, her aim dead on into Vodnik's skull. With that, the vodnik blood splattered everywhere and the Dater Vitae checking the bullet holes in his suit, Jane reached into her pocket and reloaded her gun.

Chaos continued to erupt around Nell, but she was doing her best to drown it out, knowing that if her focus slipped, that was it. It’d be over. Their one chance to get rid of the demon that had dared to try and make a meal of their town would have its way. White Crest as they knew it would be no more. Scooby maintained his post near Frankie, torching any cultist that approached her with his fiery breath and teeth bared. The words spoken to her and around her melted into nothingness, all her attention going into her spell. She was knelt at the edge of her circle, raising the two bowls of blood to the moon as if it were granting them approval before she carefully mixed them together, and the innocent blood of a human and the blood of a demon became one. She wished they could understand- those that had been gathered here. The demon who’d joined them was no ordinary one, a Dator Vitae that had always worked in a pair of the demons, the Yin to its Yang taking part in the ritual Darwin was conducting on the beach in tandem with Nell. She wished they would know that the demon had made this sacrifice willingly, giving its old and ancient life to restore magical balance to the world, to White Crest by providing its draining energies to the ritual with its death. That it was giving its life to save them all, an entire town of humans it didn’t even know. But such was its sacred duty, and it would perform it well.

The light coming off of Nell’s circle was quickly becoming blinding as her magic mounted, and the mixed blood turned into a brilliant gold. Her hand dipped into the bowl, and she began to paint golden, shimmering runes on her arms. As if he could sense that his time had come, the Dator Vitae rejoined her, and she reached out to paint a matching set of shapes on its strange skin. The two of them glowed in tandem as Nell rose from the ground, her mouth having stopped moving, but the magic chanting seeming to continue of its own volition. “It’s time,” she simply said, extending a hand to lead the demon into the water of the lake, a trail of shining magic following in their wake.

Frankie seemed to be okay - or, at least as okay as any human could be, right now. Athena bit her lip and made a mental note to bake something to send her, after. As a ‘I’m sorry you almost got killed by a monster and I couldn’t do anything about it because I’m not allowed to kill anything or else I screw over the whole town’. She’d have to think about what that would be. One of the other creatures was near the girl now but it seemed to not be about to hurt her - Athena wasn’t about to entirely believe that, but she did stand up for now, as one of the hooded figures came toward her and it had eyes in its hand and without thinking, she pulled one of her daggers from where it rested against her hip and she found herself digging it into the beings (it couldn’t be human, no humans had eyes in their hands) abdomen, right next to where the ribs would be. The creature - being - whatever - collapsed on the ground and Athena removed her dagger, eyes focused on whatever next ones would come.

All she could see was red. The rage inside her for what she had done during the full moon, but now especially to Frankie, after the fight they had, left her with bloodlust. As she continued to rip through the never-ending amount of cultists, Layla started to tire out, but she couldn’t stop. She had to finish them off, every last one of them; if not for the town, then at least for the woman she loved. But as she grew weaker, the Pan’s Labyrinth version of walking snuggies began to overtake her. Beating her down and piling on top of her. Ripping at fur and using whatever they could, Layla was overrun by the mysterious followers of the Temple of Eye (Illuminati Confirmed), and letting out a loud yelp found herself struggling, until she couldn’t fight anymore. Once they had finished, they climbed off of her motionless body moving forward towards the group that Layla had failed at protecting.

The sounds of gunshots, the smell of burnt bodies and the swirling colors dancing around the group didn't seem to bother Frankie anymore. She had fallen in some kind of shocked acceptance, hazel eyes staring at the demon dog that was looking around, pouncing at any cultists that dared get too close to the light up circle. Her whole body felt numb and heavy, and the only thing that was keeping her from fainting was the pain the wound on her forearm brought. And she would've remained that way for the rest of the ritual, but she was still conscious enough to notice the wolf's whimper and eventual silence, her head slowly clocking to one side, and her sight met horror, a piercing scream pushing its way out of her lungs. Layla was literally buried beneath a pile of cultists, and the freaks were quickly climbing off her to go after them, but Frankie only had eyes for the unmoving animal. The human scrambled to stand up and run towards Layla, the demon dog following suit and biting and burning the cultists that got too close to her, and if one or two had attempted to grab her and left awful nail scratches on her arms as she ran, Frankie didn't notice. She kept screaming her girlfriend’s name until she reached the wolf, collapsing on her knees as she buried her hands on the blood dipped fur, taking her head between her shaking hands and towering over it, her whole body a weak protection but one nonetheless. Snapping her head back to the group, tears were furiously falling down her face, and she screamed: "Hurry up!“

Somewhere on the shore, Nell was vaguely aware that Layla had fallen, and hadn’t risen from where she’d gone limp. Fuck. If she’d died, all of this would be for naught- the entire ritual would be null and void, and the squid would most likely devour their town whole, whether it was figuratively or not. But it was too late to go back now, and there was no way she could check on Layla with the moon nearly at its peak. This had to be down now.

The trail of gold followed Nell and the demon into the water, spilling into the lake around them, the inky black of it already clearing up into its normal, blue-green hue. But it only extended about a foot in any direction of the pair of them, making a perfect circle around them. The witch looked up into the face of the demon one last time, still thinking of how no one would even know to thank him, or remember his name. She’d have to find her own way to honor him, to make sure his memory didn’t fade after his sacrifice. “Thank you,” she said one last time, the two little words feeling flimsy in her mouth despite the heavy emotion they were imbued with. The Dator Vitae simply nodded its strange head in response, accepting its duty readily, ready to do what it had been born for. All the magical energy of the ritual was swirling around them, seeming to static and spark in the air. Currently, Nell was the epicenter of it, but now it was time for the last step. Her eyes closing to the world around her, she drew the power closer, hands held out in front of her as the moon reached its zenith in the sky above. Her palms begin to fill with that golden glow that had marked the rest of the magic, pooling in her grasp. It took every ounce of her focus to make sure it didn’t lash out or escape. Magic didn’t naturally want to be bound or held, a wild and volatile thing that always needed a guiding hand. The effort of it all caused her nose to bleed, the blood going unnoticed by her, far too wrapped up in the magic to be distracted by such a thing. Her muscles seemed to ache under its weight, bones creaking as she finally managed to grasp it all. And then- she shoved it forth into the Dator Vitae all at once, the demon jerking as if he’d been shocked by the paddles of a defibrillator on a daytime soap opera.

It was more than enough to short circuit the demon, instantly stopping whatever equivalent he had of a heart as he went limp. The sacrifice had been made. With the magic released, Nell herself dropped to her knees in the lake without meaning to, the relief of the magical weight lifting off her making her legs go slack. Almost instantly, a great beacon of light shot out of the lake where the Dator Vitae had sunk below the rippling surface. It went up into the sky as far as the sky could see, and somewhere in the distance Nell could see the answering beacon of Darwin’s ritual, gone up at the exact same moment. They’d done it. The rituals, against all odds, had been completed. Now it was all up to those going directly against the squid.

It was back to the cultists again as Nell led the Dator Vitae away to complete what she had too. Jane was alright with that. The blonde one handled herself just fine and the wolf was… well, a wolf. She was more worried about Frankie, trying to keep close to her while keeping a spare eye out on everyone else as the deafening chants of the cultists rang in her ears. She had just slammed another one onto the ground when she heard Frankie scream Layla’s name. It took only a moment to jerk her head up and take a few steps forward before she clocked the wolf breathing. Shit. Jane cursed under her breath as she prepared to continue fighting. She could cover Frankie and Layla for now but -

And then it was all over in a flash of light. Beacons of light touched the sky, and Jane stopped, squinting as cultists fell limp all around them. The girls around her were alright - or as alright as they could be. How did one recover from this - Jane realized in a moment that she was far too comfortable with still being here than she should be. She was here, alive for another day, another night. How much longer, she wondered, flatly. Kavanagh’s death scream echoed in her ears. Funny how she hadn’t thought of that this entire time. She heaved out a low sigh, brushing a stray hair from her face. How many chances would White Crest give her to gamble with her life? Jane’s eyes found Frankie and her tear streamed face, clinging to Layla’s tired wolf form,to Athena and her weapon, and to Nell still in the water, no doubt weakened by the magic she had just performed, the Dator Vitae no longer in sight. Jane frowned, set her shoulders, clicking the safety back on her weapon and stowing it back in it’s holster. How many more chances would White Crest give all of them?

#wickedsevent #wickedswriting #chatzy

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