Of course. How easy it was to forget the twisted view people had of death. Necro frowned and looked at his baby, her tail swishing happily. He knew how sweet she really was. In fact, he had not met a sweeter creature at all, and he and Elvira had had a few. But none would amount to his Grizabella. He had often seen, when others were upset, she'd go up and rub against them, only to be kicked away.
Once again, his mantra that he had discovered played in his head.
'Death by any other name would still be so ostracized.'
Still frowning, he glanced back at Steel and lifted one eyebrow. "...She's a cat, and her name is Grizabella. And I happen to think she's very adorable. You know, our familiars are linked to our Abilities. My Ability is...complicated, but the abridged version is that I can speak with the deceased."
He set Grizzy on the ground, and she immediately waltzed over to Steel, purring brokenly and rubbing her matted side against him. Her fluffy, crooked tail brushed against his leg, and Necro's smile immediately returned upon seeing her friendliness.
"Our familiars are not here to hurt us, you know. Pain is shared. Our familiars are our friends. In fact, they actually know more about us than anyone else, but they don't ever say anything. Not that we can communicate with them, but there is one person here that can, through his Ability. Our familiars don't tell him anything we wouldn't want him to know, and from my experience, he's really not all that nosy. He's a good guy," Necro nodded sagely. "Though I think there's hardly anything Grizzy would know about me that I don't."
In a rare act, Grizzy turned her gaze on him, suddenly sharp. It wasn't often that she showed her intelligence; Necro pretended not to notice.
-
Look, Diego, aren't I funny?
Ziva was anxious to tell Diego the name of her familiar, if only because she thought it was rather hilarious - though she held back any laughter. Diego was many things, and he had called her many things (all good!), but he had never actually teased her for being a geek. In an instance where they were both joking about it, maybe, but he'd never attacked her with the word, not like the bullies at school would do as they'd stuff her into lockers - it was a good thing she was small-statured.
She found it a little odd, when Flora mentioned how they were all special. Ziva suddenly glanced in the direction of Flora, but not at her, feeling that inevitable self-hatred bubbling under the surface. If she were special, then her God would not have turned his back on her like he did. Special people didn't defy their God to... to sleep before marriage with their best friend, who must certainly remain their best friend. No. She wasn't special. She was just...stupid.
"Us? Me?" she laughed a little, staring at the ground and once again hugging her torso. "No. I'm no one. I'm not special."
Snapping out of her pit, Ziva looked towards Flora again and noticed the armadillo she was holding. Hesitantly, she stepped closer to the other girl and held her hand out to the pet - no, familiar, she corrected herself. "Is this yours? It's cute... Does it have a name?"
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
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Posted: 2/8/2019 at 9:09 PM
Post #352
Things like reading body language and the expressions on other people's faces was almost second nature for Flora. She had a naturally compassionate character and a demeanor which people found calming. It didn't take a psychiatrist to notice the way that Physic tensed at the mention of being special. Her
heart ached for the teen, but she continued to reign in her desire to embrace her. If she was just a little more patient she believed she might be able to get Physic to open up more.
At least, thats what Flora was hoping...
"You are someone," she said to the girl, tilting her head and giving Physic a pointed look, "And the things we all can do are special." For a moment she looked out over the courtyard, taking in the vast expanses of dirt and variety of plant life. Yes, the things they could do were special...
Growing up, Flora's family was not the type to follow world news. They were far too busy withe the farm and making their lives comfortable in their small corner of the globe. However, they still heard things when they went into town, and she could remember her and her siblings fighting over old newspapers. She knew that the discovery of people with abilities had been steadily on the rise and everyone seemed to have different opinions about it. It made her grateful that her family at least had seen her ability as a blessing rather than a curse.
"Hm?" she said, realizing she had been distracted from the conversation by her thoughts and quickly returned her attention to Physic, "Oh, yes, her name is Pele. It's the name of one of the major gods of Hawaii." She smiled faintly and watched her sweet, charming little armadillo friend accept the other girl's affection eagerly.
-----
There were many ways in which one could describe Diego...morning person was not one of them. It had been one of the few times where he and Ziva didn't compliment one another. It had taken them a long time to train themselves to make sure they both set their alarms for school and football practices. On school days, when they were both up early in the morning, they never spoke to each other much, simply grunted and wordlessly got through their routines. Today he didn't even have his best friend to help him.
It looked like Diego was going to have to do this on his own...or was he?
"I need Ziva," he said suddenly, and then he felt his face flush a little as he remembered Necro was in the room, "I mean, I need to find Ziva." He hoped perhaps the other guy might not have picked up on his flub.
Running both hands throughhis hair, Diego tried to make his brain process everything that was happening. If he let his mind wander to the events of the party again he might actually explode. For now, there was an alligator on his bed and Necro could talk to dead people. The latter possibly explained the bizarre paintings which had plagued his slumber last night, but the most pressing thing was still the reptile sitting on the mattress and regarding him with what could only be interpreted as cheerful patience.
Were alligators even capable of looking cheerful? This one certainly seemed to be...
"Woah," he said, jumping slightly as Necro's alarming looking cat came over and rubbed against his leg, and despite his initial reaction to the feline he couldn't help but soften slightly, "Hi...kitty, kitty." He reached down and scratched Grizabella on a patch of fur on her neck which looked the least sickly. He glanced up to look at the alligator again.
"So...what so I do with him?"
Edited By Britters on 2/9/2019 at 5:16 PM.
Creativity
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Posts: 5,902
Posted: 2/9/2019 at 10:19 PM
Post #353
It wasn't easy, being abandoned by the only people one had ever known or relied on. Ziva wised she could say she had fully and completely moved on from that feeling of being left behind, being kicked to the curb and learning that the only people she should be able to depend on to care for her didn't want her. It had been soul-crushing, and then, more than ever, she had learned to pray to her God.
She really wasn't anyone, and she knew it. Even if Flora wouldn't believe her, well... Flora didn't know her. How could Flora have the right to decide who she was or wasn't? Ziva tightened her lips, not wanting to speak up about it anymore. People always tried to tell her who she was; she learned how not to react.
"I should probably go start the day at the infirmary..." she excused herself suddenly, effectively detaching herself from the conversation. Stopping by the table to pick up Scabbers and somehow instinctively guiding him to her pocket - a place that he seemed to immediately like once inside - Ziva turned away from Flora and began heading back towards the infirmary.
It was her new place, even if she had to come to grips with the fact that she'd be sharing it with Reach now. At least Reach wouldn't be there in the morning, hopefully, and Ziva could enjoy a few hours to attune to her new escape. She remembered Wire saying something about getting another building of rooms open, but... A bedroom wouldn't quite be the same.
Back home, Ziva found her escape in the gaming store and the synagogue, depending on if she was just overwhelmed or upset and overwhelmed. Well, and her computer. That would often serve a nice distraction. This infirmary... This infirmary would be her place.
(Timeskip - a few hours)
It had been an adjustment, at first, when Brain had started to sleep with Tox - and they haven't done anything more than sleep yet. It hadn't been something they discussed, more like something that just...happened. One night, they'd be up late talking, and she'd end up falling asleep in his bed. Another, and one of them would wake from a nightmare and go to check on the other. Sometimes, they merely didn't want to be alone. It was an unspoken development, and Brain was far from unhappy with it.
She still hid parts of herself within herself, because old habits were tough things to kill. Tox didn't know about her relapse, and he didn't have the whole picture of her past, either. Granted, he knew about what her father had done, and how her mother had been, but certain information, like how her father had died, the resulting mess, etc. still remained a well-concealed shame of her own.
Her and Tox had developed a sort of morning routine - more often than not, they woke together, since the shifting of one would likely disturb the rest of the other, and sometimes, one would leave the bed and the sudden absence of warmth would wake the other. She liked it. She liked being able to depend on Tox to be there and cuddle up next to her at night.
He did sweat at night, which had a tendency to burn her sometimes, but it was never more than a mild sunburn-like spot that would be gone in a day or two. Besides, she had taken to wearing long sleeves, which had certainly helped her exposed skin.
Overall... She'd say she was enjoying this life. It was new, and it was strange, but... Perhaps this was the happiest she had ever been. Yes, she thought as she looked back on it while changing into her day clothes. This was certainly the happiest she'd ever been.
Edited By Creativity on 2/9/2019 at 10:41 PM.
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
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Posted: 2/9/2019 at 11:58 PM
Post #354
Life had never been this good. That was the conclusion Tox had come to lately. He was happy, and Brain was happy. They were getting to be happy together, just the tennis them, despite still being stuck in this terrible place. Though, recently Tox was beginning to see this place as not so bad. He had a girlfriend whom he was actually allowing himself to love and what was even more amazing is that she loved him back. He didn't have to wake up from his nightmares in the middle of the night and feel alone. Everything was great...
Until the events of the last few days had happened and screwed everything up...
"I just want to know what it all means," he lamented, pacing back and forth in his room, something he'd been doing a lot recently, "Trace and Howl being stupid and getting locked into quarantine for some unknown reason, and now these two showing up suddenly two months early!" He glanced over to where Brain was listening to him with infinite patience, a reminder that he at least hadn't started talking to himself...yet.
The truth was...Tox was afraid. He was afraid of what all of this might be leading to, and just how terrible things might get. They still had no idea what Trace and Howl had actually been exposed to, and the sudden appearance of the new arrivals had him even more on edge. He worried that something even worse might be on the horizon, and now that he had Brain in his life he wanted to be able to protect her from any harm. His new-found outlook on life had also left him with a greater sense of responsibility to the others here.
But how was Tox supposed to protect Brain or anyone else if he didn't understand the problem?
"I'm gonna go splash some water on my face," he told Brain, raking a hand roughly through his hair as he made his way to the door, "Breakfast will be ready soon." He left the room, taking his tense energy with him, and bending down to give Brain a quick kiss as he did so.
Creativity
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Posted: 2/11/2019 at 9:49 PM
Post #355
The worst time of Brain's life had landed around when she was 16-18. She had been struggling with her family, and trying to figure out who she was, where she fit in, why she was there. Her musings didn't often land on a happy note, and she had... done some things that she maybe wasn't too proud of. Lance had insisted she see a therapist when he saw, years after she stopped, and she refused, saying that she was clean.
'...You promise you're okay now, Little Duck?'
'I am. I'm okay. Don't worry, Uncle Lance.'
...It was so easy to lie. It was always so easy to lie. She had relapsed, after the shipping container. She wasn't proud of that, either. But... Now, she could move on. With Tox, she could be happy - purely, unconditionally happy. And he actually wanted her to be happy. Likewise, she wanted him to be happy.
She had only ever experienced something like this one other time, when... When Hesiod was alive. It was years ago, but the wound still felt fresh. It was a facet of her cursed unending Ability that the distance of the past had no relevance upon her accessibility.
The little kiss that Tox gave her made her smile a little, and while he was gone, she decided to take the time to get dressed. She didn't need insecurities around Tox; he still loved her for some reason, no matter what sort of craziness she'd been able to throw at him thus far. She didn't understand it, but she did enjoy it, and by God - if He were to exist - she loved him, too.
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
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Posted: 2/11/2019 at 10:32 PM
Post #356
Being a leader had to be the absolute worse job in history. As Tox walked down the hall towards one of the shared bathrooms in this wing, his head still swimming with thoughts regarding the situation here at the compound, he found himself thinking back to when Kicker had been alive. He had always seemed so sure of himself, his decisions, the things he said to people, but now Tox wondered if that had just been on the outside. He was starting to believe that deep down Kicker had been just as scared and worried just as much as he did on a daily basis.
Only several yards away from his room, Tox suddenly remembered something important he needed to tell Brain.
"Shoot," he muttered under his breath, turning on his heels and marching straight back to his door, going in and then quickly closing the door in case Brain was undressed, "I forgot to tell you that I told Wire you and Flora would help in the garden today so don't wear your..." The rest of the sentence died right there as Tox, who had started talking before he'd actually turned around to look at Brain, became utterly speechless.
There was a lot to take in, and Tox didn't even seem to be entirely aware of the fact that Brain was only in her under garments. They had both seen each other with few clothes on, thiugh they had been taking the physical aspect of their relationship quite slow. None of that was even on his mind in this moment, though. His brown eyes focused first on her exposed stomach, which was painful enough, but then he flicked his faze over to her left arm and it was as though his mind had been shattered.
"I...wha...you...," he tried saying, his words turning to mush before they could leave his lips, and he rubbed both hands over his face for a moment, as though trying to rub some sense back into himself, "Abigail...why?" He didn't need to ask what he was seeing, that much was unfortunately quite obvious, but he needed a reason...especially because he feared he already knew the answer.
Creativity
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Posted: 2/11/2019 at 10:56 PM
Post #357
'You said you don't want help, but I'm not certain I believe you. I won't push you if you don't want me to, Mneme, but I don't want you to suffer alone anymore. Why won't you open up to me?'
'Really, I'm fine. I'm not suffering. Let's just go get something to eat; it's getting late.'
Her perfect world that had been building since the fight with Holo, that beautiful thing she found that she had so admired, so cherished, it was all crumbling down around her, once again. It was all due to her stupidity. Her own selfish, misguided, immature stupidity.
As soon as Tox's words cut off, as soon as he saw, that's when Brain realized she should have hidden it better. Now, now that he stared at her with that look, that face of utter confusion and pain... She should have hidden it better. She shouldn't have done it in the first place, really, but... But it was done. And she should have protected Tox from it better.
"Ryuu, I-" she tried to speak, but her throat dried up. She could feel her heart racing in her chest and her blood rushing in her ears, and she held her left arm at an angle that he couldn't see. Tears sprang to her eyes and she tried to brush them aside with her right hand. "I-I d-didn't mean... I... I d-don't deal w-with p-problems v-very well..." she managed, her voice hoarse with emotion. Her stutter had become considerably worse and harder to control, and she wished right then that the ground would open up and swallow her whole.
Swallowing hard, she took a step closer to Tox, giving him a desperate, pleading look, biting her lower lip in an attempt to control its trembling. "I d-didn't mean t-to h-hurt you... I s-swear..."
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
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Posts: 2,041
Posted: 2/11/2019 at 11:22 PM
Post #358
Chest tight, vision swimming, clammy hands...Tox was starting to realize that he was having a panic attack. He could hardly breathe, let alone move. He only seemed capable of standing there and staring at Brain. His brain didn't even seem to be functioning, it just seemed to be buzzing dully. It was obvious he needed to say or do something but he just didn't have any ideas. His world, which had seemed so sunny this morning despite his concerns about the compound, had suddenly turned very dark.
And it just got worse...
Brain...his beautiful, smart, beloved Brain...was blaming herself for this. Her apology actually made Tox groan in pain, as though she had dealt him a physical blow. He struggled to breathe, struggled to think, struggled to understand how she could possibly believe that she had anything to be sorry for. He had done this...he had done this to her because he had been stupid enough to think that pushing her away was going to protect her. The realization made him feel like he might vomit, and he actually wrapped his arms around his stomach.
This couldn't be real...they had been happy...they both deserved to be happy. What was there to say? What words were ever going to make this better?
"You...I...," he tried again to speak, but things got jumbled again, and then he saw her tears, "No, no, no..." He took two long-strided steps into the room, his first sign of life in what felt like forever, and he folded his arms around her in what was probably an almost too tight embrace, but he simply didn't care. In this moment the only thing that mattered to him was holding Brain, it was all that made sense.
Creativity
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Posted: 2/11/2019 at 11:35 PM
Post #359
Brain ad learned, from a very young age, to center her problems, to internalize the issues she faced so as to not disturb anyone else, because disturbing either of her parents could become quite unpleasant and terrifying in many scenarios. When she was young and she couldn't reach the box of cereal on the top shelf, she climbed the shelves; she served herself and fixed her own problems.
Now, simply retrieving a box of cereal was much easier than the problems she had faced later, but... It had influenced her. Her problems, her issues, they were hers and hers alone. That's what had driven her, all those years ago, to start that unhealthy coping mechanism. That internalization. If she could go back, if she could undo it... She would.
Tox seemed angry. At least, that's how she perceived him. Even with her broken little apology - as crumpled and tired as everything else in her godforsaken life - he seemed angry at her. She gave up on holding back the tears and let them fall, shaking slightly to prevent herself from being overcome with sobs.
And then he suddenly strode over to her and hugged her. It was unexpected, from someone she was fairly certain hated her for being so dumb, but... She wouldn't say she didn't appreciate it. She pressed her face into his chest and wrapped her arms up around him in return.
"R-Really, I-I didn't mean t-to..." She wasn't entirely certain why she began to speak again; she only knew that she couldn't stand to have him hate her again. Was it ironic that the result of a bad habit only made her yearn to return to that habit?
"I-I r-recovered from it b-before... I can d-do it again, I p-promise..." she pleaded.
Edited By Creativity on 2/11/2019 at 11:35 PM.
Britters
Level 72
The Eggstraordinaire
Joined: 8/25/2014
Threads: 167
Posts: 2,041
Posted: 2/12/2019 at 3:16 AM
Post #360
Emotions had never seemed so complicated to Tox than they did in this moment. He felt such a soul-crushing level of despair, a painful surge of guilt, and a slow burning hatred which was directed at himself. This had all happened because of him, he had done this to her and for as long as he lived he didn't think he could ever forgive himself for it. How could he have been so blind? Had he really thought, after seeing what Brain had out herself through with Holo, that she had just gotten over what had happened in the shipping container?
All Tox could do was hold onto Brain as though his life depended on it, which very well might be true. The tighter he held her, the less suffocating the pressure in his chest became. He felt her tears bleeding through his shirt, dampening the skin beneath, and he felt his knees begin to buckle. His arms began to shake slightly as the terrible tension in his muscles was forced to let go. He felt weak, stripped down to his rawest emotions by the knowledge of what she had done to herself.
Because of you, because of you, because of you!
"Abigail," he said, forcing her name out through his constricted throat, his voice so rough it hardly sounded like his own, "I..." And then his words were gone again, and he was left just staring down at her desperately.
With a start, Tox realized his own eyes felt damp. The last time he had cried had probably been when his sister had died, and that had been his fault as well. He knew he had to do something, he had to say something to Brain. That's what boyfriends were supposed to do, they were supposed to protect and comfort. Except what was he supposed to do when there no words for the situation? What could he possibly say that would express just how deep his river of regret ran? How was he supposed to make her understand that he would do absolutely anything if it meant taking her pain away?
In the end, Tox did the only thing that seemed remotely appropriate. With his mind still reeling, still seemingly unable to string a sentence together, he pulled back from Brain so that there was a few inches between them. He stared deep into her emerald eyes which glistened with yet to be shed tears, and then he brought his head down so that their lips met in a kiss that was nearly explosive with all of the emotion which fueled it. That was when his legs decided they could no longer support him, and he let himself fall heavily onto the bed, pulling Brain with him.
Edited By Britters on 2/12/2019 at 3:18 AM.
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