cherry valley forever
Discoholic šŖ©
d e v o n
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
bliss lane
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
Sade Olutola
Game of Thrones Daily
ojovivo
šŖ¼
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EXPECTATIONS
Monterey Bay Aquarium
if i look back, i am lost
taylor price
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One Nice Bug Per Day
ā
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@canarieseclipse
" i would drive until the end with you! "
canaries used to be kept in cages and taken into mines to signal to the miners if the air was poisonous. their deaths meant that the men could take their leaves and go back to those who were waiting at home for themā but what about those birds? why were they the ones who had to die, to had to been made a lesson out of? didn't they have lives they wanted to live?
samuel źØ leĆ³n
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"Sneaking outā¦? I don't think Father Mikhail would like that very much. He saysāĀ uhmmā¦ he says that because I was a gift, I should be the most perfect example for the town! Which is why he doesn't let me go outside, lest I be tainted by the common peopleā¦ but the outside world is so fascinatingā¦ I wonder how many more flowers I could find outside of the garden of the church?"
šµ [She tapped her chin, blowing out her cheeks in thought]Ā šµ
Clementine knits her brows, glancing over at Samuelā whoās gone completely tense and still. She stops alongside him, of course.
āLooks like youāve found your āspecial giftā twin, Sammie.ā
Samuel just swallows, biting down on his nail. A gift? A gift?! This poor girl! Sheāll turn out like himā oh God, will Elias turn out like her? Would this all be inescapable? Would he fail, would he find that his āgiftā is too-ā¦ poor girl.
āYour Father Mikhail sounds like Father Augustine. Common people donāt taint you. They free you. I wouldāve never found myselfā¦ if not for the common people.ā
"Special gift twinā¦? Father Mikhail said I was a gift from God to the townā¦ did that happen to you too?"
"Umā¦ I think the common people are scary. At least the ones here areā¦ they all look at me with they're eyes and they look like they're about to swallow me up!"
šµ [She tugged on her ears nervously, looking at the shuttered windows of the houses with slight fear] šµ
"I don't think they taint peopleā¦ But I dunno though."
āU-uhā¦ wellā¦ yeah. Yeah- it- it did. I was a very special gift from the very special God. Me and my brother. And Clementine. A-and Noah. Andā¦ yeahā¦ā
Samuel chokes out, starting to walk again as Clementine pulls him.
āā¦the common people can be total assholes. But they donāt know you. They canāt hurt you if you donāt let them in. Common people are going to help you, not hurt youā Father Mikhail knows about as much as Father Augustine does: nothing.ā
šµ [Pina let out a little gasp, covering her mouth] šµ
"You can't say that! What if he hears you? Father Mikhail doesn't like having his power questionedā¦ he said he was chosen by God to lead this town so we mustn't question him!"
āFather Augustine says the same thing. Your guy isnāt special.ā Clementine lets out a huff, Samuel nodding his head shakily. āItās all the sameā these men want power, and the easiest way to power is to control those who are looking for a hand to save them.ā
Likeā¦ her parents.
Fuck.
āFather Augustine and Father Mikhail are in the same boat. Liars. And Father Augustine actually has powers, so thatās how you know the lying is even worse! Devotion and submission are two different things. What are we, some dogs?ā
āā¦woof.ā
"ā¦Woof woof!"
šµ [She covered her mouth, except this time to giggle. Her ears perked up. She seemed to have either ignored or already forgotten all the stuff about Father Mikhail. She didn't like talking about him much, and took the opportunity to justā¦ move on whenever she could.]Ā šµ
"You're funny!"
Clementine turns to stare at Samuel in amusement, while Samuelās cheeks turn pink. He didnāt mean toā¦ do that. Thatāsā¦ embarrassing. Terribly embarrassing!
āT-thanks..? Iām not- Iām not thatā¦ funny.ā
"Well umāĀ I think you are!"
šµ [Pina hummed, swinging her arms cheerfully.]Ā šµ
"Ummm what did you say your names were again? Or did you say them?? I forgotā¦"
āOh, our names..? Weā¦ā They might be sheltered, but they know better than to give creepy strangers their names!
āItās not important.ā
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"Sneaking outā¦? I don't think Father Mikhail would like that very much. He saysāĀ uhmmā¦ he says that because I was a gift, I should be the most perfect example for the town! Which is why he doesn't let me go outside, lest I be tainted by the common peopleā¦ but the outside world is so fascinatingā¦ I wonder how many more flowers I could find outside of the garden of the church?"
šµ [She tapped her chin, blowing out her cheeks in thought]Ā šµ
Clementine knits her brows, glancing over at Samuelā whoās gone completely tense and still. She stops alongside him, of course.
āLooks like youāve found your āspecial giftā twin, Sammie.ā
Samuel just swallows, biting down on his nail. A gift? A gift?! This poor girl! Sheāll turn out like himā oh God, will Elias turn out like her? Would this all be inescapable? Would he fail, would he find that his āgiftā is too-ā¦ poor girl.
āYour Father Mikhail sounds like Father Augustine. Common people donāt taint you. They free you. I wouldāve never found myselfā¦ if not for the common people.ā
"Special gift twinā¦? Father Mikhail said I was a gift from God to the townā¦ did that happen to you too?"
"Umā¦ I think the common people are scary. At least the ones here areā¦ they all look at me with they're eyes and they look like they're about to swallow me up!"
šµ [She tugged on her ears nervously, looking at the shuttered windows of the houses with slight fear] šµ
"I don't think they taint peopleā¦ But I dunno though."
āU-uhā¦ wellā¦ yeah. Yeah- it- it did. I was a very special gift from the very special God. Me and my brother. And Clementine. A-and Noah. Andā¦ yeahā¦ā
Samuel chokes out, starting to walk again as Clementine pulls him.
āā¦the common people can be total assholes. But they donāt know you. They canāt hurt you if you donāt let them in. Common people are going to help you, not hurt youā Father Mikhail knows about as much as Father Augustine does: nothing.ā
šµ [Pina let out a little gasp, covering her mouth] šµ
"You can't say that! What if he hears you? Father Mikhail doesn't like having his power questionedā¦ he said he was chosen by God to lead this town so we mustn't question him!"
āFather Augustine says the same thing. Your guy isnāt special.ā Clementine lets out a huff, Samuel nodding his head shakily. āItās all the sameā these men want power, and the easiest way to power is to control those who are looking for a hand to save them.ā
Likeā¦ her parents.
Fuck.
āFather Augustine and Father Mikhail are in the same boat. Liars. And Father Augustine actually has powers, so thatās how you know the lying is even worse! Devotion and submission are two different things. What are we, some dogs?ā
āā¦woof.ā
"ā¦Woof woof!"
šµ [She covered her mouth, except this time to giggle. Her ears perked up. She seemed to have either ignored or already forgotten all the stuff about Father Mikhail. She didn't like talking about him much, and took the opportunity to justā¦ move on whenever she could.]Ā šµ
"You're funny!"
Clementine turns to stare at Samuel in amusement, while Samuelās cheeks turn pink. He didnāt mean toā¦ do that. Thatāsā¦ embarrassing. Terribly embarrassing!
āT-thanks..? Iām not- Iām not thatā¦ funny.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
"I know I'm SOOO mean!!"
ā [Gore giggled, kissing LeĆ³n's cheek in return and grinning ] ā
LeĆ³n squirms around in false annoyance, pretending to push Noctis away as he kisses itās nose.
"Blehhhhhh!"
ā [It stuck out hxs tongue at LeĆ³n, before bursting into a fresh set of giggles]Ā ā
āGet off me, youāre crushing me!ā
LeĆ³n pretends to gasp out for air as Frida comes padding over, licking at Noctis. She wants love too!
"C'monn, being crushed by me can't be THAT bad?"
ā [Noctis flopped on LeĆ³n lap, petting Frida's head and ruffling her fur] ā
āLeĆ³n Rodriguezā¦ crushed to death by bum partnerā¦ā
He sighs so sadly, sitting up as Frida flops herself down onto Noctis as much as she can.
"Hey, and now I'm being crushed by Frida! So good newsāĀ we both get crushed to death at the same time! Isn't that romantic?"
āSo romanticā¦ a loverāsā¦ uh, homicide? Death by dog is kinda lame.ā
"I mean it's better than local druggie found dead in a dumpster. Can it even count as homicide if it was an accident?"
āFrida would purposefully kill us. So.ā
problematic rage gap. one partner tries to bring nuance and understanding to a tough situation. the other wants to blow up the earth about it.
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
"I know I'm SOOO mean!!"
ā [Gore giggled, kissing LeĆ³n's cheek in return and grinning ] ā
LeĆ³n squirms around in false annoyance, pretending to push Noctis away as he kisses itās nose.
"Blehhhhhh!"
ā [It stuck out hxs tongue at LeĆ³n, before bursting into a fresh set of giggles]Ā ā
āGet off me, youāre crushing me!ā
LeĆ³n pretends to gasp out for air as Frida comes padding over, licking at Noctis. She wants love too!
"C'monn, being crushed by me can't be THAT bad?"
ā [Noctis flopped on LeĆ³n lap, petting Frida's head and ruffling her fur] ā
āLeĆ³n Rodriguezā¦ crushed to death by bum partnerā¦ā
He sighs so sadly, sitting up as Frida flops herself down onto Noctis as much as she can.
"Hey, and now I'm being crushed by Frida! So good newsāĀ we both get crushed to death at the same time! Isn't that romantic?"
āSo romanticā¦ a loverāsā¦ uh, homicide? Death by dog is kinda lame.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
"I know I'm SOOO mean!!"
ā [Gore giggled, kissing LeĆ³n's cheek in return and grinning ] ā
LeĆ³n squirms around in false annoyance, pretending to push Noctis away as he kisses itās nose.
"Blehhhhhh!"
ā [It stuck out hxs tongue at LeĆ³n, before bursting into a fresh set of giggles]Ā ā
āGet off me, youāre crushing me!ā
LeĆ³n pretends to gasp out for air as Frida comes padding over, licking at Noctis. She wants love too!
"C'monn, being crushed by me can't be THAT bad?"
ā [Noctis flopped on LeĆ³n lap, petting Frida's head and ruffling her fur] ā
āLeĆ³n Rodriguezā¦ crushed to death by bum partnerā¦ā
He sighs so sadly, sitting up as Frida flops herself down onto Noctis as much as she can.
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"Sneaking outā¦? I don't think Father Mikhail would like that very much. He saysāĀ uhmmā¦ he says that because I was a gift, I should be the most perfect example for the town! Which is why he doesn't let me go outside, lest I be tainted by the common peopleā¦ but the outside world is so fascinatingā¦ I wonder how many more flowers I could find outside of the garden of the church?"
šµ [She tapped her chin, blowing out her cheeks in thought]Ā šµ
Clementine knits her brows, glancing over at Samuelā whoās gone completely tense and still. She stops alongside him, of course.
āLooks like youāve found your āspecial giftā twin, Sammie.ā
Samuel just swallows, biting down on his nail. A gift? A gift?! This poor girl! Sheāll turn out like himā oh God, will Elias turn out like her? Would this all be inescapable? Would he fail, would he find that his āgiftā is too-ā¦ poor girl.
āYour Father Mikhail sounds like Father Augustine. Common people donāt taint you. They free you. I wouldāve never found myselfā¦ if not for the common people.ā
"Special gift twinā¦? Father Mikhail said I was a gift from God to the townā¦ did that happen to you too?"
"Umā¦ I think the common people are scary. At least the ones here areā¦ they all look at me with they're eyes and they look like they're about to swallow me up!"
šµ [She tugged on her ears nervously, looking at the shuttered windows of the houses with slight fear] šµ
"I don't think they taint peopleā¦ But I dunno though."
āU-uhā¦ wellā¦ yeah. Yeah- it- it did. I was a very special gift from the very special God. Me and my brother. And Clementine. A-and Noah. Andā¦ yeahā¦ā
Samuel chokes out, starting to walk again as Clementine pulls him.
āā¦the common people can be total assholes. But they donāt know you. They canāt hurt you if you donāt let them in. Common people are going to help you, not hurt youā Father Mikhail knows about as much as Father Augustine does: nothing.ā
šµ [Pina let out a little gasp, covering her mouth] šµ
"You can't say that! What if he hears you? Father Mikhail doesn't like having his power questionedā¦ he said he was chosen by God to lead this town so we mustn't question him!"
āFather Augustine says the same thing. Your guy isnāt special.ā Clementine lets out a huff, Samuel nodding his head shakily. āItās all the sameā these men want power, and the easiest way to power is to control those who are looking for a hand to save them.ā
Likeā¦ her parents.
Fuck.
āFather Augustine and Father Mikhail are in the same boat. Liars. And Father Augustine actually has powers, so thatās how you know the lying is even worse! Devotion and submission are two different things. What are we, some dogs?ā
āā¦woof.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
"I know I'm SOOO mean!!"
ā [Gore giggled, kissing LeĆ³n's cheek in return and grinning ] ā
LeĆ³n squirms around in false annoyance, pretending to push Noctis away as he kisses itās nose.
"Blehhhhhh!"
ā [It stuck out hxs tongue at LeĆ³n, before bursting into a fresh set of giggles]Ā ā
āGet off me, youāre crushing me!ā
LeĆ³n pretends to gasp out for air as Frida comes padding over, licking at Noctis. She wants love too!
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"Sneaking outā¦? I don't think Father Mikhail would like that very much. He saysāĀ uhmmā¦ he says that because I was a gift, I should be the most perfect example for the town! Which is why he doesn't let me go outside, lest I be tainted by the common peopleā¦ but the outside world is so fascinatingā¦ I wonder how many more flowers I could find outside of the garden of the church?"
šµ [She tapped her chin, blowing out her cheeks in thought]Ā šµ
Clementine knits her brows, glancing over at Samuelā whoās gone completely tense and still. She stops alongside him, of course.
āLooks like youāve found your āspecial giftā twin, Sammie.ā
Samuel just swallows, biting down on his nail. A gift? A gift?! This poor girl! Sheāll turn out like himā oh God, will Elias turn out like her? Would this all be inescapable? Would he fail, would he find that his āgiftā is too-ā¦ poor girl.
āYour Father Mikhail sounds like Father Augustine. Common people donāt taint you. They free you. I wouldāve never found myselfā¦ if not for the common people.ā
"Special gift twinā¦? Father Mikhail said I was a gift from God to the townā¦ did that happen to you too?"
"Umā¦ I think the common people are scary. At least the ones here areā¦ they all look at me with they're eyes and they look like they're about to swallow me up!"
šµ [She tugged on her ears nervously, looking at the shuttered windows of the houses with slight fear] šµ
"I don't think they taint peopleā¦ But I dunno though."
āU-uhā¦ wellā¦ yeah. Yeah- it- it did. I was a very special gift from the very special God. Me and my brother. And Clementine. A-and Noah. Andā¦ yeahā¦ā
Samuel chokes out, starting to walk again as Clementine pulls him.
āā¦the common people can be total assholes. But they donāt know you. They canāt hurt you if you donāt let them in. Common people are going to help you, not hurt youā Father Mikhail knows about as much as Father Augustine does: nothing.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
"I know I'm SOOO mean!!"
ā [Gore giggled, kissing LeĆ³n's cheek in return and grinning ] ā
LeĆ³n squirms around in false annoyance, pretending to push Noctis away as he kisses itās nose.
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"Sneaking outā¦? I don't think Father Mikhail would like that very much. He saysāĀ uhmmā¦ he says that because I was a gift, I should be the most perfect example for the town! Which is why he doesn't let me go outside, lest I be tainted by the common peopleā¦ but the outside world is so fascinatingā¦ I wonder how many more flowers I could find outside of the garden of the church?"
šµ [She tapped her chin, blowing out her cheeks in thought]Ā šµ
Clementine knits her brows, glancing over at Samuelā whoās gone completely tense and still. She stops alongside him, of course.
āLooks like youāve found your āspecial giftā twin, Sammie.ā
Samuel just swallows, biting down on his nail. A gift? A gift?! This poor girl! Sheāll turn out like himā oh God, will Elias turn out like her? Would this all be inescapable? Would he fail, would he find that his āgiftā is too-ā¦ poor girl.
āYour Father Mikhail sounds like Father Augustine. Common people donāt taint you. They free you. I wouldāve never found myselfā¦ if not for the common people.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
ā [Noctis smirked before clinging to LeĆ³n's legs, tackling him and dragging him down to the floor with hxm to surprise cuddle him] ā
"Suuuuper kind and lovingā¦"
LeĆ³n, beingā¦ well, LeĆ³n, is very easily tackled down. He wraps his arms around Noctis, trying to playfully kiss goreās face.
āAsshole!ā
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"ā¦We're almost there."
šµ [Pina, while clinging to the end of Marienne's sleeve, slid behind her walk nearer to Samuel and Clementine. She was frightened, of course she was, but she was curious too.] šµ
"Where are you guys from? Why'd ya end up here? What's it like outside?"
Samuel glanced down at Pina, peeling the skin at his lips with his teeth. She looks like Eliasās ageā¦ he canāt say no to her.
āWeāre from a bit farther east..? I think? Thoughā¦ we arenāt the best people to askā¦ about the outside worldā¦ā
āWe were heading to a music festival. I play the guitar, soā¦ I was going to have a bit of fun. Ended up here, somehow. The āoutsideā is nice. Sneaking out is even more fun. You should try it, help that curious soul in you.ā
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
"You're so MEAN TO ME!"
ā [Hx fake wailed, the whole theatrics with sniffling and fake sobs with no real tears]Ā ā
āAm not! Iām kind and loving!ā
LeĆ³n sets down his glass and goes over to Noctis, ruffing goreās hair as a sign of affection.
Samuel and Clementine donāt get out of the small town muchā canāt really do so, not when the whole townās got eyes on the back of their heads and the whole townās part of the same damn cult.
Butā¦ sneaking out is worth it. Thereās so much to explore in the world, why should they be stuck to some church pew? Thatās no way to live!
They had planned to sneak out for the night and come back early in the morning, before Father Augustine could find out theyāve disappeared. Thereās a music festival Clementine just had to play at!
Uhā¦ Samuel got a bit lost in the crowd, though. And he doesnāt know where Clementineās gone. All he knows is that heās far as hell from the music festival, Clementineās guitar slung over his shoulder, and that heād about to lose his fucking mind.
As heās shoving through the crowd, trying to find at least a sign to tell him where he is, at least a map to find his way back, he slams headfirst awfully hard into Pina.
@canarieseclipse
šµ [Pina was just trying to get some fresh air, and surprisingly the Priest had let her go out within reason. So she was just trying to enjoy her evening, spend some time in the grass, maybe even collect some flowers for the priest's daughter, Marienne! Didn't that sound lovely?]Ā šµ
šµ [Her daydreams were so rudely interrupted by someone slamming into her. Her hands immedietly went to her horns, trying to check for any damage. Her horns were her pride and joy after all!]Ā šµ
"Hey! Watch where you're going!"
šµ [She huffed, crossing her arms.]Ā šµ
"You could've damaged my horns y'know, and Father Mikhail doesn't like it when they're damaged!"
Samuel rubs his head, letting out a groan. He looks up at her blearily, eyes taking a moment to adjustā his vision isnāt very good, thanks to howā¦ āunsavoryā he was a child. When he spots Pina, and then her horns, he knits his brows.
Heās used to powers and all that nonsense, heās got his own fair share of issues with that, butā¦ body modifications like this? Oh, Father Augustine would lose his damn mind seeing it.
He looks around with a grimace before forcing his eyes to focus on Pinaāsā those heās at full attention, his eyes donāt look focused in the slightest.
āS-sorry. Father Mikhail..? Who is-ā¦ no, no, itās fine. Whatever! Whatever! Justā¦ do you know where I am?ā
šµ [Pina tilted her head, her ears drooping a little]Ā šµ
"You aren't from around here? Well you're in [āĖā¹ā”], and on church grounds may I add! Father Mikhail is the head priest here."
šµ [Despite her initial grumpiness she wasā¦ curious. She'd never met anyone outside of the church before, let alone outside of this town! So Samuel was a curious specimen indeed!]Ā šµ
"How did you end up here? It's not often outsiders come into our town."
āChurch grounds..? Jesus fucking Christ, I came from one hell to another.ā
Samuel lets out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair before looking around. God, Father Augustine might kill him for this one! On the grounds of another Church? Heās dead meat! The burn is going to cover his whole body this time!
āI donātā¦ suppose you have a map..? I just- I canāt stay here! Not with this!ā
His hand that was in his hair goes down, gripping the large wooden cross that hung at his chest.
"Ummmā¦ no not reallyā¦ and I'm not really allowed outside so I don't know much about the townā¦ but I could bring you to Marienne! She's Father Mikhail's daughter and she's super sweet and knows her way around the town! She might have a map!"
šµ [She clasped her hands together earnestly, looking up at Samuel with her eyes seeming especially big and round.]Ā šµ
"Isn't that a splendid idea?"
āI- I donāt think I can go in very farā¦ Iād be hurt.ā
Samuel purses his lips, thinking through his options. Get reprimanded when he comes back late tomorrow morning, or go in the Church and get a map..? Then he can hit the road and find Clementine! Thatās good!
āā¦alright. But if- if you try anything!ā
"I won't try anything, and nobody will either! I told you, everyone is nice! C'mon!"
šµ [Her initial grumpiness and suspicion had all but vanished. She was excited! A new person! Even if it was just for a little bit it was nice to see a new face. She liked the Priest and the nuns and everyone at the church but it got dull seeing the same faces doing the same things day after day.] šµ
šµ [So she grabbed his hand with both of hers, pulling him inside the walls.]Ā šµ
"Marienne's somewhere here, she's the one that got me outside! She's supposed to be watching me so she can't be far!"
Samuel isnāt as excited as she is, and itās clear with how his shoulders slump. But he needs to get back, soā¦ heāll just deal with it.
He looks around warily as Pina leads himā but he isnāt the only one looking around for an out.
Clementine, of course, realized that both her guitar and her friend disappeared into the crowd. And sheās nothing if not resourceful, so after a good bit of hunting, she too found herself on church grounds. With the exact same stress-induced pain in her stomach.
She considers turning around and seeing if Samuel disappeared elsewhere, but she spots her guitar case and canāt force herself to think sheās imagining it.
So, she does what anyone would, and stalks behind the twoā she sees Samuelās with some random who has horns, and thatās enough to raise alarm.
šµ [Pina was happily oblivious to it, in that place of childhood daydreaming where they don't even realize that their legs are moving. She tugs on Sammie's sleeve a bit more, before reaching to the stone steps of the church. There was a girl there, scratching off something in a book with her pen.]Ā šµ
"Marienne!" šµ [Pina called out happily]Ā šµ "There's people from out of town and they need your help!"
ā” [Marienne looked up from her book, and her brows visibly creased in worry. She stood up, walking over to where Pina and Samuel were.] ā”
"ā¦Out of townā¦?"
Samuel stares at Marienne before tilting his head down, biting on his lower lip.
āY-yeah, out of town. I need a map. I- I shouldnāt be that far from my town, Iām from-ā
Before Samuel can finish his sentence and tell them about the city of the cult heās from, Clementine appears behind him, pulling him away from Pina with a rough tug.
The two obviously know each other, itās as simple as looking at their matching crosses andā¦ and outfits.
Clementine reaches into Samuelās back pocket, pulling out a pocket knife she knows he keeps in there for emergencies, flicking it open and pointing it at Pina and Marienne with fearful eyes and a stiff stance.
āH-hey, stay away from him, you asshats! Donāt come closer!ā
ā” [Marienne without hesitation pulled Pina behind her, shielding her with her body. She didn't have any weapons on her right nowā cursesāĀ but she had to make sure Pina was safe, first and foremost.]Ā ā”
"ā¦We were just going to help your friend find his way home." ā” [She said softly, her grip on Pina's sleeve still incredibly tight]Ā ā”
"I have no ill intentions. Neither does she."
āHow can we trust you, huh? Scared grounds my ass!ā
āā¦Clementineā¦ come onā¦ā
She looks over at Samuel, hand with the knife trembling slightly. But who can blame her for being scared? With how things are back home, she has all right to be! And what if these people are trying to use Samuel for his powers, what if theyāre trying to rope in Elias like Father Augustine is? Hell, even she has powers than can be abused!
āN-no ill intentions, while you take him deeper into your church? Iām not an idiot!ā
Her free hand grips her crossā a bad habit, thatās what she calls it. She hates that cult, and she hates this one now too. Even if she reaches for the symbol of her suffering without second thought.
"Pina wasn't bringing him into the church. She was bringing him to me. I was going to show you directions on how to get out of here."
ā” [Marienne let out a quiet little sigh, barely audible, as Pina trembled behind her, clinging onto her dress and looking at Clementine with wide, scared eyes, filled with tears]Ā ā”
"Our Churchā¦ really does not need any new members. Please. Put the knife down."
āBringing him toā¦ who are you?ā
Clementine swallows hard as Samuel pushes down the knife slowly, before taking it out of her hand and closing it, putting it in his front pocket instead.
āClem, I- I havenāt seen them in any of my dreams. Theyāre fine. Iā¦ think.ā
He gives Pina a wary look before stepping in front so he and Clementine are shoulder-to-shoulder.
"ā¦I'm Marienne. Youā¦ clearly aren't from around here. It's best to get you out as soon as possible."
"Wait wait!! Can you take me with you? Pleaaase? Please Marienne Pleeaaase?"
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Pina, and then Samuel and Clementine, before casting her glance at the door of the church.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Pina and I can bring you there. Obviously assuming that you accept my helpā¦? Either way it's not wise for you to stay much longer on Church grounds, especially notā¦ dressed like that."
āā¦fine, take usā¦ out of here.ā
Clementine sucks in her breath and closes her eyes for a second before taking Samuelās hand into herās. His hands are awfully calloused, but she doesnāt mind. Itās more grounding, actually.
āDressed like what?ā
Samuel says suddenly, looking down at himself. Heās in his suit and Clementineās in her dressā they had spare clothes they sneak in and out of their town in Clementineās guitar case, and heās suddenly very conscious of how they look. If they get caught in theses robes by someone from town looking for themā¦
no! āI didnāt- I didnāt see any of this. Nothing badās going to happen.ā He had meant to this that, but it comes out as a whisper in his sudden anxiousness.
"ā¦People don't dress like this in our town. But it's alright. It's curfew, almost everyone is in their bed. Pina and I simply had an exception, soā¦ you'll likely ."
šµĀ [Pina grabbed Marienne's hand, looking at Clementine and Sammie, both with fear and a little excitement. She really didn't get out at all, so even if it was with murderous maniacs she was excited to get out!]Ā šµ
Clementine and Samuel wait until Marienne is in front of them before following after her.
Clementine has shifted so sheās the one carrying her guitar caseā a weapon she can wield if need beā while Samuel has the knife near his free hand just in case.
āWhat the hell even is this place..? Itās not on the.. we meant to catch a ride to San Diego, not this shitā¦ā
"[āĖā¹ā”] isn'tā¦ exactly on any maps. And if you couldā pleaseāĀ watch your language around Pina?"
ā” [Marienne covered Pina's ears, folding them against her head] ā”
"She's young, I'd rather she not learn any vulgar language."
āAnd I thought we were sheltered.ā
Samuel purses his lips, knitting his browsā as if they too wouldnāt get a slap on the wrist for saying ādamnā.
Clementine just shrugs, though she lets out a dry laugh. Sheās mostly taking in their surroundings, trying to map it out in her head. The exits, how fast they could runā¦ and just in case they ever show back up here.
ā” [Marienne just let out another quiet, tired sigh. She held Pina's hand as they walked through the town. It wasā¦ eerily silent. Almost all the lights were switched off, save for the flickering street lamps above. Everything wasā¦ orderly. Neat. Organized. Almost too organized. The town seemed far too meticulous, almost unreal.] ā”
"I'd just rather she not be exposed to this language until older and mature enough to handle it."
Clementine lets out a click of her tongue as she takes in how neat everything is. As hellish as their town isā¦ at least it isnāt cookie cutter. She can map out her parentsā cafe, the grand Church, the girlsā school, the boysā school, and where she and Samuel hide in between them. Here? She canāt do that, and she feels too open. Too vulnerable.
āSheāllā¦ never mature if you keep her hidden.ā As she says this, she gives a pointed glance to Samuel, who look away as if heās ashamed. He digs his fingernails into his suit sleeves, where thereās already indents in the fabric from the other times he does the same thing. If he canāt scratch at skin, heāll scratch the barrier until he gets to it.
ā” [Marienne bit the inside of her cheek again, a nervous habit.]Ā ā”
"ā¦Well vulgar language is quite aside from the conversation." ā” [She shrugged, glancing at the streets and then taking a left. Despite the fact everything was soā¦ cookie cutter, Marienne seemed extremely aware of their location at all times]Ā ā”
āVulgar language is the first thing sheāll figure out. āDamnā isnāt even that bad, they say ādamnationā all the times at sermon.ā
Clementine continues, watching Samuel from the corner of her eyes as they walk. Heās not looking where theyāre going. In fact, heās got his eyes closed. She squeezes his hand and he opens themā she canāt have him drifting off into one of his prophecies. Not now.
"That's different. Damnation is a warning, while the word Damn itself is a curse, slung about like a mere word of insult which diminishes its weight."
ā” [She took a sharp right along the road, looking up at the streetlight, seemingly counting them]Ā ā”
āāWeāre all going to damn hellā is a warning too. āThereās a damn steep hill coming upā is a warning for a trucker. Anything can be a warning, your heart just has to be in it.ā
āClementine, shut the fuck up.ā
Samuel mutters, looking up at looking between Marienne and Pina. Pinaāsā¦ existence is unnerving him. And where the hell is this lady taking them? Has his powers started to fail him..? Is this it, will he never get Elias out of the cult? Ever get Clementine or Noah out?
"LeĆ³n? LeeeeeĆ³Ć³Ć³Ć³Ć³n???"
ā [Oh god it's this loser again. He's knocking on LeĆ³n's door like the world is about to end]Ā ā
"LEĆNNNN OPEN THE DOOOOOOR IT'S COLD OUT HERE, ARE YOU GONNA ABANDON ME ALLLL ALONE IN THE COLD??"
ā [It's literally not but okay I guessā¦] ā
LeĆ³n had been working on a project for MarĆa when Noctis comes banging. He looks up from the sewing machine balanced haphazardly on his lap to the watch on his wrist, noticing that itās midday and Sammieās still got a good while at work.
Great.
He loves Noctis, he really does! But man, hxās a fucking bum sometimes! He doesnāt get as shitfaced as Noctis does, and thatās saying a lot!
āItās the afternoon in fucking July, man! Itās hot as shit!ā LeĆ³n yells out as he gets up, not bothering to put on a shirt or pantsā he goes around the house in nothing but his usual lace and basketball shorts, ācause who the fuck is coming around anyways?
He opens the door and raises his brows, leaning on the doorframe. āYou need a job, manā¦ā
As if he can talkā he just got employed! And itās lowkey ācause of his looks (his talent was the reason he got the offer, but his face is what got the job!)
"Well the cold embrace of abandonment left a chill down my spineā¦"
ā [It whined, blinking up at LeĆ³n, clasping hxs hands together. Noctis honestly didn't care that hx was a bum, gore hated the idea of being tethered anywhere, whether that be to school, work, anything at all! Much more fun to get shitfaced every night and wake up in a dumpster with your nose broken and bruises around your neck, it kept you guessing!]Ā ā
"And that's meanāĀ you only just got a job! Just cuz you're employed now doesn't mean you're better than meā¦ ooh poor little Noctis, abandoned by hxs boyfriends cuz they both got stinkin' JOBS!"
ā [Gore mock sniffled, flopping and clinging onto LeĆ³n's shoulders]Ā ā
LeĆ³n sighs, though it lacks any real annoyance as he wraps his arms around Noctis. āYeah, and the cold embrace of death is gonna be even more of a bitch when your fucking around kills you.ā
He leads it inside the apartment, closing the door with his foot.
āAny new bruises? Sammieās not going to be around for another few hours, so if you do, they arenāt getting fixed up for a while.ā
As he talks, he goes into the kitchenette, getting two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
ā [It flopped on gore's ever comfortable spot on the floor, putting its hands behind hxs head and watching LeĆ³n head to the kitchenette from the floor, tapping his foot against his ankle idly] ā
"Like I said, stinkin' jobs! Getting in the way! But noā¦ no unfortunately I've been staying safe. No new bruises or cuts or anything of the sortā¦ blehh!"
ā [Hx shrugged, closing his eyes in mock relaxation on the floor.]Ā ā
LeĆ³n pours them both a glass of wine as Frida comes over to Noctis, licking gore on the cheek before curling up beside hxm.
He comes over holding out a glass for Noctis, clicking his tongue.
āWhatever you say, masochist. At least you arenāt bleeding out on the bathroom floor like the other oneā¦ what the hell did you even do all day?ā
ā [Gore pets Frida happily, grinning before sitting up to take the glass. Hx continued to pet Frida while sipping from the glass]Ā ā
"I mean I spend half of it asleep with a hangover, but I kinda just work it out as I go." ā [Hx shrugged]Ā ā
"But bleeding out in a dumpster or on the floor is half of the fun sometimes! Can't believe you hate me having hobbiesā¦ tsk tsk tskā¦"
LeĆ³n doesnāt sit on the floor, but he pulls a chair to sit across from Noctis,
āYour hobbies are going to get me to your funeral, thanks man.ā He takes a sip of his own drink as Frida wags her tail.
āAlcohol hangover or some drug-induced shit?ā
"I mean I'm not dead yet! For some reason God loves to keep me alive."
ā [Hx shrugged, taking another sip]Ā ā
"A healthy mix of both, sometimes a secret third thing I haven't figured out yet."
āā¦you need to get that checked out, like, stat.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a laugh, swirling the drink in his glass.
āAt least Godās nice. Keeping you alive to let me hang out with you.ā
"Ehhh doctors are all bums, I've been to a ton until I couldn't afford it anymore and none of them figured out what's wrong with my legs, so no point in going into crushing debt over it eh?"
ā [Noctis basically chugged the rest of his glass down, before flopping back onto the floor and petting Frida, cuddling up with her] ā
"True! True! I get to spend time with you so no need to complain on the staying alive partā¦"
āā¦yeah, canāt blame you on that. Doctors are some fucking sickos. I donāt even take the meds they give me, ācause who knows what theyāre doing to it.ā
LeĆ³n lets out a huff before glancing at Frida, who lifted her head to stare at him in dog annoyance. Her whole job is to make sure LeĆ³n isnāt losing it, and heās doing everything in his power to make it harder!
"Plus the fact the meds are expensive as shit! God knows what I should be on right now but I'm not cuz I can't afford it. I'd much prefer to spend my money on stuff I actually like."
āWe both know I can pay for your meds. Iām just surprised your dumb druggie ass hasnāt tried taking my Risperdal. Is it Risperdal..? Hell, I donāt even know.ā
"No because what if your Risperdal makes me normal. Unless I mix it with something elseā¦ hey how likely am I to insta-overdose if I mix it with some cocaine?"
āā¦maybee you should start taking my meds, actually. I think youād insta-overdose after mixing most shit with coke. And donāt let Sammie hear you saying that, heād have a heart attackā¦ā
"But what if they make me normal styleā¦ shudders. I don't even want to think about me in medicated purgatory. But like its a good question! A lot of my friends have stories about doing a lot of shit and mixing it together but we haven't really got it down to a science yetā¦"
āIām shocked you have friends who arenāt dead.ā
"I mean we all hang around each other every time we go to get fucked up so there's at least one semi sober person in case we overdose or need some sorta help. Being smarttt eh?"
āWow, a druggie convention. Iād love to pull upā¦ā
Heās being sarcastic of courseā as if he has any room to talk, seeing how Sammieās the designated driver for him and Chevy when the two of them get black-out drunk.
