BET ON HOPE. *

NOW @LIVDLEARND!

[isafell]

Find Isabelle and Laurent over @livdlearnd!!

[paralyziingfears]

[  ....  ]                     it  still  felt  strange,  foreign,  and  bewildering  to  be  a  part  of  a  community  again.  rick  was  still  trying  to  settle  into  a  new  group  of  people,  while  everyone  else  seemed  to  have  higher  hopes  than  he  did.  it's  not  that  he  didn't  want  to  have  a  better  sense  of  safety  and  security,  a  chance  at  a  normal  life  amidst  the  constant  danger  and  death  they  were  infinitely  surrounded  by.  rick  was  hesitant  because  of  all  the  people  that  have  proven  to  him  time  and  again  that  strangers  couldn't  be  trusted.

the  governor,  the  people  at  terminus,  the  group  of  men  that  attempted  to  hurt  his  son  ...  all  have  taught  rick  a  lesson  in  being  cautious,  stealthy,  and  skeptical.  he  had  no  problem  being  these  things,  but  the  leader  of  alexandria,  deanna,  did.  rick  promised  to  michonne  he'd  try,  but  that  didn't  mean  he  wouldn't  scout  the  area  outside  the  walls  to  make  sure  safety  was  truly  a  luxury  here  or  was  it  just  a  dream.

that's  why  rick  had  ventured  out  of  the  walls.  he  scouted  the  surrounding  areas,  only  to  check  the  perimeter  for  any  potential  enemies  or  walkers  that  might've  found  a  way  to  get  inside.  he  was  making  his  way  back  when  he  had  seen  another  stranger  at  the  front  gates  of  the  community.  he  crouched  behind  some  bushes  and  kept  a  locked-on  gaze  to  watch  their  every  movement,  to  see  what  might  be  going  through  their  heads.  were  they  a  threat,  or  were  they  genuinely  lost  and  confused  and  in  need  of  some  help?  surely  they  couldn't  be  much  of  a  threat  ...  this  woman  had  a  kid  with  her.  still,  rick  remained  extremely  cautious  and  cynical.

he  kept  his  hands  gripped  tightly  on  his  weapon,  his  bag  still  strapped  to  his  back,  as  he  watched.  but  then  a  squirrel  had  snapped  a  twig  by  him,  and  it  blew  his  cover  too  soon.  he  cursed  under  his  breath  and  then  decided  to  make  his  presence  known,  showing  himself,  standing  up  from  behind  the  bush.  he  still  kept  the  gun  aimed  at  them,  even  though  it  probably  wasn't  necessary  and  he  knew  that.   ❝   who  are  you   ?   ❞   rick  asked,  straight-forward  and  to  the  point.  he  came  out  from  the  cover  of  plants  and  approached  closer,  never  taking  his  eyes  away,   ❝   how  the  hell  you  find  us  here   ?   ❞ @isafell.

[isafell]

As the man steps closer, all Isabelle can think about is shielding Laurent. She pushes into him as Rick closes in, making him stagger backwards as she tries to put the same distance that existed between them just a second ago back into place.

"No one," she retorts, as sharply as she can muster under the circumstances. It doesn't inspire the confidence in her that she wants; Isabelle is typically a very orderly woman, but it's always different when face to face with a weapon. The Pouvoir had taught her that long before she'd touched down on American soil. "We're no one. We were just leaving. Let us go."

Silently, she prays that God will preserve them— and if not her, then at least Laurent. He's the cure for this world. Losing him to a madman with a gun will damn it all over again.

She hopes that it says something to him that they hadn't simply walked down the road and approached the gate, though given his aggressive demeanour, it isn't certain if he's capable of discerning reason right now.

In a more pleading tone, making it clear she's aware of her position— that she's searching for his mercy: "We... only found you by mistake. Please. We're no threat..."

[poohsources]

🐝  *  ―  𝑷𝑳𝑨𝑻𝑶𝑵𝑰𝑪 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺.

❛  you've been my best friend for years, what made you think it would change now?  ❜ ❛  i'm always here for you if you need me.  ❜ ❛  well, that's what friends are for.  ❜ ❛  remember, i'm always just one call away.  ❜ ❛  how long have we known each other now? i know you better than you know yourself.  ❜ ❛  you're an idiot most of the time, but you're my idiot.  ❜ ❛  do you want to come over and watch movies tonight? i could use some company.  ❜ ❛  you always know how to cheer me up.  ❜ ❛  i made you your favorite food.  ❜ ❛  i know it's 2 a.m. but i really need someone to talk to. are you awake?  ❜ ❛  remember when we used to build blanket forts? let's do it again.  ❜ ❛  please come to this family dinner with me. my family already loves you and i need some neutral person there with me.  ❜ ❛  here, i got you something. i saw it at the shop and it reminded me of you.  ❜ ❛  do you remember that promise we made to each other when we were kids?  ❜ ❛  i'm so grateful to have you in my life. you mean the world to me.  ❜ ❛  i don't need advice right now, just a friend to listen.  ❜ ❛  you're the best friend one could ever ask for.  ❜ ❛  hey, umm ... thank you for being my friend.  ❜ ❛  you don't have to go through this alone. i'm here for you.  ❜ ❛  want to grab a coffee and catch up?  ❜ ❛  we may not talk every day anymore, but i still consider you my friend.  ❜ ❛  i can stay and help you finish this if you want.  ❜ ❛  you've got this. i believe in you!  ❜ ❛  how about we plan a game night this weekend?  ❜ ❛  do you ever wonder what our lives will be like in ten years?  ❜ ❛  no matter what happens, you'll always have me.  ❜ ❛  you don't have to pretend with me. i like you just the way you are.  ❜ ❛  consider it ... a little friendly competition.  ❜ ❛  thank you, you always know how to make me laugh.  ❜ ❛  i can't believe how far we've come together.  ❜ ❛  just stay put, i'll be over in a minute.  ❜ ❛  i've got us tickets for that concert/movies/exhibition you wanted to go to.  ❜ ❛  how about a road trip? just like old times ...  ❜ ❛  i really appreciate you staying in my life all these years.  ❜ ❛  i don't know what i'd do without you.  ❜ ❛  you can tell me if something is bothering you.  ❜ ❛  race you to the end of the street!  ❜ ❛  bet you can't beat me at this game. i'm a pro.  ❜ ❛  i challenge you to a cooking contest. loser has to buy dinner for the next week.  ❜ ❛  you've been such a great friend, and i just wanted to say thanks.  ❜

[isafell]

Tentative little starter call maybe? You could get either Isabelle or Laurent unless you specify 💛

[isafell]

    America is a place that Isabelle has always treated with some level of derision despite never going for longer than a few days. It stemmed not from her own xenophobia but from others'; any time she'd encountered someone from the States in her homeland, they'd been nothing but rude. Haughty.

    Still, she'd rather be stranded here, far away from Madame Genet and her men, than back on the ship that had been taking them on what she was certain was their last voyage.

    "Issa." She turns her head to heed the boy, though no sooner does she do so does she instantly see what he's about to point out. In the near distance looms a large gate of some kind. Though she's wary about the idea of walking headfirst into the crosshairs of unfamiliar people, if they don't leave this forest they'll be deep within it by nightfall. Not ideal. "We should go. There could be people there. We can ask them for help."

    "Laurent…" His insistent belief in the inherent goodness of the human race stuns her, but it's also a source of deep pain. She wants more than anything for her son to be able to trust others— to invite them into his kind open arms, but strangers have proven time and time again that their desire to survive outweighs their shame. "It's—"

    Before she can get another word out, a nearby rustle of the trees steals their collective attention. There in the brush stands an oddly kempt man, hard blue eyes focused on them almost as keenly as his gun. Without even thinking about it, Isabelle throws herself in front of Laurent, shielding him from the open barrel with arms outstretched and fear evident.

    "Don't." It's uttered quietly, but in the quiet of the woods it echoes like a scream. "...we were just leaving. Please don't."

@paralyziingfears / plotted starter!

[isafell]

i forgot to make the starters i owed beforehand, i'm so sorry.

[cursedvessels]

Skylar just shrugs at the boy’s protest to their words. Snapping open a packet, they squirt it into their mouth like it’s nothing. “Suit yourself,” they hum with a shrug, smirking a little to themselves for having made him laugh. Before they can argue their point, they’re being dragged off toward a patch of strawberries hidden away like a secret oasis. Brows quirk upwards, staring in a bit of awe. They couldn’t remember the last time they’d seen so much food just growing out of the dirt.

“This is…I mean, where did you get all this?” Not that it mattered much since Skylar had been perfectly content to live off of ramen noodles and soy packets. He had no problem with ravaging his body with food so chemically preserved that it had lasted even rhe apocalypse, but it was getting a bit scarce out there…There were only so many pre-packaged goods in the world, after all.

He looks at Laurent wide-eyed, a finger pointing in the direction of the berries. “I…For me..? Are you sure? I don’t want to take advantage, I mean…” He didn’t exactly have much to offer in return aside from his skills and maybe some weaponry. 

[isafell]

       The question stems from such a cavernous hole that Laurent isn't precisely certain of what they mean. It shows in the quirk of his eyebrows and the smile that's both reassuring and somewhat sheepish.

       ❛ From the ground, ❜  he answers kindly, silently hoping that his recital of the obvious doesn't come across like he's trying to belittle them,  ❛ God heard our prayers and blessed us with a good harvest. Isn't that great? ❜

       With great reverence, the boy plucks a strawberry free from its vine and offers it out to Skylar. It's fat and round, its flesh a vibrant red. Nothing sustains one better than the vitality of Mother Nature herself.

       ❛ Of course. It isn't like we can't grow more, ❜  Laurent answers with a beaming smile,  ❛ did you know that there are 103 species of strawberry? It's also the only fruit to display its seeds on the outside. Because of this, it isn't considered a true berry by most botanists. Each seed is considered its own tiny fruit instead! ❜

[the-v0iid-deactivated20250307]

He hadn't meant to wriggle so much when her hands move forward to gently dab a wet cloth over the cut below his right eye (one of the many that cover his body), but he wasn't a fan of being touched while injured, but his movements eventually come to a halt to allow her to tend to the rest of his wounds. He blinks several times to clear the bluriness from his vision and sees for the first time since he has regained full consciousness that he is in a place he doesn't recognize.

He blames his lack of awareness on still being slightly disoriented and the adrenaline he can still feel coursing through his veins from ripping the lumbering undead apart with a blast of dark energy, only for the building to explode with him inside it. He had managed to escape by smashing through a window, and he had put out the flames covering his body by rolling around on the ground before losing consciousness with shards of the window pane still impaled in his skin. His last thought was, had any of the other survivors managed to get out?

❛I wanted to get some fresh air and make myself useful. I feel like a liability to you all by lying in bed all day.❜ He pushes himself up into a sitting position and allows his gaze to settle on hers. He notices that a few strands of her hair have fallen into her eyes, and he reaches out to tuck them behind her ears. He had forgotten his fingers were still covered in his own blood, and he accidentally leaves a trail of bloodied fingerprints all over her temple, which makes him scowl at his blunder. ❛ You have a little something on your face that you might want to wash off. ❜

[isafell]

       ❛ That's noble of you. Unfortunately, you're more of a liability when you aren't at your best. You can't take care of others if you don't take care of yourself first, Lupin. ❜

       Given the current state of the world, Isabelle is willing to settle for "good enough" as opposed to "perfectly healed", but Lupin's state is neither healed nor good; his body is vulnerable at the moment courtesy of his many wounds, and his consciousness is unreliable right now at best. She won't let him shirk his need to recover.

       When he brushes hair out of her face, she naturally flinches slightly away from his touch. She's a tactile person by nature, but the dangers their fair community has just dealt with have left her feeling high-strung and even somewhat hypervigilant.

       ❛ Right… thank you, ❜  Isabelle mumbles, turning her back on him to retrieve some clean tissue before folding it thick. After pouring a tiny bit of water from her neary canister onto it, she dabs at the droplets of blood he accidentally left behind.  ❛ …you survived something quite remarkable, ❜  she says as she turns to face him once more, studying him carefully, ❛ but there'll be hell to pay if you don't let yourself rest. ❜

[cursedvessels]

"Yes ma'am, serious as a gunshot to the head," he says, putting on his best Southern accent in response to the expression she aims his direction. He looks away immediately, though, sort of smirking to himself. Never one to be very serious. Hell, he'd even made jokes at his grandmother's funeral...It didn't go over very well, but that was just his way of dealing with things, anything.

The gentle hand on his shoulder has him tensing slightly, but nevertheless he starts to settle minutely in response. A soft "oof" leaves his lips at the slight twinge in his side when he halfway lays himself back down. He remains propped up slightly, though--stubborn as a mule.

"All right, Nurse, I'm resting, yeah? Jesus, you sure do ask a lot from a guy who hasn't even asked you out to dinner yet..."

[isafell]

       Paul's type has been somewhat recurring in her life; the type that uses humour to mask how they truly feel about anything and everything. Quinn did it for a time, before he got fed up of her resistance and showed his true colours. Isabelle sees right through it but opts not to say anything.

       ❛ "Yet" implies you're thinking about it, regardless of how difficult I am, ❜  she responds passively. Like most things that are bound to come out of Paul's mouth while she's "forcing" him to do something he doesn't want to do, she suspects that he's being facetious. Snide, even. She won't take his bait. With a mildly playful smile:  ❛ Not that I think laying back in bed is particularly difficult— but we all have a different threshold for challenge, I suppose. ❜

       ❛ What's the problem with bedrest anyway? Did you have a bad experience with a hospital at some point? ❜

[neverscored]

beavis doesn’t know much about isabelle and laurent, but they have a warmth about them that make him feel a security he’s rarely ever felt. it might be due to isabelle being a bit older, but she’s kind and patient and extremely helpful when it comes to birdie. although considering how she is with her nephew, he isn’t surprised by how nurturing she is. and it goes without saying… it’s nice to have an actual adult around.

“lucky,” he laughs, thinking of his own memory and how absolutely defective it is. “i swear i’d forget where my head was if it wasn’t attached to my body.” however, he did have a few phases where he knew a little too much about certain subjects like rocks, lizards, and even astronomy. however, as the phases passed, so did his ability to recollect the information. “he’s a smart kid.”

beavis eyes the items in her hands, and while he can make out the cheese easily, he immediately assumes the meat is something else entirely. “uhhh…” not only does her accent occasionally leave him scratching his head, but so does the english language. “i think you mean provolone.”

[isafell]

       Isabelle's English is incredibly good, even better on account of it being her third language, but she accepts criticism when it comes from native speakers. Surely they would know, right…?

       However, as she comes to a pause, her body almost comically stiff as she considers Beavis' substitute, she thinks he might actually be wrong. With grace, she turns to face him, the butter knife in her hand leaning sideways as she regards him with a jut of her hip and a raise of one eyebrow.

       ❛ …isn't provolone a type of cheese? ❜  she asks, the confusion audible in her voice as she taps her chin with the flat side of the knife ( which is thankfully butter-less at the moment ). After a soft, airy laugh:  ❛ I… meant lunch. Sandwiches and things like that. Does Birdie have anything specific that she likes to eat? Maybe I have some to bring along with us. ❜

       She knows from experience that children can be fussy. Though Laurent never gave her too much trouble, his reluctance to eat animals due to his incredibly high empathy posed some challenges for her.

[gollldrush]

A bottle in her hand, nursed from slowly, her eyes mostly unfocused as she stares through the wall opposite. Leo understands in ways she didn’t want to – sure she’d spend the rest of her life paranoid, constantly looking over her shoulder. After a moment, she looks up and blows a breath from her mouth.

“It’s not your fault.” The words come out soft, the bitter taste of vodka making her voice hoarse. “But I understand.” Her hands retreat into her sleeves as she crams the bottle between her legs. “How long have you been away from him? I’ve got… maybe seven months under my belt.”

[isafell]

       Even in spite of the terrible topic, there's a warm sense of camaraderie between them as Leo reveals her own experience with a toxic partner. It sees Isabelle swallowing thickly as she attempts to navigate through the complicated sea of horror and gratitude.

       ❛ Around three, ❜  she says, her voice uncharacteristically mousy. Getting away from Quinn doesn't feel real after the ownership he'd taken of her life.  ❛ I just couldn't… it couldn't happen anymore. I needed it to stop. For Laurent. ❜  While some people get teary-eyed and emotional when talking about their experience with abuse, Isabelle simply feels cold; it's a bone-deep chill that settles in her chest, icing it over and making it hard to breathe.  ❛ I didn't say anything. Just quietly slipped away one night and never looked back. ❜

[chaos--mode]

she can't maintain the feign of her upset. try as she might, she just can't. Laurent reminds her too much of Matt – when they were younger and her brother was nice – and it makes her chest ache in that way that makes her all soft and gooey and just, like, ugh. she hates the kid. not really ; not even close.

Ren definitely can't keep it up when the kid offers her a small little smile. that makes her think of Alex, when she inevitably gets up to no good and Ren walks in on whatever mess she's gotten into that the older sister is going to help her clean up. she bites the inside of her lip to do her best to tamp down on the smile she can feel pulling at the edges of her somber expression.

it's nice, too, seeing Laurent just, like, genuinely happy. Ren doesn't know all of the details of Isabelle's past, but she knows enough. enough that she recognizes the good in the kid, that she appreciates how he doesn't have to deal with any of it.

Ren watches the little spritz of silly string arc over the countertop with a tiny, unsmotherable grin. the colourful glob just barely brushes against her hand before falling onto the rest of the mess Laurent has already made with his little toy.

she smiles properly, when her eyes look back up at him. ❝ wooow, ❞ she drawls, more of a nasally sound than a proper word. she grabs a cloth and runs it under the water until it warms, ringing it out as she continues. ❝ that's pretty fancy. does it make different colours? like, y'know, a mood ring or something? ❞

[isafell]

       ❛ Oh, no… ❜  he says, turning the nozzle of the can towards himself as if to make sure. For a moment, it looks as if he might lament such a feature being missing— and then he smiles again. More demure this time, but a smile nonetheless.  ❛ But I like the colours it has. They come out in a bit of a rainbow! ❜

       Despite the fact that he isn't addressing it, Laurent isn't impervious to the mess he's made of Ren's storage room. From the moment he'd so much as thought about cracking the seal on the tube of silly string, he intended to clean up after himself. While his young age makes it fair to assume that he'd neglect to do so, he's simply too concerned with how Ren feels to leave her in the midst of a tip.

      That and Isabelle has taught him to respect other people.

       He bounds closer to Ren, less reserved than is typical for him.  ❛ Is this stuff poisonous to animals? ❜  he asks, assuming that if anybody that isn't Isabelle will know, it's Ren.  ❛ If it isn't, I think our cat Pomme would quite like playing with it. She loves anything long and wiggly— well, if you bring it to her… she's quite a lazy girl. ❜

[luposcainusarch-deactivated2025]

The Halfbie bites the inside of his cheek. He stared. He turned away not wanting to just stare. His skin was a lot paler than most. Almost greyish tone. The dark haired male looked at her. He pricked his fingernails.

He does this when he feels the nervousness sneak in. Infect.. he never done that before. He didn’t want to. The urge to eat was strong. He growled a little. “ No.. I don’t know.” He confesses. His stomach growled. He just turned away. He just doesn’t want to look. Caspian decided to just maybe not stay here. “ Maybe it’s best to not see each other ever. You wouldn’t want me here.”

[isafell]

       Her heart pounds dully in her chest as she waits on Caspian's response. The possibility of him telling the truth is already daunting enough, but the way he's hesitating with clarifying whether he could turn somebody or not makes her nervous. She's far from a weak woman, but she's slight and hosts a general reluctance to resort to force; if Caspian became unpleasant in the wake of his cannibalistic hunger, she doesn't know if she'd have the nerve to deal with him.

       The implication to maintain her distance from him ultimately sounds like a good idea, though she can't quite find it in herself to turn him away just yet.

       ❛ Wait, ❜  Isabelle all but gasps, clearly struggling with the reality he's posed. Once she's had a moment to compose herself once more:  ❛ … how long have you been infected? If you don't know whether you can turn somebody, that means you've never tried. Never given into your urges. You... you can control them. So maybe you're not lost. ❜

[thestupidmeanone]

Church's brows furrowed, and he sat down on the couch next to her. There was a small part of him that was, ultimately, a little worried about what was going on--but his priority was getting Isabelle settled in. He could ask her about everything else later.

"So, I'm going on the super bold assumption here that we're friends," he said, tone light as he put a hand on her blanketed shoulder. "I don't think you're gonna bother me. You know how long I've been thinking about getting to hang out with you in person?"

[isafell]

       Ultimately, she's always been able to rely on Church's sharp wit. It comes through for her now too, earning a delicate but very real smile. Thin but present.

       ❛ Alright, fine… ❜  The final word trails off as a mumble of defeat, lips upturned as she looks down at her lap as opposed to his face.  ❛ …me too. It feels surreal to have you sitting beside me now after only ever writing to you and talking to you on the phone. ❜ Not bad, though. Very not-bad. ❛ So, then. Where's a good place to get coffee around here? ❜

[wickedslip-deactivated20250309]

In all truth, she remembered with every detail the last time she had stepped foot inside of a cathedral. It was the day that she had discovered that her brother was missing; the day that her entire world changed, upending it like a milk bowl exposing its contents to form the lead gray sky above. She didn’t even know why their coven had wanted a church—it didn’t make sense to have a place to worship, when their kind preferred to stick to the nuances of nature. That was how it had been done since the First Tribe—the very first clan of magic that had predated history, and had hailed somewhere over in Europe, or perhaps a Mayan civilization. The tales of the tribe had had been twisted throughout the years, but her father had claimed he’d seen visions of the man who had started it all. And those visions were often too clear to discern that it had been just shown to him. But he couldn’t have been there and lived to tell the tale today. She didn’t want to believe that he was some kind of demon haunting their town—but now any doubts about him and who he was had changed her beliefs, making her find her own brand of religion very quickly. He had been the ultimate deceiver, and she’d never see him as she used to.

She knew the question didn’t require a response, and she didn’t feel the need to give one, but she listened to her in earnest. She was a war raging, and finally she gave up the battle to give her her full, undivided attention. ❛ If you don’t need it anymore, it’s best to just rid of anything that no longer nourishes you. At least that’s what makes the most sense in this situation. ❜ She had long made bones with the members of her coven, and sometimes even her house took care of them for her. But she didn’t want to freak the woman out by telling her about her sentient house. She would just look downright comical, bordering insane, in clear need of being committed.

❛ I can understand the need to believe in something, especially when going through with something weighing on you. I think I can relate to that. I guess what my problem was, is that I didn’t have anyone to turn to and I turned to myself. Maybe that wasn’t so smart in the end. ❜ She’d never want to witness what she had a second time around. In fact, if it ever happened again, she wouldn’t want to live. But it’s not like she didn’t relive that entire day in her head every night of her nightmares, leaving her breathless and silently screaming into her reality— with a fear so real it paralyzed her to her core at times. ❛ I guess I have a religion that I follow, but it’s definitely not the same as it used to be. ❜ She finally ground out, her words not shaping the way she had wanted them to.

After a moment, she realized what she had added, and her eyes flew to hers, her face turned toward her sharply. ❛ An actual nun?! ❜ Oh, terrific, Nausicaä. She pursed her lips. Here she was mocking religion a moment ago, and now she probably looked like a real horse's ass.

[isafell]

       ❛ With hindsight, turning to yourself is probably the best course of action, ❜  Isabelle admits, idly picking at a loose thread at the waistband of her worn jeans. As much as she used to enjoy being fashionable, the end of the world has no real place for it. It's utility over presentation; pockets and functioning zippers over glitter and flattering cinches.  ❛ Even if there is a God, He isn't going to come down here and solve your problems for you. He supposedly gives you tests to prove your mettle, because he knows you'll come out stronger for it. You're meant to rise to the challenge and prove him right. ❜

       A concept in which she, since beginning to actively question her faith, has an issue with. After all, what benevolent force feels the need to test those they love? If a human being treated another within the same constraints it'd be labelled an abusive tactic, yet somehow it's noble when God does it? It makes so little sense to her.

       Nausicaa's sudden self-aware horror makes Isabelle let out a brief snort of laughter.

       ❛ As opposed to a pretend one? ❜  she asks, clearly poking fun. The Sisters had never appreciated her penchant for teasing, though they had accepted it as a flaw they were destined to forgive in very much the same way that their saviour did.  ❛ Yes, an actual nun. It was when all of this started. I'd just left my boyfriend for dead after he proposed we leave my sister behind for being pregnant. She passed giving birth to Laurent. I… was left alone in this terrifying world with a newborn I had no idea how to care for now that everything was ruined. I needed faith. I couldn't fail this child after promising her I'd take care of him. ❜

       Even after twelve years, it's still so hard to talk about, and it's only through Daryl opening her up somewhat that she's able to at all. 

       ❛ Don't be sorry. I'm not very sensitive about it anymore. ❜

[isafell]

the way i answered literally all of my threads and then forgot to queue them. 💀

[burninq]

Calcifer chuckles at that as he looks at him, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants in order to do something with them. he can't sit still. it's a bad habit of his. this will at least hopefully keep him tampered down a little. "i haven't read the bible yet, if i'm to be honest. the last people who read it to me tried to burn me alive. i'm not its biggest fan; i wouldn't know what it says."

he takes the question in stride, humming as he taps his fingers inside of his pockets. so much for keeping himself tampered. "i'm much older than i look. how old do you think i am?" he has no intention of hurting the kid; he's just a kid, after all, even if he's saying all the wrong things.

[isafell]

       The confession, in all honesty, horrifies him. He may have been raised within the tender grasp of faithful women, but that doesn't mean that Laurent is ignorant to the horrors some commit in the name of God. While he doesn't wish for anybody to suffer, he can't help but feel some degree of righteousness at the idea of them atoning for their cruelty in the end.

       No man is safe from the eyes of God. He sees all. He knows what you've done and He will not stand for it.

       ❛ That sounds terrible. I'm truly sorry about your experience, ❜  Laurent says, reaching out to set a gentle hand on Calcifer's forearm. He's offered a delicate squeeze before he lets go.  ❛ Not to worry, though. God will punish them for their hatred, whether you believe or not. ❜

       With a somewhat bashful smile:  ❛ Issa says it's rude to assume a person's age. ❜  Well, actually, she said a woman's age specifically, but he doesn't really see a difference. He doesn't much think a man would like it either.  ❛ …but if you're asking me to guess, I'd say you look around thirty. But you're probably going to shock me, right? ❜