φίδι

Micah Wright - 27 - Anaconda

[micahxwright]

emoryhart​:

He could see it, he’d thought about it back in New York, after Micah had left. It’d been apparent from the break up that the shifter didn’t intend to slow down by any means, that he was willing to leave him behind. He’d been so angry at the time, but he’d been worried, too. He’d seen what hunting could do to people who couldn’t shift, Micah was far more competent at what he did than anyone in the damn woods. And yet he knew him, knew that he was likely to keep going until he dropped, he’d witnessed that this year. He was lucky to have the man beside him period and just the thought alone has him tracing patterns idly on his back as if to ground him. Emory remembered sitting in his apartment and thinking that there was a chance Micah’s lifestyle would kill him. It was something he was passionate about, hunting, something he took seriously, something he was good at. The idea of him just throwing it all away didn’t quite sit right with him, he knew it was a part of Micah. If he really wanted to give it all up, he’d support him, hell if he wanted to throw himself deeper into it, he might hesitate at first, but he knew he could trust the man he loved. He thinks they’ve both wizened up quite a bit since that day Micah had left New York.

“Isn’t Brokeback Mountain set in Nebraska or something?” He asks, corners of his lips quirking up into a smirk. It’s bizarre that they’ve come that far, from that fight in that apartment to this, to being huddled under flannel with Stevie playing in the background. “I’m happy anywhere I’m with you.” The playfulness falls away to earnesty and he tips his head to press his lips to the side of the shifter’s face. He lingers there, noses his way along Micah’s jaw. “I mean it.”

-

“Dunno,” Micah admitted sheepishly, “I never watched it. Isn’t that movie like six hours long?” He’d tried to watch it once and fell asleep shortly after Jake Gyllenhaal got railed without lube in the middle of the woods by Heith Ledger. The idea was nice though - the two of them away from it all, some scenic backdrop behind them that they could grow old to. Micah could find work just about anywhere, and he was sure Emory would be able to do the same. Maybe they wouldn’t be super rich or have a lot of expensive things but the shifter had never cared about that, he’d never really had the luxury to before. 

“What’s stopping us?” Micah asked, he was sick of losing people, and sick of standing at the epicenter of absolute danger. They could leave this place and never look back, but it behind them and go somewhere where for once in their lives they could just be... Free. “We’ve got our whole lives ahead of us, this city... These people. I don’t want to throw my life down for hatred or grudges, all these years I’ve told myself that this was for my dad, this is what he would have wanted. But my dad didn’t raise me to be a hunter, I think if he knew I had the choice then I should choose life, I should be happy.”  He canted his head a bit and took his eyes from the warm embers of the fire so that he could see Emory as he spoke, flames etched long shadows against dark features as he did. “I just need you and whatever years we can get together.” 

[micahxwright]

emoryhart​:

It feels like home, despite everything. The sounds of Stevie on the record player, the warmth of the fire, the flannel blanket, Micah’s skin, if he closes his eyes he can pretend they’re far from Greece. Back in the states, in a perfect world, where he’s wrestled the cabin that was in his mother’s name out of his father’s hands. Emory’s fingers find the shifter’s back under the blanket and he turns his head to press his lips to dark hair. “Mountains maybe? Somewhere not as busy as NY but still busy enough we have shit to do.” He wouldn’t officially toss himself back into the woods, he thinks. But to settle in a smaller town would be something, somewhere that wasn’t tainted with superstition. “I love you, I’m fine wherever I’m with you.” It’s quiet, it’s sappy, but he doesn’t mind the vulnerability. It feels like that’s all he is lately, vulnerable, an open, bleeding wound for the world to see. It’s not something he’s afraid of, not when he’s with Micah. “New Orleans would be cool. Bet Ptolema might even come with.” He tried to think favorably of her now after the hospital stint.

-

“New Orleans might be too touristy. Colorado is nice.” Micah offered, “They’ve got mountains, loads of small towns.” He’d been to Aspen once on a hunt and passed through a few places along the way.  “She told me she was in love once, and that if she wasn’t immortal it might have been enough for her to walk away from this life forever. Maybe, I don’t know. Maybe all this is a sign.” Ptolema had said that one part of him would have to die, and she was right. Micah would have to make a choice eventually. “I always thought I’d die young, or some hunter’s death in a blaze of fire.” But the more he thought about it, the more the thought of a quiet place together on the outskirts of some small town with Emory sounded nice. Maybe there’d be a rocking chair, few dogs and a few cats to torment them. Micah would talk about the glory days. It sounded nice. “I want to be with you, for real. Forever. If I’m gonna die I want it to be when we’re ninety-five and surrounded by too much shit we’ve collected over the years.” 

[micahxwright]

@emoryhart​

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night, and wouldn't you love to love her? It was still hard to believe that he was gone, that he’d just left the two of them to deal with the mess that the vampire’s sire had made for them. But maybe in a way this was how things were always meant to be, Micah’s arms folded tighter around Emory as he held him against his chest, a flannel throw wrapped around the two of them as they sat in front of a crackling wood stove. Micah had managed to get their record player working out here and now Fleetwood Mac had been playing on a loop through the whole weekend. “I love you-” Micah whispered against the curve of Emory’s neck, as fucked up as this all was he was happy to still have this big nerd from the woods. He took a breath in, the smell of burning cedar rich and warm. “when this all blows over, where’s the first place you wanna go. Anywhere in the world.”

[micahxwright]

ptolemasroar​:

-

She faces him, her face without expression but her eyes showing understanding. And sadness. “You know, I was in love once.” Her hip finds the counter’s edge and hands cross under her chest. “They meant everything to me.” A beat. “Had I not been immortal, I believe I’d have given up the hunt to stay with them. Start a family, maybe.” Her former lover is not a topic she speaks of often. Perhaps once or twice in passing. “I’d like that for you. To let go of that hate and create the life you want.” Her head tilts. “Giving up the familiar for what you desire is never easy. A part of you may die should you make the choice. You just have to figure out which one you can live without.”

-

Tender moments between them weren’t rare, but it was always Ptolema who was consoling him and rarely opening up about her past. He’d known that there was someone in her past, but he didn’t know what they had meant to her - or that there was a time when even the Nemean lion had been prepared to walk away from it all. “I didn’t know.” Micah said instead of anything else, when it came to Emory and Toby the shifter was sure that he was ready to do whatever it took. Even if that meant putting the hunt aside. When all this had blown over, maybe Micah would revisit this thought again. “When?”

[micahxwright]

eurydicekouris​:

“I am sorry to disturb you.” He might be of the forest, but he is also still mortal and the mortals have their conventions about nudity and so Eurydice does turn a little, looks to the forest floor. “I like your kind, they’re welcome here.” The wolves, too. Though she did have her reservations about them a little, even if some of them did make delicious cheesecake. Her arms cross over her chest, her long skirt swaying in the light breeze that creeps past the trees. “I imagine being a snake is quite difficult.” She muses, brow furrowing as she tries to picture being one herself. “Especially one so large.”

-

The shifter had just about forgotten himself when he noticed the way the woman averted his eyes, “Right- uh” he knelt beside the tree and retrieved the clothes he’d stashed, easily pulling them on as he stood before Eurydice again, modesty contained. “You’re not wrong,” Micah admitted, “I have to eat a lot, and I get cold easily.” But besides that he wouldn’t have said it was difficult, “I started shifting when I was young and I’ve been growing ever since. Snakes never stop, you know. They slow down but they keeping getting bigger and bigger.”

[micahxwright]

saltyleon​:

Leon waves Micah’s correction off. When it came to found family, Leon knew he and his brother had got the best pick of the original siblings. Micah had arguably got the worst. “I’m absolutely game. And so is Ezekiel.” His arms cross over his chest. “I’m not sure if it’s a rumor, but from what I’ve gathered, Medusa isn’t like the other Rifts that have been spit out of the Veil. All we’ll need is a well laid trap and a nice sharp axe.”

-

“Fenrir also told me that cutting off her head would do the trick.” Micah said with a shrug as he scratched at the back of his head, it felt too easy, but this was two different people he respected telling him the same thing now. “She’s shacked up with a fury, they live together and everything.” Micah was fine going after Medusa, but a fury was a whole other monster. “You really prepared to make an enemy out of a fucking vengeance demon too?”

[micahxwright]

emoryhart​:

“Fully functional cabin, out of the way of civilization.” The walk out of the woods was a bit….He made it pretty quick out of there if he needed to head back into town sometimes. It varied, how he felt about being there. When he was alone, it almost felt like he needed to be tethered back to reality, it was easy to get lost mentally. “You’re doing great. As good as you can, given the circumstances.” Emory admits quietly, assuming the stance of putting one hand in his jacket pocket and the other cradling his coffee against his stomach. Rolling his shoulders back, he takes a glance around them as he raises his mug to his lips. This was all a lot, and he imagined it came at the most inopportune time for the shifter, he’d just had a major life event, he’d just been getting everything back on track. It was definitely a bump in the road, a loss of control, and he couldn’t say he hadn’t been terrified about both boyfriends mental health with this new event. “It’s life, we’re dealing.” He offers a small smile as he lowers his coffee, raises his shoulders. He thinks they both feel bad, Micah and Tobias, like they’re dragging him into all of the supernatural shenanigans. Truth of the matter was that Emory didn’t think he had even fully processed what was going on. “It’ll pass and we’ll go from there. It’s all just,” He lets out a soft huff, unsure if he’s talking to Micah or himself. “One day at time right now, you know?”

-

This wasn’t about their current predicament, or even their last. This was about... Well both of those things, everything that had happened before, and likely everything that would happen in the future. Micah had been fine when it was just his own skin he had to worry about, there was a reason snakes shed it, they outgrew themselves over and over again - but Emory. Tobias. It wasn’t just Micah anymore, he couldn’t just push all his thoughts aside and focus on the job because they made up so much of him now. “Yeah, I guess. You’re probably right, not much was can do about it anyways. Least we’re all safe out here.” The shifter offered in lieu of risking getting any deeper on the subject, Micah couldn’t have it both ways: a normal life with the two of them and the life of a hunter. That was the truth that hung like a sword over his head, eventually he was going to have to make a choice.  His own skin, or theirs. “Still,” Micah sighed, changing the subject a bit. “this has gotta be a bit weird for you. Right?” The shifter asked instead as he gestured a bit with his mug before he took another warm sip. 

[micahxwright]

ptolemasroar​:

-

Ptolema had owned the cabin for quite some time. Had spent many a night alone within its walls, pouring over books and plans, tracking her latest target or sometimes even taking some time to herself. But it had been a few years since her last visit. “Of course,” she says, placing a large box on the counter in the kitchen. It was some food and supplies to keep the three going for a couple of weeks, so long as they didn’t over indulge. She’d make another trip out for them in a little while. “I had my suspicions, but wasn’t able to confirm.” That’s how it had always been with her and Hektor. Rumors swirled their way back to her, but when the vampire didn’t want to be found, he wasn’t.

-

Ptolema knew and she didn’t tell him, but Micah couldn’t say that he was surprised. She’d already been vocal about her desire to keep distance between him and the original vampire. “I do want to stop, you know.” Micah said instead, he wanted what she wanted for him, but he didn’t know how to get there. “But I’m still just so... angry all the time. I hate rifts, I hate cubi, I hate these fucking vampires who practically own this shitty city.” He shrugged, “I don’t know if I can have it both ways. Happiness and the hunt, a part of me dies with whatever I try to choose.” 

[micahxwright]

emoryhart​:

“It was okay. Deeper than usual out here, I think.” It’s the strangest phenomena, he isn’t about to question it. “It’s um,” Emory thinks he’s still short circuiting a little from the kiss, the atmosphere around them. “It’s nice out here, I think. Reminds me of the cabin back home.” Said cabin that has plagued him even before the nightmares. They’d gotten worse, before they’d been memories somewhat twisted, but now they were something else entirely, borderline monstrous. He looks from Micah to the forest floor and he can’t help but feel that maybe the shifter is worried. He can’t blame him for that, they all knew he wasn’t sleeping that well. “I think I sort of like it? Out here. No offense to the loft.” The smile he offers is small, soft, and then it’s gone and he’s reaching for his coffee cup back, leaving Micah with his own. “How about you?” While he appreciated the view, he didn’t think someone getting up so early to chop wood was normal behavior.

-

“The loft takes full offence,” Micah joked, he hadn’t gotten rid of it yet. He figured if anyone came looking for them there it was better if it still looked inhabited. “this place is only temporary but I mean, when things calm down we can always. I don’t know, find something kinda similar, maybe nicer. You know, electricity, water that doesn’t come from a well. Would be nice.” The shifter would be the first to admit he liked the comforts of the city, he’d only ever grown up in cities, New York predominantly. He was used to sketchy sleeping conditions from weeks or months spent on a hunt, but there was always a big comfy bed to go home to eventually. “I’m-” he ran a tired hand through his hair as the snake tattoo disappeared in dark curls, he looked from the stack of logs to Emory. “kind of fucked up I guess. I keep thinking about what Ptolema said to me, that I should quit. Live a regular life with you and Toby. I just... I wish that I could. All this vampire shit, having to live out here, constantly worried about you two. About myself. I want to be normal but I just, I don’t know. I can’t.” He wasn’t really looking for sympathy or anything more than someone to vent to, “All this-” Micah gestured to the safe house, the woods around them, “I wish this wasn’t our life.” 

[micahxwright]

selenexnereus​:

Selene ended up dropping her hand as soon as she saw the small flinch that had occurred because of it. She wasn’t going to be the cause of any discomfort that came to him. Whatever he had been through was something she was not familiar with and she was sure it would come to light in due time. If he wanted it to, of course. However, that line of thought went out the window as soon as he let his problems out into the air. She wasn’t sure how she would explain that she was the cause of at least one of those things. Simply clearing her throat, she let a hand run over the back of her neck. “I’m sorry that you’re going through all of that. All I can offer is talking to Ptolema.” His question caused her to look back at him. “A dear friend of mine and my brother’s future husband.”

-

“So what, you’ll convince her to kill Medusa?” Sounded off brand but Micah wasn’t going to complain, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Though somehow he doubted that was the sort of talking that Selene had in mind, if anything it was just going to be her telling Nemea to talk to him and the cycle of Ptolema trying to talk him out of this would just go on and on for literally fucking ever. Micah didn’t know that Phoenix was getting married, or was it Fenrir? He didn’t care anymore. “Well welcome back,” he shrugged, “for whatever that’s worth I’m glad you’re not dead anymore. I’m sure Ptolema is too.”

[micahxwright]

eurydicekouris​:

“Eurydice.” She doesn’t hesitate to present her name. Now that she gets a good look at him, she thinks she has seen him in the forest before. She doesn’t tend to stray too close to mortals, it was an old habit that was counterproductive to her current cause. Shifters, wolves, they are of the forest to an extent, she thinks. Like well received guests and she enjoys seeing them in or out of animal form. “I’ve seen you before, I’m not used to making myself known to visitors. But I don’t think I’ve seen you shifted.” Eurydice would have remembered such a large snake just slithering through the woods.

-

“Eurydice.” Micah repeated, it was an old name. One that the shifter couldn’t say that he had heard before outside of Greek legend. Micah looked around the forest, it was clear that the woman considered this to her territory though no part of him knew what she was or what claim she had over it. But she’d been watching him for a time and knew him even in his other form, which moved some form of caution within him. “I’m Micah,” he offered back before an easy admission passed his lips, “I’m not used to shifting in front of people.”

[micahxwright]

hakonxlykos​:

-

“Of course it worked. But when Perseus died, the head on the shield crumbled to dust. Whatever magic is in play must be Athena’s, it was her curse that turned Medusa into what she was – or is, I guess.” Fenrir busied himself with his coffee, dumping sugar into the black liquid. “Scylla has returned, though. I don’t know if she would like the idea of you going against her will.”

-

“That’s her business.” Micah said, he was sure there was a lot of people who’d have an issue with the woman dying. Her friends, anyone she’d managed to shack up with in the meantime.  She’d shown up to that party with some other woman, hadn’t she? “Like I said, she has it coming. If people don’t like it then that’s on them, not me.” He didn’t care what happened to him at this point, but Fenrir didn’t seem so against helping him. “If you think cutting the bitch’s head off will work, then that’s what I’ll do.”

[micahxwright]

emoryhart​:

It’s like something out of a dream and yet it’s still something out of a literal nightmare. Emory had thought to himself that he’d actually like to take Tobias and Micah back to his forest. It was his favorite place and yet it was often the backdrop of some of the worst moments of his life. He thinks it’s haunting him now, but there are good mornings in these woods, in the safehouse. He opens his eyes to the familiar thwack of an axe against a log. He’s not in any hurry, takes his time waking up a bit before heading outside in his flannel pajama pants, tshirt, and denim jacket with two cups of coffee. It’s quite a sight, Micah with his shirt off and chopping wood. “You’re up early.” He muses softly just after the shifter had brought the axe down, eyes following the smooth muscles of his shoulders. @micahxwright​

-

Back in New York they’d talked about it a lot- going back to the woods that Emory hailed from. There was a fondness in the way that the human would recount his favourite trails and sights, tricked he’d learned from a family of hunters that had been in the region for generations. There was a sadness too, and it’s this sort of ruminating on the past that Micah is worried about when it comes to Emory. His boyfriend had been off lately, tired, restless... Maybe even unhappy. With everything that was going on Micah was scared shitless, anyone sane would be. But not for himself, for Em, for Toby. He just wanted them to be happy, but maybe Ptolema was right. So long as he was in this life they could never really be what any of them wanted. Manual labor is an apt distraction from the shifter’s rampant thoughts, so he took to further reinforcing and already ample wood supply. The cabin didn’t have any heat besides a wood stove, cozy, but winter was close and they needed a lot more than what they had stockpiled already. “Morning.” Micah greeted, all things aside, seeing Emory every day was something he’d gotten used to easily enough. “Figured I’d get an early start on the day.” The shifter buried his axe in the stump and sauntered with an easy, languid stride towards Emory, relieving him of one of his coffees before he leaned in and pressed their lips together. Quick and familiar. “How’d you sleep?”

[micahxwright]

tobiasprice​:

“Okay.” It feels like it’s all he can say despite the thousands of thoughts going through his head. What did this mean for them in Corinth? He didn’t have the luck of a phoenix on his side, at least not like he used to with Rowan in his direct vicinity like she used to be. Emory should feel scared for himself, and yet he’s grabbing clothes and shoving them in his duffle bag and he’s thinking of both partners instead. He pauses, flannel shirt in hand, and he allows himself to just feel the situation, the panic, and he draws a shaky breath. “Okay. It’s okay.” He steps towards Tobias, presses his lips to his jaw, as if such a thing is going to ease him in any way. “I’ll take off work, I’ll pretend it’s a vacation or something.” It’s autopilot, he knows he’s going to freak out eventually, but he can wait until they’re way out in the wilderness or shoved in a villa somewhere on the outskirts of town. @tobiasprice​

    There was no fight, which was both a good and a bad thing. It was good because Toby didn’t want to fight with either of them about all of this. And bad because he was afraid it would explode later down the road, that they would blame him for this, and leave him behind to deal with this mess. He forced a smile onto his lips and nodded. Micah and him had already started to pack some things earlier, but now he continued to throw more essential things into duffel bags and smaller boxes that were easy to transport. “Yeah, me too,” he mumbled. Mateo probably wouldn’t care that much for an explanation anyway, they would be fine. “For now it’s important we get out of here and to the safe house. And then we can plan where to go from there and… talk about it, if you want.” ( @micahxwright​ )

-

They were in this together as far as Micah was concerned. There was no question of fault, except maybe Toby’s sire but Micah had always been vocal about his dislike for the man that his boyfriend looked up to. Maven and Jamie were at fault here as far as Micah was concerned, now Toby was in danger and the shifter was going to do whatever it took to protect him. And Emory too. “I love you both.” Micah affirmed, there was no other reason as to why he’d go to such lengths, “Now come on, we can figure out the rest later.” His life was easy to uproot, Micah had been doing it for years. It was only Toby and Emory that complicated things. @emoryhart​

[micahxwright]

tobiasprice​:

He is stuck looking between the two of them with incredulity and Tobias’s words have hardly sunk in when Micah is mentioning a safe house. Of course there’s a safe house, he doesn’t expect anything less of Ptolema. That’s not what he latches onto though, Emory instead keeps playing Tobias’s words on a loop in his head and he’s on his feet before he can really think about it. They do have the solace that they haven’t entirely unpacked a whole lot, at least he hadn’t, aside from clothes, a few things here and there. He’d meant to, but between work and the nightmares, the restlessness, maybe he’d just forgotten. “Okay.” He manages, standing there in front of the couch and running a hand through his hair. “I take it asking if everything is alright is out of the question?” He scoffs and the smile he offers both partners is nearly humorless as the ‘what ifs’ start to set in. @tobiasprice​

      Toby felt incredibly bad about putting his boyfriends through all of this. It wasn’t even his fault. Or sort of, because he knew the wrong people apparently. He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head slightly. “Nothing about this is okay,” he said simply, lips pressing together as he looked over at Micah. Emory was taking this a little too well, or at least he pretended to. Their dreams had been shattered over night, and he wished he could do something about it. But other than Micah’s safe house, they were at a loss. Except waiting nothing else seemed to be a good idea. “I’m sorry you’re being pulled into this. But Micah is right, we need to lay low until this is smoothed over somehow.” ( @micahxwright​ )

-

“It could be a while.” Things like this didn’t just pass overnight, “Just grab some necessities and I can come back for whatever else we need.” Micah didn’t care about assuming the risk, he’d set up everything, take care of everything, whatever it took to keep the two guys that he loved safe. “We’ll figure out what to do next from there.” The shifter offered, he was glad that Emory didn’t seem to be in a mood to put up a fight, and at least Micah and Toby had agreed that the best course of action right now was just to get the fuck out of this apartment. At least for now. It hurt that their plans were going to have to be put on hold, but just for now. @emoryhart​

[micahxwright]

selenexnereus​:

It had been a short amount of time since Scylla had been back, but she was sure most of her line would notice. She didn’t have her same face at all and it made her wonder if they would recognize her. This poor woman had been lost to the world though. That was the sad part. Scylla would do her best with this body to make it feel as if this woman’s life would be complete. That was all that mattered for her right now. Along with seeing her siblings and making sure her line was okay. What would she do with her time now? There was so much for her to explore. She would have to speak with Penelope about this. However, there was another she had run into now. Her hand went to his cheek to rest upon it. “Micah. How have you been?”

-

She was the nice one as Ptolema had always put it, and truthfully Micah never really knew what to say to her. Undoubtedly she had some opinions about the boy who was raised as a soldier under Ptolema, but there was nothing that would have kept him from looking for the kinds of creatures that had killed his father. Micah flinched at the touch and shied away from it. “Apparently Hektor wants to kill my boyfriend or something, likely me by proxy. Ptolema doesn’t want to kill the bitch that murdered you, or any of the other rifts that tore down the veil for that matter. So, you know.” He rolled his eyes. “Been better.” The shifter knew enough about the supernatural world to guess that someone had resurrected Scylla, there was no faking the connection he felt. “Who brought you back?”

[micahxwright]

hakonxlykos​:

-

“It worked once, who’s to say it wouldn’t again?” Hakon of course didn’t know the logistics, but who needed to know that? It would be difficult – but he was sure Ptolema and Petrichor would eventually get over it. “Is it because you are a descendant of her line that you’re so invested?” He was curious as to where Micah got this vengeful streak from, though he didn’t really have to guess. Ptolema had it in her before, and now Micah was just carrying the torch.

-

“She’s still alive. Did it work?” Micah had to ask because the last thing he wanted was to cut the bitch’s head off and then see her pop up again because whatever brought her back before decided to do so again. “Her and her friends all have it coming. Every rift who had a hand in bringing down the veil. She’s just the only one with a history of dying.” Micah offered, Ptolema’s promise to her dead sister didn’t mean anything to him. He’d felt Scylla die, and yeah it was sad. Everyone saw what happened too, and that was pretty fucked up, but Medusa and her friends killed his boyfriend. There’d be hell to pay.