Little Lion Man;

Michael "Mike" Tso • 23 • Magi ❝Take away civilization and people turn into animals, man.❞ ✔ Humorous → Adaptive → Hyper-Aware ✘ Blunt → Traumatized → Mercurial

[darcy-reynolds]

[Darcy lets out something that’s half a sob, half a small, strangled laugh at what he says, and she nods.] Good. ‘Cause if you break that promise I’m gonna kill you. [She whispers quietly, trying to smile for him even as a couple of tears slide down her cheeks. She moves to bury her head in his shoulder, ignoring the growing discomfort in her back from the way she’s twisted to hold him because that’s more important right now.]

[mike-tso]

[Mike lets out a half laugh of his own as he hugs Darcy tightly. He feels her bow her head and press her head against his shoulder and his hand immediately comes up to smooth down her blonde hair.] Okay, but I'm just gonna say... [He pauses and sniffles as a few stray tears leak out of the corner of his eyes.] ... that seems a lil' bit counter productive. But that's okay.

[darcy-reynolds]

[When Mike wraps his arms around her Darcy reacts immediately, turning to wrap her own around him. She’s supposed to be the one offering comfort, but she takes just as much from having him close and knowing he’s okay - or alive -  at least for right now. His question makes her heart ache even more, and she feels the tears stinging her eyes again as she nods her head against his shoulder.] I promise. I promise. [She repeats the words because once doesn’t feel like enough times for him to know she really, truly means it. She’ll be even more careful than she’s been, if not for herself then for Mike. She pulls away just enough so that she’s looking into his face, pressing her forehead against his as she whispers,] But you gotta promise me the same thing. Okay?

[mike-tso]

[Mike nods his head as he clings to her and presses his forehead against hers, still holding back tears.] I promise. Cross my heart and hope to not fucking die. I promise. [He mutters quietly. He knows this promise incredibly difficult to keep and the promise not to die is impossible, but he'll make it anyway because Darcy might need to hear those words as much as he needs them right now.]

[holly--hill]

{Holly can’t say she agrees with Mike, but it would be stupid for her to say no. The world is this way, but that doesn’t mean it will always be like this. It had taken some of the best people, but there are still people here to make it better. That’s what she believes. It’s the only way she’ll be able to keep going. She’s lost in her thoughts when Mike grabs her hand, making her startle a bit before she offers him a small smile. He cares and it tugs on her heartstrings, but she’s supposed to be there for the group, not the other way around. The offer is too tempting for her to pass up though, and so she sits beside him, hand held tightly in hers.}

[mike-tso]

[Mike's grateful when Holly takes a seat beside him because there's a large part of him that doesn't want to be alone and as weird as it sounds, it feels a bit better to mourn with someone. Yeah, still felt like shit, but not as bad as mourning when you were on your own. He had done enough of that in Harrisburg. And beyond that, if Holly's sitting, it just means that they can stall in cooking dinner tonight because making a meal without Kimi's bright presence was going to be difficult tonight and all the nights that followed. He had a feeling that he'd be looking up to ask her something about what he needed to do next or maybe make a joke about her being careful not to cut her finger, but there'd be no one there. He wasn't ready for that.] 

[darcy-reynolds]

[Darcy doesn’t know how to answer his question, because the purpose of her offer had been to help him and now she’s not sure that’s what she’s doing right now. All she’s managed to do is make him think of all the people he misses on top of the two they’d just lost, as if that wasn’t pain enough. She closes her eyes and lets out a breath before she shakes her head against his shoulder.] We can add them to my book. [She tells him quietly, but she doesn’t move to grab the bag that’s beside her. Instead she just holds him tighter, because it’s the best way she knows how to help him right now, and there’s a selfish part of her that doesn’t want to let go because it could be him that she loses next.] But let’s just stay like this for a bit. [She whispers after a moment, letting her eyes slip shut once more.]

[mike-tso]

Okay, I can do that... [Mike says with a nod of his head as he lets her hand go and wraps her arms around her. It's partly to comfort her, but largely for himself too because chalking up Charlie and Kimi's names and adding them to his own body count of people that he was close who were now dead was not something he wanted to do. But he had to. They were gone and they weren't coming back. And anyone of them could be next. That's what has him speaking again.] Dude, this sounds fucking stupid and is fucking impossible to ask, but... can you promise me you'll be careful... like with... with anything? [He sputters not sure if he's making sense right now.]

[holly--hill]

{Holly’s eyes overflow with tears but she makes a conscious effort not to sob, not with Mike looking how he looks. The man lets go of her hand and sits on the edge of the trunk of her truck. She recognizes the emotion easily enough, and she knows there’s not much she can do for him other than help him come to terms with it. She reaches over him to grab her brother’s jacket and places it over him, rubbing his arms as she concentrates on taking deep breaths. Holly rests her hands on his shoulders and speaks in the calmest voice she can muster.} I am so sorry, Mike. It’s not fair and I’m sorry.

[mike-tso]

[Mike can feel Holly drape something over him, and he murmurs a word of thanks before really responding to her.]  No... no it's not... [Mike says, his voice heavy and filled with dread as he stares at the ground and just lets Holly rest her hands on his shoulders. For a moment it feels like the wind's been knocked out of him and all his limbs are too heavy. He can't even bring himself to lift his head and look up at her right now.] But that's just how the world is. [And it sucks. It's suck fucking balls. Mike brings himself to finally look up at Holly and she looks like a mess even though she's trying to hold herself together. He finally brings himself to hold her hand again.] I think you need to sit too...

[darcy-reynolds]

Hey. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. [But he’s telling her anyways so Darcy just listens, hoping it does him a little bit of good. But it’s hard to imagine that when she hears what he has to say. Her eyes widen and she sucks in a breath. 46 people. 46 people, and Mike is the only one left. He didn’t say anything about being separated, and Darcy doesn’t think she has to ask. It’s clear enough from the look on his face, and she thinks he must have all of their names stuck in his head and she doesn’t blame him. It’s what she would do, too, and it almost astounds her how he’s consistently been one of the most fun, kind, caring people in the entire group.] Mike… [Darcy begins softly, but she doesn’t know what to say and after a moment she just extricates one of her hands from his so she can wrap her arm around him and hold him tight.] I’m so sorry. [She mumbles against his shoulder, and she means it, even if the words can’t possibly help anything. She doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t want to push, and it’s up to him if he wants to keep going or not.] 

[mike-tso]

[Mike crushes his eyes shut and presses his cheeks against Darcy's head, still holding back tears because he doesn't want to break down. He has probably a good reason to, but he doesn't want to. Maybe it's because a part of him is reluctant to because the last person he broke down in front of a person he considered his closest friend in this group and knew the most about him before he found this group was captured and now just... gone forever and there's a lingering fear that Darcy just mind wind up falling in the same category as Charlie. And it's a difficult topic to even broach. Last time he did he didn't go into detail and it broke him.] Do you... do you still want to know the names? I mean, they're kind a lot and I don't got any paper on me... Or maybe, I dunno we can just stay like this for a bit and do it later..

[darcy-reynolds]

[Darcy can feel the slight wetness at the top of her head, but the only reason it bothers her is because it means Mike is crying. She’s glad, though, that it’s here with her and that he’s not by himself, and the thought has her wrapping her other hand around both of theirs so he knows he isn’t alone. He asks if she’s sure, and Darcy nods seriously. It doesn’t register that this is the story she’d asked for, but however many names he gives her Darcy is willing to commit them all to memory. She scoots over so her shoulder is pressed against his, trying to offer as much comfort as she can, and then she answers quietly.] I’m sure. But only if you want to. [She wants to help him, and if talking about the people he’s lost is going to make things worse, Darcy isn’t going to push.]

[mike-tso]

[Mike lets out a breath before pressing his face into Darcy's hair for a moment and crushing his eyes shut before opening them again.] I dunno. I mean, I promised you so... [And Darcy is one of his friends. It's just one hell of a time to do it because now, as much as he hates to think about it, he has to add Charlie and Kimi to that list of names and faces he's got in my head.] Before, I met up with these guys, I was apart of another group... Me and my roomies started it up. We had 46 people tops... And I'm all that's left of them.

[holly--hill]

{Holly can feel his palms start to sweat but doesn’t let go. If anything, it looks like he needs it more now. Her other hand moves to wrap around joined fingers. She can feel Mike tightening his grip, but his hand doesn’t’ hurt more than Kimi’s death does.} I-I don’t know the whole story… They were in Thomas’s car when we left, but they w-weren’t there when w-we got here. {Holly sniffs once more, turning her head to the side and closing her eyes in order to squeeze away the tears.}

[mike-tso]

[The words echo through his mind and immediately his mind starts thinking of the worst possible scenarios he can think of given the situation. And suddenly, he's putting Charlie's and Kimi's bodies and names alongside the number of bodies he had to leave behind in Harrisburg. All of his fallen friends. It knocks the wind out of him and without thinking, Mike slowly sinks downwards and sits on the edge of the trunk of Holly's car and lets go of her hand as he stares at the ground in shock.] 

[darcy-reynolds]

[The pain in Mike’s voice is clear as day, and it’s enough to make the tears start spilling down Darcy’s face again, as much for the two girls they’ve lost as for her friend’s pain. She squeezes his hand as tight as she can and leans over to press her forehead against his shoulder, unsure if the action is more for him or for her. Briefly she thinks it would be easier not to care about anyone, but that’s not a kind of life she thinks is worth living. She nods against his shoulder before she raises her head to look at him once more, and then she nods again so he can see. For a few seconds she just looks at him, at the pain on his face that reflects her own but can only be that much worse, and then she speaks quietly.] You can tell me them, if you want. I could write about them. Or just write their names. Or just keep them up here. [She taps the side of her head.] And I’ll never forget them, either. [It’s an offer to help him, to help carry the burden of remembering the people he cares about, and while it’s not the same as him holding those names close it’s the most she can do for him.]

[mike-tso]

[When Darcy presses her head against his shoulder, he follows her actions and leans his head against hers. A few tears fall from his eyes and into her hair, but he can't bring himself to apologize for it right now because the words get caught in his throat. Still he doesn't start sobbing, he hangs onto his composure and Darcy's hands because as much as he hates to think about it, Darcy could be next. She could be the next name on the list that kept in his mind or people he lost and whose memories he'd keep alive within him.] You sure? [He asks quietly a sad little laugh escaping his lips. He knows he promised she'd tell Darcy his story but he didn't think it'd be now.] I mean, there are kinda a lot of names...

[darcy-reynolds]

[Darcy can practically see the slightly calm composure he’s put up crumbling as Mike answers her question, and it makes her own eyes pool with tears once again. She nods in understanding, and it isn’t the first time she’s thought that it isn’t fair. It isn’t fair that people like Kimi and Charlie could just be gone, that she’ll never get to sing and dance with Kimi like an idiot or tease her about a weird dude liking her, or that Mike has lost two friends in a single day and there’s nothing they can do about it. The laugh he lets out is hard to hear, and she looks at him with wide eyes, trying to imagine just how many people her friend has lost. The only losses Darcy can remember have happened since she joined the group, and this is the first that has hit her on a personal level. The first time she’s lost a friend, and she can’t imagine having to deal with this feeling more than once. But that’s the world they’re living in, and she nods, keeping her eyes on Mike as she speaks up quietly.] I’m sorry, Mike. [She pauses, giving his hand another squeeze before she continues,] But that’s good, though. It means they mattered. And we’re never, ever gonna forget them.

[mike-tso]

Nothing to be sorry about... this shit happens all the time... [He means to say it somewhat casually, but the pain in his voice is clear as day. It's because he's thinking about Kimi and Charlie and every single one of the people and friends he lost in his college town before he found this group. There's a part of him that wishes that he didn't feel a god damn thing about it, but that's not Mike. He always cared and always would. He didn't give a shit if people saw that capacity to care as some form of a weakness either. He finds himself nodding at his words, sniffling as the tears still threaten to spill over as flashes of what could have happened to Kimi and Charlie flash through his mind alongside all the deaths of his past group go through his mind.] Nope. We won't. If anything we're gonna keep their memory alive by living and remembering them along with the rest of the names I got. Even if it hurts... [He says, his voice straining as a list of names from his old group starts running through his head. Maybe that's why he's the only survivor of his old group, to carry on their memories or something.] 

[darcy-reynolds]

[Darcy doesn’t look up when she hears footsteps approaching, and it’s not until the person sits down beside her that she looks up. As soon as she sees Mike, Darcy’s own pain at the loss of a friend, her own fear that something could happen to him next, all takes a backseat. She’d been around long enough to know he was friends with both of the girls who were gone now, and it didn’t matter much just how close they were. He’d lost two friends today, and that was more than anyone should have to deal with. Darcy sniffs, wiping her eyes with one hand and reaching out with the other to take his, giving it a gentle squeeze.] Hey, Mr. Fox. [Her voice comes out thick and quiet, and she doesn’t try to smile at him because she isn’t feeling it and she’s sure he isn’t, either.] How ya holding up?

[mike-tso]

I... uh... [Mike stammers, he thinks he's got a good handle on his composure until Darcy places a hand on his. He welcomes it, but at the same time it does make that outer protective exterior he's feebly put up crack.] I uh... I could be a lot better. You know? [He says, honestly as his eyes start sting with the tears that threaten to spill over because he just wants them back. He wanted to just find Kimi and talk to her or even dance with her like a moron just like back at the motel or just find Charlie and talk to her and joke with her and maybe try to lift her spirits with some shitty ass joke that he came up with. He wants all his friends from Harrisburg back. He squeezes her hand and runs his free hand through his hair and lets out a pained laugh.] You think by this point in the game you'd get used to losin' people, but you don't... you really don't....

[holly--hill]

{Even with the lack of light in the parking lot, she can see by the moonlight how Mike’s skin pales. She can’t say it’s uncalled for nor that it’s an exaggeration. Kimi and Charlie are dead, and that merits for a whole lot more a of reaction than he’s giving right now. Holly doesn’t blame him. If anything, he must not believe it yet. The blonde hasn’t been near the back of the convoy, but the look on Thomas’s face told no lies. However, telling the news to Mike made the tragedy even more real, to the point where she has to cover up her mouth to hide that sob that wrecks her throat as it escapes her. she can only nod to reaffirm what she had just said.}

[mike-tso]

[Mike's skin goes clammy and his palms feel like they're starting to sweat, probably making this uncomfortable for Holly, but he doesn't let go. Mike's dealt with death before- his last group was taken, most of them hunted down like animals, but by no means does that make him okay with death or really used to it to the point where it doesn't effect him. It was a difficult thing to deal with regardless. Especially if it's Kimi and Charlie. Mike tightens his grip on Holly's hands as he struggles to find his voice again.] Wait... like... what do you mean gone? Were they like separated or were they...? 

[holly--hill]

{Holly glances over when she hears her name being called. The blonde wipes the undersides of her puffy red eyes with her sleeve, though the motion is mostly uselss. She doubts she’ll stop crying for more than a few minutes at a time. However, it’s obvious Mike doesn’t even know. The man had been helping the two women with meals, he’d been there while they worked and talked and joked and now that would never happen again. Holly takes a couple of steps forward before grabbing Mike’s hand. If she knows anything about giving bad news is that he’ll need the comfort.} Mike… Kimi and Charlie… They were the ones that took care of the horde that attacked the back of the caravan. They’re gone.

[mike-tso]

[The second that Holly takes his hand, Mike feels his face paling and his heart racing as his anxiety shoots through the roof. It reminds him what this one person did back in his other group, how a woman would take someone's hand just before she delivered the news that they lost someone. Who did they lose? Oh god. Only a few seconds tick but they feel like eternity and it's killing him. And that's when she says it. Charlie and Kimi. Mike feels his heart drop to his feet and shatter the moment she says 'they're gone'. He hears the words echoing all throughout his mind, but it's difficult to process. Kimi's gentle and often the gentle people are the first to go, but he didn't want her to and he's certain that anyone that met her would feel the same way. He just wants to turn around and see her heading over and telling them to c'mon because they had to get dinner ready, but they won't see that. And Charlie... Charlie had been one of his best friends. They had just gotten her back and now... she was gone. Holly said it, but he's having a hard time processing it.] I... they're... they're gone...?

[darcy-reynolds]

[It feels like the world is laughing at them, letting them make it through all that was waiting at the prison only to lose two people to a surprise attack a couple of weeks later. One of whom they’d just brought home, and another among Darcy’s favorite people here. It’s the first friend Darcy’s lost, at least the first she can remember, and she doesn’t try to hide her tears as she sits huddled in on herself in a vom at the back of the theatre, as far from everyone as she can get without actually venturing outside.

Kimi was sweet, and gentle, and kind, and funny, and she didn’t deserve to be dead. Neither did the red-headed girl, and it occurs to Darcy that she doesn’t have either of their pictures. Nothing to show the world that they’d existed, and it’s like she’s failed them both. Them and those who cared about them, and she swallows back a sob because this isn’t going to be the last time she loses someone she cares about. Unless it’s her who goes first, and maybe that’s what she wants. Maybe it would be easier that way.]

[mike-tso]

[He finally had heard. Kimi and Charlie were now gone. Kimi who was so gentle and so kind and who he had helped stitch up her finger just before the prison raid. The conversation about how she missed her family, how they were so close to Florida and talking about how it's not stupid to wonder if they're okay or even alive, her gentle smile and bright disposition, they were never going to see again. And Charlie. feisty, Charlie who shared the same powers as him, who when the two get together could do the most amazing things with their powers. The only girl here that new about what he had went through before he found the group and didn't judge him when he went into shock at Quantico and broke down in her arms. But beyond that, she was his best friend. And now she was gone. It's a heavy blow and he knows he should be doing something, but all he wants to do is sit down. So the second that he sees Darcy he heads over and sits by her side because there's a real fear that she'll be next. But then again, that's who the world is. Anyone could go at any minute.]

[holly--hill]

{It hadn’t taken long after the move for Holly to realize that she wasn’t going to find Kimi that evening. She’s not quite sure who had told her the girl had been bitten, if only because everything that had happened after that had just blurred into one big mess of tears. She had calmed down a bit since then, but the moment she sees the amount of vegetables in her trunk, she leans against her truck and starts to sniff once more. Perhaps the blonde shouldn’t be out here alone, but if she’s going to start crying again, it won’t be in front of the rest of the group.}

[mike-tso]

[Mike had been running around all day. Kris was better but he didn't feel right letting her drive her car so this time around he took the wheel and Kris sat in the back with the others sat in the back. When they arrived he had heard whispers of what had happened, that something horrible went down, but no one was giving him details and that was infuriating. It's starting to get late and around the time to start helping Kimi and Holly with dinner so he heads out searching for the two women. Kimi's nowhere to be seen, but eventually he finds Holly. He quickly heads on over to her, but stops when he hears her sniffle.] Holly... Holly, what's wrong?

[charlie-hall]

{Mike sits beside Charlie and she doesn’t question it, or even mind. He’s just a friendly presence beside her, reminding her of a simple happiness, of hope that they could survive in this new world as long as they pushed on and kept fighting. But that prison cell had robbed her of that light, that small, flickering candle that she had refused to let be blown out. But if it isn’t out completely yet, it’s a dying flame. Hope is just a dying flame and maybe Jessica had been right, that they’re just putting off the inevitable.

When his hand falls upon her shoulder, Charlie can’t help her initial reaction, that quick inhalation of air as she shrinks away from his touch. She hadn’t been watching him carefully to see the movement and it had caught her off guard. She instantly tries to right herself, blinking furiously at the bits of grass she can make out below her in the darkness.} Sorry, sorry.

[mike-tso]

[Mike meant no harm by the simple action, but the second Charlie recoils he wants to smack himself in the head. She's been through hell for the past month and to think that he could easily be this familiar with her or even just do something like putting a hand on her shoulder was just stupid on his part. He was careful in his approach, to make sure he could startle her or anything, but the second he was sitting beside her he forgot that. Mike instantly scoots back and pulls his hand back giving her the space that she needs.] No, no, no, I'm the one who should be apologizing. [He says quickly.] I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry Charlie. 

[harmony-or-melody]

A lot. [That’s all Harmony can tell him, and she’s not sure how long passes between his asking and her giving an answer. This is more than anything she and Melody have ever dealt with before, and it takes all of her focus to keep slowly willing the bleeding to stop. There’s a lot of it, and that doesn’t even include the outer injuries, the way her skin looks as if it was shredded to pieces. Already Harmony can feel her energy fading, but she grits her teeth and remains focused on what she’s doing. This is what she’s here for, and she can rest when Kris is healed. She’s not sure how long she works, but suddenly she’s leaning back on her ankles, her arms trembling slightly, and she mutters softly under her breath, asking the Lord to help her heal this woman. And then Melody is there, if only as a vague presence, answering her unspoken call for help because she isn’t sure she can do this all on her own. They continue to pour their combined energy into the group’s leader, working until they can’t find anything else wrong on the inside. And then they move to the outside, closing up the wound as best they can until their concentration breaks, their glow dimming and their breathing heavy as they slump forward slightly. Carefully they pull their hands back and examine the woman’s middle, trying to ascertain what more may need to be done.] She may still need stitches. [They comment softly, though they place their hands on Kris’s torso once more and try to find the energy to stitch her skin together a little more.]

[mike-tso]

[Mike wants to help, but this isn't want he's meant to do, he can't heal, the most he can do is slap on bandages, stitch small things up and watch to make sure nothing gets infected. He couldn't heal things like people with white marks could and so it leaves him standing by helplessly as he watches Melody work. He watches as Kris's tosses her head side to side as she works through the pain and tries to do all she can to continue breathing. At first it's a struggle, but soon her movements slow and cease and she even begins to breathe a little by easier the longer Melody keeps at it. He's seen people with white marks work before, but it's all been from a distance and frankly he's amazed by what she's able to to. For a good few moments he thinks that Melody's about to fall over with the way her arms tremble as she works to heal Kris's internal injuries. Part of him wants to tell her to stop before she passes out, but at the same time... if she doesn't continue Kris might die in just a matter of minutes. He remains silent until Melody speaks again. He looks up at her face and shakes his head. She's taken care of the inside and that should be more than enough.] Dude, [Mike says, reaching out and gently placing a hand on her wrist to stop her.] I think if you do anymore, you're gonna pass out.