These Miserable Things

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

underaforeignmoon:

misfit-magic:

Maggie understood perfectly. She triumphantly dropped Venka’s food off beside the couch before looking around the apartment for their translator, who was no where in sight. Maggie’s eyebrows drew together in concern and a small whine escaped her as she set aside her own groceries to poke around the apartment.

Venka took a moment to glance into the bags, gratitude already blossoming in their chest. Just a few hours ago they had been panicked and half-convinced they’d end up in a dangerous situation, and now here they were, safe and fed in a fellow wolf’s den.

It would take a long time to repay Maggie for all her kindness. Venka got a start on it when they noticed Maggie looking around–presumably for Lee. “Hey, kiroptedro, your roommate’s looking for you,” they called out, hoping it would prompt Lee to reappear.

After a moment the window to the fire escape slid open. Lee had taken herself outside in another futile attempt to get away from Venka’s snoring without leaving them completely on their own, and to play violin without waking them.

“What?” she asked out loud, and set her violin across her lap so she could sign it as well.

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

Venka dozed more than slept, but it was sorely needed nonetheless. They did, however, snore. Loudly. Like gravel in a rock tumbler.

They didn’t properly wake up until Maggie returned, and even then it was mostly to offer a tired wave to their new friend and reassure themself that they were still welcome.

As tempted as she was to blast music to try to drown out their snores, Lee dug a pair of headphones out of her closet instead. It wasn’t much help, thanks to her enhanced hearing, but she could pretend it was well enough that she didn’t murder Venka before Maggie got back.

Maggie returned from the Ralph’s as quickly as she could with her own last minute ‘camping’ supplies and three bags full of any soft food she could think of for Venka. She offered them a bright smile as she came in the door, proudly displaying the armful of groceries she’d found for them.

Maggie’s kindness melted all of Venka’s earlier grumpiness. They struggled to sit up, in order to offer a grateful smile–a wolf smile at that, all in the eyes and the shoulders and the softness around their edges.

#underaforeignmoon #thread: moon time #muse: maggie

Maggie understood perfectly. She triumphantly dropped Venka’s food off beside the couch before looking around the apartment for their translator, who was no where in sight. Maggie’s eyebrows drew together in concern and a small whine escaped her as she set aside her own groceries to poke around the apartment.

misfit-magic:

behindthemidnightsun:

All the color drained from Delia’s face. Some part of her wanted to make sure Lee would be okay, but her earlier anxiety was flooding back and all she wanted to do was go home.

After a moment’s hesitation, she typed another message for Maggie to read: “Can you keep an eye on her? I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stick around.”

Maggie read over Delia’s message, confused. She nodded in response to the first question and signed, “Why?” to the second.

“Well someone say something,” Lee called from the kitchen. “I feel like a crazy person, talking to herself here.”

Delia ignored Lee’s question in order to try to answer… whatever it was Maggie wanted to know. It didn’t take too long to hazard a guess, and she typed out her answer with shaking hands: “I got attacked a couple weeks ago, and Lee’s over there making jokes that are making my anxiety flare up. Not a great combination.”

#the flats #behindthemidnightsun #muse: maggie

Maggie frowned as she read Delia’s message, then turned a scowl across the room at Lee, carelessly preparing herself yet another drink. She still wasn’t totally sure what the story was—and she knew she’d never get it from Lee—but unlike some of the monsters in this apartment, she actually cared about people other than herself.

She nodded at Delia, then toward the door and signed, “Go, I’ll talk to her.”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

“Something you’ve apparently never heard of,” was Venka’s terse answer. “Fun.”

“Ha, ha,” Lee replied sarcastically, but left it at that so Venka could finally sleep.

Venka dozed more than slept, but it was sorely needed nonetheless. They did, however, snore. Loudly. Like gravel in a rock tumbler.

They didn’t properly wake up until Maggie returned, and even then it was mostly to offer a tired wave to their new friend and reassure themself that they were still welcome.

#underaforeignmoon #muse: lee #thread: moon time #muse: maggie

As tempted as she was to blast music to try to drown out their snores, Lee dug a pair of headphones out of her closet instead. It wasn’t much help, thanks to her enhanced hearing, but she could pretend it was well enough that she didn’t murder Venka before Maggie got back.

Maggie returned from the Ralph’s as quickly as she could with her own last minute ‘camping’ supplies and an three bags full of any soft food she could think of for Venka. She offered them a bright smile as she came in the door, proudly displaying the armful of groceries she’d found for them.

misfit-magic:

behindthemidnightsun:

“Might give your roommate a heart attack,” was the only response Delia could come up with. She glanced anxiously at Maggie, hoping for some sign that she had this situation under control.

Maggie looked just as worried and confused as Delia, perhaps even more so, since Lee stopped signing while she was on the counter.

“Then I’ll go for the record,” Lee declared bitterly. “How many more people can I kill today?”

All the color drained from Delia’s face. Some part of her wanted to make sure Lee would be okay, but her earlier anxiety was flooding back and all she wanted to do was go home.

After a moment’s hesitation, she typed another message for Maggie to read: “Can you keep an eye on her? I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stick around.”

#behindthemidnightsun #muse: lee #muse: maggie #the flats

Maggie read over Delia’s message, confused. She nodded in response to the first question and signed, “Why?” to the second.

“Well someone say something,” Lee called from the kitchen. “I feel like a crazy person, talking to herself here.”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

“Most people don’t actually want to see other people impaled,” Venka growled.

Lee scoffed and took a sip of her drink. “Then what’s the point?”

“Something you’ve apparently never heard of,” was Venka’s terse answer. “Fun.”

“Ha, ha,” Lee replied sarcastically, but left it at that so Venka could finally sleep.

misfit-magic:

behindthemidnightsun:

Caught between a stranger–which made her anxious–and her lack of voice to easily answer Lee, Delia was at a loss for what to do. She fumbled with her phone, managing a quick response: “No, I’m okay. Are you sure you should be doing that?”

“Doing what?” Lee wanted to know, finally giving up and attempting to climb up onto the counter. “I can have another drink. It’s not like it’s gonna kill me.”

“Might give your roommate a heart attack,” was the only response Delia could come up with. She glanced anxiously at Maggie, hoping for some sign that she had this situation under control.

#the flats #muse: lee #muse: maggie #behindthemidnightsun

Maggie looked just as worried and confused as Delia, perhaps even more so, since Lee stopped signing while she was on the counter.

“Then I’ll go for the record,” Lee declared bitterly. “How many more people can I kill today?”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

Part of Venka wanted to ignore Lee in favor of sleep. The rest of Venka was made up of pride, and it would not stand for this. “To throw knives at a person in a spinning wheel and narrowly miss.”

“Ooh, so much better,” she replied sarcastically. “It’s like being bad at missing too.”

“Most people don’t actually want to see other people impaled,” Venka growled.

Lee scoffed and took a sip of her drink. “Then what’s the point?”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

Under normal circumstances, this information would never have left Venka’s lips, especially not to Lee of all people. But their head was in a miserable fog, and they were tired, and they distantly heard themself saying, “Last job was in a traveling circus.”

Lee couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “Oh my G—” She choked on the last word, still laughing, and had to grab hold of the counter to keep herself upright. “No fucking way.”

Not quite processing Lee’s reaction, Venka muttered, “So don’t fucking question my aim again.”

Lee only kept laughing. “People seriously paid to watch you throw knives at someone and miss?”

Part of Venka wanted to ignore Lee in favor of sleep. The rest of Venka was made up of pride, and it would not stand for this. “To throw knives at a person in a spinning wheel and narrowly miss.”

“Ooh, so much better,” she replied sarcastically. “It’s like being bad at missing too.”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

Under normal circumstances, this information would never have left Venka’s lips, especially not to Lee of all people. But their head was in a miserable fog, and they were tired, and they distantly heard themself saying, “Last job was in a traveling circus.”

Lee couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “Oh my G—” She choked on the last word, still laughing, and had to grab hold of the counter to keep herself upright. “No fucking way.”

Not quite processing Lee’s reaction, Venka muttered, “So don’t fucking question my aim again.”

#thread: moon time #underaforeignmoon #muse: lee

Lee only kept laughing. “People seriously paid to watch you throw knives at someone and miss?”

misfit-magic:

behindthemidnightsun:

Delia watched Maggie’s signs with clear incomprehension. Still, she should probably try to explain, so she typed out a message onto her phone and stepped gingerly into the apartment to hand it over for Maggie to read: “Found her drinking alone and being sad. Something about getting legally declared undead. Thought I should get her home safely.”

It was Maggie’s turn to be confused, tilting her head as she read over Delia’s message. “Thank you,” she signed, and glanced back at Lee, who had made her way to the kitchen.

“Do you want a drink?” Lee called back to Delia, balanced unsteadily on her toes as she tried to reach a glass at the back of the cabinet.

Caught between a stranger–which made her anxious–and her lack of voice to easily answer Lee, Delia was at a loss for what to do. She fumbled with her phone, managing a quick response: “No, I’m okay. Are you sure you should be doing that?”

#the flats #behindthemidnightsun #muse: Lee

“Doing what?” Lee wanted to know, finally giving up and attempting to climb up onto the counter. “I can have another drink. It’s not like it’s gonna kill me.”

behindthemidnightsun:

misfit-magic:

“I’m fine,” Lee growled again, crashing into a wall on her way inside.

Maggie whimpered as she watched Lee stumble through the apartment, and turned back to Delia with wide, worried eyes to sign, “What happened?”

Delia watched Maggie’s signs with clear incomprehension. Still, she should probably try to explain, so she typed out a message onto her phone and stepped gingerly into the apartment to hand it over for Maggie to read: “Found her drinking alone and being sad. Something about getting legally declared undead. Thought I should get her home safely.”

It was Maggie’s turn to be confused, tilting her head as she read over Delia’s message. “Thank you,” she signed, and glanced back at Lee, who had made her way to the kitchen.

“Do you want a drink?” Lee called back to Delia, balanced unsteadily on her toes as she tried to reach a glass at the back of the cabinet.

#behindthemidnightsun #muse: lee #muse: maggie #the flats

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

“Missing’s the whole point, kiroptedro,” Venka grumbled, settling back down. “Can’t keep an assistant if you hit them.”

Lee took a moment to concentrate on not spilling any blood while she poured it into a glass. “Assistant?” she repeated with a surprised laugh.

Under normal circumstances, this information would never have left Venka’s lips, especially not to Lee of all people. But their head was in a miserable fog, and they were tired, and they distantly heard themself saying, “Last job was in a traveling circus.”

#thread: moon time #underaforeignmoon #muse: lee

Lee couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her. “Oh my G—” She choked on the last word, still laughing, and had to grab hold of the counter to keep herself upright. “No fucking way.”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon

misfit-magic:

underaforeignmoon:

“Hey now.” Venka’s bones creaked as they pushed themself up enough to glare after Lee. “My aim is professional.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenged. “Next time you throw a knife at me then, don’t fucking miss.”

“Missing’s the whole point, kiroptedro,” Venka grumbled, settling back down. “Can’t keep an assistant if you hit them.”

Lee took a moment to concentrate on not spilling any blood while she poured it into a glass. “Assistant?” she repeated with a surprised laugh.

#behindthemidnightsun #muse: lee #muse: maggie #the flats

behindthemidnightsun:

misfit-magic:

Her roommate’s eyes widened in alarm as Lee tumbled into view, and she hurried to her feet, couch creaking as she did.

“Sit down,” Lee mumbled and signed, untangling herself from Delia. Her roommate froze, hovering uncertainly where she stood and looking worriedly between Lee and Delia. “I’m fine.”

Even if Delia didn’t know any signed languages, she could at least recognize when one was in use. She glanced at the roommate, then pointed at Lee and mimed drinking from a glass, hoping to explain why Lee was so unsteady.

Then she backed away from the door, hesitated, and typed into her phone: “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

“I’m fine,” Lee growled again, crashing into a wall on her way inside.

Maggie whimpered as she watched Lee stumble through the apartment, and turned back to Delia with wide, worried eyes to sign, “What happened?”

“There is no calm! Don’t tell me to be calm!” [underaforeignmoon]

Potential Panic Starters

“Okay,” Lee replied, putting her hands up. “But like, seriously, calm down. What’s the big deal?”@underaforeignmoon