sabrina knew that her life was going at warp speed. it was something that had been happening for the past year. a lot of things that were unexpected had happened. the biggest unexpected thing in her life? that was her fiancee pedro and she still almost couldn't believe he had asked her to marry him. the trip to california was going to be a bit of a quick one. she knew that he had promo to do but they also wanted to take care of a few other things. plus? he had suggested a trip to disneyland and she was all for it.
she knew that pedro had contacted his team to make the arrangements. she knew that there was no way they could go to disney without making them. the attention either one of them could attract would be like a mad house. she was excited but also nervous since she knew his nephews, pedro & bruno were going to be coming with them. she hoped that they liked her but she'd understand if they found it strange. that was why she had possibly been dragging that morning.
the blonde realized that it was silly once they had shown up at the park. they had a guide which she had been expecting. she had asked to be taken to one of the shops in order to find some ears for them. she was a bit nervous about which ones to pick but ended up stumbling upon the empire strikes back: 45th anniversary ones. she had noticed how the cashier seemed to be unable to stop themselves from staring. she had given them a smile and thanked them before she was led out the back. sometimes she still felt strange about the way that things had to be but she knew it was about safety.
she was glancing around as she was led "backstage" and made some small talk with her escort. the blonde knew that a lot of people were surprised whenever she was dressed more casually. for the day, she had chosen a cropped white t-shirt, jean shorts and some sneakers. she had almost left the ring at home but she couldn't bare it not being on her finger. the blonde was practically bouncing on her feet as neared pedro," i told you i wouldn't take that long and wasn't i right?" @pedrcpasccl
it had been a whirlwind for the past few days. sydney hadn't been sure what she had been expecting. though the blow up with her dad was something that she should have seen coming. especially since she knew how he felt about what she did for work. she had thought that she would be heading back to LA but glen had insisted she come with him to london. she had the feeling that he was worried, given everything that had happened. it was just a relief for her that both her family and his knew. she still felt such relief that glen's family was happy and excited about the news. she couldn't remember the last time she had slept so much or so deeply. traveling had already become a bit much for her and she knew it would only get worse.
she found herself finally climbing from the bed and realized that more than half the day was gone. she knew that glen had been needed on set but had no idea what time he'd be back. she was surprised when she stepped out to see that he was actually there," i thought you were going to be gone all day," she admitted, yawning," don't tell me you stuck around because you were worried." she knew that he had already taken a small break from production for her but she didn't want him to keep doing it if he didn't have to. @glenpcwcll
[Silent in the night, each animal takes up the baton from the last to move along with their newest stranger; watches to see just where this guy is going, with his wandering eyes and wary expressions the same as they were the previous visit. He looks even colder this go around, shuddering with his whole being. Tucked into an arm half wrapped around himself as he trudges onward, flashlight in the opposite hand tightly gripped like a lifeline. Each of his steps breaks the surface of the snow to pack it down with an audible crunch, making him easier still to trail behind just out of sight. A dark mouse, from beneath the bare branches of a bush now, sizes him up as he shuffles his boots on by. Figuring him to be around Cordial's height, perhaps an inch or two taller and with only a smidge more heft to his gait.]
[Judging him, on instinct, to be a fight it could possibly WIN.]
[A fight that won't be picked without necessity, nonetheless. It's been almost two hours now, their guest sighing heavily as he paces to the nearest tree and slumps his back against it. Sliding downward, looking all at once like he can go on no longer. Taking a rest break, perhaps? He pulls his knees to his chest and groans dramatically into them, digging his fingers into whichever fabrics they find. Bunching it all up, flashlight left abandoned between his feet and pointed off into the distance ahead-- trailing light across the snow to illuminate the underbrush. And then, thinking it to no-one else, he begins to fully talk to himself. His voice is quiet and frazzled at first, coming breathy. He shakes, but not with the shivers.]
❔️" What am I gonna dooo, I... shit, what if this doesn't work after all-- "
[His breath hitches, causing him to cough a bit. The sound is muffled, but undeniably followed by a despairing whine. Suited to the nasally quality of his voice.]
❔️" Just... Just calm down and think...! "
[Allowing himself a second to fall apart a little, but then squeezing the pieces back into place as he hugs his legs tighter into the fold of himself. From behind a nearby tree, a small black fox tilts its head to the side with intrigue as it peeks around the trunk. Confused, hearing those trembling, deep breaths as they rise and fall through. Despite being about Cordial's size, he looks so small sitting there alone in the snow. MAKES himself so small, warmer that way too. Suddenly... he doesn't seem like such a threat to be worried about. He just looks lost, and totally over all of this. (So then why keep coming back? What is he searching for?) For a long lapse, he stays this way. Showing no signs of planning to move, whether it be to press on or go back where he came from, he settles his nerves by shutting the whole forest and night sky out until he's ready to face them again. The fox moves silently once more, with cautiously measured steps. Easy but steady.]
[And when that time comes, he slowly raises his head and opens his eyes... which meet with a pair so bright red and near to him that it makes him startle back against the tree. Some snow shakes from a branch and falls over his head, down the back of his shirt and jacket, shocking a yelp from his throat. The fox which met his gaze likewise jumps back, lowering its head and flattening ears against its head. It stands there poised to bolt, spring-loaded, but does not flee right away.]
❔️" You can't be serious... "
[He blinks. The fox does not blink back, nor disappear like an illusion might. And so, almost surely at his own expense and wholly in disbelief, he begins to laugh. It's skittish, a helping bitter, and it fades out with no laugh in response to bounce off of. Eventually replaced with a shake of the head. The fox studies him all the while, strangely reassured by this.]
[He has pretty hair. Almost black, but it's blue. The fox takes a step closer again. Unlike a wild animal.]
❔️" Are you... friendly...? "
[Ever so slowly, hesitant as he may be... he holds out his hand. Swallows thickly, feeling his heart kick its beating up a notch. Unclear whether it responds to that question or the gesture extended, it takes another step. Then one more, and another, until a nose hovers close enough to sniff at that hand. Makes contact, sniffing even more fervently. Cordial had noticed this before, a peculiar scent. Human most of all, but there, as the fox follows its nose up the hand onto the sleeve of his coat... something else, something more, clinging so faintly to his clothes. Tenderly, the opposite hand lays flat atop the canine's head. Taking the opportunity presented by its distracted snuffling to pet it, presumably.]
[His coat smells just as freshly washed as the day before, and the fragrance of this particular detergent itself is almost too strong. But it doesn't quite fool a determined and sensitive nose pressed right into the fabric. It could swear that it smells--]
❔️" ... I'm sorry about this. "
[It smells nothing. In a split second of red hot pain, blinding white light and a sensation like a needle driven through the left eye, it looses an agonized shriek and ceases to be. Which is mirrored by a buck in the distance, as it staggers down. Calling out loudly and hoarsely before it, too, vanishes. In fact, the woods all around him empty in this manner. Not the forest entirely, but for a sizeable distance with him as the center point. Their throes are awful, cacophonous-- the man covers his ears with both hands, wincing against the consequences of his action. Wheezing softly, as he screws his eyes shut tightly again. The various cries give way to an even deeper silence, and the moonlight immediately grasps to touch all of the places it couldn't reach into before. An opportunistic feeder.]
[From beside Di, Cordial WAILS. Baring his teeth in a grit as his hands fly towards his face, so quick that he all but hits himself in it. Gripping at its head, the left side of its face, its posture crumples inwards; whimpering, panting, broken into a cold sweat as he drops onto his ass. It digs its heels in, scooting across the ground a short distance until it's backed against a wall of their cozy cave. Nothing but a scared, cornered animal. He doesn't hear Dianthus calling his name, and recoils with a snarl from his attempts to reach out and soothe. It lasts for only a minute or two before the feelings fade, but those minutes are filled to the brim with pain, confusion, fear, and a whirlwind of questions it can't answer because it's too pained and frantic to even speak properly. As Cordial comes out of it, he feels dizzy, exhausted, and out of breath. Leaning finally into Di's touch as he kneels beside with open arms, ready to catch it whenever it realized he wasn't a danger. He tries to explain what happened to Di, but he's not even sure he can say-- and the words come out disjointed. Does he KNOW what happened? It can't remember ever seeing a weapon, so what hurt it? That feeling was so sharp, so... bright, behind the eyes. What was that light?]
[He's supposed to feel the animals' pain. But they're not supposed to feel his. And they're certainly not supposed to feel eachother's.]
[Dianthus tries not only once, but twice to insist that he go try handling this himself-- but they both know that it's the ANGER talking, he'll never make it there in time, and Cordial is too clung to him for arguments when it begs him to stay. Insisting in return, once he's grounded enough to think and talk straight, that whoever this person is they seem to be leaving already. That it's better they not mess with it again tonight, and that no matter how much it HURT, it couldn't actually hurt him. Which Dianthus never seems to like, even when he's just trying to justify being reckless in good fun.]
[Taking his phone in hand, he dials a number he knows by heart. It only rings once before a velvety and deep voice answers. Amusement in their short greeting.]
[By the time Cordial is able to refocus on his whereabouts itself, the nefarious stranger has made it out of the forest entirely. Much faster than he ever made it in, suspiciously enough, and yet not nearly as fast as he flipped everything within those woods on its head. It's fortunate he didn't choose to continue towards the two of them, but. Whilst they spend the rest of the time it can stay awake reviewing the situation, planning for if or when he comes back, truthfully the only things Cordial can focus on are the severity of pain he'd felt... and the earnest sounding apology it had received before being dealt that pain unlike any other.]
❔️" Yeah, so... I did it, I... it's done. I'm coming back now. Yyyou guys owe me big time, I mean it... "
"Life's getting boring, Mena. Time to give me another tattoo." Ivy was not tatted by any means but did have a fair share here and there, a few from the bad & drunk decisions of their youth and some they'd drawn themselves. "I think it's time that I get a Merrock specific tattoo, actually. How about this, you beat me in this Bean Bag toss and I'll let you put ANY tattoo you want on me. Paint me like one of your French girls."
"you can go back to sleep. it's safe." - @slobbyseconds
( @slobbyseconds )
----------------------------
*[Slob's words come as a welcome interruption to a mind that races even while still being groggy with sleep. Thoughts that stumbled desperately in their running through his skull are slowed to a halt, a familiar voice reminding him where he is and who he's with. Remembering now that he must've been asleep. And it could've been anything, the abrupt sound which woke him from a comfortable slumber. It could've been nothing-- Phthalo knows that. Something being dropped, a door closing particularly loudly, the list of mundane explanations goes on.]
*[Didn't stop him from startling awake, instinctively reaching for the nearest consolation and snatching it close with a strained wheeze through his teeth. And of course, Slob was right there to gravitate towards. A bit sheepish, even quieter, as Phthalo ever so slowly loosens his death grip on the other skeleton's robe, shirt, and well... whole self, really.]
* " right... 'course it is. hhheh. "
*[He ALMOST apologizes outright, but. Instead there's a pause, grounding himself further... and he keeps phalanges hooked into fabric just a little, reluctant in that way. He probably shouldn't apologize if he isn't going to let go, huh? Phthalo's eyes slide shut again, encouraged with a heavy feeling that makes them hard to keep open any longer. He sighs softly, and the sound carries relief. Comfort and sleepiness, too.]
“What do you mean? Lord, what do you mean?” Brittany questioned again, gaping at their cat. But then there was a knock on the door and they had no more time to question Lord Tubbington further. “We are so talking about this later, mister.” There was a meow of agreement from Lady Tubbington, who was currently glaring at her boyfriend. Britt went to go answer the door, grinning at the Warbler and his pet once the door was open. “Greetings!”
They invited the two in and brought them toward the living area, half of which had a full interview set up. “You two can take the couch. Do you want anything to drink before we start?” They pointed toward the small table between both seating arrangements; couch for them and a single recliner for her. “I don't know if you've ever seen the show before or heard of it, Hunter. But we usually do fondue, i.e. the name being Fondue for Two.” There was a small fondue pot in the middle of the table, along with some 3-prong forks for dipping the assortment of vegetables surrounding the rest of the table’s surface. “You seemed like someone who eats healthy so.”
A girl popped up at Brittany’s side wearing a neck brace, carrying two lapel mics. “This is Celeste, my roommate and one of my elite employees. She’s going to mic you two up. Usually, she’ll do a little makeup too, but you two seem ready. Are you ready?”
What a night. Things were just getting better and better, if you asked him. The football team actually managed a win, with or without some extra help, who’s to say. Dottie was back in his arms, being extra clingy and his best friend was by his side. He even complimented Brett’s new look! He was sure his girlfriend would tell him something about it later, right now he knew she was just distracted by something on the other side of the room. That aside, Brett couldn't think of a way to make the night better. Mostly because he knew he was definitely going to be able to sell all of his product by the end of it, so he had no other reason to be worried tonight.
Sure, there was still lingering tension festering between the trio, which had only increased when Brett left them alone. He'd almost asked about it, but figured it was better not poke the cocaine bear. Especially since Jacob still refused to call his girlfriend by her actual name and then there was Dottie, who kept making digs at his friend’s lack of a date. He knew nothing was ever perfect though, c'est la vie.
Brett had learned long ago that sometimes you had to power through, even if you didn’t want to, but really it was no hardship for him to be between the two people he cared about most. He rocked back on his heels and gave them his brightest smile.
"So, do any of you want some punch? Sue is still hovering over it so it should be safe."
* " in my big ass bed-- after i'm done having some freaky sex in it, obviously. "
*[It comes so naturally and smoothly from him that it's certain to have been the first thought which came to mind. And that checks out, since Stray seems much more focused on playing games on the phone in his hand as he leans against the wall. Guess he has better things to be doing.]
* " ... was that supposed to be a tough question, or something? "
*[-- Doesn't stop him from looking SMUG. He can multitask, he's talented like that.]
