#longislandcharm

[recoveringdreamer]

@longislandcharm from here:

Tik Tok famous? What's your handle?

​Oh, not on purpose or anything! It just kind of happened, haha.

[user attaches the following screenshot of their tiktok page.]

[realmackross]

PARTIES: @longislandcharm; @realmackross TIMING: A day or so after the Prickly Pear Farms Fire SUMMARY: Mackenzie comes to tell Winter she's leaving Wicked's Rest and say goodbye. WARNINGS: None

It was hard. The decision wasn’t something she had come to lightly, but Mackenzie had needed it. She needed to leave. She needed to get out of Wicked’s Rest. Nothing but more tragedy had plagued her life since coming to the town. Sure, there had been a few good moments, but those were fleeting, and if she wanted to have a chance at surviving. At saving what humanity was already slipping away from her, then parting ways was the way to do it. At least for a little while, especially since there had been the chance to shoot a new movie in Australia. A chance to get her career kick-started again since it seemed as though the world had collectively stopped talking about Brody’s death.

However, leaving behind Sellama, her home, Monty and Kaden, her other friends, and most of all Winter, is what was going to be the hardest. But she was going to do it the right way this time. She was going to break the news to her best friend face-to-face. Letters probably for the other people in her life, but Winter had endured the last time Mackenzie had ran getting no explanation whatsoever, only to have a chance meeting with her in a drive-in parking lot of all places.

So, without hesitating anymore, she pushed the doorbell and waited quietly, a sad, but small smile perched on her face waiting for her best friend to answer the door.

—

Her hands shook as she stood in front of her marble countertops, Winter forgetting what she had been doing after her mind had trailed off. Thoughts of what happened at Monty’s farm would seep in now and again causing adrenaline, fear, or anxiety to start up. Most of the time it was all three. Add to that the lingering fear of Wyatt’s meltdown with her and she was feeling the whole ‘never go outside again’ thing that Mack had going for her. Still, she was proud of the fact that she had fought back this time no matter how many…casualties had come from it and she was once again hiding behind the ‘them or me’ mentality to make the guilt float away.

Hearing the doorbell, her head snapped up to look towards the foyer. She couldn’t remember expecting company, her heart starting to race as that thought hit her, so she was slow to react. First she had to calm her racing heart, shake the nerves off, and make sure her hands were steady. Her feet moved forward almost of their own volition but Winter made sure to check the cameras on her phone to see who it was before she was opening the door.

“Mack, what are you doing here? You could have called and saved me from a heart attack, you know?” The door was left open as she turned to walk back to the kitchen, finding it best to not let Mack’s gaze linger on her face for too long. She’d told her about what had happened at the farm and had assured the other that she was okay but Winter didn’t want to give any more reason for questions. “Do you need to borrow something from my closet again? Because I need to know where you’re going to warrant that. Fun is needed, please don’t leave me behind.”

—

Every part of Mackenzie’s being wanted to tell her to turn and run, and the longer it took for Winter to answer the door, the more tempted she was to just say ‘fuck it’ and flee. But before she could, she heard the sound of the door unlocking before seeing her friend, the person she hadn’t seen since the party, standing there looking worse for wear. For once, Mack looked more alive than Winter, and that was really saying something, “This kind of warranted an in person visit. Plus, I’ve never seen your house so…”

The taller of the two stepped through the threshold of the doorway and quietly shut the door behind her. What she had to say was already catching in her throat, but letting her eyes wander and take in her surroundings of a house she hadn’t spent time in gave her something to focus on and prolong the news. She followed Winter into the kitchen, “Uh, no. I mean, I am going somewhere, but it’s not really a day trip sort of thing.”

Coming around to face her best friend, Mackenzie knew it would be better if she looked the woman in the eye, “So…I’m…I’m leaving, Winter. I’m leaving Wicked’s Rest. I got a call from my agent about a movie opportunity, and I’m gonna take it. I-I can’t be here anymore. Not after all that’s happened. I still don’t know where Sellama is or if she even made it out. And this town has brought mostly nothing but heartache. But I thought you deserved to know in person this time.”

—

She stopped in her tracks, the hand holding her phone falling to her side when she turned to look at her best friend. Winter had to have heard wrong, right? But Mack kept going and confirmed that what she had heard had been correct. Her first instinct was to get angry, to be mad that Mack was abandoning her again, leaving her in a town that was most likely going to kill her sooner rather than later. She could feel herself bristling, gearing up for a fight.

But…didn’t Mack deserve to be happy? Hadn’t she been preaching to the blonde that she needed to let things go and start forgiving herself? How was she supposed to do that in a town that wouldn’t let her forget what she was with reminders littered all around her? 

Winter swallowed back the anger that had started inside of her, hoping that it would take with it the hurt that was bubbling up as well but that hope was futile. Tears pricked at her eyes, something she couldn’t allow Mack to see. It would make her feel bad, right? Nodding her head, she could only think of one thing to say. “Okay.” Then she turned on her heel to head towards the kitchen counter where she still couldn’t remember what she was doing before but at least the zombie couldn’t see her face. “When are you leaving?”

—

Mackenzie had expected all Hell to break loose. For tiny little bombs to drop from the ceiling booby trapping Mack in. For Henry to come possess her and hold her hostage, but it didn’t happen. Instead, all there was had been one word…okay. It somewhat stung, but it was also a relief. She was tired of fighting with people. Wicked’s Rest did that to you. Put a mental strain on you as well as the physical toll it often would take. But she could work with okay and the question that came afterwards, “It’s looking like this week. I’ve just got a few things to wrap up at home. Taylor’s flying out to meet me.”

Mackenzie shifted again. Moving so she could look Winter in the eye, and upon doing so, she could see the tears, “Is Winter Cahya crying?” The zombie couldn’t help but try and lighten the mood, despite seeing the battle scars from Winter’s fight at the farm. This town had taken so much of Mackenzie both literally and physically, and she hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t do the same to her best friend, “I’ll be back eventually. I mean it’s a job. It’s not like I’m selling my house. And hey, at least I’m not fleeing like before.” She had thought about it. Many times actually, “But just…take care of yourself, Winter. And if you need an escape, there’s a great big vast world out there. I’ll be somewhere in it. I’m not exactly sure where we’re shooting yet. I think Australia, but it could change.”

—

“Oh? Tell her I hate her and I hope she gets bitten by Jack.” She took in a breath after that, realizing her voice was betraying her by being wobbly. Why wouldn’t it work with her here? Mack deserved to do things that made her happy and she wouldn’t be the one to get in the way of that. Not that she could. When Winter’s friend made up her mind she was pretty adamant. “No.” The word was forced out, the medium looking down at the counter while she wiped the tears away as nonchalantly as she could. “Why would I be crying?”

Oh, maybe because she had taken her first life? Or maybe because the trauma of this town felt heavier knowing that her favorite person wouldn't be around to help her anymore? Or maybe, just maybe, because she would miss that favorite person more than anything? 

She lifted her head, tears still flowing despite her attempts to stop them. “Will you be back? Because who would come back to this?” Winter wasn’t even sure why she was staying here herself. She told herself she needed answers but she still hadn’t gotten any of those after being here a year. For a split second she considered dropping everything and leaving with Mack. She wanted to follow the girl again and again and keep her support at all times. But it wasn’t feasible. Besides, Australia was probably worse anyway. They had giant spiders and mean kangaroos after all. “You’re the one acting like we don’t have cell phones.” But she appreciated the sentiments. “Don’t let Taylor be in charge of your brains this time. She’s such a screw up, she’ll definitely cause a zombie attack. And stay away from kangaroos. Those little shits can be mean.”

—

Mackenzie could see Winter was at her breaking point. She could hear it in her voice, especially at the threats against Taylor. And there it was, the tears. But Mackenzie didn’t have it in her to cry. She had cried so much lately that her skin had dried out, hollowing out her cheekbones revealing just how dead she really was. It took chugging water and a little help from some cosmetics just to get them puffy again. She hated being a zombie. Fuck. “Because I’m leaving. Because you went through a big ordeal just a few days ago. Because you live in this town. Should I keep going or…”

Coming around to stand by Winter’s side, she looked down at her, “It’s okay, Winter. Really. And yeah. When I can, I’ll be back. You’re here. My girl, Sellama, is here. She's a survivor, and I haven’t heard otherwise, so I’m choosing to believe she’s safe. Monty and Kaden. Despite how shitty it’s been since coming here, I’ve made a life for myself. I don’t want to give that up. At least not yet. Besides, where else am I gonna go where people actually know and accept what I am?” Mackenzie laughed softly, “And you’re the one acting like we don’t have internet. I think your grandma house is turning you into a grandma. But I will keep an eye on my brain supply and the kangaroos. I don’t think they can hurt me any worse than that bitch, Jade. Which, keep an eye out for her. That heifer is crazy.”

It was weird. This conversation. The last time, when everything had happened, Mackenzie just fled into the night. No word home. No nothing. Just her and Taylor (and apparently Brody’s ghost) just making sure she was far enough away from everything. But today, she felt like she had grown as a person. She was having a mature conversation with her best friend, despite how hard it was and how much it hurt. And it was actually going well. Winter wasn’t trying to hold her hostage or yelling, “You’re gonna be okay, Winter. You’ve got people here who care about you too. And who knows…you may even find your one true love here.” She nudged her friend playfully, “You want a hug?”

—

“So? I don’t cry, Mackenzie.” She was still fighting it despite the evidence running down her cheeks. It didn’t matter, they both knew that she would be okay in the end, she just needed her damn eyes to get the hint. “I’m fine.” Winter’s hands went up to wipe away more of those traitorous bastards, trying to make it seem like her words were true. “I’m just…I’m going…” A sigh, and then she reached out and took Mack’s hand into her own. “I’m going to miss you, okay?”

Trying to forget that she had lumped Winter in with a llama, she focused on the words that Mack was saying. They made sense, they really did, but she couldn’t help but feel like there were a lot of ‘buts’ hanging in between. It was probably her own fears whispering that Mack would never come back, telling her that their phone calls would grow less and less each day until eventually they only called on special occasions. She didn’t want that to happen but for Mack’s sake she had to give it a shot. “Don’t call me a grandma, that’s so insulting. I already have the young ones around here thinking I’m too old.” Thanks Cass. Nodding her head again, squeezed the zombie’s hand. “I’m obligated to hate the bitch so don't worry. She’ll hear from me.” 

That might have been a bit of a fear as well. Who else cared? Charlie and her were fighting and who knew if that was going to stop and Finn would most definitely stick by his boyfriend’s side. Who else was there? She was the asshole who kept making enemies. It was a miracle her and Mack had made it to this point in their friendship. Still, she scoffed at the rest of her words. “Screw love. Who cares about that?” Without answering her friend Winter wrapped her arms around the girl’s middle, squeezing her as tightly as she could. It wasn’t her usual style, no, but if this was going to be the last time she saw her for a while then she would suck it up and give the girl a hug.

—

Mackenzie wanted to laugh, but she didn’t. It wasn’t often that she saw Winter let her guard down, and when she reached out and took the zombie’s hand, it was even more of a shock. Looking down at it, she could finally feel her own tears threatening to come out, but unlike when she was alive, it was a little harder now at times. How was she going to explain that one when she had to cry on cue… “I’m gonna miss you too. Maybe not the snark as much, but I am going to miss you. Just…stay out of trouble okay? That’s all I ask. Keep your comments in check. You’re not always gonna have a zombie around to eat the people threatening your life.”

The woman let go of her friend’s hand as she wiped at her own eyes and laughed at Winter’s comments about being called old and Jade. And while she had said she was going to miss the snark, deep down, she was going to miss her friend’s commentary. The way she would try to cheer Mackenzie up, when she was down. Winter was as boujee as they came, and the zombie was even going to miss that. But it wasn’t forever. At least she had hoped it wouldn’t be. And if she was being completely honest, she was afraid of what life was going to be like alone on the other side of the world with normal people. Was Wicked’s Rest an anomaly or were there other places out there that held the same kinds of creatures and people.

Feeling Winter wrap her arms around Mackenzie had been just what she had needed to release her own floodgate of tears, “Fuck, now I’m crying.” But without hesitating, she wrapped her arms around the shorter woman refusing to let go.

—

“We both know that’s not possible.” Because it wasn’t. Even when terrified, her big mouth always got her in even more trouble. It just wasn’t in Winter’s nature no matter how many times she yelled at herself to keep that tongue in check. “I’m walking trouble. It’s why we’re such good friends.” She pulled back just enough to look up at Mack’s face, smirking softly at the implication that they were one in the same. Because Mack could have a mouth too and they both knew it. 

“Good, I can’t be in this on my own. That would be embarrassing.” Not that it wasn’t already. She sniffed, burying her head against Mack as the woman held her in a death grip. “Alright, so when you try surfing I’m going to need pictures of you wiping out in the waves. And watch out for the stupid spiders. And the sand sharks…don’t ask.” After a moment, she stepped out of the other girl’s grip and Winter reached up to wipe those tears away again. She must have looked like a puffed up lobster at that point. “God, we look stupid. I need an eye mask, stat.” But she still stood there, not wanting to walk away and end their long goodbye. Because once it was over that was it, they would be reduced to phone conversations and video chat for the unforeseeable future.

—

Winter was right, and as much as Mackenzie didn’t want to think of her best friend being alone to face only God knew what by herself, she knew the woman could handle herself. They had gone for most of the year without talking, and somehow they were both still standing. But that didn’t make it any easier. Goodbyes were never easy. It hadn’t been easy fleeing into the night, and it wasn’t easy facing her partner-in-crime and having to part ways. But maybe it was for the best. Maybe they would both grow from it, “You are walking trouble. I remember that time we went to that bar on the Sunset Strip and that guy wouldn’t leave me alone. You pretty much ripped him a new one.” She laughed through the tears.

Mackenzie latched onto Winter a little tighter not wanting to let her go, “Uh, yeah, never gonna happen, but nice try. As for the spiders, maybe I’ll bring one back to you for a souvenir.” Mack had already faced a spider that was bigger than she was. Australia spiders probably had nothing on Wicked’s Rest. But sand sharks? She didn’t dare tempt that one. Losing one leg was already enough.

Feeling her heart break just a little as they separated, she was quickly cheered up by Winter’s request for an eye mask, “You’re so fucking spoiled, Winter. Don’t ever change.” Mackenzie wiped her own eyes, before letting out a soft sigh, “Well, I guess…I guess this is it. I’ve gotta go home and get packed up. It’s gonna be weird living in the future.” She laughed, a sadness now falling over her, “You’ll have to come visit. Get out of Wicked’s Rest…” Prolonging the reality of things felt right, but she also knew it couldn’t last forever, “I love you, Winter. Take care of yourself, and that ghost of yours.” She noticed Henry standing just in the other room and waved at him, before turning her attention back to her friend, “I guess I’ll see you in a couple of months.” She stammered kicking at the ground, not wanting to leave.

—

“He deserved it. I would have slapped him too if you hadn't dragged me away.” Her usual demeanor was starting to return as Winter wiped away the last of her tears. There was still a gruffness to her voice but she refused to let herself keep showing the weakness that came with losing Mack. “I’ll kill you again if you bring me a spider, BB. I’ve got experience now.” Nodding matter of factly she tried not to show how much that statement bothered her. Mack needed to go and enjoy her life as much as she could, she didn’t need to worry about the medium while she did that. There was nothing she could do from across an ocean anyway.

“Oh, they can pry my eye masks from my cold dead fingers. Trust me, that will never change.” She would have laughed if she wasn’t so damn serious, Winter knowing damn well that those eye masks saved her sanity on more than one occasion. But those thoughts drifted while the weight of the whole situation started to press in on her as Mack started to say her last goodbyes. Winter’s eyes were watering again but she wouldn’t let them fall, not this time. “I love you too, Mackenzie. So much, you have no idea.” 

It hurt like hell waiting for her to open that door…and waiting…and waiting. After too long of a beat, Winter finally laughed while shaking her head. “Leaving requires you to walk out the door, babe.” As much as she didn’t want to, she knew that it had to come sometime and she really didn’t want to keep crying all night. It was already embarrassing enough, especially now that Henry was witnessing it. She opened the door, let Mack pass through while rubbing her back gently, and then stood in the doorway as she watched the girl get into her car.

“Come back to me in one piece, please.”

[zombiebabysitter]

@longislandcharm replied to your post “[pm] You're psycho friend strikes again. He really...”:

[pm] If Wyatt is the guy who attacked that girl in the street and can turn into an alligator, then yes. I need some information from you.

​[pm] [....] Fuck. Yeah, alright.

[mortemoppetere]

@longislandcharm from here:

So much goes into it though? Style, fabric, how well it's made, comfort, color schemes? Do you not take any of this into consideration?

​No. I only care if it's free. You should not pay for a couch.

[uncannysam]

PARTIES: @longislandcharm, @uncannysam TIMING: Mid-January SUMMARY: Sam & Winter go on a date! WARNINGS: None!

She hadn’t been expecting this. Maybe Winter should have known that the Codfather really wasn’t the best place to bring Sam for their first actual date purely for the sake of it being too fancy but the amount of awkward tension in the air was ridiculous at this point. They had giant lobsters. Why couldn’t they talk over giant lobsters? It was so weird. Usually she was so good about starting and keeping conversation but it was like they had nothing in common and the conversation fell flat every time she tried. 

Maybe she should have expected it. Sam ran a comic book shop, had a dog, and named her figurines. Winter liked ice skating, iced coffee, and pretty clothes that were uncomfortable to wear. They were pretty much opposites but was she trying to convince herself this was wrong because it was or because she wasn’t used to being awkward?

“How’s the meal?” She took a bite to accentuate the question. Or maybe it was so that she didn’t have to say anything else. Her eyes traveled around the restaurant, Winter realizing she had made the biggest mistake of the night by coming here. It was overpriced and they’d made them wait for a table even when there were only a few other people seated at the time. The saving grace was that the food was pretty good and the wine was impeccable. Did Sam even like wine? “This place is too much, isn’t it?”

—

It had come as a bit of a shock when Winter had suggested a date night at the Codfather, but Sam really wanted to see if this could work. Though Winter could be very feisty, the twenty-eight year old had enjoyed the banter between the two, and seeing as how there weren’t flying toes coming towards them, maybe the evening would be a lot more enjoyable. But the conversation seemed to be lacking. At least for the time being, and the more they got to know each other, the less likely it seemed like they were compatible. But Sam was determined to give this a fair chance.

“It’s…it’s good, yeah. In all the time I’ve lived in Wicked’s Rest, this is the first time I’ve been here. Maybe if there’s a second time, I’ll try something a little more…fancy.” She didn’t know what the word was that she was looking for, and she couldn’t help but stare down at her chicken tenders; not the most extravagant thing on the menu, when all she had wanted was to try their fish, but considering there was an enormous glass bill hanging over her head, the fish prices didn’t sound that appealing.

Reaching out for the glass of red wine sitting next to her, she swirled it around the glass and took a brief sip of it. Chicken tendies and red wine. If Zach could only see her now. Living the good life with a girl who made a living talking to the dead on tv. Oh the irony in that statement. If Sam had only known… “How’s your, uh…” She looked at Winter’s plate, “what is that again?” Sam had felt so out of place, so much so that it hurt.

—

Glancing down at the chicken tenders in front of Sam, Winter had to suppress a sigh. When the girl had ordered she’d wanted to cut in, let her know the bill was on the medium’s tab, but things had already been hard enough without her offering to pay and she assumed Sam was already set on going dutch. Still…it looked so pathetic that she couldn’t let it go anymore even if it was going to make things worse. “You know you can get something else, right? I thought I’d pick up the tab since I invited you here…I don’t want you eating off the kids menu.” 

She should have spoken up sooner. It wasn’t like Winter to let a weird moment ruin a whole night, keep her quiet, hell it wasn’t like her to be weird at all. Maybe it was the fact that she hadn’t had a date in over a year and she was rusty…no, that couldn’t be true. She was never rusty. Maybe the two of them just didn’t have that chemistry she’d thought she’d felt back at the winter festival? But whatever it was, she didn’t like it one bit. 

Her eyes moved to the plate in front of her where the giant lobster was waiting for her to dig in. It was a little unusual looking but…”It’s a lobster…it’s pretty big, we could share if you want some.” But she was growing tired of this wasted night and she might have been ready to throw in the towel already. She hated moments like this where she didn’t even know what to say, hated this feeling more than most of the others that popped up throughout life. But she didn’t give up, that wasn’t who Winter was. No, she always found some way to defeat the unpleasantness of life and this would be no different. “Or we could get out of here. It’s a little stuffy in this restaurant, maybe a change of scenery will help us loosen up.”

Her eye was suddenly caught by a ghost flickering into existence, the coolness immediately souring Winter’s mood that much more. Why now? Why would one of them come into such a situation? Even Henry was keeping his distance back in the kitchens. “Well, this is tragic.” She scowled at the ghost, wanting so badly to toss her melted butter over his dark hair. 

—

When Winter had brought up the idea of Sam getting something else, the brunette glanced down at the plate again. This was definitely the date from hell. At least that’s the way it felt. She was now starting to feel awkward about her food choice, and if she had known Winter was picking up the tab at the beginning, she would have ordered something a little more tasty. It didn’t matter how much salt and pepper you added to these things, they just weren’t that good. But Sam wasn’t about to make Winter feel bad, that just wasn’t in her nature, unless it was warranted and this wasn’t warranted, “How do you know I want something else? Chicken tenders and red wine might be my thing.” She looked up to the other woman with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Her eyes shifting, Sam looked at the lobster. It did look good, and that was one huge crustacean. At least it wasn’t shrimp. From what she had heard, Sam was pretty sure eating shrimp in this town now was punishable by death. One minute it was a carrot shortage and now Shrimp Worshipers. She almost wanted to roll her eyes until she remembered she was in public and on a date that was already going horribly, “I’d…be fine with getting out of here. Maybe going for a walk or to grab a cheeseburger or something.” At least cheeseburgers were safe. Or shakes. Or really any food that didn’t cost more than a month’s rent.

“Hey, I’m just speaking facts here. It really doesn’t take much to impress Sam by the way. You’re trying too hard, Long Island. Yeah, we watched your show.” Zach leaned forward and poked at the large lobster on the table. “That thing’s gross. Why do you rich people eat this shit?” He looked to Winter before looking over at Henry, “Hey man. You ever eat this stuff when you were still alive?”

—

Staring at Sam as she tried to laugh all of this off, Winter wanted to laugh. Not because of Sam’s joke but because the medium should have known that this would go horribly when she picked this place. She had a certain taste for expensive things, always growing up around the best of anything. Hell, caviar had been her treat when she’d gotten good grades in school. Her mother had built an empire and her father had made sure to use that empire to spoil Winter rotten. She was the exception in this scenario, not Sam. She was the problem. “I could go for a burger.”

The realization hit her in the face along with the ghost's words. ‘It really doesn’t take much to impress Sam by the way.’ Hell, she was probably questioning ever agreeing to go out with Winter at this point. It wasn’t just that, though, it was the fact that this ghost knew her date as well. And he was revealing things that she had not known about her. ‘Yeah, we watched your show.’ Somehow this felt like a privacy violation. She’d yet to actually speak to a ghost that was connected to someone she was close with or someone she was trying to get closer to and the medium wasn’t sure she liked it.

When she looked up to see the dark haired boy speaking with Henry, she figured her ghost had come out when he heard the extra voice being thrown in the mix. He was looking at the new arrival wearily while shaking his head at the boy’s question all the while Sam was staring at Winter expectantly and she realized she’d been silent for far too long. “I’m sorry, uh…Sam, did you used to watch my show?” Confirmation was needed. This ghost could always be trying to stir up drama for kicks so she needed to know if he really was part of Sam’s life at one point. Her usual directness would come in handy here.

—

Sam glanced back down at the food. With each passing moment she felt more guilty for not being a better actor. But when Winter agreed to cheeseburgers, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. Unlike that poor oversized crustacean that had been boiled alive for their enjoyment. Realizing she had been staring at it for way too long, she looked back up only to see Winter just sitting there. It had grown quiet, and now Sam was wondering if she had become a problem. Had this been worth it? They had so much chemistry at the Winter Festival, but now, here they sat across from one another on the most awkward date known to man.

“Your show?” It was certainly not what Sam had expected in reply, but if it would make things less awkward, then she’d answer. In fact, now that she thought about it, maybe that was the issue. Maybe Winter had assumed Sam was just a fan trying to hookup with someone famous, but that wasn’t it at all, and now she was questioning whether or not to say yes, “Uh…” She hesitated before answering, “Yeah…yeah, I did. Me and my best friend used to, but I swear that’s not why I wanted to go out with you. I just thought we had chemistry, and that you were cute…” She sank down in her seat, slightly embarrassed.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Sam.” Zach looked over at her with sad eyes. He really hadn’t intended to make things awkward, “She’s telling the truth. We used to watch late night reruns of the older seasons. And that show your mom or grandma or whoever was on. But Sam is being honest. She doesn’t date people unless she really finds some kind of connection with them. I saw the way you two were flirting that day. There was something…” Zach finally realized he needed to shut up when he noticed Sam shifting anxiously in her seat, looking as if she were about to get up and leave.

—

God, this was getting even more awkward, something Winter hadn’t even thought possible. Her silence coupled with Sam’s nerves about the show being brought up was nothing compared to how fast her mind was racing though. What the hell did she do now? Did she tell Sam she was talking to this friend of hers or would the girl think she was making things up? Or worse, would she start crying or something? Still, if she kept it to herself and Sam found out later on she knew it would make the girl angry that she hadn’t spoken up. This was an impossible situation for the medium, one that was starting to reveal the complexities that came with this type of ‘gift.’ 

Well, the cute comment was nice at least, distracting enough to make Winter smirk at her date. “I am hella cute, so nice of you to notice.” This best friend was talking again, apologizing to Sam, trying to assure Winter, and she took a deep breath to try and calm her thoughts. She watched Henry place a comforting hand on this guy’s shoulder when finally shut up and she wished her ghost had thought to do that to his mouth as he rambled on. 

“I didn’t think that. You don’t seem like the type. Trust me, I’ve met them before.” That could have been a reason she’d been drawn to Sam at first. Winter was so used to a certain type of person out in LA that when she’d seen something different in the girl she’d jumped on it. She glanced over to the two ghosts standing there before flicking her gaze back to her date, wanting this newbie to know she was speaking to him as well. “I felt the chemistry too. I have no idea what happened to it tonight but I have a feeling I messed up by trying to treat you like those people. You’re obviously different…which I like.”

She still wasn’t sure whether to reveal that she was seeing and hearing her friend right now. It was an impossible decision when it came to someone you barely knew so she hoped that maybe the ghost would give her some hints here. Even if she felt awkward about taking advice from someone Sam couldn’t see she wasn’t a good enough person to come right out and say it. “How about we go get that burger and I try to stop impressing you so much?”

—

This date had totally turned into something Sam hadn’t expected. She didn’t know if it was doomed from the start or if they just weren’t connecting, but when Winter lightened the mood with a joke, Sam eased up a bit. She hadn’t been on many dates before, and this had, hands down, been the fanciest one. One that the woman had probably been trying too hard to make perfect since Winter had offered up such a nice restaurant. But here they both were floundering around, until Winter had mentioned treating Sam like the girls out in LA. More so looking for someone famous. It made sense though, “Thank you for being honest. I don’t date anyone because of their status. In fact, I haven’t really dated much at all, and this has been the nicest place anyone’s brought me. I think I was probably trying a little too hard as well with the hopes of impressing you.” She laughed softly as she looked down at the table somewhat embarrassed.

Zach could see relief on Sam’s face, and it allowed him to breathe. Looking to Winter, he smiled softly, before turning his attention on Henry, “Thanks, man. I needed that.” With a nod, he looked back to his best friend. Things were starting to look up, and figuring he had done enough for the night, he decided to go haunt some guy he recalled from high school who had given him a hard time, knowing that Sam had the rest of the night under control.

Looking back to Winter, Sam took in every inch of the girl. She was beautiful to say the least. Feisty, which Sam could handle, but now knowing that they were at least on the same page, the woman wanted to further explore the night, “I think burgers sound great right about now. And maybe milkshakes after.” It wasn’t fancy lobster or upscale dining, but it was a chance for the two women to get to know each other better without the pressure of meeting certain expectations, and to Sam, that equaled a good night out.

[thenavysealkie]

Tongues & Teeth || Winter & Marcus

Timing: Late September, pre-goo

Location: Mephisto's

Parties: @thenavysealkie& @longislandcharm

Triggers: None

Summary: Marcus & Winter run into each other at a strange antique shop. When they both show interest in a strange statue, they find themselves afflicted with a very unique curse.

It was inevitable, she was going to be in town for a while. Though she had plans to leave as soon as she found out what was going on with herself, Winter knew that what was going on with Mack was important and she needed people around. Not to mention the fact that she was just plain curious now. The supernatural was real and it seemed like Wicked’s Rest was a hub. Her initial fear of it all was still there, she was terrified of some of the things that roamed this place, but she also figured that opportunities to delve into this world didn’t come easily. Why waste it? And if she was staying in town she would get to know it better. 

She’d already been to a few of the shops in Worm Row that morning, the names that these owners chose starting to make much more sense, but she hadn’t ventured far from that part of town since she’d been living there and thought it was time to explore some other places as well. A place called Nightfall Grove? What could go wrong? The first shop to catch her eye was a very strange antique store called Mephisto’s and Winter was soon making a beeline inside.

So many signs were strewn about stating the nature of the items, shelves packed to the brim with different things here and there. Her eye was caught many times but Winter was careful not to touch anything since it all claimed to be ‘cursed’ and she didn’t know whether that was gimmick or truly something to take heed in. Still, it was all fascinating. The descriptions that were next to some of the items made her curious but again she kept her hands to herself. It wasn’t until she came upon a mini statue that looked to be from the Egyptians that her hand shot out without her thinking first only for her to touch it the same time that another’s did as well.

Marcus always had an affinity for the historical, ornate, or downright odd. One of his favorite pastimes was visiting the various shops filled with oddities and other antiques with interesting history (this town wasn’t in short supply of those, Marcus had learned that much.) One such shop that he had only been to once previously was Mephisto’s. He knew this shop held beautiful curios that held more than met the eye, but had not yet had the chance to see anything truly spectacular firsthand. 

This time, however, he swore things would be different. He came into the shop intent on buying the creepiest thing he could find. No more fear holding him back, he had to see for himself. That’s when he found it. His eyes fell upon an admittedly beautifully decorated statue, painted in blues and golds reminiscent of Ramses himself. For being an antique, it looked remarkably new. He figured the restoration program here must be top notch. 

He walked slowly towards the statue and slowly reached his hand out to pick the statue up. Fear was still gripping him, unsure of what would happen to him when he made contact with the statue. Still, however, his hand continued its journey forward. That’s when he noticed another person’s hand on the statue. A young woman stood on the other side of the statue, looking over at him. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even see you standing there. I’m guessing this caught your interest too, huh?”

Her gaze, or more of a glare, cut towards the other before he had a chance to apologize to her but as soon as Winter heard it her normally sharp tongue dulled. The words that were on the cusp of spilling out died in her mouth only to be replaced by a more pleasant string of them even though they sounded clipped. “It’s fine. No harm done.” She was on edge more than usual with the way that this town was turning into some young adult novel where everyone was the main character so she pulled her hand away from the statue quickly and stepped away from the man. Normally she didn’t mind being in people’s bubbles but if he turned out to be a hungry zombie it was best to keep some distance. 

“It’s pretty spectacular. I don’t see why it wouldn’t catch everyone’s eye.” Which was the truth. The gold on the statue sparkled in a way that put most gold items to shame and it made the blue pop more than ever. It was almost as if the item overshadowed the others that were littered around, drawing one's eye with no effort whatsoever. “Almost like it’s drawing you in.” Winter’s voice had lowered as if she weren’t even talking to the person next to her anymore but more to herself. She hadn’t even noticed that she’d stumbled on the word ‘drawing’ with the r barely pronounced. 

“But, by all means, you can have it.” The statue was exceptional but Winter didn’t need to be distracted from the actual reason she was in this town. It seemed like this would be just the distraction she didn’t want. Unlike the other things littered around it, the item had no literature saying what ‘curse’ or ill-will came with it but for some reason she had the feeling that it was special in some way. “You seemed like you had a mission with it in mind.”

“Are you sure?” Marcus asked, the last word coming out as “shoe-uh”. Had he really been in New England that long already that he was starting to pick up the accent? He’d always prided himself on his “unaccented” way of speaking, as it was a way of making him seem more refined. The last thing he wanted to see in his future was “looking for a spaht to pahk his cah”.

He glanced at the statue once more, noting it appeared to shine a bit more than when he first laid eyes on it. He figured it must have been the lighting. He was fascinated, but couldn’t find any history on the statue at all. He would have to ask the person behind the counter if they knew anything about its origins. He had hoped that the person who was in charge of this shop would be much kinder to him than the one from the weapons shop. He finally picked the object up and looked at it thoughtfully. 

“No mission, I just thought it looked cool to be honest. It makes me think of the ancient egyptians and how they would bewwy theiw woyawty.” 

Marcus, in a panic, clamped a hand over his mouth. What had he just said? He sounded like a 5 year old or some young woman trying to make money online, not a grown man. He cast a glance over to the woman standing next to him. 

“I don’t usuawwy sound wike this, I pwomise” 

A perfectly sculpted eyebrow raised as the other started to speak again, and Winter could feel laughter starting to bubble up. But she held the sound in, not sure if this person had a speech impediment or not. She could be a bitch but she wasn’t heartless enough to want to make him feel bad for something that was out of his control. The medium didn’t even think about the fact that he had been speaking without any trouble before until she opened her own mouth. “I’m shoe-uh.” 

Okay, that was new. Her face quickly contorted with confusion at the same sound coming from her own mouth. Winter had grown up in Long Island for half of her life but with the other half being spent in Los Angeles her accent had always been a bit different. Nothing like a typical New England one. That, along with stumbling earlier, was starting to worry her. Not to mention this man’s words were starting to sound even worse the more he spoke and it made her more fearful of speaking herself. It was even worse that she could barely understand what he was saying.

“I’m not shoe-uh of what you’uh saying.” Shit, what was that? “Sowwy.” And there it was, she was starting to sound just like him causing her eyes to widen. “What is going on?” Well, that sounded normal. Winter sighed and decided to make herself sound even more stupid to test out what was going on. “Sawwy sa-ys seash-ays but the seashore-uh. This isn’t wight.” 

It was like her tongue refused to say certain words no matter how hard she tried but she wasn’t sure what was causing this. Winter had never had trouble with her words before, she’d spoken enough in her life that she would most definitely know if she had any difficulties before this. “This isn’t nowmuh for me eithe-uh.”

Marcus couldn’t help but watch in astonishment as the woman who was previously speaking very properly and appeared composed seemed to have her ability to speak rapidly deteriorate right before his eyes. Ears? Either way, whatever had started to affect his speech seemed to also be taking hold of her as well. 

“What the heww? Dis is scawy, neithew of us tawked wike dis befowe we touched dat” he said, pointing at the statue. 

“Fuckin’ cuwsed, just wike I awways say. Evewyting in dis town wants to kiww you.” He was angry at being victim of some other twisted curse or trick that this town never seemed to be in short supply of. However, given his current speech, his outburst came off more pathetic than anything else. 

“Whewe’s the ownuh? If we find him, maybe he knows how to wevewse it.”

“You mean to tewuh me this stuff is actuawwy cuhsed?” She should have known. The multiple warning signs and just being in this town should have been enough to tell her that this place wasn’t pulling off gimmicks as she had previously thought. It seemed nothing was safe, not even a nice antique shop…especially not a nice antique shop. Her eyes cut over to the ghost who was chuckling at the two of them, Winter scowling but not saying anything so she didn’t look like she was talking to thin air when the two of them already had enough problems. 

“What kind of cuhse is this? Why wouhd someone do something so idiotic?” It was starting to become clear that it was certain letters that were giving them both trouble. Something like this had to be some sort of a joke, right? Some prank by an immature…whatever did curses on things? Winter would have laughed at the other had she not been afflicted with the same curse as them. Through her frustration she could see how funny this could be but right now it wasn’t amusing at all. 

Her eyes roamed the shop once she had a grasp on what the other person had said but Winter couldn’t see anyone else around. “I don’t…know, I haven’t seen anyone since I wahked in. Of couwse. Why wouhd anyone be awound to hewp customuhs with this?” Her eyes went back to the statue even as the ghost laughed behind them, the medium doing her best to ignore him as she grabbed the statue and started to look it over for any clue as to how they could fix this. “Do they usawwy come with a wahning labew?”

Of course this thing was cursed. It was in this damned town and caught Marcus’s interest, so naturally it’d give him one of the most humiliating curses he could imagine. Would he stay like this forever? Would anybody in this town respect him ever again with him sounding like this? He contemplated moving again so he could start anew, but felt that would have been an overreaction. Right now, the best thing for him to do would be to work with this woman and figure out how to get their speech back on track. 

“Hewwo?!” He called out tentatively towards the back of the store. He waited, but didn’t get a response. Seemed like a pretty poorly run store, in Marcus’s opinion. After all, what was stopping him from grabbing a bunch of random objects laying around the store and running off with them? Probably a curse. Everything in the store was probably chock full of curses even worse than the one he and this poor innocent woman fell victim to. 

“Anyone back thewe? We need hewp!” 

He looked over at the woman, who seemed frustrated. Not that being frustrated at their situation wasn’t an unreasonable response, of course. However there was an air of annoyance behind her expression as well. 

“Wooks wike we’re on ouw own. Know anything about this stuff?” 

“Do I know anything about this stuff?” This is what her life had become. Curses and zombies and ghosts following her around for no damn good reason was now normal and now people thought she could be some wise curse breaker? Winter was just about ready to move back home now, only curious about this stuff when it wasn’t happening to her. But what would any other place be like now? She could never go back to not knowing about this stuff so could she really live a normal life again? “No, I don’t know anything about this stuff, I didn’t know anything like this existed untuh I moved hewe in Juwy. I’m assuming you don’t eithew since youwe asking.”

God, she sounded like a three year old and the ghost wouldn’t stop laughing. If he wouldn’t have fallen through the plaster by doing so, Winter suspected he would have been leaning against the wall losing all control. The noise was starting to fill the small aisles of the shop and she was ready to punch him. Too bad he wouldn’t have felt it at all.  

What were they supposed to do now? She was about ready to give up her search of the statue itself until her fingers grazed over a spot where some sort of painted piece of tape was, the medium using her nail to try and pull it off. If the employees had anything to say to her about peeling it away she would only have to yell in her toddler tongue to get them to back off. “Thewuh’s something unduh hewe.” The tape finally gave way to reveal a worn part of the statue that had some writing on it, Winter not able to read it too well. “Can you wead that?”

The woman scratched away something on the side of the statue, and to Marcus’s surprise, it was a piece of tape that was hiding some writing. The woman seemed to have difficulty attempting to read the inscription, the font seemed tiny and somewhat faded. Marcus decided he’d give it his best shot, and took the cursed statue from the woman. He was almost convinced it would give him a little shock like one of those prank zappy pens as soon as he touched it, just as one last cosmic middle finger. Thankfully, however, he was able to take the statue without any issue. 

“In owdew to wift the cuwse, wepeat the fowwowing phwase five times ovew”. Marcus couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the ridiculous demands of the statue. It was as if the only purpose of this curse was to humiliate its victims as much as possible. It was certainly succeeding, although at least it was only among this one stranger who seemed to share his affliction with him. Marcus’s heart sank as he continued to read. 

“Wemembew to wecite dis in the centew of town whewe evewywone can wisten! Only den will you be fwee. Dis wequiwes at weast 5 witnesses pew pewson affwicted wif da cuwse.”

So not only will they have to say some R and L ridden tongue twister, but they’ll have to do it where everyone in town can watch. 

Ohhhh, she was not happy. Winter was almost ready to stomp her feet and act like the three year old she sounded like at this point but to save her further embarrassment she decided against it. Was there no other way than to talk like this in front of a crowd of at least ten people? ”Whoevuh did this can wot in hewwuh....hades, they can wot in hades.“ She wanted to throw the statue across the room but if she did she knew it would break a lot of the very fragile items littering the shelves and she would end up owing this shop thousands of dollars...if she didn't sue. Could she sue? Something to look into but really what court system would believe this actually happened?

But she would be damned if she was stuck speaking like this for the rest of her life. She'd take a little more humiliation over a lifetime. ”I guess we should...head out to the busiest pwace we can find. I don't know this pawt of town much.“ How hard could it be to muster up a few people here and there? ”Put that back whewe we got it. Or...thwow it on the gwound and bweak it, I don't cawuh.” 

This poor stranger. He was frustrated just as much as she was but he had the added bonus of dealing with her as she went off the rails. Turning on her toes, Winter marched out of the store without looking back, vowing to never return again. She would have said as much, screaming it through the store, if she didn't have this curse making her sound this way. Her eyes looked both ways down the street, Winter trying to spot a place that was crowded enough for them to break this, and she decidedly turned left in hopes that the stranger would either follow or tell her she was being an idiot by going in the wrong direction. Determination was driving her, anger was fueling that drive, and the hope of being able to speak normally was making it possible for her to allow others to hear this nonsense. “What's the phwase we have to say?”

The woman standing with Marcus was clearly getting very frustrated, and he couldn’t blame her. To her credit, she seemed to come to terms with them embarrassing themselves in public much more readily than Marcus had. He had an image to uphold after all. But, he figured, that image would be done away with if he had to go the rest of his life carefully sidestepping some of the most common consonants in the English language. He’d have to bite the bullet and hope that nobody would be cruel enough to record their display. 

“Wet’s not bweak it, I don’t know if we can stiww wevewse it if it’s bwoken.”  He said shortly. There was no way he was going to jeopardize anything and risk being stuck like this the rest of his life. Being stuck like this for the past few minutes was agonizing enough for him. 

“Wet’s get dis shit ovuh wiff”. 

He made his way towards the door and beckoned for the woman to follow him. They thankfully weren’t too far from a busy looking area, with at least a dozen people moving about their business. If he simply shouted the phrase, he would no doubt grab their attention. He looked over at his reluctant companion in this endeavor and simply held up the inscription so she could also read it. 

“Let’s get ready to rrrrrrrumble!” The inscription read, seeming like a far too modern reference for an ancient cursed statue. He figured this must have been created recently, which caused further disappointment. He hadn’t even fell victim to the curse of some ancient pharaoh or witch from the 17th century, nope. Instead it was probably some boomer who thought they were very clever as they made this curse while dying of lead poisoning. He assumed they wanted them to recite it with the same gusto as the old time boxing announcer, and let out a disappointed sigh as he shook his head and looked over once again at the woman next to him.

“You’ve gotta be shitting me.” Winter sighed after reading the phrase that needed to be shouted, rolling her eyes all the same. Her dad used to watch those stupid matches but baby Winter had been a lot more receptive of the catchphrase, even saying it along with the announcer as she jumped up and down on the couch much to her father’s delight. He probably even had it on video somewhere, a thought that made her cringe inwardly. “They wewen’t even cwever with it.” It felt like some adolescent that grew up in the nineties probably thinking it was cool to throw curses at random people just for fun. Little bastard.

There was no point in delaying it any further, the sooner it was over with the better. She cleared her throat and allowed her voice to swell over the crowd to get their attention. “Wadies and Gentuhmen! Me and my companion hewe have something we have to say to you aww.” There was a bit of laughter through the crowd of people who had stopped to listen, one woman in particular pointing at Winter to get her friend’s attention as well. Looking around, she could see that there were plenty of them, more than ten for sure, and she looked up at the man and nodded so they could say it together. No need to further embarrass the both of them when they could get it done in one go.

“Let's get weady to wwwwwwwrrrrrumble!” She noticed as she held out that first part of the word her w’s started to slowly morph back into r’s, the rolling sound soon coming with ease. Her mouth felt normal again, the feeling of glue or gum lodged in it slowly fading away and she ignored the giggles and the unamused murmurs of the crowd in favor of testing out her words again. “Sally sold seashells by the seashore…oh thank god. How are you doing over there?” Winter looked up at him, hope shining through. As happy as she was to have her own voice back she hoped his was normal again as well. 

This had to have been one of the most humiliating days in Marcus’s life. Here he was, in the middle of town, about to rattle off a sentence that would draw nothing but laughter and mortification for him and his new companion. And yet, she seemed to be handling everything with much more poise and grace. She bit the bullet and, just like that, it was over and done with. He knew what he had to do. 

Giving his best impression of a middle aged man officiating a Mike Tyson fight, he shouted out “Wadies and gentewmen, wet’s get weady to wumbuuuuuu!” His “R’s” had not come back to him quite as easily as his new friend’s had, and he worried he hadn’t said the phrase correctly. However, with each repetition of the phrase he felt more and more of the alphabet finally returning to him. When his speech had returned to normal, he just kept repeating the phrase, no longer concerned about the crowd forming around them. He was just overjoyed that he no longer had to endure speaking like a toddler. 

“Thank you, ladies and gentleman, or any in between, for your time and attention. My friend and I have to run now, but we hope you enjoyed our…performance” he finished awkwardly. He then leaned over to her and muttered “let’s get the hell out of here” and walking off. While he hadn’t planned on bonding with somebody over a stupid curse, at least the effects of that curse weren’t permanent. And the best part was, he had a new found appreciation for his own ability to speak. It truly was the little things that you start to take for granted. He walked side by side with Winter and had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time the two of them would see each other. 

[recoveringdreamer]

@longislandcharm from here:

Why do you need a new space?

​Oh, I'm [...] kind of in a weird temporary spot. It's not great. Haha.

[realmackross]

PARTIES:@longislandcharm; @realmackross (Brody) TIMING: Takes place while this thread is happening. SUMMARY: Brody visits Winter to ask a big favor and to say goodbye. WARNINGS: head trauma tw

In the blink of an eye a regular day in Wicked’s Rest could change from just that to a life changing experience. Winter knew that. She was well aware that she could be in the middle of searching her cabinets for her missing oreos when the most unexpected thing could happen. The cold chill ran down her back and she assumed that Henry had come back from wherever he’d been in the house, her voice low as she grumbled. “First my eggs, now my cookies? What? Is there some sort of snack fairy in town that thrives on stealing my food?” It wasn’t beyond the possibility, she didn’t think anything was anymore, but it had only been a fleeting thought spoken out loud so that Henry could weigh in if he wanted to. There wasn’t a reply though and the medium turned her head to question why he was so quiet.

But it wasn’t Henry standing behind her. Her body went completely cold as she took in the ghost standing there. His clothes were torn, bloody, but everything else in her vision was almost exactly as it had been before he’d died. His skin was perfect save for it being more translucent than when he was alive but even if he still held all of the marks of his death she would have recognized him anywhere. 

Her heart sank as Winter slowly turned from the open cabinet, afraid to take her eyes off of the man standing in front of her in case he decided to disappear. Why was he here anyway? They had been friends, yes, but he should have been going to see someone else and she was sure she would have heard if he’d paid a visit to her. They were both silent as if waiting for the other to speak, to break the tension that was lingering between them, until she couldn’t keep it in anymore. She needed to know what was going on but for once in her life she could only think of one lame question to ask as if she didn’t already know who he was.

“Brody?”

—

“Hey, Winter.” The words were somewhat raspy and soft as a small smile crept over his features. It had been what felt like a lifetime ago since Brody had spoken to her. Though, just like with Mackenzie, he had been watching her from a distance. Trying to know when to make the right move. To make his presence known. But now was the time, “I know this must be a shock huh? Seeing me like this?” He didn’t dare turn around. Most of his appearance he had managed to nurse back to something less shocking, but there was still a small place in the back of his head that hadn’t fully “healed”, if you even wanted to call it that.

The night Brody died had been one out of pure violence and torment. It wasn’t anything he had ever fathomed the love of his life could do, and when his spirit had separated from his body leaving him as nothing but a mere spectator to his own demise, Brody was left in shock. But it was the way he watched as Mackenzie had immediately felt remorse when whatever trance she had been in soon disappeared that had kept him from harboring an immediate rage, and possibly the biggest thing that had saved him from wanting revenge on the woman he loved.

From then on he lingered with her seeing the coverup, the move to Wicked’s Rest and everything that had taken place over the course of the year with Mackenzie. He had seen her lose control. He had seen her and the immense remorse she carried from the night she had killed him up until recently when he watched Jade try to end Mackenzie’s undead life. He had been there for all the nights alone when she had mourned her future without him, without the possibility of kids, and even watched as she began to form a relationship with Elora. Brody had seen it all, and he knew the one thing that was holding her back from living a full life, as much as that was possible, was her guilt for his death.

“I need your help. I want to talk to Mackenzie.” His eyebrows raised in a pleading sort of manner, “I know I could face her on my own, but I want to ease her into this interaction. And I think you can probably help with that.” Brody motioned towards the living room of her house in reference to Henry.

—

She took a shaky breath when the ghost answered her, tears springing to her eyes. Had she ever really mourned Brody? Thinking back on it, Winter didn’t feel like she’d had a chance. At first, she had been too worried about Mack to fully process his death and then the actual ghosts showing up in her life took precedence. She hadn’t even been able to process it all when Mack told her she had been the one to kill him, too busy trying to avoid her best friend and work through the fear that had suddenly plagued her. No, Winter hadn’t been able to mourn him because she hadn’t had the chance but she also wondered if she would have even tried or if she would have buried the emotions away like she usually did. The surprise of him showing up out of the blue took her off guard, gave allowance for one tear to slip down her cheek before she wiped it away and did just what she expected would have happened to that grief when he’d first died; she buried it deep within herself.

“You mean without the teeth marks?” The harshness in her voice surprised her as well, remnants of that grief pushing her towards anger as if it was his fault her best friend was a total mess now. Rage was her default after all. “I assume you know what…or I guess who did that to you.” She gestured up and down the length of his body with a shaky hand, Winter hating that it was giving away how fragile she seemed to be. Even in death she didn’t want anyone to think of her as weak. “Or have you completely hidden in the shadows of wherever you guys go to when you’re not around?” 

She was just about to tell him to go to who he really needed to go to when he started to explain why he hadn’t yet. Again, her anger flared inside of her, the reliability of it so comforting. “I really hate when people so close to me put me in such weird fucking positions. Do you know how upset she’s going to be knowing you came to me first?” She really wasn’t sure if Mack would appreciate being eased into this or not but this aggression building inside of her had to be directed somewhere. He was just the unfortunate recipient. It was just like a human to blame their grief on the dead. 

—

Brody hadn’t expected the welcome he had gotten from Winter. In all honesty, it had surprised him. She figured the woman would’ve at least been mournful, but not outright angry at him. And while he wasn’t here to play the blame game, something he did have to work to come to terms with, he had at least expected Winter to be, well…not so Winter. But she was right in one thing. He was coming to her and not Mackenzie. And maybe there was some part of him that was afraid to face his former love. After all, his death had been such a violent one. A death that anyone could rightfully expect a vengeful spirit to come out of. But not Brody. Brody was the exception, because of how much he loved Mackenzie. 

“Retract the claws, Winter. I’m not here to argue with you. And yeah, you’re right, I should be going to Mackenzie, but considering how angry you are with me, what do you think she’s going to be like?” Honestly an unfair question since Mackenzie wasn’t anywhere around to defend herself. “Look, I don’t want to cause any problems, okay? And you’re her best friend. The one who's always been there for her. If you don’t want to be any part of this, then that’s fine. But just be there in the aftermath, okay? Please? That’s all I’m asking. I’ve been watching her since the night…since I died, and I know that my death is eating her up inside. I just want her to be happy. To find peace and move on with her life, since she still has that chance as a zombie.” It sounded like something out of a movie he had been in. Calling his fiance a zombie. And he was a ghost. It was ridiculous, but somehow this had become their fate.

—

“Yeah, they don’t do that. Claws are there for a reason, why hide them?” Winter crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes boring into the ghost at his question. A stupid question. “She may have a bark, Brody, but we all know I’m the one with the bite. She couldn’t be angry at you if she tried.” Mack could never. She was the reason he was dead and she was well aware of that so how could she be mad at having him back, and not as a vengeful spirit at that? No, she would feel that heartbreak, that sorrow, that guilt all over again and maybe lash out but never any anger. And really, Winter wasn’t even angry at him but she couldn’t stop the hostility coursing through her. 

The realization of why dawned on her. This appearance after so long was going to be too much for Mack. She was already going through it with everything that had happened since becoming what she was. She was already struggling with her actions and the consequences of them. She had already loved and lost again. Did she really deserve another heartbreak? Winter wouldn’t meet Brody’s eye when she voiced the thought aloud. “You’re going to break her.” Which he knew. He wouldn’t be asking her to pick up the pieces he left behind if he didn’t. That made her anger so much more tangible.

In the back of her mind she knew. She was well aware that Mack’s former fiance telling her he still cared for her despite everything was a need, not a want, but she still wasn’t ready to be the one sitting in the aftermath of it. It was hard enough now, hard enough to let Mackenzie feel the things she needed to feel while being by her side for it, and Winter couldn’t imagine how much harder it could get before things started to get better. Worse, living Mack’s grief with her would force the medium into it herself. There was no way she would escape it all without her own emotions clawing toward the surface. She was being selfish with all of this and she knew it but didn’t it matter if she wasn’t ready to grieve Brody herself? “I don’t know how to do this, Brody. I’ve walked through this process with so many people but never with someone I was close to. Never helping them with someone…I cared for too.”

—

“I’ve missed you, Winter. And your sassiness. No wonder Mackenzie loves you so much.” In life, he had always loved to pick on Winter. Get the so-called claws she was talking about to come out just a little. But banter had been something for the living. For Brody, he had one mission to complete, and it was more important than shooting the shit with Winter. No, this was something that he needed to do, because Mackenzie’s undead life depended on it. And if he had to do this alone, then so be it.

“Look, I'm sorry. I didn’t ask to be put in this position either, Winter. It just happened. You know that. I would love to be back in California right now breathing, spending the rest of my days and starting a family with the woman I’ve loved for most of my life. But, not to be cliche in such a delicate time, you can’t always get what you want.” He paused and looked down.

Brody knew none of this was fair to Winter, and he felt genuinely bad for it. But he couldn’t be there for Mackenzie like he wanted to. There was no way possible, and if he were able to move on after approaching the woman he loved, Mackeznie would be left alone again, and that was the last thing he had wanted for her; the thought causing his spectral heart to break all over again.

—

Her eyes softened just so at his words but she was still in that position that clearly stated her walls were up. Even knowing that he probably wouldn’t be around for long she couldn’t allow herself to show a different side. Why couldn’t she do that? Why was it so hard to show she cared? Mackenzie seems to have been the only one to break through those perpetual walls, getting a side of Winter that no one else ever could. She wanted to know how she allowed herself to be real with her best friend but couldn’t bring herself to do the same with other people she cared for. Even when death had their claws in them.

Shit. Maybe she really did need therapy.

She raised an eyebrow at him, mouth set into a thin line with his Rolling Stones reference, but she said nothing. Sometimes the way she showed that she cared was by keeping her lips sealed. Winter knew Brody would know that. She also knew what he needed from her. Rolling her eyes, she lifted her hand so that she could inspect her nails, the act of nonchalance broken by the words she finally spoke. “Ask me again.” Ask her to stay by her best friend's side. Ask her to pick up the pieces of a broken woman that they both cared so deeply for. Ask her to be a human being for someone who would never hesitate to do the same for her. “Ask me again, Brody.”

—

He watched as the expression on her face softened, but he knew exactly what she was doing, when she requested him to ask again. She wanted him to beg. Wanted Brody to really feel what he was doing. And though ghosts couldn’t feel physical pain, he could feel the pain of heartbreak and grief. Regret and remorse. All of which, he knew she knew a thing or two about as well, but because this was Mackenzie’s life at stake. Her morality. The belief that good things could still happen to her, so he gave into Winter’s request without any second thought. He even stepped in closer and got down on his knees.

“For you, Winter, I’ll beg, because this is for Mackenzie. Not me. I’m not going to lie and say it was never about me, because if none of it had been, I would have revealed myself the day she killed me, but she was already putting herself through enough, and she didn’t need the reminder of what she had done by a mangled corpse struggling to adjust to the afterlife.” Brody looked into her eyes pleading, “So please, will you be there for her. If me revealing myself to her sends me off to wherever ghosts go when they’ve completed whatever unfinished business they have, I don’t want her to be alone in this. In grieving my death all over again, because I can’t stay with her. Because we both know our girl is just ambitious enough to believe in a future with a ghost.” He laughed softly, but there was a sadness laced throughout.

—

Eyes widened as he got on his knees, Winter’s arms falling to her side. She was a little insulted that he would think she wanted him to beg for this but at the same time she couldn’t really blame him, could she. She was a cold one sometimes, it was why her name was perfect for her. “I’m not asking you to beg, asshole.” Her voice was low but there was humor lacing the words. “I can’t believe you think I’m that petty.” Yes she could. “I just wanted you to ask me again so I could give you a proper answer.” She’d already made up her mind, after all, but now she wanted to prolong giving him the answer to see how far she could take this.

‘It isn’t the time for this, Winter.’ No, this was supposed to be serious. He was dead, Mack was hurting and needed to grieve, it was not the time for her to tease the hell out of him and string him along. She rolled her eyes at him and gestured for the ghost to get up. “Have some dignity, damn.” 

She laughed with her last comment but all the humor started to fall away. In a rare occurrence, Winter grew quiet while she looked Brody over. There had never been any question as to whether or not she would be there for Mack. It was inevitable, like the tides. Winter would never have left the woman stranded while she worked to bring back a better version of herself, to heal, even if she would be terrified the whole time. Maybe that was another reason she had been angry with him. that he would even dare question her loyalty with something like this was an insult to the friendship she held with Mackenzie. Still, it was kind of sweet in a way she supposed. “I’m going to be there for her, okay? It shouldn’t have even been a question. But I know you wouldn’t take any chances when it came to something like this.”

—

If this had been their life before, like when Brody had come to Winter needing her help planning his wedding proposal to Mack, he would have laughed. Let her carry on this charade of making him beg, but this situation was entirely different. It was one that he had both longed to finally put into action, but one he had so greatly dreaded. And as he continued to stare into her eyes, he knew that she realized the gravity of the situation.

Closing his eyes and letting out a breath of relief, Brody slowly stood back up; a small snort escaping his lips when she told him to have some dignity. And as he found his footing again, he looked back into Winter’s eyes, “For the record, I don’t think you're petty. I think you have a lot going on in your life too, that unfortunately Mackenzie hasn’t noticed, because of her own stuff, and I know if she wasn’t so lost in herself, she would be there for you.” He reached out and gently laid a hand on her shoulder, making sure not to press down too hard. “And I know you will, Winter. I have no doubt about that, but you needed to know what was about to happen, because we both know how much of a wild card she is, especially when it comes to running away from things.”

—

She swallowed, her eyes on the hand that she should be feeling the weight of on her shoulder as the lack of it seemed to make things so much more real. Of course she’d known he was dead, saw the aftershocks from it all, but it was a different thing entirely to see his immaterial body. “We all have shit going on.” Her heart wasn’t in the comment, Winter looking away from him towards a random spot in her kitchen just so she didn’t have to see the evidence anymore. “Don’t worry, okay? I’ve got her back and she’s not running away from me again. I chewed her out so much the last time I’m sure she won’t want to hear my mouth again.” 

She took in a breath as she thought about what was coming. This conversation was ending sooner than she wanted it to, the girl not having realized how much she missed him through her anger from earlier. This was the part she hated. Facing the emotions that came with goodbyes, allowing herself to feel the hurt that she so desperately didn’t want to feel. But if it was the last time she would see him then she had to, didn’t she? She could already feel her eyes welling up but she willed the tears back. Just because she was doing this didn't mean she had to cry. “I miss you.” 

Gritting her teeth, Winter finally looked at him again. “You always saw things that others didn’t. You may misinterpret my meaning with certain things but you always seemed to know when something wasn’t right with me even through all my bullshit….I hate this, Brody.” And she knew that he did too. He’d much rather be sitting next to her in her kitchen talking about his next movie or listening to Winter roast him as much as she could. Instead he had to go give his undead fiance a pep talk before possibly disappearing forever. “It’s right, though. I mean, that you’re doing this. You shouldn’t stick around longer than you have to.” Winter bit into the inside of her bottom lip, hiding behind a roll of her eyes. “I love you, you idiot.”

—

Brody could feel the shift in Winter. He knew that what she had been fighting was coming to the surface. He had so greatly wanted to spend more time with her. Shoot the shit like old times. Tease Winter about Spirit Speak and some of the people who seemed so gullible, but now that he knew it was all real, he had felt kind of bad. But despite it all, he had loved Winter like a sister, and saying goodbyes had never been an easy thing for him, but in this moment, he knew he had two coming. Two he wasn’t ready for, but had to be.

“I miss you, too, Winter. Even through all your teasing and snake bite attitude. You keep that about yourself okay? Don’t let that go, and don’t ever let anyone try and take advantage of you. Not like they’d ever get a chance to, but I won’t be around to kick their ass if they do.” He could feel what felt like tears of his own coming to his eyes, and when it had first happened, the night he saw Mackenzie wracked with guilt, he couldn’t understand what was happening, but now he could, “I love you, Ice Queen. You take care of our girl, yeah.”

With a smirk and a nod, Brody quietly left Winter’s house. And as he stood outside on the sidewalk looking back in, he recalled all the moments he had with the woman. The laughter, the tears, playing jokes on each other, dinners, parties, and even playing peacemaker between her and Mack. An entire lifetime's worth of memories flashing through his mind in the single beat of a heart. But as much as he loved Winter, he knew the real test was coming. And whoever said a ghost’s heart couldn’t break was full of shit.