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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2016 14:13:18 GMT -5
"Don't thank me until you're perfectly safe," was all Belle said, pulling her phone from her back pocket. She had changed in the bathroom the same time she had retrieved the razor - her blood-soaked shirt was in the trash, and she had pulled on a plain black t-shirt. Turning away from her old childhood friend, she headed towards the doorframe, brushing out as she dialed RObins personal number.
"Hey Robin, it's me. Can you bring me some very thin cut, wide-set steaks?.... Probably, yeah. No it's not for me, it's for Tam." There was silence for a while. "Of course. Thank you Robin. See you soon." She shut her phone down, turning to look into the room. "Some cattle blood as in its way, two gallons in fruit punch cases. They'll be in the fridge, and i'll heat some and bring it to you. Stay there, Robin isnt exactly the neatest butcher."
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Post by Misty on Dec 5, 2016 14:34:21 GMT -5
“If I had to wait that long to thank you, I wouldn’t be able to unless that damn law is repealed,” Lucas pointed out, crossing his arms as if he were still a child. After Belle left the room, he kicked off his shoes before lying on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. The bed was a welcome change, even if it wouldn’t last long. His thoughts went back to the last time he had slept in a bed – the last time he had met some good people who didn’t care what he was, only who he was.
He turned onto his good side and pulled the blanket over his body, finally feeling the exhaustion set it. “If I’m awake when he gets here,” Lucas mumbled as he flipped onto his back again. “It’s been a long day, and I’m pretty sure the adrenaline rush – or whatever it is in my body – has worn off.” He had no plans to get out of the bed. It was rather comfortable, and getting out could prove to be a chore with his injuries.
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Post by Silverfall on Dec 5, 2016 16:21:52 GMT -5
The Doctor turned slightly away from her, scratching his head in the classic confused Doctor way with the voice that accompanied it. “Ahhh… Well there’s no need to worry about me. I’ll always be fine. I’m king of ok.” He sighed, looking around. “Woah there. Careful. “ He managed to put hands on Belle’s shoulders to stop her, and took a step back himself. He gently took her hand off his arm. He kneeled down, seeing ripples after Belle’s hand left whatever. He touched the barrier and pulled it away. “Ouch…” He looked up at Belle while standing up. He took his sonic out again, scanning. He sighed, walking around the outside of the barrier. Once done with that, he exchanged his sonic for his glasses. He went around twice more, once on his feet and once on his knees.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2016 20:53:28 GMT -5
(Gah!! Sorry guys! I promise, i'm not leaving you!!)
(Yo, Misty, what should we do about speeding this up? Should we skip a few days to where they feel better and a neighbor snitches or something?)
Silver-
"Doctor...?" Belles confused voice was a half question and half awed statement. She had stepped away slightly from him, and had reached out to the barrier again. With an awed expression, she realized that the barrier wasnt hurting her - it was just like a wall of glass to her. Belle ran her hand along the surface, feeling nothing but the cool material. It rippled as she touched it, her mint green eyes confused and curious. blue-dyed hair fell back as she reached up over her head - same story, just a wall of smooth force. "It feels like glass? But that's impossible, where did it come from?..." Belle paced the circle as well, a hind trailing along the force. "It's lovely..." she trailed off, tapping it slightly. It rippled around her touch, throwing rainbow lights like a prism.
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Post by Misty on Dec 5, 2016 20:58:24 GMT -5
(Yeah ^^ or maybe she could try talk to him to get an idea of what he's been through. I feel like it could be a cute bonding moment.)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2016 21:20:32 GMT -5
(Cool! I like that idea. :) )
Belle took two mugs to the wooden coffee table a few days later - one had coffe, steaming hot, with two creams and one sugar. The other - cattle blood, warm from the microwave. She didn't have her makeup done this morning, wearing a pair of green PJ pants, warm and fuzzy, with a baggy t-shirt. Fuzzy socks kept her feet warm as she handed over the cattle blood to Lucas before sitting next to him on her couch, curling her legs up besides her. "Bleargh." That was her first coherent word that morning, not being a morning person at all. Of course, she had come home late the night before from work, reeking of chemo therapy, and had troubles sleeping. That poor kids face broke her heart.
Also, she was dying of curiosity. What happened to Lucas those years ago, when he vanished? Where did he go? Why was he driven here, of all places, and how the hell did he just happen to stumble into her apartment, when she just happened to have forgotten to lock the door? And those tattoos on his chest... Belle swallowed back questions, taking a sip of coffee with it. "Bleargh," She repeated herself, sighing heavily.
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Post by Misty on Dec 5, 2016 22:45:24 GMT -5
Lucas took the mug of cattle blood from Belle and brought it to his lips to take a drink of it. He wasn't particularly fond of the taste, but he wasn't going to complain about the blood. After she sat on the couch, he leaned over to rest his head on her shoulder. "Well, good morning to you too," he said before sitting upright. He took another drink from the mug before setting it down on a coaster on the coffee table.
After getting a few days of rest, he looked a lot better. His wounds were healing well, even the one on his side that had nearly cost him his life. He also looked well-rested, which hadn't happened in a while. Heck, he had even showered a few times since staying with Belle, and the warm water hitting his back had felt amazing. The first shower had taken longer than it should have simply because he liked the feeling of the warm water hitting his body.
Lucas picked the mug back up and took another sip of the cattle blood. "You know, you can ask me questions about what I've been through," he said. "I may not answer them all, but I'll try to. My parents always told me that talking through my [shoot] was better than keeping it to myself, and you're the first person I've come across in a while who's sympathetic to my cause."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 11:43:58 GMT -5
(I'm sorry for vanishing last night. I had finished up a six page essay and just crashed right after that.)
When Lucas had rested his head on her shoulder, Belle had reached up and ran her fingers through his hair from behind. Her nails were short and unpainted, as the hospital required, and scratched gently against his scalp. She didn't say anything for a little bit, taking another swallow of her pungent coffee. There were shadows under her eyes, usually hidden by a little concealer.
Belle eventually set her mug on the coffee table in front of them, turning towards her old friend and folding her legs in the criss-cross position. "Well," She said slowly, her eyes meeting his. She was exhausted - late night shifts usually had her sleeping until early afternoon, but lately she's woken up to make sure Lucas didn't stay alone for so long - she knew he was lonely those year of absence. "Where did you go? How did you find places where you believed you could be safe for a while?" She reached over and took his hand, her gaze sympathetic. "You can tell me anything, you know this."
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Post by Silverfall on Dec 6, 2016 12:36:36 GMT -5
“A force field.” Ten sighed, dark eyes, not liking what was happening. “I can’t seem to pinpoint where the field generator is either. Nor can I tell what’s happening on the opposite of the field. I’d rather if you didn’t touch the field please Belle.” He paced for a moment, chin on his chest, thinking. “Mistletoe on the ceiling. Why do I feel like I’m missing something? Oh I know I’m going to feel like an idiot later.” He ended up, looking at the ripples thinking about reasons and possibilities.
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 13:32:39 GMT -5
(Essays are gross. But it's cool ^^ I understand. Prepare for a large chunk of text because I just kept going with his story.)
"I know I can tell you anything," Lucas said, maintaining eye contact with Belle. "I just don't know if I'm capable of that. Some of what happened... It's hard to think about, let alone talk about." He broke eye contact and glanced down at the mug between his hands as she took one of them. He let out a sigh before looking up again, unsure of how to start his story.
"Well," he began as he set the mug on the coffee table. "I've been a little bit of everywhere, though I'm not entirely sure of all the names of those places. When my family left the summer before I supposed to start high school, I was beyond mad. I didn't think such a thing was possible. I mean, humans and vampires had gotten along for the most part. Anyone who acted out was dealt with. And up until that point, I had maybe had human blood once. But I was fourteen, and I couldn't argue with my parents.
We moved to a smaller city. My parents figured it would give them a chance to figure things out. The law wasn't supposed to take effect until the first of the new year, and they figured the search for vampires would start in the large cities. We stayed there for about a year and a half without many problems. I'm sure some people were suspicious, but everyone was on edge then. But [shoot] got real days before I turned sixteen. They were never secretive about when they were coming, so I knew what was coming when I heard sirens. We had prepared for it too. At the time, my mom, brother, two younger sisters, and myself were home. My youngest sister was sick, and my mom refused to leave her, but she also didn't want me and the others staying behind. We ran for our lives out the back door of the house with some backpacks. At some point that day, my dad and older sister had come home, where I'm sure they met the same fate my mom and youngest sister had." While speaking, Lucas made sure to keep his voice steady and clear of all emotions because he knew that letting emotions in would only cause a breakdown.
"None of us really knew how to react to what happened, and we really didn't cry. I know I got really quiet and angry. Neither one of my siblings wanted to talk to me. But still, we managed to stay together even though we really didn't know where to go. We tried to keep to the deep parts of forests to avoid people, but there were points where we had to go into towns to get stuff - mostly to get a new shirt or pair of shoes. That worked for about nine months - I really lost track of time out there. One day, we found ourselves near a major city but needing stuff. There was a mall there, and we agreed to meet at a certain spot at a specific time. We also agreed that if we weren't all there by that time, we were to leave anyway. I made it out, but they didn't. I'm not too sure why they didn't." He stopped and wiped at his eyes as his efforts to not become emotional failed. Lucas finished the remaining blood in the mug before he continued.
"Once I was alone and away from people, I finally broke. There I was, two or three months shy of being seventeen, without anyone in my life. I was a wreck for weeks, and I didn't know what to do. I found that not thinking about what happened was the best way for me to cope, so I did that. My first encounter with someone who hated vampires came a few months after that. He was a hunter, and he was convinced that vampires were the reason he never could shoot anything. We fought, and he got a couple good hits on me. I've got a scar on my back from the fight. He didn't win, and I'm not proud of what I did to kill him." He flashed Belle a weak, apologetic smile, giving her a clue as to how he killed him.
"From there, I found my way into a really small town - the kind where everyone knows everyone. I was a mess physically when I walked into the first store there. I lied and said I needed to use the bathroom, but I really needed to treat some injuries. A pair of hunters had gotten some really good hits on me the day prior, and I knew I had to do something about the wounds. The store manager helped me, no questions asked. Turns out the town was pretty rebellious toward the law, and I was able to stay there for about two years. I was able to keep a low profile, and people there were willing to help keep me safe. It was in that town I got my tattoos when I turned eighteen. The one on my upper arm - the one that looks like an armband - has seven lines, each one representing a member of my family. The one on my chest 'spells' out my name in Roman numerals. I needed physical reminders of who I was and why I was fighting. I was able to stay there for my nineteenth birthday too. But of course, someone who was totally for the law had to move to the town and take away my safety.
"From there, I really hadn't settled down. I kept to myself in forests and tried to avoid hikers or hunters. Yeah, I did get it quite a few fights while out there, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle, until a few nights ago. Whoever he or she was from a few nights ago... I don't think they pursued me because of how bad the wound on my side was. I think they assumed I was going to bleed out, but I fight like hell. I still don't know how I ended up here, but I'm glad I did. I would've died otherwise."
It was clear the story had taken a toll on Lucas' emotions despite the relatively even and calm tone in which he had told it. He wiped at his eyes before running a hand through his hair. He then held his arms close to his chest in an attempt to reassure himself that everything was okay for now. He was safe with Belle. It was the safest he had been in three or so years.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 16:29:07 GMT -5
Misty
Belle had listened, silently taking in everything he said. Her forest green eyes never flinched, or wavered from his face as he told her how he killed that hunter, no disgust washing over her face. SHe understood what happened, and there was no need to hold a grudge. When he finally finished his story, Belle set her now-empty mug on the coffee tables, eyes flitting away briefly. Rejoining her gaze with Lucas's, Belle reached out and planted both hands gently on his shoulders, urging him to look at her.
"Everyone has a dark side, Lucas." Belles voice didn't waver or crack, even as her pain for Lucas flashed in her eyes. "You did nothing wrong, you did what you were told by your parents, and what you agreed to do with your siblings. You made it here, back to me, and I will do everything in my power to make sure this doesn't happen again. As of now, you're safe. Your family has been honored and recognized, and you've managed to remember who you are. There's nothing else to be done now now."
Silver-
Withdrawing her hand from the force field, Belle tucked her hands into her coat pockets. However, when the Doctor mentioned mistletoe, her eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in annoyance as she looked to the side. "You don't know... oh god. Okay," She huffed a breath, settling her weight in her hip. "Okay. On Earth, when two people - usually a male and female - stand under mistletoe together, purposely or on accident, it's tradition to... uh..." Belle glanced away again, irritated just a little. "Share a kiss," She finally mumbled, color rising in her pale cheeks as she looked off awkwardly.
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 17:07:46 GMT -5
Lucas looked up at Belle as he kept his arms against his chest. "Make sure what doesn't happen again?" He asked, not entirely sure what she meant by that. "Losing everything I care about? Because that's already happened and I'm pretty sure it won't happen again. Living by myself in isolation? Because I'm pretty sure that's the only thing that's been keeping me alive. It [flipping] sucks, but it's what I have to do." He looked down and shook his head.
Without saying a word to Belle, he got off the couch and went to the bedroom to grab the blanket she had given him the first night. Lucas wrapped it around his chest, finding that it provided him a sense of security. The blanket reminded him of one from his childhood that he absolutely loved, though he probably wouldn't have admitted that at the time.
"Why'd we have to grow up so fast?" He asked softly, pulling the blanket closer. "Why can't things be simple. I'd love to be eight years old again, where my biggest worries were bringing my homework folder home from school or being invited to some birthday party. No one wanted me dead then. No one wanted my family dead. All I want is for that [flipping] law to be repealed because there's no way in hell I'm as bad as they say I am!" After that, the only sounds coming from Lucas were sniffles and sobs as he finally let out his emotions. "What did I ever do wrong? To deserve this?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 17:31:30 GMT -5
Belle unfolded her legs from under her, standing up and walking towards Lucas as he finally broke down. She reached up with tender hand, brushing tears from under his eyes with butterfly soft touches before folding him into a compassionate hug, resting her chin on his shoulder. She was quiet for a minute, just tracing along his back like an older sibling soothing their child brother. "Sometimes, what we deserve doesn't come into play. Sometimes, people do things to other people that aren't forgivable. I know you lost your family - I lost mine too, and i'm so, so sorry that happened."
She fell quiet for a moment, pondering her next words. "I know it seems impossible - but sometimes when things are broken and falling apart, some pieces are falling into place to begin a new picture. What that picture will be, I can't tell you, but I know it will be better. You just need to trust me."
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 17:56:47 GMT -5
Lucas remained silent as Belle spoke and wrapped his arms around her to hold his friend tight. "Well, it should," he finally said. "N-neither of us deserved what we went through. I'm certain of that." As much as he didn't want to play the compassion game with their tragedies, he already was. After she lost her family, his had taken her in. After he lost his, he had no one. Maybe the people he had met in the rebel town counted, but he hadn't talked to them about what happened to him. "It's better if you don't know," was what he had told anyone who asked. And it was possible she had a family picture. He didn't have one, as his parents had decided it was safer for everyone if they didn't keep pictures of themselves around once the law passed.
"I wish I could trust you with what that new picture looks like," Lucas said softly as he tried to keep his voice even. "Because the only one I see is one of loneliness, loss, and insecurity, and it really sucks. Yeah, I may be safe here, for now, but it's not gonna last forever. I'm gonna have to be on my own again. There's no getting around that."
He remained silent for a few moments, unsure of how to phrase his next question. "How did you make it through after losing your parents?" Maybe some of her experience could help him cope in a more healthy manner.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 18:04:14 GMT -5
Belle had released Lucas after his first sentance, tucking her hands into her warm, fuzzy pockets. When Lucas asked how she got over her families death, Belle blinked once in surprise. She perched on the arm of the couch, tapping her feet slightly as she pondered the question. A thoughtful look crossed her face, and she pushed a hand through her snow white hair to remove a few strands from her face.
"Well," She said finally, then paused again. "I almost didn't. It crushed me for a year, at least. I remember hiding away, running from the feelings, hoping and praying to a god i never believed in that it was all just a nightmare. And then, I just... stopped. I stopped hoping and praying, I stopped thinking I'd wake up and have Mom, Dad, and Tam surrounding me in a hospital bed. Then, I put myself through hell the next day. I thought back to their deaths - I forced myself to go through every detail, every second and every scream. I relived it. And then, well, I'm not sure - I guess the pain just started slipping away."
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 18:29:17 GMT -5
"So what I'm feeling, or rather avoiding, is normal?" He asked for confirmation. Lucas was somewhat comforted by the fact that his reaction wasn't abnormal, but he really didn't want to relive those horrid memories and unnecessarily put himself through more hell than which he had already been. "...And you were with my family during some of this," he said softly. "You had people around you to comfort you. I don't have that, and I'm not sure I ever will outside of this." He buried his head in his hands, still holding onto the hem of the blanket. "How am I supposed to get past this on my own? I-" He stopped, unsure of where his thoughts were going or what he wanted to say.
"I don't this this is helping," he admitted, looking up at Belle. "I don't feel better from talking about this." If anything, it only put him through emotions that he thought he didn't need to go through. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask me? Hell, we could talk about the stupid things we did as kids for all I care. I just don't want to talk about this."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 18:45:21 GMT -5
"You just confirmed it yourself," Belle said softly, eyes lowering to the ground. "You're avoiding it. Ignoring it only makes it worse, like a wound. Better to deal witht he pain of stitches than to infect it later. Infection spreads. It kills. I've seen it a thousand times. But," she rose to her feet, scratching a hand through her hair again, "it is your call. I'm going to go change into actual clothes, one sec." And with that, she whisked away into her room, pushing the door closed softly behind her.
As she shucked off her tank top, she thought about Lucas and his emotions. She knew that him avoiding his feelings was making everything worse, but she didn't know how to help him. She was a nurse, healing physical wounds and giving vaccines - she knew little about Psychology or the likes. Tugging on a pair of black cargo pants and cinching a leather belt around her slim form, Belle reflected the day the fires started. It had began with a simple mistake - her mother had left the stove burner on just slightly, not turning the switch just far enough. The tiny fire had somehow caught onto a pot holder by the stove, which rushed to the kitchen window drapes - so on and so forth. Lucas's family was there. For her, of course, but she was traumatized and shy. She didn't dare come out and speak about it, remaining silent for over a month.
Shaking those thoughts from her head, Belle waltzed back out into the sitting area with her cargos and a tank top on, running a brush through her hair, taking out knots and tangles. She was barefoot, her feet tapping quietly against the hardwood floor until she reached the living room rug. "I picked up some clothes for you on the way back from work last night. They're folded in the closet, for when you need them."
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 19:10:33 GMT -5
"Well, what else am I supposed to do? I don't want to relive that pain. The idea of that scares the [shoot] out of me." But his words went unheard, as Belle was already changing in the bedroom by the time he finished speaking. Lucas pulled the blanket closer and let out a sigh and a frustrated groan. He wanted to feel better, but he didn't want to have to go through pain during the process.
He nodded once as Belle spoke and reentered the room. "Thanks," was his response as he looked up at her. "And about what I said earlier... I don't know what I want to do. The best thing seems like the most painful thing, and I don't want to go through that. The worst thing seems like the better option, but it's what's gotten me to this state."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 19:17:52 GMT -5
Belle sat down on the couch next to him, glancing over as she pickled out a particularly stubborn tangle in her hair. "Stitches, or infection," She said bluntly, wincing as she managed to force the knot out. She tossed the brush onto the coffe table, leaning back against the couch and folding an arm over her stomach. "Gotta go through the worst before you feel the best," Belle stated. "There's no such thing as a painless healing. Physical, mental, emotional - it doesn't matter. Face it head on and get it over with, or keep the wound open and let the infection spread. You'll end up worse. Much, much worse."
Belle leaned her head back, resting it against the cushions as she slouched down. She wasnt the most socially graceful person, but it was a rough allowance, somehow. She was the one person that could pull off such a casual position in a not-so-casual conversation. It must have been the expression - an open book, but the book was serious. "I'm serious. You're going to have to barrel head first into your memories, rip them seam from seam. Only then can you really feel any better."
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 21:04:48 GMT -5
"Dammit, why do you have to make sense?" Lucas questioned, releasing his grip on the blanket and letting it fall to the couch behind him. "Because you've made it clear what the right answer is, and I hate you for that." In reality, he didn't hate Belle; he only hated that she made the right option, the one he didn't want to do, painfully clear. While he didn't want to go through the pain, it likely was the best choice to make. "If I'm gonna do this, you're gonna stay here and walk me through it because I will not do this on my own."
He shifted in his spot on the couch and pulled the blanket out from behind him before setting it on the arm of the couch. With this recently-made decision, Lucas wondered if it would actually calm some of his inner turmoil and make his hellish situation slightly less hellish. "And you're sure I'll feel better?" He asked, suddenly uncertain about the decision. "I don't think I can afford to feel any worse."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 21:19:35 GMT -5
"It'll be hell for a while - a whole new level of hell. But after that, I promise, you'll feel like a different man. A better one." Bella brushed her hand over her friends shoulder, sittingback up and facing him. "And if you even thought for a split second I was letting you do this alone,, you're wong on so many levels. Do you want me to guide you through the entire things, or just to be here for you?" Her question hovered in the air between them as she sat criss-cross sideways on the couch, her hands in her lap as she leaned forwards slightly.
She remembered when she made herself remember. She had been ten years old - in the fister system, by then. She had no one to help her through as she sobbed into a still pillow, scratchy sheets under her sensitive, young skin. Belle wouldnt wish that loneliness on anyone, not even her worst enemy; and most certainly not about her childhood friend, who she had missed more and more with each passing year.
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Post by Misty on Dec 6, 2016 22:03:33 GMT -5
"It's so reassuring that there's a hell out there that's worse than mine," Lucas said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Still... I'll go through it if it's worth it. It can't be a worthless process if you're telling me to go through it." He paused, giving Belle a sheepish look and betraying his initial thoughts. "Sorry... I guess I've been on my own for so long that I assumed I'd be doing it alone." Another pause. "Hmmm... Let's start with you guiding me and see where it goes from there, okay. I may be able to handle it on my own for the most part, or I may need you guiding me."
(Bleh, sorry it's so short.)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 22:16:16 GMT -5
(No worries, no one can expand on that little bit much.)
Belle had cut her friend a sharp look, her brow arching. "Be glad you're not in that worse one full-time." Her responce was simple, but profound. She straightened her back as he told her to guide him, nodding in confirmation. "Alright. Lets go back to the beginning." She reached over and took his hand briefly, giving it a light squeeze of encouragement before pulling away once more. "You and your siblings just grabbed your backpacks - the others are still inside, with your sick family member. What color were the bags? What shoes were you wearing? What was the street name, and what town was that street in? Night or day? Go through every single moment, right to the point you and your siblings went into the woods."
Belle kept a careful eye on Lucas as she asked questions, making sure she saw pain on his face - cruel, but effective. She needed to know that the 'stitches' were going to hold. "Don't answer out loud, just to yourself. Push your memories; was there and oak or a fir tree? What season was it? How did you feel - what did you see? Every single little detail - focus on them, remember what it sounded like. How many hunters?" She hated the pain on his face, but she knew fro experience that it had to hurt like nothing else before it ever got better.
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Post by Misty on Dec 7, 2016 0:04:01 GMT -5
Lucas returned Belle's look, not amused by it or her statement. "Did I ever say I was ungrateful for my personal hell?" He turned on the couch so that he was facing Belle and rested his palms on his knees. He closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly downward as he thought back to that day. Remembering the details wasn't difficult for him, as one of the differences between humans and vampires was the clarity of their memories.
He reached for his dark green backpack, panic spread across his face. The fifteen-year-old nearly sixteen-year-old slung it over a shoulder, still not happy with having to leave his mom and youngest sister in the house. "Mom, you can't stay. They're gonna get you and, and-" He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. "Lucas, I'm not leaving without your sister," his mom insisted in a no-nonsense tone. "But," he protested, taking half a step back as he turned to look at his younger brother and sister. They were ready to go. He had a navy blue backpack, she had a dark purple one, and they were both as panicked as he was. He glanced down at his black athletic shoes before looking back up at his mom.
Lucas bit his lower lip as he shook his head, trying to prevent the look of panic his younger self had from crossing his face. But he didn't open his eyes, continuing to relive the memory.
He followed his siblings out the back door as he pushed a hand through his hair. The sun was still in the sky, indicating that it was afternoon. Despite the time of the day, the November day was still chilly. Lucas pulled the hood up on his dark gray jacket, absently thinking that he'd be sixteen in a week and that this was the worst birthday ever. He took a few steps forward and swallowed before taking off, pushing aside his emotions.
His look of panic morphed into one of pain as he fought back tears. It didn't work, as some began falling down his cheeks.
He caught up with his brother and sister. "Guys, wait up a minute," he said, thinking he heard something, and he was right. It sounded like four car? van? doors closed. His eyes widened as he shook his head in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. Not to him, not to his family. He continued listening as he heard another door open and close - he assumed this was the front door of the house - and he turned away, not sure how the hunters were going to kill his mom and sister. There was no gunshot, no screams, no indication of what had happened. "Come on," he mumbled, unnerved by the silence. "I don't want to get caught by them." He watched as his siblings nodded before leading them deeper into the forest. They hadn't run the entire time, as they weren't sure about the fate of their father and oldest sister. A few hours later, once the sun was going down, Lucas checked the time on his watch and bit his lip. His father and older sister should've been home by then, and they likely would've found the three if they had taken off into the forest. "I think it's just the three of us," he said solemnly. "They should've found us by now if they were looking." He watched as his siblings nodded slowly, seemingly unable to accept his words. They continued for a few hours, alternating between running and walking. "Lucas, I think we can stop for the night," his sister said. "It's getting cold, and I'm tired." He nodded once in agreement and stopped, opening his backpack to pull out a fleece blanket. His siblings did the same before sitting on the ground and attempting to get comfortable to fall asleep.
The tears hadn't stopped falling down his face. "They're gone," he mumbled, keeping his eyes closed. "I-I..."
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Post by Silverfall on Dec 7, 2016 1:23:19 GMT -5
{How am I doing with Ten? I feeling like I’m doing him a little OOC..} “Rassilion, why didn’t I remember that! Oh you are brilliant Belle!!! Absolutely brilliant!” Ten smiled more like grinning; however, he was just looking up at the mistletoe with his hands in his pockets. And he hadn’t realized the implication of it. He glanced between Belle and the ceiling a few times before it set in. Then the smile disappear which was the raise upper lip and furrowed eyebrows and then the bright eyes went. “You know…. We don’t have.. to… If you don’t… I can figure out … another… Way.“ He added awkwardly, scratching his head with the same awkward facial expression that accompanied it. “We don’t have to..” At this point he was just rambling , his hand had slipped back into his pocket.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2016 10:15:03 GMT -5
Silver - It's fine, no worries. No one can copy anyone perfectly. )
Belle gave the Doctor a droll look, one brow quirked as she settled her eight into her hip, hands in her pockets. As Ten rambled on, she gave an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her blue hair as she walked closer. "For bloody hells sake, it's just a kiss," She mumbled, but didn't meet his eyes as she reached out and suddenly pulled him towards her, kissing him hard for a split second. The force field shattered around them - Belle pulled away when she felt the first tiny shards land on the top of her head. "See?" She said, arching a brow at the Doctor as he pushed him lightly away from her, face flushing from the close contact. Clearing her throat awkwardly, Belle turned on her heel and waltzed from the cabin. "You coming?"
Misty-
"Don't say anything. Just listen to me." Belle's voice was set in concrete, firm and authoritive. "Think further. The next while, when you were running - where were you? What did it smell like? What did your siblings' voices sound like? Did you have shelter, or just jacket hoods? Flash to the next incident - the shopping area. Where were you going to meet? What time were you going to meet - what were each of you getting?"
Belle kept the questions coming, two years of nursing teaching her how to come up with relevant questions with minimal thought, her voice maintaining a firm tone. A tear fell down her cheek as she watched him, even if she held herself steady. "Remember everything. The ground under your feet, what was it like? How hard did you heart beat? When did you finally tell yourself to leave?" Another tear fell down her pale cheek, which she brushed away impatiently. She didn't have time for her own emotions.
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Post by Misty on Dec 7, 2016 12:09:51 GMT -5
Lucas opened his mouth as if to protest, but he remained silent. He briefly opened his eyes to wipe the tears away before closing them.
He hadn't been able to sleep that night, and it looked like his siblings hadn't either. Despite the lack of sleep, they packed their things together and took off running, not really sure where they were going. "Lucas, I think-" "You think what?" He snapped, stopping and turning to face his brother. "That we should stop? That we should give up? I'm not doing either one of those things, and neither are you!" Both siblings took a step back, seemingly scared of him. They exchanged a look, likely understanding that he was trying to process everything but upset at the way in which he was doing it. "Never mind," his brother finally mumbled, brushing past Lucas. His sister followed, leaving the oldest sibling standing alone for a moment. He let out a sigh and followed them, not daring to say a word. When they stopped for the night, his siblings made sure to keep some distance between them. "We're gonna have to go into town soon," his brother said. "These jackets aren't going to be enough to keep us warm through winter." His sister nodded before glancing at Lucas, who was sitting off to the side with his blanket wrapped around himself. "And we're gonna have to hunt soon," she said softly.
His face didn't show any obvious signs of pain with this memory, but the lack of it didn't mean he didn't experience it.
They had settled into a routine fairly quickly. Once a week, they would stop and create a game plan for hunting. To avoid suspicion, they went one at a time to avoid killing the same animal. And, when necessary, they would go into town to purchase supplies. It often wasn't an issue, as they each had a wad of cash in their backpacks. The first things they had gotten were thick sweaters to wear under their jackets when it got cold, matches, and a stainless steel ring for Lucas, as he had a habit of acting like he were twisting one around his finger to try calm himself. The routine wasn't much different when they found themselves near a major city. "We're gonna have to be careful," he said as they entered the mall, knowing both his siblings already knew that. They needed new shoes, and he needed a few new shirts. The last ones had all gotten ripped or torn to use as bandages, mostly because they sometimes had issues with some of the more ferocious forest animals. He glanced around, looking for a good meeting place. "How about we meet in that Starbucks in an hour," he suggested. "If someone isn't there by then, whoever's there runs." Neither siblings protested, which he was glad for. The Starbucks had two entrances/exits - one into the mall and one outside.
Lucas bit his lip, knowing what would come next. As much as he didn't want to continue, he had to.
He had been able to find a few shirts that he liked, but it had taken him a while to do so. The hour was almost up, so he went into the coffee shop and sat at a table toward the back, waiting. The hour was up, but Lucas didn't want to leave his siblings. He waited about five more minutes, pretending to be occupied with something as something else caught his attention. He saw what he assumed were hunters walking by, and he swallowed hard. He couldn't wait any longer without risking his own life. He stood and slipped through the door leading outside, careful to remain calm so no one suspected a thing. As soon as Lucas was in the safety of the trees, he took off, only looking forward to head deeper into the forest. His heart was racing, and he didn't want to stop and get caught. At some point he stopped and sat, finally breaking. His sobbing was near uncontrollable, and every time he thought he would be okay, another thought occurred to him and he would begin sobbing again.
The tears rolled down his cheeks as he tucked his head down in an attempt to stop feeling the pain. The tears quickly turned to sobs that mirrored ones he had felt in the moment. He opened his eyes and looked at Belle before closing them again.
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Post by Silverfall on Dec 7, 2016 12:38:04 GMT -5
{Alright.
Sorry for the short posts...}
Ten kept his hands in his pockets throughout the kiss, slightly still taken aback by everything. Once she pulled away, Ten was a bit stupefied, dazed and confused. “Oh ah…” He looked away from his companion to see the energy field dissipate. He jumped slightly, at her question while running a hand through his hand, even though it wasn’t needed to fix his hair. It more of a self-comforting mechanism than anything else. “Well yea, I am. Was not expecting that at all.” The last part was mumbled way below Belle’s hearing range. He looked around the room for a moment before following after Belle.
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Post by Misty on Dec 16, 2016 11:08:00 GMT -5
//poke? @romanbless
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