The Butterfly Effect.

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

There was a woman.


Correction: There was a woman in Iris's home.


Whatever said woman was doing here was unknown to Iris and what she thought she was doing barging in where she hadn't been welcome was even more of an enigma. Iris's eyes roved over the girl as she took in her soft features, her round face paired with round eyes the color of chocolate as well as the pixie-like set to her nose, Iris made note of the brown hair which cascaded down her shoulders and the slender frame. She reserved all of this information deep within the depths of her mind. Was there a reason for why she had done this? Of course there was, it had to do with the simple fact that the girl had asked for a certain someone upon her intruding arrival and Iris was prepared to confront this situation head-on. The girl was either sorely mistaken or she knew of the man residing within her house.


Iris didn't like the latter, she didn't like it whatsoever seeing as Mordecai's house had just been burned down and the girl's timing was much too convenient for someone who happened to have just gotten lost and barged in on someone without knocking, Iris should possibly start locking her door to prevent any other unwanted guests, she did not voice this aloud however and stood up.





"I have no idea to whom you are referring, I also do not know if you understand that most people knock before entering another person's house. With that being said, how may I help you?" The cleaner was gripped tightly in her hands along with the stained rag and Iris gazed at the strange girl.

 

[Angst]

Rosaline Lester

{The Dragonfly}

Rosaline frowned deeply at Iris's flagrant refusal to cooperate, eyebrows creasing in utter disapproval. The woman was playing dumb, an obvious indication of her guilt. "Don't lie to me," she shot back in a surprisingly even tone, matching Iris's gaze. "I have good reason to suspect that my brother is somewhere in this house, and-" she paused abruptly, noting the bottle of cleaner in the other woman's hand, the rag stained with red, and, finally, upon glancing around, a pile of broken glass near the far wall. As the pieces came together in her mind, she immediately suspected the worst, her heart dropping into her stomach and her indignance flaring once more as she stepped closer to Iris.





"I swear, if you hurt him in any way..." the young woman trailed off once more, attempting to compose herself. There was a right way to go about this, and a fist fight was not in the equation. "Look, I'm going to ask you one more time: Where is Mordecai? And I'll have you know, that if you won't tell me, I have no qualms about searching this entire house myself."

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

Hurt Mordecai?


Hurt him?


Iris scoffed, throwing down the rag and cleaner before fixating the girl with a cold gaze, the audacity of this woma--


Sister, she was Mordecai's sister. Of course she was, why was Iris surprised at all? Instead of deeming to answer, the older woman instantly started off towards the stairs and threw a warning glance back at Mordecai's sibling before making her way towards the guest bedroom. If the girl wished to see her brother, Iris would be unable to prevent her from doing so although she had an uneasy feeling which seemed to be eating away at her. Cautiously opening the door, Iris fumbled through the darkened room before whispering Mordecai's name. She felt alongside the bed before instantly finding what seemed to be an arm and gently shaking the man in order to rouse him from his sleep.





"Mordecai, there is a certain woman downstairs whom claims that she is of relation to you..she wishes for you to come down immediately."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Mordecai was pulled from the throes of a deep and blissful sleep by whispered words and the feeling of Iris's hand pressing against his arm. Emitting a low grunt of protest, he further entangled himself in the bedsheets in an attempt to ignore her before the tired fog that was clouding his mind cleared enough for him to fully process what she had said. "She must be mistaken," he murmured, covering his face with his free arm. "I have no living relatives. Give her my deepest apologies, and if she insists on seeing me, tell her to come back tomor-"





Wait.


Unless.


No, it couldn't be.





"Mordecai! It's Rosaline! Where are you?"





Shit.


The voice, one that indisputably belonged to his younger sister, came from the living room, and at the sound of it, Mordecai shot up in the bed, now wide awake. How the hell had she found him? And why had Iris allowed her entrance into the house? The latter was a foolish question, and he knew it; one look at Iris's expression was enough to tell that she hadn't. With a defeated groan, he rose from the mattress and crossed over to where his sweater was hanging over the foot of the bed. "Well, I suppose it's too late to try and hide from her now, isn't it?" Mordecai pulled the article of clothing back on as he spoke. It still smelled of smoke. The man briefly considered exiting through the window, but dismissed the thought as wishful folly. It appeared that Iris was no longer the only one with a past that was catching up to her, and just as she had with her mother, he was going to have to face his sister head on. "Did she happen to mention what she wants with me? Or, for that matter, how she managed to uncover my location?" He knew that she wouldn't have, of course. Rosaline was not one for idle explanations. The questions were asked solely for the purpose of stalling.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"Oh yeah, the Devil's on your back but I know you can shake him off." Foster the People

-------

Was this some unique form of childhood rivalry? Iris didn't have any siblings so she wouldn't exactly know however it was weird considering the fact that the woman was Mordecai's sister and he did not wish to see her. Iris shook her head at his question before uttering a brief "no." This was possibly how Mordecai felt when he had exchanged words with her mother, awkward and confused. Iris pulled her arms around herself before walking into the hallway which overlooked the lower portion of the living room. She glanced down before scrubbing her hands through her hair and closing her eyes momentarily, if the girl had visited at an earlier hour and had actually knocked then perhaps Iris would have been kinder to her, today had been eventful and she would have to apologize for her abrupt rudeness...


Even if it was Rosaline whom had wrongfully barged into her home, Iris leaned on the banister before turning back towards Mordecai and lifting her legs slightly. She had done it often as a child to anger her mother and it helped her think somewhat, she leaned back before hopping back off and tapping her foot. She was beginning to get restless which meant there would be no hope for the comfort of sleep, especially with his sister around.


Great.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The problem with stalling was that one could not do it forever, especially when one's source of distraction was so transparently perplexed and uneasy. With a breathy sigh, Mordecai nodded his understanding to Iris's brief response before looking to her with sympathy and, more prevalently, apology. Just when the world had seemed to finally be settling down for the night, he had brought yet another misfortune - though again very much unintentionally - into her home, in the form of a person who sorely lacked in common courtesy and whom Iris knew nothing about. "Stay up here, darling. Rosaline is not an issue that you are required to deal with." There was a very slim chance that the woman would actually take him up on that offer, but Mordecai felt that he should at least make it known that she needn't trouble herself any further if everything had become too much.


He paused on the landing before going down, barely out of his sister's line of sight as he took in her appearance. She had aged significantly from the adolescent girl that he had left behind nearly six years prior into a lovely young woman with stunningly well adjusted features. But the look in her eyes, the set of her jaw, and the way that she carried herself had all remained the same, and Mordecai grimaced as his head was subsequently flooded with unwelcome memories.


He had never much preferred Rosaline. The girl, four years his junior, had been born around the time that his parents had come to realize that he was beyond help, a deranged toddler with an inexplicable, horrifying affinity for playing with matches. She was their second chance, their opportunity to set things right and produce something of value. As would be expected, all contact between the two was expressly prohibited so as to refrain from "tainting" her pure and innocent soul, and for the first eleven years of her life, little Rosaline had remained unaware of the fact that she was not an only child. To further ensure that the two remain separate, Rosaline had been shipped off to a boarding school two states over, while her parents carried on with the every day business of trying to tame their demon son without worry of her interfering. It was during the winter of her twelfth year, when she returned home for the holiday season, that Rosaline first discovered Mordecai's existence while searching for Christmas decorations in the basement closet. At first, she had been terrified of him, but her curiosity - something that she shared with the man whom her brother had loved - kept her coming back, and over the course of her visits, being an intelligent girl, she learned to see past his cruel exterior, something that Mordecai had absolutely despised. Eventually, the tables turned, and Mordecai found himself becoming increasingly uncomfortable in her presence. For there was one thing that Mr. and Mrs. Lester never learned about their precious daughter, and that was that she was hopelessly in love with her elder brother.


Taking a deep breath and affixing his eyes with a look like steel, Mordecai descended the stairs. He watched her eyes light up as he emerged, saw her rush towards him with unnerving speed as he reached the bottom of the staircase, and felt her arms encase him in an embrace so tight that he almost couldn't breathe as she began to speak.





"Oh, Mordecai! It's you, it's really you! I almost can't believe it...God, it's been so long. I've missed you so much..."





Was she...was she crying? Yes, she was sobbing into the front of his shirt. Great. Just great.





"I was so worried when I didn't hear from you after you left for college. I thought you were dead, or in trouble, or that you just hated me...But when I heard about all the fires that have been popping up in this area recently, I knew it had to be you. I just knew it."





She released him and dried her eyes, and Mordecai fought against the desire to brush himself off.





"Rosaline..." he began in a tone like ice, only to be abruptly cut off.





"No, no, you don't need to say anything yet. We can catch up later, after I get you away from this horrible place." The words were accompanied by a pointed glare towards the staircase.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"And it's not that I'm evil, I just don't like to pretend that I could ever be your friend."


--

Iris had ignored Mordecai's request to stay upstairs, her feet slowly coming down the stairs in time the glare directed towards her and then words which she had heard. It wasn't that Iris was cruel, it had more to do with the uncomfortable stature of Mordecai. Iris could see the crinkle in his shirt where he had noticeably straightened and the ice he had injected into his voice earlier, the place wasn't exactly soundproof and their voices resonated off of the hollow ceiling.


Iris came to stand beside Mordecai, an unnerving smile flashing across her face as she considered what she was going to say. It wasn't her place to interrupt however she would be damned if there wasn't something going on with this fishy scenario, the taller woman seemed to draw herself up even more before shaking her head.





"I believe Mordecai is able to speak for himself seeing as he is not a child, I've done nothing wrong to deserve your unruly comment seeing as it was you who broke into my place. I've not called the police, I have not insulted you, I would certainly never harm your brother. Tell me, what is terrible about this place again?"

​

 

[Angst]

Rosaline Lester

{The Dragonfly}

Oh, he was as adorable as ever. Older, yes; more mature, yes; visibly exhausted, also yes, but Rosaline could not keep her heart from fluttering in her chest as Mordecai descended the stairs, bleary-eyed and with hair tousled from sleep. So that was it. He had been sleeping.


Sleeping. In this woman's bed, no doubt. The concept was utterly repulsive. Still, he was safe, and at that Rosaline felt a surge of welcome relief as she threw herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his middle. Thin, very thin, just like he's always been. She would have to convince him to start eating more, one of these days. Rosaline listened contentedly to the sound of his heartbeat as she poured out her inner thoughts and concerns into his chest. His tone was cutting, but while it stung, she knew that it was only a mechanism for the defense of his innermost emotions, and otherwise everything felt right, and warm, and happy...all except for Iris. That dreadful woman who insisted on interfering in what were clearly Lester family affairs.





"In case you were not aware, Mordecai here is very much incapable of forming meaningful relationships. Therefore, you must be using him for something. Information, sex, or whatever else your shriveled old heart desires." Rosaline's tone was venomous, and she longed to wipe the aggravating little smile off of the other woman's face.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"You're on the road that's bound for nowhere."


--

Information? Sex? Use him? What? Iris spluttered out a cough of disbelief, it was quite ridiculous that this girl assumed such things. Why would she wish that at all? What did she think of her brother exactly? A sudden rage made itself known within Iris and she approached Rosaline, her eyes fixating on the young woman before she resisted the urge to do something that was highly unethical.





"Using him? That's the best you could up with? He isn't a fucktoy, child, in case you hadn't noticed. Please explain to me what you're getting out of this, why on God's green Earth would I ever hurt the man I happen to love."


Oh.


Oh dear.


She hadn't meant to say that, it had just slipped out..





Iris hoped the words would dig into the girl however that didn't stop them from being true, it was somehow over the course of a day that Iris had managed to get herself in this situation. She just hadn't expected to say it so soon and certainly not to someone other than the man in question.

 

[Angst]

Rosaline Lester

{The Dragonfly}

What? Love? Love?! The nerve of this woman, to say such things. But as much as Rosaline would have liked to believe that she was lying, using sweet words to bend him to her whims, the expression of surprise that flickered across Iris's own face after she had spoken proved to the younger Lester exactly the opposite. This did not negate the problem, however; no, it created a new, more drastic one. Rosaline glanced over to Mordecai, and the relief, the joy, and the contentment that filled his eyes at Iris's statement before being quickly hidden behind wall of blue ice was unmistakable. Was she really succeeding in stealing him away from her? Her, who had loved him even when their parents hadn't? Who had spent the past six years of her life agonizing over his absence and the last two endlessly searching for him? Rosaline was furious, jealous, and all manner of other negative things, but she forced herself to be calm; yelling wouldn't get her any headway, that was sure. Employing a tactic that she had learned from her brother, she merely fixed Iris with a patronizing grin before turning to Mordecai, reaching up to grasp his face between her hands. He was so tense, and he looked so...afraid, almost, though he disguised it well. But she could fix that. With time, she could fix that.


"Oh, Mordecai, can't you tell that this woman is lying to you? You know just as well as I do that she'll only end up like the other. Come with me, Mordecai. You can trust me. I'll keep you safe."





His grip was firm, bordering on painful as he grasped her wrists. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned Peter.





"I will not be going anywhere, Rosaline," he stated definitely, meeting her gaze with a determined ferocity. "I regret to inform you, but I am much more calloused and a great deal more dangerous than you appear to believe. I am a grown man; I look after my own self, and I make my own decisions. Staying with Iris is one of these decisions. She has my love, and my respect. You do not."





He was so blunt, so unwavering, that Rosaline knew not what to say. She could only gape at him, eyes blinking rapidly as she felt her heart shatter into a million tiny fragments. This was the one power that he had over her; he held her heart in his hands, and he made an unfortunate habit of crushing it. But she would not cry, though her pain was evident. There was still time to change his mind.





"Alright. If you ask me, then I will leave. But you will meet me for lunch tomorrow, right? That little café on 3rd Street. I'm sure you know the one." He would come. She knew he would. There were still several things that he did not know that only she could tell him, and if there was one thing that she knew that Mordecai hated, it was not knowing things. If he wanted manipulative, then she would give him manipulative."Twelve o'clock. Don't be late." With that, she leaned in and kissed him, softly, her lips barely touching his, before she flashed Iris one last smile and exited her home.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"Don't worry I will help you out on one condition; do more, be more, check your blood pressure."


--

As Rosaline pressed her lips against Mordecai's, a sickly feeling expanded inside of Iris and nearly sent her swaying. All of the puzzle pieces seemed to slot themselves and the one detail Iris had been unsure of was now screeching loudly. Rosaline loved Mordecai, it wasn't in a paternal way. The nasuea only served to increase as she flashed a smile on her way pass, looking as if she were completely reassured of her previous notions. Iris felt something prickle in the back of her, it wasn't something she happened to be proud of..envy.


There was no way Mordecai would adhere to Rosaline...right? Was Iris completely sure of that? The girl was agonizingly sweet but something lay underneath that exterior that Iris had caught a glimpse of..something dangerous lurked in her eyes. Love could do terrible things, Iris had seen the effects it had on people and she gripped her stomach before sliding down to the floor. What Mordecai had said was still imprinted in her mind and she clung onto that, Iris was unsure of what to do next and Rosaline had left her reeling.


She couldn't imagine how Mordecai felt. A dull ringing pounded through her ears and replaced any sound with a hollow echo, she just wanted to sleep and that didn't appear to be providing comfort for her at all. The situation had managed to worsen itself and Iris hoped that Mordecai would not take Rosaline up on her offer. What happened in the Lester family was certainly none of her concern but that girl seemed as if she could dig underneath someone's skin until they eventually broke.





"She loves you, Mordecai..even I can see that. Are you going to go with her? Will you be planning on leaving? Are you going to stay?" Iris was asking herself this rather than him, it was scary to think of how easy the man could hurt her. Doubt was one hell of a thing.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The lingering presence of her lips on his left Mordecai feeling violated, defiled, and absolutely sick. He wanted to vomit, would have, even, if Iris's carpet hadn't already suffered enough abuse at his hands. Instead he just stood there, staring at the door and biting the inside of his cheek until it bled in a feeble attempt to purge his sister's very existence from his mind. Rosaline was a disease, with the capability to infect him if he didn't remain defiant.





"Oh, she doesn't just love me, doll. She wants to bear my goddamned children."





On unsteady legs that reflected the shaky quality of his voice, Mordecai made his way over to where Iris was now sitting and sunk to the floor beside her. The way in which she asked the questions nearly broke his heart. Iris was frightened, doubtful and confused, and it was his sister who had done that to her. "I will go to see her tomorrow." He had to. It was obvious that by doing so he would be walking right into her proverbial web, but there were some things that he just couldn't stand not to know. "But I afterwards I have no desire to see her ever again, and I plan on making that very clear."





Strong words from such a terrified man.





Those words resounded through his head as, gently, he wrapped his arms around Iris, burying his face in the side of her neck. "I will not leave you for her. I won't leave you for anyone or any reason, I promise you." I just don't want to hurt you, like I did him. The assurances he whispered into her ear, his voice breaking but no tears flowing forth. He was too exhausted to cry.





Promises are made to be broken.





It was now Rosaline's voice that entered his mind, and he squeezed his eyes shut to try and force it away. He was so tired. So, so tired.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"Ten thousand people stand alone now and in the evening the sun sets; tomorrow it will rise. Time flies by, they all sing along."


°•°•°•°•°•°•

The words which were spoken in Iris's ear were enough for her to feel better about the situation, they helped soothe whatever doubts she had and they also helped distract her momentarily from Mordecai's statement that he was going to run directly into the trap Rosaline had sprung for him. Iris had a few tricks up her sleeve and would worry over this in the morning, her eyes sliding closed as Mordecai breathed steadily beside her. It was comforting to know that he was present, to know that such a beautiful and intriguing man would be so interested in someone such as herself. Iris removed herself from the oncoming wave of exhaustion before shaking Mordecai slightly in order to rouse him from whatever dream-like state he had been in.


"It would appear that we are both quite exhausted, I think it would be best if we didn't fall asleep on the floor. I also wanted to say that I what I said earlier was true, I do love you but I want you to be secure..if Rosaline tries anything and I'm not there..I would destroy every bit of her essence." With that, Iris carefully stood before stopping herself from falling back over. She made her way towards the front door before locking it, mindful of the top latch which barricaded anyone unwanted from busting down the door. She wouldn't make the mistake of leaving her door unlocked again, Rosaline was going to be a constant reminder of that.


Iris returned to the living room, her mind moving in sluggish motions as she navigated across the area and snatched a blanket which hung upon the arm of the couch. When she reached Mordecai, Iris passed it towards him before settling herself down once more on the floor. The action was even more tiresome and she wrapped her arms around the man beside her before grasping him and holding him to her chest. The height difference made it so she wasn't strangling him and it helped give her some form of comfort.


The bed was much too far, she wouldn't have made it. Her hands combed through his hair as she made herself comfortable against the wall, instantly drifting off.


{I didn't know where to make them fall asleep, I also thought the gif was relative to the story seeing as it involves sleep. And the beautiful Kerry Washington.}

[/font]

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

That night, Mordecai slept more soundly than he had in years. He didn't even dream, a very rare occurrence indeed. There were no nightmares to rouse him prematurely and leave him sweating coldly in the dark, only the warmth and security radiating from the woman beside him. It was strange, how a single person could do that - make everything feel right when in reality it was so very wrong. When he awoke, panic seized him momentarily at the realization that he was in a foreign place and not in his own home, in his own bed, but the pair of arms that was wrapped snugly around him and the rising and falling of Iris's chest under his head with every steady breath that she took reminded him where he was, and that he was safe. She appeared to still be asleep, which was understandable, as he had been able to get a few hours in before his sister's arrival the night before.


His sister.





The thought of Rosaline put a bitter taste in his mouth. Mordecai knew not what time it was, although judging by the brightness of the sun shining in from the window, it was still fairly early. Not that it mattered. If he was late, then he was late. She would wait for him, that he was sure of. He turned his attention back to Iris, tilting his head upwards to study the delicate layout of her facial features. She looked so much calmer in sleep, all of the worries that normally creased her forehead and dimmed the light in her eyes seeming to have evaporated before his very eyes. Iris Mason was truly the most beautiful woman whom he'd ever had the pleasure of meeting. He wondered if she knew that, and also how so amazing and intelligent a woman had fallen for a man such as himself. Her words from the night before came rushing back to him at full speed, and Mordecai gazed fondly at her as he swept an unruly strand of hair away from her face, gently, so as not to wake her.





"I love you as well, my darling," he whispered, barely audible. He wasn't quite prepared to say the same while she was awake, but he meant it. Without a doubt, he meant it. Iris had borrowed her way into his heart without even trying, and had gained his trust to the extent that he was willing to fall asleep in her arms. She knew that he was human an vulnerable because of it, and this no longer scared him. Which, ironically enough, scared him just a bit. In an attempt to take in just a few more minutes' rest before she awoke, Mordecai wrapped his own arms around her waist, moving still closer to her and closing his eyes once more.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"Let me be your everlasting light; the Sun when there is none."


--

Warmth.


That was all Iris seemed to feel, all she wanted.


She could also hear the steady breathing of the man lying next to her which was comforting, she focused on every exhale before opening her eyes and squinting at the light which peered through the window. It would appear that they were able to get some form of rest considering what had occurred last night and Iris took a chance to look at Mordecai whom appeared to still be sleeping. His features had softened considerably and the brown of his hair seemed to look delicate in the midst of the morning, anyone could've possibly mistaken him for an angel if he had convinced them to. Iris carefully removed herself from his grasp in order to stand before tiptoeing her way towards the phone which rested upon the coffee table, she was reluctant to leave the embrace of Mordecai but she still had a job. It was when Iris successfully reached the phone and was able to glance at the red notification signaling that she had a message did she nearly drop the device:

Miles

them

We need to talk. Bring the man after he finishes up with his sister.

Iris felt her heart drop into her stomach, chewing on her lip as she overlooked the message before placing the phone on the table and striding towards the kitchen. Dr. Miles Jackson had always been one to force himself into situations he did not belong in and Iris just knew that her mother had played a role in this, frowning as she opened the refrigerator and scanned through the contents. She wasn't going to speak with him, regardless of what he appeared to think and she certainly would not bring Mordecai if she chose to do so. The man had been alarmingly dedicated (more than her) once Mordecai's case had appeared within the files and he was bordering on the severe edge between observance and obsession. Both were equally dangerous. Iris decided that perhaps they could go out later on and eat at a Cafe once Mordecai had finished with his sister. Which was not to say that Iris wouldn't be there for safety reasons and to assure that the woman didn't try anything foolish, if Mordecai refused to allow her to go along then she would watch from afar. She didn't want to make the mistake of placing him in a scenario where he had no possible escape from Rosaline seeing as that would be bad. She wouldn't hesitate to incriminate the girl should she try something.





Iris returned to Mordecai, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking him slightly. "Wake up dear, you're going to be late.."

 
DON'T LOOK AT THAT YET.

 

[Angst]

*covers eyes* OK

 

[kou]

ALRIGHT, YOU'RE GOOD.

 

[Angst]

HOLY FUCKING SHIT.


MILES YOU WORM.


As an added note, my current gif will have to stay in use until I get back to my actual home. I am so sorry.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

He awoke the second time that morning to the sound of Iris's voice. It was a pleasant sound, one that Mordecai would have no trouble getting used to, if the need arose. The content of her statement and the reminder it provided were not so auspicious, but necessary nonetheless. As much as the idea still made him sick to his stomach, he had to meet with Rosaline, and the sooner he did, the sooner it would be over with.





Stretching his arms up over his head and reveling in the satisfying pop of his spine, Mordecai pulled himself to his feet. He offered Iris a groggy smile as he did so, yawning contentedly. "Good morning, love. Did you sleep well?"





As he spoke the words, he couldn't help but notice the troubled look in her eyes, and his own expression immediately darkened. He'd seen her upset too many times already, and it wasn't getting any easier. He made a mental note to destroy the next person who caused her any pain, whether mental or physical. "Something's bothering you, doll. What is it?"

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

Iris was surprised by how well Mordecai was able to read her expressions, anyone else would've simply ignored the incoming turmoil but the man chose to face it head-on. It was uncanny how accustomed they had become to one another since their fateful meeting in his assigned cell, she also noticed the predatory gleam in his eye which was a brief note that he wasn't just any other person. He was much more than that, a reflection of her that wasn't exactly mirroring her every thought and she could not decide whether she had simply grown used to this or had chosen to ignore it for now. She could lie to him as she had done to anyone who tried to get close but that wasn't ever going to be an option for the psychologist, she couldn't afford to be dishonest now when she had trusted the man with her life. Literally.





Iris shook her head, a small smile forming at the corners of her mouth. "A certain man wants to meet you, his name is Miles Jackson and I am intent on not letting him get the chance to see your face. You see, he is a close follower of your arsonist nature and let's just say that he isn't exactly pleasant." It was true, Miles had never been a man for justice or peace and he preferred shaking things up when it was cautioned to do otherwise. Iris had worked closely with him for the past several years although she despised his manipulative nature, she was not planning on letting him get into Mordecai's head although the man was quite stubborn. She knew Miles would be livid when she didn't drop by. Mordecai wasn't his experiment.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}



(Goes back to find an older gif because seriously)

Oh, so that was all? Another psychiatrist who desired a consultation with the infamous Mordecai Lester? Relief spread over said man like a wave, bringing a confident smirk to his lips in hopes that it would be contagious. Such an occurrence was nothing new, and certainly nothing that he couldn't handle. After all, there was only one Iris Mason; the rest were just minor nuisances, men and women whose heads had swollen so large that they thought themselves able to bend the minds of those that they deemed insane to their very will. If anything, Mordecai would enjoy knocking this "Miles Jackson" down a few pegs.





"No one is entirely pleasant when you think about it hard enough. Besides which, there really isn't anything for you to worry about, dearest. I say that we take Dr. Jackson up on his request. It will do him the service of showing him just how far out of his league he really is." Blue eyes sparkled with mirth as he made his way past her to the stairs, gently ruffling her hair as he did so. Maybe seeing him deal with Miles would help to put her more at ease, as well. Mordecai sincerely hoped so. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a few moments, I really should shower before it's time to get this show on the road. Wouldn't want dear Rosaline to have to face the scent of smoke and sweat, now would we?"





With that remark, Mordecai made his way up the staircase and down the hallway to the bathroom, which was exactly where Iris had described it to be the night before. As he washed, he went over in his head the list of things that he would have to do that day: meet with Rosaline, meet with Miles Jackson (?) (That one was still up for debate), call the insurance company about his house, investigate further into the cause of the fire, make sure the authorities hadn't gotten hold of any substantial information whilst surveying the damage to his home...the list went on and on. After showering, Mordecai dressed once more in what was currently his only set of clothing - the clothes themselves still smelled like smoke, but there was really nothing to be done about that - and returned downstairs to find Iris. "Well, dear, have you thought it over? Also, on another note, I hate to ask this of you, but if at all possible, could you give me a lift over to 3rd Street? I seem to have left my car back in my own driveway."

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"The couple screamed but it was far too late, a jealous heart did retaliate."


{I am sorry. T.T}


--

Iris mulled over the quick reassurance and bout of confidence from Mordecai, knowing that perhaps it would not be as easy as he seemed to believe. For one, Iris knew Miles and she knew that once Mordecai succumbed to the man's request then there would be no turning back. On the other hand, Jackson only had his words to utilize as weapons and even her mother wasn't as harmful without the benefits of manipulation and dishonesty. As Mordecai brushed a hand through her hair, Iris felt herself moving closer before stopping as Mordecai reached the stairs before excusing himself. During his absence, she cleaned herself up as well and threw on a pantsuit the color of charcoal before returning to the main area in search of her flats. It was only when she heard Mordecai's voice that she looked upwards, a frown darkening her features as she took in his state of dress. She had almost forgotten of the incident last night and the man practically had no clothing left, she wasn't exactly suited to cater to another but she found that there was no doubts over her wanting to provide for the man.





"Never be afraid to ask me anything Mordecai, you will find that there is not much I wouldn't do for you. As for the drive, I have no faults in taking you to 3rd Street however how would you like to go shopping with me? There is a man who owes me a favor who would love to see a new customer such as yourself, he takes a liking to those who like they could be models so he might even make his services free." Iris grinned at her joke, turning back to grab her phone before slipping it into her pocket and swiping up the grey flats which had been abandoned by the couch. They had time until their meeting with Jackson although Iris would go whenever Mordecai pleased, she didn't know if he would be offended by her offer however she wanted to do this...strange.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}



(Do not apologize, it is the fault of my lack of computer )

Mordecai had always hated being the object of sympathy. He hated being seen as unfortunate and having anyone at all feel the need to provide for him in light of that fact. Most of all, he hated being in a person's debt. This was a situation that he was having some trouble staying out of lately, being as he practically owed Iris his very soul by this point. Maybe it was a maternal instinct that had awakened in her, the need to care for him and to see to it that he had everything that he needed, and Mordecai supposed that he should have felt blessed by her endless generosity. But that made no difference in the grand scheme of things, and the line had to be drawn somewhere. On the other hand, something had to be done if he didn't wish to wear the same set of smoke-scented clothing for the next week at least. At the moment, he was forced to begrudgingly accept the fact that he was dishearteningly low on money, and that the whole house fire incident would no doubt put him farther into the hole. Still, he couldn't ask her for another thing. Doing so would border on parasitic. But then again, if this man she spoke of was really as she said he was...





Debt to Iris, or debt to the bank? In the end, it all came down to which of those two options he preferred over the other. He could hear the souls of every victim of his arsonistic crimes laughing at him in unison. Trying to hide his displeasure behind a lopsided smile, he addressed Iris in a voice that sounded - to his dismay - a little too much like he was pouting over the whole ordeal. "You flatter me, dear Iris, and even though I am loathe to accept any further favors from you, it would be impossible to try and convince you that I am not in great need of the help that you continue to offer. But rest assured, I intend to repay you in full, by any means that you deem fit. And I will not take no for an answer." So he would go shopping with her, as she had offered. It wasn't that the idea itself was something that repulsed him. No, to the contrary, he was sure that he would have gone absolutely anywhere with her. Her presence was something that he was growing to crave, a startling thought, but true nevertheless. Mordecai just didn't like to entertain the thought that he was using Iris in any way. "That being said, we should probably be on our way. Wouldn't want to be late." Mordecai, of course, had no intention whatsoever of allowing Iris to accompany him to lunch with Rosaline, as much as having her by his side would have greatly helped to ease his nerves. But that was selfish; he could not cling to her for support in such a way. Besides which, there were some states in which he never wanted Iris to see him, and the state in which his sister had a tendency to put him was one of them.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"Everybody's doing it so why the hell should I?"


--

The drive to 3rd Street was spent in reflection, interrupted only by the classical music which filled the otherwise silent car as Iris mulled over the imminent meeting between Mordecai and Rosaline. She was scared to be honest and it was the thought of Mordecai slipping through her grasp which made her more tense than ever. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as they approached their destination, her eyes darting towards the figure beside every few seconds before they returned to the road ahead of them. The coat she had grabbed on their way out felt as if it were suffocating her and she couldn't feel her feet, why was she so nervous? Iris hummed quietly as the vehicle smoothly maneuvered between a large truck and she felt her heart pounding loudly in her chest as she parked in front of the meeting spot. Iris immediately removed her seat belt before unfastening her coat, feeling only slightly relieved by the action. Mordecai was no doubt more alert than she was, Rosaline was quite manipulative which was something that unnerved Iris.


The younger woman carried an air of desperation for her sibling and Iris knew it would only serve to grow, making it difficult for her to stray away from Mordecai. It seemed that Rosaline was intent on persuading Mordecai to leave with her although Iris knew not of what she would gain, Mordecai didn't seem as if he possessed any intimate emotions for his sister and if he did then...





"Here we are, I trust that she will cause no problems..I will wait out here for you however if a conflict arises, Ms. Rosaline will be getting a fork through her eye."

​

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}



(I'll have a new gif next time, I promise. )

Iris was afraid. This was fully apparent to Mordecai from the moment the two of them set foot in her car. The tension in her shoulders and her death grip on the steering wheel were the first indications. Her silence and the grim set of her jaw further drove home the point. Truth be told, Mordecai was frightened as well. He knew Rosaline's tactics - or at least he had six years prior - but she was a shrewd and versatile young woman who had manipulation down to an art form. Even given his own highly developed skills in the manipulative arts, his sister was going to be a force to contend with. She knew him down to the letter, which was far too well; it was almost as if she could see through him. The man despised his weakness immensely, but if Iris served as any indication as to what a woman in love was capable of, then he was truly and utterly fucked.


But at the moment, Iris was his primary concern.





"I have no doubts regarding the truth of that statement, my dear, but you needn't worry for me. Rosaline knows better than to try anything outrageous in a public setting." Lies, of course. There was truly little that his sister wouldn't do to get through to him, and Mordecai knew this, but what good would it serve Iris to know such a thing? He gazed upon her with reassurance in his eyes, and as he did so, he felt such affection, such a need to be near to and comfort the woman, that his following actions hardly surprised him. Without another word, he reached down and switched off the car's radio before leaning in and meeting her lips in a kiss that was firm and long, an action by which he hoped to impart on Iris all of the confidence that he didn't possess. It felt like eons later when he finally, reluctantly pulled away, running a hand through her hair and looking straight into her eyes. "I won't leave with her. If there's one thing that Rosaline cannot do, it is to keep me away from you, my dear." He was reluctant to leave, but knew that he must, and so, planting one last kiss on the top of Iris's head, Mordecai exited the car and set out to find his sister.