The Butterfly Effect.

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Seth Marshall. That was the man's name. From what Mordecai had gathered, Dr. Marshall, as fate would have it, worked as the sole resident pharmacist at the local psychiatric ward. He also happened to live but three doors down from Iris Mason. This information had been obtained from a fledging officer who, in his confusion at receiving such a call from another section of the building in which he was currently working, had told Mordecai everything that he had asked to know. It had been an incredible stroke of luck, and Mordecai could not have been any more pleased with the outcome.





Upon reentering the interrogation room and taking his seat, the man placed his hands, palms up, back onto the table in case the detective wished to reapply his restraints. Surprisingly, he had taken her warning regarding the consequences of rebellion to heart. Iroya Hernandez undoubtably appeared to be a woman who meant what she said, and he aimed to show her that she would receive no trouble from him, at least for the time being. There was still the matter of Marshall to contend with. One couldn't exactly burn a man's house to the ground while under the scrutiny of probation for committing a terribly similar crime, but Mordecai would acquire a solution to that complication in time. At the moment, the only thing that was certain to him was that Seth Marshall was a dead man walking.





"I must thank you most sincerely, dear Detective. That was an extraordinarily fruitful venture, to say the very least. I trust that I have not exceeded my allotted time frame?"





He paused for a second to beam at the woman once more, in high spirits for the first time in days.





"And while I am in the mood for conversation, I must ask: Why? What do you have to gain for providing aid to a man such as myself?"

 

[kou]

≈Detective Iroya Hernandez≈

∞The Ant∞

​

True to his word, Mordecai returned just as quickly as he left with 10 minutes to spare. Iroya was pleased by his display of mutual obedience as he placed his hands in her view, waiting for the handcuffs before Hernandez waved off the display. He had done as instructed and Iroya was certainly not going to chain him up once more, she had been in handcuffs before and the chafing against her wrists was not entirely pleasant to say the least. She quietly pondered over Lester's question, what did she have to gain from this event?


The answer was quite simple although Iroya found herself unable to express it in words, grasping the back of her neck and rubbing at a faded scar which still cast its shadow on her flesh. Everything had gone smoothly so far and Mordecai had been willing to abide by the protocol which was something that Hernandez deemed to be a considerable act even though the man happened to be a murderer. She would repay what he had given, it was only justifiable. "People nowadays are needlessly cruel to one another and there has to be some ray of sunshine. I'm not what you'd call a hero but not too long ago I was sitting in the same spot you were although the charges were different. Cocaine was all the rave and everyone had to get a fix and had it not been for the generosity in a cop's heart whom provided me with a home, I would have been dead and laying in a gutter somewhere. It's better to know you made a positive impact in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving, you're not a bad soul Mordecai; you're a bad guy and there's a difference. Bad guys always have a chance no matter what, demons only get power if you give it to them. It isn't pity, it isn't charity, it's just doing the right thing."





The woman allowed a smile on her face, a quick flash of teeth before she cleared her throat and stood. She closed the distance between the two and gently clutched the man's shoulder. "Look, I don't know what walk of life you came from but I know things can change. At the end of the day, I'm just a woman with a badge and you're just man with a match. We're both pitiful, why not help each other?" There was a brief moment where Iroya felt the presence of someone long gone near her and she inclined her head before sighing. "I don't know about you but I am exhausted, let's get this confession and you can be placed under a probationary period and return to wherever your home may be."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Though the night had given way to the early hours of the morning, the sky was still as black as pitch. There was no breeze, no birdsong, neither was their the sound of cars nor human voices to disrupt the ominous silence that seemed to cover the neighborhood like a thick blanket. There was only the sky, the dark, starless expanse that appeared to stretch on forever.


Forever. The same word that only two hours prior, Mordecai had made use of to describe the eternity for which he would be separated from the only woman whom he had ever loved. Now, as he stood at her doorstep in the dim light of a single street lamp, he concluded that forever was a relative concept.


When Hernandez had posed the question of where he would be staying, he had possessed two options: his home, in which Rosaline was currently making herself comfortable, or Iris's. Neither option had been particularly favorable. However, Iroya would have most definitely rejected the idea of him sleeping in a park, or under a bridge, so, in the end, Mordecai had settled on what he believed to be the lesser of the two evils.


Lester wasn't one extend his trust many other people, but he had reached the conclusion that he had no cause for suspicion when it came to the detective. At the very least, she was an honest woman, true to her word, who knew very intimately what it was like to be lost, forced to scrape by and desperately waiting on a second chance. But she still had the makings of an idealists, and idealists Mordecai did not often tolerate. So he would tread very carefully around her, at least until he received the chance to study her more closely. For now, though, it would suffice to say that she had earned his respect.


A car horn blared in the distance, and Mordecai was once again confronted by the harsh reality that lay before him. Leaving the station, he'd felt a great deal stronger than he had prior to his arrest, having reconsidered Iroya's offer of food after virtually fainting on his way through the hallways. Suddenly, however, his knees felt weak once more, his head light and airy, and thin film of sweat covered his hands, which he had balled into fists by his sides. Once again, nausea overcame him, and in that moment he realized that this must have been what it was like to feel guilt, apprehension, and longing all at once. He would have liked to blame his coming solely on the fear of what awaited him in his own home; in the end, even cowardice was more respectable than desperation. But he knew all too well that the more greatly contributing factor was a need to see Iris just once more, to make sure that she was holding herself together and that Marshall had not gotten his hands on her, a thought which made his blood boil at an alarming intensity. There was no predicting how she would react to seeing him again, not after he had virtually commanded her to remove herself from his presence and his life. If asked, he would simply tell her that he felt the need to apologize for his earlier loss of temper. That was, if he was able to maintain his composure. He owed her that much at least, did he not?


Taking a deep, shuddering breath, he raised his hand with considerable effort and knocked three times upon her door.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"I'm going back to 505, if it's a 7 hour flight or a 45 minute drive."


[media]

[/media]

It hadn't come as quickly as Iris had expected, the pain was still present within her but it had minimized since she had last laid eyes upon Lester. The woman had set there clutching the book he had left behind, her eyes skimming over the pages as if her very life depended on it but she had found nothing to expose to her the truth of what had occurred earlier. The book had been discarded for a glass of wine and Iris had remained on the couch for what seemed like hours before retiring early to her bedroom. She narrowly avoided walking directly into the guest room, the scent of someone she had once loved was still present and Iris fought herself against the notion of sleeping there before winning the debate and climbing into her own bed. It could have been worse and the man could have remained silent for the visit, Mason would not have faulted him if he chose to do so.


The glass had been left upon the nightstand and the lights had not been shut off, Iris was truly terrified of lying in the dark due to the fact that she would be abandoned to think about things. All of her appointments had been postponed temporarily for the week and she truly did not know what to do with herself for the remainder of her time off, perhaps she would catch a flight to California in order to forget. Forgetting would be the worst part. The silence seemed to seep into Iris, her mind beginning to stir as she burrowed herself into the covers.


She could do this.


She was certain of it.


It was as if the world had somehow decided that she had not had enough and the knock upon her door was somewhat hilarious to be honest. Iris was moving before she could even process it, instantly bounding down the stairs as her feet slid across wood. What was she running for? The woman practically sprinted down the hallway, stopping herself just as she began to slide dangerously. Whomever was behind the door was possibly not who Iris wanted it to be the most. Happy endings didn't happen.


A sturdy hand gripped the doorknob before unlocking the latch and cracking the door ever so slightly. Blue eyes seemed to be the most prominent thing before Iris slowly opened the door, her hands dangling at her sides as she stared directly at Mordecai Lester.


Iris stepped aside, gesturing in. She had meant it when she had said that nothing he did would stop her from trying however she would not lament upon it tonight.


"Come in then, you must be tired."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

[media]

[/media]

Mordecai was astounded. After everything that he had done, every lie he had told and every biting word that he had spoken, after he had essentially broken her heart, Iris was still willing to accept him into her home so easily. This unconstituted act of kindness brought him no relief; rather, it only made ache in his chest grow more prominent and the knots in his stomach twist tighter. The man, in a daze, stared into the open doorway for what felt like hours before finally willing himself to move, past Iris and into the entryway of her home, managing to close the door behind him without slamming it shut. Everything about the place was so familiar, and this familiarity would have been comforting under different, more favorable circumstances. Now it only served to increase his anxiety. He could not bring himself to speak.


Iris was correct. Mordecai was tired, immensely so, but he knew that he would not be able to sleep, not until the air between them had been cleared. If she would allow it, he felt the intense need to explain himself without raising his voice or using hateful language. His warning to both Iris and himself still stood strongly. He could not allow her to get close to him once more, for both of their own safety, but since it was clear that she truly would never learn to hate him, he had to at least attempt to ease her pain. If anything, he could begin by apologizing. However, for someone of Mordecai's prideful nature, apologies did not come easily.


With a series of steady, measured breaths, he turned to face Iris from where she stood in the doorway, fighting to keep from wringing his hands in his nervous energy.


"I would like to apologize for-"





No. Mordecai swallowed hard, shaking his head ever so slightly. His tone was too formal, too distant. Despite the rift between them, he could at least act as if he knew her beyond the relationship of a patient and his psychiatrist. But deep down, he knew that he owed her more than even that. And so, in that moment, after much deliberation, Mordecai Lester did something that he had long ago vowed never to do for any living person.


He got down on his knees.





"Allow me to humbly ask...beg your forgiveness for all that I have done. I am aware that they are nearly unforgivable, my actions of the past few days. I have been cruel, indifferent, unfair, insincere, and all manner of other horrible things. Perhaps worst of all, I betrayed your trust, and I know that I have hurt you immensely. But please, if you can find within yourself to forgive me..."





At this he stopped, for her knew not what else to say. He simply kept his head bowed, awaiting a response.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

"No one's ever gonna love you more than I do."





[media]

[/media]

As Mordecai fell to his knees, something within Iris seemed to shrivel into a tiny ball. He was asking her to forgive him, when had she ever not? The woman reached out before feeling a sudden weight in her arms, unable to articulate a 'yes'. She would always forgive Mordecai despite what he did and his attempts to push her away, there would never be a time where she could loathe him and it would kill her in the end but perhaps that wasn't so bad at all. Never had Iris longed for anyone so much, she had never assumed she would be placed in this situation and now she felt slightly dizzy as the man practically pleaded with her. All of the pride had been cast aside as if it were never truly there and Mordecai was doing this for her, an extreme amount of trust that Iris had only seen him display once before. Time seemed to drag on before Iris dropped to the floor as well, clutching the man by his shoulders before tilting his chin slightly upwards in order to look at him.


She wanted to say so much and all of it seemed to be forgotten in a whirlwind of emotion, lost in the storm which raged inside of her. This man, this man had been put to the task and he bore the scars of whatever had happened in his absence. Iris surged forward, her arms wrapping around him before she pulled back to examine him. The scar she had seen earlier was still there and Iris carefully kissed Mordecai, pressing her lips against his in order to at least allow him to know that she did. Every ounce of affection was projected through her and she kissed him for as long as she could without the need for oxygen. The woman pulled back, feeling as if she were looking through a mirror rather than experiencing this moment.





"I will always forgive you, always. You are a wounded man Mordecai but you are no monster, I want you to know that I'd never hurt you no matter what. There was no need to apologize seeing as I would have forgiven you anyways..we've hurt each other quite a bit and yet, you came back. That is all I would have ever needed."

​

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

[media]
​

[/media]

He had almost forgotten what it felt like to kiss her, how freeing, how comforting, how undeniably good. As Iris pressed her lips against his, Mordecai knew that he had been forgiven. He felt it in the way that she held him, firmly yet gently like she had seen scars and bruises and was afraid of hurting him, and for once he was not perturbed at the thought of someone treating him like something damaged; for he was damaged, and it was out of love, not pity, that she did so. It was as if with her kiss, Iris withdrew every negative emotion that had been present within him prior to stepping through her door, from the guilt down to the hesitation, and he returned the gesture with matching fervor, draping his arms around her and holding her as close to him as was humanly possible.


His own voice rang through his head, screaming at him that he had already overstepped the boundary that he had set for himself and that he was just entering right back into the cruel and unending cycle that he gone to such great lengths to break, even that of hurting the woman before him, the woman that he loved. But he this time he ignored it, for he had started to understand something that he hadn't before. He would hurt her, and, on occasion, she would hurt him, but such was the way of life. Pushing her away was not the answer; he could not just accept the fact that he was bound to harm her and withdraw into himself. There would be challenges, and with them undeniable pain. They would very well be each other's undoing, but Mordecai would not have preferred to go out any other way. Growing old together wasn't the type of thing that really suited them, anyways.


It was too soon that Iris pulled away and left him gasping for breath. He had not noticed that his lungs were burning. Feeling overcome by the sudden need to get closer to her, he rested his head upon her shoulder as she spoke, words that made his heart grow lighter and were music to his ears. He had not needed to beg - he understood that now. But he was thankful that he had.





"It will always astound me, dear Iris, your capacity to love a man like myself. Your forgiveness is so easily given and so undeserved, but I will accept it nonetheless. I cannot promise you that I will never leave you again, as I am still a weak and frightened man who does not entirely understand the concept of love, but what I can promise you is that I will always return. It may take time, but I will. It pains me too greatly to stay away."

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

"I said love ain't worth nothing unless there's something worth fighting for, it's a beautiful war."


[media]

[/media]

Iris felt nothing but sincerity from Mordecai, repositioning herself in order to get comfortable. It was truly appalling how two people who were both equally damaged could be magnetized by one another and would even risk their sanity in order to show their affection. It would have been unlikely for Iris to have believed that this would be a possibility and yet it was..


Iris was glad to have found the man. Iris studied the man's facial features, her eyes fixating on that dastardly scar before she refrained from asking how the man had gotten it. Had someone harmed him? At that thought, Iris's grip tightened before she exhaled loudly.





"As much as I appreciate this visit, is it..legal? If not then I would certainly have no qualms about leaving town with you."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

Mordecai chuckled softly at the question, looking up at Iris with a good-natured smile painted across his face. When he did so, he noted the look of concern in her eyes as she studied the scar that was still very prominent on his face, and he reached up to cup her cheek with one of his hands in a gesture of reassurance.





"Do not concern yourself with my well-being, darling. What's done is done. I assure you that I have never felt better than I do at this moment. As for my coming here, I assure you that it is perfectly legal. The kind detective who was charged with my case convinced the judge to waive my trial and place me under the sentence of a twelve month probation. So I am not exactly a free man, but I have the liberty of doing as I please, as long as I behave."





Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion washed over him, and Mordecai realized that Iris must be extremely tired as well. It was then that it hit him that he must not have smelled exactly heavenly. The opportunity for a shower hadn't presented itself in days, and smoke, sweat, and the remnants of alcohol were most likely the scents that he carried.





"You must be tired, love. Sleep would do you well. And I apologize for my less than immaculate state. I have had neither the will nor the means to practice personal hygiene these past few days."

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

​

The smell of alcohol and smoke was quite prominent however Iris couldn't help but hug Mordecai once more before grinning. Of course the man was welcome to use whatever he deemed necessary in her household and she knew that she had thoroughly gotten that point across. The psychologist wondered of the detective he had mentioned, they must have been commendable if the man had taken a liking to them and Iris was glad the detective had been lenient with his case. She hoped Mordecai would take this to heart although she had hopes that the man would not commit such a crime once more, she had faith in him and she was glad that someone else had seen pass his ways. Carefully standing, Iris glanced towards the hallway before offering Mordecai a hand.





"You're welcome to help yourself to the bubble bath in the hall closet although don't blame me when you smell like cotton candy. My home is your home and you know where the bathroom is should you need to use it. I am going to lay down while you do whatever you need and hope for some form of sleep, it wasn't easy without you around and I'm glad you're here."

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The offered hand was gratefully accepted, and with Iris's assistance, Mordecai pulled himself to his feet. As he did so, he paused to look around him at the familiar space once more. It was strange, how there were some places in which one could feel more at home than in one's own household. For Mordecai, Iris's home happened to be one such place, and he was filled with gratitude at the fact that she was willing to open it up to him whenever he should need it.





"Certainly preferable to smelling of alcohol, but unfortunately I don't think that it will be necessary."





He returned her grin before his expression became a more serious one, and he gazed deeply into her eyes when he spoke again.





"Once again, I must apologize for causing you so much pain and worry. And I wish you to know that it was just as difficult for me to remain away from you. I am endlessly thankful to be back."





With that, he offered Iris another smile before turning to ascend the staircase. However, he waited until Iris had retired to her room before going about locating the laundry area. Given the state of his clothing, there was no way that it would be deemed accepted to wear them any longer without washing them first, especially not in Iris's guest bed. It did not take long to locate the laundry room, and once he had done so, he removed the soiled articles of clothing, placed them into the wash, and made his way to the bathroom, the location of which he knew well. As he showered, he could feel the unfavorable memories of the past few days, from the lady in the bar to Seth Marshall's phone call, wash away from him along with the sweat and dirt. It was as if a layer of filth had been removed from his body, lifting a huge weight from his shoulders in the process. Afterwards, clad only in a towel, he waited patiently for his clothing to dry as he fought with himself not to fall asleep in the middle of the hallway. When they had finally finished, he headed for the guest room, clothed in warm, freshly cleaned clothes and ready for sleep. Something inside of him urged him to seek out Iris's room instead, that he could not let her out of his sight, but he dismissed it as paranoia and an invasion of her privacy before settling into the vacant bed and waiting for sleep to overtake him. He left the light on; he had never much liked the dark.

 

[kou]

|Iris Mason|

-The Caterpillar-

{You'd be amazed at how many sexual gifs there are of Kerry Washington with Tony Goldwyn, I am not going to get those images out of my head.}


---

​

Sleep wasn't exactly a prime factor for tonight however Iris was able to relax now that Mordecai was here, she wondered of the times before his presence and was amazed by how she had managed to get any rest. Everything had become a cycle before the arrival of the man and Iris was content with the eternal question of loneliness until that..changed, she wasn't the most romantic person however it was safe to say she had thrown herself into the deep end with a surprising amount of faith. She hadn't been able to entertain these thoughts however there was the question of what they were to do now that still had yet to be answered, her mother and Miles were still threats to their relationship of sorts but Iris knew that this was unavoidable. As long as they resided in this godforsaken town there would always be a constant threat.


'12 months.' The solution was so simple that Iris did not know why she had not thought of it before, 12 months could go by quite quickly and if all went as planned then perhaps Mordecai and Iris could both be rid of this place. She would have to relay this information to him at a later date seeing as the man was exhausted and possibly did not wish to be bothered at the moment, it was weird to think that someone was moving about down the hall. Her mother had been precise in finding her but she had never stepped foot into this place besides the untimely visit several days ago, it was frightening to think of what should happen if the witch planned to come uninvited once more. Everything seemed to be going smoothly so far but a cycle could always be interrupted by an outside source, the order of life never seemed to turn out the way one would expect and there was no doubt that there would be further trouble down the line.


Mordecai was still her patient. Miles had certainly hinted on that, he held that information within his clammy fingers and Iris struggled to distract herself with other thoughts. What was important was the here and now, she wanted Mordecai to be here and he had come {albeit a bit ruffled.} Iris swaddled herself in the covers, closing her eyes and waiting patiently for sleep to come.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}



(Oh my gosh, dude. I am so sorry. xD )

Although he had so greatly desired it, for Mordecai sleep would not come. Try as he might to quiet his mind, it was preoccupied with too many thoughts, the most prominent among them the constant fear for Iris's well being. Over and over, he reminded himself that the woman was secure, safely resting in the next room over, but still he could not manage to shake the anxiousness which had made itself existent within him. Marshall had done this to him, he knew. The bastard's words rang audibly through Mordecai's head with every breath, and even though he himself was present in the house with her, he couldn't help but worry that something disastrous would occur as soon as he fell asleep. Never before had the man loathed a single human being as much as he did Dr. Seth Marshall.


Then there was Rosaline. The only conclusion that Mordecai could draw as to the reason why she had not immediately run down to the police station upon the news of his arrest reaching the media was that she herself was sleeping when it happened. If so, then it was only a matter of time before she awoke and reared her ugly head, and once she had checked the station and found that he had gone, she would know exactly where to find him. Her brother felt sick at the mere notion.


After several more fruitless moments of trying to force his body into sleep, he finally came to terms with the fact that it would not come until he saw her and proved to himself that this pointless paranoia was all for nought. With a resigned sigh, he rose to his feet and made his way down the hallway with deliberate, silent steps. Upon reaching her door, he hesitated, suddenly hindered by the thought that he was intruding, but eventually he reached for the knob, pushing the door open slowly so as not to wake her if she was asleep. He looked into the room and saw her lying there in bed, completely unharmed with her back to the door, and this should have been enough. Apparently, however, it wasn't, because before Mordecai could stop to think about what he was doing, he was slipping under the blankets beside her and wrapping his arms around her person. The rush of relief hit him like a wave. She was so warm, her breathing melodious, and Mordecai felt his nerves ebbing away. However, if Iris preferred him to go, he would.





"I will leave if you wish it," he whispered softly into her hair. He still possessed the slight inclination that he was overstepping his boundaries.

 

[kou]

°°Iris Mason°°

••The Caterpillar••

{*Sigh* I've learned to cover my eyes for a good portion of my scrolling.}

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

​

She hadn't heard Mordecai arrive, he had been so quiet that she nearly jumped out of her bed as someone slid in beside her and wrapped their arms around her. Her brain processed the touch and Iris was baffled to realize that it was Mordecai, the man still managed to surprise her after all of this. The warmth he was exuding seemed to comfort her and Iris slowly turned her head to face him before placing a kiss on his cheek.





"I would never ask you to leave, I told you that you were always welcome anywhere in this house as long as you needed it. You make me feel safe if it's any consolation, thank you for that." Iris faced the wall once again, one hand clutching the arm wrapped around her before closing her eyes. Sleep had been something she dearly missed and it was easier when he was beside her, when she knew that nothing could possibly harm him if he was there, and when she knew that she'd move mountains for this man.


Iris could not help but smile as she closed her eyes again. "I love you." It was all that was said before she was asleep.

​

 

[Rida]

Rida Qureshi


? ? ?_? ??


The Unstable Larva

The last words of The Butterfly Effect ingrained themselves in Rida's mind as she struggled to process all that had happened. Her closest friends had managed to create something so beautiful it was terrifying, and Rida had willingly given herself as the story's victim. It's heartrending plot twists and enrapturing characters had distorted Rida's perception of reality, and the tidal wave of emotions that drenched her after each new post had only increased in size as the story progressed. Such a work of art belonged on every best-sellers list, and the teenager felt nothing but pride as she realized what talented people she had the honor of calling friends.


After the events of today, Rida wanted nothing more than to escape, and the authors of TBE were her secret hideaway. Annabella and Hannah were her princes(ses) in shining armor--the two people she turned to when she was having a bad day, a good day, a "meh" day.


Whenever Rida's anger got the best of her, and the urge to stab every living being in the eye with a very blunt knife overcame all common sense, Hannah knew just what to say to subdue her anger. When Rida felt as if the world was caving in on her, and she was utterly alone, Annabella came to her rescue and shone a light down the path of happiness.


The two were the types of friends who hold on tight and don't let go when words alone don't offer enough solace. The types of friends that can elicit a laugh out of you in your darkest times. The types of friends who will simply be there, even when they aren't. You find yourself thinking about them quite often, and you know they're thinking about you too. It's an indescribable feeling, when no one else will stand beside you, but two people miles away from you will. When a single sentence from them in the morning keeps you going all day. Friendship in this manner is something Rida never thought she would stumble upon, and she hasn't; She's stumbled upon family, and she doesn't plan to let them go any time soon.

​

​

 

[Angst]

Rida Qureshi


? ? ?_? ??


The Unstable Larva

The last words of The Butterfly Effect ingrained themselves in Rida's mind as she struggled to process all that had happened. Her closest friends had managed to create something so beautiful it was terrifying, and Rida had willingly given herself as the story's victim. It's heartrending plot twists and enrapturing characters had distorted Rida's perception of reality, and the tidal wave of emotions that drenched her after each new post had only increased in size as the story progressed. Such a work of art belonged on every best-sellers list, and the teenager felt nothing but pride as she realized what talented people she had the honor of calling friends.


After the events of today, Rida wanted nothing more than to escape, and the authors of TBE were her secret hideaway. Annabella and Hannah were her princes(ses) in shining armor--the two people she turned to when she was having a bad day, a good day, a "meh" day.


Whenever Rida's anger got the best of her, and the urge to stab every living being in the eye with a very blunt knife overcame all common sense, Hannah knew just what to say to subdue her anger. When Rida felt as if the world was caving in on her, and she was utterly alone, Annabella came to her rescue and shone a light down the path of happiness.


The two were the types of friends who hold on tight and don't let go when words alone don't offer enough solace. The types of friends that can elicit a laugh out of you in your darkest times. The types of friends who will simply be there, even when they aren't. You find yourself thinking about them quite often, and you know they're thinking about you too. It's an indescribable feeling, when no one else will stand beside you, but two people miles away from you will. When a single sentence from them in the morning keeps you going all day. Friendship in this manner is something Rida never thought she would stumble upon, and she hasn't; She's stumbled upon family, and she doesn't plan to let them go any time soon.

​

Oh my gosh, I am literally crying. There are literal tears coming from my eyes. There is no end to how much I love you, Rida. And seriously, if you ever need anything, ANYTHING at all, don't hesitate to come to us (I believe I speak for Annabella as well when I say this) because we really love you and just want you to be safe and ok, even when that isn't possible. I really do wish to be your common sense, even if most of the time in don't have any myself. But we can work on that. Together.


You're just an amazing, perfectly wonderful person and I'm so glad to have met you.

 

[Rida]

I had to do it in third person, partly because the whole story was in third person, and partly because I would have started bawling half way through if I hadn't convinced myself that this was all a little story. But it's not, and I'm thankful for that every freaking day. I have a phobia of losing loved ones, Hannah, and I prefer to keep that list of loved ones very small--however, to my chagrin (and happiness), you two are now on that list. You were penciled in the second I met you two in August (or was it July?), and your names have been gone over in Sharpie over and over again these past weeks. You can break my heart over and over again, but you and Taylor have rooted yourselves in my heart, and even after we've stopped talking to each other, I'll never enough strength to forget you.


(*tries hard to ignore the similarities of my situation with Iris Mason's*)


(*fails*)


@Annabella BISH, WHERE YOU AT. WE HAVIN' A MOMENT HERE.

 

[kou]

Rida Qureshi


? ? ?_? ??


The Unstable Larva

The last words of The Butterfly Effect ingrained themselves in Rida's mind as she struggled to process all that had happened. Her closest friends had managed to create something so beautiful it was terrifying, and Rida had willingly given herself as the story's victim. It's heartrending plot twists and enrapturing characters had distorted Rida's perception of reality, and the tidal wave of emotions that drenched her after each new post had only increased in size as the story progressed. Such a work of art belonged on every best-sellers list, and the teenager felt nothing but pride as she realized what talented people she had the honor of calling friends.


After the events of today, Rida wanted nothing more than to escape, and the authors of TBE were her secret hideaway. Annabella and Hannah were her princes(ses) in shining armor--the two people she turned to when she was having a bad day, a good day, a "meh" day.


Whenever Rida's anger got the best of her, and the urge to stab every living being in the eye with a very blunt knife overcame all common sense, Hannah knew just what to say to subdue her anger. When Rida felt as if the world was caving in on her, and she was utterly alone, Annabella came to her rescue and shone a light down the path of happiness.


The two were the types of friends who hold on tight and don't let go when words alone don't offer enough solace. The types of friends that can elicit a laugh out of you in your darkest times. The types of friends who will simply be there, even when they aren't. You find yourself thinking about them quite often, and you know they're thinking about you too. It's an indescribable feeling, when no one else will stand beside you, but two people miles away from you will. When a single sentence from them in the morning keeps you going all day. Friendship in this manner is something Rida never thought she would stumble upon, and she hasn't; She's stumbled upon family, and she doesn't plan to let them go any time soon.

​

That's it.


That's it.


You've gone and done it.


I'm crying.


I love you, I agree with Nimbus, and I just--


Give me a moment.

 

[kou]

I--


*Bursts into tears*

 

[Rida]

You actually went and got gifs from my favorite shows, save Grey's Anatomy.


I love you. Simple as that. Everything I wrote in that post was genuine, love. And now, to check my chats.

 

[kou]

You actually went and got gifs from my favorite shows, save Grey's Anatomy.
I love you. Simple as that. Everything I wrote in that post was genuine, love. And now, to check my chats.

 

[Rida]

Well, now I'm crying for two different reasons.


a. You're too motherfucking perfect. Fuck you.


b. DEREK EFFING DIED. I CAN'T. I GAVE MY HEART AND SOUL TO THAT SHOW, AND IT WENT AND EFFING CRUSHED IT.

 

[kou]

Well, now I'm crying for two different reasons.
a. You're too motherfucking perfect. Fuck you.


b. DEREK EFFING DIED. I CAN'T. I GAVE MY HEART AND SOUL TO THAT SHOW, AND IT WENT AND EFFING CRUSHED IT.

TBE isn't over, would you like to join because something tells me that you would be very good at making us emotionally conflicted.


I HATE YOU FOR BEING SO AMAZING, IT ISN'T FAIR AND IF THERE ARE TYPOS IT IS BECAUSE I AM CRYING AND CAN NOT SEE.


Oh God, that episode destroyed everything.

 

[Rida]

Never thought it was over--I would have gotten down on my hands and knees like Mordecai in that last post and begged for you to continue the story if it was.


STOP CRYING, BOTH OF YOU. BEFORE I START CRYING


Awh, dammit. You've started the waterworks. woeifhoiawehoihwefoiwfae

GA killed me. I missed Thursday's episode, though.

 

[Angst]

Mordecai Lester


{The Butterfly}

The following morning was damp and gray. A host of stratus clouds hung low in the sky as the first drops of rain began to fall, pattering against Iris Mason's bedroom window. Inside the house, however, everything was warm, bright, and dry, the dreariness of the outside lost upon the building's two occupants, who were sound asleep, dead to the world for all intents and purposes.


Mordecai awoke to the sound of the rain in the same position in which he had fallen asleep, pressed up against Iris's back with one arm around her, holding her close to his chest. Additionally, though, to his great surprise, he realized that unconsciously, at some point during the night, he had moved to wrap one of his legs around her as well. He had never been the clingy type of person, and he was momemtarily appalled by the display, but in the end he supposed that it was just one more thing that came along with going soft. Or falling in love, but to Mordecai, the two were virtually synonymous. Not that he was complaining.


Using his free hand to reach up and wipe the sleep from his eyes, he afterwards gazed once more upon the woman whom he held to his person and was struck once again by just how infinitely much she meant to him. As a man who valued human life about as much as any other would value that of an insect, Mordecai had come to find great worth in just this one. Anything she wished of him, he knew that he would do, just as he knew that he would give anything to protect her, even his very life and soul, which, upon further contemplation, wasn't such an outrageous thought. With every intake of breath, his senses were flooded with her scent, and it was utterly intoxicating. It was as if he were floating on air. The heaviness and worry that had consumed his heart the night before had evaporated away.


Oddly enough, he suddenly found himself wondering what day it was. Lately he had lost track of time, and really hadn't possessed the desire to keep up with it until that point. He would ask this of Iris whenever she awoke, but for now he was content to lay by her side, taking care not to make any sudden movements so as not to disturb her in their intertwined state. Mordecai was certain that this was the closest that he would even get to heaven, and with that he was completely satisfied.