• This section is for roleplays only.
    ALL interest checks/recruiting threads must go in the Recruit Here section.

    Please remember to credit artists when using works not your own.

Fantasy The Last Judgement

OOC
Here
Characters
Here
Lore
Here
Other
Here
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][/div][div class=statusText]Location: Police Station Lobby
Tags: BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda
Chise_Robin_ Chise_Robin_ Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater [/div][/div][div class=title]James[/div][div class=text]She said she's ok, she smiled and though he knew she was stretching the meaning of the term ok it was still what he had to hear. It was relieving, warming calming, lightened his mood the faintest bit but that meant a lot right now. He was just glad to hear it.

''i'm sorry I shot you'' In that situation she had still been worried about hurting him, he understood that for he'd do the same but he would also rather be shot in the shoulder over and over again if it meant that she wouldn't get hurt as much. "You have nothing to be sorry about." his voice was a little bit firmer again. He didn't wince as she reached for his shoulder, he knew what she said was right but he really didn't care about his injuries or his physical pain at that moment. Seeing her bloody arm on the other hand, knowing that she was in pain and that he was the reason, that was his true pain. And it was insufferable. "It's not that bad, I'll be fine. We need to patch your arm up though."

James quickly grabbed his things, then Alaska took him by the hand and let him back to the lobby. Rhys and Nik were already sitting there, they obviously didn't have a great time either, but they as well were alive. Seeing them send his thought away into the situation before even more for some reason. How much he screwed up, how bad it was, how much worse it could've been.

At first, James stayed quiet, stared into the distance and let Alaska and Nik talk. Alaska leaned against him before she sat down and a few moments later he sat next to her, facing the ground again. He couldn't look anybody in the eyes because he felt like he had betrayed them, or at the very least disappointed them.

Painkiller. He looked at the half of a pill in his hand, then closed his fist around it. Did he deserve the pain to be gone? James didn't think about it for long, put the pill in his mouth and swallowed. He was probably a little too hard with himself.

As Nik asked who needed medical attention first the answer was obvious to James, "She ..." He let the words trail off as Alaska said he was first. He could wait, after all, he was the main reason for all their wounds, but he wasn't about to start an argument because of that. The question 'What happened' was more difficult to answer, Alaska only quickly addressed vampires and revenants and left it to James if he wanted to tell them the ugly part. Nik would see their gunshot wounds, kinda hard not to talk about it. "But I screwed up, big time. And I ... I ..." his eyes were fixed upon the ground, he just couldn't, "goddamnit,"

He was quiet for a few seconds and then looked up into Niks eyes. "I was that," his gaze now shifted towards Alaska's arm and his face was filled with sorrow, regret and pain again, "I fucking did that." His voice was faltering, the whisper was only directed towards Nik but the other two could easily hear it if they paid attention.[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#000000; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #FFFFFF; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: #000000; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px dotted white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class="imageBorder"]
39a37b62fde44dda244bcefdaa41b664.jpg
71502cc09190f26ed75243482b42c2c3.gif
[/div][/div]
[div class=statusText]Location: Base Camp
Tags:'Damsel' in Distress BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda Jams Lakyr Lakyr
Mentions: Alaska
BGM: Collect Call [/div]
[div class=statusText][/div][/div][div class=title]Rhys Contiello[/div][div class=text]
He could feel the medicine starting to take hold. He felt weightless, a tingling feeling spread across his skin making his body feel warmer than it actually was. It was almost as if he could feel every heat molecule from Nik's body. He could smell the scent of cigarettes on him mingling with a spice and sort of lavender that instantly set him at ease. He could get addicted to the scent, to the warmth, it was strange and purely unique to him. He made a noise when Nik moved almost like a reluctant whine. He could barely feel the pain anymore and although breathing was half a struggle soon he didn't care. His eyes cracked open, cerulean peering up at ruggedly handsome features. Another wave of warmth pulsed in his gut, remembering the way his lips felt against his and the feel of his body under him and the noise he subconsciously made when his fingers intertwined with those sunlight tresses.

"Nik." His hand brushed against his sleeve as he laid him on his back. A silent plea that went unheard. It was cold then and Rhys drew his hand away to cradle the broken ribs he could no longer feel. After a moment he pushed himself to his elbows. His eyes followed the blonde as he moved over to the two young hunters.

"But I screwed up, big time. And I ... I ..."

The sound of James's voice drew him. He didn't need to hear the rest of his sentence. Something about that cracked timber....oh he knew it too well. It could have been like looking in a mirror, looking back at a piece of himself. Trapped in some swirling dimension of time.

"James. Come 'ere kid. Let me fix ya up."

He patted the space beside him and waited.
"I fucking did that."
"James." He said his name a little stronger and patted the space again. Rhys rubbed his hands together as he sat up, trying to gather the feeling back into the ends of his nerves. When he had finally moved to the area Rhys had pretty much demanded he sit down at he gave him a soft smile.

"I know how you feel." His voice was low, calming, but loud enough that others could hear if they really wanted to.
"And I'm not just saying that. I do know James. You didn't mean to hurt her, it wasn't in your control and you couldn't stop it." He was quiet for a moment as he pressed his palm to James's shoulder. The glowing light was warm in the center of his palm and just like with Nik he felt the wounds close just like magic. Rhys dropped his hand back to his side with a sad sort of smile that reflected the look in the hunter's eye.

"I found my fiancee dead. Came home from work one day and she just..." He gave a half shrug, looking over towards the fire as the image of her body flashed in his mind. "After that, I did some things I'm not quite proud of. Hurt some people that I shouldn't have hurt. What I'm trying to get at, is that bad things happen and people get hurt. I know you care about her, it shows. I just don't want you to burden yourself with that guilt. She isn't dead James and she isn't a ghost in your closet so be thankful for that."

He paused enough to look over at Alaska and cast her a quick smile before looking back to James. "Make the most of your time kid."
With that he set his hand back on his arm and finished healing the more minor scrapes and bruises.


[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#215060; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #b5b7b7; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: ##2a4047; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px solid white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
Last edited:
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class=DoClassPls]
full
GRIGORI
dbc24948ed780868dbaa6907a111b2d8.jpg
DARIUS
bfeb67b235c23142b07328ce4fc31bc6.jpg
VELSKA
[/div][/div][div class=statusText]Location:
Grigori // Basement
Darius // Foyer > Database Center Entrance
Velska // Foyer

Companions:
Grigori | Father/Leader | Reverie and Ezra
Darius | Son | Luiza
Velska | Daughter |

[div class=magical]
STAT SCREEN

「 S T R 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 D E X 」
◈◈◈◈◈
「 C O N 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 I N T 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 W I L L 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 A G L」
◈◈◈◈
「 C H R 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈

[/div]
[/div][/div][div class=text][div class=postscroll]
[div class=title]SALVADORE GRIGORI[/div]
.
Grigori released his grip of the door. The wave of telekinetic power commanded by Ezra afforded him time to catch his breath, watching the scene of a vicious creature be flung so easily let out a small chuckle that instantly was snuffed by the will of his mind. Grigori dared not show a return to normalcy as the beast was very much alive.
With the great metal door slamming upon the Wendigo he drew for his weapons. Barbed and garrote wire wrapped neatly in circular forms. And from another arm was his machete, its sheen still lustrous and gleaming with sinister thrist.

Reverie’s onslaught of alchemical items astounded him. His eyes widened as the once dim room was lit by alchemical materials. A flurry of lights speckled the halls, reminding the Major of images of bioluminescence and the deep sea. Her ferocity was commendable for someone who had no physical priority. The Polish woman never ceased to amaze the Russian male.
Watching the Wendigo struggle against the icy holds from Reverie, its strength attempting to free itself, prompted action from the silver haired soldier. With a might lunge the soldier lanced the Wendigo. The shattering of the frozen cage from the location glittered against the gleaming blade, now dirtied with blood.
The gleaming blade entering its gaping maw and shattering bone as it sliced the through the softer skin that laid inside.
He pinned the monstrosity by its head against the gnarled pipes behind it, hoisting its emaciated neck and head higher than the tendons within could withstand.

A groaning horror of pain ebbed from the beast. As if cursing the troupe.

Grigori shifted as Reverie was soon assailed by a revenant. His eyes were not of a man any longer, it had long since past that point. Grigori had no gone on the offensive. There was no relenting, no reprieve. Only violence.

With a mighty gust of wind Grigori's arm flew near Reverie's head and latched onto the Revenant that assailed her. His hand wrapped in barbed and garrote wire, the sound of Grigori snarling overcame the Revenant’s. It head caved in against the force of the impact and makeshift hand to hand combat weapon. Grigori then gripped the dazed and concussed beast,snatching the vermin from Reverie’s vicinity with ferocity. Carrying the beast as if holding a drunken belligerent.

With a quick end he slammed it rightly toward the open gas-line. Sealing it by a makeshift gore-blockage….

”Musimy znaleźć lepsze sposoby na spotkanie, Ms. Lowiezka...[Polish / TL: We must find better ways to meet.]”, Grigori grimly joked as he released his grip upon the revenant corpse, slowly turning around. His now besmirched by blood and bone. Grigori’s eye regaining some humanity as he spoke.

He looked to Ezra, and spoke ”It should be clear now. Thank you for your assistance.” . He bowed his head a bit as a means of respect, and turned to Reverie once more. His grumbling speech directing towards her with a sense of respect and camaraderie as well.
”And to you as well Ms. Lowiezka. Now I see how the group made it out--resourceful.” .

Grigori was far from done here, his gloves hand tightened, the solemn footsteps of the man lurched forward as he stared at the struggling Wendigo.

”I suggest you leave, I have to assess the weaknesses of this...Vermin. Go, I implore you do. This work is not for the faint of heart ” the Major spoke a distinct and looming cold ebbed from him--overshadowing the sculpture that kept the Wendigo in place.
[ Gravitational Force Gravitational Force , Lekiel Lekiel ]
<If They Decided To Stay and Watch>​

Drawing forth his gun he smashed the jaw of the voracious glutton. Splattering teeth from the bone. And thus he did the same with the immobile upper palate, rendering the maw of the beast void of any slicing fixtures.

Grigori reached his barbed hand deep with esophagus of the beast as it rocked back and forth from the agony. The barbed wire slicing its soft tissue haphazardly and without care.

”Am I appetizing no longer..? Shame.” , His voice mocking concern and humanity, ”I will avenge every human soul you dared cleaved from this world!”

The beast was forcibly hunched over as Grigori reached deep within beast to clutch the heart. Ripping apart the muscle--popping it within his hand like an inflated balloon.

The beast let forth a groan, a whimper, a sorrowful release.

Grigori looked towards the beast, taking note of its many features and powers. Ripping off a segment of skin. The Major pulled his machete from the beast like a triumphant hero. Only to wipe the blade with the skin of the beast. Noting its defensive capacity….

”I always wanted new leather straps for my equipment.” . Grigori noted as he reminded himself to find another Wendigo in the wastes. ”they would make fine leather armor…’
Grigori sniffed the open air, the smell of gas fading. It was safe to burn the body. Ripping forth a gunmetal light and scoured the janitor's space with a watchful eye. With a container of turpentine. With a casual way to his gait he ripped the door from the icy prison and released the incapacitated Wendigo. It was nearing life once more, slowly attempting to regain functions once more.

Grigori retrived his knife from the floor from where he snuffed Ezra's flame. With it he piecrced the can of turpentine, spewing the contents of it on the beast. Grigori slammed his boot down upon the vertebrae of the creature. Scrounging around his numerous pockets for his metal container of cigarettes. He lit his cigarette, a large puff of smoke expelled from his lungs. His shoulders reflected a sense of calm and regained composure. Grigori tossed the burning cigarette from his mouth with a spat, and left the beast. The stick viciously smacking against the turpentine damp back.

He set the creature ablaze...


"I hop Velska remains in the dark that I still smoke...". The hulk of a man grumbled, spinning the outdoor utility lighter, a gunmetal silver. He walked with brisk pace, opening and collapsing the lighter. Leaving the basement. Hopefully any other person would have left before his experimentation, but they could have left during his departure.

[GRIGORI EXITS THE BASEMENT]


[/div]
[/div][div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div]

[class=DoClassPls] height: 480px; overflow-y: scroll; padding-left: 15px;padding-right: 15px; margin:auto;center; [/class] [class=wrapper] background-image:url('https://www.rpnation.com/gallery/25c6c7b2fe2f32cc56b3ee671831462a.28248/full');background-repeat:no-repeat; background-size: 100% 100%; box-sizing:border-box; color:#f9f9f9; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: crimson; font-size:4em; font-style:bold; padding:0; letter-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align:center; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color:#0d0d0d; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px double crimson; border-bottom: 3px double crimson; border-top: 3px double crimson; padding: 15px; float: left; width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;background-color:#1b1b1b [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; color:#edf6f8 ; font-size:1.2em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-size: 0.75em; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; overflow: hidden; background-color:#0d0d0d [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class] [class=magical] margin:auto;center; background:white; opacity:0.5; width:100%; [/class] [class name=postscroll] height: 1000px; overflow-y: scroll; padding: 5px; margin:auto;center; [/class] [class name=statusBox maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; width: 100%; max-width: none; overflow: auto;height: auto;[/class] [class name=postscroll maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; float: none; width: 100%; overflow: auto;height: auto;[/class]
 
Last edited:
Luci
JustAki JustAki Silent Mimic Silent Mimic

As the girl walks away, Luci soon follows suit. Luci wasn't...all too familiar with the place to begin with. That was evident with...the shower incident. He might as well take a look around with her. Luci took note at where important places where. They walked past the kitchen, the barracks, and some sort of.. social area. They sure made this police station pretty cozy. As they walked, the people people slowly started to fade away. Then, Luci hit something, and stumbled back a bit. The goth witch stopped. Luci looked at the sign. A...Gym? Police stations had these? The small child opened the door.

The first thing was the smell. it hit Luci like a wall. It smelt of rotten flesh. Luci gagged. He peered into the gym from the door. Revenants. There was an impossible amount of them. "H-how.." was all Luci could manage to get out. How did they even get in there!? Luci took a look at the back. The doors where opened. By what? "Oh..Oh no.." Luci then remembered why Rhys, Grigs, Luiza, where no where to be found. Luci slammed his head against the door. They where about to be over run! How could he have been so foolish! Luci looks back up, he sees the girl flinging FIRE?!? He quickly inspects her. He was half expecting to find her wielding a flamethrower. No, It seems to be.. some sort of magic. "I'll focus on the revenants, go get the idle creature." He didn't have to question her. He started beating his towards the center of the gym. One revenant lunged at him, while another one jumped up, and dove towards his face. He bearhugged the first revenants back, flipped it over, and right before the jumping revenant's nail even reached his face, he slammed the revenant with the other revenant, shattering both of their spines. Grinning all the while. "BATISITA BOMB, BITCH!" Luci yells. He continues to Punch, kick and head-butt his way to the center. There, sitting in the middle of the fray, was...some sort of abomination. It just...radiated fear. Luci broke out into a cold sweat. He knew he didn't have long before the revenant started attacking him again. But...he couldn't even lift a finger. He felt this before...this utter dread. A tear started to well up in his eye. His breath was starting to run ragged, his vision started getting blurry, and his mind was getting fuzzy. The creature stood up, and started walking towards him. That's right. This was fear.
 
[class=biggie] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:12px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=whut]background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010100%); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010 100%); padding:20px; [/class] [class=handsomedevil] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08); border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; background: #fff; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:8px; color: #162e70; font-weight:800; flex: 1; [/class] [class=speaks] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding:4%; text-align: left; background:#fff; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; margin-left:20px; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; [/class] [class=speakeasy]border: solid 5px #f7f7f7; letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: center; font-size:12px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px; background: #fff;[/class] [class=speakeasy2] letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: LEFT; font-size:14px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=handsomedevil maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px[/class] [class name=biggie maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=speaks maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=whut]
[div class=biggie]
[div class=handsomedevil] [div class=speakeasy]"To go wrong in one`s own way is better than to go right in someone else's." [/div]
thatsucked6.jpg

thatsucked2.jpg
𝘕𝘐𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘈𝘔 𝘝𝘖𝘚𝘚
[div class=speakeasy2]LOCATION — Base Camp
OOC —aww...
TAGS — High Hero Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater , Best State Chise_Robin_ Chise_Robin_ , Bros 4 life Lakyr Lakyr
BGM METRIC - TWILIGHT GALAXY [ACOUSTIC] [/div]
thatsucked3.jpg
[div class=speakeasy]“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” [/div][/div][div class=speaks]
Alaska gave him a warm embrace, something he desperately needed right now. He returned it with his arms around her gently, aware of her wounds, and a smile painted across his face beaming a bit of that dayglow shine he was known for. As if heating up to lukewarm after the frozen cold, but it was inside his heart, not on his skin.

"we're ok. Are you though?"
"Yeah. Okay now. Kinda...Rhys got pretty fucked up." Nik offered, sidestepping naming his own mangling. The sound of his own ripping flesh was sticking around, and he didn't want to think on it more. He felt like a jostled snowglobe, light flecks sweeping around trapped waters, bright white spots of make-believe okays and some real decent ones in little snow-kissed hues.

Nik stepped back and finally managed to shrug off his coat, shivering down to his bones. The cold was freakish, it seemed so otherworldly. New England was known for its extreme weather, but this was getting to be a bit much.

"He's first.. His shoulder is fucked up pretty bad.. I'm ok, tired..I just need some cloths to wrap up this arm.. and a shower..and a cigarette" Alaska stole his cigarette and he feigned surprise, shock, and all colors of incredulous. He scoffed, but that scoff broke into a snarky grin, although tepid, and a bit lacking in energy. Nik pulled out his pack of cigarettes and found it dwindling. A few left. Rhys had given him some, which was a thoughtful thing to do. But these things always ran out far too quickly, what with him being a chain smoker. He'd take to biting his lip more frequently or chewing at his nails if that happened, fidgeting like a child who just couldn't keep still.

That wasn't a good look on him. Nik struck his new clear blue lighter, something like robin's egg almost in stained glass coloring, and inhaled. Addiction was a funny thing. You stop because you need to, but the stress keeps pulling you back, deeper into the smoke or the 'anything', you drown in it so you can breathe.

"vampires.." Alaska seemed to be holding back some information, but Nik wasn't going to pry, " and revenants.. we.. we handeld them.." There was more to this story than meets the eye, he felt. Smoke spiraled up to the ceiling, and his deep blue eyes watched her features as she spoke, looking for small gaps in her expression. People had tells. It was easy enough to pick up on them, especially with all the pauses.

" what happened to you two?" Alaska started taking care of her own wounds, and a frown splayed across his face, a hint of paternal concern flashing in his eyes. She was cut up pretty badly. But these two were used to these types of things, this he knew by the way she moved. The smell of whiskey kissed the air, and despite wanting some, he knew the strong half-pill in his system plus alcohol was a bad combination.

"A red-eyed fucker surprised us on our gas run. It wasn't great, but Rhys burned the shit out of it." Again, leaving out some details, Nik mulled over his lower lip and felt a creeping sensation in the pit of his gut. He could see Rhys flung around like a rag doll, and himself, tearing...the sound of his own screams had been outside of his own body, his mind had recoiled from it, distanced itself. He didn't know how long he'd be hearing that noise, or replaying what the thing said to them, over and over again.

When James sat down beside Alaska, Nik's brow raised curiously. He was staring at the ground, and he looked like he had the weight of the world squarely on his shoulders. Nik would've given anything to remove that, to shoulder that burden himself, but he was no Bishop in this land of emotional scars. The best he could do was affection, and small gifts, listen, and maybe offer some sage wisdom. Sage wisdom that was often laced with cuss words and assorted pop culture references from ages ago.

"But I screwed up, big time. And I ... I ..."
"Hey...take your time." Whatever his younger friend was trying to process, Nik wasn't going to coax. People needed to take their time to understand some things, and most of all, forgive themselves. Smoke cast over his features, the light of the dwindling fire painting him in yellow ochre and dull orange tones.
"Goddamnit, I was that," James' gaze met Nik's face, perhaps expecting the other man to give him anything else but acceptance, perhaps he wanted to feel guilty, as people often want to punish themselves for things outside of their control. All James got was a passive look for a few moments, and then Nik knelt once more, now before the trio, shifting towards James, to sit back on his feet and listen, intently. Not judging, just listening.
"I fucking did that," he very nearly whispered. Nik shook his head, eyes bright but a bit glassy. He pulled over his tools to get to work, stared at them for a moment, then looked into James' green eyes.
"I have a feeling that you didn't, but maybe something else did," Nik said with an almost paternal look on his face. He had heard of this before, but he had never seen it. Judging by James' wounds, a bullet no doubt, and Alaska's, he could surmise a bit of what went down.

"James. Come 'ere kid. Let me fix ya up." Rhys was going to handle this, like he had handled himself, and had handled Nik's shredded arm. It was better to have a blessed use their skills, than to have someone use the more rudimentary workings of the human hand and a fishing hook. But in that moment, no matter how tender Rhys was trying to be, and how necessary this was, and how it was not at all about the blond, he felt...a bit useless.

A pebble, trying to be a Bishop. He'd never get that phrase out of his head.

"James." Nik rested back on his rear, sitting cross-legged, with a warm smile, and smoke alight in the drab majesty of their dwindling fire. And he just listened.
"I know how you feel." Rhys didn't seem the type to share things...how many pills had he taken?
"And I'm not just saying that. I do know James. You didn't mean to hurt her, it wasn't in your control and you couldn't stop it." He mended his wounds with that glowing light, something antithetical to the blond's own carnage. Nik cast a smile again, flicking ash, and taking in the scene like an observer.
"I found my fiancee dead. Came home from work one day and she just..." He wasn't expecting that. Something so similar in them both, and Rhys actually sharing something he felt was probably painful. The man always seemed like a shaken up soda bottle, keeping all the explosive bits inside, capped tightly.
"After that, I did some things I'm not quite proud of. Hurt some people that I shouldn't have hurt. What I'm trying to get at, is that bad things happen and people get hurt. I know you care about her, it shows. I just don't want you to burden yourself with that guilt. She isn't dead James and she isn't a ghost in your closet so be thankful for that." This was good, some growing seed here, a camaraderie, a sharing thing, and heavy. They needed to have these moments to heal, for the now, and for the time before.

"Make the most of your time kid." Why did it feel like both Rhys and Nik were trying to wingman the pair? Because they were, like parents almost, protective and trying to help them find a warmer glimmer in all this hell.

Rhys finished patching James up, and Nik sat back on his knees again, to lean forward, and give his young friend a tight embrace. Not like how men pat each other on the shoulder, one arm unencumbered, not like how he had done earlier, because he was willing to be there for others in every fiber of his body, but burdening anyone with what was going on inside himself was something he wasn't quite willing to do just yet.

Nik pulled away and sat back again, then shifted to grab the bit of cheese in its wrapper, carefully opening it, and smelling. It was fine. Whoever had packaged this thing had made sure light didn't degrade it, and no oxygen remained. Plus, some cheeses taste better when left to their own devices. The blond broke off some pieces and passed a few to Alaska, should she want them, to Rhys if he wasn't interested in the peanut butter, or had forgotten, and James. Placing small bits in his hand.

"He's right, you know. Gotta' find some bit of glow here and there, and...it was outside of your control." The last part of his sentence stuck in his mouth. He had made peace with that a long time ago. You couldn't blame yourself for things you had no way of stopping, and things you had no control over. Emotions were the same, sometimes they were so large they blinded you in their colors, and slicked you down in the mire.

Rhys' confession was surprising, but not in the context of this little group of cells they had formed. They were quickly becoming integral to each other's lives. Nik slid a piece of cheese into his mouth and chewed, more quietly than normal, and gave Alaska his token wink, to assure her that all was right in the world.

When people become fixed objects in your life, when they're taken, it uproots the whole system. When the threat of them being taken, in James' case, became real, it shutters the system. He knew these things well.

Nik's own silence was deafening, he sat in that globed world, in a bubble, and let the smoke tumble around him like the snow white dust inside a spinning, water-filled ball. Like a glassed menagerie, all the little ghosts of the past, and himself, and his ideas about the people now around him, like animals in a see-through cage.

He thought, he smoked, and he gave smiles. And that was all he could do at the moment.
[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
Last edited:

Lilina Ovelia
The girl was having fun as she burned through crowds of unholy creatures. The revenants were screaming and crying in agony as the flames grew. She noticed the duo, Luci and Haruka, making it to the middle of the room. They were progressing finely but something happened to the blonde boy. He fell and became dazed as he was laying on the floor. The little witch had a clear view on the man and a monster that was coming towards it. Lily ran towards him and shot it in the head with her gun, making it become stunned for a few seconds and giving her enough time to rescue the man. She started to burn the monster but some kind of force was trying to repel from hitting him. Lily fought with all her might and dueled the monster. She started with throwing fire balls at it but it was no use. She used her gun and pointed it towards the head but it realized her plan and dodged it nimbly. The gun-wielding witch started to wonder where Haruka was but she concentrated on the battle. The demonic creature started to smile and throw knives but it missed the small girl. She proceeded to shoot and do fire magic on the monster. She was running out of bullets but she thought of an idea. Before she started to shoot the monster, she got her remaining bullets and dipped them in blood that was coming from her cheek. She then reloaded her gun and started to shoot. It got inside the monster's skin and it stayed there. As the plan was coming successfully, a revenant almost attacked Luci but she shot it quickly. She started to chant words and the bullets were starting to glow. They seemed to expanded rapidly and exploded at the monster's body. It became a pile of bones and organs as it's corpse was nowhere to be seen. The revenants were already gone and Haruka was spotted shooting the remaining revenants left. The battle was over, 'Thank God it's over. I can finally rest.', she proceeded to go to Luci and ask, "Are you feeling better now?".

Location: Gym
Interacting with: Luci
GuavaJuiceXI GuavaJuiceXI
 
Last edited:
[class=infrontofbackaffectsright] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:14px; color: auto; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=backgroundbloke]background:transparent; [/class] [class=sidebar] background:transparent; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:5px; color: auto; font-weight:800; flex: 0.4; [/class] [class=witchtalk] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding:4%; text-align: left; background:transparent; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; margin-left:20px; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; [/class] [class=sidedetails] width: 181px; box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: justify; font-size:10px; padding:17px; color: auto; font-weight:100; background: transparent; margin:auto;[/class] [class=sidedetails2] text-align: LEFT; font-size:14px; padding:5px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=sidebar maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px;[/class] [class name=infrontofbackaffectsright maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=witchtalk maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=backgroundbloke]
[div class=infrontofbackaffectsright]
[div class=sidebar]

[div class=sidedetails]
Reverie Lowiezka​
LOCATION — Basement > Lobby
INTERACTIONS CupAndCough CupAndCough
MENTIONS— Die Demon
DESC. — Hair unfettered, tan wrap coat, red scarf, tights, black converse.
[/div][div class=sidedetails2][/div]
[div class=bye]
[/div][/div][div class=witchtalk]
❖ ❖​

In truth, the two combatants were perhaps roughly equal in latent strength. But aside from getting the jump on her, the revenant also thrashed about and attacked with a manic ferocity as if Reverie fought a version of herself who was high on flakka. Perhaps it was shear luck that she managed to keep the ravenous ghoul at bay, evading its attempts to take a bite out of her and grasping to its sinewy arms to minimize the raking of its jagged nails. And then as quickly as it happened, the Vent was brutally snatched away. The witch was left wide eyed and scrambling to her feet, watching as the hulking form of Grigori heaved the screaming ghoul about like a pertinent child. The ex-soldier slammed the struggling frame of the revenant against some piping with such ferocity that even the usually stoic witch flinched, in spite of herself. The screams subsided. Finally, it had found peace.

The rise and fall of her chest had yet to slow as she stood, hazel orbs still gazing at the twisted mass of gore that now plugged the gas leak; though what emotions lay behind her dark eyes was anyone's guess.

”Musimy znaleźć lepsze sposoby na spotkanie, Ms. Lowiezka...[Polish / TL: We must find better ways to meet.]” She tore her eyes away only to roll them at the silver-haired prophet, though the action probably went unnoticed in the darkness.

"Twój dowcip jest zepsuty jak rewanżisty smrodzić, Pahn Salvadore." She retorted, dusting the dirt off her battered coat and checking to make sure she did not suffer anything more than minor scratches.
TL: Your humor is as rotten as a revenant's fart, Mister Salvadore.

At his suggestion, she thought of leaving, having no desire to stay in the rank basement any longer. But something about the way Grigori spoke of the wendigo gave her pause, and her steps faltered. Turning, she watched with piqued interest as the prophet went to work on the wendigo. Though his brutality seemed almost vengeful on the onset, the precise approach of which he used to systemically mutilate the incapacitated demon spoke volumes of the nature of the man's past, if not his present. It reminded her of the kind of interrogation scene one would only read in thrillers, because to think that such ruthlessness could be perpetrated on a fellow human being would shatter the very fabric of how one saw humanity as a whole. Human... not demons in disguise. But the white witch's world had imploded long ago, and so she observed with uncanny interest as the man before her filled the squalid walls of the basement with the harmony of agonized wails, much like a conductor would of a choir.

And as Grigori took his leave, only then did Reverie make to exit. But not before she had tread up to the burning twisting form and with the heel of her shoe, stomped down on a blackened nail. Weakened by its mortal reminder, the sliver of keratin snapped. She didn't know if the wendigo roared louder, or it was simply in its death throes.

Wendigo nails were a rare ingredient indeed.


P.s. For all intents and purposes, one can assume Reverie has left the basement and reached the lobby not long after Grigori.
[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
Last edited:
Haruka
harukaa.jpg
_________________________

'Thank lord, the battle is over' Haruka thought after finishing some Revenants. Looking around, she saw Lilina going to Luci who was lying down on the floor, looking dazed and confused.

"Oi!" Haruka called out as she ran towards them. "Are you alright- Nevermind that, here, you should drink this" She said, giving Luci her water bottle.

'Poor him' Inner said, chuckling at Luci's face. 'What do you mean?' Haruka thought as she look at Luci's face. 'He's obviously afraid. Fear is what made him like that. Why can't you be like him? Instead of faking yourself and becoming someone'

'...what do you mean?' Haruka thought back, eyebrows furrowed and hands clenched in anger as she heard that. 'You smile but you wanna cry. You talk but you wanna be quiet. You pretend to be happy but your not' is what Haruka heard before Inner's voice completely went out, leaving Haruka's head empty and lonely.

"You should take it easy, Luci" Haruka said, looking at Luci with concerned face as she offered him a hand.

GuavaJuiceXI GuavaJuiceXI
Silent Mimic Silent Mimic
 



''True friendship can afford true knowledge. It does not depend on darkness.''
Henry David Thoreau





Alaska



tags: Cocky lil shit Lakyr Lakyr best gay dads ever BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater
location: Police Station lobby





''Seriously.... I'm ok....stop blaming yourself'' Taking another sip of the whisky bottle then putting it down she looked at James. The amount of the blame he put on himself hurt her even more, she didn't blame him, she knew he had no control over it. The pure hate in his eyes wasn't him. James wasn't himself then, and seeing him ok again reassured her that the one who tortured her in California two years ago wasn't her brother...it wasn't Alexander.


''"A red-eyed fucker surprised us on our gas run. It wasn't great, but Rhys burned the shit out of it."
''Go peanut butter thief!'' a mere attempt to lighten the mood which she regretted instantly, looking sheepishly towards Rhys who now readied himself to help James with his injuries. Nik had told him repeatedly that it wasn't his fault, and Alaska smiled at the amount of concern and softness in his voice. Those two really were something... A blessed and an afflicted comforting, strong figures to look up to...She felt safe around them.


She was relieved that they were ok, relieved that they were alive, and began to worry a little for the others. "And I'm not just saying that. I do know James. You didn't mean to hurt her, it wasn't in your control and you couldn't stop it. Alaska had rested her head against the wall, listening to Rhys's words, nodding slightly, she wanted to sleep, to dose off, remembering the thing James had said about getting some normal days for a change... she'd like that...normal days without fighting for once.


Her eyes shot open when he started talking about his dead fiance. So much death....so much pain and suffering everyone's gone through. She looked at his azure blue eyes and opened her mouth to say something but decided against it...She remembered the conversation they'd had in the bathroom. When Rhys had cast her the smile after telling the young hunter to make the most of it, Alaska instantly shifted her gaze to the floor, counting the tiles one by one, trying to hide the blush that spread across her cheeks.


''"He's right, you know. Gotta' find some bit of glow here and there, and...it was outside of your control'' Alaska reached for James's hand, held it for a second, tightening the grip on it, then let go. A silent smile that she was glad they were alive and well. She lay back down again, a little dizzy. She wondered if it was better to stay here or to go outside looking for supplies, was it safe either way? A little too loud sigh escaped her mouth, she stared at the ceiling of the police station, closing her eyes gradually, before she drifted off.


 
Last edited:
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][/div][div class=statusText]Location: Police Station Lobby
Tags: BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda
Chise_Robin_ Chise_Robin_ Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater [/div][/div][div class=title]James[/div][div class=text]"I have a feeling that you didn't, but maybe something else did," Nik was right in some way but wrong in another. James thought lingered on those words as he walked over to Rhys who had offered help now instead of Nik. He sat down where Rhys had patted, was quietly thankful for the smile but couldn't yet return one.

"I know how you feel." Rhys' voice was calming, full of empathy. James just now noticed he had made himself the center of attention of this small group right now. He said nothing and would be glad to listen to what Rhys had to say.
"And I'm not just saying that. I do know James. You didn't mean to hurt her, it wasn't in your control and you couldn't stop it." Couldn't I? And that exactly was the problem James had. He could've been more careful not to get into the situation in the first place. And maybe he would've been able to free his mind if he just had tried harder, after all, he had short moments of small awareness.
"It shouldn't have happened." He didn't say it in denial of Rhys' words, wasn't trying to argue against them, just stating a fact. Rhys hand against his shoulder was cold at first and then became warm as it started to glow. It was strange to feel wounds closing so quickly, the pain wasn't gone with it, not immediately.

"I found my fiancee dead. Came home from work one day and she just..." James looked up at Rhys who was staring into the campfire a distant look in his eyes. James wasn't sure if he should say anything. Rhys had probably heard it everything a thousand times already, so he stayed and kept listening.
"After that, I did some things I'm not quite proud of. Hurt some people that I shouldn't have hurt. What I'm trying to get at, is that bad things happen and people get hurt. I know you care about her, it shows." James quietly looked towards Alaska now, managed a weak smile again and wondered how anybody was able to care that much about someone after such a short amount of time. How people could grow fond of one another without really knowing each other.

"I just don't want you to burden yourself with that guilt. She isn't dead James and she isn't a ghost in your closet so be thankful for that." Rhys came to the conclusion of his short speech.
"Alright," James gave him a weak, grateful smile.
"Make the most of your time kid."
"I'll try ... thank you."
He didn't know what else there was to say so he stayed quiet as Rhys finished healing him.

He hadn't expected the hug Nik gave him, but clung to it tightly until Nik pulled away. James gave him a smile, listened to his words and nodded. They were right, both of them. He looked over at Alaska as she took his hand, he was happy to see her smile to see well. "I'm glad you're okay." His voice was soft, not sad and sorry anymore but just thankful. Then he just sat there, even though he was exhausted and a tired again he didn't want to sleep now, instead he was nibbling the pieces of cheese Nik had placed in his hand.[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#000000; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #FFFFFF; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: #000000; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px dotted white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
Last edited:
Luci
JustAki JustAki Silent Mimic Silent Mimic

Luci didn't know what happened. All he remembered was the creatures hand on his face. It.. did something to him. Luci was still fairly lucid when he realized the monster was dead.

Luci's attention is drawn to the sound of people running towards him. He turns his head, to see Haruka and Lili. "Are you feeling better now?" asks Lili. "A-aha...somehow.." Luci responds. "Oi!" Haruka yells, "Are you alright- Nevermind that, here, you should drink this" Haruka says, as she thrusts a bottle of water towards him. Luci would have jumped back, if he had the energy too. He takes the bottle, and chugs it. After Luci takes a few seconds to catch his breath, he speaks. "Guys, we need to go, now. " Pausing only to take a deep breath. "I-its possible this was just a prelude to what's to come." Luci grabs Harukas hand, and stands up, wobbling a bit. "We need to go, now." Luci says as he starts running out of the gym.
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class="imageBorder"]
74d6fc7bca348a019857e2f0d4dc5200.jpg
dbd2086084b59042f4ca70bc69ed01f1.jpg
3632b0f7dd93d788e1b193b8c10caf18.jpg
[/div][/div]
[div class=statusText]Location: Base Camp > El Road
Tags:EVERYONE
OOC: I know this is a hot mess just everyone skip to the cars
BGM: Careless Whisper [/div]
[div class=statusText][/div][/div][div class=title]Rhys Contiello[/div][div class=text]
"I'll try ... thank you."
Rhys nodded, the curve to his mouth growing a bit wider as he watched James and Nik hug it out. He was glad that he seemed a little more at ease now and he hoped that his words helped at least a little bit. His gaze drifted to the fire once more, watching the flames dance to their own theoretical tune. He hadn't thought about that night in a long time. Time had eased his festered wound, but it couldn't numb the pain entirely. A breath escaped his lips as he pulled himself to his feet, arm cradling his ribs automatically. His body still felt light and he swayed a little on his feet, focus drifting over towards Nik now as he nibbled on some cheese. He might have popped the whole thing into his mouth at one point, but Rhys couldn't entirely be certain. The world seemed like it was just a blur of colors and noises.

"We should set out to another location, see what supplies we can dig up."

He was teetering on consciousness, but the well being of the group around him --these people that had come to rely on his leadership-- was a much more pressing matter. The sound of footsteps caused him to look up and he took note of the rest of the survivors hobbling in, in various states of injury. Azure orbs met chocolate brown, exchanging an acknowledgement without words towards the elder man as he strode in looking a little singed around the edges. Rhys didn't have time to ponder what they had all been through, he was busy stuffing his peanut butter into his bag along with his bottle of Whiskey that Alaska had snagged. Whatever protests Nik might have uttered were ignored as he clearly started to pack up camp.

"We should keep at least two people here. The rest of us will go out in search of more supplies."
He glanced at Grigs again for confirmation and then towards Nik.
"I'll take point. Grigs, watch our six. We'll have Alaska's wagon in the middle and Reverie, I thought I saw a police Van out front that looked in fair condition. You could probably load your bike up in there...if you can dig it out."
Rhys picked his jacket up off the floor and shrugged in on.
Then he slung his bag over his shoulder with only a slight grimace before strolling out.

He moved towards the truck quickly, using his previous path to get him there quicker. There was no sign of the demon who he had practically incinerated maybe an hour or two before. It caused a particularly sick feeling to coil in his stomach and the need to get out seemed to be stronger with that realization.

The truck started on the third try. Rhys rubbed his hands together, waiting for the rest of the group who wasn't staying to load up before driving out of the parking lot.

⊰~❇~⊱​

Driving through unpaved roads where you could barely see thirteen feet ahead of you wasn't exactly his idea of a good time. His brows were furrowed, both hands on the wheel as he sped up their grueling pace by a couple of miles. His eyes kept flickering up to the rear view mirror, to the side mirrors, and then back to the road. A constant rotation. Some song from the playlist played quietly in the background but he wasn't really paying attention to it. Rhys was too busy trying to make sure that no one got lost in this haze.

He was tense. Much more tense now than after the first hour of their journey. The pills had settled the pain, but there were brief moments where he would lose his breath and struggle to get it back. He should have asked Emma to heal them before they left. But he had been so focused on getting them out of that place that he hadn't really thought about it.

"My pretties inside came to feast, but with my favorite toy tossed to the gutter....well, I thought that it was time for me to have some play too. The Lich gets all the frigid fun. So why shouldn't I have my time in the sun?"

Those words were still rattling around in his brain. A puzzle that just wouldn't go the fuck away. He didn't know what a Lich was. He didn't know what that thing had meant when it had referenced it, but what he had pieced together was that it had been watching them rather intimately. Rhys hated the thought of leaving anyone back there, but it wasn't like there was any place else they could go in this weather. At least the police station was defensible.
His jaw ticked, expression drawn into a severe mix of thoughtfulness and frustration.

His hand slapped against the radio suddenly, leaning forward as a figure darted out into the middle of the road. Rhys slammed on the breaks, tires skidding across the snow and he turned the wheel into the slide in order to keep the truck from swerving into a snow bank.
"What the fuck?"
Hazard lights pulsed, casting their own sets of shadows out from behind the truck.

Rhys unfastened his gun from his holster and slid out of the driver's seat. "Stay here."
It was the first thing he had said for a while and he shut the door.

Blue eyes darted towards the other side of the road and he took a tentative step forward.
That was when he heard the whine; high in pitch and desperate.
It sounded like...a dog?

As he moved closer, his gun lowered to his side, looking down at what he guessed to be a Shepard coated in snow. Wide brown eyes looked up at him, ears flatted and tail down as the animal whined again. Rhys hadn't seen a dog in two years. His expression softened and he held his hand out tentatively. "Hey there boy. A little cold to be out for a midday stroll."
The jest was lost on the wind as he noticed the body shaking in the snow just behind where the dog impatiently stood.

"NIK!"
He yelled out, half turning back towards the truck knowing that the other man would come running when he called. If his ribs weren't so fucked he probably would have been able to lift her without much of a problem. Rhys threw his hands up, showing her that he meant no harm by slipping the gun back in it's holster. "I'm not here to hurt you...are you alright?"
He was a little wary. But she didn't look like a raider. She also didn't look like some damsel in distress either. His eyes tracked the red staining the snow to her leg and his mouth drew into a thin line as he waited for permission to help her up.
[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#215060; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #b5b7b7; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: ##2a4047; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px solid white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
Last edited:
penelope vale & woofus


44558291304_f00bd64a22.jpg
german-shepherd-dog-tumblr-2.jpg


Location
Off side of highway
Interaction
Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda
Music/Mood
Nancy from now on
OOC
quickie kinda whatevs
Cold. She was freezing, nearly, and Penny couldn’t think. Usually she had half a sense to keep her wits about her even in perilous predicaments. This one, however, left her particularly defenseless. Woofus and Penny had been walking for almost two hours now, north as it happened. That hadn’t been her original plan—she had wanted to head away from the gate in New York. Distance between her and the past she left behind. Things got derailed, however, after the group of raiders that had been dogging her and Woofus showed up again.

~~

Shortly after having warmed up to Woofus, and he to her, did the door threaten to burst. Feverish knocking and banging were coming from the other side, and Penny’s head flicked to the pulsating wood. Whoops and antagonizing hollers came from the other side, confirming to both woman and dog, who was there. She looked at Woofus and held his face again. Her eyes narrowed, and she scanned the dog’s skitterish gaze. “We have to go Woofus. You just got here and I just got you help, but we gotta go. I need your help.” She released him and stood up, spinning in a circle around the room. They’d break down the door any second. Double bolt locks could only withstand so much beating before they caved in.

Penny dove for her gear in the corner. She slipped her coat on and reached for the backpack and batons that she used in combat. The clothes she had stripped off she hastily slipped back into. Bloody leggings and stained boots.

Just as she slipped her gloves on did the door finally burst.

It was a group of them: three males. They were wild eyed and grinning wildly at the sight of Penny and Woofus. “Well, if it idn’t the witch we were chasing out from camp! Fancy seeing you here.” The one centered in the triad said, swinging his barbed wire bat to the side lamely. Penny frowned watching him, dropping into a defensive stance. She glared right back at the smirk on his face.

I’m not a witch you idiot, I’m Blessed she wanted to say, but her heart was beating too fast to get any snark out. “You followed me, didn’t you?” She said instead, gaze flickering around the room for an exit.

There was no other way.

It was easy, birdie. Your little broken wing left a lovely little track. Red stands out shiningly against white, even in a blizzard. We nearly died out there trying to find you—how rude. Leader wants your head to make an example of thievery. We don’t take too kindly to that sort of behavior.” The men sauntered forward, one with a gun and the other with a knife.

Penny rolled her eyes. “Newsflash assholes, I didn’t steal your supplies! If you put your brains back in your head for half a second and did something productive, you’d know it wasn’t me.” She was annoyed, and angry at this point. It was getting ridiculous.

The lead one scoffed and pointed his bat at her. “That’s exactly what a thief would say. Trying to cover his own tra—

Penny grunted. “Enough! You talk too much.” She muttered and flew forward, diving beneath the man’s outstretched arm and knocking the back of his knee with her baton. The man shouted and Penny lashed out on the shins of the other men in the group. They hobbled forward and she, now behind one of them, kicked his butt with her foot. The man fell forward, caught unaware, and dropped his gun. It skittered across the room and Penny watched the other two lock eyes with the weapon. Rather than that, she looked to Woofus.

Come on!” She shouted to the dog with a pleading look, just as the other goon regained his balance caught her with his blade. It sliced her arm and she yelped, glaring and going in for another flurry of limbs and batons. She struck out with her knuckles, punching the man in the face. Barbed Wire came at her with a swing, and she ducked, kicking out at his leg again. The man cried out and Penny gestured to the dog again. This time, the dog bolted past her legs and out the door. In the half second that she hesitated to run out the door, Barbed Wire swung again and caught Penny in the back. She screamed and flew out the doorway, her sternum catching her fall over the edge of the staircase. She braced herself on the railing and breathed through the pain. Just then, Barbed Wire went back for another attack. Penny knew better and ducked just as his bat hit the space in the railing that she was just at.

Blood streaming down her back and hobbling, Penny flew down the stairs. She had lost sight of Woofus, but she hoped he was out of the building by now.

Reaching the bottom, she was surprised to see the dog had hesitated by the broken front doors. She looked grateful through the pain just as the triad of survivors were reaching the previous landing. “Let’s go!” She shouted to the dog, hauling ass through the broken glass door and bolting.

Her leg was screaming at this point, and her back was trembling. Blood was seeping through the wrap, but she ignored it and continued to run. Looking behind her, for a moment, she nearly jumped out of her skin when the bang of a gun sounded through the air. Penny braced for impact but felt nothing and figured that the blowing snow and breeze had thrown off the survivor’s aim. She pushed harder, keeping pace with the sprinting dog as best as she could.

Where are we going?! She asked herself but didn’t bother thinking out loud. She just kept running. Woofus kept pace and the growing blizzard soon obscured the duo.

~

They had continued moving forward until blocks of buildings and apartments disappeared. It looked like they were on a freeway now, or some major road. They kept moving, even if the snow was covering their tracks. Penny kept bleeding, and sometime later she had to stop running. Woofus whined, looking over at her as she limped along. Her gaze was blurring and her hands she could no longer feel. She looked over at the dog and smiled lamely.

It’s…okay…” She had finished the sentence perfectly fine in her mind, but the words failed. Penny had her jacket zipped and her hood up but the bitter snow and wind continued to bite through. She didn’t have most of her gear, but she was glad she had grabbed her pack and some gloves. Still…it was cold. They were over two hours out of the original location, or so she thought. Penny did bad counting time when she was in so much pain. Her back had stopped screaming, but rather had a steady throb. The blood had stopped pooling, hopefully, but she hardly noticed. Her entire body was nearly frozen anyway.

Woofus…” Penny muttered as her footing finally slipped, and she crumbled to the ground. The dog ran around her, barking and licking her face. He was probably cold too, and it was all she could think as she lay there. She reached out a hand and tried to pet the dog, but her arm felt extremely heavy. She imagined snapping it off like a branch off a tree.

It was so cold, and she imagined how warm she’d be if she just closed her eyes. Her body willed for any sort of warmth that it could muster. The dog parked beside her, burrowing her face into his side. She wanted to cry out or scream but she couldn’t even do that. She had no energy and her body was frozen anyhow.

Don’t leave me.” She whispered into the dog’s fur, squeezing him tightly.
~~

How long had she been there? It felt like hours, but before she knew it there was a cacophony of noises. Her mind was beginning to dull at this point from the cold and the pain. Half lidded, Penny saw a shadowy figure approach. Woofus was barking like mad, but she couldn’t do anything but shudder in the snow. “I’m not here to hurt you… are you alright?” The voice asked. A man?


Penny slurred out a response, lamely waving a hand. “Pl…ease.” She did her best to communicate, and if she had had any strength she would have crawled toward him. The best she could do was bite her tongue and struggle to sit up, but her limbs were locked and freezing. Her back and leg yawned with pain as she moved. It was so much nicer to just lay there.

Woofus barked, nudging Penny toward the man. Penny gazed up, trying to focus her eyes on the man. There was a bright light from behind him, illuminating the figure in a holy light. Was it an angel? Her broken brain wondered if an angel had descended to steal her body and parade about in some heavenly glory. She had been blessed with little explanation. Was someone here to take her away?


It was better than freezing to death. “Help…me.” She pleaded to the man, shivering violently on the ground. Snow had seeped into her hood and onto any open skin. She probably looked a corpse, or something similar.


Woofus whined, barking again. Penny felt her mind slip as she lapsed into a momentarily world of sleep.
 
Last edited:
[class=biggie] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:12px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=whut]background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010100%); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #e8f1f2 2%, #381010 100%); padding:20px; [/class] [class=handsomedevil] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08); border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; background: #fff; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:8px; color: #162e70; font-weight:800; flex: 1; [/class] [class=speaks] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding:4%; text-align: left; background:#fff; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; margin-left:20px; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; [/class] [class=speakeasy]border: solid 5px #f7f7f7; letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: center; font-size:12px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px; background: #fff;[/class] [class=speakeasy2] letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: LEFT; font-size:14px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=handsomedevil maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px[/class] [class name=biggie maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=speaks maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=whut]
[div class=biggie]
[div class=handsomedevil] [div class=speakeasy]"To go wrong in one`s own way is better than to go right in someone else's." [/div]
thatsucked6.jpg

thatsucked2.jpg
𝘕𝘐𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘈𝘔 𝘝𝘖𝘚𝘚
[div class=speakeasy2]LOCATION — Base Camp
OOC — .......dfhgrehre pennyyyy
TAGS — Mr. Peanut Brittle Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater , Beloved Pennysworth BELIAL. BELIAL. , Woofus who probably hates him for no reason.
BGM HOLE - NORTHERN STAR [/div]
takota.jpg

taya.jpg
[div class=speakeasy]“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” [/div][/div][div class=speaks]
They had said their goodbyes, with Nik holding onto James for a long hug, warm and tender, and then moving to Alaska to clasp her gently. He felt like every time they did this, that it may be the last time. It wasn't a morbid thing to think, frankly it wasn't even pessimistic. Just realistic, that these people he had grown to care so much for in such a short time, just might not be there tomorrow.

And he might not be there, in more ways than one.

Having been in the car for some time, Nik had defiantly protested Rhys driving. But he hadn't stood for it, and instead, Mr. Peanut Brittle had been mostly silent and deadly focused on the drive.

The man had had two of those godforsaken painkillers, and Nik wasn't sure, despite how slow he was going, that any of this was a good idea. So in token Nik fashion, as he had done when they bolted around in their makeshift drag race last time, he jammed himself in the corner right near the door. Hand on the plastic grip above his head, sunglasses on his face, feet jammed to angle himself into a position where he wouldn't be killed, and a seat-belt firmly across his body.

They were going slower than a drunk slug, but through the tall billows of snow and potential ice below, that didn't mean shit.

He had tried to sleep, he really had. But the awkward silence was almost louder than any noise he had ever heard, even perhaps louder than the sound of his own screams as his arm was very nearly ripped from his own body. He hated awkward silence. There's the comfortable kind, where you can exist in warmth and familiarity, then the kind where internal currents were flooding the person you were spending time with. It was only natural the blond, perceptive in his abilities to read and understand emotions, could feel the waves.

"Is this...Careless Whisper?" he asked at some point, the radio tuning into a station at random. He wasn't sure who was manning these radios any longer, but apparently they had good taste. He preferred the original, but a cover would do in a pinch. He struck a grin, but it was lost as they veered over a snow bank, and the blond finally unclenched his hand from the hold above him, and started smoking again. He cracked the window for a bare sliver of an amount, and pressed his face to it to filter out the smoke, still hesitant about Rhys manning this two ton death machine over snowbanks.

But the boy needed his nervous habit, always.

It was at this moment, a figure darted ahead of the vehicle, and Nik had his face stuck firmly on the glass, lips puckered to blow out the smoke. 'Balls...' He knocked forward, thankfully they hadn't been moving very fast, because if they had, he'd be black out concussed. Head slammed on the dashboard of the vehicle. Instead, he jostled, irritated, his cigarette falling.

"What the fuck?" Nik reached for his cigarette and stuck it back between his teeth. He hoped they hadn't hit something, or someone, or a creature, or anything distasteful, but he was counting on his bad luck to bring them both an unwanted present in the form of a dead body or a red-eyed demon.

"Stay here."
"What? Why...I'm—" Rhys shut the door. Nik narrowed his expressive brows, and sat back in his seat, the belt digging into his chest now that he had struck too far forward. The damned safety locks, and all that. He couldn't quite understand why he was being asked to stay behind, except for the fact that...he...

Nik scowled, which was unlike him. He rarely, if ever, scowled. Sour-faced, like sucking on a fucking lemon? Sure. Sarcastic and catty in the face of an adversary that could understand it? Sure, that too. But scowling wasn't becoming of the blond, and he knew this. He slunk into his seat, the smoke billowing from his nose, his pink sunglasses on his face, a somewhat damp, red coat on, and simply, scowled.

A pebble. Not a bishop.

His scowl broke, and he relented to letting his head fall back to the seat, slinking forward, and placing his sunglasses on the dash. He looked up at the ceiling of the vehicle and let out a sigh.

"Only good when I'm fucked up on Satan's drugs."

From the backseat, his specter, who had since gained greater capacity to build form and move objects, bit her lower lip in concentration. From her wordless mouth she offered a phrase, that he knew she was saying, despite not hearing it.

"I know, stop feeling sorry for myself. It's not about that, yeah, yeah, yeah..." His little ghost, in her jewel-tones, red lips, and pale skin struck out her hand and mouthed some phrases at him that he didn't quite understand. She seemed insistent enough, gesturing wildly, and then making that angry face she'd make when he was...yet again doing something stupid.

"Oh, come off it, Di. You're going to guilt me, when you're a ghost? Really? That's ridi—"
"NIK!"

The blond bolted forward, the seat-belt almost actually choking him, he wriggled his way free awkwardly, to thrust the door open, and more or less fall out of the vehicle. He staggered on and rushed to Detective Peanut Butter's side, his big mouth opening as he hadn't yet seen what Rhys was dealing with.

"First, you ignore me for most of the ride, now you're yelling at me to—"
"I'm not here to hurt you...are you alright?" Nik's deep blue gaze surveyed the german shepherd, and then the person shivered and harrowed. The cigarette dropped from his mouth with his dawning realization of just how bad a situation this was.
"I...got the human. You get the dog. Dogs....do not like me," he said plainly, as he dropped to his knees in one swift movement, and picked up the impossibly cold woman in his arms. Slender, shivering, her heart beating slowly, and then fast. Slow, fast. As if the adrenaline in her body were thrumming in waves beyond comprehension. A rabbit's heart, then, the beat of a lion's roar. Over and over again, as he crushed the snow with his shoes, and held her to his body.

Nik carried this frozen, crimsoned, wounded woman to their vehicle and with one hand, lurched the backseat open. Diana, unseen to anyone else, evaporated when he laid the woman down in the back seat. His hand came away bloodied, and chilled to the bone, and when her head shifted to roll to the side and the hood pulled away, his heart very nearly hit the lowest part of his body.

"Rhys, do the fuckin' angel boy shit, right now!" he barked, uncharacteristically, and slid out of the back, leaving her laying flush, her blood on the car seat. He stepped away, and hung his head to side, like a child being scolded, or a man being shamed.

Arms at his sides, his fingers clenched into fists, then relaxed, clenched, relaxed. His mind was going faster than their joyride a few days ago had gone. Possibly even faster than his heart had pounded during both very, very different moments of their gas-can-adventure. Faster, definitely, than when his arm had nearly been ripped from his body.

"Rhys..."

He was helpless. And here she was, and he was helpless, and scared again, as he had been scared and scarred each time he had seen them in this state, these little ghosts of the past, torn apart and ripped to shreds, the inkling memories of Olive in a state of mastication that he had tried for so long to blot out, Henry scraped across the fucking pavement—

She was here, and he was helpless, and he clenched his fists, over and over again, his heart breaking with each jarring pump of blood it was outputting, like an overclocked, overworked machine.

She was here...he couldn't do this again.

Penny...was here.

[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
Ezra:
Police van with motorcycle inside alongside Emma ( Epiphany Epiphany ) and Kayden ( Anise Anise )

Inside Ezra's set new lyrics to an otherwise forgettable western song that came out just before the end of the world. It was supposed to be featured in the new Fallout game apparently. Pity it never came out.
"Oh take me where no Wendigo roam, and the Revenants and Vampires have nowhere to play!" Ezra sang to a tune in his head.
"Where the demons stay home and there's nary a poem to attract an Omnibus your way!"
"Where the monsters and worse only exist when you curse and that's how it'll stay!"
"Where the prophets are just loonies and the witches are hot, where there's always something good in the pot,"
"Where the people ain't crazy or hazy or lazy, just somewhere I can lay back and relax on a comfortable cot!"
"Where every damn thing's just gravy and the steam clouds are wavy over the food because it's fresh and hot!"
"Where the-" Ezra is cut off as the van goes over a very large bump.

"Did we hit something?" He considers. "Meh, as long as the van's fine we're fine."

Ezra is about to start the next line when he notices something out the window. "LOOK! A bluejay!"
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class="imageBorder"]
74d6fc7bca348a019857e2f0d4dc5200.jpg
dbd2086084b59042f4ca70bc69ed01f1.jpg
3632b0f7dd93d788e1b193b8c10caf18.jpg
[/div][/div]
[div class=statusText]Location: El Road > Mansion
Tags: Fallen Angel BELIAL. BELIAL. | The Greatest What If BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda | Woofus
BGM: Put It On Me [/div]
[div class=statusText][/div][/div][div class=title]Rhys Contiello[/div][div class=text]
"I...got the human. You get the dog. Dogs....do not like me,"
His eyebrows rose so high that they almost met his hairline. How could dogs not like him? Rhys tilted his head, somehow lost in thought for a moment. His gaze followed the blond as he moved over to the human girl who had pleaded for his help. There was something sweet that came from her, like rose water and sage, a natural aroma that reminded him of Emma. It set him at ease and he knew without talking to her that she had been blessed.

He turned to the dog in that second, looking into the depths of those soft brown eyes. His heart melted. Rhys extended his hand, watching as the dog leaned forward to sniff his chilled fingers. The dog's tongue flickered out, a warm wet feeling that caused a smile to brighten across his face. He ran his hand over the dog's head, using two fingers to scratch lightly behind his ears. "Good boy." Rhys whispered, his smile twitching a little higher on his face. The dog let out a huff of air, tired and yet somehow thankful. Rhys could relate to that feeling.

"Rhys, do the fuckin' angel boy shit, right now!"

His shoulders jumped, the rest of his body following as he turned towards the truck with wide eyes. Never in their time together had he heard Nik raise his voice like that. It was a strange sort of occurrence --a reversal of roles that made him feel just a bit uncomfortable. He moved as fast as he could towards the open doors of the back seat, the dog hot on his heels. Azure orbs were locked on the side of his face, watching the tension, the worry, the panic morph across his expression in a couple of nanoseconds. He noted the way his shoulders were set, back rigid, fists clenching and unclenching as if begging to punch something. Or do something. Rhys suddenly felt closer to his age just then. Confused. Worried. Hurt. He wasn't sure how to sort through the emotions that piled themselves within his chest. Even though he couldn't think --hell he could barely breathe-- he would do anything to keep that expression off of his face.

"Rhys..."

That was not the way he ever wanted to hear his name sound coming from this man. Elation, playful, chiding, euphoric, but not a vacant helplessness that reminded him of too many drunken nights in a dark apartment with blood still staining the carpet. Never helpless. He warred over the need to reach out to him or to ask him what was wrong. Both, perhaps. He decided against it, moving to his side only to look at the woman who he had laid across the backseat. Cerulean orbs drifted across the wounds on her leg, crimson gushed across the leather seats and her upper arm added to the combination. Whatever had done this to her had really, really wanted her dead. Rhys rubbed his hands together, trying to get out the numbness as his azure bled to gold. He looked over at Nik with unnatural eyes, gaze soft and voice low as if he were talking to someone who would scare easily. "Can you get some water for her? I'll have her patched up in a moment."

His hand reached out to gently touch Nik's clenched fist. Rhys kept his expression neutral save for the reassuring smile that curled at the edge of his mouth. He pulled away and focused on the girl, resting a hand on her leg he closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could. It was draining this time, overly so. And healing was harder. He didn't know if it was because she was blessed herself or if he had just used his powers far too many times already. The skin and muscle stitched itself, the warm glow tingled up his hands and arms. A bead of sweat fell down one side of his face and his breathing became even more labored. When her leg closed he moved to her arm. Each cut, each second was like someone had sucker punched him right in the stomach. He got to the slashes on her back, the ones he couldn't see but could feel, when the pain hit him. His head bowed and he pushed through it, shoulders shaking with the strain it was putting on his body. When the last of her wounds closed, he pulled away, practically threw himself back, and coughed and gagged into the snow beside the car. He tried to cover it with the back of his hand, but by then it was too late. Brilliant rose color red pooled from his lips and into the snow below. There was a whine beside him and the feeling of something warm bushing up against his leg. Rhys spit the remaining blood from his mouth before standing. He wiped his mouth off on the edge of his sleeve.

"I'm...alright..." He muttered to the dog, pointing towards the back seat. As if the dog understood his meaning, he clamored up nestling himself next to his previously injured owner.

Rhys pulled himself back into the driver's seat, sitting there with the door open for a moment, the cold air hitting his face was welcoming. He waited until Nik was back in the passenger's seat before he started the truck again. He flagged to the people behind him that they were moving again and took off. He kept glancing between Nik and the girl in back. Their reactions, the way they treated each other was familiar. A part of him wanted to know exactly how familiar. Nik had mentioned being married, Rhys hadn't really pried but now he wondered. What if the girl in the backseat was her? A vice-like grip took hold of his heart, hands tightening around the wheel as he stared straight ahead. He pressed on the gas a bit more, going at a decent pace for the conditions, but his mind was the one racing. He didn't have a word for it. If it was her, then he was glad. He wanted Nik to be happy, the man deserved all the fuckin' happiness in the world...and if...if that wasn't his place to give him that happiness, then Rhys could understand; He was a prickly bastard at the best of times; Antisocial at the worst. Each pounding of his heart felt like he was being stabbed. Rhys couldn't tell if it was from the broken ribs of the overwhelming emotion building inside him. But he needed to stop.
He saw something ahead, a giant mansion that looked more like a country club than an actual residence.
He pulled into the giant cul de sac of a driveway, not having time to really oogle the place as he was sure the others were doing.
He just needed to breathe.
Because he couldn't.
He didn't know if it was the pressure around his heart or--

Rhys opened the driver's door, barely catching himself as he slid out and coughed. Each harsh exit of air was more painful than the next. He didn't even realize that he had fallen to one knee until a shaky hand brought back a startling amount of blood in the palm of his hand. This wasn't good.
Had he punctured a lung? Did his ribs cut into his organs? He felt like he was breathing underwater. Each breath a liquidy rattle that scared him more than it hurt. He didn't know what to do, he couldn't heal himself, and he didn't think he had it in him to heal someone else.
It figures that he would end up dying like this. Choking on his own blood. With volumes of things he wanted to say. And a heartache that was so irrational he couldn't even logically reason with himself as to why he had it.


RhysSadBoiPost.PNG
[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#215060; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #b5b7b7; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: ##2a4047; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px solid white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
Last edited:
penelope vale & woofus


44558291304_f00bd64a22.jpg
german-shepherd-dog-tumblr-2.jpg


Location
Mansion
Interaction
Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda
Music/Mood
Shallow
OOC
RRRRRR
Even though she hadn’t fully passed out, mostly from a fighter’s heart keeping the blood pumping in her frozen body, Penny was drifting lazily in and out of consciousness. Her eyes were rolling to the back of her head and then snapping back forward. She refused to let herself fall asleep, because she knew she may not yet wake up if she did.


It was a strange fit of wakefulness that she plunged herself into. Her brain was crossing fact with fiction and past with present. “I… got the human. You get the dog. Dogs… do not like me.” The voice said, and warm arms scooped her from the prison of snow and bitter chill. She could almost remember that voice, somewhere. She figured her brain was making connections to make sense of the shock she was in. The voice was reminiscent of a time long gone. She couldn’t process it emotionally, and simply allowed the fleeting recollection to scatter like snowdrift. Were she awake, she’d make a fit. I can stand up! Trust me! She wished she could speak, and she tried, but a slurred mumble spilled from her lips instead. She let her limp body be carried out, and before she knew she was placed somewhere warmer and darker. Her head lolled to the side, eyes flickering open and closed. The shadowy figure that had carried was beginning to take shape, in the best way it could, and he noticed her. The man began to shout for someone else to use their ‘angel shit’ on her as soon as possible. Angel shit? I’m angel shit. I’ve got the angel shit.


Someone else, the angel who had stopped in front of the lights, placed his hand on her thigh. Still much warmer than the snow outside. She was limp in the backseat, simply allowing whatever to happen. She couldn’t do anything. Her heart jumped to her throat, but her gaze was still slipping in between the two men in the car doorway.


But remarkably, something began to happen. Warmth, familiar, seeped from the angel man’s hand. It mended the flesh beneath and brought feeling back to her limbs. Joints shaking from the previously paralyzed muscle. Penny stirred as the man’s warmth spread across her skin, resting on the distinguished wounds. Her brain was catching up, but slowly, and she could only process that she wasn’t in such a bad place. There was clattering, and perhaps more voices, and a warm body pressed itself against her. She nuzzled against it, remembering the touch. Woofus.


They were alright. They were saved.


Divinity had Penny and Woofus in her favor, as it seemed. As Penny’s brain caught up with the warmth and light-headedness, she slowly sat up and held her head. It was pounding like a jackhammer, but she was more concerned with the stoic figure in the car doorway. Still standing, and still a ghost of memory’s past. Yet, still, there he was.


When Penny sat up, gripping Woofus for assistance, her stomach dropped at least ten stories into the ground upon catching sight of the man. She knew him. A long-forgotten face that brought warmth to her chest and simultaneously a cold rush through her entire spine. Without much of a thought, tears began to fall down her face. They were creeks down her pale cheeks, flush with heat and blood. They carved tributaries down the previously dry river beds. Penny hadn’t cried in months. She didn’t even remember how unsettling it was to really sob. How your body just gave up, like a dead grip, and almost longed for the aching sobs. It was that that moment that she really gave up.


She’d been fighting for years to keep herself alive, and to run from the horror that nipped her heels like a bad dream. But now, seeking Nik…her best friend… alive? For a moment she gave up on the tough girl exterior, and the bad-ass that protected the scared heart beneath. Her body still ached with bruises and left over stinging hot pain from the wounds that no longer were there, but she lurched forward and flung herself out the car and into Nik. It was no place for a reunion, what so ever, but she didn’t care. She hardly remembered Woofus or the other man for that briefest moment. The ever-selfless girl became selfish, and she didn’t regret it, for that moment.


The hot tears that streamed were accentuated by heaving sobs, but centered composure. She shivered still, but also quivered from the longing in her heart. He was alive god dammit. Whatever existed in the world kept him alive, sweet Nik, and then let them see each other again.


Nik.” She whispered into his neck, burrowing her warm face into him. She squeezed the man tightly, believing that if she released he’d disappear again. She was so sorry for having left all those times in the past. She had been a fleeting breeze, her time devoted to one thing and then another without a second glance to the others around her. She hadn’t realized how hard it would be to miss someone and presume them dead…but then find out they were alive all along.


She gave a final embrace, and then pulled back and eased back into the backseat. She was grinning madly, and probably looked like someone straight out of crazy. Blonde, tussled hair wet to her skull in the front and draped in front of her face. Bright red nose and cheeks, slightly purple in tinge but fading, and a bright grin. Her blue eyes shined through the tears, and she sniffled. Woofus stared hard at Nik, not moving. A low growl, nothing terribly frightening, came from the dog. Penny didn’t even notice—she was too busy smiling and crying.


I’m… sorry. Let’s, go. Let’s go. I…thank you. Both.” She didn’t know what to say after she let Nik have his reaction, but she did what Penny did best and apologized for holding everyone up. She grabbed Woofus tightly and pressed herself into the dog, letting the tears fall into the dog’s fur.

~~​

Penny could hardly process what happened as soon as the car, and what eventually turned out to be two more in tow, pulled up to a sprawling mansion. Piles of snow lined the expansive lawn and driveway, almost like something out of a movie. The mansion itself was huge, and covered in snow and swirling flurries, could have been the picture for an advent calendar. The little chocolates inside would be sweet to the tongue, but bitter in the aftertaste.


Once they arrived wherever it was (she didn’t ask any questions, and only showed gratefulness to her saviors) the driver stumbled out. It had been the man (not an angel) who had originally found her and saved her. Penny was worried, but even more so when he staggered to the ground just outside the door. She immediately sprung to action, indebted and courageous, throwing open the back door and pushing herself out.


She stumbled to her feet, head spinning, but immediately set her sights on the driver. He had blood on his hand, and she assessed what she could. Her gaze softened, and then hardened within seconds. Penny fell to her knees in the snow next to the man and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She recognized the thick breathing, congealed with fluid in the lungs, and she knew it was fatal.


Could be fatal.


She had just been recovered from the brink of death by this man, and without a doubt she knew she owed him every bit of energy he had invested in her freezing and bloody body. Penny screwed her face up into a grimace at the sound of the breathing and placed another hand on his chest.


Let me help you.” Was all she said, still sniffling away tears, as she closed her eyes and began tapping into the same focus from earlier. For this one, she funneled deeper. Her reserve was weakened, but it held a lot of willpower. Penny had a strong desire to live, and she knew this man did too. Touching him, she felt something familiar in him. She didn’t know this man like she had known Nik, but there was something similar between the two. He healed me, like I can heal. He must be Blessed like me… what a curse.

Penny frowned but focused once more on her inner warmth. She let it flow from the well within her and into the man, slowly moving one hand lower on his back and the other on his chest. She felt around with her golden pool for the injury. It soaked her pool red, so she knew she was at the same spot.


Slowly, Penny let her energy seep from palm to skin. He had given her a lot, so it was no wonder that this previous injury had become even more grievous. Penny fought back more tears, simply overwhelmed from the situation, but because she refused to let her savior die.


I won’t let you die. Not this soon. Not before I can thank you.” She whispered, boring her gaze into his. Similar eyes. Similar fates. We’ve got a lot to talk about…A lot of questions I hope you can answer.
 
Last edited:



''True friendship can afford true knowledge. It does not depend on darkness.''
Henry David Thoreau





Alaska



tags: Cocky lil shit Lakyr Lakyr best gay dads ever BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater BELIAL. BELIAL. hot new girl
location: Police Station lobby






There was a nice moment of goodbyes before they all went into their vehicles. The cold air hit again, and they were on the road trying to find another place to loot. The car drive was very quiet. Haruka in the back seat, James riding shotgun, and Alaska driving the trustworthy station wagon.

Every now and then, Alaska sneaked a look to James, making sure he felt ok. She wanted to talk, to laugh and to crack jokes, but the silence between them was nice, not awkward, but comfortable. It felt good to be able to be silent around someone again. She kept on driving, right in the middle between Rhys's truck and Grigori's mobile, while Reverie drove one of the police vans.

''What's going on?'' her question wasn't addressed to anyone in particular, the truck stopped, Rhys was out, with his gun, then followed Nik.
Acting on instinct, Alaska parked right behind him, got out of the car and stood by it getting her own pistol ready. They came back with an injured woman, Nik's face was completely void of color...looking as if he'd seen a ghost. He lay the girl in the car. Rhys followed with the most terrified German Sheppard, who jumped into the truck after the girl.

''Can you get some water for her? I'll get her patched up in a moment.'' Again, without thinking, Alaska reached for the water bottle she had in the space near the driver's seat, and walked up to Nik. He looked so scared, so helpless.... Did he know this woman? ''Here'' she gave him the bottle with a whisper, touching his back very lightly. Rhys had performed his magic again, getting really exhausted afterwards and spitting up blood. ''Are you....''
''I'm....alright'' going back to his seat, Alaska did the same. And they were on the road again.


It wasn't long until they'd reached this.........mansion. A thing of beauty, one of these fancy country houses people used to see on tv. Stunning fountains at each entrance. Everything was covered with snow. She parked the wagon and got out, running towards Rhys who was on the ground spitting up blood. Her heart beat so fast that it was about to stop. Emma..... She needed Emma. But before she was able to get her, the most beautiful blonde exited the truck, followed by the dog. She walked up to Rhys and started healing him....Blessed.


Alaska stepped closer to the two, the girl was crying , golden energy going from her to Rhys, telling him that she won't let him die. Was it that serious? No...They didn't fight all of these monsters only for him to die here....like this. ''I'm.....I'm going to see if there's anyone inside..Maybe we can get him away from the cold'' There was not enough time to argue. At this point she didn't care if the house was full of monsters. She ran to the front gate, putting both hands on the door and pushing....Open.


Warmth, new chandeliers, and no sign of intrusion. The mansion was empty, or from what she could see. It was weird for it to be in such a good state, with all the looting and the monsters in the area. It wasn't the time to ponder that though, monsters wouldn't leave a house like this in such a good state. She shouted for the others to come in, starting a fire in the main hal. The fire place was already set, everything was ready, one only needed to start the fire...Again...weird.






 
Last edited:
[class=biggie] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:12px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=whut]background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #e5e4d2 2%,#a6edcd 100%); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #e5e4d22%, #a6edcd 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #e5e4d2 2%, #a6edcd 100%); padding:20px; [/class] [class=handsomedevil] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08); border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; background: #fff; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:8px; color: #162e70; font-weight:800; flex: 1; [/class] [class=speaks] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding:4%; text-align: left; background:#fff; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; margin-left:20px; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; [/class] [class=speakeasy]border: solid 5px #f7f7f7; letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: center; font-size:12px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px; background: #fff;[/class] [class=speakeasy2] letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: LEFT; font-size:14px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=handsomedevil maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px[/class] [class name=biggie maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=speaks maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=whut]
[div class=biggie]
[div class=handsomedevil] [div class=speakeasy]"To go wrong in one`s own way is better than to go right in someone else's." [/div]

bitches get stiches ayo.jpg

𝘕𝘐𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘈𝘔 𝘝𝘖𝘚𝘚
[div class=speakeasy2]LOCATION — Mansion from Heaven...or Hell.
OOC — everyone just do your thing, he needs a moment.
TAGS — Mr. Salty Peanut Brittle Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater , Beloved Pennysworth BELIAL. BELIAL. , Woofus who probably hates him for no reason, Best State Chise_Robin_ Chise_Robin_
BGMBLOUSE - TRUST ME, this scene is too long but ay RADIOHEAD — KARMA POLICE[/div]

c5248967144ee00709f08358583613a7.jpg



[div class=speakeasy]“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” [/div][/div][div class=speaks]

"Can you get some water for her? I'll have her patched up in a moment." He said nothing in response, but stared at those gold-flashed eyes for half a beat of a second. He really was touched with something, it felt bigger than Nik could understand. That mystery was painful, and to not grasp it fully made his chest tighten even more than it already was.

He returned with a water bottle, graciously provided by Alaska, saying nothing to her. He was shell shocked, and passed it to Rhys to give to her, his hand shaking, but trying his best to put on at least a neutral face. It was clearly not working.

Rhys was pushing himself too hard, this Nik knew, and in this moment, he was possibly at his most selfish. He hated himself for this, but she was knocking on death's door. He also knew from the rose water and sage that was coming off her in waves, that she could fix this. And she would, fix this, because she was Penny.

She fixed so many things. When Diana and him had had their first and possibly only big fight, out of jealousy, she had been on the phone with him halfway across the country. It was he who had felt the throngs of jealousy, understandably as she had flirted with a very attractive barista, but low and behold she was trying to wingman her own long-term boyfriend. A strange sort, a strange kind of love, Diana enjoyed life at over two million miles per minute, and in some way, maybe she knew her fate was sealed.

Maybe she lived each and every single day to the absolute fullest, and took Nik along on crazy adventures, for that specific reason.

Before he had been able to pick up on these things, before he had been saddled with hell's bastard mantle, he knew they both had something special. And Penny knew that Diana wasn't the cut and run type of girl. Penny, always with the wise words, always putting others first, she had been a godsend.

Rhys pulled back and Nik stood there for what felt like a century, then his eyes tore across the landscape to the detective. He coughed and gagged near the car, and Nik's mind screamed at him. He could hear him spit into the snow. This wasn't good, and Nik felt his chest tighten up almost as tightly as when he had found Diana and...he couldn't think about that right now.

And instead, under his breathe, he chanted out a mantra that he felt he'd have to chant out for the rest of his life.

"I'm sorry, fuck, I'm sorry, god damn, I'm sorry, I'm selfish, I'm sorry, fuck, god damn," on repeat forever. Penny could fix this, this could work, he was helpless, but...fuck, why was he always relying on everyone else? His mind screamed at him, he stood in place, frozen, his words caught in his throat, lost, how did lungs work, and what did your mouth do to make any more words come out than the hushed whispered pleas of apologies?

When she hugged him, he felt like he was dying. Simultaneously split between one world and the next. He wanted to rush to Rhys' side, what was he doing? He panicked, it was in his skin, it crawled, his fingers tingled. A full-blown panic attack, and he was frozen.

Out of everyone to find again on this blackened earth, she was in his arms, and pressed close, the rose and the sage stinging his very skin, but he suffered it. She buried her face into his neck, and he bristled. He could lose this. This could be gone, as he thought it was gone before, all of them gone, but she was here, and he very nearly couldn't handle it.

Nik.

There's this thing about getting over trauma and being a survivor. Even if you make peace with it, you don't expect to see your dead fiance's ghost sitting in the back seat of your car, and you don't see your long-lost best friend who you assumed dead. You certainly don't expect to have her hugging you, and don't expect for her to speak your name through her trembled, cold lips. Nik hadn't even wrapped his arms around her yet, simply letting them hover in the air, held up, as if uncomfortable. He was never uncomfortable with affection.

And she cried, and she cried, and he was overwhelmed, and within a few moments he broke. The facade he was draped in cracked in half, and he very nearly swaddled the blonde woman to him, pressing too tightly, clinging too much, and silently cried into her hair. He didn't want to break. Not now, not around Rhys, not around this green path they had started on, not now after all the pain he had suffered, Rhys had suffered, their friends had suffered. Not now, not this, but it was too much, and he couldn't help it.

He pulled away, hands still on her shoulders, eyes red, and suffered to make a joke, because he had to, because it felt wrong not to, because it was who he was, and he had to be this. This was his strength.

"Man, your new perfume sucks. What is this, eau de apocalypse?" He chuckled as he drew forward and continued to hold her, because if he let her go, he was afraid she'd be gone in a flash. On the wind again, gone, swept away, forever.

"I'm...alright..."
"You're not al..." the words died in his mouth and he felt like he was going to puke. He steeled his expression and hopped in the front seat, buckling up. This was an impossible situation, and again, he was helpless, and more than that, he was harmful. To the person he cared for...did Rhys get it? Did he actually understand?

She pulled away and shifted into the back seat, and Nik took up the passenger's side, shotgun, like always. The dog growled low in his chest at him, and Nik made a face, his mouth drawn in a thin line. He didn't know why dogs hated him. He liked them enough, not as much as cats, but...maybe they had always smelled hell on him. Even before any of this had happened. Maybe he was wrong from the beginning, not worthy of whatever neutrality or goodness his companions at large had.

I’m… sorry. Let’s, go. Let’s go. I…thank you. Both.
"Don't sweat it, Pennysworth."

Rhys kept glancing between Nik and the girl in back. Nik wasn't stupid. How Rhys, or really anyone, thought they could hide their bullshit from the master bullshitter was beyond him. He choked on a phrase, and then pushed himself down in his seat, crossed his arms, and tried to catch Rhys' eyes. But he wouldn't look his way, not in the way the blond needed, it was like surveying a fucking crime scene. Looking for clues.

A giant mansion appeared in front of them, like something out of a goddamn better homes and gardens deluxe edition catalog. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he also wasn't stupid enough to assume a perfectly pristine mansion didn't spell trouble. Good things always came wrapped in barbed wire, in this time of now.

Rhys opened the driver's door, sliding out to cough. Nik saw because he had already burst out of the door, almost catching on the god damned safety lock of the seat belt again. He was on one knee, and Nik's expression sunk to something pale and again, intensely fettered with the trappings of a man who had just seen too much, and wasn't able to deal with this. He wanted to help him, and he wanted to run. He felt the urge to run, even with all their friends showing up behind them, the lost best friend, the one he cared for that quite possibly didn't get it yet, even the dog who didn't like him.

Fight or flight, his brain wanted him to flee.
"Penny, I'm sorry to ask—"
Let me help you.” She was already on the job, like he knew she'd be. Nik knelt to the ground and swallowed, hard. He saw the blood on his hands, and despite it getting all over his own fingers, the blond found Rhys' digits and looked at him with soft eyes.
"She can do this. It's okay."
I won’t let you die. Not this soon. Not before I can thank you.

He was weak. His mind told him to run, to leave, it was too much. But his hand stayed holding the other, watching as Penny worked, this bright light, this amazing power. He stayed as long as he could, watching this, then Alaska spoke.

''I'm.....I'm going to see if there's anyone inside..Maybe we can get him away from the cold''
When Alaska finally shouted for them to enter, he drew Rhys up, then Penny on weakened legs, his hand clenching far too tightly to the other man's hand. He kept Penny stable, and held Rhys' hand like it was a lifeline, and let them lean on him both if they needed to, whatever it took, he got them inside. Nik's breathing was shallow. The glory of this mansion was lost on him for the moment. Now inside, Penny situated at least somewhere that wasn't wholly uncomfortable...he had to go.

He tore away the grasp on Rhys' hand and bolted back outside, into the frost and chill, to run.

To just run.

Feet crunching in snow, the wind licking his face, red coat blazing like a cardinal in flight.

He didn't want anyone to follow him, that wasn't the point. He curved around a corner of this sprawling building, and with his hands on his knees, he dry heaved. Panic. Adrenaline dumps all your blood sugar into your veins, you're light headed, your fingers tingle, your chest clenches up, your throat tightens, your mind goes one million miles per minute. He couldn't speak to anyone right now, he leaned on his knees and let it wrack his body.

His specter appeared and tried to reach out a ghostly, transparent hand.

"Not now." She stopped, her face twisting like a smeared painting, she tried to reach out again.
"Not now, please." He had to regain his composure so that he could go inside with the others. Paint that smile on, handle it. He was just like Rhys in this, he realized. Not quite bottling it up, but mostly painting it a different color. Layering over the oils and pigments, transforming the painting of his own life, his personality, his expressions into a whole new scene. A wash over everything, because to be this, was to be overwhelmed.

He was not a savior without the saving grace of hell. He was not a boon, this was too much, she was here, but he couldn't do this, and he rode out these feels like a tidal wave. To subside, to experience it, to let it run through him. Too much.

If anyone had any bright ideas about coming to his rescue, they'd get stone walled. He wasn't up to experiencing anyone's pity or sympathies, not even a ghost's. If Rhys or Penny had taken it upon themselves—like daft twats because he was fine and they were not—he couldn't handle it, and he'd bolt again, feet crunching on snow.

Or he'd fold and break into a million pieces.

His little ghost didn't pay attention to his wish to stay away, and she wrapped her transparent arms around him, and rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes gaunt and blackened, a wraith, a ghost, a memory.

"Ah...ha..hn..h.." she managed to enunciate, and then made a sound like a popping of the cheek. She was growing stronger, and whether this be a boon or another of hell's games in disguise, he couldn't be bothered to think on it.

"I'm sorry, fuck, I'm sorry, god damn, I'm sorry, I'm selfish, I'm sorry, fuck, god damn,"
"hn..h.."
[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class="imageBorder"]
74d6fc7bca348a019857e2f0d4dc5200.jpg
dbd2086084b59042f4ca70bc69ed01f1.jpg
3632b0f7dd93d788e1b193b8c10caf18.jpg
[/div][/div]
[div class=statusText]Location: Mansion
Tags: Fallen Angel BELIAL. BELIAL. | Sad Boi 2 BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda | Woofus
Mentions: The rest of the group | Alaska
BGM: Scars [/div]
[div class=statusText][/div][/div][div class=title]Rhys Contiello[/div][div class=text]

Fingers slid across his hand, the feeling momentarily bringing him out of the dark recesses of his own thoughts. Startled blue eyes looked over at the man who had fallen to his knees next to him. There was a kind of torment in his expression that caused Rhys' heart to launch into his throat.

"Penny, I'm sorry to ask—"
"N--"
“Let me help you.”

His attention was pulled back to the stunning angel he had healed moments earlier. Penny. The name seemed to fit her. He wanted to deny the help, to say that he was fine. Maybe it was just a panic attack or something to do with anxiety, but he hadn't had one of those since high school. Plus, he had never known them to cause blood to spit out of his mouth. He wondered if this was what tuberculosis had felt like back in the day. Before there had been a cure or the significant amount of medical knowledge to treat the patient before the virus consumed the inner tissue of the lung. Rhys' gaze flickered back to his hand, watching as it was covered by Nik's their fingers lacing together like the perfect match to a puzzle. His throat felt tight, scared to look at his face but somehow needing to. As if to confirm that there was emotion there and that the snow incident hadn't just been a prank.

He wished he hadn't looked.
Emotions swirled in the depths of those indigo irises, a turbulent storm that didn't suit the other man, but there was also a softness there, the kind that pulled at his heartstrings and made him feel a bit foolish for his earlier thoughts.
"She can do this. It's okay."
He didn't have the breath to reply even if he wanted to.

“I won’t let you die. Not this soon. Not before I can thank you.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, still looking at Nik as he acknowledged Penny with a quick tilt of his head. Another pair of hands were placed on him. One at the chest. One at the back. He could have directed her to the injury, but he let her work. He wasn't sure how his own powers even functioned yet he just knew that healing her after he had healed Nik and James within the span of a couple hours was beyond draining. He felt the warmth pool inside his lungs and his lips parted in a gasp as if it were the first real breath he had taken in a while. The light, that glow, moved inside him, swirling and mending in accordance with the light she was pouring into him. It was as if she were the puppeteer and his own energy was the puppet, moving and mending in the ways she commanded it to. The pain didn't really subside, but the water in his lungs sure did. Every breath no longer felt like his last and he felt himself subconsciously squeeze Nik's hand a little tighter. He was glad that another blessed could heal him...he had been frightened then, so scared that this was how he was going to die.

''I'm.....I'm going to see if there's anyone inside..Maybe we can get him away from the cold!"

His body was lifted, arm slung over a shoulder and hooked around the back of a neck. Rhys's head lolled to the side a little, panting in large gasps as his lungs were finally able to contract and expand at will. He wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. His brain temporarily hijacked by the constricting feeling of Nik's grip. Did he realize how tight he was holding onto him? It almost hurt, but Rhys didn't mind the pain. It meant he was alive. His eyes flickered upwards as Nik lead the two blessed in through the front doors of the kind of house that looked like it had stepped out of a Disney film. It was luxurious. Impeccable. Pristine. With full chandeliers and carpeting and furniture that looked a little out dated. It was such a 2010s type of layout that he was confused at first as to why such a place would be here. He was set down on an overly comfortable velvet couch.

The hand that had been grounding him ripped away. It startled Rhys so much that he turned so fast towards the blond that he almost flopped over. He could feel the ache of his ribs as if they were still broken and the sudden retreat of the afflicted man had cost him the moment of peace he found in healed wounds.

"Nik-"

He bolted so fast, the whitelighter couldn't even finish saying the syllables of his name. His hand was outstretched, but he was only reaching for air.
Slowly, robotically, he set his hand back in his lap. Rhys turned his head to look at Penny, his expression painted in every synonym of worry. Was this because of him? Had Nik had some sort of crazy mutant mind-reading ability he didn't know about? He wanted to go after him. Smack some sense into him maybe. He was the one who ran off into the cold, full of angst with the need for a cigarette and some silence, not Nik. Rhys wasn't foolish enough to think that the man didn't have his own kind of baggage, but knowing it or not he had become a sort of stabilizer with his cute remarks and cunning quips. To see him so out of sorts was disconcerting. Rhys wanted to be that shoulder for him, someone who he could depend on just as equally as he had him. He would drag him out of the snow or kick him in the ass if he had to. He wanted to be that.
Rhys stared at his hands resting in his lap, one still smeared with blood.
Then he looked at Penny.

"He's.....he's going to be okay, right?"

It sounded dumb, even to his own ears. But he hadn't been so worried about someone in a very long time. He bit the inside of his cheek, eyes darting quickly around the room as he dug a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his leather jacket. He was going to give the rest to Nik, but he needed one right now. There wasn't a lighter, but there was a fireplace nestled at the far wall, blazing with a welcome heat. Rhys stood and made his way over, slowly, methodically, until he was next to roaring flame. He stuck the cigarette inside, using it as a weird kind of lighter before he turned back to her. Smoke puffed from the corners of his mouth as he spoke, "Thank you by the way. I suppose this makes us even."

He shot her a slight smirk but his attention wasn't really there. It kept drifting towards the front door, not really seeing anyone even as the rest of the group funneled inside.

[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#215060; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #b5b7b7; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: ##2a4047; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px solid white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class=DoClassPls]
full
GRIGORI
dbc24948ed780868dbaa6907a111b2d8.jpg
DARIUS
bfeb67b235c23142b07328ce4fc31bc6.jpg
VELSKA
[/div][/div][div class=statusText]Location:
Grigori // @ Nik's location.
Darius //
Velska //

Companions:
Grigori | Father/Leader |
Darius | Son |
Velska | Daughter |

[div class=magical]
STAT SCREEN

「 S T R 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 D E X 」
◈◈◈◈◈
「 C O N 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 I N T 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 W I L L 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈
「 A G L」
◈◈◈◈
「 C H R 」
◈◈◈◈◈◈◈◈

[/div]
[/div][/div][div class=text][div class=postscroll]
[div class=title]SALVADORE GRIGORI[/div]

Open road, a convoy. It held airs of old black powder dusted documents and reports -- the ear shattering hushness of being moved from conflict blasted towns and villages. The vacant stares of dead eyed rebels and fools who dared take up arms against the vicious military complexes for belief and compassion. Yes, it dug up many of these mementos of long past. These memories never blended, each held a distinction. An etching upon the mind of the prophet was their epitaph. Memories were dead things, dead facsimiles of reality and life--times long forgotten. Much like the demons incantations of Ars Goetia, they needed but an invocation. A call. Grigori couldn’t forget. Would not. Cannot.


It was when he looked upon Velska resting upon the midsection of the front seat, her head upon his lap. Eyes closed so tightly. Unable to discern the wonders she saw, perhaps liberating futures of humanity, Velska became a reminder of why it was impossible to relinquish this will and grasp on such dead things. You could not live within memories, only build upon them. With his eye traveling to Darius he noticed something familiar.


A troubled gaze. As the convoy stopped. Grigori followed suit. He could only reason why, but his son held more pressing matters. There was a weight tugging in the back of his mind…

”Darius.”, Grigori, careful as not to wake his daughter, placed his hand upon the young man’s forehead. Recording his temperature within his mind. He was well, but Grigori could not lie to himself much longer. He knew what horrors took his mind.


Death. Darius had killed many under orders of men who believed power came through subjugation and total disregard of human life. Power for power's sake. He had seen many doe to vermin and demonkind, but Luiza still scarred his mind.

Death was familiar, so why was it so hard to accept this? He looked to his father as the voice of gravel and stone snapped him from an internal debate. Grigori’s hand. now upon his shoulder, tethered him back. He saw him..


”She died and it just….happened. Just a...thing. staring back at me. Like something was gone”, Darius murmured, his voice slowly gaining emotional turmoil as he began to say aloud what became of Luiza. She was dead.





Grigori looked at his son, seeing scant allusions to his first sighting of the mauled corpse that was his father. Darius had seen death, but it felt like the young man held such visceral emotions. Velska shifted in her sleep. Discussions beyond her ken now about.


”The memories stay” , Grigori aligned himself to face his son as discussions from outside took place, ”The event does not. Only once does a person die. I was young when I saw my father be rend from the world of flesh and will. He died once. A dream now replaced him in my mind. Those will be etched and cannot be forgotten.”

Darius looked to his father, confused somewhat--he understood, but why would this matter on how he would feel? Darius let his father continue.


“Death happens once. The suffering is gone from this world, but you get to choose what they leave behind. The memories are fuel to the great motion forward. What world created that death, what world allowed, what force permitted it. We have the will to correct this world. However the memories we hold cannot bring agony without cause into this world. The pain will linger. The sorrow will hold your hand--yet you cannot be led to Hell by allowing dead things to ruin the world they lived in. Every death builds, every life gains something from that foundation.



The girl is dead. You are not. This world is still wrong, and the death she was given was not just.”


Darius looked to his father, his eyes shifting forward onto the road, noticing Rhys, Penny, and her dog, “This world is wrong, it wasn’t right to take her.” . His gut filled with a burning sensation. And his chest once tight felt a bit hardened.


”Dead things are gone. Their memories are not. Choose what they make of you. You are not a slave to dead things”


“No. I’m not.”

”Then what will you do?”.

“This world will kill and hurt a lot of people--and it has done it before. A lot of people I could care about. However... .”, Darius looked at his family affirming his sole purpose. To protect a future for those he cares for. “Luiza did not have to die. But she did. She died in a world where survival was never confirmed. With the Liberation, suffering won't end--but no one ever has to die like she did. And no one should ever feel as I do...”

Darius pulled forth a knife from his coat. Luiza’s. He gripped the blade with a strong grasp, gazing at the steel of the weapon.

“A knife isn’t good for memories--I will cleave a better future--That is the purpose of this knife.” Darius returned the knife to his coat sheathe. As he spoke Grigori looked forward. A sense of somber pride welled within him. Darius was becoming something Grigori both feared and wanted.

A man.



___​



As the roads became traveled and destination a place to stand and rest Grigori reflected on his beliefs and mantras. Darius felt a newfound resolve, thanks to his father. As the large vehicle came to a halt, Velska eyed the mansion. Its grand presence. Opulence meant very little in the hell-blasted wastes, but its grandiose form was awe-inspiring to the girl. Well beyond the dark present it was surrounded by.


The Humvee now at full stop was departed by the family.. Grigori measured his observations, his daughter piggy backing upon his massive frame, Darius however eyes the people and came upon familiar faces. Perhaps they felt as he did.

However Darius quickly assessed the visage of a lone Nikolas Voss. The older man who greeted him so kindly in the station before. Distraught and consumed by horrid afflictions.


Darius tapped his father upon the arm, alerting the man. Grigori well beyond Darius’s knowledge has scanned the shell shocked man. Nik’s eyes were telling, post traumatic stress disorder. A commonplace in the wasteland, but Grigori hailed from a life where such mental conflicts were easily found in even the strongest of soldier.


Velska jumped down as Grigori briskly came to Nik’s side. The voice that came from him felt so familiar to men speaking to the dead and gone. Unable to let dead things die.

As he finally came to arms reach of Nik, Darius followed suit, introducing the afflicted.


”His name is Nikolas Voss--He goes by Nik, sir.” .


Grigori studied the man no longer, and with a sudden swift motion he pulled the man’s arm towards him. The meaty paw now clasped the afflicted’s and closed it with his free hand. Tightly holding it.

It was if there a moment where Grigori lifted Nik ever so slightly, pulling him a inch closer to reach him with a voice.

”Calm. I’m Major Grigori--listen to my voice clearly.” , the stoney voice attempting to plow through the haze of illusion. The feel of the hand tightening around Nik’s own was trying to replant the man in reality.

”Nik” , Grigori spoke uncharacteristically, using a nickname. But his voice kept it rumbling form ebbing in slight motions in the air, pulling the psyche of the man before towards him with almost fatherly concern. The beats within the veins nestled in the rough palms were calm and steady.

”You are somewhere else right now. I will pull you back to us. Now match my breath.” . Grigori kept his pace still as he shifted the hand to his sternum to Nik’s to compare and match the paces of breathing. The pulse serving as a mental metronome for the remedy.


”Can you feel my pulse? Focus on it. I will bring you back..”, it felt as if a father had found his son panicking--the nature of his voice was a natural gravel, but it felt as if it morphed into a calming rumble. Like vibrations attempting to ease the tension within the core of Nik. Grigori was no stranger to this, this pull. He was dealt with such agonies since prophethood. Seen them in soldier's eyes. Seen them in his son's....and so Grigori spoke to him as if he spoke to his son, for thats the burden he sought to take. A father to humanity's liberation.

[ BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda ]
[/div]
[/div][div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div]

[class=DoClassPls] height: 480px; overflow-y: scroll; padding-left: 15px;padding-right: 15px; margin:auto;center; [/class] [class=wrapper] background-image:url('https://www.rpnation.com/gallery/25c6c7b2fe2f32cc56b3ee671831462a.28248/full');background-repeat:no-repeat; background-size: 100% 100%; box-sizing:border-box; color:#f9f9f9; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: crimson; font-size:4em; font-style:bold; padding:0; letter-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align:center; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color:#0d0d0d; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px double crimson; border-bottom: 3px double crimson; border-top: 3px double crimson; padding: 15px; float: left; width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px;background-color:#1b1b1b [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; color:#edf6f8 ; font-size:1.2em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-size: 0.75em; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; overflow: hidden; background-color:#0d0d0d [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class] [class=magical] margin:auto;center; background:white; opacity:0.5; width:100%; [/class] [class name=postscroll] height: 1000px; overflow-y: scroll; padding: 5px; margin:auto;center; [/class] [class name=statusBox maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; width: 100%; max-width: none; overflow: auto;height: auto;[/class] [class name=postscroll maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; float: none; width: 100%; overflow: auto;height: auto;[/class] [/QUOTE]
 
Last edited:
penelope vale & woofus


44558291304_f00bd64a22.jpg
german-shepherd-dog-tumblr-2.jpg


Location
Mansion
Interaction
Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater
Music/Mood
Joy
OOC
im assuming rhys is gonna sit down and let penny work but i didn't detail it, go ahead and add it hell mom in yours
Penny had been previously close to death, and nearly frozen by it, but she refused to give herself a second to rest. Nik helped her in escorting the man into the mansion, and she gave fleeting glances to the other cars that appeared. People tumbled out. Holy crap, Nik had an entire group he was with! It pleased her that he hadn’t been alone and judging by the way that he had held the man while Penny was healing him, he really wasn’t alone. She was nobody to judge, and she was too busy caring for the wellbeing of this man than on his romantic status with Nik. The three shuffled into the mansion, which was like something out of a dream. Clean. Well-kept. The apartment she had holed up in seemed boorish in comparison.


Just as quickly as Nik had helped the man and Penny to a couch, and before she could even open her mouth, he was gone. Her lips pressed into a tight line, and she hoped he wasn’t freaking out because of her. It was a surprise that either were alive, and if she had had the state of mind and the time, she would have reacted a lot more viscerally to Nik’s return. She watched him dart quickly from the room and out the door. Just as fast as he had reappeared, he was gone. He’d be back, though, and she knew that.


She sighed, saying nothing and looking briefly to the fire. Woofus padded alongside the couch and rested in front of the flames, a total heat hog. She gave a little smile, and then looked over at the man who she had saved. It was a coincidence indeed that one Blessed was around to help another. Both would be dead without the help of the other, and she was completely grateful. She gave a weak smile at him in response to his wandering eye toward Nik’s hasty exit. She gave another sigh, brushing away the tears that lingered under her eye.


Her eyes locked with the man on the opposite end of the couch again, and she briefly recalled how badly he had been injured. What had happened? His lung was collapsed, and it had been bad. Like, untreated bad. She unconsciously began to analyze the man, trying to find any differences in how they were blessed. Her wandering mind recalled the concentration of dark pain in his shoulder that she had felt in the corner of her spider’s web. She hadn’t bothered using any more of her ability to heal it, however, because the lung took a lot to recover. Penny immediately set to work regardless, swinging her backpack around and digging for the gauze and alcohol that she always kept close.


He’s… he’s going to be okay, right?” She unzipped the bag and froze in mid-grab. Her eyes shut, and she bit back more tears. She’d seen this side of Nik before, and she knew exactly how it went. The man must have picked up on that on their reunion. It brought back long forgotten memories that tugged at her heartstrings even more…but she brushed them aside for the moment.


She watched him light his cigarette as she spoke. “He will be. He’s not right now… but it’s better if he’s alone to ride it out. If he doesn’t come back, then we worry.” She had a bit of a smile and continued to pull out her scant supplies


Thank you by the way. I suppose this makes us even.” Penny closed her eyes and shook her head before looking back at the man. He was conversing with her, but he wasn’t really there. She saw the faraway look toward the door. She frowned again, standing up and walking toward the man by the fireplace. She was decently shorter, but her hand reached out maternally and squeezed his free one.


He will be fine. Nik is… Nik. The best we can do is make sure we’re alive and well when he’s back.” She stared at him sincerely, giving his hand another squeeze before gesturing back to the couch. “I noticed another wound on your body, in your shoulder. It didn’t feel like it was healing right, like it was ill-wrapped. Come here and I’ll fix it up.” She started to move, but her own gaze become momentarily locked on the door. She closed her eyes and forced herself not to worry too much. Penny years ago would have worried and waited on hand and foot her Nik to return, maybe would have chased after him and confronted the man. But this Penny knew better... she'd seen Nik's panic attacks and it was like watching someone you love choke to death on their own thoughts. An overload. The best way to bypass something overworked was to let it run itself out.


Penny returned to the couch after petting Woofus in passing, who had already passed out by the fire, and sat down. She patted the seat next to her and gave a little smile. “If we sit around worrying about him, we’ll worry ourselves to death.


Penny read the air, and she figured this man would be the first to hear her story and her connection to Nik. “Nik and I… he was my best friend before this whole apocalypse thing happened. I hadn’t seen him since the Gates opened…” She looked away, staring into the flames as her memories fought viciously to claw to the surface. Her Pandora’s Box yearned to open, and for her emotions to flood to the top. She pushed it down expertly, merely biting back the tears.


And I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. Still don’t. I’ve got these abilities… the same as you. If we’re truly even, we will be when you can tell me whatever you know about these and all of this.” She gestured to herself, ripping off her coat and exposing the tank top and a blossoming collection of intricate tattoos. Outlined flowers bloomed over her shoulder and spread down into vines and swirls. On her back were the beginnings of something, though she wasn’t sure what would form yet. Every so often, the tattoos would expand in detail. Penny hadn’t ever been one for body art, but it appeared she had no chance now.


I know I just kind of dropped out of nowhere and upset the balance you’ve got but—” her voice choked, and she grabbed at her subconsciously rubbed her neck to try and defeat the urge to cry. She was exhausted, mentally and physically. “I just saw a ghost back there, and nearly died, and saved your life and I just… all I can offer is my abilities and maybe some idea what the heck’s going on with me. I’ve been so confused… and so alone. The littlest answers I got were from people who weren’t like us.” She was unloading, and it was ugly. The man and her had a connection: Rhys. She bounced off it, only hoping that she wouldn’t piss off too many people by showing up.


Everything in my life so far as went ahead and contradicted itself, and I’m begging for some sort of center. I thought I lost Nik, and here he is. I thought I knew myself, but I guess I don’t. If you can offer any kind of answer to the latter, then…” She looked up, eyes red. “Then, we are even.
 
[div class=wrapper][div class=box][div class="boxBg boxBgLarge"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgTall"][/div][div class="boxBg boxBgMedium"][/div][div class=boxInner][div class=statusBox][div class=characterPortrait][div class="imageBorder"]
7280ebc4602614a506ea8bb133df8393.jpg
ddac0c7dc3e43217f48aeae9a967eb9d.gif
0efc8d062f0b9bd9734ebccbba6232f4.jpg
[/div][/div]
[div class=statusText]Location: Mansion
Tags: Fallen Angel BELIAL. BELIAL. | Woofus
Mentions: Sad Boi 2
BGM: Do You Remember [/div]
[div class=statusText][/div][/div][div class=title]Rhys Contiello[/div][div class=text]
“He will be fine. Nik is… Nik. The best we can do is make sure we’re alive and well when he’s back.”

He cast her a slightly incredulous look. She knew him that well then? His lips pressed into a firm line before glancing towards the dog resting on the other side of his foot.

“I noticed another wound on your body, in your shoulder. It didn’t feel like it was healing right, like it was ill-wrapped. Come here and I’ll fix it up."

He snorted, a harsh grunt of a sound that escaped through his nostrils. She was talking about the slash that giant gerber baby had given him. He hadn't gotten around to fixing it, he had slapped a poorly done bandage on it earlier and wished now that he had asked Nik to stitch it up. Rhys placed the cigarette between his lips, teeth lightly pressing against the end in order to hold it in place as he shrugged his leather jacket from his shoulders. He moved to the couch, draping the leather garment across the back and maneuvered his shirt from his torso without dropping the cig. Ink was woven up the ridge of his spine, congealing into various feathered shapes that curved around parts of his shoulders and neck. It was detailed in the way that each feather in each wing was pronounced in such a way that they almost looked real--as if at any moment they would peel from his skin and allow him to fly. His right shoulder heralded a gnarly slash covered by a scrap of fabric that was already stained with blood. A grimace formed across his face as he peeled it back before sitting down where Penny had indicated. Compliance was in his best interest, otherwise he wouldn't know how long it would be before it could be treated. The muscles in his biceps bulged slightly as he moved, obviously toned from his years as an athlete and then as an officer. He placed his shirt in his lap.

“If we sit around worrying about him, we’ll worry ourselves to death.”

He breathed out a bit of a chuckle, cerulean orbs darting her way. "Death sure takes his sweet ass time then, because I've been worrying about that man for four days now."
He turned his shoulder into her a bit more, still looking towards the door every so often.

“Nik and I…" His attention snapped to his quicker than a bullet. "he was my best friend before this whole apocalypse thing happened. I hadn’t seen him since the Gates opened…”
There was a bit of tension that flooded out of him at that. He felt stupid for thinking that Penny might have been Nik's dead spouse. It wasn't like he was an overly jealous man there were just...so many unknowns. He didn't know a lot about his blond counterpart and that lapse in knowledge always brought about an uneasiness.

“And I’ll be honest, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. Still don’t. I’ve got these abilities… the same as you. If we’re truly even, we will be when you can tell me whatever you know about these and all of this.”

Rhys blinked, looking down at her with a bit of a puzzled expression that melted to an exasperated tiredness. He noted the way her tattoos curved into different designs, the white ink matched the ivory outline on his own. Hers looked incomplete, which was interesting, his hadn't been so slow to form. Or maybe he just hadn't noticed because his wings were already inked up...one day they just sort of glowed. "I don't know what I could really tell you." He flexed his hand in his lap, staring at the joints of his fingers as they curled around his shirt.

“I know I just kind of dropped out of nowhere and upset the balance you’ve got but—”
A bit of sympathy shot through him as he watched her struggle to push down the emotion.
“I just saw a ghost back there, and nearly died, and saved your life and I just… all I can offer is my abilities and maybe some idea what the heck’s going on with me. I’ve been so confused… and so alone. The littlest answers I got were from people who weren’t like us.”

He was quiet for a long time, frozen pools of blue fixated on her as he processed her words. Rhys remembered when he had first started demonstrating some kind of magical ability...or he thought it had been magical. It had been a jarring experience, one that he still sometimes felt.
He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

“Everything in my life so far has went ahead and contradicted itself, and I’m begging for some sort of center. I thought I lost Nik, and here he is. I thought I knew myself, but I guess I don’t. If you can offer any kind of answer to the latter, then…”
He wasn't sure he could.
“Then, we are even.”
He nodded slightly, shoulder twitching as she started to prod at the wound.

"Most people I've run into call us Blessed. Like we've been kissed by God." He snickered at the name, voice starting off slow before gaining a soothing cadence. He could tell she was upset and even though he didn't know her all too well, he didn't want her to be distressed. "I...was confused at first too...my life hasn't been any less contradictory." Rhys shook his head with a tsk. "There are others like us, but different --twisted but not-- with a sort of allure that compels the shadows like we compel light." He pressed his lips into a fine line, watching her work on his shoulder for a moment before continuing, "I don't know if we've been chosen, or if some idiot in heaven decided to screw around with some humans, but what I do know is that it spreads. It's like it's....eating me. I...yesterday I couldn't heal at all. For the life of me I couldn't figure it out and then Nik got hurt and I---"

He took a quick breath to steady the way his voice began to tremble. Rhys tried to hide it, the emotion that leaked from his expression and tone of voice, but it was impossible to miss.
"I healed him. It was just there. Since then it's almost like I've been more aware of it. It's like a burning under my skin, always building and I don't know when it'll stop." He licked his lips, watching her fingers now as she went about properly patching his arm.

"Do you...." He paused, looking a little uncertain for a moment. "Do you hear a voice in your head sometimes? It's....it's weird to ask I know, but I've been hearing something." She probably thought he was a nut case. He shifted his weight on the couch slightly, clearing his throat. Maybe he was crazy.
"Sorry, I haven't...really talked to anyone about this. I mean there's Emma...she's...like us too, but she and I haven't exactly had the time to sit around and trade horror stories." He offered her a dry smile, wishing that he knew more. He wanted all the answers just as much as she did, he just didn't know how to go about getting them. The afflicted had it a bit better in the way of information....there were so many of them. For them though, it was as if blessed were few and far between.
Guess God or whoever was a picky sonnuvabitch.

[/div]
[div class=text][/div][/div][/div][/div] [class=wrapper] background-color:#213c60; box-sizing:border-box; color:#FFFFFF; display:inline-block; position:relative; width:100%; text-align: justify; [/class] [class=title] color: #b5b7b7; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:3em; font-style:italic; padding:0; text-shadow:0 0 1em; margin-bottom: 10px; [/class] [class=box] margin:2em 1em; padding:2px 4px 0px; position:relative; [/class] [class=boxBg] box-sizing:content-box; height:100%; pointer-events:none; position:absolute; width:100%; [/class] [class=boxBgLarge] top:0; left:-5px; padding:0 4px; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.35); [/class] [class=boxBgTall] top:-8px;left:3px; padding:8px 0; width:calc(100% - 8px); height:100%; border:2px dotted rgba(255,255,255,.25); [/class] [class=boxBgMedium] top:-4px; left:-1px; padding:4px 0; border:2px solid rgba(255,255,255,.4); [/class] [class=boxInner] background-color: ##2a4047; overflow:hidden; margin:0.5em; [/class] [class=statusBox] box-sizing: border-box; border-right: 3px solid white; padding: 15px; float: left; max-width: 250px; margin: 0px 15px 15px 0px; [/class] [class=text] padding: 0px 15px 15px 15px; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size:0.8em; [/class] [class=statusText] font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.75em; margin-top: 5px; [/class] [class=characterPortrait] box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; [/class] [class name=characterPortrait state=hover] opacity: 0.5 [/class]
 
Last edited:
[class=infrontofbackaffectsright] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:14px; color: auto; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=backgroundbloke]background:transparent; [/class] [class=sidebar] background:transparent; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:5px; color: auto; font-weight:800; flex: 0.4; [/class] [class=witchtalk] box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);padding:4%; text-align: left; background:transparent; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; margin-left:20px; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; [/class] [class=sidedetails] width: 181px; box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 6px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; letter-spacing:1px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: justify; font-size:10px; padding:17px; color: auto; font-weight:100; background: transparent; margin:auto;[/class] [class=sidedetails2] text-align: LEFT; font-size:14px; padding:5px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=sidebar maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px;[/class] [class name=infrontofbackaffectsright maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=witchtalk maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=backgroundbloke]
[div class=infrontofbackaffectsright]
[div class=sidebar]

[div class=sidedetails]
Reverie Lowiezka​
LOCATION — Police Station > Road > Mansion
INTERACTIONS CupAndCough CupAndCough
MENTIONS Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater Chise_Robin_ Chise_Robin_ Lakyr Lakyr BELIAL. BELIAL. BasiliskVeranda BasiliskVeranda and a children's book
DESC. — Hair unfettered, tan wrap coat, red scarf, tights, black converse.
[/div][div class=sidedetails2][/div]
[div class=bye]
[/div][/div][div class=witchtalk]
❖ ❖​

Just like that, rubber squealed on slick black ice and they were pulling away from another of their temporary homes, plowing through cotton white and muddy drifts. They were off into the wintry blizzard with none of them being any the wiser of why they hadn't done so earlier in the first place; or at least that was how the witch felt about their whole ordeal. She thought the presence of a Bell Witch would've been a big enough 'no-thank-you-we're-done-here', but apparently no one had heeded the warnings, including yours truly for reasons she couldn't yet put a finger on.

The basement exploratory force had emerged relatively unscathed on the whole, though they could've easily lost their lives; or worse, be left maimed and on the verge of death which was a whole new level of torture in this unforgiving world. This, Reverie attributed to sheer luck rather than any individual preparedness or skill. She was never under the impression that her capabilities had been cut out for that harrowing battle. And to trust in others to pull their own weight and more - cause quite frankly, all these was beyond them - was something the umber-eyed woman never counted on. Luck, that was all it was. And from the looks of things the others weren't so lucky.

If she had an ounce of care for their life's choices, or had she been an unwilling passenger in either of the other cars (save the Humvee) she might've protested. As it was, the amount of blood, bruises, and exhaustion that seemed to linger strongly around Alaska, James and in particular, Rhys, drew more than a puzzled frown from the woman. For one, he definitely should not be in the driver's seat as he was doing, bouncing along in the truck ahead of her. The van's headlights barely illuminated the other vehicle through the blizzard forcing her to be on full alert in case he suddenly veered off the freeway. But as the journey wore on coupled with the relative silence from the occupants of the van, the witch found her thoughts drifting. The party had lost someone. She had not missed the haunted look in Darius' eyes when they were all gathering to leave. Luiza, her name had been. They had never spoken, so she felt no inkling of loss though it was undoubtedly a shame. She did wonder at the nature of her passing, however, or what she had been to the young Salvadore to drain the life out of his eyes so. It seemed that in a wasteland of crumbled futures and buried hopes, people were oft to form connections and ties quicker than what might've been considered normal during normal times. Some connections might not even seem plausible given more mundane circumstances. Perhaps when every day seemed like it would hold a lifetime of memories, and the people you walked with today you would bury tonight, people no longer held back. Scraping dry rocks for just that little bit of familiarity, to feel connected to someone if not oneself. As if the feeling of being connected was the only thing that could justify a perpetuated existence when there was no future to hope for. It was no way to live, but it had been her life even before the demons walked freely. Though of course, it all changed when he dropped by.

"Fuck!" She slammed on the brakes, her van nearly rear-ending the truck which had suddenly stopped right in the middle of the freeway. Both hands pressed against the steering wheel, knuckles white. Had Rhys finally passed out? Not that she wished he did, it just looked inevitable. Nope... he was out his front door, trudging unsteadily to something by the roadside. She exited the van, engine left rumbling. It was a dog... and another survivor. Frozen near solid and with flecks of ice glittering in her blonde hair. Her clothing was ragged in more than one place, revealing a multitude of still bleeding wounds half congealed by the sub-zero cold. She walked around to the truck, watching as Nik carried her into their car. The last time she'd seen a fellow traveller doing that for a total stranger, she had woken up in the middle of the night to the strangled gurgles of her companion, his throat slit by another devil in disguise. Again she'd been lucky their assailant attacked her erstwhile partner first. His name was Jung. A life exchanged for careless altruism.

Then the man called for Rhys and from the look on his face, with a panicked concern that weighed too heavily for one he supposedly didn't know, suggested that despite the odds, it was otherwise.

That had been an hour ago, or two. She didn't know. The Tissot she'd scavenged a year back had stopped ticking back in Newark. Now she was stood in the driveway of an uncannily well kept mansion, watching as the previously near-dead woman healed their leader; the action revealing herself to be one of those also afflicted by Heaven's bright light. Curious beings the Blessed were. She wondered if a duo of Blessed could live indefinitely, bringing each other back from the brink of death, no matter how far near the edge they walked. That thought drove her inwards, as she pondered the nature of her own magic. She'd found it difficult to see it as a gift, shunned from a young age for being different, yet she could rarely make it work. A cause for many of her childhood miseries, yet no more useful than to make weird inopportune accidents happen around her. And so she had disregarded it for the most part, up until the recent events. Now she felt a strange pang of jealousy, watching as the two so easily called forth their blessed healing.

She trailed after the group, eyes wary as she looked at the columns of sculptured stone and broad glass windows. Perfectly tiled roof and immaculately crafted fountains, frozen over by the blizzard. To the flicker of a burning fireplace, inviting the weary traveler in. Unbidden, the passages of a story from her childhood came to mind.

And as her brother grew increasingly distraught, she felt it was her turn to be brave. "Let’s walk. I’m sure we’ll be able to find our house,” she said. They walked the entire day. They were already very hungry and tired when they saw a white bird singing on a branch. It flew off and the children decided to follow him. It led them to a house."


She saw Nik break away from the other two, her own footsteps faltering as the blonde dashed past her and out into the snow bedded fields that stretched from the mansion. There was a wild look in his eyes, one that spoke of no small emotional unrest. And he looked much like an overwrought school girl, distressed from the turmoils of her peers. Like she had been, all those years ago. Only, his reasons were perhaps far from her own. Oh to have the luxury of feeling again.

"When the children came closer, they saw that the house was built entirely from chocolate, with a roof made of cake, and windows made of clear sugar. And so with bellies rumbling with hunger, they helped themselves to the house of delights."


Grigori had walked up to the man, his children in tow. And in spite of herself, Reverie found her feet carrying her over. She could see Grigori moving to offer some measure of comfort, uncharacteristically tender for one with such a foreboding exterior. Then again, she'd seen it in the way he minded his children. There was more to him than was let on, such that the witch found herself curious as to what had given such a man a heart. But now was nary the time for such curiosities.

"Come..." She touched Darius's shoulder, and rested her other hand on Velska bidding them to leave. "Let's walk around the house, see if we can find anything. It's a little odd how nicely kept it is don't you think?" She ushered them away not for their sakes, but for the boy with eyes of deep blue. He needed his time. And they'd be no better with him in this state.

Suddenly the door opened and an old woman came out of the house. “Who’s eating my roof and walls?!” she yelled, but when she saw the kids, she spoke again, this time in a much softer voice.

“Please, come in. I can see you’re hungry. I’ll make you a delicious meal right now!”

[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
Last edited:
[class=biggie] width: 100%; margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; clear:both; font-size:12px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; display:flex; flex-flow: row nowrap; height: 100%; [/class] [class=whut]background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, #c0c0ca 2%, #f7fdc9 100%); background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, #c0c0ca 2%, #f7fdc9 100%); background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #c0c0ca 2%, #f7fdc9 100%); padding:20px; [/class] [class=handsomedevil] border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; background: #fff; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; padding:10px; color: #162e70; font-weight:800; flex: 1; -webkit-box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb ; -moz-box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb ; box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb; font-size:12px; [/class] [class=speaks] -webkit-box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb ; -moz-box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb ; box-shadow:10px 10px 0px 0px #a2aabb; font-size:12px; ;padding:3%; text-align: left; background:#fff; border: solid 1px #e5e5e5; flex: 1; flex-basis: 30%; margin-left: 30px; margin-right:15px; [/class] [class=speakeasy]border: solid 5px #f7f7f7; letter-spacing:2px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: center; font-size:12px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; background: #fff;[/class] [class=speakeasy2] letter-spacing:2px; word-spacing: 4px; text-align: LEFT; font-size:12px; padding:20px; color: #162e70; font-weight:100; letters-spacing: 3px; word-spacing: 2px;[/class] [class name=handsomedevil maxWidth="800px"] margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px[/class] [class name=biggie maxWidth="800px"] padding: 0px; margin: 0 auto; flex-direction: column;[/class] [class name=speaks maxWidth="800px"]margin: 0 auto; padding: 10px; margin-top:20px[/class] [class name=bye maxWidth="800px"]display:none[/class]
[div class=whut]
[div class=biggie]
[div class=handsomedevil] [div class=speakeasy]"To go wrong in one`s own way is better than to go right in someone else's." [/div]
c35cb6bb91b0e1a586705fd62a8bfa3c.jpg
𝘕𝘐𝘒𝘓𝘈𝘚 𝘓𝘐𝘈𝘔 𝘝𝘖𝘚𝘚
[div class=speakeasy2]LOCATION — Mansion from Heaven...or Hell.
OOC — your post was very sweet grugi, he's doing a good job.
TAGS — Darius is a Bro, Grigs is actually Dad CupAndCough CupAndCough , Angel Girl BELIAL. BELIAL. , Angel Boy Hell0NHighWater Hell0NHighWater
BGMFLORENCE + THE MACHINE - THIRD EYE DEMO [/div]
95cbdb030a41e579f9ca839379a80453.jpg

[div class=speakeasy]“The man who has a conscience suffers whilst acknowledging his sin. That is his punishment.” [/div][/div][div class=speaks]The last person he would've expected to extend an olive branch, and give him a solution that was actionable, was the stone-faced older man who seemed more myth than man. Walking with his own burdens, orchestrating his children like a militia. There was a deafening wall there, something about the authoritative tone he had taken in all of the spare words Nik had ever barely heard him speak, that struck to the gut of the blond afflicted. He wasn't into what that felt like, it bristled.

Darius, he could understand, the blond having had a brief but endearing interaction with him that he felt bad about having to cut short. There was a warmth there, like the color changing leaves across New England's landscape. Nik had warmed up to him in yellow tones, but the wind changed focus, and the leaves were dashed.

He couldn't have possibly seen this old oak in his periphery, making his way to mend this broken yellow bird, besmirched by hell itself, despite how gold his glow was. It was unexpected to be introduced to this man, while his unseen ghost wrapped her arms around his body, and he was riding out the electric white throngs of panic coursing in his veins.

”His name is Nikolas Voss--He goes by Nik, sir.” The blond looked up, brows raising, as he started to peter his breathing within a normal range, but it certainly wasn't helping his state by being introduced like a topiary on display in a science museum.

Grigori grabbed his hand in strength and drew him forward, swift, unexpected. Nik tensed up, meeting the other man's eyes with a defiance bred out of having to deal with this on his own for the past two years. Incredulous, and yet he knew in the other man's gaze that he understood what this was. Nik relaxed, he listened, his head tilted slightly to the side.

The ghost around him, invisible to anyone else, stepped back and kicked up a drift of snow as if irritated. She evaporated into the glimmer and gossamer of snow.

”Calm. I’m Major Grigori--listen to my voice clearly.” Nik knew what he was doing. Henry had done this before. Grounding someone in the now, when they were mentally somewhere else, required the physical. Things like putting your hands under water, listening to something intently, focusing on what was happening around you.
"I..."

”Nik” His voice was a rumble, a sort of thunderstorm, but pleasant. Nik liked thunderstorms, extreme weather was breathtaking when it wasn't causing bodily harm like this freakish fall weather. Nik steeled his focus and his chest stopped fluttering like a bird's wing, spilling the yolk of fear all over his bones. Little by little, he was coming down from this.

”You are somewhere else right now. I will pull you back to us. Now match my breath.”
"I know. Hasn't. Gotten this bad. In a. While," Nik said between ragged breaths, pissed at himself for it getting out of hand. He had been so good until now. It had been okay. He had been alright. He breathed in time with Grigori, Diana had this shit down to a science, but to find his current panacea in a stern man who he did not understand, was a strange thing indeed.

”Can you feel my pulse? Focus on it. I will bring you back..”
"Thank you. It's not. Usually like this, I'm sorry." Nik's sentences were coming together better, and he focused on the pulse of the other man through his skin, and the breathing, and where they were, his tight grip, the snow, the cold, the music of the wind through the crippled trees. They hadn't even gotten a chance to turn gold, then orange and cardinal red. They were just decimated in this frost, the afterbirth of the apocalypse ruining so much.

The blond bird, now lax, gently pulled his hand away, and stood for a half a beat. Eyes on the ground, then back up to match Grigori's gaze. Deep blue to the other man's, and Nik studied him. His gaze shot over his features, trying to understand this unexpected kindness. He tilted his head to the side, not a look of arrogance, disdain, or sarcasm, or any other painted Nik emotion on his face. Moreso like a previously terrified animal unsure of just who it was looking at, or dealing with. Not unlike how a dog has to understand how to trust someone after such a long time of hurt.

But as it began to vanish, and the blond bird's eyes cleared, he suffered to draw a small smirk. Then a slightly larger smile. And finally, though exhausted from the adrenaline smashing through his body, the constant state of perhaps too aggressive exuberance returned.

"You've done this before," Nik said as he gestured to Grigs with a mild motion, perhaps intimating that Grigs had given the same steadfast aid to the young people in his stead. Nik cracked an appreciative smile, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry. We don't have time for," ' Me acting like a fuck up I actually am. ' Nik's face soured, and he turned to walk towards the oddly decadent mansion, keeping Grigs in his periphery, his head tilted to look at him with different eyes.

"Well, me being a jackass. Let's...get inside, and get out of the cold. But," Nik hesitated before he opened the door, like the brief pulse of a pause, something like a nick on the elbow or a shin. There, but benign, maybe.

"I...don't know if it's any safer in there," he admitted. The mansion was far too pristine, too beautiful, too perfect. The warmth of their newly drawn fire, like some insane estates he had seen in the Hamptons. The world had ended two years ago, and yet this veritable palace was still standing. A spiral staircase, something that maybe Diana's very, very rich relatives would have owned. He felt oddly uncomfortable in places like this.

He was used to messy lofts with ancient elevators and haphazard paint smears everywhere. Pizza boxes, vinyl records that cost more than most peoples' cars. He had been well-off due to his own efforts in business and the arts with his gallery, but they had acted like they were still broke-ass college students, albeit with more expensive keepsakes and better paints.

His deep blue gaze twisted back to look at Grigori once more, and he gave the other man a smile without any of his usual trappings. Small, like a glimmer or a glow, and then a nod. Grigori had won himself a companion in this moment, whether he realized it or not, Nik would be his ally. Small acts of kindness can move even the largest barriers aside, and mountains lay waste when people care for others like they care for their own.

Nik's gaze traveled to rest on Penny and Rhys, now talking. They had been through so much, all of them had...Nik couldn't let the past get to him so easily. They all needed to stand together, or they wouldn't survive. He had to be this immovable object, and he wasn't being that right now.

His gaze lingered on the deep, thick-inked winged tattoos of their fearless leader's back, and he wondered about heaven and hell for half a beat. If the angels above and the demons below had any fathomable idea that heaven was on earth, not whitewashed in what Nik considered a malignant cult centered around a magical white dude who probably was missing in action or asleep on the job.

Heaven, was right there.

He looked to the others, to rest on Darius, Reverie, James and Alaska. That deep blue gaze wandered. Add a couple thousand pieces of random laundry, a bunch of paint splayed all over the place, a few billion pizza boxes, and a little black cat, and it'd be perfect.

Woofus made a noise at him, not unlike a low whine, and he sighed.

' Scratch the cat idea, ' he thought. His gaze flickered back to Grigs, and then Darius, who he gave a lighthearted wink to. He was a good kid, they were all good people, he felt.

Lucky to find each other in all these crippled trees, haggard enemies, and broken memories.

[/div][/div]
[/div]
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top