open ♔ may castle socialization

[wynn]

WHO || Everyone! [ota]
WHAT || Shenanigans.
WHERE || Anywhere in the castle, surrounding environs, London, etc!
WHEN || Any time during May/June [ forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

[ The castle can be a happening place, even on more mundane days. This log is for random interactions over the course of these few months. Because not everyone is into parties, ok.

You are encouraged to start your own threads and tag around, and feel free to threadjack into any on-going threads that aren't specified as 'closed' in the subject lines since people can enter into rooms even in the middle of what's going on. WE ARE BIG ON THREAD-JACKING HERE. You can also specify 'single thread', meaning you want only one response for all participants, rather than multi-thread, where a number of different scenes/threads can be done as replies to the top prompt.]

On this log:
Vi @ the desk
Klaus @ the desk
Maxwell @ the desk
Aurelius @ Dragon's Fire wing
Gar @ the library
Dovan @ 2nd floor pub
Mark @ castle grounds
Lila @ the firing range
Abigail @ library/grounds/kitchen/training rooms
Spike (Kyp) @ people's rooms
Mars @ the library
Sebastian @ front steps
Alaric @ Dragon's Hoard wing
Myri @ cleric's wing, etc.
Spike @ infirmary/kitchen/outside/etc
Elena @ her room
Buffy & Kyp (and Fred) | Closed
Jack @ the cleric's wing
Kyp @ the dungeon
Spike, Buffy, & Helen | Closed
Rose @ various
Lila & Hook | Closed
Han @ the firing range
Brantley & Andrew | Closed
Vi & Des @ the garden
Failboat @ pancake brunch | Closed
Faye @ the library
Alanna @ the firing range
Jaina's induction party
Alex & Abigail | Closed
The Doctor @ the castle grounds
Elena & Helen | Closed
Dumage & Damon | Closed
Lila, Sylar, & Helen | Closed
Damon @ the bar/various

Comments

[graveflowers]

[ vi is happy to drain all her healing and pour it into myri, so much so that she pulls on the other healing power she has. (dumb fuck still has not realized that she can heal herself, but the fresh scar on her palm and the back of her hand from the arrow is cool so she doesn't really care, tbh.) her hand glows a pale, leafy green as good health surges into myri, mirroring the familiar blue that indicates myri's own power.

because twinsies.

she hasn't said much besides tearful apologies because she didn't know! she couldn't tell! and that's fucking awful. but she finally breaks the awkwardness with: ] Wynn, against all odds, convinced me to join the Dragon's Light, so you're stuck with me, surprise!

[witchwoman]

[Seeing Violet so eager to heal her might have brought a smile to her face if she could remember how to smile. Even her announcement of what sect she's chosen doesn't seem to break through the fog that's settled over her. She wants to be happier, but she can't find it in her to manage it just yet.]

That's wonderful, Vi. I'm so glad.

[graveflowers]

Figured, since you and Amaranth were the ones that said I could do it. [ sob amaranth. she looks down and when the light fades from her hand, she pulls it back into her lap. it lasts all of five seconds before she clambers into bed with myri like fuck this we are too far apart. her arms curl around her best friend and by habit alone her fingers start smoothing through myri's disheveled hair. the hollow shell of the girl she loves so much reminds her of the gaping abyss of nothing and sorrow she feels everyday herself, she hates that myri has to feel worse, but she can't make that better, she can only make the physical pain better. still, she struggles in vain to keep her own depression and pain at bay, as if it were possible, so myri wouldn't have to feel that too.

she remembers their last conversations -- it felt better to myri when they weren't together because she wasn't being crushed by violet's despair. now she had her own despair, vi didn't want to make it worse with her own.

as much as she wants to stay with myri she knows it's not going to last. it's not fair to make myri feel worse, but for now at least, hugs. ] We're going to get him back, I promise. [ she knows finnick already said the same thing, but it bore repeating. ]

[witchwoman]

[If Myri is hurting any worse for being near Vi, she certainly isn't showing any sign of it. In fact, she seems to lean more into Vi as she climbs into bed, turning her entire body towards the girl, seeking comfort.]

They told me they'd kill him if I resisted. What if he's already gone?

[graveflowers]

He's not. That stubborn little fucker is going to outlast us all, Des included, and since you're not there anymore there is no use threatening him. He's more of an incentive now, a bargaining chip so y'all will go back. [ dropping a kiss against the top of her head, she starts delicately detangling myri's hair just to keep her hands busy to keep her anxiety at bay. it feels heavenly to be so close to myri, but she hates the circumstances that prompted it. ] He's probably telepathically cussing them out.

[witchwoman]

[She sits up a little, noticing something in that phrasing that catches her attention.]

You're not- I thought you would be coming with us.

[graveflowers]

I can't.

[ she wants to. there is nothing she wants more at this exact moment. well, she might want to choke kyp to death with a thorny rose bush, but that is an immediate want borne of frustration. maybe she and aedan can go hunt those dungeons down... anyway. ] Wynn grounded me, I'm not allowed out on missions until they figure out how to break the hold that... you know... has on my nightmares. Ostensibly for my own protection. [ the unsaid but at the end of the sentence is "but i don't actually give any fucks about my own personal well being".

which is probably why she is grounded, frankly. she ain't a fan of this plan. ]

[witchwoman]

[She's obviously unsettled by this, chewing on her lip a little.]

We have to stay together. All this happened because I left. If I hadn't, then they wouldn't have been able to get in here at all.

[graveflowers]

No, sweetie, they would have found a different way. This isn't on you, not for a second, not at all. They would have gone through Dumage or Francesca. [ logical choices based on dumage being easy access and francesca also heading home before everyone else did. she's gentle, but her bright eyes flash dangerously. yes, she very much wants to enact violence on something or someone for making myri think any of this, ever, could be her fault. ] They wanted you. But they're evil, they would have found a way to get at us anyway. You didn't do anything wrong, okay?

[witchwoman]

[She doesn't believe that. They wanted her- something to do with Nadia. Kyp had said so again tonight, but arguing the point seems exhausting. Instead she just leans her head on Vi's shoulder.]

I've missed you so much.

[graveflowers]

[ she doesn't say "i missed you too" because she didn't and it makes her stomach hurt and her chest seize up. it will never be okay, that the girl she claimed as her sister had been missing for over two months and vi was too broken and dense to realize that the imposter she'd been spending time with was just that. she was the one of them not actively avoiding myri, she sought her out time and time again, she braided her hair nearly everyday, and she still didn't realize, she still couldn't tell her best friend from a cheap imitation.

she had no excuse.

closing her eyes, she squeezes myri's shoulders. ] I knew why you left. It wasn't just Finnick, we were killing you and you would never admit it because you're just as stubborn as Amaranth. But you left and part of me was happy because you'd be safer without us, you'd be able to breathe easier because we weren't there to drain all your energy away with how fucked up we are.

I never thought... I never thought it would be worse for you. I'm so sorry I didn't realize.

[witchwoman]

[She's quiet for a moment, like she's thinking or trying to decide how to say something.]

I think-- While I was there, they used my empathy against me, tortured other prisoners in front of me to see how far the gift would pull at me, how much it would hurt. There was a moment when I thought I was going to die, but something changed. I thought about you. About Finnick and Buffy and Elena, Spike and Kat and Mark and Des, Gar and Francesca, even Archer. And it hurt a little less. Every day it hurt a little less.

[She turns to look at Vi, because this point is important.] I know you're still hurting. I can tell that it's there, even if you wish you weren't for my sake. But I don't feel it. So you don't have to be afraid.

[graveflowers]

[ she smiles weakly at the absurdity of myri comforting her after all she has been through because myri is literally the light in the darkness. she feels a rush of gratitude for the blonde woman, but it's dull with sorrow. they'd used her beautiful gift against her. ]

Can you still feel the good things though, even if the pain is gone?

[witchwoman]

I don't know. [She answers honestly.] There hasn't been much good to feel.

[graveflowers]

There's Finnick. [ feel that. ] Des has a boyfriend. Jade came and said bye to him, I think it was kind of sweet probably. I mean, I wasn't there, but I imagine so. You know how hard it is for me to feel happy, right? Consider me your guide to finding the tiniest happiness even where there might not be any. I'm a professional now, we'll figure it out.

[witchwoman]

Together. [She says, reaching over and taking one of Vi's hands with her own.] Spike told me about Des. What's his name?

[Maybe talking about less heavy things for a moment would be nice.]

[graveflowers]

Zarad. He's still in New York, but I threatened Des' junk if he didn't bring him to my knighting, so we'll get to meet him soonish. Probably soon. Some time soon, I imagine. And, in passing, I may have proposed to Luthir. Oh! And Finnick taught me to swim. It was hilarious because I am definitely not a fish like him so there was a lot of flailing while he somehow managed to look hot and like it was supremely easy, which was rude on both accounts.

[witchwoman]

[Back the truck up, sister.]

...You proposed?

[graveflowers]

Yup. [ so apprehensive. she told this to fauxmyri and it was fine, but hindsight is 20/20 and that was a bastard in disguise. ] He said yes, so I'm sort of engaged. I just haven't told anyone. Except you and Finnick. [ and felicity and alex, but she meant she didn't tell anyone else in failboat. ]

[witchwoman]

Vi, that's wonderful! But... why not tell the others?

[graveflowers]

[ she shrugs. ] They've got loads of stuff on their plates, I don't want to bug them. I only told you and Finnick because I tell you everything and it felt weird, you not knowing. Itchy.

[witchwoman]

[She can't help but ask the question that's nagging at her.]

This isn't the first time you've told me, is it? [Not really her, but... she figures she doesn't need to explain that part.]

[graveflowers]

You were the first person I told. I called before we left for New York, 'cause I missed you.

[witchwoman]

[She feels just terrible that it wasn't actually her, that what happened to her might somehow cheapen the moment for Vi.]

I hate this. I feel like they took my life from me. And Elena... Her ceremony. She'll never be able to think of it without remembering everything else.

[graveflowers]

[ it didn't cheapen anything and if myri asked, she would tell her so. it make it more important now, knowing it wasn't myri the first time. she sighs a little, smoothing down myri's hair and kissing her forehead. ] She will one day, it'll dim to something she doesn't hate thinking about. She's resilient, she'll come back from this. And you keep forgetting that not everything was bad -- you came home to us.