Oh god. (Return)

[emocaliban]

Once he stumbles and nearly falls, just catching himself, and it makes him look up. His eyes widen and he backs up. “No. No. Jesus Christ, no.” His eyes are wide and round as he backs up. “You can’t do this to me,” he says, hoarsely, and ducks behind a tree. He might be there, again. She might be there. And therefore he can’t be. If they could

Comments

[tomboy_22]

The wolf who comes, stalking, very quietly, will curl up around him, tender, gentle, with that sort of beastly comfort only a lupine or a canine can offer.

Big sister is here. Even if she's hiding it from you, Cal, she's here.

[emocaliban]

You're not getting him that easily, Anita. The moment he hears, or smells, or just feels, someone getting near, he's on his feet and backing away, eyes wide and wild, scared, backing away. "No. Get away from me."

It doesn't matter. Wolf, person, rat...he doesn't want anything near him. Not now. Not ever.

He is done.

[tomboy_22]

The wolf stills, looking at him with pitiful eyes, and makes a soft sound, abating herself to the ground.

[emocaliban]

He looks away from her, trying to back away again, face closing. "Just - please."

[tricky_bowman]

There will be a little woof, and the bitch will come bounding through the woods. On her heels, a medieval knight whom Caliban has never met, calling. "Bergamote!" He goes after her but comes only in time to find her whining after the little ball of broken.

Tristan stills, taken by the scene.

[emocaliban]

Little ball of broken is now standing hunch of broken, staring at Tristan and taking several steps back. God no, no, just - this cannot be happening. Cannot be happening.

It takes him a moment too long to recognize the puppy and it makes him cringe more. God. "Sophia?"

His voice kind of cracks.

[tricky_bowman]

Tristan doesn't move, his hands up in a sign of peace. "Is that her name? I found her ere a few weeks now, whining in the kitchen..."

[emocaliban]

He almost loses his knees, not wanting to be spoken to. Guilt. He didn't even think of Sophia. Someone found her, at least someone found her...

Sophia is trying to climb onto his feet. "It...yes, it's her name."

[ninja_niko]

Brothers have this incredible way of showing up where you least want them. This one is walking determinedly to the coordinates Jaenelle gave him.

He's bringing a brother home. There is no argument about that.

[emocaliban]

Brother is definitely going to argue about it.

Unfortunately, even broken, Niko-radars don't get broken. Which is why he lurches to his feet the moment he feels Nik there, wheels, and runs. Unsteady, wobbly, and sore, but pushing every ounce of strength he has to get away. No no no no no.

Even if part of him wants to throw himself at Niko and be hugged and held and safe. But he's never going to be safe again. Not now.

[ninja_niko]

Niko is certainly not wobbly, and he's certainly been training as obsessively as usual, so he will be running after his brother until his breath breaks or until he catches him.

"Cal! Cal! Come back - god. Come home."

[emocaliban]

Cal goes down eventually, tripping over something and falling hard, curling into a ball to absorb the impact. But with Niko's advantage, it's likely more than enough to catch him. "Nononononononono," is all he can say, head in his arms, trying to vanish. "Nonopleasenodon't-"

[rob_fellows]

Niko and Robin had a talk. Robin hopped on a chance to help, and he's joining the search, also on Jaenelle's information, with Niko shared with him.

If Cal is running from Niko, he might find himself running into Robin, actually.

[emocaliban]

NO NOT CORNERED. He skids to a halt, eyes flicking for somewhere to go, anywhere, somewhere that's not - he can't reach the woods. Lake it is.

Going to try for that, then, panicking hard, not speaking, though the brief moment of meeting Robin's eyes probably says enough. Too much. There's nothing there that's not fear and pain, dulled on an edge of hopelessness.

[rob_fellows]

Robin isn't giving up that easy, and he's almost fully healed from his run-in with Anita, so he'll be running to catch up with Cal.

"Hey, hey. Kiddo. I just want to have a chat, kid. Don't turn your back on me. Come on..."

[emocaliban]

Cal wants to just swan dive into the lake. He doesn't answer the voice, trying to push himself faster.

This can't be happening. This can't be happening.

[phedre_25]

Phedre has not been as at peace as she seemed since she found Niko's body, and this evening, the sound of bronze wings has been sounding between her ears, the discomfort has edged more, and so she is on the Mansion grounds, trying to find its origin, though what came to pass, she cannot tell.

[emocaliban]

Caliban is somewhere, there, trying to make his way to the trees, alternating between stumbling and crawling when his knees give out. Just has to reach the dark and the shade and the quiet and then he doesn't have to worry. Can just lie down and sleep, and sleep, and sleep...

He trembles a little, trying not to dwell on anything but that determination. Done. It's time to be done. Past time.

[phedre_25]

When Phedre hears the movement, she stills, all ears to the sounds of the forest - something tells her that this is why she had to come out, but... she cannot know exactly.

[emocaliban]

He finds a place eventually, not too deep because he doesn't want to go far. Just far enough. Under a tree, a small hollow that he can just fit into. And curls into it, cheek pressed to the forest floor, and closes his eyes.

Just have to sleep now. Just have to sleep.