Fur and Flesh

“About what?” Dandi dived under the water, dodging the question. He resurfaced, and Beni was waiting with her arms ploughing through the water, creating a wave that sent Dandi spluttering. 

He recovered to see Beni raising her eyebrows at him, her hooded dark brown eyes narrowed at him. “Seriously?” The nerve of this guy. Her eyes softened. “Look, I know something’s bothering you. And trying to hide it doesn’t work, Dandi, so don’t try.”

Dandi looked away, breaking her eye contact with him. “Thanks for caring and all, but I’m fine. It really doesn’t matter.” Beni groaned and dived under the water, swimming downstream.

She had seen this before. Heck, she’d been there. Beni knew what Dandi was thinking: that he didn’t matter.

Under the water, Beni grabbed Dandi by the ankles and started swimming away with him.

“BENI! Stop!” He spluttered as he bobbed in and out of the water, laughing. She rolled her eyes playfully and let him go. 

Cold and wrinkly, Beni spread out on the shore, soaking in the sun. Dandi sat next to her, drawing in the sand. 

“Do you wanna talk about it? I’m not the best at comforting, but it’s something, and you look like you need it.” Beni turned to him, his eyebags as big as the lies he told about his sleep.

“Maybe. But it’s not that bad.” He looked down at his flowers he had been drawing. “It doesn’t matter.”

“God you're an idiot.”

“HEY! Why?!”

“You think it doesn’t matter? What the fuck? No matter how small, it matters.” Beni sat up, and stared right into Dandi’s eyes. “You matter, stupid. Don’t think I don’t care, you’re one of my best friends. I like you, you’re a good friend, the least I can do is be here for you.”

Dandi blushed and looked away. “I- not-” He said shyly.

“Jesus, learn to take a compliment.”

“Hmph.” He huffed, folding his arms. He looked back at Beni, “Would it be okay?”

She nodded.

“Um… I don’t really know how to start.”

“Well, what have you been thinking about when you space out?”

“The outside I guess. I miss it.” Dandi sighed wistfully, putting his head in his hands.

“Me too.” Beni followed suit, staring out at the sparkling water.

“But… I guess that’s not it. I miss the sun, trees, oceans, and animals, but I don’t miss my old life.” His eyes darkened, troubled by memories brought up by thinking about life before the cave. “I don’t remember much, whether that’s because of the amnesia… or because my brain tried to block it out.”

“Same boat. The amnesia is weird around trauma.”

“Mm. Like it’s fighting your brain, it wants you to forget, but your brain thinks you need it for survival.”

Beni laughs. “It’s wrong though, stupid brain, I don’t need these memories!”

Dandi grinned awkwardly. “I suppose so, but part of me wants to fight it and keep them. They almost feel like part of me.”

“Baaad idea friend. Don’t hold onto the past if you don’t have to.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. They’re what I’ve got left of the outside. Of my mum.”

Beni cocks her head. “Was she nice?”

“My mum? Yes! She was always so nice to me and my… my sister June, letting us play outside at night, protecting us from dad, sometimes cooking dinner for me so I could look after June… letting me stay after what happened to June…” Dandi trailed off, lost in thought.

She held her hand up and pinched her nose bridge with the other.

“What the actual fuck.”

Dandi laughs nervously, looking at Beni’s horrified face. 

“God… Your mum actually fucking sucked.”

He rubbed his eyes, laughing. “Yeah. She really did.” He flops back onto the sand.

Beni follows him, staring up at the sky, her view half covered by the overhang.

“I didn’t know mine,” she looked back at Dandi, “Not saying that that makes your problems less. I mean, I don’t want to remember mine. And you don’t need to want to remember her just because she’s your mum. Don’t hold onto the things that hurt.”

Dandi sighed. “I guess so, but I’m not sure I can forget her. What she said stayed with me, like I’m hearing her say it again every day. Or really what she didn’t.”

“Stuff your brain made up?” Beni asked.

“Yeah. She never said it straight to my face, but I think she hated me. Especially after June…” 

“Later.” Beni finished before Dandi could get lost in thought.

He nodded and breathed in. “Right… The only vivid memories I have are of losing her and how Mum and Dad treated me afterwards. He left after a month. She… I think in the end she left too. And the fact that I fucked up so badly that they all left me… That’ll never leave me. No matter how hard I try to forget. I’ll always be reminded that I failed and I’ll never be enough to stay for.”

Beni was quiet for a moment as they sat, watching the river flow past.

“It’s okay, Dandi. It’s not your fault.”

He looks away, but Beni could tell he wasn’t completely reassured. “But-”

“No buts. You were just a kid.”

“I know. Logically I know that,” he groaned and put his head in his hands, “but there's a difference between logically knowing and emotionally knowing.”

“Heh, yeah, I get that. Just remember-” Beni looked calmly at Dandi. “You’re enough for me. For everyone here. You underestimate what you mean to us, you know. ” 

“Yeah… okay. Thanks Beni.” He sighed, dragging his fingers through the sand. 

“Anytime.” She smiles.

—--------

It was late afternoon, the sun dancing on the river, the shadows lengthening, and Eden came down the slope to the river, carrying two apples. They were shorter than Beni, but held themself with genuine confidence. A blue bandana was tucked into their belt loops for when Eden needed to tie their soft ginger hair that currently fell around their freckled face and brushed their bare broad shoulders and the straps for their hand-made singlet. Beni wanted to soak in every detail of them every time she saw them.

“Alright Dandi, time up. My turn with Beni.”

Dandi rolled his eyes and got up. “Hello to you too.”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll see you at dinner. You might want afternoon tea though, August and Callie are there right now.” They said, smiling.

He left quickly, walking towards the cafeteria.

Eden smirked and sat down next to Beni, kissing her cheek. “How’d it go?” They asked.

“Not bad, he didn’t tell me everything, but I got him to open up. He’s dealing with a lot - mostly baggage from his family. He didn’t mention Riven though.” 

Eden nodded. “I expected that. He definitely has mummy issues.”

Beni laughed quietly, “Yeah, but I’m worried about him “

“I am too. He tries to hide it, but he’s not happy. And he thinks making other people happy will make him happy.” Eden sighed, “Not to mention that out of all people he’s trying to help Riven.”

“I think he knows that.” She exhaled, “But just because he knows it won’t work, doesn’t mean that he won’t try. And I know as well as anyone that it’s hard to break patterns.” Beni finished sadly, and looked out across the river.

“But you also know as well as anyone that you can.” Eden said gently, and reached over to Beni’s face, pulling her into a kiss. She melted into it, hoping they didn’t mind her cracked lips.

Eden laid back onto the sand. Beni laid back too, curling up against them, nestling her face in their copper hair, breathing deeply. Their smell made her giddy. 

The sky was darkening as they laid there entwined, the stars slowly appearing in the twilight sky.

Eden turned to Beni, “Hey Bee, you see that one really bright star?” 

Waking up from her sleepy comfort, Beni lifted her hand to the sky pointing, “That one?”

They smiled, “Not quite.” Eden took her hand and moved it so it pointed at the brightest star. “That’s Venus. The hottest planet in the solar system, and named after the Roman goddess of love.”

“She must really love me to bless me this much.” Beni looked straight into Eden eyes as she spoke, smiling when she saw their cheeks blush. 

They laughed softly, “Not as much as I love you.” They took Beni’s still outstretched hand in theirs, bringing it closer to them. She kissed their face again and again.

“I'm glad that it’s you that I’m stuck here with.”

--------------------

Previous | First | Next

Feels pointless saying this, but please don't steal or feed in to ai

This is a first draft and will not be perfect! This version is more of a trial of the story, to see if I can finish a project and if people are interested!

Constructive criticism appreciated

--------------------

Notes

“Dandi?” Dax mumbled sleepily, woken by the thud. 

“I’m okay Dax, don’t worry.” Dandi escaped the sheets, chucking them back on his bed. Opening his and Dax’s lockers, he passes Dax’s clothes for the day to him, and puts his own on. 

“We’ve got the day off, remember, so hang out with Alice and Leo.” Dax’s bright green eyes looked up, beaming at him. Dandi ruffles his hair, smiling sadly back at him. He’s a good kid. Dandi misses being that age. Or at least, what that age was supposed to be. 

Looking up at the bunk above his, Dandi frowns. Riven is still there. It had been days since his… breakdown. It worries Dandi, It’s not healthy… I wish he’d talk to me. He knew Riven hated him, but that didn’t stop whatever Dandi was feeling. 

At least he was getting out sometimes, Dandi heard him sneak out after midnight a couple times.

As if feeling Dandi staring at him, Riven rolled over. Dandi turns away quickly, hiding his expression.

Out in the sleeping quarters hallway, Dandi just catches the others coming out of room 10. They wave him over.

“Hi Dandi!” Callie chirps, her short curly brown hair bouncing with the spring in her step. 

“Hey Callie.” He walks up behind the group.

“Sleep well?” Beni asks, taking her eyes off Eden for just a moment.

“Like a baby.” Dandi grins at her. In the literal sense.

As always, Dandi got an orange and some berries for breakfast. There was finally meat for meals, now that the farm was running enough to spare a pig, so the others got egg and bacon. Dandi wishes he could eat it, but it had always felt wrong to him to hurt another being for your own gain. 

“Fuck me. It feels like it's been forever since I’ve eaten meat.” Beni basically ran to sit down at their usual blue table.

“Probably because it basically has been.” Eden followed her.

Dandi lagged behind, happy for them. He was last to the table, sitting in between Callie and August.

“How was Riven today, Dandi?” August asked, pausing to savour the bacon. 

“Still moping.” The peels of Dandi’s orange laid in a neat pile, and he was staring at them like owed him something. “I don’t know what to do, he’s ignoring everything and just sleeping.”

“Give him time, I’m sure he’ll be fine eventually.” Callie chipped in. “That’s what usually happens, he has a breakdown, shuts everything out, and is fine in a week.”

But what happens when that stops working? He can’t keep doing this. Eventually it’s going to really break him. What if it’s this time?

Dandi shutters at the thought and goes back to his orange. Callie’s right. He’ll be fine. Dandi worries too much. That’s what I do.

They finish up, washing their plates in the kitchen. Dandi’s deep in thought, mostly overthinking, and doesn’t even notice when Beni splashes soapy water on him.

She pauses, concerned, holding out her arm to stop Eden doing the same thing. They sense something’s off. 

“Dandi, what’s up? You’ve been distant all morning.” Beni asked, worry clear in her voice. 

“I’m fine, just thinking a lot.” He could feel the look that she shared with Eden at that. 

Thinking a lot isn’t good for anyone.

Not after everything.

It was the perfect time of day for painting, the sun lighting up most of the tunnel, and the end of the wall they were painting today. 

Even though he sees it everyday, Dandi misses the sun. The cave’s roof blocked out most of the rays, and covered the sky almost completely. He misses the open skies, the clouds, but most of all the rain. Maybe it was because it reflected the way he felt or something, as Beni would tease, but he missed the cool raindrops on his skin after the heat, and the roll of thunder in the distance. Dandi misses a lot of things from outside the cave. 

Not everything.

Eden had returned with paint from their sister, so they had started painting. They had been working on the mural on the 3 large roller doors inside the tunnel ever since they became friends. 

Despite the horror of waking up without any memories, Dandi often thought about that day fondly. He had not enjoyed waking up to a pissed Tryell, terrified Riven, and crying Dax, being scared shitless himself. However, while everyone (all 100 at that point) ate rations that afternoon, Dandi had met Callie when she bounded down to him at the river. He was standing knee deep, letting the current wash around his feet, and her high pitched voice softly asked, “Hey, Dandi right?”, and invited him to eat with her, Beni, and Eden. 

From what the adults could figure out, Dandi was around 13 when everyone first woke up, and he’s 16 now. Riven and Callie are around the same age, Eden and Beni are a bit older, and August is younger. 

3 years…

Shit. I’m old.

Birthdays were one of the things they didn’t remember. You get used to it.

“Dandi. You’re thinking too much again. Snap out of it and help.” Beni called, already half way up a ladder with a bucket of blue paint.

Dandi shook off his daze. “Sorry.” He picked up a small can of black and put up his own ladder.

The mural was massive. Stretching across the 3 huge white roller doors, it was scenes of life outside and in the cave. The right side starts with a bright blue sky, clear in the centre, and fades into a thunderstorm over the farm’s crops. Along the horizon, the river flows, past green hills and a grey city full of lights. The left side ends as the city opens up to a park, and is decorated by handprints of everyone in the cave… including the ones that aren’t anymore.

Most of the parts were finished, but they were still adding finishing touches. Today they were finishing the sky.

Using his black paint, Dandi paints sweeping arches, birds flying across the sky. Beni was monkeying around above him, her bright yellow paint splattered all over herself as she splashed paint onto her sun painting. Eden watched nervously from the ground, directing her where they could. 

August and Callie were painting frogs in a marsh at the bottom of the hills. 

3 years… They had come a long way. That first year was the worst, maybe, as far as Dandi could remember, in his life.

They only started with a month's worth of food, and that quickly disappeared. Crops don’t grow in a month, and whoever put them here didn’t realise that. But they didn’t care.

20 people died in the first three months. That's when they started the mural. To remind them of the outside, and the ones they lost. 

“That’s it. Dandi. What are you thinking about?”

Dandi didn’t realise he had stopped painting until Beni shouted up at him, done with her painting. 

“I’m fine! Don’t worry!” He called back down. 

“Liar!”

I’m fine, really, please don’t worry. You don’t need to do that. Worry about someone else, I don’t need it.

Dandi slides down the ladder and lands with a thud. “Really, I’m fine.”

Beni rolls her eyes. “Come with me.” She beckons for him to follow her out the tunnel.

“But-”

“Go Dandi, we’ll pack up.” August reassures him as he looks back at her.

--------------------

Previous | First | Next

Feels pointless saying this, but please don't steal or feed in to ai

This is a first draft and will not be perfect! This version is more of a trial of the story, to see if I can finish a project and if people are interested!

Constructive criticism appreciated

--------------------

Notes

First Dandi chapter! This is a multi pov book, so we will switch persective sometimes

“You okay Riven?” Dandi looks up from his row of potatoes, noticeably further along than Riven.

“Yeah.” He doesn’t even have the energy to get annoyed at the pity. He didn’t know how much longer he could do this.

“You’re still going?” Great. If there was anyone he hated more than Dandi, it was Tyrell. And of course he had to be in room 12. Tyrell’s frame did not show how much work he did, the tall boy often worked from dawn to dusk, never doing anything half-assed. His rough pale brown hair cut cleanly about an inch long and sun bleached. His torn clothes hang off him, pants cut to the knees, sleeves rolled up. Under his arm was a handmade basket full of dusty potatoes, and he wore a smug grin as he looked distastefully at the other two boys. 

“Yes.” Dandi stood up straighter, trying not to wither under his glare. 

Tyrell rolls his eyes. “And what’s wrong with you? Is there too much work? Oh no!” He mocks Riven, who bristles, ready to snap.

“Fuck off Tyrell. Just because you have nothing in your life other than the farm. At least we have other people.” Dandi calmly replies before Riven has a chance to lash out. WE?!? How dare he! Riven glares at Dandi, forgetting about Tyrell momentarily. 

He grunts and walks away. Riven rises up, turning his anger to Dandi, but the effort is too much, and he falls flat on his face. All he can think before he completely blacks out is: This dirt tastes like shit.

—

Riven wakes up in the infirmary bed, the curtains drawn. His head still throbs, though dulled. He sits up, ruffling the sheets and alerting the nurse. Her shadow dances behind the curtain, and she pulls it back, revealing her soft round face.

“Hey Riven. Feeling any better?” Her warm voice meant even Riven couldn’t snap at them.

“I think so. What happened?” Riven rubs his forehead, a hot lump pulsing on his temple.

“You hit your head this morning, Dandi tells me, though you probably don’t remember that. You really shouldn’t have done work today.” Lotti fusses over him, giving him an ice bag and paper towel. “Make sure you drink lots of water today, and I’ve given you some pain killers so come back when they wear off.”

Trying to listen to Lotti talk made Riven’s headache even worse. 

“You should be good to leave now, but don’t push yourself. Have the rest of today and tomorrow off.”

—

It’s significantly darker when Riven leaves the infirmary, coming out of the front room of the sleeping quarters. Only a few of the older people are outside, most down by the river. Everyone else is having dinner.

Begrudgingly Riven turns into the tunnel towards the cafeteria, regretting saying he’ll eat with the others. They were fine, irritating at best, but somehow most of them didn’t hate him. They should. He wanted them to. He didn’t want to deal with them, he didn’t need them.

As he gets to the blue doors to the cafeteria, they swing open and Dandi, Beni, Eden, Callie, and August walk out, laughing. Eden and the girls each carry a red tray with a plate of food and juice, but Dandi has two. 

“Riven! You’re up!” Callie spots him first, startling Riven with her enthusiasm. Gods she was sickeningly happy. “We’re going to go eat by the tree, you coming?”

I don’t really have a choice… 

“Sure.” He rolls his eyes and follows behind them. Dandi ducks back beside him and hands him a tray. A small piece of seasoned chicken and a carrot. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” He goes back to laughing with the others.

When they get to the tree, Riven watches the others sit in a line on the shore of the river. 

I’ll sit up here, they don’t actually want to sit with me anyway

He sits on the grass, leaning back against the trunk of the apple tree. His chicken was almost cold when he took a bite, the salt and herbs making it alright. 

“Riven, what are you doing? You said you’d sit with us!” Callie piped up from the river’s edge. 

Riven did not want to sit with them. But he got up and went to sit down, regrettably, next to Dandi. “Okay.”

He softly smiled, and Riven returned a glare. Dandi shook his head and went back to his mashed potato. Riven wished he would stop doing that.

Dandi was weird. And Riven didn’t trust him. He was too… nice. He trusted the others somewhat, even if he didn’t want to be around them. But Dandi… He cared too much. They all did, but it was off in Dandi. No matter what Riven did, he wouldn’t back off. There’s literally no reason he should care. Its fucking weird.

“We all have a free day tomorrow you know,” Beni said between mouthfuls of salad. “We should work on the mural.”

“Good idea, I’ll get more paints from Connie.” Eden added. Connie worked with pigments and made her own art, and was the closest thing Eden had to a sister. Beni leaned against them in thanks. 

“You’re coming too Riven.” Callie looked at him, a playfully mean expression on her face. He flopped back onto the grass, groaning. Dandi poked him. “OW!” He screeched, sitting up immediately. “What was that for?!?”

Dandi shrugged. Asshole. Riven glared at him. Dandi turned back to the others, all laughing at one of Beni’s jokes that Riven didn’t hear.

Why am I even here? 

Riven looks out across the river, orange sunset light dancing on the ripples. 

This place, these people, I don’t belong here.

Everyone else had just accepted being here. They built new lives, and got on with it.

We’re trapped here, and nobody else seems to care. They gave up.

Why doesn’t anyone else wonder about why?

His eyes follow the fence line in the water, which stretched far outside his view. 

Do they remember what's out there? 

Riven barely does anymore. Part of him doesn’t want to. He knows it’s not safe out there, but he can’t stand being trapped.

He can’t stand being powerless.

The sudden wave of panic and guilt shocks Riven, screwing his eyes shut.

Not now. Not here. Please!

Grasping his ears, he uselessly tried to drown out the shouting.

 “Worthless” 

“What did you do!”

“Stupid”

“Why?”

“Useless”

“This is why nobody likes you”

“I… I’m-m sorry, I’m so-sorry. I didn’t…”

Riven tries to hold back the tears, failing miserably as they pour down his face, not thinking about anything but the fear and pain. He whispers “Sorry” over and over again to himself, hoping the others wouldn’t hear him. Too late.

“Riven?” 

“I’M FINE! I’M FUCKING FINE!” Riven snapped. “FUCK OFF!”

“Riven, wait, breathe.” 

Riven couldn’t see who it was through the blur of tears. Panic overtakes him and stands up, fists clenched. “NO”

He runs. Barely seeing where he’s going, he sprints into the tunnel, taking the first door then the first in the corridor. He runs into the classroom, sparsely decorated with a few handmade posters and artwork from the kids. It was the little kids room, painted brightly even in the darkness.

Riven slowed, catching his breath. His face stung with tears, cold from the wind. He slumped in the quiet corner, crying again into a pillow. 

I’m safe, I’m safe. They won’t hurt me. Not again. I won’t let them.

It was completely dark by the time Riven snuck back into the cabin. Quietly opening the door and slipping into his bunk, he wasn’t convinced Dandi was asleep, but he could hear Tyrell and Dax snoring. 

--------------------

Previous | First | Next

Feels pointless saying this, but please don't steal or feed in to ai

This is a first draft and will not be perfect! This version is more of a trail of the story, to see if I can finish a project and if people are interested!

Constructive criticism appreciated

--------------------

Notes

For the fourth time this week, Riven had somehow kicked his blanket off in the night. And his roommates were being incredibly annoying. And he hadn’t eaten in a day. Riven was not in a good mood.

Cold, hungry and pissed was not a good combination early in the morning for anyone. Riven quickly tries to sit up, ready to tell the others off, and forgets the roof. 

Skull and hard ceiling collide, and Riven falls back into bed, his head throbbing. Tears well in Riven’s brown sunken eyes, quickly blinked away as one of the idiots pokes his face over the railing.

“Riven? You okay?” The youngest of the four boys, Dax, looked up at Riven carefully. The pity on his face was abundantly clear and Riven hated that. Slowly pushing himself up again, Riven shoved his hand in Dax’s face, pushing him away.

“I’m fine Dax. Now piss off.” Riven harshly replies, moving past Dax to the lockers. Riven takes the rough canvas shirt and pants, slams the locker door shut harder than he meant to, and turns to see Dandi staring judgementally at him.

What's his problem?

Dandi’s golden hair falls in locks around his face, bright against his brown skin. Umber eyes bore into Riven, and he frowns, disappointed in what he sees. He crosses his arms, worn sleeves rolled up above the elbow, showing calloused hands, and leans against his green locker door, agitated. 

“The fuck you looking at?” Riven hisses indignantly, pulling his pants up. He pointedly looks over at Dax and back at Dandi. 

“Hey Dax, go get breakfast, we’ll catch up later.” Dandi’s annoying voice softly sounds. Dutifully Dax nods and heads out the door. “We’re on the farm today.” Dandi says, turning back to Riven, who is still fuming. 

“Wonderful.”

“You are helping today.”

“No”

“Then you don’t get breakfast.” Dandi gives up, and follows his younger roommate out to breakfast. “Oh, and put a fucking shirt on.”

“You can’t do that! Fuck y-” Riven stops dead as he hears his stomach. He needed breakfast. Grumbling, he got his shirt on and walked out of the open door, not bothering to shut it behind him.

Walking out into the cave, Riven shields his eyes from the sun coming over the overhang, looking out. He just came out of the sleeping quarters, leaving the hard carpets and molding walls, reminding Riven of something from his old life, just being able to put his finger on it. Everyone spent their nights there, sleeping in the metal beds and rooms of around four, though many rooms aren’t full anymore. Along the far side of the cave runs a wide fast flowing river, with a barbed wire fence running through the centre. It flows down to the other end and to the farm, the sunniest part of the cave past the roof’s shadow. After months of trying, many plants had finally taken root and were growing nicely, helped by the fertilizer from the chickens kept in the coop at the back of the farm yard. At the exit of the farm, there is the only tree, a tall sprawling apple tree in front of the brick wall border. Between the farm and Riven, there is a large area of grass overlooking the river. 

Some of the others who had finished breakfast sat around, talking and laughing with each other. Turning around, Riven goes into the tunnel. 

On the left side, 3 giant roller doors are shut and particularly painted, a mural courtesy of rooms 15, 17, and 20. On the right, two double doors lead off to a few classrooms and the cafeteria. Riven pushes open the second set, and walks into the thrum of the majority of the others. 

Trying not to draw attention, Riven slips round the back of the room, avoiding eye contact. Going up to the counter, he quickly grabs a small apple and a boiled egg, and slinks back to the wall before Circe, who was handing out the food today, could see him. 

They didn’t see me, they didn’t see me-

“Good to see you Riven!”

Fuck.

“Hiiiii Circe” Riven says through a forced smile, turning around.

“Been a while since we’ve seen you, ya know, you should get out more.”

Riven grumbles something of agreement.

“Though I guess you do, we were wondering why an apple or two go missing every night.”

Riven hurries away quickly, ashamed that his nighttime habits had been noticed. He liked doing it his way, it was quiet and private. He did not like the cafeteria, where everybody could see him, and he could hear them. His way meant nobody asked him stupid questions like ‘have you been eating properly?’. No dipshit, none of us do. We only have luck to thank for not starving to death, like literally half of us, Riven seethes.

He almost makes it out the door without anyone else noticing, but suddenly the doors swing open and a small brown haired girl runs through, immediately colliding with Riven and knocking them both over.

“Sorry! Crap, I’m so sorry! Oh, Riven! Hi!” Callie chattered, brushing herself off and pouncing on Riven’s apple before it could roll away. The egg lays smashed a metre away.

Riven lies on the floor for a minute, contemplating staying there for the rest of the day.

My fucking egg.

“Riven? You okay?” She pokes him with her foot. Riven scrambles away. Gross! His face crinkles in disgust. 

“I’m fine.” He said for the second time this morning. Why did everybody care so much? Riven gets up and starts towards the door again. “Riven, wait. I’m sorry, I’ll get you another egg. Come sit with us.” Callie says somewhat forcefully. Riven knew he had no choice. She puts her arm around his shoulder and drags him over to the table where room 15 and Dandi sit. 

“Look what the cat dragged in! Riven!” Dandi says smugly, crossing his arms in triumph. Callie brings over a chair from another table and sits Riven between her and Dandi. Round the table, Callie’s roommates Beni, Eden, and August sit to her left, then Dandi. 

“Well this is new.” Beni leans back in her chair and takes a bite of her apple. Long black hair falls over her shoulders, and bangs sweep her face and fierce eyes. Her off-white shirt fraying from use, cut above the elbows and slightly too tight around her biceps.

“I’m not going to make a habit of it. I’m just here for my egg.” Riven shrinks into his red plastic seat, glaring at Callie as she raises her hands in submission and leaves to get his egg. 

“Can’t believe all we had to do to get him out was bribe him with eggs. We’ll have to do this more often.” Eden teases, taking a bite of her scrambled eggs. “No thanks, I already have to deal with him enough.” Dandi groans. Like everyday, he had an orange. Probably his favourite food, though not like Riven cared. He was peeling it and eating the pieces inside. At least he’s not making a mess. 

“I’m sure he’d eventually warm up.” August pitches in. The small girl was quietly eating her strawberries. Her short blonde hair covered most of her face from Riven’s view, but he knew the bright piercing blue eyes that were hidden behind it. 

“And pigs fly. There’s no way that sour sack would ever want to have real friends.” Eden rolled their eyes. They had auburn hair that reached their shoulders, flicking out in every direction. Green eyes bored into Riven, dissecting and examining him, looking for a reason he would be here. 

Callie flops back into her chair, holding out another boiled egg for Riven. He snatches it and starts peeling it with his overgrown finger nails. “You know you are allowed to eat with us? We don’t hate you.”

“Speak for yourself!” Dandi and Beni say in unison. Eden looks disapprovingly at Beni. “He’s really not that bad.”

“I’m right here you know.” Riven had finished peeling his egg and was now eating it. “For the record, I hate you, I don’t care what you think about me, and I will do things my way.”

“You way? You mean sneaking into the kitchen and stealing food at night?” Beni smirks, knowing she’s embarrassing Riven. ASSHOLE!

 “Hey! You said you wouldn’t tell anyone!” Riven bristles. She had caught him a month ago slinking back to his room and he had made her promise not to tell.

“Oops.” She feigns innocence. 

Eden shoots her a look. “What she means to say is you don’t need to do that. Eat with us.”

“I mean to say, your way sucks!” 

Whatever.

He was getting tired of the hiding though. He didn’t like the others, but he also didn’t like being hungry. Maybe it would be okay.

“Fine.”

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Feels pointless saying this, but please don't steal or feed in to ai

This is a first draft and will not be perfect! This version is more of a trail of the story, to see if I can finish a project and if people are interested!

Constructive criticism appreciated

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Notes

Visuals for the cave are coming soon! They will be here.

Riven, proudly: I slept. Dandi: Is that so much of a rare thing that you have to say it?

???, walking into their house: Hello, people who do not live here. Billy: Hey. Riven: Hi. August: Hey! ???: I gave you the key to my place for emergencies only! Billy: We were out of Doritos.

(edited)

Dandi: Hi, who's this? Billy changed all of my contacts to mythical creatures. Riven: What's mine? Dandi: Dwarf. Riven: THEY'RE SO MEAN, I'M NOT THAT SHORT! Dandi: Oh, hey Riven. Riven: FUCK!

Mitty: Hey, let’s mess with Billy, guys! August: Hey, Billy, your momma so fat- Billy: My mom committed multiple war crimes and is now locked in solitary confinement in a Bolivian prison. Riven: Well, uh- your dad- Billy: My father left when I was two to be captured and consequentially sacrificed by a group of feral ferrets. August: The fuck- Dandi: Well then… Mitty: Stop, Dandi! Dandi: Your grandparents so- Billy: My grandmother floated into the sky like a balloon with too much helium when my grandfather spontaneously combusted. Billy: You cannot best me, mortals.

Xander, at Mitty: Of course you have blood all over you, and pronouns.

Riven: If karma doesn't hit you, I fucking will.

Dandi: Bad news—Billy locked themself outside of their own house. Dandi: Good news—we didn’t have to wait around for a locksmith. Dandi: Bad news—August finds it very concerning that I know how to pick locks, and tried to unlock my Tragic Backstory(TM). I was too embarrassed to admit that the reason I learned it was because, at thirteen, I figured that was the kind of skill that would impress cute guys/girls/enbies. Dandi: Good news—a cute guy/girl/enby saw me do it. Dandi: Bad news—it was Riven, and since they’ve already seen me fall out of several trees, cry because I saw a fawn that was just too damn small, and knows I can ride a unicycle, they’ll never think I’m cool no matter what I do. It’s too late. They know.

Riven: I will fight anyone who insults Dandi. Dandi: But I'm a stupid fucking piece of shit. Riven: ALRIGHT, DANDI, SQUARE UP!

August: Yeah, I'm a she/they! (un-she/theys my katana and slices you in half!) Riven: I've been he/it. Billy: I now pronouns you dead. Mitty: Was/were!

The Squad's reactions to being told that they suck at a video game: Dandi: Please be nice to me... I'm trying! Riven: Sorry, I don't play this game much. August: You're uninvited from my birthday party! Xander: Sorry, it's just so hard to play with your mum sitting on my face. Billy: Your IP and GT have been sent to Microsoft's fraud department along with a recommendation to impose a $10,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

Riven: Fuck this! *uncats your girl* Dandi: Fuck YOU! *unboys your cat* Billy: That's called neutering.

Billy : Alright, listen up you little shits. Billy : Not you August. You’re an angel and we’re thrilled you’re here.

Mitty: I'm allergic to death.

Riven: You know, sometimes I really think I can be too straight. Dandi, covered in bi merch and sipping an iced coffee: Sucks to be you.

Billy : Wasn't icarly that guy that girlbossed too close to the sun because he was down for Apollo? Dandi: ICARUS?

Billy: The truth is, most girls don't care about 6 packs or how much you can lift at the gym. If you really want to impress her, make her laugh. Make her laugh so hard she uncontrollably snorts like a lil piggy. Oink, oink girl, you're mine now.