archived

ryebrooks

he couldn’t stop the smile that played on his lips, just watching these girls. it brought happiness to him for them to be able to see each other, to talk to one another like this. he was always happy to witness it, to just be here, and witness these things. to watch the way they look at each other, that love in their eyes, that he never got to witness in his life, that love that you know is unbreakable, that no one could destroy no matter how they tried. they had a strong love, ryder can see that in the way they looked at each other, the way they were smiling at each other. sometimes he felt like he was intruding, sometimes he felt like that, not all the time. just moments like these, when these two beautiful girls were looking at each other like they were. it was like they had a secret conversation, and it only had him smiling more. marley’s words on nyx had ryder chuckling though, shaking his head as he looks at nyx’s profile side, before looking back at marley.”clearly have not seen this one with a controller in her hand.” he says, patting nyx’s thigh lightly, before he was shaking his head at marley’s words once more, another chuckle leaving his lips. though hearing nyx’s words on her fears, he should of realized where she was going with the whole ‘marley and no clothes coming off’ thing, but honestly, he was a male at times, and instead he shifted slightly in his seat cinnamon hue on marley, before he was looking at his beer that he had grabbed.”uh…you want marley’s clothes to come off?” he asks nyx, his hue looking to marley, and then back to nyx.”i mean. are you okay with that, marley?” he asks her, before he was feeling the ruffling in his hair, and he was only flexing his arms around nyx, chuckling at the excitement marley was giving them, the way her hue lit up, and the way she was bouncing on her seat, while nyx drummed rolled and marley blurted out the name, before he was scowling softly at nyx’s words, knowing full well he didn’t sit there and just watch.”yes, watching is my specialty.” he teases lightly, watching the way nyx was sitting, his eyes flickering down to her ass, another shift in his movements was made, before he was leaning forward against her, his chest resting on her back, hands resting on her thighs as he was looking at the laptop, a deep breath being pulled in focusing his mind on the link, pointing to one of the folder’s, of things they had collected for marley.”that one.” he whispers, pointing to that folder, before he was leaning back, shifting once more, just to sit up more, hands on her hips to make sure he didn’t jostle her, but he also moved his hips up which had him cursing himself mentally, deciding better to just stay still next time.

she saw the way her wife was looking at her now and her smile only spread more, eyes so warm and tender on her mate. nyx saw her always, always knew. marley arched a brow at her words though, and ryder’s that followed, capturing her lower lip softly between her teeth. “good thing all of my clothes are good about coming off…” she murmured, running a hand back through her curls. still, excitement was running through her veins and the way that nyx patted a drumroll just to end it with a cymbal as she guess the song had her eyes warming more on the both of them, her heart just the same, knowing that nyx and ryder had known she’d wanted to see it. it was something small…that wasn’t small at all and her smile spread more hearing nyx now, laughing softly as she looked to ryder. “you did a great job of watching, ryder.” she nodded, giving him a little knowing look before her wife’s question pulled her hue back to her and nyx….knew that the question she asked was pointless, seeing that look in her eyes and she waited about as patiently as could be expected of her, still lightly bouncing and feeling hte way her heart drummed in her chest. ryder helped nyx find the link and marley waited on it to come through, her skin warm and her stomach twisting…and not just because of the movie. she pulled in a breath, looking between the two of them and her cheeks warmed more, in awe of both of them. they didn’t have to go out of their way to find that movie, to bring it up so that they could watch it together…but they did, and marley’s stomach kept twisting softly, that smile warm on her lips and thick in her eyes as she traced over her wife’s features, then ryder’s. 

nyx’s eyes found ryder on the screen when he spoke, not needing to turn around and look at him; she could feel him being a male right now and her eyes moved to marley hearing her, a small smile twitching once at the corner of her lips. “yeah they are.” she mutters, dragging her fingertip to the folder they’d saved the file in that had all the links they’d found for movies, for future movie dates if they needed them. she could only feel ryder more and she kept her hips still, swallowing a little as she copied the link to clipboard and then over to the chat window to send it to marley. hearing what ryder said about the video games she pursed her lips. nyx could argue it, but it would result in another petty motion for being right and accusing him of being wrong and he wasn’t entirely wrong. “i boss plenty. i would boss more than you if haunted houses weren’t a popular theme. you know, like clowns aren’t a popular theme they’ve made dozens upon dozens of games about. the advantage is unfair.” it really was. there were far more games about haunted homes than there were containing clowns, like p.t, visage, lunacy, don’t knock twice. they hadn’t knocked twice. “my favorite is still what remains of edith finch.” it wasn’t even in the horror genre but they’d played it more than once just for the story and she still wanted to sit and watch it unfold again. her hand slapped down lightly on the coffee table beside the laptop and she finally turned to look at ryder over her shoulder. “alright i give, i found the file. what are you pointing at?” her tone wasn’t harsh by any means, a little pointed and a soft arch of her brow was given because she had to shift her hips a little to try and find herself a little bit more comfort in ryder’s lap from the angle considering she was leaning forward to the laptop still. leaning back would have been better but she was still needing to open up the movie link and ensure it buffered. nyx didn’t miss a second of the happiness in marley’s eyes and because of that, the smile in her own hue stayed at home there every time her eyes fell on her. it warmed her over, seeing her and seeing her smiling, knowing this was a movie she’d wanted to see and one they were going to get to watch together. “ready when you are.  Yī .....  Èr  ..... “

ryebrooks

he knew at any moment this place could just cancel the internet just to ensure some sort of punishment for the residents here. he knew that they could put a timeline on it if they wanted too. so time spent with marley was precious, and he wasn’t about to take that away from marley and nyx. he was happy he was here, and able to witness the both of them like this, even though he knew the both of them would prefer being in person rather in a screen, but he had faith that one day they’d be with each other again, one day; they wouldn’t need the laptop between them. one day; nyx would be home. honestly, in a place like this, that was the hope that made him do his job. it wasn’t for the people here; they didn’t respect him, got other government people involved to belittle him; even though they were completely in the wrong, but still. ryder held his head high and continued on with his job; because he was used to people not respecting him, used to them not doing as they say. though sometimes ryder did break the rules to make them comply, but here? what was the point? they weren’t going anywhere. having nyx on his lap, and able to see marley, just made him relax, made him realize that all those resident’s out there, that treated him like shit, that had no respect for him, really didn’t matter at the end of the day. because he had this. two girls that meant more to him than anyone ever. he was mock scowling marley hearing her words, knowing they both knew he did not like the movie IT, and that he would never like it.”we could always put on the grudge, or the ring, you know? because nyx loves those.” he teases lightly, kissing her shoulder, and biting it, earning a slap to his cheek which had him chuckling, but he was resting more into the couch, arms still around nyx, hands resting on her stomach playing with the fabric of her shirt, before he was tapping her stomach lightly.”no. i don’t need to see it, because i’ll just cower behind you once more, and miss it all again anyway.” he points out, cinnamon hue looking to nyx, before flickering to marley hearing the movie she had suggested, and it was a very marley movie, and that was the reason he was smiling. also another reason, because nyx and himself found another one that they knew marley would like.”oh yeah, that movie. definitely should watch that, with the elephants and things?” he asks, looking at nyx as he tilts his head on the couch to see her better.”i just can’t think of the name here. the one with the beard, right? that people aren’t sure what it is?” he asks her, tapping his fingers lightly on her stomach.”damn. wish i knew the name of that movie.”

she was met with golden hue, with eyes she knew better than any other pair in this world, even her own…especially her own, and her smile spread warmly on her lips, taking that moment to drink her in, to check on her. ocean eyes were for her wife to know. marley, she knew the woman behind the amber-in-the-sunlight eyes, she knew with just a single glance whether or not nyx was okay, whether or not she was tired, whether or not there was something she should probably talk about. the list went on, but she saw her now, saw that she was okay, and marley gave her that smile, matched on her lips and in her eyes because she was happy. why wouldn’t she be? she had two beautiful people right in front of her that she wanted to spend time with and they wanted to spend time with her. her heart was full and she only smiled more watching the little exchanges between ryder and nyx, the way he bit her shoulder, the way she swatted at his cheek. hearing ryder’s suggestion now, her eyes went more to him, taking him in too and trying to make sure he was okay. happiness was swirling in his hue too, apparent in the way he was being more playful with nyx now, both in words and with touch and she heard nyx’s response before ryder added on, pulling a laugh from marley’s lips. “well, it’s useless to watch a movie together if one or the other is going to be hiding. granted, nyx wouldn’t be hiding….” she hummed, looking to her wife more with warmth and playfulness in her hue. “i feel a tv would get the same treatment a spider does.” she murmured, laughing more, softly, before nyx had her brows creasing, listening to her…and listening to the ay ryder chimed in with a movie that sounded…all too familiar for the way she’d watched the trailer a million times. her eyes got wide and she managed a breath before she looked at them in disbelief. “the greatest showman?!” her wife’s smile…ryder’s failed attempt at trying to pretend like he didn’t know…they gave it away and marley bounced where she sat, the laptop perched on her knee sliding a little but she bounced, capturing her lower lip between her teeth. “can we watch it?! ive been wanting to see it for ages”

“spiders, asian horror, marley having clothes on that will not come off, ryder smoking in the house. all my nightmares.” care stayed thick in her eyes on marley, a constant need to see how she was, in every single moment, because....marley’s eyes were an ocean, emotions rolling in waves and lapping at every grain of land birthed from the surface. they could roll in, in a prussian of a passionate storm crashing in, washing back and pulling sepia from earth to swirl it into an ebbtide of happiness, tenderness, right back out to passion. the shades all touched, they were all connected and rippled through each other, and nyx smiled softly watching the smile that spread through marley’s hue when her eyes widened catching onto what movie her and ryder were talking about. nyx’s hands moved over ryder’s on her stomach and patted a soft drum-roll until she was making a little cymbal sound the moment marley blurted it out. “i found the link, ryder watched.” she teased, complete lie, they’d found it together but she contracted her own words by moving her hand back to mess ryder’s hair, her eyes smiling on marley. “so is it going to be that or, beauty and the beast first....” she knew marley wanted to see both, and she didn’t have to look at ryder to know they both wanted to see more of marley’s smile and more of the way her eyes were lit up, the way she asked to see that one. “sending you the link.” she moved to lean forward open a folder on her laptop. “ryder where’s the link?” 

ryebrooks

he knew they didn’t want to sit here bickering like this, when all of them could be sitting down talking to each other, enjoying the company while watching a movie. who knew what would happen in between this moment and tomorrow, knowing something could happen here that would have to have them on alert. better to not waste time with bickering and just sit down and enjoy this while they could. he was happy to see marley here on skype, knowing both of these girls would rather be in person snuggling on a couch with each other while watching the movie. he felt bad for them both, and he didn’t think that would go away any time soon, so why take nyx’s focus away from marley on something like smokes, when they all could be sitting here focusing on all of them, and talking to her? he smiled hearing marley’s laugh though, and he didn’t pull nyx down on him to get that out of her, but he did pull her down to not let her move anywhere, even though it wasn’t her moving constantly in the first place. his smokes were outside but he didn’t care, everything was free here, they didn’t get paid in anything, you got little grimstone dollars, but even that, people weren’t really using them, just taking what they wanted and leaving with them. he was chuckling himself watching nyx use his shirt as a napkin, hearing marley’s words, his hue going to her, before he was hearing nyx’s name for him.”well we’re both finally sitting.” he murmurs, shrugging his shoulders, wrapping arms around nyx since she opted to sit on him, cinnamon hue going to marley hearing nyx asking her the question, and his chin rests against nyx’s shoulder, biting at it softly before resting it against her shoulder once more flexing his arms around her.

the time they all had together was precious, always, knowing that it could be days before she’d see either of them again. every moment that she got to see her wife was cherished already, but now it was impossibly more so, not knowing when she’d get to see her again. that was why every moment that they got to spend together like this, they tried to fill it with as many smiles and laughs and shared thoughts as they could. it wasn’t that they were painting an illusion, no. she was happy, and she could see the ways nyx was, ryder was, knowing that they all would rather be anywhere else but grimstone, that they would rather be together, all of them. but marley could still see the way that smile was genuine on her wife’s lips, the way it was warm in her eyes. she could see it in ryder and the way he chuckled now, the sight of the two of them smiling making marley’s heart warm more. marley would never knock something that they needed, one or all of them, never the type to hit for moving in a way that was needed or wanted. that wasn’t marley, and that wasn’t nyx, and she didn’t think it was ryder. she was still learning him and little moments like this helped her learn more, but still…she wanted to sit with them and watch a movie together, laugh and smile, wanted to talk with them about it and just…be here, together. there was no measure of importance being compared here; it wasn’t that it was more important to watch a movie together instead of bicker. that wasn’t what she was saying. she was saying that she could appreciate the bicker for what it was, for the way that it now had ryder pulling nyx down to him, it had a slosh of her beer spreading to their skin and their clothes, and it had marley laughing warmly at the sight, her heart so fully and happy, being here with them. she heard the word that left her wife’s lips, saw that beautiful breath of a smile that graced her lips, when she was mad but couldn’t help it and her own smile spread more just seeing it, watching as she wiped the beer from her skin onto ryder’s shirt and meeting her eyes as she asked her a question. marley hummed more then, thinking for a moment and watching as ryder bit at nyx’s shoulder before she canted her head lightly. “well, i was thinking we could torture ryder with It again.” she murmured, playfulness spreading in her ocean hue but she quickly shook her head too, looking at him. “but once was probably enough…probably.” her smirk spread softly on her lips. “kinda wanted to watch the new beauty and the beast.”

once in ryder’s lap and after having wiped a sufficient amount of beer to his shirt, nyx was shifting more, facing marley because she needed to see her. if nothing else she was calming because her and ryder managed to move past the argument for the sake of seeing her and spending time with her, not dragging out a mess it would have likely been had they not been on a skype call. nyx didn’t want to deal with that right now, she relaxed more because marley was right here in her line of sight, where if she wasn’t, she knew her temper would have been running deeper and she probably would have just opted to call it a night based on that alone and go to bed, see ryder in the morning when they were back at shift. marley....she cooled a fire in the pit of her stomach and with a glance of her blue eyes she calmed wars in her head, raging cannonballs from battle ships that marley’s smile turned into a rowboat rocking gently at sea. nyx’s eyes were right back and glued to marley, smiling tenderness on her lips looking at her, taking in the blue eyes that the camera did zero justice to, because nyx knew the gold rings that encased her pupils, something she’d spoken of to ryder and something neither of them got to see right now. she felt the little bite to her shoulder and her hand gently swatted back at his cheek, amber eyes not leaving marley but she’d made herself comfortable enough in her claim on ryder’s lap, like a cat, he was a chair that was moving at the moment. “i think IT is the perfect idea, mare, i think he mentioned something about that earlier, that he was sad he missed so much of it hiding behind me.” she murmurs, smiling a little more even knowing they weren’t going to sit through a movie they’d recently seen, no matter what it was, not when there were so many to watch, one on nyx’s mind. marley didn’t mention it, and that was likely because she didn’t know that her and ryder had managed to find a link for it through a backdoor string of networks they managed to navigate...legally....through. “beauty in the beast and then we were thinking, maybe....i don’t remember the name of it, but what’s that one, ryder? with the dude bro and the red velvet suit coat? the uh....top hat thingy or something?” she glanced at ryder over her shoulder with a knowing smile and then brought her eyes back to marley, her smile spreading warmer on her lips. 

ryebrooks

he saw marley shake her head at his apology, and ryder was moving toward nyx now. last thing he ever wanted to do was get her mad. she was his best friend, the only friend he was able to make ,because clearly ryder was a handful himself at times. said the wrong things, snapped when he didn’t need to. but he was moving toward her, rubbing his hands over her jaw, before kissing softly to her lips, and he felt her nip at him, close to the sore on his lip, and he was hissing as he took a step back, the reminder very much there from her, and he was then moving to sit down on the couch, because no, he didn’t need anything else, didn’t need nothing from the kitchen, and his eyes were looking up at nyx, watching her standing there taking a sip from her beer. ryder then moved to wrap his arms around her waist, to pull her down to the couch, her beer sloshing around, spilling a drop or two on them and the couch.

pride was thick in her hue for the both of them, for the way that nyx stood up for herself and what she wanted, needed, for the way that she let herself be herself, that marley’s presence here didn’t have her biting back pieces of her. marley would never want that for her wife, ever, and meeting her eyes now she told her, a tender reassurance matching the smile that spread tenderly on her lips. she was proud of her, always, and she wanted her to see that. they loved each other no matter what, good bad or ugly, and that would always be their truth. she was proud of ryder for listening, for hearing nyx, for realizing his own mistake and owning it. she was proud of the way he moved closer, the way he’d shut the door of his own accord just to come back and say he wasn’t leaving. he saw this through, all of it, and he made his way back to nyx’s side. fights happened. marley knew that well in the way that her and nyx hadn’t always seen eye to eye, the way they bickered and even still, there were days where frustrations came through, when anger was real, when something was under their skin and they had their own fights. it was part of being present in someone else’s life. it was part of learning and growing, living. it was part of loving, and they only loved one way- hard, and with everything they had. her smile spread more, watching ryder kiss her lips and then seeing the way nyx nipped back, a breath of a laugh finding her as ryder pulled nyx closer and she hummed on that sound, her heart so full. her eyes burned in a tender way and she shook her head on a laugh, running a hand back through her curls again. “party foul, ryder.”

in every way they were all what they were, good or bad, even the bad wasn’t something nyx considered bad....just....aggravating at times depending on the brand and the measure. ryder didn’t hold back and the way nyx was feeling about something weren’t swallowed down. tip-toeing was work they did outside of these walls where they were only to focus on the tasks they had at hand, the work, the rounds they ran and the training; the facade of authority that didn’t actually exist. they upheld, both of them, but here was some tiny shred of a home-like-space where it was hard for nyx sometimes, to feel at home when her home wasn’t here, to even unwind enough to treat this space like a break from work when she was basically living at her place of work. the sip of beer washing cold down her throat helped, in grandeur ways....seeing marley here helped, seeing her blue eyes and the smile on her lips, knowing she was okay, safe, as happy as she could be, knowing that when their laptops closed...the things marley would be feeling every time. it made her focus past the pettiness in her anger to really look at her more, to see the numbers on the time of the call growing higher, like a ticking in her ears. it wasn’t that they would be cut off, but time was something she knew they all wanted to spend together, being themselves yes, but smiling too. wonder, her smile for marley faded when ryder grabbed her waist and pulled her down to the couch too, though she didn’t miss the sound of marley’s laugh that came and it warmed her; nyx was still feeling the slosh of her beer and setting it down on the floor to wipe the wet of her wrist and hand on his shirt. “fucker.” as much as half of her hated it right now, all of her held onto the sound of marley’s laugh and nyx smiled a bit, though darkly getting to use his shirt for a napkin, gold eyes finding her wife’s blue hue when she heard the hum from her while nyx decided that sitting on ryder was better than dealing with him trying to get up to get something else again. “any movies in mind, baby girl?”

ryebrooks

ryder could own up to the moments where he knew he had crossed over a line. could own up to the fact that he had snapped at nyx. the way he acted toward the couch. there was no reason for him to be like that, over smokes after all. he knew he’d done wrong, knew that he shouldn’t have snapped at her, but he moved toward the door, not wanting a smoke right now, and moving right back to nyx, to tap on her chin, only to have her swat hard at his hand, his eyes following her gestures, but he doesn’t let out a breath, watching her flex her jaw again he was shaking his head.”i don’t need anything else.” he murmurs to her, before watching her pick up the remote, and ryder’s hue lands on marley, an apologetic look upon his face, before he was moving, towards nyx, his eyes soft on her, seeing the anger there, that was his own doing, but he moved anyway, hands going to her jaw to gently massage it, to get her to relax it a little, even though he figured she would swat  his hands away, he was moving to press a kiss lightly to her lips, softly, gentle.”i’m going to sit.” he murmurs to her, before he was in fact sitting back down on the couch now, his hue looking to nyx because he’d done this, he started this, he had made her mad, though it wouldn’t be the first time he let his words or emotions get out of control.

marley didn’t pull in a breath until ryder mved back to nyx. she knew her wife and she knew this, her heart aching so deeply and she saw the way nyx reacted to him, heard her words as they left her lips. even in knowing, marley knew that it wasn’t her battle either, and when met with ryder’s eyes, she shook her head at him. she saw the apology in his hue and she wasn’t having it because he didn’t owe her an apology. this was their battle, not marley’s. sure, he could apologize for making nyx mad, or doing this instead of watching a movie, but marley wasn’t searching for those apologies. she very much believed that everything happened for a reason, but even outside of that, the simple fact was that they were here, in this moment, and in this moment, it was about nyx and ryder. they had to learn their own way, break down their own walls, learn how to communicate, learn each other. this wasn’t about marley. she met her wife’s eyes then and she saw the way she more sheepishly turned, knew that her wife saw her and that she saw the way marley saw her. ocean eyes looked to ryder as he moved, seeing the way he tried to soothe that tension from nyx’s jaw and then she watched as he pressed a kiss softly to her lips. her heart ached for them, wanting to be there with them both, wanting to pull them both closer and just…feel them, be there with them, sit and watch a movie together but she…couldn’t be there just yet. soon. soon enough it’d all be over but for now she was content in watching and learning, being here with them when she could be in every way that she could. 

she would have tossed the cigarettes back with the confirmation that he was taking them outside, but he’d snapped and she bit back. now the cigarettes were all outside and the door was closed so nyx tried to relax the muscles in her neck and the tension in her shoulders to get past where she’d been angry and focus on the fact that they had marley here, and she wanted to look at her, they wanted to talk to her; all over again nyx needed to see how she was doing and though a timidness found her eyes at first glance, she knew marley better than she knew anything else in the world and she got to feel her smile spill back into her eyes looking at her. it wasn’t the first time her and ryder bickered during a skype call or fought, likely wouldn’t be the last, because skype call or not it just happened when it happened and nyx didn’t bite her mood. her gold eyes smiled gently to marley as she dropped the remote back to the couch and grabbed her beer bottle from the coffee table, eyes back on ryder when he was close to her and rubbing his hands at her jaw. it felt good, the first admittance in this moment, but the second was that it felt like the reminder of a pup swallowing a pill and that was about how her mind went, with the truth, and then with something more extreme, and then with response in a combination of the two. ryder’s lips pressed to hers and it was soft, her teeth nipping hard at his lip close to where she’d already broken skin. it wasn’t enough to draw blood or further injure where his lip was already busted but it was a reminder that she still had teeth, and claws, even though it was followed by her taking a drink of her beer. 

ryebrooks

ryder felt like this was more than just about smoking, and his hue was snapping to nyx’s, hearing her words. anger was coursing through his body, but at the same time, it was also deflating just listening to her speaking. the way she was moving, talking. words were being said, but he could feel something just wasn’t right here. sure he had snapped at her first, instead of calmly asking for his smokes, his anger getting the better of him before he could reel it in, but that was no excuse. but just taking a step back from the situation, watching it unfold, listening to not only nyx, but himself too. ryder saw how at times he wound her up, so quick to jump to anger, so quick to get defensive with her, no wonder he had ended up with a busted up lip, he was so quick to pull the trigger on her. no wonder she didn’t trust him, didn’t even consider trusting him when it came to not smoking inside.”i am in no way pulling rank.” he tells her, the only thing that could come out of his mouth was that, because there was no way he would ever pull rank on nyx, here or in the outside world. she was his partner, she was equal to him. he couldn’t pull rank if he ever wanted to. and he never wanted to. he felt the shove to the couch, and it was a hard one, he didn’t have time to regain his balance, he had fallen to the couch. he watched her move for his tins, putting them in a plastic bag, and chucking them out the door, the sound of the door hitting hard, was resounding in his ears, cinnamon hue looking to that door. he felt disgusted in himself right now, remembering all the times his mother threw the door open, telling his father to just leave, to get out, because he didn’t want to be there, and his hue flickers to nyx, watching her do the same thing. he was sliding off the couch, moving toward the door, just to close it, and moving back to her, seeing her jaw clench. it wasn’t the first time she had her jaw like that and ryder was moving toward her, tapping her softly on the chin.”unclench your jaw, nyx.” he whispers to her, his hue soft on her.”i’m not leaving.” he adds softly, his hue looking her over, checking to see if her jaw had unclenched.”i’m not going anywhere.”

part of her would always love seeing her wife mad, loving to see the strength that found her movements, the tone of her voice that was entirely done with your shit and calling you out, the flare that found her eyes, like a bonfire at midnight. she loved seeing it…but part of her hurt too, knowing she wasn’t there to help her work through that anger, she wasn’t there to comfort her…but she wasn’t who nyx was angry with either. she knew nyx needed to work this out with ryder and she watched the two of them now, watching as her wife pulled up her hair and gave him line after line. it wasn’t her place to pass judgement nor was it her place to mediate here. she could call it fairly, but that wasn’t her place either. no. she took this moment to watch her wife, to watch ryder, with her chest aching for them, hating to see them fight, obviously, because she would never want either of them to be hurting, to be upset. her chest ached but pride found her eyes too for the way her wife stood up for herself, the way that nyx called ryder out and slammed the door open for him. it was nothing personal against ryder, no. her heart ached for him too and she watched realization hit his eyes, an emotion that was so clear even through skype and marley’s hand came up for her chin to rest against her palm, fingertips lightly covering her mouth before ryder was falling to the couch and just as quickly standing back up, moving toward the door. marley’s chest ached even more, knowing that if he kept going…her own jaw flexed and her eyes burned, calling to her element to keep her vision clear. nyx…nyx never fought to keep anyone in her life that didn’t want to be there. if they wanted to leave, she’d hold the door wide open for them. she fought for the people that fought for her. she’d found ryder there. he was a comfort in a place that held no comforts for her any more- marley was at home, corey and iris were on their way, pretty much everyone else was an entitled asshole from what marley could figure and while she knew the way that nyx didn’t need anyone, that nyx could and would make it just fine on her own…she also wasn’t stupid. marley saw the look that found her wife’s eyes in little glances to ryder, she knew the way nyx curled up next to him at night, she knew the things they had all talked about and she knew the pieces in between. she knew because she knew her wife and her heart ached for her now, seeing ryder walk toward the door but…he merely closed it, closed it just to turn back to nyx and marley pulled in a breath, her eyes threatening to betray her again. she heard the words he gave her, just a breath but she heard them and she swallowed weakly, pride in her chest for her wife, yes, because she was beautiful and strong and never failed to stand up for herself…but pride swelled for ryder too, the way he realized his mistake and owned it like a man, the way he replaced stupid words with actions, at least for the most part, at least now his words and his actions lined up and marley’s lip trembled just watching the two, seeing the way ryder moved closer to her, hearing the words he gave her.

if he wanted to go out and smoke he could, it wasn’t about that to her. no, she didn’t want them in the house, but she didn’t care if he went out. what she didn’t like was how quickly he’d snapped to that kind of anger at the couch and it just fueled a fire already in the pit of her stomach. nyx knew her own angers, she knew her own temper, but knowing it was knowing it; she wasn’t explosive, it wasn’t something she couldn’t see coming enough to handle with a steady plan of execution. nyx wasn’t angry aimlessly, there was a reason, and right now it was the state of the couch that had been corrected, now. there was no pause in her making sure it was done, even hearing ryder move to close the door, it didn’t reach her much past being a sound that touched her ears. it was just a sound and her chest was tight and angry, never hesitating to show him the way out, never phased when he didn’t take it. not a single expectation of anything when she had bigger things to be expecting, like to be home for christmas, or even by marley’s birthday, she’d take anything when it came to those expectations. her jaw flexed because she felt him move closer she was expecting to have to repeat herself only to feel the tap of his fingers on her chin that made her flex it tighter and darkened her eyes enough to swat hard at his hand, even hearing him. nyx heard words for the definition of them and gestured at the couch and the kitchen. “then do you need any more snacks, drinks, do you need to piss or are we all picking a movie?” nyx only flexed her jaw again after a breath, wary of his hands as she brought her eyes to marley. for some reason seeing her eyes made nyx look a touch more sheepishly away, though it was needed anyways to snatch up the remote that had hit the floor in ryder’s pillow-toss showdown. 

marenolan

ocean eyes followed the exchange between nyx and ryder, moving between the two as they fired off shots at each other. she’d been privy to some of their exchanges but this one was quickly growing into something else entirely, more than she’d witnessed and marley scooped another handful of popcorn just to move the bowl to the coffee table, done with it after she threw a few more pieces into her mouth. it wasn’t her place to mediate here- this was between nyx and ryder and she was content enough just watching. that didn’t mean her heart didn’t ache either, seeing both of them worked up and angry, bickering with each other. two people she cared about and loved very much were going at each other, but she didn’t have a dog in this fight and it was up to them to settle it however they needed to. still, some of the lines had a smile pulling at her lips just from how petty they were, or quippy, funny even. nyx especially was the queen of one-liners and comebacks and she heard plenty leave her wife’s lips now, one after the other. she shook her head on a silent laugh before she ran a hand back through her curls and then reached for the wine bottle to pour herself another glass, but she didn’t touch it just yet. her eyes moved back to the two of them and she pulled in a breath as ryder spoke, hearing the way he said that nyx didn’t trust him and her gaze went to her wife then and there was the comeback that made marley raise a brow. god, they were so quickly at each other’s throats and part of her knew. the other part of her watched, listened, learned and she heard nyx, hearing the way she told ryder that he didn’t have to be there if he didn’t wanted. she could see where she was coming from but she knew partly where ryder was coming from too. she was switzerland here and she leaned back a little more into the couch, blue eyes warm on the two of them. 

“if you didn’t take my smokes from me, i wouldn’t be doing this to your couch.” he points out. honestly, he smoked one time in the house, and suddenly she expected him to do it all the time.  though when she brought up him shooting her, he just stared at her, eyes darkening on her. he had nothing to say back to that, just a stare because that’s all he had. he couldn’t apologize, because well, apologizes did nothing, didn’t take back what he did. but it seemed whenever nyx got the chance, she had to bring that up. maybe he was just salty because she actually had something on him that she could bring up in times like these, and he had nothing against her.”oh come off it. if you didn’t pickpocket me in the first place, and just let me go for a smoke we wouldn’t be here doing this. so really, just leave my smokes alone and we’ll be fine.” he snaps back at her, before he was taking the cushion she had given him, and he was moving a little more in front of the couch to place the cushion there, only to have bumped nyx a little hard. his eyes were set on her, his movements slow as he places the cushion back on the couch.”i mean. your decorating does suck.” he tells her, not really the best comeback but it was the only one in his pocket.”i’m just going out for a smoke, while you two decide on a movie. then i’m coming back. terribly sorry that i moved to put my mug in the sink, and decided yeah, i could go for a beer and a smoke, because i just ate a poptart, and usually have a smoke after my meals. don’t act like i don’t want to be here, just because i’m moving around. i’m still here talking to marley, wanting to talk to her, figured i’d go for a quick smoke before we sit down for a movie, instead of pausing it because i need a nicotine fix.” he says, fluffing the stupid couch cushion a little. his lip was still hurting, it hurt more now, because he was talking more, feeling the skin cracking from how dry his lips were. he didn’t care though. the pain he could handle.

“maybe some inquiry before you hulk out and ryder-smash at the furniture would have worked out better.” she snatched a pillow and handed it to him to put it back. “or, maybe if you hadn’t lit up in here before i’d trust you; actions breed results, it started with you.” nyx points out, the back of her neck hot with her temper and her hands needing to pull one of marley’s hair-ties from her wrist to bunch her curls up into a messy ponytail, just to secure them off her skin. “come of it? come off it. okay well, maybe you come off the sin of touching your cigarettes that warrants eternal damnation, the blood of my first born, a goat and ten acres. hey, don’t want me touching your things? don’t touch my couch, don’t touch the beer, don’t touch the coffee here, don’t touch the poptarts and then we’ll start talking without you overreacting without you overreacting. i’m not one of those little brats out there you can just pull rank on, i don’t work for you or under you.” she snaps, shoving the last cushion on the couch and watching him vigorously molesting one of them with his hands. “consent, ryder, did you ask the pillow if it wanted to be manhandled?” she was the most mad about how quickly he’d bit her head off about the cigarettes. she was the most mad about how easy it seemed to be for him to bite her head off. like breathing. “you’re surprised when i told you were acting like hunter.” she mutters, likely too low for his ears, nyx felt the bump from him and her hand shoved into his shoulder with a push of her strength as she passed him, the direction she shoved being the couch lucky for him. nyx was moving to grab a bag from under a cabinet and gathering up all of his cigarette tins to shove them inside just to move the few steps to the sliding glass door out the back and toss them out. “have the smoke break and go wreck your own poorly decorated abode because i will have you know, that marley is the best decorator and this place would make pintrest commit suicide and put wayfair out of business if she were here so suck it.” she threw the door open for him, so hard the glass slid and crashed into the other side of the frame, her body moving right back to the couch to grab up the last smaller pillow so she could put it back on the couch, her eyes not going to marley because right now her jaw was flexed and her chest tight. 

marenolan

marley’s eyes were so bright and so warm, so filled with happiness as she drank in her wife, seeing her and really seeing, seeing hte way that her baby girl didn’t hide anything from her eyes…not that she could do it well, but that wasn’t a knock on nyx. no, that was the way that marley saw her, saw right through her, having known her since she was a tiny little girl and nyx could read her the same way. still, they didn’t use that power against each other, and they didn’t pry where it was unwanted. this…this was honesty, and they were honest in everything they did, everything they said, honest with each other, honest with themselves. it wasn’t easy but it was never meant to be either. nyx and herself had plenty of experience there, in knowing just how much you had to fight for everything in this world. the difference was, they fought for each other and that kept a wall from building between them, marley so proud of that, always. she might be miles and miles away, but she wasn’t blind by any means and her eyes were tender on her wife, hearing her words and nodding because she knew, nodding because nyx was her most beautiful thing too. they moved to ryder then, hearing his plan just to see him turn around to ask nyx about his cigarettes. the scene in front of her unfolded and marley…ate her popcorn faster, glad she’d made it now because this was better than the previews at the movie theater. she saw the shift in her wife’s hue, saw the way ryder moved to start throwing the cushions off and she settled in a little more where she sat, pausing in the constant stream of popcorn to her mouth to bring her wine glass to her lips instead. marley loved watching moments like this, moments with all of them together in general. she got to see nyx’s dynamic with ryder, got to learn more about ryder too and see the way he reacted to things, learn how handled different obstacles and she was content with watching, her eyes moving between the two with every line they popped off at each other. her chest ached, in a beautiful way, filled with love, with happiness, with missing her wife and missing a man she’d never even met in person. marley took another sip of her wine, finishing that glass and her skin was warm, her muscles relaxed. still, she heard the line from nyx and words found her before more popcorn hit her tongue. “maybe you guys should hire a guard for ryder’s pockets. no pay, no benefits, no vacation…” she hummed, a smile spreading on her lips. “you just get to follow ryder around all day, staring at his ass with weapons drawn in case the cigarettes make a break for it.”

he was throwing cushions off the couch when he heard her mutter, and he couldn’t help the eyeroll that he gave her.”i say it very much.” he retorts back to her, his eyes snapping to hers, before he was shifting to remove the cushion she was sitting on she was fast, though he didn’t expect her to sit down and just let him take the cushion out from under her. though he did feel her taking the cushion from him, and hearing her words, his eyes were snapping to hers.”no shit. but we both know the couch wasn’t taking my smokes, nyx. we both know you’ve been doing this for awhile, clearly since all my smoke tins are here. nothing more.” he tells her, knowing full well nyx had taken his smokes, he might not be able to prove it, and he was waiting for her to tell him to prove it, but with the way she had spoken before, that was proof enough that she had taken his smokes now. he could hear the snap in her voice, and his hue darkens on her, watching her pointing her finger at it, before he was picking up a cushion he had thrown to the ground, just to throw it to the ground once more.”your couch doesn’t seem to mind being manhandled, and i wouldn’t have to manhandle it, if someone just left my smokes alone.” he snaps back at her, hands clenching at his sides.”that was one time nyx. if i recall i said i was going outside to smoke, while you girls picked the damn movie, but you decided to not trust me on that, and took my smokes from me instead.” he snaps, before he was picking up the cases of smokes, pulling a cigarette from one of them to hold between his teeth.”but we’re all pretty childish here, so.” he says, picking out a lighter, and he was flicking it with his thumb to get the ignite to work, hearing marley’s words, ryder’s hue flickers to her, shaking his head at them.”wouldn’t need one, if mrs-doesn’t-trust-ryder-li nolan over here, stopped pickpocketing me.”

her eyes darted to marley hearing her and she gestured a bless hand at the ceiling before it slapped right back down to her thigh. she was spot on with the workings around this shit-hole. she had to be a little amused at the way, while she’d taken the pack of cigarettes from ryder, he was the one throwing couch cushions around the room. “childish coming from the grown ass man throwing the couch around all for a nicotine break.” she smoked, she did, not in here but she did, and she didn’t throw around couches like a tornado over something literally minuscule. “tantrum much, ryder.” her eyes were dark on him. “you said you were going outside to smoke after i already plucked them out of your pocket, so maybe, just maybe, had i been given the chance before your panties started searching for tonsils i would have said ‘here’ and tossed them back to you, but no, i don’t trust you because you do shit like this that makes me not trust you. or or or you shoot me. so next time your cigarettes go missing even on their own accord or yours, you’ve taught me you’re going to feng fucking shui my whole house.” she handed the cushion pointedly back to him, her eyes dark and set and her jaw tensed; it ached. so did her hand she didn’t want to reuse right now for more than handing the pillow over to him while she grabbed another to toss it back on the couch, only to see him putting a cigarette between his lips. “of course you’re going outside because you can’t just pass and sit down for five minutes. for someone so typically chill you need coffee, and pop tarts, and cigarettes, and to play donkey kong with liquidation furniture. it’s already not nice. i mean, if you don’t want to be here you don’t have to be.” 

marenolan

her eyes locked with nyx’s and that had that moment of silently looking each other over like they always did, marley not lost from the ‘tired’ that lingered in her wife’s hue more often than not, not lost from the way things out of their control were hurting her heart, not lost from the aches and pains that came with having to see each other here instead of together but…she wasn’t lost from the ‘okay’ either, she wasn’t lost from the genuine smile that found her eyes, her lips, the way she sank back more into the couch, more against ryder and she smiled more. ocean hue cut with nyx’s though, seeing ryder stand up and her brows knit, not understanding why he was leaving or where he was going…just off without a word and she watched as nyx moved to snatch something out of his pocket, a deeper smile biting at her lips as she saw the cigarette case in transit, nyx hiding it in the couch. marley took another few bites of popcorn, carrying on, just like her wife did. “miss you always, beautiful girl. my most beautiful thing.” she hummed, that smile from her wife only making the one on her lips all the more real. it already was but seeing it from nyx made hers feel more at home and she arched a brow hearing the better water pressure, only to arch it more with the better shower head. a knowing look was in her eyes and she breathed a laugh, nodding before she reached for a sip of her wine. “always good things to have.” she told her, looking to ryder once again as movement from him caught her eye but she heard her wife, watching ryder for a moment longer with a feigned look of concern before she nodded more with nyx’s words. “that’s a perfect opportunity that has most certainly been missed but ryder should definitely park his ass and not worry about his five or febreeze because we’re trying to find a movie to watch together.” she said, a few more pieces of popcorn passing her lips. “i’m gonna hab to make more popcorn at dis rate.”

ryder kept the smile upon his face as he moved into the kitchen, hearing the girls speak it wasn’t hard to keep that smile there. some might feel like they’re intruding on something private, and feel utterly awkward, but not ryder. he felt like he got a privilege just witnessing this. you could see the way those girls looked at each other, how much they loved each other, how strong their love was. because nyx was here, and marley knew what was going on between nyx and ryder, they didn’t keep anything from her. well nyx didn’t. ryder was afraid of what would happen when nyx told her, afraid that he had come between something so beautiful, two wives, he didn’t want that. but here they were now, completely comfortable with one another, that sometimes they all fell asleep together on skype. he was hearing nyx’s words about the shower, and he was rolling his eyes at her.”so bragging right now.” he tells her, smiling at her and marley. though he knew she had a right to brag, because her shower was definitely better than his own here.  he wasn’t sure why that was, since they had the same looking places. hearing nyx’s words, his cinnamon hue snaps to her amber, before he was hearing marley’s words.”just going out for a smoke, while you girls pick the movie.” he says, though he’ walking back over to them, his hue on nyx.”where are they, li?” he asks her, listening to her words about air freshener and he knew she had them, especially with the wording of lost something.”give them back, li.” he says, before he began to search the couch, because that’s the only place he could see her hiding them, since she hadn’t moved since he had. he was throwing up couch cushions while searching for them, only to find the tin he lost about three weeks ago.”seriously?” he asks, holding it up and looking at nyx.”seriously? how many others are in this couch, nyx?” he asks her, sliding the cushion she was sitting on, out from under her, just so he could find another nine of them.”what the actual hell.” jesus, christ.

nyx rested forward more where she sat, knees on her elbows and her hands clasped and her lips resting against them just looking at marley, smiling gently behind her hand and knowing it flooded her eyes. she needed to take her in and just...marveling was about the right term. it was needed, vital, it was to push away aches in her too, to push through them just seeing that marley was okay and smiling. “my most beautiful thing.” nyx smiled behind her hands a little, before dropping them gently down. there was no hiding anything from each other; they plunged right into each other’s eyes and found everything; happiness, love, hurt, longing. seeing her eased so much. with the presence of ryder it was something that had become natural, needed too, just...to exist where they could in the same moment even if there were miles upon miles between. in moments like this it felt like the distance in her chest closed up a little bit more, movies, games, nights where they all fell asleep.... her eyes darkened hearing ryder and she was about to put him to sleep, the tone making her eyes cut right to him. couldn’t say she wasn’t guilty; nyx knew what he was asking for, but she merely watched him unamused...until he threw cushions off the couch, off...the couch. “say my name much?” she mutters, her words direct, not nearly as much as her eyes were as she stood up the very moment he moved to grab the cushion she was sitting on. her reflex against that were on par and she was on her feet and snatching the cushion out of his hand with a hard grip before he could toss it off, not really caring at the moment about his cigarettes. “couches eat shit all the time, you’ll find some grimstone chump change too, no doubt. not put the cushions back on the couch.” she snaps, not needing to raise her voice; the space was small. it wouldn’t be the first time he’d attempted smoking in here so she was gonna cover the preventative bases where she could. “hey!” her hand moved in a gesture that had index finger up to pause him. “stop manhandling my shitty couch. i’m not going to take my chances with having smoke in here because that happened before.” one time, and nyx forgot nothing; her hand moved to drop the cushion back down, on top of she-didn’t-give-a-fuck how many cigarette cases. “why are you still getting those cases if that many have managed to break out of your pockets?”

marenolan

she nodded once to ryder’s words, hearing him. she didn’t doubt that nyx could take care of herself because she knew her wife and she knew how she would do whatever it takes, regardless of the situation. once nyx was committed to something, it took a lot to get her to not care any more and it took even more to stand in her way. she didn’t doubt nyx, not in the slightest when she’d told her that she was going to go get corey, to bring her home, and she didn’t doubt that she would make it back, ether, even in knowing that there was a very real possibility that she might not. at the very least, she knew that nyx wouldn’t go down without a fight and that’s where her confidence on the matter stemmed from because…god have mercy on anyone or anything that got in her wife’s way, because nyx wouldn’t have a shred of mercy. still, it was comforting to know that someone else there was looking out for her too, looking out for her in a way that marley readily couldn’t. hearing him now, she shook her head on a light laugh. “thank god none of our kids went through the eating laundry detergent stage because at that point…it’s natural selection. it’d be different if it was little kids getting into things when they don’t know any better.” she mused, hearing now the way the popcorn was starting to pop and she glanced at the microwave for a moment before she heard ryder speak. she didn’t doubt that corey was on her way here but she knew that their little wild would do it her own way, in her own time, and she’d do whatever she wanted to or needed to on the way. marley would never question or fault her for that. she was more than happy in just knowing that she’d made it out of that hell. did she want to see her? of course. did she want to know she was okay, safe, and that iris was? absolutely. did she question corey’s needs, wants, or her own ability? never. she’d show up when she was ready to, no sooner, no later. still, in hearing that it was nyx returning, in hearing her voice, her eyes waited for her to come into frame, seeing her now and watching as she took a seat next to ryder. the look that her wife gave her hit her square in the chest and she swallowed, a look given back to her that told her that she didn’t doubt but she needed that reassurance too, she needed to hear it and she was thankful. her eyes were soft on her wife for a long moment before the microwave beeped and she pulled in a breath, her smile still warm on her lips. she hadn’t lost that smile for a second since she’d called them. why would it? she was right here with her wife, with ryder, and she heard her question, nodding on a wider grin before she reached for the popcorn and a bowl to put it in, duping the contents of the bag out just to add a little salt. “it sounded good to us…what about you, baby?” she asked, looking for her eyes as she scooped the bowl up and the laptop, and her wine, moving back to the comfort of the couch just to plop down. “i am now.” she hummed, smiling more at her wife and feeling the way her stomach twisted just looking at her, seeing her, missing her so damn much but this was so much better than nothing in the same right and she was happy. “was your shower good? feel better?” she asked, reaching to grab some of the popcorn and she popped it into her mouth, warm butter mixing with the salt on her tongue. “anything in particular either of you wanted to see?”

he was just watching marley’s movements, and also hearing nyx’s movements in the kitchen here. they were both in same places, just different places, and he realized that this wouldn’t get easier for either of them. he wished there was a way that it could, without marley being trapped here as well, or nyx leaving when there were still things that needed to be done here. though he wouldn’t blame nyx if she wanted to give up on these people, but they did have to ensure none of them got out, but they all seemed so comfortable here, that he figured none of them wanted to get out at all. he was chuckling softly at marley’s words, nodding his head at them.” at least your children seem far more smarter than the rest of them.” he replies, before looking back to nyx, hearing her words, his head resting on the back of the couch.”you’re right, you’re not.” he murmurs, before his head was moving back to its normal position, hearing the microwave beeping on marley’s end, as nyx took a seat next to him, so they were both in front of the computer. his mug was empty but that was fine, he didn’t have patrol until later the next night anyway, but even if he got up a little earlier he would probably take for a run, and come back to shower, before patrolling most of the day anyway. probably also just relax with nyx for a bit, but right now he was content where he was, listening to the girl’s talk to each other, seeing the looks they were giving one another. ryder’s arm was resting at the back of nyx’s head, but he moves his hand down to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze, knowing this must be hard on the both of them, wishing still he could help them out, but he knew that he couldn’t, he could be here for nyx, and he hoped someone was there for marley. especially after skype calls, because they made you realize just how much space is between the both of you. hearing marley’s question, ryder was shaking his head, not really caring for what they watched, he didn’t watch much tv expect for sports channels, or the news and they barely got that here anyway.”whatever  you two want to watch is fine by me.” he murmurs, before he was moving for his mug, and moving toward the kitchen, to place it in the sink, and he was moving for his own beer, searching his jacket pockets, for a cigarette and a lighter.

she sunk back into the couch at ryder’s side and when his arm wrapped behind her neck, she utilized the free pillow, her eyes on marley like they went to her every time she got to see her, checking her over, seeing her okay, seeing that the smile on her lips matched the one in her eyes. it did and nyx hue melted more, she grew more comfortable against the couch and put her feet on a bar under the coffee table, a tender smile biting at her lips before she looked to ryder and nodded, knowing they’d find something to watch. she felt him shift and move to stand up and her head turned subtly, catching the glint of metal sticking out of his back pocket when he did. his cigarettes. better to take the opportunity than have the scent of smoke in the house so nyx sat up a little as he stood and gently plucked it free, palming it right into the couch cushions and then setting her eyes on marley’s while he moved for what he was doing. “m’perfect. miss you; you look beautiful.” she smiles, warmth on her cheeks, because between her and marley and ryder, they tried so hard to keep the smiles on their lips and in their eyes, a genuine need to see it in each other and to reassure each other that they were all okay. “it was good, i have the better water pressure.” not to brag. “and a better shower head.” she grinned a little more, before it faded back into a softer smile and she was looking over marley again, hearing ryder fussing about something enough to turn and look, to see him checking his pockets. “lose something?” her eyes moved back to marley to think about the question. “um...i don’t know what’s out, we’re six months behind here. i figured they’d us as a test audience because why not when opportunity presents itself but....if ryder is done fussing around for his gum and room freshener then he can pick something.” because he definitely wasn’t looking for cigarettes.