MOVED

  lyle let himself hang off lazers shoulders, extending a leg in front of them in the air - using the other as a crutch.   “   it’s still bleeding, but ‘m tough.   ”   it probably didn’t help that he was moving around, but his pants were soaking up the worst of the blood. which, to be fair, wasn’t that much. it’d probably clot and scab over relatively soon - definitely not stitches of scar worthy. if it was, they’d blend right in. he gives

   he gives his foot a little wiggle.   “   it’s ‘cuz you still haven’t kissed me better, you know. i’m not gonna stop bleeding ‘til you do - soon i’ll join the ghost orgy. but, like, as a ghost. ‘cuz i’ll bleed out.   ”   he informs, letting his foot return to the ground, though he doesn’t put much weight on it at all. he wasn’t before, but he was really leaning into lazer about this. literally.

    “   there IS – i’m the ex-witch. i know all about ghosts – i could totally do, like, a séance. i think i remember how to. that could be fun ~ then we could prove once and for all if there really is no ghostie-goos.   ”

    "      you'll be fine. " yet another cruel, CRUEL rejection when given the chance to show a bit of physical affection to Lyle. but as mean as that sounded, it wasn’t anything malicious. it just couldn't be helped- how could anybody think about being all lovey-dovey (at all, ever, at any time no matter what environment they were in) when they were pretty much TRAPPED in some creepy run-down house while there was a storm outside and they were stuck there alone without even the basics? 

     Lazer wasn't so WEAK-MINDED and scared that he was very bothered by all of that, though... but it was still pretty annoying and ruined his already generally dampened mood like he’s been standing outside in the rain the whole time. 

　　TEM WAITS PATIENTLY WHILE JIE DIGS THROUGH THE BOXES, not wanting to stick her hands in there herself. It’s not her stuff to go throughーshe just keeps her own eyes peeled for anything that looks like it might be a good addition to their fort. She likes decorating, too, but the lack of stability in a blanket fort makes her feel less compelled to do it; if Jie can figure stuff out, though, she’ll love it.

　　“ I mean, I think that would be fine, ”  Tem says in response to the broom.  “ I really don’t think it’ll be that haphazard. I wouldn’t have even thought of the chair thing right away, which sounds perfect to me. We’d have to be real klutzes to get tangled up enough to knock a whole chair over. ”

　　Ah, she probably shouldn’t give the universe any ideas.

      “     hm.... if you think so.... “ maybe she was just being a little paranoid about the whole thing- but somehow starting a house FIRE or sending someone or herself to the hospital while just trying to build a pillow fort (something that really in no way should be able to harm anyone to be honest) in the process just because she was participating in it. not to be a downer or anything but it probably would happen. 

　　IT’S NOT A REACTION TO THE QUESTION, but it’s also not a surprise that his simple mind doesn’t understand that. She feels the fiftieth thing inside of her snap, arm still outstretched towards him with the leashes bunched in her hand. And it’s already starting to hurt, because the unruly dogs they’re attached to are still squirming around, so it’s more like she’s trying to remain as still as possible and failing miserable.

　　“ If you couldn’t handle them by yourself, then you shouldn’t have taken them all out! ”  Or gotten lost!  “ Yeah, well, I didn’t realise you’d be such a pain in the ass. This is annoying, you’re stupid, and my walk is ruined. ”

   “       well, I guess I could do it myself... “ but really he didn’t WANT to. that was the thing. he didn’t even want to take the handful (and that hand was full) that he still had. if the dogs could walk themselves or he could just walk beside them with a dog walker just to say he did something, that would be IDEAL. 

　　SHE’S GLAD HE’S JUST TALKING TO HER EASIER NOW, and actually following along. Maybe once he gets some food in him, he’ll be even more amicable. ( Maybe she should be offering him something a little more nutritious, given the state she’d found him in, but whatever. )

　　“ Uh, well… I’ll have to ask around and see which places are looking for people, so I guess a way to contact you? ”  ーWait ,that’s no good, the kid’s apparently homeless, she can’t just send him back to the streets.

　　The tomboy hangs her head, pushing her dark-blonde hair out of her face a moment later. An inn room’s starting to seem like the only real option she has, if she’s serious about helping him.

　　“ …I’m sure there’s a shitty motel or something I can put you up at for a few days after this, to make sure you don’t run away. ”

　　That makes it sound like she’s going to barricade him in there.

  “      I can do that. as long as it’s just my phone number or email. “ he DID still have a phone with a payment plan for service set up (that he wasn’t responsible for) so he could hand that over to her before they were done and emails were pretty much ETERNAL. 

   normally he would just GREEDILY accept the offer, but he didn't appreciate what she was implying so that had to be addressed first. "      do you really think I would do that? where would I run to? " Mu sighed. he's already established he's not nothing, no sense in going to another street 800 miles away just for no reason... now, with that out of the way...  

　　A SIGH ESCAPES HER, somehow measured but aggravated. She, of course, has paused, but he just keeps letting the dogs drag him onward, so she starts moving again too.

　　But, like…he’s kidding, right? He can’t be that stupid, right? No, he totally is that stupid, and she’s stupid for questioning that fact even for a single second. She gets all of the leashes in one hand again, holding them tightly in he fist, and then reaches out her now-freed hand to grab him by the shoulder and yank him back so that he’ll stop fucking walking for a second.

　　“ No, dude, I don’t fucking live here, and I don’t know where you live. Take these back, ”  She demands, holding out the leashes to him.  “ I am out of here. ”

   “      really? “ THAT was an overreaction if he’s ever seen one and if he hadn’t before then now he has because that’s what she DID. he was just asking a simple question- if she didn’t know, she just didn’t know. and then all she had to do was say so! 

[ ✉  → mystary zhora  💫  ]: i see ~ thank you, then. i’ll do my best, but please dont expect too much, lol [ ✉  → mystary zhora  💫  ]: mm its that one right ?? near the middle a little to the left.. ? [ ✉  → mystary zhora  💫  ]: they all look pretty much the same but i think that ones a bit brighter. or maybe just bigger. is there a difference ??

TO : [ xxx-xxxx]

   “   hehe.   ”   don’t speak, lyle. not ever; but especially not now. mercifully for the omniscient beings above, he keeps his mouth shut long enough to entrap the other – watching him close the door behind him and shroud them in darkness. or, well, not so dramatic. through the sheer curtains daylight brightened the room enough to see clearly without blinding the poor albino - but it was still relatively dim !!

   with the door shut he’s able to drop the squirming bubsie who goes back to prancing excitably around the room; allowing lyles free arms to reach forward and take a cautious hold of lazers wrist; tugging him further along inside.   “   i’ll get them, i’ll get them – c’mon - i gotta make sure you and my beautiful babies won’t try to fight it out for dominance or whatever it is…   ”    you animals do. but, lyle manages to bite his tongue and continue to try to usher lazer.   “   let’s make sure they you’ll all get along before i leave you alone to get mauled - or to maul.   ”

    Lazer immediately recoiled when he saw Lyle coming towards him, taking a few steps back abruptly until he hit the door (he already forgot that he closed). When his wrist was captured he SWITCHED tactics. Instead of trying to run away, he was going to stand his ground. he put all of his weight his many weight into his feet to keep Lyle from pulling him further in.

   “   three ?? damn ~ i dunno if that’s a long time in work-out terms or not for what you’ve packed on,   ”    lyle lifts up an arm to flex and give his bicep a few meaty pats. except, they weren’t very meaty - they were very.. clothy. any meatiness was well hidden away by his oversized hoodie, and it wasn’t much anyway.   “   either you buffed up real fast ‘nd that shits hella impressive, i could only imagine yer routine — or you stuck with  it for that long ~ i couldn’t do either, i get so bored just workin’ out.   ”   gym memberships were expensive, and he could bet if he did go, he’d spend his time ogling all the beefy babes.

   six days - four hours ?? lyle was bad at math, but that was, like, sixteen hours a week !! that shit was like a part-time job !!   “   oi !! what’s that supposed to mean !? i can do anything i put my mind to, y’know !!   ”   there was something worrying behind that statement that lazer probably didn’t even realize.   “   i’m stronger than i look, darlin’. i just do different stuff that doesn’t bulk me up – lots of cardio ‘nd shtuff. I used to be on the track team in school for a lil, and now i spend my days doin’ parkour as my main way to get around.   ”   he boasts, letting his arms drop to rest on his hips; nose in the air as he continues to walk backwards.   “   we oughta work out sometime !! i can show ya my stuff, and… well.   ”   he pulls his grin a little more sleazy, looking the other up and down.   “   you can show me yours.   ”

   he nearly trips, ruining his very smooth pick-up line, but he doesn’t tumble; spinning around to face ahead properly, seeing the joint on the horizon.   “  but, you’re probably right – when it comes to what you do, whatever it may be, i’d probably get my arms broken or whatever.   ”   he muses.   “   i bet you could, like, crush a watermelon - right ?? am i right ?? with your bare arms, just pulverize that bad-boy. maybe between your thighs ??   ”   if this guy was his soulmate ( he was ) then he definitely could. that was a MUST for lyles other half ( heart emoji. )

    Lazer didn't bother coming up with a response to that because didn't know either. he never really swapped stories with anyone (and he would never touch the internet) so he didn't have any clue about how long of a process it was supposed to take on average. still, since he was able to do it pretty easily since he really had nothing going on at the time other than devoting himself to getting stronger, he figured it wasn't very impressive and that he could have achieved results faster if he was interested in trying HARDER at the time. he probably could try to keep going, too. but he was pretty content where he was. no one had been able to take him down yet, and he wasn’t interested in being strong just for the sake of it. for the time being, he just had to maintain until someone managed to catch up to him or a new challenge appeared... whenever that would be. as long as he could overcome the obstacles in his way, he was set.

    "      mm. " more of a disinterested grunt than any sort off yes or no response. Lazer really couldn't care less what this guy did, as long as it had nothing to do with him. so he could go bulk up at the gym, waste away until he was a twig, or gain himself enough weight to crush himself and it would all be the same. this guy would still be nothing more than a temporary hindrance. so despite the way his neutral response sounded... NO. they would not be working out together.

    if he set aside his focus and caution – and the underlying panic that lay just beneath his exterior – he could probably enjoy this. there was a sense of superiority in witness the other in such a… pathetic state. lyle was a simple man with a serious case of schadenfreude. but, he couldn’t. not with those emotions pumping through his veins; the only thing keeping his feet moving despite the nagging depression weighing heavy over his shoulders.

   along with lazer, of course, he was also very heavy. ( it was hard to tell which was heavier, though. ) he watched in skepticism as the other at least made an attempt to stand on his own - but surely even the man himself saw that was going to be an utter waste. he hissed out in something between frustration and hushing the other through grit teeth as he gave a look around their surroundings before tugging on lazer somewhat forcibly.   “   walk and snap out of it.   ”   he asserted, knowing they couldn’t AFFORD to waste any time. he could practically hear the countdown mocking him in the crevices of his mind. by now, surely someone had noticed their little friend wasn’t returning – they’d go investigate, then it’d go from metal gear to need for speed real quick.   “   we need to find a window or something and pray to that worthless piece of shit we aren’t in a goddamn basement with once entrance.   ”

  Lazer could tell Lyle's patience if you want to call it that... for lack of a better term this time we will this time with him was running out every second of their time that (could be used for escaping) he WASTED while he was still in the process of getting back to feeling like himself again. the longer it took him to get back to himself. but as far as he was concerned, he'd already run out of time the moment he woke up and he HAD to shake it off right away if he was going to make it out of there (without getting left behind or caught). thinking that didn't exactly make it easier for him, though. he could think it all he wanted to, but there was still a disconnect with his actions. and no one was more frustrated about it him being pretty damn helpless than he was.

  ugh - sorry he says, well sorry didn’t cut it for attempted MURDER !! still, what else more was there to say, or do ?? if he wasn’t going to put up a defense to get mad at, all lyle had was a festering frustration that he couldn’t properly direct at anything. even if he was one to hold grudges, that didn’t mean he was constantly, passionately, mad about it.   “   ugh – forget it. i’m freezing.  ”  he wraps his arms around himself, only one part as a comfort, as he pries himself off the sand. but the sand does not pry itself off him. he was sticking - how uncomfortable. lyle just KNEW he’d be finding it where the sun don’t shine for days.

   he pauses, though, face scrunched.   “   what – why can i ??   ”   what was this dingus even saying - was it that weird ?? was it that unbelievable ?? plenty of people couldn’t swim !! plenty of adults couldn’t - plenty hadn’t even been in a pool or beach. ( could you tell he was a bit ashamed – )    “   i – i dunno !! jesus fuck - i’ve just never been taught, i’ve never even really gone to the beach, i don’t know -   ”   why hadn’t he ?? he grew up in staten island. it was a goddamn island. he was NAMED lyle !! that meant island or something, didn’t it ?? he had plenty of opportunity. and yet - even if he could explain his inability to swim away with neglectful, asshole, parents. what about his fear of it – why was he so freaked out about it ??

   lyle didn’t know, he couldn’t remember, only haunted by a familiar choking, gagging, coughing terror with water filling his lungs — ah. he could guess, though;   “   my mom probably tried to drown me a few times, too, or something - i don’t know. do i need to lay out some tragedy to justify that i just ain’t even learn ?! lay off - lots of people can’t - why would i ever need to swim ?!   ”

    "      uh.... " Lazer took a step back (away from Lyle, closer to the water he so desperately wanted to dive back into) eyes cast down into the sand while he listened to him. honestly, he did feel kind of SHITTY about manhandling him into the water the way he did- it was pretty out of line for him to do that, and if he had some pretty DARK reasons to stay away from it he wouldn’t have liked it either. still, he thought that it was on Lyle for not telling him that he really couldn't swim though. he seriously made it sound like he could, and all he really came up with were petty excuses, Lazer really had no idea that there might be a bigger issue there. he could understand him not exactly wanting to tell him either, but when it really was important he didn’t do it until it was too late.

   lyle just giggled at his own pun, tongue poking out of his lips as he leans forward and bend down - tilting himself to try and peek beneath the others shield of his arms and leg.   “   aw, c’mon !! what’s the matter — are you crying ?? are you gonna cry ?? it’s just a JOKE.   ”   a hilarious one, if you asked lyle – honestly, if the other did just cry, lyle would probably get a kick out of that. it was a bit frustrating if he didn’t provide lyle with some sort of reaction.

   dare lyle say it might not be WORTH IT – because he just knew he’d get in trouble. even though he didn’t even do anything but make a funny pun – it was unfair. this guy was going to tattle on him, or the teachers would notice, and all for NAUGHT.   “   oi - don’t do that.   ”   he reaches out, smacking lazarus on the head - something between smacking and patting to try and rouse him, not hurt. he pauses, glancing toward the teacher who’s far too busy comforting a crying child to notice quite yet…

   all at once lyle is grabbing ahold of lazarus’ wrist, kicking his own chair out as he leaps to his feet and yanks the other off his chair; intent on tugging him along under the table.

    Lazarus tried his best to hold his position even after the prodding to get him to MOVE. whatever was said, he let go in and out of his ears, and whatever he did, he managed to rebound back into the chair. but it didn't STOP. doing this always worked at home, but why wasn't it working with this kid? 

lyles brain stuttered a bit at that. perhaps he should be used to it, but he simply wasn’t. the rush of endorphins floored him every time, having to pause in his steps and just take a moment to hide his head in his palms. he relished in the warm giddiness that had always been so foreign and sparse in his life. it was an effective way for him to jump horny ship and drop the ghost orgy thing. “ hehe, yeah ~ ” he recovers, taking a light jog to catch back up to lazers side without a minute to spare in throwing himself at the other, arms extended to wrap around him. a very 2000s glomp.

“ how can you he tired in a place like this ?! theres so much to discover, so many mysteries - its like a real-life horror film !! ” that wasn’t what piqued lyles interest, though. besides the storm forcing him to find some way to pass rhe time, lyle also did have a special place in his heart for witchcraft and the occult. even if his collection if seances and spells had long since gathered dust or been designated as coasters and tables. “ i actually know a few tricks we can use to seriously try to figure out what ghostie-goos are around. maybe ask them what their business is – would that wake you up ~ ?? ”

   Lazer hardly had the time to notice Lyle stopped before he was running up and tackling him- he was probably possessed by something ELSE (as in not the furby) this time. he pretty much knew how to handle this case, though, and just let him have his moment. so he stopped walking just so they didn't wind up tripping and cutting up anything more than Lyles leg. speaking of that... "      how's yer leg doin'? " he was the one that should be tired and wanting to have a break.

　　THIS IS THE MOST RECEPTIVE HE’S BEEN ALL DAY. It hasn’t exactly been a fun ride getting here, but Tem softens a little as he finally sounds hopeful, and not full of resentment.

　　“ ‘Kay, ”  She answers at first, expecting that to be the end of it, and already turning to start walking again. A skeptical gaze slides his way as he starts talking about what he does, though.  “ Hacking’s not a skill, ”  She informs him, just barely managing not to roll her eyes.  “ And…yeah, that’s not the kind of stuff I’ll be able to get for you. I’m talking retail, cafe jobs, stuff like that. ”  Any income is better than none, right?

　　“ But we’ll start with ice cream. ” 

    “     that’s what I used to think, too... “ until EVERY single job he managed to land gave him twice (three times, five times, ten-) the problems than he had when he didn’t have them. maybe he just wasn’t cut out for the whole thing... being a productive and stable member of society... that was what he started to think more and more when things continued not to work out. at the point he reached, he was almost SURE that was the case.

   but just because he already agreed to give it another SHOT.. “     what will you need from me for this, anyway? “ it didn’t hurt to talk about it while they were in the process of getting ice cream, right?  he was curious.

   "   not with that attitude.   "   lyle replies, as if that was an acceptable response. but, everything he said was definitely unacceptable yet he went about his business like it was. he was just like that.   "   what kinda guy are you, then ??   "   he hums, innocently folding his arms behind his back as he fell in line with lazer.

   his face contorted in consideration at lazers suggestion, but it was significantly less fun, so it had to be false.   "   no, i think im right, babe. there’s gotta be a real this big ass shit shack was just ditched – it was probably real nice ‘nd expensive back in the day; who wouldn’t want to live here ?? the answer: everyone, cuz its haunted by all the dead people buried under the floorboards. any buyers got spooked, the land owners dipped, and it was left forgotten and decrepit, the only souls in this building the teens who test their courage and the ghosts who chase em off.   ”

  "        your guy. " there was another one of those RARE, unexpectedly smooth, disgustingly stupid comments Lazer could make every now and then without really thinking about what he was doing. he wasn't even trying to be sly or anything (he never really was, but in case there was any doubt), that was just what he thought about the idea and himself. he didn't want to be with anyone else. not when it came to something so PERSONAL-