phoenix woods
i know the world's a broken bonexxx outfit | #c4a7be xxx but melt your headaches, call it home
i know the world's a broken bonexxx outfit | #c4a7be xxx but melt your headaches, call it home
They were so nearly home. So nearly safe, where they could lock and barricade the door and just wait for this all to be over. There was a tiny, foolish part of him that told him this was selfish, they should be trying to help and fight. But that hadnāt gone so well for them in the past, and they werenāt going to be any use to anyone hurt. Or worse.
And then suddenly, hunters seemed to be coming at them from every angle. Heād seen this tactic before. His heart felt like it was in his throat, the scar on his shoulder burning uncomfortably, as the familiarity of the situation hung over them like a ghost. Phoenix dug deep, knowing how outnumbered they were. And then a distraction came in the form of a vaguely familiar voice, and Phoenix took his chance. As one stormed forward to deal with the newcomer, Phoenix summoned a vine to wrap around his leg and yank him to the ground with enough force to knock him out. That was enough, that was all they needed, he just needed to be out long enough for them to run. He turned to look at the newcomer, confirming what heād suspected. It was Travis. He appeared to be on their side, for now at least, and Phoenix didnāt have time to doubt or suspect him. But he knew that Travis knew them well enough that if he did decide to turn on them, heād also know exactly how to exploit their weaknesses and take them down.
There was another hunter now, turning towards the two of them. Phoenix braced himself. But things seemed to go into slow motion as Phoenix saw Alex was already running towards him. He yelled out without even thinking, already prepared to deal with the hunter or pull Alex back to safety, whatever was easier. This was a scenario that was too chillingly familiar, just in reverse, the memories crashing into one another, and he didnāt think theyād be lucky enough to escape a third time. And then Alexās hand made contact with the hunter and Phoenix froze, not quite able to believe what he was seeing.
The hunter wasā¦ rotting, decomposing, weeks and months of decay happening in seconds. He fell to dust in front of them. And Alex had done it. The gunshots seemed to be happening somewhere else, in a dream. But Phoenix still turned to look at Travis. Travis mustnāt have seen it because he couldnāt quite believe that he would beā¦ that calm if he had. The calmness alarmed Phoenix slightly, still uncertain about Travisā alliances.
āYeah, thanks. Uhā¦ you too.ā Alex had turned grey beside him, and Phoenix quickly turned back to Travis. āI think weāve got it from here.ā It wasnāt as much a reassurance as an order. They didnāt need his help and they didnāt want it. Even if Phoenix wasnāt totally sure about how true it was. He turned back to Alex just in time for him to throw up. And even after that, he turned to make sure Phoenix was okay. āYeah, Iāmā¦ Iām fine.ā Honestly, Phoenix didnāt even know how he was staying so calm, and the only answer he could find was that things just hadnāt fully set in yet. He was still processing what he'd just seen, and it felt like his brain was just refusing to acknowledge what it had actually been. Alex had never been able to do anything like that. He had to stop himself from just asking what the hell had just happened, but another look at Alex told him that it could wait.
āAre youā¦ā he trailed off. Of course Alex wasnāt okay, Phoenix hadnāt seen him that colour since they were a teenager and the nightmares had been especially bad. āThat feels like a stupid question. Are you okay to walk home orā¦ do you need help orā¦ā
And here was the panic, beginning to set in, except it wasnāt even panicked enough, it was just oh my god we nearly died again. But he could deal with that much, they just needed to get home safe. He only needed to be functional for that long. And then all the questions that were beginning to buzz at the back of his mind could be answered.
And then suddenly, hunters seemed to be coming at them from every angle. Heād seen this tactic before. His heart felt like it was in his throat, the scar on his shoulder burning uncomfortably, as the familiarity of the situation hung over them like a ghost. Phoenix dug deep, knowing how outnumbered they were. And then a distraction came in the form of a vaguely familiar voice, and Phoenix took his chance. As one stormed forward to deal with the newcomer, Phoenix summoned a vine to wrap around his leg and yank him to the ground with enough force to knock him out. That was enough, that was all they needed, he just needed to be out long enough for them to run. He turned to look at the newcomer, confirming what heād suspected. It was Travis. He appeared to be on their side, for now at least, and Phoenix didnāt have time to doubt or suspect him. But he knew that Travis knew them well enough that if he did decide to turn on them, heād also know exactly how to exploit their weaknesses and take them down.
There was another hunter now, turning towards the two of them. Phoenix braced himself. But things seemed to go into slow motion as Phoenix saw Alex was already running towards him. He yelled out without even thinking, already prepared to deal with the hunter or pull Alex back to safety, whatever was easier. This was a scenario that was too chillingly familiar, just in reverse, the memories crashing into one another, and he didnāt think theyād be lucky enough to escape a third time. And then Alexās hand made contact with the hunter and Phoenix froze, not quite able to believe what he was seeing.
The hunter wasā¦ rotting, decomposing, weeks and months of decay happening in seconds. He fell to dust in front of them. And Alex had done it. The gunshots seemed to be happening somewhere else, in a dream. But Phoenix still turned to look at Travis. Travis mustnāt have seen it because he couldnāt quite believe that he would beā¦ that calm if he had. The calmness alarmed Phoenix slightly, still uncertain about Travisā alliances.
āYeah, thanks. Uhā¦ you too.ā Alex had turned grey beside him, and Phoenix quickly turned back to Travis. āI think weāve got it from here.ā It wasnāt as much a reassurance as an order. They didnāt need his help and they didnāt want it. Even if Phoenix wasnāt totally sure about how true it was. He turned back to Alex just in time for him to throw up. And even after that, he turned to make sure Phoenix was okay. āYeah, Iāmā¦ Iām fine.ā Honestly, Phoenix didnāt even know how he was staying so calm, and the only answer he could find was that things just hadnāt fully set in yet. He was still processing what he'd just seen, and it felt like his brain was just refusing to acknowledge what it had actually been. Alex had never been able to do anything like that. He had to stop himself from just asking what the hell had just happened, but another look at Alex told him that it could wait.
āAre youā¦ā he trailed off. Of course Alex wasnāt okay, Phoenix hadnāt seen him that colour since they were a teenager and the nightmares had been especially bad. āThat feels like a stupid question. Are you okay to walk home orā¦ do you need help orā¦ā
And here was the panic, beginning to set in, except it wasnāt even panicked enough, it was just oh my god we nearly died again. But he could deal with that much, they just needed to get home safe. He only needed to be functional for that long. And then all the questions that were beginning to buzz at the back of his mind could be answered.
Hayden didnāt ask any questions as he healed Nedenās wound. He didnāt need to. He hadnāt encountered many hunters before, but he did still know about the patterns their silver weapons left behind. Neden ordered them to go back into town once he was done, and he nodded, taking Kayās hand again as they left. Holding her hand felt like the most normal thing now, and he knew he didnāt want to let go.
But by the time they got back into town, the town was filled with screaming and the sound of a fight. The hunters were here. His grip tightened on Kayās hand as he tried to think, tried to figure out what exactly they were going to do. Heād been taught how to fight, but he also had never been much of a strategist in terms of fighting, and he also needed to protect Kay. He'd never even encountered hunters in person, not in an overwhelming attack like this. On the rare occasion some had showed up to his home, they'd been hugely outnumbered, and things had ended somewhat peacefully, or at least... quickly.
One solution did occur to him, one that would make sure they could get back to her house safe, butā¦ he still hadnāt told her the full extent of what he could do, and he was enjoying the normality of their relationship. He was well aware it was vaguely ridiculous given what was happening, but he didnāt want being a druid to ruin that if he could avoid it. And so he'd find a way around it if he could at all.
āKay, you need to listen to me. We need to get back to your house as quickly as possible, okay? But if I tell you to run and Iām not following, you run no matter what. I can handle myself, especially after Neden gave me this, but youāre unarmed, and I donāt want you putting yourself in danger, okay?ā He smiled at her and squeezed her hand to reassure her. "Don't worry about me. I've got this. I just want to keep you safe, that's all. We're not stopping to fight, we're just going to run, okay?"
But by the time they got back into town, the town was filled with screaming and the sound of a fight. The hunters were here. His grip tightened on Kayās hand as he tried to think, tried to figure out what exactly they were going to do. Heād been taught how to fight, but he also had never been much of a strategist in terms of fighting, and he also needed to protect Kay. He'd never even encountered hunters in person, not in an overwhelming attack like this. On the rare occasion some had showed up to his home, they'd been hugely outnumbered, and things had ended somewhat peacefully, or at least... quickly.
One solution did occur to him, one that would make sure they could get back to her house safe, butā¦ he still hadnāt told her the full extent of what he could do, and he was enjoying the normality of their relationship. He was well aware it was vaguely ridiculous given what was happening, but he didnāt want being a druid to ruin that if he could avoid it. And so he'd find a way around it if he could at all.
āKay, you need to listen to me. We need to get back to your house as quickly as possible, okay? But if I tell you to run and Iām not following, you run no matter what. I can handle myself, especially after Neden gave me this, but youāre unarmed, and I donāt want you putting yourself in danger, okay?ā He smiled at her and squeezed her hand to reassure her. "Don't worry about me. I've got this. I just want to keep you safe, that's all. We're not stopping to fight, we're just going to run, okay?"