Post by Mitchell Carr on Jul 25, 2021 1:35:56 GMT -8
Just open the door.
His hand hovered, attention trailing to the adjacent vehicle parked just over the line. He even got as far as pulling the handle and cracking it, knuckles needling like ferrofluid in protest.
Fingers snapped, retreating the invasive thought and crystals as he let go to let the door close. "I think we're going to just have to do a call today, Marina," he said apologetically to the bluetooth.
"Oh…" Mitchell backed out, another driver gleefully taking the spot with the wave of a thanks. He circled again, for the seventh time.
"I'm sorry. I know it's been-"
"Are you sure? I'm just in the lobby…"
"You've been there for an hour. I'm sorry it's the stupid car," he said, sounding genuine with his guilt at least. "If you're not comfortable, I-"
"No, no. It's fine," the nixie said, voice wavering. "I can't explain the nightmare to my psychiatrist?"
"You're worth the time, Marina, you don't need to justify talking to me," he assured, aggressively taking an open spot and internally screaming as he botched the angle. Trying to back out to fix it forced him over the line, in which he slammed on the break, coughing to clear his throat.
"I drowned? I know that."
"Yeah."
He tried to do it without looking at the backup camera, breathing slowly as the Elemental described her suicidal ideation... which she would argue is just tied to her Kith and nature. His hand hovered to the door, trying not to check the angle and painted line that might as well have been a wall of fire.
"Marina," the water isn't trying to tell you something, "I know it's hard to lose pieces of yourself that you know you had. Have you talked to your motleymate about-"
"Letting me do it?"
"No. Looking for an Icon." You aren't going to spontaneously remember how to breathe underwater. "You'll probably get what you're looking for…"
"Please believe me," her voice trembled, sniffing with despair and need. Why did he do this over the phone? "I know it's weird but please, please don't be like everyone else. You're different. Please don't-"
Blink.
He blinked with the rain hitting his face, wiping it in startled confusion as he took in the familiar surroundings of the shower. His hand darted immediately for his phone, swearing shakily under his breath as he checked the time. His messages weren't flashing up with several missed appointments, rather, the most recent was Fischer thanking him for getting Marina to start talking to him again about a potential resolution and proper psychiatric intervention. Blinking again, he rolled his neck as he controlled his breathing and thumbed through the tightly packed schedule. Nothing missed.
Who the hell was Marley, and why was she blowing up his Snapchat?
He started typing a message, and opted to block her instead.
Blink
"Mitch?"
Eurydice laughed as he pulled back, coughing as panic seized his throat. The Draconic's warm humour evaporated with the moment, deep concern dancing in her eyes as her voice dropped. "What?"
He shook his head, covering his mouth as his voice stuck. He never had it happen this fast. She was already misreading the situation. "Talk to me, are you okay? Did I say something?"
"No, it's not you, I- have I been acting weird?"
"You mean like right now?" Her voice sparked as anger protected her vulnerability. Taking a step back made it worse. Her voice dropped. "Don't fuck around with me. Tell me what's wrong."
"I'm not, it's a serious question," he pleaded, measuring tone and posture as he leaned into the familiar. "Everything's been all over the place." His laugh was sharp, frustrated as her eyes darted to assess his practiced body language.
"We're doing this again?" Her jaw knotted as she looked away, eyes misting. "No, it's not all over the place. You're still performing the best out of everyone." The Draconic rounded on him, closing the distance as her teeth flashed, glaring up at him. "Jesus Christ, I don't know anyone who just fucks off with rumours about Oathbreaking and no one bats an eye. What am I supposed to criticize? You want the excu-"
Blink.
The knife clattered into the sink as he coughed. He hadn't done anything, just tracing the diamond vein along his hand it would seem. Mitchell gasped, on the edge of confused hysteria as he wiped the heel of his palm against the explosion of tears.
Just call a doctor.
He blinked, trying to clear his vision as he sought his phone. No missed appointments or calls. The messages were various shades of friendly invitations or thanking him for his time. He hiccuped a laugh at the last one, letting himself slide between the counter and the wall as he set the screen facedown.
Really?
No one had noticed?
His hand hovered, attention trailing to the adjacent vehicle parked just over the line. He even got as far as pulling the handle and cracking it, knuckles needling like ferrofluid in protest.
Fingers snapped, retreating the invasive thought and crystals as he let go to let the door close. "I think we're going to just have to do a call today, Marina," he said apologetically to the bluetooth.
"Oh…" Mitchell backed out, another driver gleefully taking the spot with the wave of a thanks. He circled again, for the seventh time.
"I'm sorry. I know it's been-"
"Are you sure? I'm just in the lobby…"
"You've been there for an hour. I'm sorry it's the stupid car," he said, sounding genuine with his guilt at least. "If you're not comfortable, I-"
"No, no. It's fine," the nixie said, voice wavering. "I can't explain the nightmare to my psychiatrist?"
"You're worth the time, Marina, you don't need to justify talking to me," he assured, aggressively taking an open spot and internally screaming as he botched the angle. Trying to back out to fix it forced him over the line, in which he slammed on the break, coughing to clear his throat.
"I drowned? I know that."
"Yeah."
He tried to do it without looking at the backup camera, breathing slowly as the Elemental described her suicidal ideation... which she would argue is just tied to her Kith and nature. His hand hovered to the door, trying not to check the angle and painted line that might as well have been a wall of fire.
"Marina," the water isn't trying to tell you something, "I know it's hard to lose pieces of yourself that you know you had. Have you talked to your motleymate about-"
"Letting me do it?"
"No. Looking for an Icon." You aren't going to spontaneously remember how to breathe underwater. "You'll probably get what you're looking for…"
"Please believe me," her voice trembled, sniffing with despair and need. Why did he do this over the phone? "I know it's weird but please, please don't be like everyone else. You're different. Please don't-"
Blink.
He blinked with the rain hitting his face, wiping it in startled confusion as he took in the familiar surroundings of the shower. His hand darted immediately for his phone, swearing shakily under his breath as he checked the time. His messages weren't flashing up with several missed appointments, rather, the most recent was Fischer thanking him for getting Marina to start talking to him again about a potential resolution and proper psychiatric intervention. Blinking again, he rolled his neck as he controlled his breathing and thumbed through the tightly packed schedule. Nothing missed.
Who the hell was Marley, and why was she blowing up his Snapchat?
He started typing a message, and opted to block her instead.
Blink
"Mitch?"
Eurydice laughed as he pulled back, coughing as panic seized his throat. The Draconic's warm humour evaporated with the moment, deep concern dancing in her eyes as her voice dropped. "What?"
He shook his head, covering his mouth as his voice stuck. He never had it happen this fast. She was already misreading the situation. "Talk to me, are you okay? Did I say something?"
"No, it's not you, I- have I been acting weird?"
"You mean like right now?" Her voice sparked as anger protected her vulnerability. Taking a step back made it worse. Her voice dropped. "Don't fuck around with me. Tell me what's wrong."
"I'm not, it's a serious question," he pleaded, measuring tone and posture as he leaned into the familiar. "Everything's been all over the place." His laugh was sharp, frustrated as her eyes darted to assess his practiced body language.
"We're doing this again?" Her jaw knotted as she looked away, eyes misting. "No, it's not all over the place. You're still performing the best out of everyone." The Draconic rounded on him, closing the distance as her teeth flashed, glaring up at him. "Jesus Christ, I don't know anyone who just fucks off with rumours about Oathbreaking and no one bats an eye. What am I supposed to criticize? You want the excu-"
Blink.
The knife clattered into the sink as he coughed. He hadn't done anything, just tracing the diamond vein along his hand it would seem. Mitchell gasped, on the edge of confused hysteria as he wiped the heel of his palm against the explosion of tears.
Just call a doctor.
He blinked, trying to clear his vision as he sought his phone. No missed appointments or calls. The messages were various shades of friendly invitations or thanking him for his time. He hiccuped a laugh at the last one, letting himself slide between the counter and the wall as he set the screen facedown.
Really?
No one had noticed?