The Catalyst: Maybe and Yes

[Roderic]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--

This RP takes place on Monday 6th April 2015.

Skylar:
I don’t know how we got here, so don’t ******* ask me. Self-loathing mixed with depression and possible alcohol poisoning. Yeah let’s go with that, cos man I feel like ****. Having Dillon banging away at me really doesn’t help matters either. I cover my eyes with my forearm and try not to think of the person I’d rather be *******. Dillon’s too wasted to care that I’m not interested in him and I’m too wasted to argue that point. So **** it. I’m single. It’s not like I haven’t been here before.

Ric:
I don't even know what night it is or what time it is either. I haven't showered in god knows when (not that god has anything to do with this), and that means my clothes are the same ones I've been wearing for that many days too. But after, what I think is what people would call an epiphany, or something close to it, I knew what I needed to do. Where I needed to go. Dillon's place. I don't know how I feel about the idea of being married, or why we have to even be married to be together, but I've come to realize I'm different when Skylar's in my life. And while I don't like or understand some of the things she does or says, she means well. And she almost always means well for me. And I guess part of me misses that. Misses her. The things we did. The things she did. So, I knock on his door, but get no answer, so I do what shadows are good at and find my way inside, because supposedly she's not doing much of anything here. So I know she's here. I don't know if he's here, but if he is and he gets in my way, I'll take care of him. "Sky?" I say, announcing my presence as I walk in to, well, it looks like, but it couldn't be. "What the **** you doing, man?" I say to Dillon as I move over by them and grab his shoulder. I don't care that he's *** naked as I grab him in a 'what the ****' sort of fashion.

Skylar:
I’m clearly hearing things when I hear Ric say my name cos there’s no way in hell he knows where I live. Or at least no way I can recall at this moment in time. I’d pick through my memories to know for sure but it’s kinda fuzzy right now. Then I hear Dillon responding to a question that couldn’t come from Ric because again, he’s not here.
“What the ****? What are you...? How’d you…?”
Dillon pulls away from me. I feel him move off the bed. Off me. **** knows what he’s doing. Don’t really care either. I roll over onto my side, my eyes still closed.

Ric:
"What do you mean what the ****, man? What the **** you doing?" I ask him, not answering the second part of whatever he was going to say or ask. Should I do something? Or say something more? I guess it really isn't my business since Skylar and I are broken up and it's not like she hasn't fucked him before. Even if it was a while ago. "Your need to stick your dick in my girlfriend is noted. Ex-girlfriend. Whatever. But you're doing it wrong. She likes a side of foreplay before it gets too hot and heavy." As Dillon inches away from the bed, I lift my foot to kick him in the ***. Much like I did with that stupid dog. They're basically on the same level to me. "**** off, man." I warn him.

Skylar:
Okay. Either I’m clearly ******* kidding myself and going crazy, or Ric is here. I lift the forearm still covering my eyes and peek out from underneath it. It’s hard to focus but somehow I manage. And **** me if he isn’t standing next to the bed, asking Dillon what he’s up to.
“Like you care if he gets it wrong.”
I pull myself up onto my elbows. I should be embarrassed or alarmed or something but my head’s still processing the fact that he’s here.
“I think you meant to say wife by the way. Unless you forged my name on the annulment papers.”
I look around the room and Dillon’s gone. No ******* clue where he’s scampered off to but it’s probably a good thing.

Ric:
Dillon doesn’t think twice about leaving. Good for him. I thought about stabbing him, but I probably would have teleported him butt *** naked to some populated place in the city and enjoyed knowing that he made an *** of himself. "Last I checked, wives don't normally **** other men. Unless they have arrangements and we don't." I tell her as I move around the room to look for something to give her clothing wise. I don't find anything other than a towel, which was probably used by Dillon at some point this week, which meant it was dirty, but it was whatever. "Get up and hit the shower." I tell her as I move aside from the door.

Skylar:
“**** off Ric! You lost the right to tell me what to do when I left. You do remember me leaving right? Besides. I’m betting we aren’t even married now anyways. I’m not cheating on you. You don’t ******* want me. So just tell me what you want and get out.”
Shower. Yeah right. I’m just about able to support my weight on my elbows. I lay back down and pull the covers over me. I feel kinda icky being all exposed like this. Guess the shame’s kicking in.

Ric:
I let her have her moments and then decide to hell with it. I grab her, toss her over my shoulder and carry her out of the room. Dillon is on his way back because she's screaming, and I say one word. "Shower," along with a stare that says, 'I dare you, man.' He points down the hall and we head there. I turn the water on, leaving it on cold and then say, "We're still married," before putting her in the cold shower. It ruins my coat because my back is getting wet, but I can buy another.

Skylar:
I kick a bit but I know I’m not gonna get away from Ric. I’m stronger than he is, at least I think I am but I really don’t have the strength right now. Binge drinking and not feeding; not really good for the body.
The cold water hits me and I shiver.
“I ******* hate you.”
I tell him that but it’s not true. I splutter as water fills my mouth and my hands grope around behind me while I try to find the thermostat so I don’t freeze my tits off.
“Guess I’m an adulterer then. ******* great. Go me.”

Ric:
I shrug. "That's fine." It doesn't bother me that she says that. I don't believe her anyways. Skylar always reacts with her emotions. She might hate what I'm doing, but she'll get over it. "You smell almost as bad as I do. Except, you smell worse. Hate Dillon. He made you stink." My hair is getting wet now and even the upper half of my jeans because of the angle I'm holding her at. "When we're done here, we're going to talk. Or I'll stab Dillon." I would too.

Skylar:
“What?”
I can’t really believe what I’m hearing and I’m probably focused on the wrong thing but I can’t help what my mouth says next.
“So I have to shower so I don’t stink and you can talk to me but you get to smell and I’m expected to talk to you? How the **** is that fair?”
Finally though my brain does latch onto something important.
“And talk? Talk about what?”
I half wanna tell him to stab Dillon and piss off. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s hurt my best friend. If that’s what Dillon even is. I guess so. But then I don’t think friends are supposed to get people blind drunk so they can screw them.

Ric:
"About why my wife is ******* her best friend." I say without any tone in it. "We could start with that and progress to other things. And something your parents probably never told you, but something I learned at a young age; Life ain't fair, princess." I say with a little bit of bitterness to my voice. "But I think since you're screwing your friend, the least you can do is hear me out." I let go of her then, she seems to be coming around.

Skylar:
I’m not really ready for him to let me go and my knees buckle under my own weight so I make a grab for his t-shirt. My hair’s in my eyes and the water’s still as cold as ****.
“It’s pretty ******* obvious why I was screwing Dillon… don’t you think?”
I practically slap myself in the face in an attempt to free myself from a wall of wet hair and then look up at him.
“Not that it’s any business of yours. And what the **** Ric. Why does the water need to be so cold?”
I’m whining at him now, but it’s necessary. I couldn’t find the damn thermostat. Hell I just had trouble finding my own face. And what the hell does he want with me now? Where’s he been all this time? Not here that’s for ******* sure.

Ric:
The water isn’t going to kill us, even if it is cold. So I let her keep me in it. "Not really." I admit honestly to her. "You can't live without sex for what? A week?" I flick the water off and grab a towel before tossing it to her and then getting one for my hair. "Let's go." I don't give her much time to make herself decent before we're off again and this time I take her to the living room and toss her on the couch, none too gently. "So you do want an annulment then." I say, attempting to gauge her based off any and all emotional retorts that come from her as I pat my hair dry.

Skylar:
Unbelievably, I’m able to stand when he pulls away, though I’ve barely gotten the towel around me before I find myself on the couch. Blackie bolts for the bedroom. Lucky dog. I’d follow if I thought I stood a chance at keeping Ric out. Though then again. Maybe I’m lying to myself.
“I feel like **** Ric and this is what you want to talk about?”
I stare at him, my hair dripping down my back and soaking the sofa in the process.
“I don’t get you. Why are you here? What does it matter if I want an annulment or not? You decided that for the both of us remember? And it’s ******* obvious what I was doing. I’m drinking myself into oblivion and hoping that I might actually feel something for five minutes. You got a problem with that?”
He has my attention but my focus still isn’t right I need coffee. I’d yell to Dillon but if he’s still around it’s probably best he doesn’t show his face. Maybe I’ll get some… in a minute or sixty.

Ric:
"I don't care how you feel." I say. I do, but I don't. "What about how I feel?" I make a face after I say that. "What I think." I correct myself. "And yeah, I have a problem with it. All of it. All of this." I look around the apartment and then at her. "This place is disgusting." I say. "Go get some clothes on. We're leaving." I won't take no for an answer either. If I have to, I'll teleport her half way across the city to the front door.

Skylar:
“Who made you the boss of me?”
I ask the question but I’m already trying to get myself to my feet. In the end I opt for scrambling onto my knees before pushing myself up onto my feet. I pull the towel I'm wearing off, throw it over my head and begin rubbing at my hair, which of course throws me off balance and I end up walking into the wall.
“I’m okay.”
The words are muffled but I’m pretty sure he hears it.
“I’ll be back in an hour… once I’ve found my dignity.”
I don’t mean to say that last bit out loud but yep, that’s me. I make my way down the hall to Dillon’s room and find the closet with my stuff in. Getting into my jeans was gonna be a challenge.

Ric:
"Someone needs to be the boss of you. Other than Dillon." I say as she goes down the hall and walks in to a wall. I shake my head. I should have fed before I got here. I think it's going to be a struggle the whole night. "I'm giving you fifteen minutes." I tell her as she talks about an hour. I look down at my watch and start keeping time.

Skylar:
The towel’s on the floor now, my hair’s still wet but rubbing it was making me dizzy. I stand in front of the cupboard and just stare into it for a moment. I grab out a pair of sweats – and yes I own a pair – a t-shirt and pair of knickers. First I try to pull the t-shirt over my head. That doesn’t go as easily as it should, mainly cos I was trying to put my head through an arm hole. I groan at my own stupidity and sort myself out. I get the thing on, kinda, but it’s back to front. Then I try to get into my undies. I hop around the room a bit as I do that and almost fall on my *** several times, but I have more success with them than I did with the t-shirt. Finally it’s the sweats. I stare at them. They’ve gotta be easier to get into than my jeans cos they aren’t as tight. I step into one leg and think things are going well only I forget to actually pull my foot through and so when I try and put the other leg in, I quickly lose my balance. There’s no hope of me righting myself this time and I end up crashing to the floor. Once there, all I can do is laugh. Because it’s laugh or cry really. Laughing seems the safer choice.

Ric:
She's making a lot of noise in there. I give it a minute, or two and then shake my head. I go in the room, without even knocking and stare at her. "You have eight minutes." I tell her as I cross my arms and stare down at her. I stare for about thirty seconds and then go over by her and help her stand up. "Dillon should get a ******* knife to the skull for letting you get like this." I tell her my opinion of her current state.

Skylar:
“He’s not the boss of me either.”
I poke my tongue out at Ric and wonder why I’m being playful. He made me leave him. Okay. Maybe he didn’t, but he did. I hold onto him for a moment and pull my legs through the sweats before I attempt to literally cover my ***. It’s not until I’m dressed that I realise what’s actually happening here. What has happened, even. One, Ric is here. Two, he wants to talk. Three, he saw me having sex with Dillon. Four, we’re still married.
“I’m gonna get the dog.”
I mumble this as I sink to my knees and start crawling under the bed on my elbows as if I’m under the netting of an assault course. Of course Blackie’s under there, but that’s not the real reason I’m here. I could whistle if I wanted the dog and I have no idea where we’re even going so I’m not planning on taking him anyways. Once I’m half way under, I lay down on my forearm and close my eyes. I don’t much feel like laughing anymore. I feel like crying. Stupidly, I tell myself I can hide under the bed and it might all go away.

Ric:
"I don't care about the stupid dog." I don't. I got it as a gift, which I’m sure was intended to be nice and thoughtful, but I never thought of myself as an animal person. The living kind of animal person. Even though I tell her that, she's on the ground. What is she doing? "Are you going to pass out?" I don't wait for an answer as I grab her and lift her up. I struggle, more than I normally do. I sigh and plop her on the bed, with me. The bed she was screwing Dillon on. This won't work because I'm suddenly thinking of his dead skin cells on the bed and I don't want to sit on it. I roll away from her to stand, which must have looked ridiculous, a drunk person lying on a person that was tired and exhausted. That person trying to get free. "Ugh." I say when I finally get untangled from her. "You're right, he's not the boss of you. No one is, technically. But if someone was, it would be me because we're still married." I state the obvious. I'm not above using that card with her, if I have to get her moving her ***. "So, get up and move your ***. Or I'll teleport you. Choice is yours. But either way we're getting out of here. One method is preferred over the other, but." I shrug.

Skylar:
Apparently I’m not allowed to hide under the bed, as Ric all too quickly drags me back out. He keeps reminding me we’re married and I’m not sure why. It kinda stings though when he says it, so I end up covering my face with my hands. I start wondering if there’s a superpower that would actually cause the ground to rise up and swallow you whole, cos if there is, I want it; though I need it now and nothing’s happening so I guess I’m **** out of luck.
“You didn’t want to be the boss of me.”
Not strictly true but I’m sure he’ll get the meaning.
I slip off the bed onto the floor and crawl towards the cabinet. I was going to need socks and I hadn’t gotten any of those out yet.
“So let me get this straight? My choice is walk or be teleported. I think we’re going for door number 2 since I can barely find my own arse with both hands right now. You sure pick your moments to want to talk dontcha? Why didn’t you just pull me across the city like you usually ******* do? Save us all the embarrassment of this.”
I wave my hand at the room, clearly referring to the fact that he’d walked in on me with another guy.

Ric:
"I'm not embarrassed." I tell her with a shrug as I watch her crawling. I probably could have summoned her, but I didn't think she would be like this. I was definitely stabbing Dillon for this later. "Fine." I agree and before she crawls to whoever knows where to get god knows what, I move over by her, put a hand on her and send her to our front door. I'm not long behind her and somehow just barely manage to land on her and knock us both on our ***. "You're a pain in the *** when you're like this." I tell her before I open the door and give her a gentle push inwards.

Skylar:
I probably should have waited to suggest door 2 till I had shoes on, but at least I have socks in my hands. He lands on me and I groan, I’m struggling to find my feet when he shoves me inside.
“What we doing here? This isn’t neutral ground. I told you I couldn’t see you Ric and I sure as **** don’t want to be signing annulment papers in the place I used to call home. It’s ******* cruel.”
I push myself up onto shaky feet, my free hand going to my head.
“I need coffee. And what do you mean I’m a pain in the arse. Pot, kettle, black, Ricky.”
I look around the flat and then opt for seating myself on the sofa before gravity gets the better of me.

Ric:
"I mean what I say. You're a pain in the *** like this." I tell her before going in the kitchen and opening the cabinets to look for coffee. I know I have some and since Ali refused to take Skylar's non-perishable items back to her, here it still was. I pop a mug in the microwave, warm it up and get a spoon out. I didn't like coffee, so I have to read the instructions on how to make it. I put three scoops in, a little bigger than suggested to help sober her up and return. "I don't have annulment papers. I wouldn't even know how to go about getting them." I could research it, but I didn't. I hand her the mug, then go sit in the chair across from the sofa and stare at her.

Skylar:
I lean over my lap, my elbows on my knees, my head in my hands as he sets about doing something in the kitchen. At first I assume he’s getting me water because I’d told him to throw all my stuff out but then I hear the microwave kick in. I look up and catch him reading the instruction on the coffee can; my focusing ability is still a little on the blink but I’m pretty sure that’s what he’s holding.
It’s not long before he’s shoving a cup of hot unsweetened, black coffee in my hands. I’m not all that surprised he doesn’t know how I take my coffee but beggars can’t be choosers so I just thank him and take a sip.
“My god Ric, you put half the coffee can in here or something?”
I shiver at just how strong it is, as my mind works on the fact he hasn’t even gotten the papers drawn up yet. Guess that’s why I’m here then. The **** if I know how to do it, guess I’ll be ringing dad for the number of our solicitor or something.
“So… What am I here for then?”
I stare back at him over my cup and take a second mouthful, gulping this one down before my brain can tell me to stop, as it’s so ******* strong it makes me want to gag.

Ric:
"Be happy I still had coffee and that I even attempted." I say as rub at the back of my neck, eyes on the coffee mug now. "You're here because this is your apartment. Since we're married and all still. And to keep you from making more, what was it, embarrassing mistakes. Or something like that." I tell her.

Skylar:
“Look Ric. I may be drunk but I’m not ******* stupid. Well maybe I am, but you didn’t know I was making a ******* fool out of myself I’m sure. Unless you had your ghost thing watching me. Did you?”
I look at him wondering what all of this is about.
“I already told you I can’t be here. Remember. Even if you move out. I’m not living here. I can’t. I won’t. I refuse to. So yeah, **** you. And thanks again for the coffee.”
I take another gulp of it, forcing myself to swallow. Man it tastes like **** but I guess I need to sober up a bit. I can't be dealing with this ****. Wait. Maybe I need more whiskey. I look to the kitchen. There’s no chance in hell he’s gonna bring me that.

Ric:
"Shut up." I tell her, my tone filled with frustration and impatience. "I am not moving out and you are moving back in. It's really that simple." I tell her before continuing. "So what I didn't tell you that I love you? Really? I've progressed, maybe not at the speed you like or desire, but I and our relationship has progressed. But that isn't good enough is it, princess? Just like that coffee. Can't appreciate the fact you have something. You want it all, when you want it all. It's selfish." I tell her flatly. "Do you expect all your boyfriends to tell you they love you within the first five months or less of dating? If so, you're standards are unreasonable."

Skylar:
I almost spit the next mouthful of coffee back out into the cup as he starts talking.
“Wait? What? You think any of my other exes lasted that long? Do you know me? **** me Ric, I’m not the settling type. Unless you happen to be an antisocial ******* arsehole, then apparently I want to live with you, and work with you and ******* marry you. You scare the **** out of me. And yeah. You know what. If you marry someone, you should be in love with them. And if you love ‘em, you should be able to ******* say it. It’s nothing like coffee. Which does suck by the way, but I’m drinking it cos you made it. And cos you probably want me right in the head. But yeah, go ahead and call me selfish.”

Ric:
"People should want to say it, not have to be forced to say it." I tell her. "Excuse me for being put on the ******* spot, Skylar with trying to wrap my head around a few things. Like why I woke up here instead of in the cave. How we got married, why I felt like **** and then have you demanding me to tell you that I love you. How many relationships do you think I've been in? How many people do you think I say that to? Give it a guess." I move off the chair to sit on the arm of it. "Yeah, you were being selfish and not giving a flying **** about me at all. Just that you wanted to know that I love you, but couldn't care less about the other stuff. You're not the only one that doesn't understand things or gets scared."

Skylar:
His mum. That’s my guess but I don’t say it. No need to drag him mum into this. The more he talks the more I feel guilty. Great. Like I didn’t feel bad enough already. I groan.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. And if it makes you feel better I knew I was making a mistake before I even ******* left but I couldn’t stay, can’t stay. I explained all that to you. My reasons haven’t changed. And if you remember, I didn’t try and force you to say anything. Wait? You still waking up here? Or are you back in the cave? Was it a one off? What did happen?”
Yeah, I’ve taken a tangent but I’m kinda curious to know. Plus this whole conversation was getting a little too serious and I’m neither drunk, nor sober enough to even begin to open that can of worms.

Ric:
"********. If I said it, you would have stayed, so you were forcing me to say it. Even indirectly." I tell her. "I still wake up here since that first time it happened. Or wherever I fall asleep at." I admit with a shrug. "And you can stay here. It's actually quite easy. You just don't walk out the door or tome away. Then you're still here."

Skylar:
Tome away. ****. I knew I forgot something. Though to be fair I forgot shoes and bra too. Which reminds me I still have to put my socks on.
“Yeah fine whatever. Had you of said it, I might have stayed. But we’ll never know now will we. I don’t get it Ric. What do you want from me? You want me to apologise for leaving? Even though that made sense to me because I didn’t want to stay with a guy that doesn’t love me.”
I gulp down another mouthful of coffee. Thankfully I’ve almost finished it. I might actually be able to make the next cup myself.
“Are you happy you don’t wake up in the cave anymore or do you miss it? I know how you don’t like change. That’s probably the only reason you have me here too.”

Ric:
"No." I tell her. "Even though you knew you were wrong to leave." I remind her. "The cave hasn't meant much to me in the last couple of months as it once did. It was starting to become a burden, really." I admit honestly. "I do not miss it. I don't like change, but I adapt if I have to. It is the way of life." I state with a sigh as I stand up and move away from the chair and from her. "Did you know you could tell the age of a lion by how dark his mane is?" I say as if that's important to this conversation. I shake my head and stop to look at her. "Your assistance is required." I tell her as I wave my hand to the direction of the workshop area.

Skylar:
“Are you ******* kidding me? You brought me here to help you with a project?”
I don’t rush to follow. I down the last of the coffee and place the cup on the floor and then I slip my socks on. I’m procrastinating really. I don’t want to be here – well I do – but I don’t want to be here for this.
“Look, all right. I’m sorry.”
I push myself off the sofa and make my way through to the workroom.
“I didn’t want to leave. I just had to. I know you don’t understand it but I really can’t be the one to walk you through this. As you saw back at the flat. I have issues of my own to work through.”

Ric:
"I don't care if you're sorry. That's not why you're here." I tell her. This is harder than I thought. "Just be quiet. Okay?" I stop her from going too far in the workroom by grabbing her arm. "I know why you left. I don't understand why you had to leave, but I attribute it to your feelings, which are on a higher frequency than mine. I don't want to hear you're sorry, I want to hear you're going to stay." I frown as one hand rubs at my neck again. "I used to like the quiet. Or my own noise, but after the second or third night, it started to bother me. How quiet it was. It sounded wrong." I stare at her. "So I went to Ali's and watched television. Some show about lions and prides and the things they do as a cohesive unit." I shrug, because I don't think any of it matters. It just happened to be on the television. "Then it was killing things. The pride. A gazelle and I realized I hadn't fed in nights. Because I feed on you, predominantly." I admit with another shrug. "I didn't do anything but wait for you to come back. And then just waited some more, but you didn't come back. I had all this stuff here and you weren't here to eat it or take it back so I had to throw it away-sorry about that. Something was smelling weird from the fridge and then you didn't do that thing you do every day with your allurist powers." I'm talking more than I normally do and I don't think I'm really saying much of anything that makes any sense. "I missed that stuff. Not at first, but when you didn't come back and it was quiet and your stuff smelled bad." I sit her down on a stool. "I missed you working next to me, so I got you this thing so you could stay here. Because we're married and married people stay together and live together." I move away from her and pull a dirty piece of painter canvas off a forge I got before I came over to Dillon's place. "You should stay. You can stay now. We can get your things and act like none of it happened."

Skylar:
Yeah right. Doesn’t care if I’m sorry. That’s why he keeps acting like he’s butt hurt I left in the first place. He probably was, but not for the reason any normal guy would be. I get held back for a moment as he starts rambling. Ric is rambling at me. I start wondering if I wasn’t far off with the alcohol poisoning theory. I think I must be in a coma or something.
I stand there in silence and try pinching myself. I don’t wake up. I blink and when he’s done showing me his gift, which I never expected from him, I turn and look at him like he’s crazy. There’s only one thing for it. I pinch him. Nope he’s real too. I must be in a parallel universe.
“I… Erm… I’m not understanding this Ric. You not wanting me here wasn’t our issue. You not loving me and not wanting to be married to me was our issue. Is our issue.”

Ric:
She pinches me and I just stare at her. "What was that for?" I rub at the spot before groaning. "I said we aren't getting an annulment. Which means we're still married. You aren't listening to me." I accuse her before moving away from the forge. "If we aren't getting an annulment, then we are obviously staying married. People just don't stay married but aren't married." Well, maybe they do, I don't know that to be a fact or anything.

[Skylar]

--The following transcript was a live chat roleplay--
Skylar:
“No you said you hadn’t gotten an annulment, not that we aren’t getting one.”
I seem to be having trouble taking all of this in. If I wasn’t sitting down, I’d probably have fallen on my arse.
“I’m sorry Ric but this still isn’t sinking in. Are you now saying you want to be married to me? You want us to live here as a married couple. Am I getting this right? You do remember walking in on me and Dillon… well… you know?”
I’m not proud of it. I hate that I let myself sink that low, but I just had to feel something. Or at least I hoped I’d feel something. Didn’t really work out that way.

Ric:
"I am saying I want you here. Living here like you were before you left. If that means we have to be married, then." I shrug my shoulders. "But I think you'll realize being married is a mistake on your own. I don't know how people do the married thing. What is required." I tell her honestly. "Outside of the things we already do or have been doing." I narrow my eyes as I think about her and Dillon going at it. "I saw." Is all I say about that.

Skylar:
“Urgh.”
I facepalm. I need a drink. Or more coffee. I need something. A lobotomy maybe, because this situation is insane.
“Do you even care Ric? You walked in on me ******* some other guy and then you bring me here and tell me… what… that we’re staying married even though you don’t actually want or think we should be married? Did I get this right? You still can’t say you love me. You still don’t want to be married me. So… nothing’s changed.”

Ric:
"I care." I leave it at that. Dillon, I would deal with later. Alone. "It's why I removed you from the situation." I tell her before I groan. "What the **** do you want from me Skylar? You want a ******* sonnet or a poem or chocolates or something? I'm not that guy." I remind her. "I stated why I wanted you here and why we should remain married, but you want something more. Something else. What, I don't know. I don't know these things. I don’t know what an appropriate response is to these things.”

Skylar:
I really want to slap him. Trouble is, he might actually slap me back and I kinda don’t relish the idea of getting the **** knocked out of me.
“I want to know what you want. Besides for me to be here. Granted. I kinda like that you want that. And I really ******* want that too. But the reasons I left haven’t changed. You don’t love me and you don’t want to be married to me. Correct me if I’m wrong there Ricky.”
I’m not sure what to do about the whole Dillon thing. I must have had a screw loose to listen to him in the first place. God I hate myself. I never thought I’d cheat on Ric. Though to be fair I didn’t know he'd want me back, or at all really, not till now.

Ric:
"I didn't say that." I tell her. "I told you what I want. I want you here because I miss you being here." I was getting annoyed. Why wasn’t she listening to me? Skylar thinks me saying this stuff must be easy. That I say this kind of stuff all the time or something. "Give me a ******* break, Skylar."

Skylar:
“I know we’re going round in circles Ricky but one of us is a little worse for wear here. So just yes or no. Okay. I want two one word answers. Do you love me? Do you want to be married to me? Two answers. Two single word answers. Yes or no.”
I’m pushing things I know I am. I know I should just shut up and be thankful he still wants me after walking in on me like he did but I can’t help it. This was my opportunity to fix my mistake and for some reason I wasn’t ******* taking it. I must be thicker than he thinks I am.

Ric:
"Do you know what I want? For you to listen. I already ******* told you that I want to be married to you. How many times do I have to tell you the same thing, over and over again?" I stand there, looking at her. "The only choice is to what? Are you going to get an annulment? Or you just plan on staying married to me, but ******* your best friend? If that's what you want, just get the ******* annulment yourself, because I’m telling you I want you here and if you only want to be here because we're married, then I am agreeing to your request. So, yes, I want to be married to you if that's what keeps you here." I swear as my left foot kicks the floor in annoyance.

Skylar:
“Do you know how that sounds? You want to be married to me for the wrong reasons. I want the answers to my questions Ricky. I’m not asking you to tell me what I want to hear. I’m asking what you want. How you feel. Do you love me? Yes, no, maybe. Do you want to be married to me? Yes, no, maybe.”
I’m so ******* tired of all this back and forth I’m willing to take a maybe even. I hadn’t given him that option a moment ago but he probably needs it. I’m not sure he’s capable of saying yes to loving me though even if he does.

Ric:
"Because getting married half in the bag is getting married for the right reasons." I say as I start to bash my head against the wall I'm closest to. "Maybe. Okay? Maybe to all of it." I tell her as I step away from the wall and look at her. "No. I mean, yes. I want to be with you and have you here again. Maybe and yes." I finally say.

Skylar:
It kinda hurts me to see him smack his head into the wall; I didn’t want to make him do that.
“Ric stop it. And actually yes. From what I remember we got married for the right reasons. We just probably shouldn’t have done it half-cut. And stolen someone else’s wedding rings. And stuff.”
I find my feet and walk over to him. I grab a hold of his neck – in an affectionate way - with my hands resting on either side of it, my fingers knitting together behind it.
“I’m sorry. All right. I’m sorry for leaving. I’m sorry for making you feel shitty. But more than that, I’m sorry for what I was doing when you came to get me. You know I’d never have done that if I thought I’d be standing here with you like this again. Right?”
I look into his eyes and try to read what he’s thinking or feeling. My superpower’s a bit numbed but then, I’m dealing with Ric, so that’s kinda the norm.

Ric:
She touches me and I flinch a little. She didn't hurt me, but it was unexpected from her. I don't say anything, we just look at each other in silence after she's done talking. I just stare at her and then finally I talk. "You're sorry, but you're still going to leave." I say. It's a question, really, and a realization. "I don't care what you were doing with Dillon. No, I do. But that's business between me and him." I lean against her, because I'm so ******* tired and hungry and this argument is driving me up the wall. "You can stay." I grab a hand of hers and bring it down so that I'm holding it. I'm more or less ensuring she won't be able to leave.

Skylar:
I shake my head and quickly realise he needs to sit down as much as I do. I don’t really know when I sobered up but I’m guessing it had as much to do with the situation I’m in as the coffee I drank.
“You know it takes two right? You can’t be pissed at Dillon and not at me. I mean I let him. And you’re wrong by the way. It wasn’t so much that he was doing wrong, as it was that I have no interest in him in that way. I just figured. **** it. I thought you didn’t want me and I thought I was single. You know I’d of gone mental if the roles were reversed?”
I haven’t answered if I’m staying or not. I probably should have lead with that.
“And I’m honestly not sure if I’m leaving or not. I shouldn’t have left but I did and now you’re trying and stuff and you said we can stay married. I’m not sure how you marry someone you don’t love but yeah. You’re right, I can’t force you to say and I think maybe you do kinda love me in your own way. Though if you wanna stay married you probably do need to say it one day.”

Ric:
I frown when she says it takes two. That she was aware of what she was doing with him. "You suggested it?" I ask her, as I start to feel something. Here, I thought Dillon was being Dillon and had suggested it when Skylar was drunk and half out of sorts. "We're not single." I tell her. "I thought you were coming back." I expected it because she always did come back. I realize I don't care who suggested it, I mean, we did get married half in the bag. Skylar's pretty influential on **** and Dillon's just a piece of ****. I take what little amount of strength I have and shove her against the wall. "Never again. I'll kill you both." I narrow my gaze on her for a minute before I'm burying my face in her hair. "I'm sorry, please stay." I'm practically begging her at this point.

Skylar:
Ric has some kind of breakdown and shoves me to the wall. I’m not sure what’s going on and am left confused when he buries his face in my hair. I pull my hand from his and wrap my arms around him.
“I told you I wasn’t coming back babe. To me we were over.”
I begin stroking his hair and end up doing that thing the sometimes sends him mental and start rubbing his neck with my thumb, my fingers tangled in his hair.
“It wasn’t my idea. It’s never my idea. Apart from that one time when it was but that was an emergency. He knew I’d bitten him and I needed to keep him at home and distracted until Elliot arrived to help me explain my way out of it.”
I’m babbling. It’s not really relevant and I may have even told him this story before.
“But that was before I met you. I just didn’t say no when he suggested it. I should have done and I’m sorry. I thought we were over. It won’t ever happen again. Not so long as we’re together. ‘Kay? Will you forgive me?”

Ric:
I honestly only hear half of what she's telling me, I'm so fixated on her not leaving. On Skylar staying here with me. I'm still lost in her hair, which is still damp, but I don't care as she keeps doing that thing she's done at least a dozen times before. My shoulders slump a little more, my weight going on her more. It's all unintentional, but I've missed this. It does a few things to me, but right now it lets me believe she's going to stay. It lets me know that she still loves me, or at least my body. No, I'm not vain by any means, but Skylar digs my physique and that's just the start of a few things she digs about me. "Don't talk about it anymore." I say against the side of her temple, as I'm re-familiarizing myself with all things Skylar. It's only been a couple nights, but it seemed a lot longer than that since she was around.

Skylar:
It’s not exactly forgiveness but for once I’m not going to push it. I just hold him and close my eyes. Until that is I decide to be me and that I’m going to poke the bear about something else and see what happens.
“So you going to wear a ring then?”
I have no idea what he did with the ones we actually used to get married. I half suspect they’re still wherever he tossed them but he’s a bit of a neat freak, so there’s a good chance he picked them up.

Ric:
My hands drop from her hair and run over the side of her body as she just holds me. I don't move as I do this. I want to be where she is, and if that's here, then that's where I'll remain. My head is still in her hair and I hear the question. I nod my head, then lick my cracked lips and answer "Yeah." My hands rest under her butt and I try to pick her up, but I'm honestly ******* exhausted from lack of eating, lack of moving and spending what little of what people would consider a second wind just getting Skylar here. So when I try and pick her up, I fail and we go sliding to the floor. It hurt as my shoulder kissed the hard wood floor, but I laugh anyways. It'll be forgotten about tomorrow. "If you want to be married?" I add in as I look at her from the side.

Skylar:
I almost don’t believe it when he agrees to wear a ring but I don’t have much time to react to that because things get a bit strange and it’s then that I realise just how bad a shape Ric’s in. I should have noticed earlier in the shower but I was too busy trying to actually stand myself and stuff. We end up on the floor, and not gently either, but he’s laughing which makes me laugh.
“Hell yeah I want to be married. To you that is.”
I snuggle up against him but even as I do that I know we shouldn’t stay here.
“Ricky? Did you throw out the blood I had in the fridge?”
I can’t blame him if he did, it was just going to make this next bit trickier.

Ric:
I nod at her question, as I move to stare up at the ceiling. Was it always this color? I never really noticed because I never woke up here. Or woke up here so few of times here, that is. "Yeah. I didn't need it. Obviously." I admit. "Sorry." I look back at her and just stare at her. "You're so ******* beautiful." I tell her before I close my eyes. I'm pretty content on lying here until I get a third wind.

Skylar:
It’s a stupid gesture but I find myself placing my hand on Ric’s head as I try and see if he has a fever.
“S’ok. I told you to chuck it. I was lucky you still had the coffee I guess.”
I smile at him and then give him two very quick kisses. Ric’s never complimented like that before and its making me feel a little nervous.
“Ricky? Babe. When did you last eat?”
I’m looking into his eyes as I ask. I’ve had to pull away a little and I’ve propped myself up on my elbow but it works. For now.

Ric:
"I don't know. Day before last, last, last. Maybe four or five days ago." I admit. "I was waiting." I confess to her. "I kept the non-perishables because the perishables went off. Were going off. They smelled weird." I roll over so I'm looking at her more. "Wait. You're staying, right?"

Skylar:
“I’m staying. But that means you have to decide if we’re wearing the rings you stole or if I’ve gotta make us a set. And… I think I need your phone.”
I start searching his pockets for it. I don’t really want Dillon anywhere near us but it’s the lesser of two evils. Shame I have to tell him where we live, but I guess if I’m staying put now, he’s gonna need the address sooner or later. Besides, I don’t have to let him in.
“I’m gonna have someone bring me some blood. No complaining. ‘Kay?”
I ring Dillon and after a short argument over the fact that I’m not only staying but remaining married to Ric, he agrees to tome to the Den, pick me up some blood and then portal jump to Corvidae. It’s not like any of this was gonna take him very long.
“Right. I’ve got blood coming. You need to feed.”
I straddle his hips, sweep my hair to one side and lean down over him.
“Take what you need Ricky. I can drink my weight in blood when it arrives if needs be.”

Ric:
"Someone is coming here? In our space?" Then I realize it might be Aliyah. I was okay with that. Until I hear the very distinct male voice and his opinion on things that don't really pertain to him. I really need to give that guy a stab. She's on top of me and I reach out for her hair and touch it. Stroke it and play with it. It's not what she wants, but I'm drawn to her hair anyways. "I need a lot. Too much." I tell her as my fingers stroke the side of her neck.

Skylar:
“I won’t let him in Ricky.”
It seems stupid when I say it aloud like that but I don’t think either of us wants Dillon in our apartment on today of all days.
I lean into his hand, my eyes closed. Ric’s being unusually tender and I’m not sure if I like it or not. Part of me is more comfortable with his gruff ways, as it’s kind of what I’m used to. This is more… intimate and… scary. But I guess I shouldn’t be frightened of my husband. Right? Damn. I have a husband. It would be all too easy to lose my mind over that thought so I focus on what needs to be done.
“Don’t be a pussy Ric. That’s not the guy I married. Drain me dry if you have to, you can always pour blood down my throat when Di… when it gets here.”

Ric:
I catch the name slip up and I wrap my hand around her neck and glare up at her. "He's not coming in here." I repeat after her. I would find a way to make sure that didn't happen, even if it took every fibre of my being to make sure he didn't take one single ******* step in here. "Not a pussy." I disagree abruptly, my thoughts focused on Dillon coming near Skylar. If he managed to get in here, wouldn't it be something to see the woman he just screwed getting off on me biting on her? No, I'm not jealous he was screwing her, it's just the fact it’d piss him off. So I pull her down to me, using the hand around her neck to accomplish this task before I rip into her neck.

Skylar:
There’s my boy. I can’t help but smile as he grabs my neck. I don’t want him in here either. That’s one thing at least we can agree on. Though I barely have a moment to relish in that before his fangs find their home in my neck. I gasp at the brutality of the act, as even for Ric this is something but that doesn’t stop the gigging that soon follows.
God how I missed this.
I collapse on top of him, or maybe I melt into him. I dunno. I just know how I feel and how oddly euphoric it is to have someone feed of you like this. It’s kinda a shame I don’t have fangs like this myself so I can give this feeling to others. Though then they’d know my secret which means I’d pretty much be left feeding off Dillon and he doesn’t need any other reason to want me around.
I don’t know how long he’s feeding from me for or how much blood he takes but when there’s a knock at the door I can’t help but groan. I know one of us has to answer the damn thing and I know I’m gonna need what Dillon’s brought with him, but I’ll be damned if I’m pulling away from Ric before he’s done.

Ric:
I've not had my fangs in her long enough before I start to get snippets of her life. Most of it's things I've never seen before, which tells me it’s recent. She's crying on the dog. I really don't like that dog. It moves to the first night she left me. She's standing outside the door and I can feel her regret, I almost yank my fangs out, but the memories shift to the seconds before I found her with Dillon. Disappointment doesn't even begin to cover what she feels and what I feel now. I ignore the knock because I get a glimpse of Aliyah and Elliot when Skylar confesses we got married. It makes me laugh, mostly because I can't wait to hear what Elliot really thinks when this all cools down. I pull back, her blood on my lips and down my neck before I laugh into her neck, forgetting about Dillon at the door for the time being.

Skylar:
He starts laughing which is just odd. I mean I giggle the entire time he feeds on me but that doesn’t usually make him laugh.
“I don’t get it. Why’d you stop? What’s so funny?”
My brain’s still not fully up to power so I forget he can see into my mind when he does this. There’s another bang at the door and I groan again.
“One of us has to get that.”
I pull away from him, and slowly get to my feet. I’m pretty sure the drink isn’t taking a hold on him, I can barely feel it in me anymore. I stand over him for a moment.
“Stay there pretty boy, I’ll be right back.”
I wink at him and go to answer the door, but not before I nudge Ric in the side with the toes on my right foot.

Ric:
I let her go, a lazy hand resting on my chest as I still see Elliot in my head. I can't wait to see the look she gets when she tells him we're sticking with it. I hear Dillon talking to Skylar. Just his voice, not really what he's saying, but it's enough for me to get to my feet and start heading to the door. I give Dillon a nod with my head when I see him and just stare at him. He should get the point if he's not half an idiot.

Skylar:
There’s no prize for guessing who’s behind the door when I open it and man does he look like thunder. Probably doesn’t help that I have blood on my neck; my own to boot. He reaches out to touch me to see if it’s bleeding and I slap his hand away. He wants me to leave, of course, but I won’t. That line of conversation quickly ends when Ric rocks up behind me, also covered in my blood. I turn to look at Ric and smile.
“I think you have a little something on your face.”
I laugh cos that could very well be part of a pickup line and if Dillon ever fucks of he might just learn how that’s supposed to work. I have to practically wrestle the bag from Dillon’s hand, but I manage. I’m a little light headed though and so quickly set the bag down next to me. I tell Dillon I’ll be by tomorrow for my stuff and the dog too of course. He hates that I’m staying and I can see it in his eyes, but he bites his tongue, takes one final look at me, glares at Ric and storms off.
“So… Where were we?”
I walk over to Ric and wrap my arms around him before I more or less demand two kisses from him. The taste of my blood lingers on his lips – it’s rancid – but he’s worth it.

Ric:
I flip Dillon the bird before he leaves and wait until she's next to me before I take my eyes off the door. A hand goes to my lips to wipe some of her blood away, but I don't manage to get it all off. Not that I care either. Dillon could **** himself sideways. She kisses me, twice and asks what we were up to. "I was laughing about Elliot, and you were going to drink some blood." I remind her as I grab a bag and hold it up to her face.

Skylar:
“Elliot? Really?”
I take the bag from him and just bite into it. I usually warm my blood up and drink it from a cup but I have a feeling I’m gonna have to down a fair few of these and I can’t be bothered with the back and forth and the waiting and stuff.
“You have your fangs in me and you’re thinking about my sire?”
I mumble the sentence as I’m drinking. Ric already seems a little more. I dunno. I kinda like his bossiness. I missed that. Which must make me crazy I’m sure.

Ric:
"Your memory, not mine." I shrug my shoulders as I watch her. When she's drank two packs I close the space between us and shove her against the wall. "He's not allowed back here unless it's an emergency." I don't know Dillon, but I know I don't trust him near my space. Our space. "This is our space." I tell her as I grab a pack of blood from her, bring it to my lips and rip it open for her. I offer it to her, but before she can actually take it, I more or less spill it all over her. I look her over and then shake my head. I imagined it different in my head. Maybe because it wasn't her blood she was covered in. I know I'm a sick ****, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that mind-set. I like the taste of her blood and I obviously like Skylar a lot, maybe more than like, so it's not really all that sick in my mind. "Take off your clothes." I don't want anyone else's blood on her. It smells weird.

Skylar:
I snatch up another packet and drain that too because damn if I ain’t hungry.
My memory? That’s when it hits me. That other little superpower of his. I’m about to backhand him in the chest when he shoves me to the wall. I watch him, curiosity shining in my eyes as he rips open the next bag; I know he doesn’t drink this stuff so I don’t figure out what he’s doing until it’s too late.
“What the **** Ric? One shower wasn’t enough for you, you gotta make me take a second?”
I look down at myself and while I probably should be grossed out of repulsed or something I can’t help but start laughing. I probably look like Carrie at the prom only with less blood in my hair.
“If the idea was to lick it off me, I think you used the wrong... stuff. But I guess I could dump a bag over you and give it a go if that’s your thing?”
I laugh and pull at my t-shirt with two fingers cos it’s almost sticking to me.
“I’m not cleaning this **** up.”
I tell him this as I look at the mess on the floor.
“Tell you what… Since I don’t fancy pulling this over my head now. You tell me what we’re doing about rings and I’ll let you cut this off me with a dagger or something.”

Ric:
"I can clean it up." I assure her, because, well I can. You can't really get off blood from something, unless you destroy the object, but at least it won't be visible to human eyes. Or vampire eyes either. "I don't know why I did that." I admit as my hands go under her shirt as she keeps talking. If she won't take it off, I will. "Rings?" Women. One track mind. "You can make them." I really don't care about the rings. I don't even think we need rings because I've already stated my commitment to her and this relationship before we even got married. "We could get ring tattoos." I suggest, not sure if I'm serious or not, but if it'll get her mind off the rings for the time being, I suggest whatever. If Skylar needs rings to feel secure in our relationship, then so be it.

Skylar:
“Wow I give you a problem you can solve with a blade and you choose to use your hands. ‘Kay. ‘Kay. Whatever. Have at it. Or me, rather.”
I laugh before addressing the tattoo idea.
“I could do the tatt thing, mine stick. Yours? **** only knows. You fancy having it redone over and over when it fades?”
I know his stance on tattoos so I’m pretty sure I’m making a set. Still, kinda sweet of him to offer I guess. I mean a ring you can take off, a tattoo… not so much. Well, not so easily. You can’t slip it off for a night or anything.

Ric:
"No." I agree with her on the tattoo front. "Make a set then." I say, only to kiss her. She's talking more than I like again, when I'm not even picky about it. We could keep the rings, they weren't all that bad looking I thought. Then again, I've only seen a handful of rings in my life time. I don't look at the things when I see them in stores if I have to go in a store. I pull her off the wall, only to put her against another one, this time she's pinned against it and I'm up against her back. "Whatever you want to do, I'm okay with. Can we talk about something else, or, maybe nothing at all?" I'm yanking the shirt off over her head. She can shower again.

Skylar:
I briefly tangle my blood stained hands in his hair as he kisses me. I don’t get to hold him for long though before he has me pinned against the wall in a different fashion. So now the floor and the wall are stained with human blood. He’s telling me he doesn’t want to talk and I’m fine with that. We’ve talked enough. For now. He’s obviously feeling better. So am I. And I barely even complain as he yanks the t-shirt over my head, staining my face and hair. I’d contemplate how good that shower’s gonna feel but right now all I care about is how good it feels to have his hands on me.
I reach behind my head and sweep my hair back from one shoulder before pulling round onto the other. I’m more or less inviting him to feed from me again if that’s what he wants to do. I’m honestly not sure what he’s planning at this point but whatever it is, I’m sure as hell not complaining.
“You want me to stop talking, you’re gonna have to make it happen.”
I don’t really do quiet; not when he fed on me and not when we had sex. Honestly, I’m somewhat noisy no matter what I’m doing. Of course I try to be quiet, when I’m here, for him. He needs it sometimes and I don’t mind giving it to him. Now though. Now I don’t want to be quiet.

Ric:
I'm not an idiot. I know an invitation when I see one and she's inviting me to feed off her. I will, when I want to. She tells me I'm going to have to make her quiet and I shrug. I have no problem doing that, if that's what she wants. I shrug, start twisting the shirt together and then gag her with it by tying it around her mouth. That was an easy solution. I yank her from the wall, both roughly and abruptly then scoop her up to take her in the bedroom. Before we get there though, as carefully as I can as to not break the thing, I nudge a blood bag in the room with us. Skylar's earlier suggestion should be tested, if I decide to ungag her that is. I'm still undecided but will come to a decision before the night is up. We don't make it to the bed, which is whatever. I'm use to sleeping on the ground what with doing it for the better part of a year or so, so I can work on any kind of space. At some point I do ungag her and the blood bag’s gone, and there's another mess on another floor that will have to be cleaned up, tomorrow.