Melissa

BHHS: Limitless

_{Timestamp: 7:30pm
Location: The Sterling Residence
Theo Van Cise & Tatum Sterling
@BrutalBx & @Melissa}

Twenty four hours.

Twenty four hours could be an eternity.

Lost in the infinite. Drifting in the cosmos. Specks of stardust floating around the Milky Way.

Or some shit like that.

All Theo knew was that the last twenty four hours had been nothing short of hell.

He had spent much of the previous late evening trying to spread the story that he and Alvaro had concocted about him being drugged. He was proud to say that for the majority of the peons and pencil necks, it worked. It really didn’t take much for the Franchise Player to manipulate the unclean and uneducated masses of Beverly Hills High. Most were vapid and senseless with no real grip or perception on the reality of the world.

But he knew. Theo always knew.

After convincing his mother and sister of “Benji’s” sinister prank, the red haired boy attempted to tell his father, which of course sank like a certain unsinkable ship lost in the Atlantic. Uncle Matt was easy enough to get on side too. Lexy and Tally? He barely had to ask. Lex was always on his side, Tallulah needed a little more incentive. Threatening that Sinead girl worked wonders in the long run. It got Tally on his side very fast. His Bea was hesitant but that was ok, he didn’t need her to spread the story; instead her minion Jamie would be Theo’s port of call and they were meeting at the dance. But first? He had another appointment.

The myth in his own mind had opted to stick to the classics for the Hollywood themed Homecoming dance and dressed in a vintage black and white tuxedo looking every inch the heir apparent to James Bond. He softly ascended the stairs of the Sterling household, a pristine white box wrapped nearly in a lavender bow sitting in his strong arms. Getting in was easy, Tatum’s parents just let him walk straight in when he said he was taking her to the dance. The Van Cise name still rang out. Making his way to the door, he lifted his large fist and knocked twice before ignoring the chance of an invitation and entering anyway.

“Hi there, gorgeous.”

Tatum had gathered all of the key elements for a perfect night in.

She was wearing her comfiest sweatpants and her baggiest tee that were fresh out of the laundry, still warm to the touch and scented of her dryer sheets. The water bottle that sat on her nightstand was filled to the brim with freezing cold water and she’d also cracked open a can of Diet Coke that had been chilling in the refrigerator overnight. A bowl of buttery popcorn was directly next to her on her bed, a pouch of classic M&Ms mixed in (the perfect combination of salty and sweet) and in her lap was her sketchbook, which she was currently drawing on. While she worked, her favorite show played on the TV in the background. She didn’t need to watch it to know what was going on, she’d seen each episode at least five times.

The brunette had her ideal evening routine down pat, because the truth was, she didn’t really enjoy going out on the weekends. Sure, she’d make the occasional appearance at a party if her friends begged her to come, but it was few and far between that she ventured out of her own volition. She’d rather stay home by herself than socialize any day of the week, which was why when almost all of her classmates were busy getting ready for one of the biggest nights of the fall semester, she was alone in her room. And she was perfectly fine with that.

So naturally, not expecting any visitors, she jumped at the knock on her door, eyes going wide as Theo Van Cise strolled into her room unannounced and uninvited.

“Theo?” Tatum slammed her sketchbook shut and scrambled to her feet, “What are you doing here?” She questioned in disbelief, taking in his polished appearance and instantly feeling self conscious in her slouchiest attire. “Shouldn’t you be at the dance?”

“Why would I go to the dance without you?”

Theo drank in the girl's surroundings with his dark gaze, it was very much as he had pictured it to be. Very demure, very mindful and cutesy; you could tell a lot about a person by the state of their bedroom and Tatum’s was almost exactly as he had imagined it. Walls adorned with artwork and sketches, delicate and hand crafted decorations engulfed in the multicoloured wrapping of her walls, each surface adorned with some artistic endeavour. To say it clashed with Theo’s own, almost empty and barren room would be an understatement to say the least.

“But seriously.” He took a further step into the artist's inner sanctum. “After yesterday, I didn’t think I would go. I felt like the whole school was gonna turn on me for something that wasn’t my fault; they would bully and harass me because someone spiked my drink and made me look the fool…” He cued a small quiver in his vocals; something he learned from a drama brat he dated freshman year. Theo always took something from those in his life, something that was theirs, something that he could add to himself to make his mask of humanity just that touch more realistic. “After the summer I had, with the break up, my head was just all messed up and I felt alone and scared but then you text me and you made those weeks bearable.” He inched closer to his prey. “Last night, after I got pulled from the field and I was coming down, all I wanted to do was find you. You bring me peace and I thought, maybe, if you came to the dance with me tonight, I could actually get through it.”

The Franchise stopped a foot or so away from the pretty brunette and pulled loose the bow that held the pristine box in his arms together. He lifted its lid to reveal a sparkling sequin black dress, worth more than probably half of his class's cars. “I heard you talking to someone about this dress you saw in a store window, so I went in and bought it. I heard you say you wouldn’t pull it off but I think this dress was made for you, Tate. Made for you to wear today, so that you could come with me and be the star of the show.”

As Theo stepped closer, Tatum could feel her heartbeat quickly accelerate, the previous flutter having evolved into a rushed and reckless rhythm. She was having a hard time comprehending his words over the pounding in her ears, hell, she was still in shock that he was here in her room in the first place. But even in her state of surprise something he said still managed to set off alarm bells in her head, snapping her out of her daze.

“Wait, someone spiked your drink?” She blurted, not sure she heard him correctly. It was the type of thing she only thought happened at parties, she would have never considered it could happen on a school campus, let alone to someone as popular as Theo. His behavior the night prior had been unhinged, she’d seen it with her own two eyes from the stands, so unlike the boy she knew. That was the reason he acted the way he had? “Are you serious? Who would do something like that?”

But before the boy could provide any clarity on the situation, all of her focus was diverted to the dress that rested neatly in the box. The gorgeous dress she had been admiring for weeks in the window of a boutique that she thought she’d never have the opportunity to wear, let alone be able to don without looking ridiculous. The gown screamed ‘look at me’ when every other instinct in her mind and body said ‘look away’, she could never do it justice. And yet, for some reason, he seemed to think that she could. Her eyebrows raised instantly, and she shook her head vigorously.

“No, Theo, I couldn’t,” Tatum tried to explain, hoping he could still return the dress and get a refund, after all she knew how expensive it was. But he stepped closer and her pulse somehow grew even faster. “Seriously, that was way too generous of you, but you’ve got the wrong girl, I’m not star of the show material.”

“How do you know?” Theo tilted his head with a half grin, a flick of his fiery red hair dropping ever so slightly across his left eye. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve been a wallflower and no one, not even me, should ever expect you to change.” The football star rested the box on the bed where the girl had once sat, his eyes never leaving her. “But to think that you’re not the right material for this? I’m sorry but that’s just not right.” He reached out with his large hands and as gingerly as he could, rested each on one of her arms. Tatum would not welcome the dominant force that Theo used on other girls. The tactic with her was a simple one, soft hands, close quarters, be undeniable.

He lowered his head ever so slightly to match her height and to reach her level, another one of his human techniques. “We’re in our senior year, Tate. We are who we are but now is the chance to throw all caution to the wind and just try shit, take a chance. It’s time to take your chance, Tatum.” After gently caressing the brunette's arm with his thumbs, a subtle way of alluding to something similar to care, Theo reached down to the open box and pulled out the dress.

It fell in its full glory downwards, stopping a short way off the ground, the Franchise platter gently pressed it against Tate’s body. “At least try it on. For me?”

The amount of eye contact that Theo was giving was enough to make Tatum blush, but his touch managed to set her fully ablaze. Her cheeks instantly flushed as deft fingertips danced along her skin, tender and gentle, such a stark contrast from the feverish rage she witnessed during the game. It didn’t make sense at the time that he had shown such anger, but with the further clarity that he hadn’t been himself, things were adding up. The boy standing in front of her was the kind boy she had come to know, the one she felt comfortable around. But still, her breath caught in her throat at his suggestion to try on the dress. It felt oddly intimate to do so, although she knew his intentions were well meaning and innocent. But he had bought it for her, after all. It’d be rude if she didn’t at least give it a chance… right? Taking his words to heart and taking that chance, she grasped the fabric in her hands and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll try it on.” The brunette agreed, although a bit hesitantly. She took the dress from him and folded it over her arm. “I’ll be right back,” She inclined her head towards her ensuite bathroom before walking over and shutting the door behind her. It wasn’t until she was alone that she exhaled the large breath she had been holding.

Theo offered to her the sweetest smile that his cherub like face could muster as she disappeared into the bathroom. Once the door was securely closed, the curl of his lips dropped back to the grimace he saw in the mirror every morning and he began to scour the room with his eyes. Now was the perfect opportunity to see what Tatum was really about. For weeks merging into months, he had been playing this game with her and tonight was a night where he would take the upper hand or win all together.

As his fingers danced on counter tops, tracing over artbook after artbook filled with all the imagery and creativity that the Sterling girl could muster from her mind, Theo examined every page with a feverous thirst for knowledge. “Don’t play if you’re not playing to win.” That was his fathers mantra, it was written on the walls of the family gym and it had been tattooed across Theo’s heart the day he learned to hold a ball. He approached every aspect of his being with it on the forefront of his mind. Football. Baseball. Debate club. The fights he organised and his relationships. The Franchise always came out on top.

On Tatum’s book shelf sat a collection of Young Adult novels, perfect fodder for made for Amazon movies that pre-teens, lonely middle age women and gays would eat for breakfast. A quick search on his phone later, and Theodore knew every story of every book, every stereotypical trope and vaguely spicy sex scene that probably educated Tate’s thoughts at night; thoughts he knew that he was the main character in thanks to the journal that he quickly skimmed through on her bed.

Theo had studied her playbook and now it was time to go for the W.

The red haired boy moved to her window and looked out from Tatum’s bedroom at the empire of broken pieces of glass that was Beverly Hills. He couldn’t wait to get out; to go where he was destined to be. First college, then law school and after a few years at some big firm, the campaign would start and a big White House in Washington would be the place that he would call home and then they’d all see. He was going to win; he was number fucking one.

Oblivious to what had occurred whilst she changed, Tatum opened the bathroom door just a sliver in order to pop her head out. Her hair was still clipped up off of her back and out of her face just as it had been prior, but the rosiness on her cheeks had dissipated slightly, having had a quiet moment alone to collect herself. She found Theo’s gaze and gave him a sheepish smile.

“You have to promise not to laugh,” The brunette prefaced, looking down out of his view at herself one last time, “I look ridiculous, but I said I’d try it on so…”

Opening the bathroom door fully, the wallflower reemerged in a dress that was anything but.

The fabric hugged her body in all the right places, revealing every subtle curve and asset, the black sequins glinting and shimmering in the light. The fit was practically perfect, how the boy had chosen the right size was beyond her, but it flattered her figure to a tee. The neckline was fortunately not too revealing, which she appreciated, but it definitely sat lower than anything she’d normally find herself wearing. Stepping towards her full length mirror, she looked at herself in the reflection before letting her eyes find Theo once more.

“See, I told you, I can’t pull it off. I really appreciate you trying but-”

“Are you mental?” Theo, even with all his charm and game playing, wasn’t fully prepared for the view that he would get when Tatum left the bathroom. She looked beautiful, then again, the dress was made for her. He made sure that the seamstress got every detail right. If the brunette was going to be on his arm, be his First Lady for the evening, then she had to look the part, and goddamned she looked the fucking part. “You’re stunning Tate.”

He slowly stepped up behind her as she looked into the mirror. Placing one hand on her arm, the athlete lifted his other to the back of her head and seamlessly pulled out the bun in her hair, allowing her silky tresses to dance across her shoulders. “Now that right there? That’s the star of the show. The main character. I think tonight, there’s a story waiting to be told around you, Tatum.” Words were weapons for most, daggers to attack or defend against the onslaught of the world. Theo learned better; words were power; they were control; they were soft, soothing and had the ability to wrap around a person's mind, body and soul and make them bend to a whim. Sometimes it wasn’t even the words that did the work, it was how they were said.

“I think…” He softly pulled her hair back, strands of brown slipping through his fingertips as he neatly tidied any loose ends. He lowered his voice to a lyrical almost whisper. “I think you really need to come tonight. Unselfishly, I think you’ll just miss out on a fun night if you don’t. Though selfishly, it’s because I want you there, with me.”

The main character.

Never in her life had Tatum Sterling been the pinnacle of any moment. She preferred to stand on the sidelines, desperately wanted to fade in the background and be swallowed up by the scenery. Her mother had made a name for herself, had a reputation to boot, and therefore the brunette didn’t want to add her name to the history books in this town.

But why?

Why shouldn’t she take a moment to soak up the limelight? What was it about being the center of attention that repulsed her so?

Tatum’s eyes didn’t leave Theo’s. She watched him in the reflection of the mirror, captivated by his every motion, hanging on his every word. Did he really mean what he was saying to her? That he truly wanted her to go to the dance with him? It seemed like it, she could tell in the way he spoke, the way he moved. He was intentional with his actions, he oozed confidence, he was self assured and she’d be lying if she didn’t say she wanted more. Exhaling shakily, Tatum let her lips settle into a shy smile.

“I guess I really can’t say no to that, can I.” She replied, half to him and half reassuring herself that this was the right choice. The girl turned her head to look at him, not realizing how close their faces were until she found herself nearly nose to nose with him. She laughed awkwardly, taking a step backwards to create some distance. “Give me a few minutes to put on some makeup and do something with my hair, if that’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Theo knew in that very moment that he had her; the look of want in her baby blue eyes gave away her secrets. She wanted more, she wanted everything that she had never had, she wanted what was coming to her, she wanted the world and she wanted him. He had become the drug that the artist girl craved, the inspiration. In return, Tatum would be his masterpiece in corruption. To violate something so perfect and pristine; there was a deeper level of satisfaction in that, something near enough to primal.

Brushing a strand of hair from her face, Theo sweetly smiled at this night's prey. “I’ll go wait in the car. Take as long as you want.” He turned on the heel of his Louis Vuitton’s and made his way back towards the girls bedroom door. He stopped for a second and turned to gaze at her once more; admiration. She would see this and feel more, feel like he really saw her, like he really wanted her.

Tatum didn’t stand a chance.

He descended the stairs of the Sterling home, pausing at the bottom when he saw a wallet sitting in the side. Without a second thought he emptied it off any cash contents it had. Someone has to pay him for the service he was doing by making Tatum the most important person in the room. Theo placed it back down onto the counter and left the Sterling home a thief; of both money and of the heart. He climbed into his Stingray to await Tate’s arrival.

As the door to her bedroom softly clicked shut upon Theo’s departure, Tatum exhaled deeply, trying to calm her racing heart. Was it warm in here, or was it just her? Taking a steadying breath, she stood frozen for a moment, simply overwhelmed with the situation at hand and what she had just agreed to. She, Tatum Sterling, wallflower extraordinaire and absolute nobody, was going to the Homecoming dance, actually going to a school function, with a member of the Elite, and football star at that.

Was she dreaming?

Not letting another minute go to waste, the brunette quickly sprung into action, attempting to get ready efficiently but also not wanting to rush herself into messing up or looking stupid. She plugged in a curling iron as she worked on her face, applying her makeup clean and simple, enhancing her dainty features but adding color back into her fair skin so that the sequined black dress didn’t overpower her. The girl still didn’t completely buy that she was able to pull off such a daring fashion statement, at least for herself, but she didn’t have time to mull over it with the clock ticking. Moving onto her hair, even though it was quite long, it was thinner than it looked, meaning it didn’t take long to curl and took heat well. Her locks settled into loose waves and she pinned half of it back out of her eyes.

In a record breaking 20 minutes, with a last spritz of perfume to finish things off, Tatum Sterling was ready to go. She found a pair of simple black heels and grabbed a clutch, stuffing a few necessities inside, before turning off her lights and heading down the stairs towards the front door. A mere few feet from leaving, she thought she was golden, until the voice of her mother ricocheted off the walls.

“Tatum, honey, is that you?”

The brunette fought the urge to stop dead in her tracks, to have to explain to her mother what was going on and why she was finally conforming to normal High School life, and chose to simply yell back as she pulled on the knob of the front door, exiting.

“Yes, but we’re already late! I’ll be home later, love you!” Tate slammed the door behind her, not entertaining another word from the peanut gallery. Relieved, she walked to Theo’s car, opening the door to the front seat and climbing inside. She smiled at him, “I did the best I could in the time I had, but all set.”

As soon as he heard the passenger door open, Theo switched it back on, his so called humanity. He gripped the wheel tightly with his large hands and took a deep , short but sharp breath, like a mystical monster breathing in Tatum’s essence, soaking in her soul. He worshipped her with his gaze and welcomed her with a warm smile plastered on his handsome face. “You. Look. Incredible.” He moved his hand to the ignition and turned the key to shock the classic car to life. Swiftly they were on the way, a relative short drive but a perfect snippet of time for Theo to further his plan

“I want us to have a great night tonight.” The smile on his face fell as his eyes drifted to Tate and back to the road. “So I wanna get this out of the way now, before we get to the dance.” He turned the music down on the stereo and let out a deep sigh.

“Yesterday, at the game. Benji thought it would be funny to juice my drink, I don’t know why. You know he’s going through a hard time right now and I think he just needed someone to lash out at.” The line had been thrown, now it was time to reel her back in. “Obviously I had a bad reaction to it and I did what I did. I’m going to speak to the right people to get the truth out there but…” he gave pause for a moment. “Tonight, some people might try and start something or they might stare at us. You know how people at our school are but I want you to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that my attention, my time, it’s all about you tonight.” In reality, Theo was going to revel in the notoriety, in the vilification of the golden boy, it was intoxicating. “You’re more than just my main character, you’re my peace from the storm.”

Tatum couldn’t help the blush that graced the apples of her cheeks and along the bridge of her nose at Theo’s compliment. She liked the way he made her feel, even if it was definitely out of the norm for her to have such raw undivided attention placed upon her. But in this moment, she reveled in it, answering his genuine gaze with a grateful grin.

“Thank you,” The brunette found the words of appreciation easy, having warmed up to his easy charm. But as he continued to speak, detailing exactly what had happened the evening prior and who was responsible, she gasped. Tatum didn’t know Benji well, but the walls could talk and she had heard stories about his father’s misdoings and always wondered if it ran in the family. Shaking her head, she sighed, “I can’t believe he would do something like that to you,” The girl tried to wrap her head around what had been revealed, “It’s truly awful.”

“It’ll be okay though,” Tate tried her best to convince Theo, and herself, that things would be alright, even though the thought of their classmate’s staring and whispering didn’t entirely sit well with her. But she’d do it if it meant getting to spend the night with him, one evening where she tried to step outside of her comfort zone. She’d do it for him. “Who cares what they think,” She commented, even though the little voice inside her head screamed at her in protest, “We’ll have fun regardless.”

“You’re goddamn right.” Theo grinned from ear to ear. “We’re gonna have an absolute blast, maybe you’ll even get to see my dance moves.” He flicked his thick ginger brows up suggestively several times before the Stingray made the turn into the BHHS Parking lot.

All the right wheels were in motion. Tate was under his thrall, he had his meeting set up with Jamie to spread the story of his drugging and he had very little doubt that Tallulah would have any trouble planting the drugs he needed in Benji’s locker. His orange haired cousin had a knack for getting into places he shouldn’t be in. If she wanted to keep her private life private, then Tally would need to do exactly what Theo said when he said it. Sometimes it was so difficult to have a brain as big as his.

He pulled into his usual space, reserved for only the Elites of society and climbed out. He could always hear the hustle and bustle inside the venue. There would be some fun to be had here sure but the true enjoyment would come later, at the after party, where the kids could well and truly let loose. Gently dragging his fingers across the hood, Theodore moved around the car to the passenger side and opened the door for Tatum, offering his hand as he did.

“My lady.”

Taking his hand, a small smile growing on her glossed lips, the brunette stepped out of the front seat and onto the asphalt of the parking lot. As she saw their classmates milling around the entrance and the pounding music flooding out into the endless night, her heartbeat quickened. She inhaled deeply, before gazing back at Theo, noticing that she hadn’t let go of his hand just yet.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous,” She candidly stated, a soft anxious laugh trilling from her, “But it’s too late to back out now, so let’s do this.”

What he was seeing from her, the look she was giving, the anxious laughter, Tatum was evolving right before Theo’s eyes. His plan was working perfectly. It had begun as a way to alleviate the boredom after dumping his junkie ex; then it was about challenging himself to see if he could do it and now the proof was in the pudding. Theo had swayed the tide and the corruption of Tatum Sterling was in full swing. She took his hand willingly, no longer a lamb to slaughter but as a star ready to fall from the sky.

She was the main character now.

She was his.

“We’re ready for your close up, Miss Sterling.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis Dorm → Augmented Reality Center - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.043: Please Please Please

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: Between Shadows and Light

The walk from the Myotis Dorm to the A.R.C. felt much longer than it normally did.

Maybe it was because Aurora was focusing intently on each of her steps, consciously making an effort not to twist an ankle or fall flat on her face in front of Chad. She was normally graceful and agile, but the last thing she needed was to start a trend of klutziness tonight. After all, she was wearing heels. Or possibly it was because she noticed each and every stare of her classmates as she held onto her date’s arm, the same shock etched in their expressions that her teammates had given when he showed up at her door.

It also could be that she was the one stalling, reducing their pace simply because she wanted to prolong the inevitable reaction from Lorcán once he found out who she was at the dance with. It seemed that all her thoughts were coming back to him, even though she knew he was likely only thinking about Amma. She needed to snap out of it, focus her attention on the boy who had actually asked her to the dance.

“By the way, this is for you,” Aurora slowed to a stop, holding up the boutonniere with a sheepish smile. “I won’t stab you with the pin, I swear.” As soon as it came out of her mouth, she mentally kicked herself for saying something so stupid. Chad’s eyebrows raised, something like realization crossing his features. Maybe he was realizing it was a mistake to ask her in the first place.

Lorcán would have laughed at her joke.

“Shoot, I knew I was forgetting something.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “I didn’t get you a corsage, I’m sorry.” Not what she was expecting to hear, Aurora masked her disappointment, her heart sinking a little bit.

“It’s all good, really,” She quickly assured him as she took a step closer, expertly and nimbly attaching the boutonniere to the lapel of his jacket. “Not a big deal. Honestly, the only reason I remembered to get one is because I’ve spent the last few weeks watering the flowers at the Farm.” She downplayed the gesture, not a complete lie, but after she had seen how gorgeous the corsages had turned out, she was silently wishing she’d get to enjoy the fruits of her labor. Guess not.

Lorcán wouldn’t have forgotten to get her one.

“I’ll make it up to you later,” Chad looked down at her with a playful glint in his eyes, letting his hand trail up her arm, “I can promise you that.” His touch on her skin triggered goosebumps, and not the good kind, but nonetheless the redhead nodded. She quickly created distance between them before he could notice, attempting to will them away. But he seemed to clue in to her apprehension, smirking before gingerly taking her hand and placing it back onto his bicep where it had been prior. His eyes drifted down to her arm, the bumps that had suddenly appeared there, and Aurora could have sworn she saw a flash of amusement and satisfaction in his gaze.

Be careful.

“I don’t bite, you know.” He joked cheekily, before dissolving into a coy smile, resting his other hand reassuringly over hers, “I just want us to have a good time tonight, there’s no need to be nervous.” He sweetly explained, attempting to put her a bit more at ease.

“I know,” She breathed, trying to quiet the voice in her head that had tripped the alarm. Amma was just warning her given everything going on with Lorcán, not because Chad had less than well meaning intentions. Right? “Forgive me, I just… haven’t been on a real date before,” The redhead revealed, but as soon as the words left her mouth her eyes widened, “Not that I’m trying to assume this is a date, but you’re my date to the dance and-” Aurora was rambling now, her cheeks turning the lightest shade of pink, and Chad laughed before interrupting her runaway train of thought.

“This is a date, Aurora.” He stated matter of factly and continued guiding her towards the A.R.C., the dance drawing nearer. “And you can bet I’m going to make it one to remember.”

The pair continued on their way and after a few more minutes arrived at their destination. The school had pulled out all the stops for the event, the red carpet and glamorous theming a welcome reprieve from the usual serious air of the building. The music that flowed through the venue, along with the ambient noise and energy from their classmates created a lively and fun environment. Any worries that Aurora was harboring seemed to vanish as she remembered that tonight was supposed to be an opportunity to let loose and enjoy herself.

Chad steered them towards his friends, who had claimed a table on the far side of the room. The redhead didn’t know them well, having only met them in passing or hearing of them, but they seemed friendly enough. While the group began to banter back and forth about their practice earlier that day, she stood there quietly just taking it all in, their chatter fading into static in the background. Her eyes drifted around the room hoping to spot a familiar face from Blackjack or one of her roommates, but no one came into view. Hopefully she’d find them later, she needed to find Lorcán later.

An arm came to rest around her shoulders, and Aurora returned her wandering gaze to find Chad had pulled her closer to him, even though he was still engrossed in conversation. It didn’t feel like an affectionate gesture, in fact, it felt more possessive than anything. She saw the facial expressions his friends exchanged, almost as if they were all clued into something that she was not. Or maybe was she reading into things too much? It could have been in response to something they had said while she was distracted. And maybe Chad was just trying to reassure her while his focus was diverted.

The dark haired boy looked down at her and smiled, her previous negative thoughts melting away.

“I’ll go get us some drinks,” Chad offered, motioning towards the bar that sat above them in the mezzanine, “What do you want?” At the offer, Aurora shook her head, a nervous laugh trilling from her lips. She could still feel the burn of the Tito’s shot that she took in her dorm at the back of her throat, and thus didn’t have much interest in having another right now.

“We had a bit to drink already when we were getting ready, I don’t think I want-”

“Oh come on, one more drink isn’t gonna hurt you. Vodka soda?” He cut her off, a certain look in his eye that the redhead couldn’t read. His friends even seemed to pause around them, listening in. Even though she wasn’t sure if she wanted another, Chad had a point, one more drink wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Besides, maybe it’d help calm her nerves.

“I, uh,” The redhead stuttered, second guessing herself before answering in his favor, “Sure, with a lime, please.”

“You got it. I’ll be back.” Clearly pleased with her sudden change of heart, the dark haired boy winked before disappearing, their classmates seeming to instantly part to let him through. His friends continued their conversation and Aurora sighed, bringing her hand up to her neck to fiddle with her necklace. While they remained engrossed in whatever topic they were discussing, she stepped away from the group, her eyes absentmindedly searching the dance floor once more.

Where was he?

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis Dorm - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.036: Fine Line

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: A Heart's Fine Print

“Leah, stop moving, I’m not nice enough to redo these a third time.”

Aurora laughed to herself as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror, freshly showered and wrapped in a plush bathrobe, finishing up her skincare. With the door open, she could hear Maddy and Leah at the kitchen table, the former attempting to paint the latter’s nails, which was proving to be quite the challenging task. The blonde had difficulty sitting still normally, let alone remaining stationary long enough to avoid getting polish all over her fingers. The redhead was certain that by now Maddy’s patience was wearing thin, but nevertheless, she persisted. Kelcey was avoiding the chaos, sprawled out on the couch, a sheet mask on her face and scrolling through her phone.

Everyone was busy getting ready for this evening’s festivities - the senior dance was one of the main highlights of the Fall semester. Aurora was excited to enjoy a night off from the shitty hand that she had been dealt over the last week and a half, even if she was a little nervous about having an actual date to the function. She’d be lying though if she didn’t admit she was having second thoughts about her decision, but Chad had texted her not too long ago to confirm, so there was no getting out of the commitment now.

Leaving the bathroom, Aurora walked towards Kelcey and perched herself on the arm of the sofa, letting her lips settle into a weak half smirk.

“You know, I think you should go to the dance just like that. It’s a great look.” She stated sarcastically, even if the joke felt a tad forced. She had been keeping to herself for most of the morning, and her poking fun was a sorry attempt at a somewhat normal interaction. The brunette looked up from her phone slowly, raising a quizzical eyebrow at her. They had been roommates since Freshman year and by now the girl could easily tell when things were not completely right. Aurora didn’t have to say anything, Kelcey could read her like a book.

“Okay,” She spoke with a labored tone as she sat upright and peeled off her face mask, carelessly discarding it on their coffee table. “What’s wrong?”

Aurora held strong for another moment before letting her mouth drop and revealing a sad expression, eyelids drooping ever so slightly. With a deep exhale, she spoke of what was weighing heavily on her shoulders.

“About tonight, even if he might be interested in someone else, I don’t want to hurt Lorcán’s feelings or for him to be mad at me. I don’t know how he’s going to react when I tell him that I have a date and-”

“He already knows, Rora.” Kelcey interrupted matter-of-factly, lying back down on the sofa unceremoniously, as if she just didn’t drop an absolute bomb on her friend.

“Wait,” Aurora’s eyebrows were now raised, confusion etched onto her features. “He does?” The brunette sighed, setting her phone down and looking back at Aurora.

“Yeah, I told him. When I saw him yesterday after you ‘ported to the Alumni Village to get the dress from Tori.”

“You- what?” She was in disbelief of what she was hearing, which prompted Kelcey to elaborate.

“Well someone had to, and better for me to be the bad guy who upset him than you. You don’t owe him an explanation.”

“I mean… I guess.” Aurora gnawed on the inside of her cheek, instantly anxious. Maybe that’s why Lorcán hadn’t texted her at all. It was possible he was too mad to even speak to her, let alone hear her out. The wheels were turning in her head, the train flying off the rails, until Kelcey rested a hand on hers.

“Look, it’s better that Lorcán has had time to process this so you can have a conversation that isn’t emotionally charged. At the end of the day, he doesn’t have a right to be angry. He should have asked you if he didn’t want to see you going with someone else and these are the consequences of his own actions. Period, full stop.” The brunette reasoned, trying to instill the logic into the redhead’s brain. She was always blunt, which was both a positive and a negative, but she always spoke the truth and it was something that Aurora appreciated about her.

But before she could reply, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation, both girls' faces contorting into ones of surprise, as they weren’t expecting anyone this early in the day. The brunette quickly got up, the redhead not far behind her, and approached the front door, opening it to reveal a younger boy shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Which one of you is Kelcey?” The underclassman asked, nervous energy radiating off of him, his voice shaky finding himself face to face with the older women.

“Who’s asking?” Kelcey questioned, defensively. The boy relaxed a touch, slightly relieved that he was in the right place, before revealing a bouquet of flowers that he had been hiding behind his back. He handed them to her, a note tucked in between the stems.

“Special delivery from House Lutra.” He stated, his mission accomplished, offering Aurora a small smile and nod before scurrying off.

The brunette’s brow raised as she stepped away from the entryway and into their kitchen area, examining the arrangement - deep purple chrysanthemums, red spray roses, along with some other jewel toned flowers amongst eucalyptus and greenery. Plucking out the card, she read it aloud.

“Just a little something for my date to the dance. Can’t wait to see you tonight, I love you. Oliver.” Kelcey bit her lip, attempting to hide the smile that crept up on her otherwise serious features. Oliver was her teammate and boyfriend of three years. He was her true opposite, friendly and warm where she was reserved and aloof. Extroverted and outgoing where she was introverted and distant. And yet, Aurora always thought that they were the perfect match. Opposites attract and all that.

“Is that… are you blushing, Kelce?” Leah’s eyes went wide as she teased, spying the light rosy hue across the bridge of the brunette’s nose and the apples of her cheeks. As quickly as she let her softer romantic side show, Kelcey reverted to her sarcastic and icy exterior.

“I will ruin your manicure, Leah.” She taunted, to which the blonde quickly dropped her playful demeanor and turned back to Maddy who tried to hide her amusement.

Aurora shook her head at the exchange, there was never a dull moment between her roommates. But her joy dissolved into discontent, Oliver’s display of affection tugging at her aching heart. She imagined what it would be like if Lorcán had sent her a bouquet, how that would make her feel if it was something even remotely possible. But it was unlikely he’d do that, after all, he’d send flowers to Amma before he would send them to her.

Harper’s words from the evening prior rang in her ears, imploring her to take action and not stand idly by. And with Kelcey’s confirmation that he indeed knew about her date, even if he was in fact ignoring her, at this point there was no use in waiting for him to reach out. If she was going to tell him how she felt, she needed to be brave and take that first step. Pulling out her phone, she let her fingers fly across the screen, typing out a message and not hesitating to hit send.

SENT TO LORCÁN ROTH Hey, I’m so relieved you’re okay. Sorry I ducked out before you woke up 😔 Want to talk to you about something… come find me tonight, I’ll save you a dance.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Alumni Village - Dundas Island}

Dance Monkey #4.007: Slipping Through My Fingers

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Victoria Roth @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Somebody Else

After lunch, Aurora found herself standing on the front porch of the Roth residence in the Alumni Village, rocking back and forth on her heels nervously as she hesitated to ring the doorbell. She knew that Lorcán's mother was a kind and caring woman and had always welcomed her into their home and their lives - this week had certainly been a testament to that. Tori had allowed her to remain by his bedside even though she wasn’t blood, brought her food and made sure she was taking care of herself, had even let her stay in their guest room, all while managing her own grief and worry for her son.

So why was Aurora so nervous to ask for her help? Tori was her faculty representative for Myotis, someone she could go to for guidance as it was without the familial connection of her best friend. But this felt different, felt more personal. Maybe it was guilt eating at her that she had said yes to Chad and not the boy that she loved, even though he hadn’t even asked her. But given the circumstances, she didn’t have many other options and the clock was ticking.

Finally gathering the gumption, the redhead rang the doorbell.

“Come in,” Tori’s voice echoed through the small two-story house, “I’m just in the kitchen,” She added before Rothschild padded up to Aurora, raising his head to give her hand a lick and then continued out the door and back towards the campus.

With her invitation, the girl opened the screen door and entered, slipping off her shoes and leaving them in the entryway. She walked down the hallway towards where Tori’s voice led, passing by the many pictures hung up on the walls, family photos mostly, before entering the kitchen where Lorcán’s mother stood over the sink. Apprehensively, she fiddled with her necklace before speaking, tugging the heart shaped pendant along the chain.

“Hi, Mrs. Roth,” Aurora greeted, but corrected herself, saving the woman the hassle of doing so, “Tori,” She took a step further into the room, “Sorry to show up uninvited, I know you’ve probably seen enough of me these last few days.” The redhead’s lip curved up into a smirk and a small laugh followed, her attempt at breaking the ice.

“You’re always welcome under my roof, sweetheart,” Tori replied putting her knife down on the cutting board before smiling at Aurora, “Lorcán loves birria tacos, so I figured I’d make some to celebrate his recovery, you’re more than welcome to join us for dinner, I know how my son loves having you around, and frankly I do as well.” Tori played coy while talking to Aurora.

“You made quite the hike to come out here,” She stated before laughing at herself, “Or maybe you didn’t, I forgot who I was speaking to for a second. Either way, can I get you a drink, hun?”

The redhead relaxed her shoulders a bit, put slightly more at ease by the woman’s words of reception. But at her following comment she felt her face heat up, and although it had been a well meaning and innocent statement, it only added to the flurry of emotions racing through her mind. Anything that used that four letter word in relation to him recently made her, well, jumpy. Aurora shook her head quickly at the woman’s offer for a beverage.

“I’m okay, thank you.” She politely declined, before swallowing and getting up the courage to continue with her request, the reason why she came over in the first place. “I hate to ask you for a favor,” She paused, trying to get a read on her facial expression before proceeding, “With everything that happened this week, I wasn’t planning on going to the dance. But now…” Aurora took a shaky breath before continuing, “I have a date, but I have nothing to wear.”

“Ripley had suggested that you might have something I could borrow? I know it’s a lot to ask and you can totally say no, but my roommates already went to the mainland and I don’t have anything that’s nearly nice enough.”

Tori smiled before gesturing for Aurora to follow her upstairs.

“We’re a similar height, I think I should have some options for you,” She stated before leading the way, “I’m guessing by your body language, that your date is not someone who lives under my roof,” She commented as the pair walked up the stairs.

“Not that he spends much time here now that he lives on campus, but Aurora,” Tori continued, “Whether you and my son are friends or something else, you will always be welcomed here and always be treated as family. If mon petit prince can’t see what’s right in front of him, then that’s his loss. No one is expecting nor asking you to wait on Lorcán. You deserve to have fun and go on dates with young men who are willing to ask.”

She opened the door to the large walk-in closet before gesturing to a corner that was laden in all manner of fabrics, colours and lengths.

“There has to be something here, and if need be I’m sure we can make some alterations for a more modern look if you like one of the more retro options. I’m pretty handy with a needle myself, but I have some friends in the village that can most certainly help out.”

Aurora’s expression softened as Tori not only offered up her closet but also guessed correctly that her date was not Lorcán, a weight lifted off her shoulders that she didn’t need to explain herself as guilt ate away at her. She gratefully followed the older woman to the upper level of the house, and as she continued to speak, another word she used stuck out like a sore thumb.

Family.

It was a known fact that the redhead had no contact with her mother and her father was already absent from the time she was born, and she was shifted around from foster placements until she arrived on Dundas Island. Family wasn’t something she believed that she had, it was a concept foreign to her, so for Tori to even mention treating her as kin meant more than she probably realized or intended. It also came as a surprise to Aurora that Lorcán’s mother was so candid with her support of her pursuing someone else other than her son.

Wordlessly, she started sorting through the dresses in the corner of Tori’s closet. Ripley was right, a lot of this was a bit, well, dated, but there had to be some viable choices. Aurora popped her head back out and looked at the dark haired woman.

“So… you’re not mad I’m not going with Lorcán?” The redhead asked again, “And you’re sure you don’t mind letting me borrow something?” She sighed, leaning against the closet door, a twinge of sadness in her eyes.

“I would have gone with him if he’d asked.” Aurora stated, “I hope you know that."

“I know that,” Tori smiled, “I also know my son possesses the communication abilities of his father despite my best efforts to ensure otherwise.” She held a dress up to Aurora comparing the colour and tones against the girl’s complexion, eyes and hair.

“This could work, but I think we can do better,” She stated before shuffling through the closet more, “You are more than welcome to raid my closet at any time, sweetheart no matter what is happening between you and Lorcán, I missed out on having a daughter of my own so I relish the opportunity to live vicariously through you,” She stated, “Don’t get me wrong, would I prefer to see you going with Lorcán? Yes, of course, but as I said before, I can’t expect you to wait forever. I’m sure you’ve more than done your part and dropped the hanky at least a few times for the dense boy.” She pulled out another dress and offered it to Aurora.

“Try this one on behind the screen there,” She stated motioning towards a three-fold privacy screen beside an immaculate vanity. “As Ripley puts it, boy is a little waterlogged, and maybe, if it’s something you both still want, seeing you with someone else might light a fire under our little fire-starter.”

Tori sat in her nearby powder chair while waiting for Aurora to try the dress.

“However, if this mystery date of yours goes well and you would like to keep seeing this other gentleman, all I ask is that you be honest with Lorcán. I understand you’re under no obligation to my son, and I wouldn’t ever imply such, but I want the best for both of you.”

The redhead couldn’t help but empathize with Tori, for she’d be lying if she said she didn’t appreciate the time she spent with her. After all, she had been the closest thing she had to a maternal figure in her life since she was a tween.

She looked down at the dress as it was handed off, a sky blue color in a lightweight chiffon fabric, strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It was probably the most modern of the dresses in that closet and was by far the most simple, indeed resembling something that she would have most likely selected for herself had she gotten the opportunity to go to the mainland with her friends. With a nod, Aurora disappeared behind the screen, nimbly changing out of her street clothes and delicately slipping on the gown. Taking the opportunity while her face was hidden, the girl spoke what was on her mind.

“I think I… realized some things this week, Tori. Your son is very important to me, I actually, uh, wanted to tell him something when he woke up, but I didn’t get the chance.” She explained as she situated the dress comfortably on her body, trying to allude to the woman what her feelings were without uttering the words. “That said, I don’t foresee this date going anywhere past tomorrow night… my heart is, well, somewhere else.”

Aurora stepped out from behind the barrier, holding the dress so it didn’t fall down, “Could you help zip me up, please?” She asked with a small smile, turning to face away from her and continuing her previous thought.

“I just hope he won’t be upset with me when he finds out. I’d never want to hurt him. ”

Tori stood, gently pulling the zipper up before letting out a small gasp at the dress on Aurora.

“It’s a perfect fit.” She smiled before replying to Aurora’s other thoughts, “I’d like to think that my son knows just how important you are to him and that he wouldn’t take that lightly. And if he does get upset then, I think that’s alright too. Sometimes we need to feel loss to truly appreciate what we have or what we could still have with the time given to us. You can’t appreciate the highs without going through a few lows.”

Tori lifted Aurora’s copper locks moving them around behind the girl as she looked over her shoulder in the mirror.

“So any thoughts on how you want your hair?

As she looked at her reflection, the redhead smiled widely, beholding the dress on her. Tori was right, it fit her like a glove, accentuating her small waist and hugging her chest in all the right ways. The length of the gown was even ideal too, just grazing the floor so that when she added a pair of heels it would hit at the right place between her ankles and the tops of her feet.

The only thing that would make it more perfect was if Lorcán was her date.

But his mother’s wise words reverberated in her mind, for it was only because Aurora thought she was going to lose Lorcán did she come to realize her true feelings for him that she had harbored all along. Struggling to find the right words without revealing too much, she simply nodded in agreement, and focused her attention back on her appearance in the glass.

“I don’t know,” Aurora pursed her lips, tilting her head slightly as she tried to think, “I wear it down all the time, but I don’t want it to be in my face. Maybe I’ll pin it back? What do you think?” She questioned, but the thought made her dwell on her fading bruise, now a yellowish hue that still marred her fair skin, and she reached up to touch it, “Hopefully this will be gone by tomorrow. I’m sure my other teammates are trying to figure out how to cover theirs too.”

“If it’s not, I have a concealer that should do the trick,” Tori replied, gingerly putting a thumb over the bruise as she looked at the injury, “I do think it’ll be gone though,” She added, “I’ve had my share of experience with bruises over the years raising Lorcán. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s a little clumsy.”

Moving to a nearby dresser, Tori reached her hand through the front without opening the drawer. Her hand phased back through but re-emerged with a handful of bobby pins.

“What about half up, half down?” She asked, moving behind Aurora and holding her hair up but letting it spill down in a controlled manner, “You could frame your face with some small pieces too,”

The redhead felt a lump growing in her throat as she experienced Tori’s maternal touch. It was something she’d always dreamt about; she’d seen the movies, saw mothers with their daughters both on the mainland and on the Island, and envied the relationship they were able to have, hoping that one day she’d have that too. So in that moment, as Tori knew exactly what to do about her bruise and expertly moved her hair, she felt safe, taken care of, and savored the feeling that she had always craved and missed out on.

Aurora nodded, clearing her throat, hiding just how overcome with emotion she was.

“Yeah,” She exhaled, the smile returning to her face as she found her words again, “That sounds great.”

“Okay, so let's do that then,” Tori smiled, “We can take some pictures when we're done so you have them for tomorrow night as I’m sure you'll be getting ready with your friends,” She added, “But if you need any help I’m just a text away.” The woman smiled while putting the pins in Aurora’s hair. Turning her towards the mirror, Tori presented her work before grabbing a jewelry box and opening it towards her.

“And of course, no outfit is complete without accessories,” Tori smiled, “Obviously you don't need a necklace but we have bangles and bracelets, rings and earrings, might even be an anklet or two in here if that's your style.”

She smiled, opening another door inside the walk-in closet.

“Though that’ll depend on your shoe choice I’m sure,” Tori added clearly having as much fun as Aurora was herself.

As Lorcán’s mother rummaged around in her closet, presumably for a pair of heels, the redhead leafed through the jewelry box, shaking her head in disbelief at the woman’s kindness. She had only come here for a dress, and yet, it seemed that she would be leaving with a whole look.

“Tori, these are gorgeous,” The redhead commented, looking at the various earrings, bracelets and rings and picking out a simple gold cuff for her wrist. A signet ring tucked into the corner of the container caught her eye, her baby blues noticing the gold surface engraved with a cursive letter ‘B’. Puzzled, she took it out and examined it, trying to figure out the meaning behind the initial.

“This one’s pretty, where’s it from?” Aurora asked innocently.

“Oh,” Tori was slightly taken aback to see Aurora pick that ring up before she began fiddling with a matching one that she wore bearing an ‘L’. “That was a gift from Aiden about twenty two years ago, we had a name picked out and he got eager.” She smiled sadly, trying to cover her pain with a small chuckle.

“He wasn't able to return it and I just couldn't find myself able to part with it.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Aurora instantly recognized the sorrow in her eyes, and quickly placed the ring back in the box, regretting taking it out in the first place even though there was no way of her knowing it was a sensitive subject. It didn’t get past her keen gaze the matching one the woman currently wore, bearing a familiar “L”, but she didn’t pry and instead pulled out a different ring. This one was a gold band, also engraved, but with an intricate design that resembled flames.

“How about this one,” The redhead set down the jewelry box on the chair and slipped the ring onto her thin ring finger. She admired it, her thoughts brought to someone specific they both knew. “Is there a story behind this one?”

“Ah,” A grin spread across Tori’s mouth as Aurora held up the new ring, “That one Aiden found while on a mission for H.E.L.P. He’s always said a woman known to her community as a witch gave it to him after he intervened and saved her from being stoned. The woman of course was a Hyperhuman like us, and while agents typically don't take gifts, the woman insisted Aiden have it. He never was one for jewelry but thought the ring suited me. Aiden likes to joke that it reminds him of the ‘fire’ of our love and how he burns for me.” Reaching a hand out, Tori looked at how it sat perfectly on Aurora's finger.

“It never fit me comfortably, about half a size off unfortunately, but it looks like it was made for you. What do you see when you look at its pattern?”

Aurora felt her smile return and grow wider as Tori told the story, hearing her loving tone as she spoke about her husband so fondly. She looked back down at the ring, examining the design once more as the light glinted off of the band, “I see…” The redhead looked up, lifting her gaze from her hand to meet the older woman’s eyes, “The campfires that Lorcán makes for me when we’re out on the beach late at night.”

“Reminds me of him.”

“Sounds like that ring is yours now then,” Tori said while her eyes twinkled mischievously. “I think I have some sapphire studs around here that would make your eyes just pop with that dress.” She added pulling out a small drawer on the jewelry box that contained numerous pairs of earrings.

“Are you more of a yellow gold girl or do you prefer white? I’m guessing yellow to go with your pendant.”

Immediately, Aurora raised her eyebrows, “Oh no, Tori, I couldn’t take this from you, seriously, you’ve already been more than generous.”

“Oh please, Aiden has gotten me so many trinkets over the years I could never possibly wear them all. I’d rather see it go to someone I care for who can give it the love it deserves.” Tori replied dismissively, refusing to take the ring back.

The redhead relented, holding up her hand once more to admire the band, the etched licks of flame seeming to dance as she wiggled her finger. She smirked, knowing that not only when she looked at the ring she’d think of him, but she’d also think of Tori and her generosity. How welcome she’d made her feel, how she’d referred to her as family.

“If you insist. I’ll take good care of it, I promise.” Aurora appreciatively expressed, before going back to Tori’s previous question. “Yes, yellow gold.” Her hand moved up to touch the heart shaped charm on the delicate chain, her smile dimming slightly, thoughts of her own mother coming to the surface. “I’ve had this since I was 8, I’ve rarely taken it off.” She explained, instinctively fiddling with the pendant as she spoke.

“A gift from your mother?” Tori asked, “You fiddle with it when you're nervous or anxious, which leads me to believe it came from someone who made you feel secure.” Tori handed Aurora a pair of earrings. “My mom was my world growing up. She left my father before I was even a year old and so it was just the two of us against the world. She gave me this charm bracelet,” She paused to point to her wrist, “I still fiddle with this little heart charm anytime I’m trying to think of exactly what she’d say in any situation.”

Aurora simply nodded in response, relinquishing her hold on her necklace to take the sapphire studs from Tori, their hue similar to the blue of her eyes, although slightly darker. She put them in her ears one by one, listening and looking at the bracelet as she did so. “It’s beautiful,” The girl complimented, “It was just me and my mom too for a while,” She hesitated, the corners of her mouth dropping slightly, “That is, until she met my step-father.”

The girl shook off the thought, not wanting to elaborate further, and stepped closer to the mirror, taking in her appearance. The jewelry brought everything together, and her smile returned once more before she looked back at Lorcán’s mother graciously.

“I can’t thank you enough, Tori. Truly.”

“If you need anything else, you’re more than welcome to it. I’m just happy to help, sweetheart.” Tori replied, “You look beautiful, your mother is a very lucky woman to have a daughter like you.”

The redhead gave the dark haired woman a sad smile before reaching out her arms and hugging her, comforted by her presence.

“And Lorcán is really lucky to have a mom like you.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis Dorm → Dining Hall - Pacific Royal Campus}

Dance Monkey #4.003: Somebody Else

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Texts sent to Harper @Qia, Haven @Skai, and Rory @webboysurf}

Previously: November Rain

Aurora had teleported from the infirmary directly to her dorm room, overcome with all sorts of conflicting emotions.

Less than 24 hours ago she thought she was going to lose her best friend and somehow he had made a full recovery. It was nothing short of a miracle, and she was absolutely relieved and overjoyed that Lorcán was going to be okay. Not only that, but she had wanted to get the chance to tell him how she felt, how consumed she was by her feelings for him and how she realized that losing him would mean losing a part of herself.

But his first words when he awoke were devastating to hear. She didn’t know what she had been expecting to happen when he stirred, but it certainly wasn’t hearing him ask for Amma. Aurora wasn’t upset that it wasn’t her own name that was spoken, she could have cared less that he wasn’t asking for her specifically. Hell, he could have asked for just about anyone and she simply would have been content that he was coherent.

It was that of all the people he could have asked for, of all the names he could have said, he said hers.

The girl who he swore was no more than a friend, the girl he had explained that he was only trying to be nice to, welcoming towards. She was the first person that he thought of when he came to. The redhead for some reason thought she truly had a chance, that every fleeting glance, every moment spent together, the night in the tent and the night in his dorm were signs that she and him were destined to be more, fated to be together. Aurora had spent his hospital stay uselessly romanticizing the moments that they had, building things up in her head to be more than they truly were, only to be torn down within seconds of him opening his eyes.

Aurora felt stupid, embarrassed, ashamed that she believed Lorcán could actually love someone like her. She was a broken girl from a broken home, had nothing to offer him, and he knew it.

All she could do when she got to her dorm room, confounded with these mixed feelings, was lay down on her bed and cry; she was pretty sure she’d single handedly been keeping the tissue companies in business, after all, she'd cried more in the last 5 days than she had in her entire life.

Kelcey had come back from class to find Aurora a mess and sat there with her for as long as it had taken for the girl to calm down and the tears to stop flowing. Their other roommates returned, concerned and curious, and so the brunette suggested that she and the redhead go and get something to eat to have some space. So, they found themselves at the mess hall eating an early lunch.

As they sat at the table, Aurora picking at her plate absentmindedly, she finally got around to replying to her texts from the last few days. She’d barely touched her phone since Lorcán was admitted and seemingly all hell had broken loose in the time she’d spent disconnected. The girl shot off a few messages after getting up to speed with everything that had happened.

SENT TO HARPER BAXTER Thank you again for being there for me the other day, don’t know what I’d do without you ♥ Just saw your messages, let's definitely do something, a girl's night would be great. I can stop by later?

SENT TO HAVEN BARNES Oh my god, I heard about what happened, I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. I know we haven’t talked since the trial, but I feel absolutely terrible that I wasn’t there for you. Please forgive me ☹

SENT TO RORY TYLER Sorry for not replying the other day, really appreciate you checking in on me though. Hope you’re doing alright with everything that's happened… really glad Haven is okay. I feel awful I wasn't there for the team. Also, Lorcán’s awake and should be discharged today! You can tell everyone if they don't already know.

After sitting in silence for the majority of their meal, Kelcey addressed what she thought was the elephant in the room.

“Aurora, babes, you’ve gotta figure out what you’re doing about the dance.” She stated, and as she saw Aurora’s eyebrows immediately raise, her tone softened. “Look, I know you’ve had a really tough week, but now that Lorcán is better you should really come, and I think it’d be good for you to do something for yourself.”

The redhead was quick to shake her head.

“I don’t know, Kelce, even if I wanted to,” She paused, “Which, I don’t,” Emphasizing her wishes before continuing, “The dance is tomorrow. I don’t have a date, but more importantly I don’t have a dress. I’ve got nothing to wear.”

“I’m sure someone on campus has something you could borrow,” Kelcey insisted, looking around the dining hall with her dark brown eyes, “You know, now that I’m thinking about it, I’m pretty sure Brynn bought two dresses when we went to the mainland over the weekend, let me go and ask her,”

“Kelcey, wait,” Aurora called after her, but the brunette was already gone, booking it across the room to go and talk to one of their housemates. She sighed, pushing the food on her plate around with her fork as her roommate instigated on her behalf, a woman clearly on a mission. And when Kelcey wanted something, no one could stand in her way.

“Can I join you?” A deep voice asked, and Aurora looked up to meet the steely gaze of Chadwick Patterson who motioned to the now empty seat across from her. Surprised to see him, even more surprised he was talking to her of all people, she simply nodded. He pulled out the chair and sat down, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back casually, his large muscles taught and toned.

“Was sorry to hear about Roth, not to mention Blackjack’s had a pretty rough go recently.” Chad commented, “I’m sure it hasn’t been easy for you.”

Aurora didn’t know much about Chad other than the basics, as his reputation preceded him. He was popular, the Captain of the Water Polo team and a talented athlete. They had been in a few classes together over the years and were acquaintances at most. It certainly helped his case that he was also easy on the eyes.

“No it hasn’t,” The redhead responded, a bit taken back by his words of sympathy, “Not exactly how I pictured the beginning of my senior year.” She attempted to joke, setting down her fork and running a hand through her copper locks.

“I’m sure.” He concurred, before uncrossing his arms and leaning towards her, “Look, I know you’re probably wondering why I came over, I just couldn’t help but overhear that you don’t have a date for the dance tomorrow.”

“And as it just so happens, neither do I.”

Aurora’s brows furrowed, confusion evident on her face. How could someone like Chad not have a date to the dance? He surely had his pick, any girl would be fortunate to go with him if he had asked them.

“Would you want to go with me?”

Okay, maybe not every girl.

Her head conflicted with her heart almost instantly. Flashes of fiery orange eyes and tousled wavy sun bleached hair danced across her vision and her heart told her that if she wanted to go with someone, it’d be him. But Lorcán hadn’t asked her to the dance, had mentioned wanting to go with someone but didn’t indicate who. Especially considering that the first person he had asked for when he woke up was Amma, it was seeming more and more unlikely that he meant her, which is why her head said…

“Sure,” The redhead replied with a smile that felt a tad forced, her face growing warm with his attention pinned solely on her, “That’d be great.”

It wasn’t what she wanted, not in the slightest, but it was the logical decision. Chad had made the effort to ask her, it made sense to say yes. At least that’s what she told herself as he smirked, clearly pleased with her response to his question. He was a nice guy and seemed like he’d make a decent date, even if she wasn't in the proper headspace or mood to appreciate it.

“Rora, she said that- oh.” Kelcey started to say as she returned, but upon seeing the boy sitting there, quickly abandoned the previous topic, surprise etched on her features. “Hey Chad, didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“No problem, I was just leaving actually.” He stood, and it was only then Aurora realized how tall he actually was. ”I’ll pick you up at 8.” He winked at the redhead before acknowledging Kelcey with a nod and walked away. The brunette looked at him quizzically before quickly scrambling into the seat upon his departure and leaning across the table towards her friend.

“Am I hallucinating? I leave you alone for no less than 5 minutes, and this happens,” She tried to whisper but her excitement made it come out more as a rasp, motioning where he was previously sitting. “What the hell did I just miss?”

Still a bit flustered, Aurora’s eyes were fixed in the direction that he headed off to. “I, uh, I have a date to the dance.” She stated sheepishly, to which Kelcey’s face lit up even further.

“Chadwick Patterson asked you to the dance, no fucking way.” The brunette turned her head to glance over at him as he rejoined his teammates on the other side of the mess hall, “Rora, he’s hot. You scored.” She looked back at her roommate, a devilish glint in her eye, “Now you really need to find a dress. Brynn doesn’t have one for you to borrow, anyone else you can think of? Maybe one of your teammates?”

The redhead paused, thinking of who she could ask this late in the game, and her conversation with Ripley from the other day quickly came to mind.

You should ask Aunt Tori, it might be some sort of 80’s fit, but what’s old is new again.

“I think I have an idea.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{| Summer 2027}

A familiar crackle and static rang through Lorcán’s garage, indicating the end of yet another record. Aurora, having anticipated the last song on the album, didn’t hesitate to jump up from where she had been lying on the worn leather couch and rush over to the player, gingerly lifting the needle and moving the arm to rest on the side of the machine.

She and Lorcán had been cooped up all day, the only other sound as prominent as the music they were listening to was the air conditioner working overtime in the corner. The Northwestern part of Canada had been hit by a massive heatwave, the highest humidity and temperature seen in years. Heat lightning illuminated the sky in sheets, which meant no surfing was to be had, and dark clouds rolled in, threatening to pour across the Island. With not much else to do around campus during the Summer months, they found themselves doing basically nothing on an otherwise dreary Tuesday.

The redhead carefully removed the disc from the platter, slipping it back into its proper sleeve before adding it to the growing pile of albums they had made their way through. She approached the milk crate in the corner which housed most of the Roth’s LP collection and let her fingers dance over the records, examining them one by one.

“How about this one next?” She held up a colorful-looking jacket even though she didn’t recognize the band name, the art having caught her eye. “Is it any good?”

“You like don’t know that one? Brah,” Lorcán asked, taken aback, “Lady Dude, we’ve got to get you an education, that was the album that totally got me stoked about music. I can’t believe we’ve totally never listened to it before. It’s so rad.”

Picking up his Rickenbacker, Lorcán sat back down before plugging in the patch cable and adjusting a few dials. His fingers flew over the strings as he quickly tapped out a familiar riff before looking at Aurora.

“You don’t know that? Like that doesn’t ring any bells?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow at the series of notes he played, racking her brain to try and think if she’d heard it somewhere, but came up short.

“Nope, never heard it before,” She replied with a shake of her head, examining the record once again before setting it off to the side, a viable option for their next choice. The girl had an eclectic taste in music, listened to mostly everything under the sun, but often found that her repertoire and Lorcán’s differed from time to time, especially when it came to what they grew up with.

Aurora leafed through more of the assortment, perusing the titles, “Hmm…” A lot of the records she didn’t know, most of this collection having been curated from since before she and Lorcán were born. “What about…” Another record stuck out, this one with a fiery looking design that was reminiscent of a certain someone’s abilities.

“This has your name written all over it.”

“Oh you can’t go wrong with that one,” Lorcán smiled, his fingers pressing down on the strings as his thumb slapped out a beat. “You can just feel the rhythm of the music vibrating along your bones, it’s like catching a wave and just letting it take you away.” He continued to slap away at the instrument, minding his thumb around the pickup cover, all the while getting lost in the groove.

Music and surfing were two times Lorcán let it all hang out, they soothed his soul, and lowered his inhibitions and while he was always seemingly chill, it was in these moments that Aurora could truly see just how much he was enjoying himself. He wasn’t suppressing any emotions, or repressing a comment, he was losing himself in the same way some people did while drinking or dancing.

With a board beneath his feet or his bass in his hands, Lorcán was the happiest he could be, except for when he was with Aurora.

Shimmering sapphires gazed intently as the boy played the instrument, letting the rhythm whisk him to some far off place in his mind, and a smile graced her lips. There was truly nothing that Aurora loved more than watching Lorcán in his element, whether it was here in his garage or out on the beach. It always amazed her how easily he was able to pick up a tune after only hearing it once, or balance on his board in the roughest of conditions.

“We’ll put this one on for now then,” The redhead took the record out of its sleeve and placed it on the machine, gently dropping the needle on the grooves and letting it start to spin. She moved back to sit down on the couch, “How do you do it?” She asked inquisitively as she watched him, “Play like that. You always make it look so easy.”

“Practice,” Lorcán replied modestly, “Like, anyone can do this if they want to, I didn’t really have anyone for a long time, but I’ve always had music and I had this bass.” He recounted,

“As long as I’ve been big enough to reach, I’ve been playing and listening. Once you get the basics down, the rest starts to totally fall into place and then pattern recognition starts to kick in, listen,” Lorcán paused, letting the record play before turning to the instrument.

“Every song is going to follow a pattern and that pattern will correspond with a scale, so you can hear the root, the fourth, the fifth.” Lorcán placed his left hand on the neck, barely moving it while the three notes rang out.

“So you can hear how that pattern was right, but the key didn’t match,” He moved his hand again, playing the same pattern as Aurora heard the dissonance disappear and the instrument blend into the melody of the record.

“Once you train your ear, you can totally just pick up and know where to play, then you can really start to noodle,” Lorcán explained, now playing the pattern but his hand moving around more, throwing in more notes but never straying from the rhythm. He stood up, lifting the bass over his head before sitting down behind Aurora, his legs straddling her own as he placed the bass in her lap.

“Hold it like this,” He instructed while gently moving her arms into position and using his own hands over hers to help her play. “Wait for the chorus, relax and then,” Lorcán instructed before gently moving Aurora’s hands to the music, tapping her fingers with his own as they played along together, albeit a bit more delayed and clunkily than if Lorcán himself had been playing.

But that didn’t matter in that moment as they moved together, laughing as one. Eyes meeting a moment, while beads of sweat formed on both of them. Lorcán stared at Aurora’s lips, thoughts racing through his mind before he suddenly stood.

“It’s frakkin’ hot,”

Aurora had felt herself melting into him as his arms surrounded her, large hands enveloping hers as he gently pressed down her fingers on the fretboard to play the strings. She relaxed, letting the music wash over her and allowing him to lead, butterflies soaring in her stomach at the amount of contact, the warmth of his skin matching the flush that now graced her face. She could have stayed like that forever, relished in the feeling of him and didn’t want it to end, noticing the way he hesitated as his eyes dropped down to her lips.

She was tempted to close the distance between them before he moved.

“Yeah,” The redhead handed him back his bass, bashfully looking up at him from underneath her lashes. “Sure is.” She swallowed and quickly walked back over to the milk crate of records to hide her face until her blush disappeared. But as she approached the stack from a different angle, she noticed a record that was still shrink wrapped and sealed hiding in the back. Curiosity getting the better of her, she gripped onto it and removed it from the pile, and upon seeing the cover art her eyes instantly lit up.

“When did you get this?!” Aurora squealed, her bright smile growing as nimble fingers traced the familiar list of songs on the back of the LP. “This is her new album, the one I was telling you about a few weeks ago!” Her baby blues darted back to Lorcán, seeming to sparkle in her excitement.

“I’ve been dying to listen to it!”

Lorcán rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, he did his familiar wry smile, flashing a row of perfect, white teeth before tousling his hair again and answering.

“I had Cass ship it in a care package while he’s home for the summer. I was going to surprise you with it as a sort of early birthday present.” He replied. “You seemed so excited about it, that I knew I totally had to get it for you.”

Aurora’s smile only grew bigger, childlike glee radiating off of her as she raced over to Lorcán to hug him. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” She beamed, tilting her head to gaze up into his molten eyes. “That was so thoughtful of you,” Squeezing tightly before she let go, she quickly made her way back over to the record player to swap out what was currently playing for the album in her hands, dancing happily as she did so.

“I can’t believe you remembered!”

Lorcán was at a loss for words in that moment, his heart racing from the hug to a feeling of pride and satisfaction from getting Aurora something she wanted. Seeing her light up like that, he’d have marched into hell and back and all he did was procure a vinyl. He sunk happily into a chair, watching her dance and listened to the music, the beautiful composure of the melody bringing his thoughts right back to Aurora.

He could get lost in that smile forever.

The redhead continued to move her body, carefree and elated as the song flowed through the garage. She was sweating from the heat externally but also still feeling warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about Lorcán’s gesture. Aurora didn’t want to ever forget this feeling, the happiness he brought her, the way he heard her, saw her.

She saw him sitting there, that goofy grin plastered on his face as he watched her make an absolute fool of herself, and shook her head playfully. “Come on, Hotstuff, don’t make my dance by myself!” Aurora exclaimed, approaching the boy and tugging him out of his chair with all of her might. She intertwined their hands and forced him to move, giggling as she did so.

Lorcán laughed, letting Aurora pull him to his feet before following her lead, extending his arm for her to twirl. Unfortunately, he had two left feet when it came to moving on land and so he awkwardly swayed while trying his best to keep up with Aurora and imitate what he thought dancing ought to be.

The redhead couldn’t help but sigh amongst her laughter, beholding the boy’s sad excuse for dance moves.

“We’ve got one year until the big senior dance, don’t worry, we’ll work on it.”

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.054: Arcade

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Blue

Cass slowly made his way back through the winding hallways to Aurora and Ripley. His feet felt like lead bricks as he struggled to find the motivation to walk down the hallway. His chest ached, and his eyes were burning, but most of all, he just felt defeated. His emotions had been ebbed away leaving only a raw, dull ache. An ache that constantly pounded at the back of his head while tears threatened to stream down his face at any moment.

It’d still be a kindness to kill him now, the death he’s going to experience is far more painful than the transformation ever would be.

They couldn’t kill Lorcán, he wouldn’t. There was no way his Aunt or Uncle could ever forgive him if he did, nor Aurora or Ripley. The loss of Bridget had devastated Tori and Aiden, they poured everything into Lorcán.

As he approached, Cass offered a weak smile before speaking to his sister.

“Hey, uh Rippers, why don’t you go and grab a snack for Aurora and I?” He asked. Ripley took one look at Cass and quietly nodded her head, knowing better than to protest as she moved down the hallway before Cass opened the door back into Lorcán’s room and held it for Aurora.

“You should, uh probably sit.” Cass suggested before doing so himself.

Aurora had returned from Amma's room only a few moments prior, their interaction and her words replaying in her mind. But the redhead saw Cass’ red eyes and knew that whatever he was going to say next wouldn’t be good.

“Okay,” She followed him back into Lorcán’s room and took a seat on the sofa across from him, placing her hands in her lap as she picked nervously at her nails. “What’d you find out, Cass?”

“That ‘doctor’ was Ellara,” He started, “That same woman from the forest, she went on about a bunch of hoodoo I didn’t really understand, something about under souls and over souls, but essentially she said Lorcán’s soul is going to be devoured,” Cass said, swallowing hard to suppress the lump in his throat.

“She said he’s as good as dead, Aurora, and that if we don’t kill him now, then his body is going to become host to something so much worse.” Cass couldn’t stop the tears at this point.

“Damnit!” He yelled, shoving his hands into his armpits as he jumped to his feet. Two small explosions were muffled by his own body as he winced in pain from the detonations under his arms. “Damn you and your wanderlust!” He cursed at Lorcán, kicking the bed.

“Why couldn’t you just stay to the beach?” Cass asked, his voice turning to a plead as he repeated the question, “Why?” Turning back to Aurora, he asked one more time, his voice becoming almost feeble.

“Why? Why did he leave us here to pick up the pieces, Aurora?” Cass continued, “Why didn’t he leave a clue, like how could this thing have attacked him and no one else? How has this never happened before?”

Aurora froze.

He's as good as dead.

She was too late.

Your tears won’t save him.

The girl didn’t move a muscle, even as the blonde boy began to create chaos around her with his words and actions, she sat on the couch completely still. Trancelike, she stared out into space, the light of hope behind her eyes slowly fading as Cass asked questions he wouldn’t get answers to. She felt numb.

Even as the inevitable tears welled up in her eyes, her body acting out of instinct, she didn’t raise her hand to wipe them away. The redhead just sat on that couch, unmoving, and let the weight of the words hang in the air.

Lorcán was going to die.

Every other thought in Aurora’s brain had quieted, her normal internal monologue utterly silent, as she tried to make sense of this information, grappling with not knowing where to go from here.

Her best friend, the boy she loved.

She was going to lose him.

And then breaking her silence, she sobbed, a guttural sound that you could almost feel the pain of. She finally moved, her palms coming up to cover her face as she broke down, her chest shaking with the vigour with which she cried.

Sitting down beside Aurora, Cass wrapped his arms around her, embracing the woman his cousin loved and letting himself mourn, the tears falling from his own eyes as the pair jointly wept.

“This…” Cass croaked, “This can’t be how it ends.”

“How what ends?” Ripley stood in the doorway, her eyes wide as she saw the pair sobbing, “Did h-h-he?” Her lips trembled as she struggled to finish the question, her eyes darting to the monitors connected to Lorcán seeing his heartbeat still active.

“W-what did you not tell me?” She asked, her knees weak, knocking together she took a cautious step forward. She braced against a wall, almost dropping the snacks as Cass wiped his eyes and raced to his sister’s side. Helping her to sit down, he took a chocolate bar and opened it, snapping it in half and handing a piece to Ripley before extending one towards Aurora.

“Eat,” He ordered, “The sugar will help with the shock.”

Aurora lifted her face from her hands to meet Cass’ gaze, shaking her head profusely. If she ate something right now it would most certainly make a reappearance shortly thereafter. Her lip quivered as she continued to cry, her previous quiet strength evaporated instantaneously. But even in her sullen state, she had half a mind to know that Ripley should not be present to witness this turmoil. She was too young.

“Cass,” She rasped, “Get her out of here.”

Clearing his throat, Cass put a steady hand on Ripley’s shoulder while nodding to Aurora.

“Ripley, can you go and get Uncle Aiden and Aunt Tori,” Cass asked, clearing his throat with a small cough. “I need to talk to them.” Ripley nodded silently, picking her things up gently before rushing out the door as Cass let out a heavy sigh.

“I think I need some air, are you going to be okay if I leave you alone with him for a few minutes?” He asked, turning back to Aurora.

The redhead sniffled but managed to nod. However, before the blonde had the chance to leave, she found the words that fueled her anguish and spoke them aloud, almost in disbelief, the ones that had been eating at her for the last few days. The ones that would seemingly now find no resolution.

“I didn’t get to tell him.”

“He knew,” Cass replied, pausing in the doorway, “He always knew.”

Left alone in the room, Aurora continued to let her tears fall, the sound of her distressed cries echoing off of the vacant walls of the suite. The beeping of Lorcán’s monitors kept cadence with her own heartbeat as she managed to stand from the couch on shaky legs and move to sit next to him on the edge of his hospital bed, Cass’ words hanging over her like a knife threatening to drop.

He always knew.

He’d hoped she’d find peace in knowing that her affection had been clear, but all it gave her was more grief and guilt.

Cautiously, she reached out her hand towards Lorcán’s, squeezing it.

He didn’t squeeze back.

His skin was colder than it normally was, not radiating warmth like it always had, and that was enough for the redhead to understand that this was real and this was truly happening. She cleared her throat, “You promised you wouldn’t leave me.” She managed to say in between gasping breaths. “I’m so mad at you, it’s not fair.”

She dissolved into another fit of cries before continuing, the silence beckoning her to speak without interruption. “I think it was always supposed to be you and me.”

“I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, I’m sorry it took me until now to realize it.”

Aurora cradled his limp hand in hers before releasing her grasp, bringing her palm up to caress his face, stroking her thumb across his cheek. She’d give anything to see those sunset-colored eyes one last time. “You always talked about all of the places I could go, how I could be anywhere I wanted to in a heartbeat.”

“But the only place I ever wanted to be was where you were.”

Each word she spoke killed her just a bit more, but it was worth it to get it off her chest. Lorcán might not have been able to hear, but knowing she was finally saying those things aloud, the feelings she had kept to herself for all these years, brought her some semblance of comfort. It was likely the last opportunity she had.

She delicately pressed her lips to his temple before standing from the bed and moving back to the couch to wait for Cass to get back with Tori and Aiden. Curling up, she let her cries rock her into a restless sleep that provided no reprieve or mercy from her grief.

The door opened quietly sometime later as Cassander returned with his Aunt and Uncle. Walking into the room, Aiden put a hand to Lorcán's cold skin and watched how slowly his son's chest had begun to rise and fall. He was starting to lose the fight. Tori kissed her son softly on his forehead and then his cheek, her emotions threatening to bubble over at any second.

“Stay with him,” Tori said to Aiden, “I’ll take care of Aurora,” She motioned to Cassander to give her a hand as she wrapped Aurora in a blanket and helped Cass pick her up gingerly. The sleeping girl was nearly weightless in Cass’ strong arms as he gently carried her out the door.

“She’ll stay at our house for tonight, put her in the guest room and then you can take the couch.” Cassander only nodded in response, words were too difficult for him right now as he took one last look at Lorcán before Aiden closed the door on their way out.

Another stifled sob echoed out in the hallway, prompting Cass to hurry before he lost control of the tears welling up in the corner of his own eyes.

It was only upon emerging outside, that Cass noticed just how dark the night truly was.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.050: Blue

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): The collab you've all been waiting for. @Rockette}

Previously: Think About You

“Stay with Aurora,” Cass ordered Ripley, “And shoot me a text when that ‘doctor’ leaves Lorcán,” He added before rushing away without an explanation.

Aurora watched as the blonde boy hurried down the hallway and disappeared, clearly heading somewhere specific, a man on a mission. She realized that he likely knew something that she didn’t, which was more unsettling than anything else, and made her anxious. She reached up to fiddle with her necklace nervously and glanced down at the younger girl standing next to her, taking a shaky breath.

“Hey, Rippers, I’m uh, going to go for a walk…” She conveyed honestly, sounding distant, “Can you keep watch until I get back?”

“I uh, don’t want-” Ripley began to say before looking at Aurora’s expression, “Forget I said anything, I’ve got this.” She replied, stifling a sniffle before nodding vigorously.

The redhead snapped out of her momentary daze as she heard Ripley’s uncertain reply, kneeling down to the brunette’s level and mustering a sad smile and facade, tucking a strand of the girl’s hair behind her ear.

“I know this is scary, Ripley, but you are so brave and Lorcán needs all of us right now to be strong.” She extended her little finger towards the girl, trying to listen to her own words and not be hypocritical, “I pinky promise I’ll come right back.”

“I mean, if you pinky promise,” Ripley squirmed before rushing forward and wrapping her finger around Aurora’s extended one. She gave the older girl a quick hug before pulling back.

“I’ll be right here waiting,” She smiled sadly.

Aurora nodded at her before standing up and making her way down the hallway, aiming for the Infirmary Gardens. She needed a reprieve, even if it was momentary, still processing everything that Jonas had said, plus the added weight of Cass and Ripley’s findings. She turned down another hallway, and was about to head for the double door exit but a man standing outside of a patient room caught her eye. He seemed out of place, screamed force and chaos in an environment meant to promote healing and sanctuary. Walking past, she stopped suddenly as she beheld the lithe figure behind the glass with raven hair and tattooed skin.

She knew that Amma had been taken away after the trial, but she didn’t realize that she was being kept here in the Infirmary. Aurora’s body seemed to hum, the memory of her unbridled power coursing through her veins during the trial, their short lived moment of partnership coming to the forefront of her mind. With everything else she was grappling with, she hadn’t given the girl any additional thought, never thanked her or wondered how she was handling everything, which in itself was a wrong she needed to right. She looked to the guard, gesturing to the room.

“I’m one of her teammates, from Blackjack. May I…?”

He contemplated for a moment, determining if he would allow such a visit, before stepping aside with a nod and permitting her to enter. Twisting the knob gingerly, Aurora walked into the room with an abundance of caution, clearing her throat to seemingly announce her presence.

“Hi, Amma.”

Having only just returned to her room perhaps an hour ago, Amma was not anticipating visitors or even entertaining the notion of speaking with anyone; for her waking world had been devoid of lingering nightmares or hardly contained rage in the following days since she had been sleeping in Gil’s room for the last couple of nights.

Now her body bristled in recognition, spine gone taut, posture drawn back as her hand clutched around her mobile phone, noting the many notifications gone unanswered, and met the sky blue eyes of Aurora. Her visage was usually one of beckoning dawn with her halo of copper hair spun through with gold, but a haunted look bloomed over her features, wariness weighted upon her shoulders and a certain air that bespoke of her sorrows. All of these were magnified by the bruise that faded out into pale edges upon her temple and brow.

“Hello… Aurora.” She carefully set her phone aside, arms crossed with the fabric of her white tee-shirt scooped around her scar, fingers clasped over each arm currently concealed with a nondescript black jacket to cover her fresh bandages.

“What…” She paused, head tilting down curiously as she studied her, lashes sweeping high and low. “I’ll admit. I’m surprised to see you here. So, I’ll simply ask why you’re here.”

“I, uh,” Aurora hesitated, struggling to find the words as Amma examined her keenly, feeling exposed in her current state both emotionally and physically. The redhead similarly beheld the raven haired girl’s demeanor and body language, how she seemed to straighten and retract from her, the scars that littered her visible skin and likely trailed underneath her coverings, her dark circles and sullen expression. The trial had certainly gotten the better of them both, their wounds only secondary to what she knew lay beneath the skin.

“I was walking past, on my way from Lorcán’s room.” She paused, realizing that she wasn’t sure if Amma was aware of what had happened to him. Cass said he told Blackjack, and Rory reached out to the team via text, but it was better not to assume. “He, uh, got attacked the other day in the Northern Forest, if you didn’t know,” Aurora exhaled shakily, pain evident in her voice, “He has some type of infection but they don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

“But I saw you were in here, and wanted to thank you. For what you did during the trial.” She took a step towards where she was sitting, approaching the girl warily, “We would have been dead if it weren’t for the power you gave me, and I know that it came at your detriment.”

Amma pauses, fingers clenched and balled into fists, nails spearing into the bedsheets where sudden swells of red arise, coiling through her rigid gestures, and when Aurora takes a step towards her, she flashes her eyes suddenly aglow in silver and blue, marking her where she stood. The world quaked at her toiling influence, heightened by the sudden breadths of empathy for what Aurora must’ve felt for Lorcán at that moment. For what she is uncertain she is feeling in that split second the information is spared and she can hardly navigate those emotions that strike at her heart.

“I know… I guess, I just didn’t realize how severe it was.” She breathes, arms trembling with the grip, her words understating his condition's severity.

She doesn’t want to talk about the trials, she couldn’t even confess such to Gil the first night or any other night, and she certainly doesn’t want to relive the hopelessness she felt in the last moments when she had given the lasting remainders of her power to them- so that they may yet live as she was dragged into Hell.

“As I told Haven… If I had made it out alone, it would’ve looked suspicious. Though, I suppose that doesn’t matter.” Amma carelessly lifted her palm, gesturing towards her room, marking the damage to the floors and walls, the ceiling that too bore her wrath. “Still in solitary for another day or two…”

“What-” She exhales with a sigh. “Do they know what attacked him?” It’s the first she has been made aware outside of the simple texts that had been given as of late.

Aurora noticed how Amma tensed, how she seemed to shake with a fervor reminiscent of her own. It was unexpected to see her have that type of reaction, similar to hers but also different in tone. Where the redhead’s woes manifested in anguish, tears and cries, the raven haired girl radiated anger and tenacity. But where they were alike was in the pain they both felt.

Her eyes darted around the room as Amma waved her hand, only then coming to notice the marks and destruction that marred her surroundings. Aurora would have previously been wary, alarmed, but instead she simply felt numb and unbothered, all of her energy and fear were dedicated elsewhere. Swallowing, the redhead took another step closer, testing the waters although she knew her first move towards the bed had been met with distrust.

“They don’t, unfortunately.” She replied, crossing her arms over her chest as she seemed to hug herself, hide herself. “The medics seem to think that whatever it was is not of this world, as crazy as that sounds.” The girl inclined her head to Amma, “They’re doing what they can, but,” She sniffed, trying to hold back the sadness that threatened to overtake her like a tidal wave, and spoke softly.

“It’s not looking very good right now.”

“There are many inexplicable things of this world that do not belong,” Amma mutters quietly, eyes gone far off and distant, dissociated from the unfamiliar emotions she had been victim to as of late. Unable to define the irregularity of her pulse and waspish rage that made her want to lash out, her entire body rigid and unyielding, feathering pearls of red and silver dotting the frame of her lashes, clinging to her visage that struggled to don the barrier of the creature that did not care.

“The monsters are very much real.”

Amma feels her moving closer, drawn to her sorrows, and hears the tears threatening to fall upon the delicate misery of her voice- she’s surely about to break, crumble in within the void of her heartache- and she hates her for it. Bound in the chains of her past, bound in the barbed wires of her rage and pain, unable to personify her feelings so carelessly; so easily. Mend, instead of sunder, she thinks. But how?

“Your tears won’t save him,” she whispers. “If he is to die soon then why aren’t you there now? What’s the point of coming here to thank me?”

The raven haired girl's words never ceased to send shivers up Aurora’s spine, it was in her tone, her departed gaze as she spoke. She was haunted by unseen demons, her life clouded by the shadow of a burden that was challenging to describe. Having felt her power before, it was this she knew to be true, and she was unsure if she could ever put into words the weight that bore heavy on her heart for knowing and understanding that discomfort.

This time she was the one who bristled, the directness cutting like a knife, her question striking her heart instantly. The redhead already knew that things were grim and there was nothing to be done, and yet her words still stung as if salt were poured on the open wound. What was the point? Her sadness quickly morphed into defensiveness, a bite in her following words that wasn’t there previously.

“Because you showed me a kindness I didn’t believe you to possess, and I was wrong for assuming you to be anything but,” Her brow furrowed, “It was because of you that I am able to be here with him now,” Aurora elaborated further, “It’s also because of you that he was able to find me. Not only did you lend your power to me, but also to him, and for that I am grateful.”

“I’m well aware my tears won’t save him, but it hurts when you might lose someone that you love.”

The words came out before she could stop them and she bit her tongue hard, the tang of her own blood dancing across her teeth.

“Kindness? Love?” Such bitterly stated words fell from her gnashing teeth, bone slid against the pout of her lip, tongue bathed in the fated red that filled her mouth on a shattering laugh that struggled beyond her aching ribs. “Is that what it looks like? That dejected and hopeless look in your eyes.” Amma stood up from her bed, thick lines of black and red spooled across her sheets, left in her wake as she approached Aurora.

“That haunted and drawn exhaustion I see in your face.” She breathed deep, a shuddering breath that eclipsed her reasonings, witnessing all that she was true for, the admission that filled the depths of her room and refused to abate now that they had been spoken aloud. “What is love then, if not the most painful thing I see in you, the most painful thing I saw in her.”

Aurora didn’t falter as Amma stepped closer, they were a similar height even if one had a gaze of stars and the other of stone, but nonetheless at each other's level. The French girl’s words rang of disgust and distaste, and that lit a fire in the redhead that did not get a rise often. How dare she take her woes and twist them so, take a beautiful thing and morph it into something so ugly and undesirable. As much as it hurt her to feel this way, to feel anything at all, she wouldn’t change a thing.

She did not know who this her was that she spoke of, and yet, she did not care. For if Amma had known love at one point in her life, evidenced by the venom in her voice, she should understand where Aurora was coming from.

“Emotion is not weakness, Amma, so much as you may think that it is.” She stated strongly, trying to maintain her composure. “It may hurt, but I still feel fortunate that I have someone that I care this much about, someone who makes me feel,”

“I’m sorry that you don’t.”

“Because they’re all dead.” A statement, a confession, one laced to the brim with vehemence, an unbridled fervor inspired by the words flung at her, gilded in flame like her hair and meant to scorch her with shame. But Amma only felt longing, a deeply seeded yearning that spiraled into hunger, that craved something she could not name.

“You don’t know how I feel.” Even she did not know, but she would not spare Aurora those whispers, could not for all the world that quaked at her mercy, for all the woe and pain that cantered through her life in crimson maladies and song. “The emotions that come from this- with this.” The HZEs within and without fled her palms, coiling betwixt her scarred fingers liken to snakes that spun around her wrists.

“That has cost me everything.” Amma breathes, fingers curling into her palms to snuff out the manifest of her powers, the weight of her heart suddenly burdened by a weariness she could not place. She tells herself she does not care, she tells herself this over and over, and over again. She paid the price once, she would not - could not - do it again.

“You sure about that?” The redhead challenged, her facial expression tense, lips drawn in a thin line and brow raised as she went toe to toe with the raven haired girl. Something about her current situation, the rage that she felt towards whatever had attacked Lorcán was finding its outlet now. “Not that I owe you an explanation, but you’re not the only one that’s experienced loss,”

“My powers have also cost me,” She spoke freely, unafraid and brazen as she raised her chin in quiet defiance, “They may not be destructive in the way that yours are, but they destroyed my life as I knew it.” Aurora exhaled shakily, eyes misty and heartbeat thundering in her ears as she chose to share a piece of herself with the girl, one that not many others knew, her own weight that she carried day in and day out.

“My mother had to give me up because of my abilities. My stepfather would have killed me had he found out what I possessed, what I could do,” Her voice cracked, betraying the intensity in which she spoke, a single tear rolling down her cheek even though she tried to hold it back, “The only person who ever loved me abandoned me. She could be dead for all I know, I have no clue where she is now.”

“So don’t stand there and tell me that I don’t know how you feel.”

“You’re right,” Amma rejoined with a snap of anger awash over her teeth edging into a feral smile, drawn up straight, meeting Aurora eye for eye; the sky blue of her stare the herald of a righteous figure donned in the light of love, alight in anger and defiance to the void that swirled into her own depths, the storm striking upon the fringes of her control. “You don’t owe me an explanation, just as I owe you none.”

“But you know then what it feels like, to be abandoned for all that you are. For all that you could be. Abandoned because they are afraid of what you can do. You’re just like me.”

We are monsters.
Afraid of you. Afraid of me.

“Not once, but twice. Locked away in the dark because they couldn’t control the beast any more. Given all the power in the world; made into what you fear the most. And they use you for it until it turns to ash and death in your hands. Until you no longer know where she begins, and you end." Amma watches her tears, the one of solidarity bidden to her touch where she reaches up, ghosts her fingers over Aurora’s delicate features and catches it there upon the rise of her scars, the fissure in her voice reflecting the fissure lain within her soul.

“To be so loved and wanted, to be able to cry so freely.” Amma withdraws her hand, the pads of her fingers swept over the healing bruise, a small coil of her power tracing down the line of her cheek as exhaustion once more found way to her body, sunk down deep into her bones, a terrible buzzing once more clamoring betwixt her ears.

“Take that anger and use it to find out what happened to him, Aurora. Be there for him for me – For I – “ Amma laughed, a delicate sound that betrayed the depths of her words. “Be there for those of us that cannot.”

Amma’s hostility was palpable, her cold and harsh words that detailed her misfortunes jarring, and yet her gestures were not such, her motion tender and fluid as she reached up towards Aurora’s face. And as she met that single tear, the redhead’s breath hitched, shocked by her gentleness amongst the chaos her powers wreathed. That ghost of a touch, and the words that accompanied it felt foreign coming from her lips, such a departure from prior words of suffering.

She was right, they weren’t all that different.

After all, they wanted the same thing.

Aurora simply nodded, a silent acknowledgement to her statement, words steeped in raw envy. She took a step backwards, creating distance from the raven haired girl, but not before uttering words that she thought she needed to hear.

“There are good people out there, you know. Ones who don’t abandon and aren’t afraid. It took me a while to find them, to find him,” The redhead felt another tear trail down her skin, unashamed of the sadness that bloomed in her heart for it was her greatest strength, “But he was worth the wait,”

“I know you'll be able to find that too.”

Amma doesn’t say anything, for she no longer had the words to spare, instead she allowed Aurora to step back, where she mimicked her retreat and too furthered the distance between them. A creature of light, and one of dark, both that had been cruelly undone by the world, for all that this universe owed to them, and for all that it took in retribution for powers undone. She curls both arms over her middle and gazes out from the small window her room is afforded, and in the light of the late afternoon that slants through the pane she says:

“The monsters are not supposed to win. The monsters are meant to be killed. To die.”

“But until that day comes, I’ll face the world for this role I have to play. For everything that I’ve done. And if someone is waiting for me there in the end… Well.” Amma simply laughs. “You’ll face it too.”

Aurora’s eyes glanced over to the pane, the golden rays casting dark shadows on the ground, and it was then that she realized that Amma was no more free here than she was while in the clutches of the Foundation. Her laugh, that wicked laugh, tore through her flesh and singed like flames, but it wasn’t fear that it triggered.

It was sympathy.

There were many things she wanted to say, but the redhead turned on her heel, knowing that the girl would rather perish than to entertain her pity, and headed for the door. Before she twisted the knob and exited to sit by her love’s bedside, she returned her gaze to Amma.

“For what it’s worth,” She paused, noticing her irises were the same shade of blue as hers. “I don’t think you’re a monster, Amma.”

Amma simply held her gaze; a mirror, a window, a girl who was known as beloved, a girl who could express all the things that she could not. A girl who mended, rather than sundered, a girl who suffered and was all the more beautiful for it because of what she found within her heart- the strength to love.

You accepted the script before you even read it. The only part you need play is the one you write for yourself.

For the first time in what felt like years, maybe even longer than that, Amma simply nodded in quiet acceptance as Aurora made to leave her room, watching her return to where she knew she could not- no matter how badly she wanted to.

“You’re wrong. But, thank you, Aurora.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Myotis House - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.032: Something in the Orange

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): N/A}

Previously: Daylight

It started like it always did.

The small ranch house at the end of the cul-de-sac, beige stucco exterior and red clay tile roofing baking in the dry desert heat. Peony and rose perfume which greeted her as she turned the knob, familiar walnut cabinets and a taupe tile floor underneath her bare feet. The loud open and close of the front door behind her which sent her into a panic as she raced to her childhood bedroom.

But when she opened her bedroom door, she didn’t see the bland blue walls or the glow-in-the-dark stars.

Instead, she was greeted by a sterile hallway and bright white overheads. They illuminated the area in cold washes of light, casting towering shadows that danced down the pathways as they stalked their prey. She could hear screams, her teammates, as they encountered the darkest of their fears. But Aurora couldn’t go to them, no, her feet moved of their own accord down the hall and towards a solitary room where figures without faces stood surrounding a hospital bed. A man and a woman, together, holding each other for comfort. A smaller girl and an older boy, his arm protectively wrapped around her shoulder.

And lying there between them all was Lorcán.

She could see him clear as day, everything else became blurred in the background as she beheld his eerily still form. Every slope and curve of his body, every line of his tattoos, every mark and mole and scar she knew him to have, she could see it all. His monitors beeped around her, echoing sadness and grief off of the empty walls and into the vast expanse beyond. Aurora tried to talk, tried to speak, but it was as though her voice had been taken from her, chords ripped from her throat.

She reached for him, but before she could touch him, be with him, let him know everything that she believed to be true and everything that they could be, the incessant sound ceased and went monotonous as he flatlined.

Instantly, forces began to pull her back, hands grabbing her arms and covering her mouth as they tried to tear her from that room, take her away from her love, her whole world. She fought to remain by his side, attempted to resist the powers that be and tried to make her way back towards him. Warm tears slid from her eyes down her face as she lost her footing and the salty ocean waves took her away. And just when he began to fade, she found her voice.

And Aurora screamed.
______________________________

“Rora!”

The girl’s eyes flew open and she bolted upright, her hands trembling as they fisted her bedsheets. Her cheeks felt damp and her breath came out in quick pants as she woke from her nightmare, shaking like a leaf in the wind and her throat dry and strained. She blinked rapidly, and as her vision cleared and her surroundings became apparent once more, she looked into the worried brown eyes of her roommate Kelcey, who stood beside her bed.

“Shh, you’re okay, it’s okay.” The brown haired girl tried to soothe, reaching out her hand to touch her comfortingly. But Aurora tensed and dodged her gesture, still wrapped up in the throes of her mind and fearful of whatever else approached her. “It was just a dream, Ror, just a dream.”

Two pairs of racing footsteps could be heard on the hardwood in the common area as her other roommates appeared in the open doorway, a blonde with green eyes and a curly haired girl with skin like caramel both shared worried expressions.

“What happened, what’s wrong?” The blonde, Leah, fretted, running into the girl’s bedroom absolutely panicked, eyes wide and holding a heavy looking textbook. Maddy followed, her exaggerated breathing indicating her fear and alarm as she also approached the bed.

“We heard you scream!”

Aurora swallowed and cleared her throat, preparing to articulate what had happened, but still overwhelmed and overcome with emotion, she could only manage to dissolve into tears. Her roommates looked at each other, sorrowful, and were able to piece together that it had been a nightmare that caused her loud cry. Maddy sat down on the edge of her bed gingerly so as not to startle her, Leah moved to sit in the girl’s desk chair, and Kelcey reached out her hand once more, the redhead not shying away from her grasp this time as she rubbed circles on her back.

“I’m sorry,” She finally breathed, the words coming out between gasps for air. The curly haired girl shook her head profusely as Aurora finally used her voice to apologize. “I’m so sorry, I-”

“No, Aurora, it’s okay,” Maddy interrupted to put her at ease, scooting closer to her friend. “We just got scared, is all. You’re okay, everything is fine.”

Kelcey sighed, looking at the redhead with sympathy in her gaze. “We know you’re going through a lot right now, and you never have to apologize to us.” She pulled her friend into her arms and held the redhead as she continued to cry, the anguish she felt from the nightmare still so real and palpable.

Maddy looked to Leah, seeing the book she was holding, and she raised an eyebrow. “And just what were you planning to do with that?” She asked incredulously, and all the blonde could do was shrug in response.

“I don’t know!” She replied, “Aurora could have been in danger, I grabbed the first thing I saw that was throwable.”

“Sure, like a textbook would have saved her.”

“It was better than nothing!”

Kelcey coughed intentionally, which caused the two girls to cease their small disagreement and she returned her gaze to her friend, who’s quiet cries began to slow and ebb away. “Everything is okay, you’re okay.” The brunette reassured again, the repetition of the same statement between them bringing Aurora back to reality. “Let’s go and make a cup of tea, try and relax a little bit.” She looked to Leah, who quickly stood up from the chair and hurried to their kitchen to turn on the kettle.

The redhead sniffled and nodded, taking a breath before moving to stand, following her roommates into their shared common area. They all proceeded to pile onto the couch and wait for the water to boil, turning on one of their favorite obnoxious reality shows in the meantime to help take the redhead’s mind off of the turmoil that rampaged in her mind. When the tea was ready and brewed they sat and drank.

They didn’t ask questions, didn’t pry as to what Aurora’s nightmare had been about. Kelcey, Leah, and Maddy just sat there with their friend, cups of tea in their hands as they added ridiculous commentary to the silly dating show they always enjoyed watching together. They sat there for as long as it took to finish the pot, as long as it took for the redhead to grow calm and tired once more.

Her roommates didn’t go back to sleep until she did, and when Aurora finally closed her eyes, they took turns checking in on her throughout the night until morning.

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

The corridor outside was unexpectedly busy, with nurses and doctors moving briskly and the murmur of hushed conversations filling the air. Harper paid it no mind as she walked aimlessly, her hand hovering over a name in her contacts, her thumb hesitating just above the screen. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to summon the courage to make the call, to take that first step at reaching out as she had with Gil.

Just as she was about to make the call, she bumped into someone, her phone nearly slipping from her grasp. Startled, Harper looked up and saw Cass standing before her, his presence causing her heart to skip a beat. She quickly steadied herself, clutching her phone tightly. The joke she had been about to make immediately died on her lips as she took in his expression—grim and tense.

The older boy looked up, his green eyes studying Harper with a look of confusion before they lit up with familiarity.

“Hey, Baxter!” Cass called over the din of the infirmary, making several quick strides towards her, “If you’re here to see Lorcán they’ve got him quarantined right now, I just texted Tyler, surprised you got here so fast.”

He looked at her again, his eyes intently studying the new haircut noting how it brought out her cheekbones. He hadn’t noticed just how slender of a jawline she had when the long hair had shielded either side of her face.

But that wasn’t exactly a priority right now.

“Uh sorry about the trial,” Cass deflected, “Must have really sucked being trapped in there, can’t imagine having my worst fears plugged into a machine that can bring them to life.”

Harper nodded, her mind too busy racing with questions about Lorcán. She glanced down at the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name there: Aurora. She knew she’d wanted to- no, needed to- get into contact with her. But now, it seemed, it would be for entirely different reasons. Her eyes flicked back to Cass, her expression one of concern.

“Yeah, it was intense. And I was visiting a friend,” Harper managed, trying to brush off the reminder of her own experience. It wasn’t important now. “What do you mean they have him quarantined? What the hell happened?” Her voice was edged with unease, her eyes searching Cass’s face for answers.

“No one seems to know,” Cass replied looking down the hallway he had come from. “Couple of my teammates found him out in the Northern peninsula, nasty scratch on his arm. Medics all say it’s already severely infected, they’ve got both him and the two girls quarantined until they can rule out that it’s contagious.”

He turned back to Harper.

“Heard one of them commenting on the smell too, apparently it reeks, like a tomb.”

Harper’s breath caught in her throat. The image of Lorcán, injured and isolated, filled her mind. “Infected? Like a tomb?” she repeated, disbelief and dread mingling in her words. What did any of that even mean? “So, what are they doing for him now, other than making sure whatever it is doesn’t spread? And what can we do from out here?” Her voice wavered, the helplessness she felt seeping into her tone. She already knew the answer to that latter question. What could she even do for her friend from here? She was no doctor, yet. Not even close.

She swallowed, hesitant but needing to know.

“Does…does she know yet?”

“She?” Cass took a second before realizing Harper meant Aurora, “If she doesn’t already, she soon will. Uncle Aiden sent Ripley to get her and they’ve made sure the infirmary has her down as a caretaker so she can be here at all hours if,” He paused, “Once, he clears quarantine.”

He flexed his hands, cracking his knuckles while stifling a small reflexive flare in his palm.

“Other than that, all we can do is wait and hope the medics can do something, don’t much care for feeling this powerless. Just takes me back to a darker time in my life,” Cass replied, “But uh, if you weren’t here for Lorcán then I won’t keep you,” He stated, his eyes wandering upwards in the opposite direction.

Harper’s concern deepened, not just for Lorcán but for Cass as well. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the way he tried to mask his feelings with a brave face. “Cass, I—” she began, reaching out to him, but he cut her off, his tone shifting to something more resigned.

“I uh, imagine Gil will be happy to see you,” The words were bitter on his tongue, but Cass managed to spit them out while doing his best to control his disappointment.

His words were tinged with an edge Harper couldn’t quite place. She blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. “Cass, I came here to see Gil, sure, but do you really think that’s important to me right now?” she asked, her voice gentle but firm. She reached out, touching his arm lightly. “Besides, I’ve already seen Gil, and he’s exhausted. Right now, what I want to know is how you’re doing. Lorcán’s your family too…I can’t imagine any of this is easy for you.”

“Frankly,” Cass started,“I don't know how I am.” He replied, “None of it has sunk in, I don't know enough about the situation to know to be worried. He could sit up any second, fall out of bed flat on his face and still want to grab his board and go surf.” Cass changed his posture, mimicking Lorcán’s laid-back slouch as he slapped his feet along the tiled floor to imitate the flip flops.

“Sup, Paddlepuss, nice wipe-out on those mushburgers.” He said, using the nickname Lorcán had given Harper when she became a lifeguard.

“I just wish I had the full story, I can't help but feel someone is missing something.”

Harper groaned and rolled her eyes, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. “Ugh, not that nickname. It’s not my fault I’m not crazy enough to go out there against those waves. I have some sense of self-preservation, unlike him.” She could picture her sweet but absolutely crazy friend now, charging into the surf with the recklessness she knew him for, his laughter carried away by the wind. Despite her grumbling, there was a hint of admiration in her tone.

Her smile, however, faded slightly as she considered Cass’s last comment. Why had Lorcán been on the Northern peninsula at all, especially after everything they had just gone through with the trials? Was this incident related to that somehow, or had Lorcán stumbled upon something-or someone- that posed a new threat?

A shadow of concern crossed Harper’s face as she pondered the possibilities. The trials had been gruelling, testing their limits in the face of their fears. So, the thought of Lorcán facing yet another challenge unsettled her. Her mind raced with questions and scenarios, each more troubling than the last. Had he discovered something that could jeopardize their hard-won peace, or was he simply unable to stay away from danger? The uncertainty gnawed at her, making it hard to shake the feeling that something significant was unfolding where he was found.

“I wish I knew more, too,” Harper said, her voice tinged with frustration. She hated sitting by and waiting for answers, the same drive that she had with Haven during their investigation simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.

But look how well that had turned out.

“Rippers is going to start blowing up my phone if I don't get back, but uh,” Cass paused, “It’s not really a priority but I’m looking forward,” He hesitated again.

“I’ll pick you up Friday, I’m still taking you to the dance so wear something nice, or don’t, I don't care,” He forced a chuckle, hiding his excitement as he tried to ensure their date was still on for the dance.

Harper’s disappointment softened as she looked at Cass, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She appreciated his effort to lighten the mood, even if he seemed to be struggling to find the right words given the situation.

“I’ll try to look my best, as always,” she replied, her voice carrying a hint of the playfulness she’d felt that night before the trials.

Harper watched him turn the corner, the hand she’d raised in a wave goodbye slowly dropping. Her smile lingered for a moment longer before fading, replaced by a more serious expression. Her eyes drifted back to the phone in her hand, the screen still displaying the name of her friend who was in God knows what kind of mental state.

How should she even begin to approach this problem? The question echoed in her mind, bringing with it the same sense of helplessness as before. She wanted to be there for Aurora, to offer support and comfort, but she didn’t even know where to start. The thought of reaching out and saying the wrong thing made her hesitate, her fingers once again hovering over the screen, unsure of what to do next.

As if the heavens had decided for her, her phone buzzed in her hand, Aurora’s name lighting up the screen with an incoming call. Harper sucked in a sharp breath, her heart leaping into her throat. She stared at the screen for a moment, her mind blank, before her hands moved on their own, answering the call on the third ring.

“Harps? I need you, please.”

Aurora’s voice was shaky, the recognition of it causing Harper’s grip on her phone to tighten, her own emotions swirling within her.

“I’m here, Aurora. And I know,” she replied, her voice steady but her heart racing. She began to move, her feet carrying her in a direction—any direction—just to avoid standing still. The weight of her emotions threatened to pull her down, to make her sink into the floor if she stood still any longer. “I’ll figure out a way to see you, alright? Just keep taking deep breaths. We’ll get through this together but…” She glanced around, her eyes darting from one indistinguishable landmark to another.

Where was she going?

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.021: Daylight

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): Cassander @Lord Wraith}

Previously: All Falls Down & By the Lives That Wove the Web

Aurora kept her knees hugged to her chest, back flush against the wall, while Harper’s comforting voice flowed through the phone. Her tears continued to fall, but more so now since she was relieved that the girl had answered her call as quickly as she did, especially given how she replied to her plea.

“You’re- you’re here?” The redhead sputtered in between heaving breaths, wiping at her nose with her sleeve. The mere thought that her friend was close soothed her, and at her response, she sat up a bit straighter. Looking around for any markers or indications of the location she was sitting in, the girl’s baby blues landed on a placard affixed next to the door she had entered through. “I’m in Stairwell B. On the 2nd floor.”

“C-can you come find me?”

Harper’s heart clenched at the sound of Aurora’s distress. She gripped her phone tighter, her voice unwavering despite the turmoil she felt. “I’m already on my way, ” she reassured, her footsteps echoing through the sterile hospital corridors. “Just hang in there, okay? I’ll be there in a minute.”

Harper moved with purpose, her mind mapping out the quickest route to Stairwell B. Her eyes flicked to the signs overhead, her pace quickening with each step. She pushed through a set of heavy double doors, the bustling sounds of the hospital fading as her focus narrowed to one goal: finding Aurora.

The sight of the stairwell sign brought a surge of determination. Harper took the stairs two at a time, her breaths coming in short, determined bursts. She reached the second floor, her eyes immediately spotting Aurora’s familiar red hair, the girl huddled against the wall, looking small and vulnerable.

Without hesitation, Harper rushed to her friend, dropping to her knees and enveloping Aurora in a tight, protective hug. “Aurora,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m here. It’s okay. You’re not alone.” She held her friend close, feeling Aurora’s sobs against her chest, offering silent comfort through her embrace.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, the redhead letting all of the fear and helplessness she had felt building finally bubble over. It was cathartic to let it all out. She’d tried her best to keep it together in front of Lorcán’s parents, in front of Cass, and especially in front of Ripley, but if she had learnt anything from her years on campus, it was that she didn’t always need to be the strong one. Life had dealt her a shitty hand, and yes, the majority of the time she still tended to muscle through things on her own, but she had people to lean on now, and it meant everything to her to be supported.

Aurora’s tears began to subside, her gasping breaths and hiccups starting to lessen, and she found herself able to form sentences once more. “I need him to be okay, Harper, I can’t lose him.” She whimpered, another choking sob following her words. “They don’t know what’s wrong with him,” The girl moved to look at Harper through her overflowing eyes, “I’m so scared.”

Harper’s eyes, so stoic and guarded since the trials, softened with deep empathy as she held Aurora tighter, feeling the tremors, every ounce of her friend’s anguish, against her own chest. She could feel Aurora’s fear and pain as if it were her own, and it made her hold on even tighter as if her embrace could shield Aurora from all the hurt. If she could completely absorb some of it, and take on just a little more, she would do it in a heartbeat.

Because Aurora didn’t deserve this. Not one bit.

And Lorcán, ever so loyal and brave, definitely did not deserve to be in this state. Her mind flashed back to the memory of him snapping her out of her misery when she’d been stuck in her own mind, lost in a sea of despair. She remembered the way his voice had cut through the fog, grounding her, pulling her back to reality with the firmness of not just a leader, but a friend.

Harper had yet to pay him back for any of it, and the thought gnawed at her every being.

He needed to pull through. He just had to.

“I know,” Harper whispered to Aurora. “I know you’re scared. It’s okay to be scared.” Her words were gentle, each one carefully chosen to offer comfort and reassurance.

With a tender touch, Harper gently brushed a few stray strands of hair away from Aurora’s tear-streaked face. Her fingers moved lightly, almost reverently, as if she were handling something fragile and precious. Her precious friend. She wanted Aurora to feel her presence, to know that she was truly there for her.

“But you’re not alone in this,” she continued, her voice filled with unwavering conviction. She leaned in slightly, her eyes locking onto Aurora’s, ensuring that her friend could see the sincerity in her gaze. “I’m here for you. So is the team. We’re all here for you, and we’re going to get through this together. Whatever happens.”

“We’ll find out what’s wrong,” Harper continued, her voice filled with quiet determination. She squeezed Aurora’s shoulder gently, her touch firm yet comforting. “And Lorcán is sure to receive the best care possible. You’re not going to lose him, Aurora. I…I promise.”

The redhead continued to calm down as the company of one of her closest friends soothed her, her breathing returning to a normal pace, eyes slowly drying out. She swallowed, throat strained, and although her heartbeat remained elevated, it wasn’t racing as it previously had been. For as long as she’d known her, between her actions and her words, Harper always made Aurora feel safe. It was a quality the girl never overlooked, always appreciated, especially in this moment.

Her tremors quieted, and she leaned back from Harper’s embrace, resting her body against the wall once more. Reaching up with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, she wiped at her face to cleanse herself of the tear stains and mucus that came with such an emotional break. “You can’t promise something like that Harper,” Aurora knew her friend meant well with the statement, but the logical side of her brain understood there was no way of ensuring such a thing. “They said the infection wasn’t like anything they’d ever seen, even went so far as to say it wasn’t of this Earth. How are they supposed to care for him when they don’t understand what they’re dealing with?”

She sighed, but it came out more like a wheezing, and the girl coughed to clear out whatever remained. “He’s everything to me, Harps, and there’s a very real chance he’s not going to make it through this.”

“I don’t want to live in a world without him in it.”

Harper immediately felt a pang of regret for her impulsive words. The promise she had made was indeed fragile, fraught with the unknown, and she knew it. Still, she wanted to be the rock Aurora needed, just as her sister had been for her all those years ago. She reached out, gently squeezing Aurora’s hand, hoping to convey some measure of comfort through her touch.

“I know,” Harper said softly. “I know I can’t promise that, and I’m sorry that I did.” Her eyes met Aurora’s, blinking away the tears that had begun to form. “I just…I want to give you hope, even if it’s just a little bit.”

Aurora nodded, understanding completely that her friend only had good intentions which drove her choice of words, and had she not experienced such loss in her life before, she wouldn’t have commented on it. But the redhead was no stranger to grief, her mind instantly flicking back to the Trial and the illusion that her teammates were exiting without her. The numerous foster placements she bounced from, a suitcase that always remained packed. Her mother dropping her off in the pitch black of night and leaving her behind.

This situation may have been different from the rest, it was not of Lorcán’s own volition that he found himself at risk of departing too soon. But to Aurora, the cycle continued, no matter the means in which it occurred. The story changed, but the premise was always the same.

“No one ever stays,” She spoke out loud, more tears brimming. “And I am so tired.”

“I thought if I kept him at arm's length, if I managed to keep my feelings at bay, then I wouldn’t get hurt or disappointed when I lost him like everyone else.” She started talking and couldn’t stop, years of yearning and unresolved tension coming to a head, tears overflowing from her eyes once more even though she was under the impression she had nothing left to cry. She’d been stewing over this for days, since the night they shared in the tent, since staying over after the Trial, things finally having come into focus for her.

“But the way I feel about Lorcán is consuming, Harper, and he might die before I ever get the chance to tell him.”

Harper leaned in closer, her eyes never leaving Aurora’s face. Each word that fell from Aurora’s lips seemed to echo around them, resonating with a feeling of sorrow that Harper could almost touch. The years of buried emotions and unspoken fears were now laid bare, and Harper felt the full weight of her friend’s anguish pressing down on her own heart. Her fingers intertwined more firmly with Aurora’s, a silent vow of unwavering support and presence. As always, for her.

She had already suspected the depth of Aurora’s feelings, but hearing them articulated with such raw honesty was a revelation. The name Lorcán hung between them, heavy with unspoken history and emotion. Harper’s thoughts raced, piecing together the fragments of Aurora’s confessions, understanding now the profound impact Lorcán had on her friend’s life. An impact so big that…if the other was to lose him.

She did not, could not, dwell on that thought.

Instead, Harper’s voice was gentle but firm as she spoke, her eyes searching Aurora’s for any sign of reassurance. “I know it feels like the world is falling apart right now,” she began, her tone filled with a quiet strength. “And I can’t imagine how scared you must be. But you have to hold on to hope. Lorcán is strong, and he’s fighting with everything he has right now. Just trust in that.”

Harper’s voice softened, filled with a tender urgency. “And when Lorcán wakes up,” she said, her eyes still locked onto Aurora’s, “you’ll have the chance to tell him everything.” She could see the flicker of hope mingling with fear in Aurora’s gaze. “He needs to hear it, Aurora. He needs to know how much he means to you. You’ve carried these feelings for so long, It’s time to let them out, to share them with him. He deserves to know, and you deserve to be heard.”

Even amongst the agony she felt, to voice her deepest thoughts out loud felt freeing. Her heart was just a bit lighter having confided in Harper the secret she’d scarcely thought she’d tell and it allowed her at least some control in a moment where she previously had none. Aurora sniffled, she didn’t even want to think about how pitiful she looked right now. She gripped onto her friend’s hand tightly as she spoke, anchoring her in the present.

“He may be a fighter, but we have no clue what he’s up against.” The image of Lorcán lying in his hospital bed was at the forefront of her mind. “You didn’t see him Harps, but he looks awful. It’s bad.” She candidly stated.

The redhead took a shaky breath, “I-I slept over at his dorm the other night because I didn’t want to be alone, and he was telling me how much the Trial scared him because he thought he was going to lose me. He said everything that he went through in there was to get me back, that he didn’t know what he’d do if anything had happened to me.” She was an open book in that moment, not caring about her previous reservations, spewing words like a broken fountain much like the tears that still threatened to fall from her eyes. “I should have told him then, why didn’t I tell him then? I missed my chance.”

She hung her head shamefully, “And then in the morning, god Harps, I woke up in his arms and it felt so right, but you know what I did? I left. I teleported out of there so fast that I threw up when I got home.” Her exhale was heavy, as she continued to carry the weight of her actions. “It was so real at that moment, and it terrified me.”

“Rora… it’s okay to be scared,” Harper replied softly, her voice filled with understanding. “Love is… it’s huge, and it’s overwhelming. I can’t say I’ve felt it the way you do…but I understand fear. I understand how it can make you run, even when all you want is to stay.”

Harper’s mind flashed back to the countless moments when fear had gripped her heart. She remembered, in particular, the look in her sister’s eyes when she’d discovered Harper’s abilities. She had always thought it was hatred, but now, thinking back to their previous conversation in the motel, she realized it might have been fear. Fear of losing Harper, fear of what could happen to her. Her sister had loved her, and that love had been wrapped in fear.

But she also knew that love, no matter what form it took, was worth fighting for. That she knew for a fact. Love was a powerful force, capable of overcoming even the deepest fears. And it was probably the best thing, really the only thing, that Aurora could hold onto at this moment.

“Fear is a part of love…or at least I think they’re two sides of the same coin,” Harper continued. “I’ve been afraid too. Afraid of losing the people I love, afraid of what might happen if they knew the real me. But I’ve learned that the love we have for each other is stronger than that fear. And it’s worth facing whatever comes our way.”

The redhead slipped back into old habits for a moment, the four-letter word Harper used causing her to recoil and prepare herself to backpedal. But for once, Aurora stopped and embraced the discomfort.

Because she did love Lorcán.

What originally started as friendship had blossomed into something much more profound over the years she had known him. It was why she felt safe in his presence, the reason she trusted him inherently, the meaning behind her actions. Not just because they were best friends, but because she loved him.

The feeling had been there all along, even when she hadn’t realized what it was.

And it was that which made this situation all the more dire, the cause of her reacting in such a visceral way. The boy that she loved was in critical condition, fighting for his life down the hall, and she was at risk of losing him.

Aurora looked into Harper’s eyes and saw the recognition there, a gentle affirmation of what she was voicing and a wordless support of her current emotions. Her friend was compassionate and loyal, and it was moments like this that she was thankful she came into her life. The redhead's tears slowed and subsided as she beheld the gravity of her words.

As scared as this feeling made her, and as daunting as that four-letter word was, Lorcán was worth it. He always had been, and always would be.

“If he wakes up- when he wakes up, I’ll tell him.” Aurora declared, wiping the moisture from her cheeks.

Harper smiled, a warm, encouraging smile that lit up her face. “Good,” she said, her single word carrying a world of support and confidence.

The redhead managed a sad smile back, but the weight of her current situation dragged it down quickly, her expression morphing into something neutral once more. “Thank you,” She cleared her throat, “For being here for me.” Aurora understood that right now they were all going through it - between this and the implications from the Trial - and it meant everything that Harper had still shown up for her in her moment of need.

She looked up to the door and let out a deep sigh, “I should get back, I don’t want them to notice I’m gone for too long.” Bracing herself on the railing, she stood up and extended a hand down to Harper to help her to her feet. “I know you guys aren’t allowed to visit him, so I’ll try to keep everyone updated.”

Harper clasped Aurora’s hand, rising to her feet. “Thanks. And if you need anything, anything at all, just call me, okay?” Harper’s voice was steady, but the slight quiver in her tone betrayed her worry. “Even if it’s just to talk.”

Aurora nodded before pulling her friend in for another hug, squeezing tightly.

“I’m so lucky to have you, Harps.”

Commencement: A Foundation Institute RP

^{__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}

_{Location: Academic Quadrangle → Infirmary - Pacific Royal Campus}

Take On Me #3.019: All Falls Down

^{_{________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

_{Interaction(s): There are a ton of characters in here and they’re all played by @Lord Wraith}

Previously: Every Rose Has Its Thorn

After dropping Ripley off in the East Wing of the Quadrangle, Aurora continued on to her own class in the West Wing, keeping her head down and remaining focused on just getting through the day.

The redhead liked school, in fact, she was good at it. She applied herself, had a good work ethic that lended itself well to studying and test taking. By no means was she an overachiever, but she’d maintained an impressive grade point average since arriving at PRCU, especially considering she didn’t attend a traditional school until getting placed in the foster system. Before then, her mother taught her what she could, and the rest, Aurora read in whatever books she could get her hands on.

Walking into the assigned classroom, she took her seat in the back next to the window. Normally, she preferred to sit somewhere in the middle, at least somewhat towards the front, but today, she was attempting to remain inconspicuous. Aurora had been looking forward to the subject matter of this course, the Psychology of Language, but wasn’t exactly thrilled about the faculty. It was taught by the Dean of the Language & Linguistics department, Dr. Theron Demetrios, who didn’t exactly have the best reviews. Although he was a respected professor, demeanor wise he was often cited as aloof and cold. What also didn’t help was that he was notoriously a harsh grader.

The seats quickly filled in with other students from her major as well as the Language department, and shortly thereafter Dr. Demetrios entered the room, placing his briefcase on the desk at the front. He didn’t waste any time and started his lecture, beginning with describing the overall course structure, but Aurora tuned him out almost instantly. She thought she could do this, that getting back to normalcy and a schedule would be good for her, but that notion was quickly proving to be false.

“Ms. Mitchell,” Dr. Demetrios’ voice calling her name broke through the static in her ears, “Although the University may no longer have a dress code in place, I’d advise you to lower your hood while in my class, it’s disrespectful.”

All eyes darted in her direction, her peers turning around in their chairs and craning their necks to see what the fuss was about and Aurora froze. Hesitantly, she removed the hood of her sweatshirt, ruffling her copper hair in the process, putting her injuries from the trial on full display. Dr. Demetrios’ eyes went wide, realizing his error after putting two and two together. But it was too late to take it back, so he swallowed his tongue and simply continued going through the syllabus.

About fifteen minutes in, an unexpected knock on the door interrupted class.

“Theron,” Jim O’Neil’s voice echoed through the classroom before he stepped through the door frame. “Could y’all step outside with me for a moment.” A hush fell over the room, followed by an ‘Ooh’ muttered in a chorus as the class wrongly assumed Jim had been called to speak to Demetrios about his treatment of Aurora.

After what felt like the longest agonizing minutes of her life, Aurora looked up to see her teacher re-enter the classroom.

“Ms. Mitchell, if you could please gather your belongings and step outside, the Chancellor needs to have a word with you.”

Her thoughts raced, and Aurora prepared to go on the defensive, but hesitated as she saw nothing but sympathy and compassion on Jim’s face when she emerged into the hallway.

“It’d be best if we walk and talk,” He stated, extending a hand towards Aurora, “I can carry that for y’all if you’d like?” He offered before steering Aurora towards the infirmary.

“There's no easy way to say this Miss Mitchell, but young Mr. Roth was attacked and found unconscious in the Northern Forest. He’s been transported to the infirmary and is receiving care while under the watchful eyes of his parents, but they and I both felt it was important y’all were not only notified but brought to see him right away.”

Aurora instantly felt like the wind had been knocked out of her lungs.

Mr. Roth was attacked

It was almost as if she’d been punched in the gut, Jim’s words causing a visceral reaction.

Found unconscious

She sputtered, stuttered, trying to find any words at all. “W-What? What do you mean he was attacked?” The redhead stopped dead in her tracks, her face paling. As her brain worked overtime to decipher the other things Jim had said while she still attempted to process the news, she began to spiral. “He’s going to be okay right?” She searched Jim’s eyes and could tell that there was more he wasn’t telling her yet, could see how bad things must have been to warrant this kind of response.

“Right?”

“Miss Mitchell, it’s in both of our best interests not to lie to y’all and currently they don't know what attacked, let alone what has rendered him unconscious. He’s quarantined for the time being along with those who brought him in. But we don't have a lot of answers at the moment.” Jim replied, “I assure you, he’s getting the best care we can provide and if there was better care anywhere in the world I’d be calling in every favour I had to to get it to him.”

He straightened the Stetson upon his head.

“I do solemnly hope he’ll pull through this, but that's not a question I am able to answer at this time.”

Aurora’s mind was going a mile a minute, her pulse beginning to race faster with each word Jim spoke to her. The more he described, the worse it got, and nothing the Chancellor was saying lessened her panic.

She had to get to Lorcán. She needed to see him.

The redhead closed her eyes and willed herself to move, sensing outward for that familiar tug and pull that would bring her where she wanted to go. But everything was noise, her thoughts steeped in pure anxiety and fear, and her head still recovering from the concussion. She attempted to teleport, but reappeared only a few feet in front of Jim, gasping for air as if she was caught underneath a rip current.

“I need to go, I have to-”

Jim gently gripped Aurora by the arm, steadying the girl as he did so before helping to support her.

“Last thing Mr. Roth needs is for y’all to over exert yourself and end up in a bed a whole wing away from him. So why don't we forget the powers, and walk together.” Jim suggested firmly,

“Briskly, I might add.”

“‘Rora!” A voice called before a petite brunette started running towards the copper-haired girl, “Come quickly! It’s Leo, he’s-” Ripley froze upon seeing Jim.

“Ah, Miss Jones,” He smiled softly, “I was bringing Miss Mitchell to your Auntie and Uncle. Could y’all do me the favour and escort her the rest of the way? Prompt like.” Jim asked Ripley, “I need to go and have a word with the infirmary and ensure we’re all on the same page that visitors, outside of Miss Mitchell here, aren’t allowed due to the nature of your cousin’s case.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!” Ripley saluted smartly before grabbing Aurora’s hand, “We need to hurry! Leo has to wake up if you’re there!”

The pair rushed to the infirmary, and if Ripley hadn’t been tugging her along, Aurora would surely have drifted out to sea. The younger girl talked nearly the whole way, but the older of the two couldn’t hear over the loud ringing in her ears. How could this have happened? The Northern Forest? Lorcán never ventured to that side of the Island… at least he never had before.

Bright white hallways greeted them as they entered the medical wing and Aurora winced, the fluorescents reminiscent of where Blackjack had found themselves the other day. A metallic taste hit her tongue and it was only then she realized she had been gnawing at the inside of her cheek anxiously. Ripley pulled her towards a row of chairs where Lorcan’s mother and father were seated.

Still in a state of shock, Aurora heard the words leave her mouth before realizing she was saying them. “Mr. and Mrs. Roth, I-” She exhaled audibly, eyes darting around, searching, “Where is he?”

“He’s quarantined right now,” Victoria answered, placing an immaculately manicured hand on Aurora’s. “But you can see him through the glass on the other side of the hallway, and please Aurora, call me Tori.”

“And Aiden will be just fine for me,” Lorcán’s father replied, gesturing with an open arm for Aurora to follow. “Here, we can take a look over here.” He prompted.

The redhead peered through the window.

Lorcán lay motionless yet chaos swarmed around him. Medics circled like hawks, examining the gruesome wound on his arm and administering aid. His chest fought to rise and fall, and Aurora almost could hear the heaving breaths he struggled to take through the glass. Bile rose in the back of her throat as she fought off the immediate nausea that came over her, growing lightheaded at the sight of him in such distress. Dampness hit her cheeks, and it took her a minute to realize a few stray tears had fallen.

She sucked in a breath, quickly wiping her eyes on the sleeve of the sweatshirt she wore - Lorcán’s sweatshirt. It still smelled like him even amongst the antiseptic that coated the halls of the infirmary, citrus and smoke flooding her senses. The redhead tore her gaze away from him, looking back at Tori and Aiden and taking in their solemn expressions.

“Come, sweetheart,” Tori beckoned, “Sit here with Ripley and I.”

Aurora’s feet moved back towards the chairs, even though she felt completely and utterly numb, taking a seat beside Lorcán’s mother. Ripley’s hand reached out and met hers, and she vaguely felt pressure as the younger girl gripped her palm.

“How did Leo get attacked again?”

“All we know is that he was in the North Forest, two students from Firebird brought him in, said they found him in a clearing with Rothschild and his arm was already scratched.” Aiden explained, the wheels beginning to turn in Aurora’s head as she thought about who possibly could have been the ones to find him.

“Wait,” Tori interjected, raising her face from between her hands. “Why would Lorcán venture into the North Forest?“ She asked, her eyes darting between them, “He doesn’t surf on that side of the island.”

The redhead shook her head, in agreement with the older woman, finding her voice once more. “No, he doesn’t, and as far as I know he never has.”

As Aiden, Tori, and Ripley discussed, Aurora racked her brain for anything she could think of that could explain why he’d been there.

“It was the weirdest thing, Uncle Aiden,” Ripley piped up, “I was talking to Leo on the phone and there was just this terrible noise as the call was cut. I could hear Rothschild in the background growling,” Ripley persisted, “I just feel like those girls aren’t telling you something-”

“Mr. and Mrs. Roth?” The medic interrupted, entering the hallway from the room where they were tending to Lorcán.

“Can we see our son, doctor?” Tori rose from her seat, Aurora’s eyes not leaving the woman’s frame.

“Yes, you can go in and wait with him, we’re getting him transferred to a private room now that we’re sure he’s not contagious.” The medic answered, “Once he’s there, he’ll be allowed family and relatives during regular hours, immediate family and caretakers overnight”

“Is he going to be alright?” Aiden asked.

The medic looked up at Lorcán’s father, a heavy exhale preceding the reply, which Aurora could only assume meant that this wasn’t going to be good news.

“It’s still too soon to answer that. This infection, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen and as far as our resources go, it’s unlike any one on this Earth has ever seen.” The medic let out another sigh, “I know it’s going to sound unprofessional, Sir, but given my experience, it’s very possible it’s not from this world.”

The redhead’s baby blue eyes went wide.

Not from this world? How was that even possible?

She couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation that the medic had with Tori and Aiden for her heartbeat began to pound in her ears, a buzzing sound overtaking everything. Jim had said Lorcán was getting the best care possible, but if they didn’t even know what was wrong with him…

There was a very slim chance that he was walking out of here.

“Then we’ll just have to hope the tests turn something up.” The medic offered a sympathetic smile. “If you’ll follow me, we’ll take him to his new room.”

Lorcán’s parents quickly disappeared down the hallway and into the room where the boy was being held, and with them gone, Aurora found herself going back and thinking through everything that had been discussed. She was still wrapping her head around it all, but a comment that the younger girl said previously stuck out to her, and Aurora looked at Ripley, eyebrows raised. “Wait, when did you talk to him on the phone? Before or after you saw me?”

“Right after,” Ripley smirked, breaking her gaze away from the hall her Aunt and Uncle had gone down. “I told him to take the board wax out of his water logged ears and listen to me or he’d end up watching you dance with someone else.” She smiled sadly, “But the call dropped and then this happened,” She sniffled.

“Do you think he got hurt because I distracted him?”

“Oh, Ripley,” The redhead knelt down to the petite brunette’s level, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder and rubbing it soothingly. “No, honey. This isn’t your fault.” She reassured, looking into her sad blue-green eyes. With Cass not present yet, and Lorcán’s parents having been whisked away, Aurora swallowed her own grief to step in and take care of the younger girl. But even as she consoled Ripley, her thoughts drifted.

I just want to take you by the hand and disappear into the sunset, we could go our own way.

She should have listened to him.

Not sure what I would have done if anything had happened to you.

What was she going to do?

Guiding Ripley back to the chairs, she sat down next to the girl and placed her arm around her. “Don’t worry, he’s getting the best care possible. They’re going to take good care of him.”

“I always dreamed of coming here,” Ripley admitted, “Almost gave up hope before my powers came in. But it would kill me to not be here right now, even if it’s for something so awful.” She smiled, a small smirk forming in the corner of her mouth.

“Someone has to help keep you distracted.”

Aurora feigned deep thought for a moment before smiling back. If there was anything she knew could distract the younger girl, it was getting her talking about…

“Well, I’d just love to hear more about this conversation you and Lorcán had.” She tapped her nose playfully, attempting to lighten the mood. “Either that, or more dress ideas. What’d you call it? A revenge fit?”

“You gotta get something that puts the girls front and center,” She said pushing up against her own chest before looking down with a small sigh, “Well you know what I mean, I’m sure mine will show up eventually,”

A small tap on an adjacent wall caught their attention as Cass didn't wait to be invited to the conversation.

“That was gross,” He smirked at his adoptive sister. “I could have gone the rest of my life without hearing that sentence.”

Aurora winked at Ripley before standing up, her facial expression instantly falling as soon as her back was turned, making eye contact with Cass. They exchanged knowing glances, both completely understanding of the gravity of the situation.

“Tori and Aiden just went back to see him.” She informed the blonde boy upon his arrival, nodding in the direction they left. “They don’t know what it is, couldn’t really give much of an update.”

“Well, all of Blackjack knows now,” Cass stated taking a seat, “How’s he holding up, Rip?”

“He’s out cold, sedated I think, but they found him unconscious. The wound looks bad, Cass, real bad.”

“And still no leads on what caused it?” He asked.

“Nope, none, zilch.” Ripley replied, shaking her head, “You don't think whatever did it is still out there do you?”

“Honestly, it might be worth grabbing Uncle Aiden and Rothschild to take a look,” Cass mused, his eyes watching Lorcán on the other side of the glass as they prepared to move him.

The redhead looked between the two siblings and figured it’d be best if she offered them some space. After all, they were Lorcán’s family, and as close as she and him were, she still wasn’t blood. “Why don’t I give you guys a few minutes.” She brushed a strand of copper hair behind her ear before looking at Ripley, forcing a smile. “I’m just going to go and get some air.”

Cass stood, extending his arms while motioning for Ripley to join, the siblings embraced Aurora before releasing her.

“We'll call if there’s a change in his condition, otherwise we'll see you when you get back.” Ripley smiled.

The older girl managed a sad smile and ruffled the younger girl’s hair before placing her hand on Cass’ shoulder reassuringly. She simply nodded, no further words needing to be exchanged, before making her way over to the room that Tori and Aiden had disappeared into to be with their son. She stood in the door frame for a few long moments, her eyes memorizing Lorcán’s form as he lay there amongst the tubes and the wires.

He looked so helpless. And it killed her.

Timidly, she knocked, not wanting to bother his parents as they oversaw the medics treating Lorcán, but she didn’t want them to think she just upped and left, or even worse, couldn’t handle being there in their darkest hour. “I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt,” She took a step inside, managing to tear her eyes away from the boy in the hospital bed to meet their gaze. “I’m stepping out for a second, do either of you need anything?”

“I’ll be back though, I promise.” She indicated, but quickly followed up, not wanting to assume, “If that’s okay, of course. For me to be here with you all.”

“Of course that’s okay, sweetheart,” Tori reassured Aurora, “You can be here as much as you’d like to, Lorcán would want that.”

The redhead nodded, grateful, before exiting back to the hallway. Her legs moved before her brain could catch up, not even caring which direction she was walking in. Her breathing started to hitch, each inhale and exhale growing shallower than the last, eyes searching for some place of refuge. She found herself approaching an enclosed stairwell, and didn’t hesitate to open the door and let it slam behind her. As soon as she was alone, she let her tears fall freely, leaning back onto the wall and sliding down until she was seated on the landing.

Sobs racked the redhead’s body as she sat there, her hands shaking as she brought them to cradle her face. She shouldn’t have left the other morning, shouldn’t have run from the man who she knew would do anything for her, she should have stayed. For all she knew that could have been the last time he would hold her, and that terrified her even more than the feelings she had harbored for him for so long.

Gasping for air, she reached into her pocket and grabbed her cellphone, sliding her thumb to unlock the screen and pressing the contact she sought. The phone rang once, twice, before a voice answered on the other side.

“Harps? I need you, please.”

No pain worse than than losing someone you love.