un: Eve 🔪; video

[wroughtandtempered]

[ the video opens to a large, serpentine beast with a wolf's pointed ears pulling back from the camera, having apparently started the recording via booping the phone's screen with her snoot. she flicks out a forked black tongue once, then lays her head down on her paws and says slowly: ]

What do you do when you feel like garbage, and you can't do anything to fix why? When you've just got to wait it out.

...I don't know how long I'm going to be waiting, so. The more ideas the better.

[ a beat, and then she adds: ]

Thanks.

[ —before reaching out to tap the phone again, this time with a paw. animal lovers, enjoy that brief full-screen shot of pink snakewolf toebeans before the feed cuts. ]

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[schrodingerscockroach]

[He steps inside, closing the door behind him.]

[He looks around.]

[Just. Stops a few feet in. A hand going to cover his face. He breathes deep. Let's it out.]

I love you, Wylan, but Jesus Christ.

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan is now properly pinned down and can't move. He looks at Wash for a moment before turning his head away. He doesn't want to think about the mess or the judgment he can hear from the other two.

He's getting stronger, bit by bit, and the judgment can only make him stronger. So, he remains silent in response.]

[wroughtandtempered]

He's been fucking with explosives. ...Invited me over to try some out. And then things went fuckwise.

[ Eve does feel a little bad for the betrayal, when Wylan had been trying to help, but— it's fucked. that moment where he had just ignored her still stings. and something is wrong. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Does this place even have proper ventilation? Do I need to find an OSHA video? This can't be up to safety code.

What is this about his heart? Could it be from breathing in chemicals in too an enclosed space?

[daturameloxia]

It's fine. [Wylan replies, an undercurrent of anger running through his words.] And I'm fine.

[He doesn't wiggle since it's useless to try.]

My heart is adapting.

[wroughtandtempered]

To what?

[ that's not fucking worrisome. but— ]

You've fucking passed out twice, you were shaking, and it doesn't take having my sense of smell to tell you've been taking shit care of yourself.

Would you be okay seeing— [ not family. ] —someone you cared about like this? Do you really expect us to say "oh, no, it's fucking fine?"

[schrodingerscockroach]

....Wylan, there is not a thing your heart 'adapts' to that means you pass out without it being some serious fuckery to your body.

I know.

I did that, and it took years and roughly half the people dying to perfect that surgery.

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan goes silent again, but not without giving an angry huff first. They don't understand that he's getting strong and what he needs is encouragement to keep following the path he's on, not judge him for his choices.

It takes a moment or two before he provides,] I need to keep getting stronger. I can't stop now. You can't stop me now.

[wroughtandtempered]

...Wash.

Might just be paranoid. But I'm starting to think mindfuck.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Mindfuck playing into his own issues.

The anger isn't how he gets, especially not with me being disappointed.

[He focuses on Wylan.]

Why do you need to be stronger?

[daturameloxia]

[Wylan stares at Wash for a moment, that anger very much present in every angle of his face, before he looks away. If he were thinking coherently, his answer would be that he needs to not be afraid anymore, he needs to be strong enough to hate his father and strong enough to help Korone.]

It doesn't matter. Let me get back to my work.

[wroughtandtempered]

...How the fuck is making explosives going to help anything.

[ it doesn't come out as a question; just very abruptly tired and resigned. she swallows. ]

Wash. I'm sorry, I think— I need air. And a moment. ...Can you handle him alone for a little while?

[schrodingerscockroach]

If it doesn't matter, then it's not a good reason to be doing all this.

[He reaches out to scruff Wylan's shirt. He'll upgrade to limbs if he starts wiggling.]

I got him, Eve. You go take what time you need.

[daturameloxia]

[As soon as Wylan has room to wiggle, he starts wiggling, trying to slide out the bottom of the cardigan.]

It won’t matter to you is what I meant. Why do you care?

[So much anger in such a little package.]

[wroughtandtempered]

...Thanks. Sorry.

[ rubbing her face briefly before she gets off Wylan's legs, all but skipping out of the way to avoid any potential kicking ]

Wylan, if you fuck up my cardigan— [ ... ] Fuck it. Never mind. Have the fuck at it.

[ and out she goes, tail tucking and curling around one ankle. ]

[schrodingerscockroach]

You're fine, Eve. I'll see if I can save the cardigan.

Because you're my son and you haven't been taking care of yourself and I would be a shit dad if I didn't care.

And I will treat you like a sack of potatoes if you keep struggling.

[daturameloxia]

[If Wylan’s soul weren’t filled with artificially placed hate, he would never dream of trying to hurt anyone in an attempt to escape.

But life is different now, Wylan is different, and he goes for one of Wash’s ankles with both feet, trying to knock him off balance, trying to hurt him.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Noodle boy, you're trying to kick someone with polymer carbide attached to his bones.]

[There is a wince because OW, HIS SHIN?]

[But noodle boy needs at least three good meals in him if he's going to have a chance at knocking him off balance a bit.]

Ow-what the fuck, Wylan?

[Potato sack it is! Over his shoulder he goes.] All right, throw the tantrum, get it out.

[daturameloxia]

[Well have more kicking then! To anywhere Wylan's legs can reach: stomach, pelvis, thighs. Full force, two-footed kicks one after the other. Up top, Wylan tries to wrap part of the cardigan around Wash's face (somehow, boy is trying everything). However, as he does all this, the pain in his chest is starting to build again and Wylan knows he has to do something dramatic.

So, if all else fails, he will attempt a headbutt.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Wylan, you are not going to hurt me like this. [There is a bit of tightness to his voice because he's not pain proof, but Wash's special skill is Function Through Multiple Grenades To The Face.]

[So]

[Wet noodle isn't going far.]

[He does use telekinesis though to yank that cardigan out of Wylan's hand and tosses it across the room.] All right, we're not wrecking Eve's stuff, that's rude.

[Then there's the headbutt to the back of his head which]

[Does actually get a stumble and a sharp breath.]

[Then he breathes deep. Let's it out. And he will stand there, holding Wylan, and focusing on a Switch.]

[daturameloxia]

[And when the headbutt makes contact, Wylan tries to blink through the stars in his eyes while his chest pain shoots straight through the roof. There's a moment of doubt, a moment of why are you hurting Wash before the soul alchemy takes back over, tightens Wylan's body in pain before going limp.

As his heart beat careens out of control, Wylan's breathing is irregular and unsteady.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

...damnit, Wylan.

[All right, time to put him down.]

[And pulls out zipties because Wash had some PLANS today and he's just going to restrain his ankles and hands for now.]

[Switches to a heal to throw on Wylan to help stabilize his system.]

[daturameloxia]

[Being put down, Wylan flops like the wet noodle he is, limp and unaware. His hands are still dirty and sooty from his experiments that day and his hair is extra wild.

The heal, unfortunately, does little more than wake Wylan up. He looks confused at the sight of Wash and then alarmed at his bound hands and feet. Glaring up at Wash, Wylan is in too much residual pain and exhaustion to do anything but snap,] Go away!

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Wash is going to sit down beside him, focusing on the switch again.]

Why?

[daturameloxia]

Because I need to work. I can't get stronger if I don't work.

[Nevermind that he's actually physically weaker now after not eating or sleeping as he should. None of that matters to his new steely heart.]