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. ]

Comments

[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.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Why do you need to get stronger?

[daturameloxia]

Because I was weak before. [A little wiggling just to check how firm his bonds are.] I couldn't fight back against my father, I couldn't help Korone before she disappeared.

But now I can. And I will.

[schrodingerscockroach]

And how is denying yourself care going to make you stronger? Make it so you could go against your father, or help Choco?

[daturameloxia]

I don't need to anymore. [Another little wiggle before giving up for now.] When I was alone, I wasn't passing out.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Zipties are hard to get out of without knowing the trick.

As someone with a history of shit self care, you need to do better at caring for yourself. You can't just stop. Even my shit self care was because I was on a self destructive bender or I literally had no choice.

Ah, yes.

Because passing out when around people means you could have totally taken down your father and stopped gang members from taking Choco. [There is thick sarcasm here.] Absolutely not a problem at all.

[daturameloxia]

I'm getting better! [Wylan openly snarls at Wash, which causes Wylan to blink a moment before the anger takes back over.] All I have to do is breathe through the adjustment period.

[schrodingerscockroach]

One, if that was true, then you would need to be around people because the only way to see if your body is going to adjust to the stress is to stress test it. But also, the stress test could kill you, and passing out three times, and with shorter times between each time, its a bad sign.

Again, I've done this shit.

Two, you need a doctor to monitor you when this is happening so if your heart gives out, maybe you won't die.

So whatever is going on here, if it was on purpose, that person is a shit doctor, and if you did this to yourself somehow, you are being real bad at the scientific safety, and I'll tell Donnie, I'm sure he has so many lectures on the subject.

[daturameloxia]

I don't care what you think, Wash. I'm doing what's needed to become stronger.

[And then looks away. It's the best he can do to turn his back while ziptied up.]

[schrodingerscockroach]

Except none of this is making you stronger. Its hurting yourself because anytime you hate yourself, you decide the right thing to do is self destruct as hard as possible because that's what your father told you to do.

[daturameloxia]

I don't hate myself anymore. I only hate him. And you.

[schrodingerscockroach]

[Luckily for Wylan, Wash has been told by people he cares about that they hate him when they're having a time. He's kind of used to it. Thanks Tucker and your emotional immaturity.]

Then why are you hurting yourself?

Because you are. I can already tell you haven't been eating and not sleeping near enough. You haven't cleaned yourself. You've been hyperfocusing on work to an unhealthy degree.

How is any of this liking yourself?

[daturameloxia]

I've told you I don't need to. I have the strength now to keep working through those obstacles. I have a deadline to meet. Stop interfering.

[schrodingerscockroach]

Its not strength to work through your body starving and hitting exhaustion, its insanity and desperation.

You know what happens when you finally stop? You fall flat on your face and are fucked up for a long while after.