[ blackout ] - open; mother’s day

[daniel]

// pretend I posted this on Sunday oop-

If one were to look at the disaster that was Danny’s currently short lifetime, it would look really really bad. After all, something was apparently out to make his life hell, and he hadn’t even been alive long enough to properly do anything worthy of such punishment. It was rather unfair if you asked him, and despite his behavior perhaps insinuating he would be the kind to lie down and take it as it was, he was not, and he was growing more and more bitter at the powers that be about his situation. And one issue in particular came to its head on this very day, an echo of a collapsed tree and bruised and battered shoulder in return, a day that he took an interesting turn in habit and actually avoided the people who he would normally be seen near. Which when looked at really just meant he was by himself. He traveled behind, what? Three people? Four? Really, he had no ill feelings towards anyone at the moment, he would have just rather been alone. He was getting tired of showing too much emotional weakness but it was going to be inevitable.

The beach was nice at least, and when he was absolutely sure there were no hostile targets in the treeline, the boy flopped over into the wet sand until the tide reached and splashed over his paws. He caught a brief glance of his unstable reflection in the water, realizing how much he had grown over the short period of time, the gold earring on his ear shining in the sunlight. He frowned, wrenching his eyes shut as water pushed past his eyelids anyway in a strange combination of misery and bitterness. At the very least, he wished Vayne a good day with Roxanne and Diya.

”Happy Mother’s Day, Mama.”

[glow=black,2,300]— ❤ —[/glow]

[michael t.]

ALL I FOUND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SPACES
STANDING IN THE NOTHING, AND TIME RECLAIMS YOU

Truth be told, Michael really did feel for Danny. The kid had been through a lot, and although the dealer had tried his best to act as a comforting presence, there was only so much he could do. It wasn't like he was Danny's father, after all. He made a good effort, though. Tried to keep an eye on the canine whenever he could, just to make sure that the other would hold it together. Not hold it together in the sense that he would never cry, or breakdown.

No, despite how others criticized the wolf for doing so, Michael didn't really think of Danny's emotional nature as a weakness. Everyone needed to get things out sometimes, and letting it out was better than keeping it all buried deep down inside, where it could fester and rot. The thief probably knew that better than anyone, thinking back to the many, many days he had spent locked up inside, alternating between sobbing and pushing everything down following Trevor's death. He would never say that losing a husband and losing a mother were the same thing, but he certainly knew the feeling of loss, and knew how it could be amplified, on certain days.

Upon spotting Danny sitting out on the beach all by himself, Michael had temporarily hesitated, wondering if it was right to go over and try to offer some support. Ultimately, he decided that it was alright, wanting to make sure that the wolf knew he was surrounded by those who loved him. So, short strides brought the bobcat over to where Danny sat, sitting down nearby and hesitating momentarily. Once he finally worked up the nerve to speak, the male muttered, "You know... your mother has probably been watching over you, for the entire time you've been here." As he continued, his mismatched gaze drifted upwards, towards the sky, "And she's... she's probably incredibly proud of how much you've grown here in The Typhoon. I know that the rest of us definitely are. I know I am." He then glanced back over at Danny, hoping that his words had helped somewhat. He wasn't entirely sure of what would offer the most comfort, considering his own mother had never exactly been a positive influence in his life.

— Reggan

[daniel]

He probably shouldn’t have been surprised that Michael was the first to find him, he couldn’t explain it but it just felt like it was to be expected. He didn’t feel like he really....resonated or related with the plethora of older members of the Typhoon save for the two Dealers, but at the very least he could pull something half-heartedly out for Keona and say it was just because she was quieter and calm enough to balance out his anxieties. Or something like that. But how would he explain Michael? Maybe the guy was just cool, or gave him less of a disapproving feel. Granted, if the wolf had been able to hear the inner thoughts and opinions the bobcat had on him, he could say he was right about how he viewed the man. At the end of the day, he respected Michael. And could at least trust that he would be able to speak plainly without so much as a snort over his worried demeanor.

Danny didn’t look up just yet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening. He was, the energy to shift his body just had yet to recover. ”I guess. I don’t really know how all the, the uh...afterlife stuff works just yet.” Still, he couldn’t help but glance upward, looking at the sky as if he thought he would see something to prove the point. There was nothing of course, nothing but the vast and endless sky. Emptier than usual.

”And she's... she's probably incredibly proud of how much you've grown here in The Typhoon. I know that the rest of us definitely are. I know I am.”

He looked at Michael finally, sniffing and rubbing his eyes with the back of one of his paws, a terrible idea he came to realize as salt caused his eyes to burn. A frown and a few intervals of rapid blinking later, Danny had processed the compliment fully. Someone was proud of him. He didn’t doubt it from Michael but....the rest of them? ”That doesn’t feel right.” Danny responded quietly after a few moments, rubbing his scarred shoulder. As if serving to remind himself how shitty his own luck was lately. ”I haven’t done anything to be proud of. I’m too busy being afraid of....of everything, I-“ No, no, that was too much. It was a piss baby move to take a compliment and drag it into a negative light, wasn’t it? He didn’t want to cry again, anyways, disappointment and frustration causing his eyes to well up again. ”I’m sorry, that’s not great to say. Thanks, Michael. Honest.” He attempted a smile, though about as shaky as his breath was, it was there.

[glow=black,2,300]— ❤ —[/glow]