MARCH UPDATE

POSTED ON Jul 27, 2020 15:52:52 GMT

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As quickly as she finds him he retreats, standing up and away from her. She tucks her hands into her lap, awkward, confused.[break][break]

He says something before leaving and returning and she remains on the couch, overwhelmed and unsure what to make of the situation.[break][break]

His return brings her photographs, and she takes them from his hand. The sight of them makes her heart sink, unsure what it is she's supposed to be seeing. He'd been married? He wasn't wearing a wedding ring. The house felt absent of a child's presence. He had given her no suggestion of any of this.[break][break]

And then he drops something heartbreaking. She holds the photos in her open palm, careful not to ruin them. She glances up from them to study his face, but there's second-hand grief in her eyes.[break][break]

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."[break][break]

It wasn't a lie. No one had told her because no one within the rangers wanted to talk about it. It was a sensitive topic, clearly, and better left alone.

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[attr="class","notes"]notes: ...

[attr="class","tag"]LANCE VOLLANS

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noodles

lance

he/him

thirty-one

october 8th

twinleaf

straight

ranger

lilycove captain

334 height

lower than i thought we'd go, why'd the guilt spread so slow?

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TAG WITH @lance

POSTED ON Jul 27, 2020 16:35:13 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]
[attr="class","lance b"]
[attr="class","lance i"]"it's not your fault."

it's not his. it's not anyone's. the world had just decided it was their time to pass for reasons he will never understand. and he's tried. he's tried so hard to find logic and reason for what happened but it didn't make sense then and it doesn't make sense now.

when she's done looking at the photos, he extends a hand back for them, reaching out for memories he so desperately holds on to. he takes a moment to peer down at them, pausing at each one. it feels like an eternity before he finally speaks again.

"i had already found my happiness, and i was ready for a lifetime of it. to have it ripped away was...excruciating. it almost killed me."

Stormy Silph

[newclass=.lance] text-align: justify; text-transform: lowercase; font-size: 12px; [/newclass]
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played by

castaway

stormy, bronwen

she / her

twenty-five

july 25

saffron city, kanto

heterosexual

elite four

avatar of moltres

1350 height

if you could only see the beast you've made of me

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TAG WITH @stormy

POSTED ON Jul 27, 2020 16:45:11 GMT

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"I know, but that doesn't make it hurt any less."[break][break]

She says this quietly as he takes the photos back. They slip from her fingers and she glances at them once more, unsure what else to say. His grief isn't the same as hers, not really. She'd lost her parents - but it wasn't the same grief he was feeling. [break][break]

While he speaks, she remains silent, unsure what to say to make it better - there's nothing she can say to make it better. She doesn't know how.

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played by

noodles

lance

he/him

thirty-one

october 8th

twinleaf

straight

ranger

lilycove captain

334 height

lower than i thought we'd go, why'd the guilt spread so slow?

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1,438 posts

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TAG WITH @lance

POSTED ON Jul 28, 2020 12:54:10 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]
[attr="class","lance b"]
[attr="class","lance i"]sometimes, he wishes it had killed him.

soft whispers of tears roll down his cheek, forcing him to raise a hand to wipe them away. he inhales, clearing his throat to compose himself.

"if you want to leave, i understand."

the apology, like the guilt he feels, is genuine. "i'm sorry for leading you on." he turns to disappear down the hallway once more, unsure if she'll still be there when he comes back out.

inside, he opens a box and tucks the photos back in, careful not to ruin them. something glimmers and catches his attention, and he finds himself looking at a pair of rings, forced to reminisce. after a few moments, he closes the box, and leaves the room.

Stormy Silph

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played by

castaway

stormy, bronwen

she / her

twenty-five

july 25

saffron city, kanto

heterosexual

elite four

avatar of moltres

1350 height

if you could only see the beast you've made of me

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3,978 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @stormy

POSTED ON Jul 28, 2020 17:05:20 GMT

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Stormy watches in silence, holding her breath while tears roll down his face. He clears his throat, but watching him grieve so openly breaks her heart. However, she opens her mouth to object to his next comment. Nothing comes out, of course, because she fears the strength of her own voice. That, and he turns to leave, to return his precious memories to wherever he keeps them safe.[break][break]

But she doesn't leave, she wouldn't. She's tired of running from what scares her - and frankly, Lance's grief doesn't scare her. She's more scared of losing him for good because of something she can't control.[break][break]

So when he returns, she's standing and waiting for him, having taken a few steps after him but giving him the space to deal with his situation in silence, alone.[break][break]

"I don't want to leave, Lance. Not unless you want me to. I want to stay."[break][break]

Stormy hesitates for only a moment, worried he might pull away again like he had. But she's committing, and she's aiming to wrap him up in a hug if he allowed her to.

[break][break]

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[attr="class","notes"]notes: ...

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played by

noodles

lance

he/him

thirty-one

october 8th

twinleaf

straight

ranger

lilycove captain

334 height

lower than i thought we'd go, why'd the guilt spread so slow?

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1,438 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @lance

POSTED ON Jul 29, 2020 12:10:17 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]
[attr="class","lance b"]
[attr="class","lance i"]he's expecting to walk back out to an empty living room. to see her still there, unwilling to leave even after everything, confuses him. he almost stumbles forward and it's her reaching out for him that catches him. she wraps her arm around him and for moments, he stands there, stunned.

"nothing will change, stormy. i still can't commit to you, and i'm not sure if i ever will."

his arms move without him realizing it.

"are you really okay with that?"

Stormy Silph

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played by

castaway

stormy, bronwen

she / her

twenty-five

july 25

saffron city, kanto

heterosexual

elite four

avatar of moltres

1350 height

if you could only see the beast you've made of me

awards

3,978 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @stormy

POSTED ON Jul 29, 2020 12:23:11 GMT

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He stumbles or maybe she's overthinking it, but the look on his face displays something akin to shock. Like he hadn't expected her to be here. But the thought of leaving had never once crossed her mind - not since the say she met him. [break][break]

Once her arms find purchase she doesn't let go. Her ear rests against his chest and his voice rumbles in her ear and she can feel the whisper of pain in his tone, the disbelief, the grief. The sound of his heartbeat makes the rest of the room fall away. [break][break]

But his arms wrap around her in return and she lets out a breath.[break][break]

"I don't think you give me enough credit, hotshot."

[break][break]

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[break]

[attr="class","notes"]notes: ...

[attr="class","tag"]LANCE VOLLANS

template by kay

close tab

played by

noodles

lance

he/him

thirty-one

october 8th

twinleaf

straight

ranger

lilycove captain

334 height

lower than i thought we'd go, why'd the guilt spread so slow?

awards

1,438 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @lance

POSTED ON Jul 29, 2020 15:24:04 GMT

[attr="class","lance"]
[attr="class","lance b"]
[attr="class","lance i"]momentary comfort and relief overcome him, and no matter how short it lasts, he appreciates every second of it. he holds her in his arms, unwilling to let go so easily.

but, eventually, he does, pulling away with fragments of a smile that's not quite there yet. he lets out a breath, sighing.

"don't say i didn't warn you."

Stormy Silph

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played by

castaway

stormy, bronwen

she / her

twenty-five

july 25

saffron city, kanto

heterosexual

elite four

avatar of moltres

1350 height

if you could only see the beast you've made of me

awards

3,978 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @stormy