Re: worn to the bones

Sat Jun 08, 2019 10:16 pm

worn to the bones - Page 2 Tumblr_inline_pnx0y11Bjd1t9ndkh_1280

worn to the bones - Page 2 Tumblr_inline_pnx0wt0o9y1t9ndkh_1280

Skye nods, and she still believes that the case. To her, death feels like a final exhale, a last note of a long song. It didn't scare her, at least the moment of death itself didn't. The moments leading up to that, however, she worried about. Death is common for people like them, it comes for them young. Monsters don't show mercy. They just care about getting the job done, even if it's painful. Then they can find the next demigod to kill until they're sent back to Tartarus, forced to wait to begin the cycle again. She finds herself thinking about this more and more, especially with her memories back. Dominic and Caroline are no longer two mysteries that she could feel detached from. Chances are, she saw their deaths, maybe even played a part in it. Then, she found her way home, by herself. She's not sure what that must've felt like, to be left alone, but she has a feeling that its similar to what she felt today when she saw Oliver fall.

"I think what I fear more is being left behind." That's the root of it. It isn't death of herself that she fears, but the deaths of others. Having to face the fact that you'll never see them again. Those who die don't have to worry about that part, they can exit the world and worry about the afterlife. The living have to figure out how to spend the rest of their lives without that person.

Sat Jun 08, 2019 11:29 pm

worn to the bones - Page 2 Tumblr_inline_pfbgiwiaK71uxnbj0_1280

worn to the bones - Page 2 Tumblr_inline_pfbgj4qnwK1uxnbj0_1280

As Skye responded to Lachlan, he thought about an interview that Keanu Reaves had done with Stephen Colbert back in May. It was while Skye and Caroline were gone, after they had been pronounced dead, but before they had learned the fate of Skye. Colbert asked Keanu the question, "What do you think happens when we die?" And Keanu replied, "I know that the ones who love us will miss us." After the interview, Oliver had sent Lachlan the video with the caption, 'We miss her.'

Of course, Oliver had been talking about Caroline, but when Lachlan thought about it, he was thinking about Caroline and Skye. It hurt. It hurt so deeply that he didn't want to stand up. He didn't anyone to be around, but he didn't want to be alone. At the same time, though, he got to think about what Caroline and Skye had meant to him. He got to think of the way that Caroline's hair became the sunlight outside, and how, without fail, Skye would close her eyes when she laughed.

"Being left behind sucks rocks, but, in a way, isn't it beautiful that you can love so much that it hurts so much when they are gone?" Lachlan said, so quiet it wouldn't be audible if Skye's face wasn't centimeters from his. He knew that when it was happening to him, he would never feel like that. He would scream and shout and throw every fit that he could. Right now, in this quiet intimacy, he understood the way Keanu said what he did in that interview. Maybe this was his Keanu moment.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:22 am

It takes Skye a moment to realize he might be speaking from experience. While she and Caroline were gone for that year, doing who knows what, he was here. Here, in this small guest house, beside a big empty house. How often did Sam come home during that time? How often did Augustine check in? She realizes, she's the one who left. He was left behind. He was almost left behind again tonight. Not completely alone, but also a noticeable empty space.

She moves forward, kissing him lightly and tenderly, something that was rare between them. Usually they kissed with fire, with a hunger. A desperation to be together, but this is different. An appreciation, maybe. Whatever it is, it's different, but a good different. When she pulls back she looks at him, really looks at him. She takes in every minute detail that she can only see this close to his face.

"Thank you for being you," she whispers.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:57 am

]

Lachlan studied Skye's face to his response. The way that her eyes moved spoke volumes that her brain was going through something. As her eyes mover over his face, his were doing the same over her. It was crazy how beautiful she looked, even up close. It was so easy for things to change when you saw them up close, like a magician's trick. Skye wasn't like that, though, every way you could look at her, she was beautiful.

Lachlan felt lucky to be laying here with Skye. He had done a near infinite number of things that should have made this moment impossible, right up today, but Skye had given him every chance that he didn't deserve. As she kissed him, he said thank you in his head to whoever deserved it. The kiss was something special. It blew Lachlan's mind that no matter how many times they kissed, there was still things that could be different. Weirdly, Lachlan felt like this was a next level kiss. Not in the way that would be expected. In something new.

"Anytime." Lachlan said, mirroring how Skye had replied to him earlier. He felt really comfortable in them right now as he kissed her again.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:12 am

Skye feels safe, in this bed with Lachlan. For once the world doesn't seem so scary. It seems small and comforting. The frogs and crickets are the backdrop to a warm summer night, the kind that makes you feel like tomorrow is far away. For now its just the two of them, these four walls, and the stars.

She can feel herself starting to fall asleep, maybe today has made her more exhausted than she anticipated, but she lets her mind wander. It passes over the fight briefly, landing on a moment neither of them had talked about, but she felt like needs addressing.

"So, Leighton and Hannah are a thing," She says.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:27 am

Lachlan felt his eyes starting to droop, and knew that sleep was coming for both of them. So, Lachlan moved onto his back and slipped his arm under Skye so that they could lay together as they drifted off. Right as Lachlan felt the fingers of sleep enveloping his brain, Skye was talking to him again. Lachlan let out a short, snorted laugh.

"Oh 100%." Lachlan said confidently, thinking back to the way they left the Apollo. It almost reminded him of the first time that him and Skye had left a party together. Everything was simple and all that was on their mind was the physical of what was coming next. Now, there was so much more to them, some of it easier and some harder. He wouldn't give up the now to be back then ever. Lachlan wrapped an arm very lightly around Skye.

As he thought about them and the past and the future, he lulled off to sleep with the night breeze blowing over him.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:14 am

Skye falls asleep fast that night. Though for her, fast is about an hour. She doesn't mind though. She spends the time listening to the sounds coming from outside. Mainly crickets and frogs. Occasionally she can hear an owl in the distance. As she falls asleep, she can hear the voices of Oliver and Delilah, faraway but distinctly happy. The thought of them, having been through the ringer but still emerge happy and carefree, is enough to make her smile before drifting out of consciousness.

It feels like she's only just fallen asleep when her alarm goes off, which she had set to the most annoying alarm on her phone, what sounded like someone hitting a small brass bell repeatedly. She opens her eyes to the sunlight already streaming in through the window, a reminder that she had to get home soon, or else she'd be in far more trouble than she already was. She's still laying up against Lachlan, and he's still asleep, despite her alarm.

"Hey," she whispers, prodding him a little, "I'm gonna head home"

Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:23 am

Lachlan had an absolutely serene sleep. It was dreamless and it felt like no time had passed when he heard Skye's voice. He opened his eyes, squinting a bit against the sun. He looked over at the clock on the nightstand. It was far earlier than he wanted to be awake, but he was eternally grateful. He remembered all the times that he had fallen asleep in this bed with Skye and woken up without her. Stupid heavy sleeping. He felt secure in waking up with her, even if she was going to leave again.

Lachlan set a hand on Skye's arm and sat up enough to kiss her lightly goodbye on her cheek. "Thank you for being you." He said, his voice scratchy and tired, laced by the morning. Maybe that could be their thing right now, before there was something else they could say to each other.

When Skye left, Lachlan laid back on the bed, turning on his side and laying his head on the pillow Skye had been on. He smiled lightly to himself and fell asleep thinking about the lovely Skye Maddox.

Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:38 am

Skye smiles, "Anytime."

It's hard leaving the bed, leaving the warmth of Lachlan, but she does it anyways. She leaves his t-shirt folded over the recliner, changing instead into the street clothes she had worn while they were setting up for the party. Her dress is still draped over the side of the couch, and she grabs it as she leaves. When she steps outside it smells like a fall morning, like dew and the unique way that an early morning chill smells. The sky is already clear and sunny, and if she doesn't hurry her grandparents will wake soon, so she doesn't waste time crossing the green space and entering the house through the unlocked back door.

Her grandparent's don't catch her coming home, and she can change into her own pajamas and sneak into bed before they're any wiser. Still, she finds herself missing the loft, in a way she didn't expect. She rolls onto her side, facing her nightstand that's stacked with books that she's only halfway through reading. There, sticking out between pages, is the worn corner of thick cardstock, painted black. A tarot card. Well, the tarot card. The one she found in her back pocket, the only belonging that she carried back from a year of now half filled memories. On it, an armored skeleton on a black horse, a depiction of death. Suddenly she realizes there's half a year that needs to be answered, even if she isn't ready to face the possibilities. She must find answers.

Suddenly, sleep is impossible to find.
---