[SE] Home Sweet God Damn Home

Michael

OUT OF DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT
IF YOU WANT ME GONE

Try things

Learn from mistakes

Two things Michael was innately BAD at. So much so that sometimes one might believe he did it on purpose. It was no easy thing to live your entire life a certain way and then learn you must adapt for survival. Adapting to an invasion wasn’t easy, but it was possible. It wasn’t TERRIFYING like being among people was. Even more frightening the idea that the gods should be turned to. Believed in.

Where the FUCK were they then while all of this was happening? So much for prayers and hope. They weren’t doing a god damn thing, so why should he turn to THEM when they’d fucked him his whole damn life, huh?

W H Y?

He curled his fingers into slow fists and held his head. Lifted one and pressed the heel of a hand to his brow as his head started to pound. Everything in him screamed to leave. Just get up, walk away, and don’t turn back. Let whatever the hell this was happen and find a way to survive it on his own.

Even Michael knew, though, deep down, that it wasn’t possible. He’d die if he kept following his old ways or worse. Because there was ALWAYS worse; he just needed to decide what kind of ‘awful’ he was willing to get on board with. And, trust me, for him, turning to the gods or settling in where other people happened to be was just one more level of crap.

“So, what?” He let his hand fall back against the table with a THUD as he watched her. “We just… grab them and fling them off a cliff to their deaths?” Sarcasm dripped from his words, a voice drenched in frustration.

And fear.

“I’ll be the first to admit that the gods aren’t any friends of mine, but… I’d rather them than whatever the fuck this invasion has brought.” Digits slid back through short-cropped hair, elbows propper now on the table as he rested his brow in his palms. “I just need to know what to do, some sort of… direction. Because I have no idea what the hell is going on save for what you just told me. What does that even mean, 'band together'? With you? Someone else? Go find a crowd and sing kumbaya with them?" 

YOU PULL THE TRIGGER YOURSELF

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Coughing out a laugh in sheer surprise, Maea hastily cleared her throat and reigned herself in, unsure whether that had actually been a joke or not. "Would that it was so easy!" she replied. "Unfortunately, the only one of them we know the capabilities of somewhat happens to be stronger than our strongest demigods. It doesn't mean they are invincible of course, just.. hard to catch."

Finishing off her pastry, she pulled a foot up on the seat of her chair and leaned her chin on the knee. Listening to Michael was like hearing her own thoughts from the past; so standoffish, so harsh and full of doubt. She was hard pressed not to grab him by the collar and shake him - it wouldn't do a lick of difference, except perhaps to satisfy her own intrusive thoughts.
"That's up to you," she shrugged. "Depends entirely on what you can do, and want to do. There are guilds that accept newcomers, occasionally the region leaders employ anyone who has time to help out with tasks, or you can start your own initiatives." Poking the mug around the table, she tried not to push anything at him, suspecting it would just get rejected. "Just saying, you don't have to like people to work together with them towards a common goal. Right now, that goal happens to be 'stop the invasion'."

Picking up the mug, she took a long, slow draft of the cider, purposely giving him time to consider if any of that sounded less than terrible.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3