anomaly 012 . a demotion

[dinosize]

CONTENT WARNINGS for violence, abuse, suicidal thoughts, catatonic freakout, blood, demotion, idefk just CONTENT WARNINGS

[ spam ]

[ When he runs, he runs to the CES. Fleeing up the stairway, taking them three at a time, panicking, panicking. He hurt someone, he hurt someone badly, and the whole of the ship presses in on him, traps him, corners him like a hunted rabbit. He slams out onto the deck, leaving smears of blood on the door, from his hands, his bloodied hands.

When he gets to the CES, the door won't open.

The compass, his warden item, doesn't do anything. The needle spins idly. There's no response. There's nothing. It won't let him in.

Stephen slams a hand against the door, leaving another imprint, drying and sticky. Vex's blood. His blood. His hands hurt. Something might be broken. He's broken.

Stephen slides down to the ground, tense and panting, almost hyperventilating. He needs to get out. He needs to get out. ]



[ ooc note: Stephen has been demoted because of reasons. I'm okay with multiple people tagging in (timey wimey, etc). He will be potentially violent if anyone touches him, but he's not really a combat character, and anyone well-trained should be able to subdue him. Alternatively, he can probably be talked down. ]

[ cabin spam, later ]

[ He cleans himself up at the remaining sink, and curls up on the bed, pulling an unnecessary, heavy blanket over himself. All of what's happened seems too enormous to really grasp, so he doesn't try. He stares blankly. Eventually, he goes and eats something from the fridge, which appears to have lingered where the shower went away. And then he curls back up. ]

Comments

[americasdirtiest]

[Mickey rarely bothers with the CES, especially these days, but he does frequent the CTS for workouts. Or just when he feels like fighting the shit out of something, which is also fairly frequent. Today, his homesickness has gotten the better of him, and he's on his way with his knuckles wrapped and the cut on his arm bandaged to go wail on some stuff and get wailed on until he feels better.

But instead, he spots Stephen up the hall, and whatever hope he'd had of feeling better falls through the bottom of his stomach.

He shouldn't care. He shouldn't care. He should turn and go into the CTS and leave him for someone like Nick to find him, someone Stephen would give the time of day to. He said he wasn't going to chase after him anymore, and he'd meant it.

But before he can stop himself, he's moving down the hall and reaching out to grab Stephen's shoulder and haul him up.]

Hey. Hey! What the fuck happened to you?

[lydiascreams]

[Lydia has been checking on the CES every day. She wants to see all kinds of scenarios she could potentially get for the party. So far, both a beach and a forest that reminds her a lot of the one right behind her house seem to be the two best options.

She's making notes on her phone about potential decorations when she hears a loud noise against the door.

And stills. She opens it slowly, her heart beating faster and she expects to find Jerry out there. But instead, she finds Stephen. And blood.

Her stomach turns and she looks around quickly, expecting to see someone after him, trying to hurt him. When she sees no sign of danger, she reaches for his arm, eyes wide as she looks at him.]

Stephen. Hey. You're okay. You're safe, just come inside with me. [Inside the CES. Where no inmates can get in without a key. Where they should be safe.]

[isahumanbeing]

[He had been giving Stephen some space after their last talk. He was half convinced he did more harm than good, regardless of his intent. He startles when he sees him now, the blood worries him... along with his body language.]

Stephen... [Cautious] What happened?

[visetvires]

[Stephen doesn't show up at the normal time.]

[With someone else, this wouldn't bother Clementine. Wouldn't concern her in the least. It would just be another example of someone being undependable - human, distractable, imperfect. And that's fine. But it's not Stephen.]

[So, after an abbreviated waiting period outside the CES, she goes to his cabin to find him. Knocks on the door. Waits. If he doesn't answer, she'll knock again, harder and harder, until eventually she's pounding to be let in.]