Supernatural AU for Roland

[foundafamily]

[The little hamlet along the forest hasn't had a good time. Surrounded by magical creatures on all sides, they've decided to get a little... proactive in dealing with their problem. When night falls, hunters armed with crossbows and improvised weapons--hoes, shovels, and long hunting knives--come out to patrol.

This time, one of them's squaring off with one of the local werewolves. At this full moon, Firo's completely in wolf form, nearly indistinguishable from an actual wolf when he's not speaking.

The crossbow's been knocked aside, its string broken. The two circle each other, and then the wolf leaps for the hunter's leg to sink his teeth into it.

He's going to make sure that this hunter realizes it's best to leave the business.]

Comments

[foundafamily]

[Firo finds that he's disappointed when the world of his imagination encircles them. He had wanted to get out of that particular mire of memories--badly--but he'd also been so hopeful that home would finally be nearby.

He sighs and lets his head dip towards the ground for just a second. He's tired of this.]

The ones that weren't yours were mine.

What're we gonna do now? If you can't look at those, how're you gonna get rid of 'em?

[ka_sera_sera]

I-

[For a moment, two moments, no thought comes. He doesn't know. He wants to suggest they try again, but can not make himself even think the words. Not and mean them.]

If you start to tell your family anything I think is dangerous, I'll stop your voice. Once I figure how. Might have to practice it first. That sound acceptable?

[foundafamily]

You're sure you can do that?

[He sighs and wishes he weren't about to say what he feels he has to say.]

Could you test it out?

[ka_sera_sera]

[He thinks a few seconds. What he comes up with isn't ideal, still, but it's far enough from witnessing those memories himself that he can think it, and honestly.]

Should probably use the relevant memories to do it. Speak of something you saw. Something- something unlikely to bind so close with your own memories, if you can. I'll see what I can do.

[foundafamily]

If that's what you want.

[For once, Firo actually finds it hard to open his mouth again. The prospect of something else taking hold of his tongue and throat is actually somewhat intimidating. What is that going to feel like? It feels strange to start talking knowing it's going to be stopped.

Or, well, hoping that it is.

And he's hesitant to pick a memory too. It has to be the battle, since that's the one least likely to lead to any of Firo's own. It just seems cruel to speak of it.]

I saw a guy--your friend--all grown up. He was in a fight. He kept laughing, and he was saying something, but I don't really remember what.

[ka_sera_sera]

[Once Firo finishes saying 'something' the shadow finds himself reaching out and doing what he'd just been thinking about. Look for where the impulse to speak comes from, move into that part of the brain, block the thought before it gets to the throat. No more. He doesn't want to hear any more.]

He wasn't saying anything. Not at the end. At the end he was just laughing.

[He realizes he was too caught up to notice whether his attempt worked. He comes back to himself, draws himself back into the safer parts of the werewolf's mind.]

...Did it work?

[foundafamily]

[His mouth is working up until it isn't. The feeling is so abrupt that Firo shuffles his paws on the ground, his brain short-circuiting into the assumption that he's choking and needs to fight.

He twists and shakes his head to clear out the feeling.]

It did. You're... you're gonna be ready to do that if anything comes up? I'm not even sure what I'm gonna have to keep from talking about--everything? How'm I gonna introduce you?

["Hi, this is my headghost, Roland. He just showed up, sorry can't say how." That'll go over great.]

[ka_sera_sera]

Improvise.

[Again, that mental feeling of a shoulderless shrug.]

You know your family best, what'll keep them from looking for the rose?

[He doesn't realize that's the first time he's mentioned the thing so directly. To be fair, his mind's on other things.]

[foundafamily]

[Firo doesn't have to think long at all before he gives an actual shrug.]

Honestly, I can't think why they'd give a shit about it. If all it does is screw with your head, they've got no reason to want anything to do with it.