IC CONTACT

[wayleadsontoway]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, c0chise. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** c0chise has joined 018.07.154.55 <wolfhomie69> hey, so ... <juliet-ish> r u busy? <Oliver> Hey, you still hungry? <Oliver> So there may or may not be around a 50% chance we're going to be horse friends

Comments

[catphishing]

If it makes you feel better this guy was an asshole. A mugger.

[He probably shouldn't have rushed into that, but he's been practicing the lie in his head the entire time he's been waiting, and he already looks uncomfortable. Chris doesn't need to know that he snapped and the poor guy obscured a few feet behind him just had the misfortune to be the first person he found. It's too late to change what he's done now and Chris doesn't need to feel even worse about what they need to do to survive. So he just takes a breath and hopes it doesn't sound as fake to him as it does his own ears.]

He had a knife. He would've used it.

[wayleadsontoway]

[Chris does at least buy it, and shows no sign of not believing it. Instead, he folds his arms, feeling sick to his stomach and probably looking it, too. Worse is that little voice in the back of his head urging him onwards, some horrible, dark, inhuman part of him that just wants to let loose. He hates this place. He hates they have to do this. ]

It doesn't make me feel better. No one deserves to die. We shouldn't be made to live in a world where this is okay.

[catphishing]

Yeah. Well. Looks like we don't get any choice.

[Not that he's not sympathetic. He feels terrible. The least he can do is try to make it as easy as he can for Chris. He solidifies, far more easily than he has in a while now that he's eaten, placing a hand on Chris' shoulder as he tries to gently guide him to the body.]

I did this, okay? Not you. He's going to be breathing, but he's gone already. He won't feel it. He won't even know.

[wayleadsontoway]

[There's a small amount of resistance when Oliver guides him towards the body. Inwardly, Chris is recoiling, and he's really not making that much of an effort to hide it in his face, either; his horse-like ears flicking back, terrified. This is wrong, it's so so wrong.]

I- okay. Right.

[It's said almost meekly. He jokes about Oliver parenting him all the time, but right now, he's genuinely glad for it, willing for Oliver to take the lead in this. Quite frankly, he couldn't have done this alone.

He stares at the body in horror when he gets to him, seeing his chest rise and fall. This was a person. He had a life, maybe even had a family. And now he's just another victim, some poor bastard who's only real crime was living in a world where strangers were dragged in and turned into monsters. None of this is okay.

Luckily for him his hunger takes the wheel. Almost automatically, he reaches out, feeling the pull of something intangible to most, but to him it felt- not solid but...tingly. Something that was THERE. Then he feels it pull from the man and into him. The more he takes, the less the gnawing hunger in the back of his head becomes, until eventually he is full and the man is empty.

He takes a step back, hooves unsteady, wrapping his arms around himself. For once, there's no dumbass dad jokes, no trying to laugh it off. He's eerily quiet. ]

[catphishing]

[Oliver's not the type of guy to generally extend physical contact. He doesn't mind people touching him, but he rarely touches them. This is a little different though. It feels wrong to remove his hand while Chris does this. There's nothing he can say that will help, and little he can do. The gesture might be small, but it's all he has to offer.

He's glad for it when once it's over Chris steps back. He can feel how unsteady he is. He doesn't want for him to trip and if he suddenly goes faint at least he's there already. He doesn't hug him exactly, but his grip on his shoulder tightens and he steps a little nearer.]

Hey. Hey. You're okay, Chris. I've got you.

[wayleadsontoway]

[And that touch helps, it really does. It gives him a sense of grounding, someone solid and real who he knows he can depend on. Someone who would really not want him going off the deep end. He takes in a rattling, shuddery breath, and exhales. He repeats it a couple of times until he feels a little more with it. ]

Shit. That was-

[And that's the thing. The thing that makes him feel terrible is that the act itself DIDN'T feel terrible. It felt natural, it it was what he was supposed to do. That this is how he eats now. Just like chomping on a cheeseburger.]

This is so fucked up.

[catphishing]

Yep.

[What else can he say? He can't disagree. It is fucked up. He takes a deep, shuddering breath, squeezing his shoulder. He needs to stay calm. For Chris.]

You need somewhere to stay tonight? You don't... you don't have to be alone for this.

[wayleadsontoway]

[He should go home, he knows Ashley and Mike would worry if he wasn't there. But the thought of facing them after this, of acting like everything was normal when it absolutely wasn't... Even Chris has a limit to being able to pretend he's fine. ]

I- you sure? I just...don't think it'd be a good idea to see my friends tonight. They'd just worry if they saw me like this.

[catphishing]

Yeah. I don't sleep at night so you... you don't have to take the couch or anything. And I have coffee. If you don't mind it black.

[wayleadsontoway]

I can live with it black.

...Thanks, man, I really appreciate it.

[You are the best father figure ever.]