Characters: Daryn & Phobia Setting: Daryn’s house Summary: Planning pizza and talking the plan Rating: Low
Daryn was relieved when Ashe texted her that Phobia was home safe and sound. She’d given him a few days to decompress, understanding how nerve-wracking detention had to be. But she was also glad when he accepted the invitation to come over. Phoenix was excited to see her friend Phobia again, and Daryn had helped her to bake cookies to celebrate the occasion. The little girl sat in the living room, watching cartoons and sneaking a cookie to eat when her mother wasn’t watching. Daryn was in the kitchen, cleaning up a sudden, unexpected mess of a pile of broken dishes on the floor. Listening for Phobia to approach, she opened the door for him telekinetically when he arrived.
Phobia wasn’t surprised when the door opened without him having to knock. He stepped inside the home and called out hello, before finding Phoenix. He walked over to her and ruffled her hair as a greeting. She made a face at him at first but smiled when she saw who it was. He asked her to show him where his mom was. He didn’t mind that she took her hand and lead her to Daryn. He was getting soft, wasn’t he?
“Hey,” Phobia greeted Daryn as he entered the kitchen. He held Phoenix back from the broken dishes, “Rough day?”
Daryn glanced up to Phobia with a little smirk, brushing some of the broken pieces into a dustpan before tossing them in the trash. She’d already stopped Phoenix from running into the area twice, so she just gave the little girl a look and motioned for her to go back into the other room for a few more minutes. Could be worse. Just a little accident. How are you doing?
Phobia ruffled her hair again before Phoenix ran back to the television. He laughed softly at the look he got. He turned his attention back to Daryn.
“Need a hand?” Phobia asked. He shrugged and said, “Glad to be out and about again,” he paused. He didn’t really want to talk about that, “What about you? Besides breaking things?”
Daryn just shrugged, finishing with cleaning up everything off the floor, making a note to go over it again later just to be safe. No thanks. I’m okay. We made you cookies. Would you like something to drink? She motioned to the cookies waiting in the living room, knowing well there was no way the little girl hadn’t touched them yet.
“Cookies?” Phobia repeated. Everyone was trying to feed him. It was wonderful and weird too. Phobia shook his head and said, “I’m good, thanks,” he paused, “So what did I miss? Anything?”
Daryn studied him for a moment and hesitated before responding. Nothing much. Faction meeting. Remy and Zayne made contact with the mainland. I’ve been trying to reach too, but I have to keep pushing harder. I thought maybe we should release your statement to the public, but I wasn’t sure if you’d want that. Pushing her hair back out of her face, she seemed tired and stressed but brushed it off. Leading him to the living room, she sat and motioned for him to do the same. Phoenix brought Phobia a cookie, but she probably would just eat it herself if he refused it.
“They have a contact with the mainland? How?” Phobia asked. That was amazing. That could change things, right? He hesitated then nodded, “I’m not opposed to that. I didn’t write it to preach to us. We know that we didn’t do anything wrong with that explosion. I can’t say that about the people on the mainland.”
Phobia noticed that Daryn seemed tired. He wasn’t sure if he ought to say something. When did he get so concerned about that. He followed her to the living room and sat down, thanking Phoenix for the cookie and asking if she helped make them.
Phoenix climbed up to sit on the arm of the chair beside Phobia. “I did help! I mixed the stuff together and I accidentally put in the whole bag of chocolate chips. But mommy said it’s okay. I wasn’t allowed to touch the hot stuff.” She was clearly very proud of herself, and not at all upset about too much chocolate.
Daryn watched them with a faint smile before responding to his questions. I don’t know the details. Something about Zayne’s sister. I think sending the message to her might help to get it out there, but it’s probably something you and Remy can discuss the logistics of. The whole topic made her visibly uncomfortable but she tried to shrug it off. Are you really okay? Honestly? You don’t have to talk about it if you don't want to.
Phobia took a bite of the cookie and smiled, “An entire bag of chocolate is never a bad thing. These are great.” He was definitely surrounded by people who loved sugar. He was going to end up a diabetic.
Phobia raised an eyebrow at the mention of Zayne’s sister. Zayne had huge fears regarding his past and his family. Why on Earth would he bring his sibling into this? Yet he could see how uncomfortable she was. Might as well ask, “What’s going on? What am I missing?”
He looked to Phoenix when she asked her question then said, “No. I’m… dealing,” he looked to Phoenix again. He wanted to tell Daryn about the machine but not in front of the kidlet.
Daryn just sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. Nothing important, just stupid personal things that I need to get over. A lot of things I need to get over. She glanced to the kitchen, lost in thought for a moment before looking to Phoenix. She mentally asked the little girl to go play in her room for a few minutes while the adults talked. Phoenix reluctantly went off with a little pout, taking another cookie with her as she went. Daryn returned her attention to Phobia with an arched brow. Dealing well, or not so well?
“I’m here if you want to talk about it,” Phobia offered. He waited for the kidlet to run off and then he sighed. He should nab another cookie but he didn’t, “They have a machine that can block abilities. They… were able to block my ability for short periods of time. Any longer and it could cause actual damage.”
Daryn watched Phoenix leave, and started to respond to his offer. It’s fine, I just need to suck it up, focus more, and figure out who I am now and where I belong. How to do that, she was still figuring out. She went silent when he mentioned the machine, stunned at the implications. It was several long moments before she ‘spoke’ again, repeating her previous question. Are you alright?
Phobia looked to Daryn. He wanted to ask more. She turned him down twice now. He wasn’t going to push. If she wanted to talk, he was there. Still he added, “Isn’t that what we are all trying to figure out?”
Her question gave him pause and he shrugged, “It was strange. Just. Strange. To be normal again for a moment and to have it hit me again. It was like being on the island for the first time all over again.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. It’s a little more complicated than that, but good point. Even more reason for me not to bitch about it.
Focusing on him, she nodded slowly in understanding. So, what do you think we should do about it?
“Or all the more reason to,” Phobia pointed out, “I promise if you talk to me, I won’t say or think anything.” Thinking was important if this was an issue with Remy. Remy would hear nothing from him.
Phobia looked down as he thought. That was the problem, wasn’t it? “I have no idea. How do you prepare against something like that? How do you fight something that makes you… normal? What if they make it on a large scale? Is this a cure or a curse?”
Daryn smiled faintly and looked down with a sigh. I appreciate that, I really do. I just need to figure myself out. I don’t know where I stand with things anymore and that’s on me. I need to make the flashbacks go away, getting a better grip on my abilities, and get my head back in the game. The goal is to get us all out of here, it doesn’t matter how I feel about some things. I just need to focus on getting us out of here while we still have any sort of chance.
But this new device put a wrench in the ideas. If they could use it on him, they could use it on anyone. And that could get in the way of freedom. Then we fight it the old-fashioned way. With hands and fists and weapons, and get it and destroy it. They want us to use our abilities, they want to trap us that way. So we go back to basics.
“Flashbacks?” Phobia asked. He wondered what else he ought to say about the other things. Maybe it was something she needed to deal with herself. Well, he was there if she wanted to talk more.
Daryn had talked before about not relying just on their abilities and this was case and point. He nodded and said, “My… concern is with me, when they turn it back on, I lose myself. It becomes too much for me to focus right away. I suppose others may not have that issue.” If they used it, what if he became useless?
Nodding with a sigh, she glanced to Phoenix’s room, overhearing her thoughts about her play. Looking back to Phobia, she shrugged it off. Yes, they started up again after the Facility collapse. I hoped they would just go away but they’ve just gotten worse and set off my telekinesis a few times. Hence the broken dishes.
Daryn prefered to focus on things other than herself, so she sat forward slightly when he spoke about himself. What can I do to help? To help keep you feeling like yourself, or help you get back to yourself? How far of a reach do you think this device might have, or is it targeted to individuals?
“Bad day,” Phobia repeated. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to suggest. Wasn’t that something for a therapist? Not that he knew of any. He frowned and said, “What were you able to do before for them?”
Phobia shrugged, “I have no idea. I don’t know how it’s made, where the technology came from, anything. I just know what it did and I suppose what it can do to all of us,” he paused, “As for me, I don’t know that either. I suppose the only way I can prepare is to throw myself in the deepest pool of fears and try not to get overwhelmed.”
Daryn just smirked a little. Other than taking enough sedatives to put down a horse, I usually just ignore them. That’s harder this time around, and with the facility in rubble I probably can’t get any good drugs any time soon. She was only half joking. Or, not at all.
Daryn listened as Phobia spoke and sighed again. Or, we try to keep you out of focus of the machine so you don’t have to worry about it at all. I think that might be easier, at least to start.
“Okay, I’m guessing that’s not an option. What about plan b?” Phobia asked, raising an eyebrow at Daryn. He felt a bit worried for her. Should he be worried. Would could he do here to help?
Phobia shrugged, “Or hope they don’t use it. I don’t know. I’m just… I don’t know. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way.”
Daryn smiled faintly, touched that he was worried about her. She shook her head and waved a hand dismissively. I haven’t figured out a plan b yet, but something will come to me sooner or later. Besides, I’m more concerned about you. I think the chances of them not using it again are slim, but maybe we can figure out a way to spare you from being subjected to it again.
“I’m not the one breaking dishes,” Phobia countered. He wondered what would be the worst possible thing if they did subject him to it again. Could he get stuck in one form and not become himself again? He didn’t want to think about that. “We shouldn’t worry about me just yet. There are others that could be more harmful to, anyway.”
Touche. But they’re just dishes. She thought about the device again with a little sigh. She wanted to protect him, and anyone else, from the effects of it. Like who?
Phobia raised an eyebrow at her but answered, “You. Remy. If they blocked your telepathy? Where does that leave you to communicate? What about the meetings? There are risks in others being hit with that thing.”
Daryn nodded slightly. She had considered how it would affect her, but tried not to focus on it too much. I’ve not had a way to communicate before. I wouldn’t enjoy it, but I could survive it. And Remy… I don’t know. Maybe it would be a relief to him not to hear others voices for a while? I can’t speak for him.
“Do you think this is a good thing?” Phobia asked, “If they could figure out a safe way to block our abilities. We could be… normal. If there were no side effects or anything?” He wondered what she thought of that. He wondered what he thought of that.
Daryn hesitated before responding. I think it depends on the person. I think a lot of people here would be happy to have their abilities disappear. I wouldn’t be one of them, I don’t want to be trapped inside my own mind again, struggling to connect with people. But maybe if I had my voice I wouldn’t feel that way.
Phobia nodded and said, “I suppose it depends on how they do these things. If they force it, it’s one thing but if it’s our choice… maybe that’s what some of us want: a choice.” None of them got a choice for this life. They needed more choices.
Daryn nodded once and sighed. She didn’t expect them to have many choices any time soon. She slid the plate of cookies a little closer to him with her telepathy. If you don’t eat them, Phoenix will. And the last thing she needs is a sugar high, she has plenty of energy as it is.
Phobia reached for another cookie and nibbled at it. He nodded. There was nothing they could do but wait. He sighed.
“So is there another plan? What happens next? Or…” he trailed off.
Daryn just shrugged and sat back with a heavy sigh. I haven’t been made aware of any other plans. Maybe Remy has something else in mind, I don’t know. But for now, I’ll just continue to try to contact someone, anyone, on the mainland and hopefully they can help. Hopefully they will hear me, without freaking out, and believe me, and have the ability to do something. But it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.
“Alright then,” Phobia said. They would need to come up with something. He didn’t want to sit around and do nothing and let them hate him. Well, let people hate him but everyone else? They didn’t do anything.
“We’ll get something. I’ll keep writing too. We need to keep fighting. We need to.”
Daryn nodded in agreement and offered a faint smile. I’m glad that you’re still willing to fight after going through what you did in detention. She worried that his exposure to this device might cause him to go running, and if it had, she wouldn’t have blamed him one bit.
Phobia finished the cookie and looked to Daryn, “I wouldn’t run because of that. It makes me want to fight more. We need to keep fighting, no matter what they do to us.” He shrugged. He would keep fighting until his dying breath. He assumed his dying breath would be fighting.
I feel the same way. She intended to fight until the bitter end, if not for herself and for everyone else, but for Phoenix. Daryn motioned to the plate of cookies with a little smirk. Are they any good? I owe Ashe a lot of promised desserts, but getting the supplies probably isn't so easy these days. So I’ve got to get creative.
“I wouldn’t be eating them if they weren’t good,” Phobia said. He didn’t take another one, however. He fell silent for a moment, unsure what to say. “I’m sure Ashe will enjoy anything you make for him anyway,” Phobia smirked, “Even if I stole him for a day when I came back. I hope that was okay.”
Furrowing her brow in confusion, Daryn shook her head a little. You didn’t steal him. He wanted to be there for you, and I support that. You mean so much to him, I wouldn’t expect him to not be there for you. You are his friend. And I like to think that you are my friend as well. It shouldn’t have to be one or the other of us, I don’t want it to be that way.
Phobia blinked. He didn’t think it would be one or the other either. He just didn’t think that the closer that Ashe got to Daryn, that there was any room for him. He wasn’t complaining. He understood that was the way things were.
“We are friends,” Phobia said. He smirked, “We are almost family, aren’t we?”
Daryn smiled faintly and nodded. There is always room for you. And we are a family, maybe more than that. Most families are slightly less dysfunctional, but family all the same.
Phobia laughed lightly, “All families are dysfunctional but I’ll deal with this.” He felt warmed by the thought that this was a new family. It was a strange thought. He glanced to where Phoenix went. He should pay more attention to her.
Reading his thoughts, she called to Phoenix to join them again, which she did eagerly. The little girl ran back to the room happily, and climbed up to sit next to Phobia again. Daryn smiled, watching her as she spoke to him once more. She still wants a pizza party one of these days.
Phobia put his arm around Phoenix and smiled to her. He nodded and said, “I’m game for a pizza party. We all need to be there for that.” They could all focus on something happy like that, right? They may need it.
Without hesitation, Phoenix hugged Phobia tightly, then scrambled out of the chair to climb up into her mother’s lap at the mention of the pizza party. “Can we do that today? Or tomorrow? Please?” She really had been begging for a while now, but Daryn kept putting it off. It never seemed like the right time.
Daryn held Phoenix in her lap, smoothing back her hair with a little smile. Maybe. If you want everyone to come, we have to ask when Ashe and Remy can come too, they might be busy. She glanced to Phobia with a smirk. She wants everyone and anyone to come over. She is way more of a social butterfly than I am.
“I don’t have plans. We can contact Ashe and Remy, see if they have plans tomorrow or something,” Phobia said with a shrug. Except for work, he didn’t see why not?
Daryn nodded. That’s a good idea. I’d mentioned it to Remy a while ago, I told him he could bring Zayne. Should we invite anyone else? Daryn was not a party person, this was turning into a party. But she wanted to do it for Phoenix.
“Maybe Thursday? April?” Phobia shrugged. He wasn’t a party person either. He was pretty sure he was the opposite of that. “If you are having it here, you may not want to get too big.” He shrugged again. He wasn’t sure exactly what to suggest.
Daryn nodded. While she took Phoenix out more and more often now, she felt safest having her at home, so going elsewhere for this party was not an option. I’ll invite Matty and Thursday, and you could invite April. If you want.
“That sounds good,” Phobia said. He reached to poke Phoenix gently, “What do you think, rugrat? You want all those people here?”
Phoenix poked Phobia back with a little giggle. “Yes! And what’s a rugrat?”