rylee mears (itsjustafeeling) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2019-01-15 07:52:00 |
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Entry tags: | #november 2017, rylee, rylee x zania, zania |
Who: Rylee and Zan
When: Afternoon, Monday, November 27th
Where: Joyland Coffee
Status: Complete
With the full moon coming up, Rylee was feeling nervous and concerned, though she knew it was probably ten times worse for Carson. They were trying to get as prepared as possible, but knowing they had help certainly alleviated some of her fears. And in the midst of everything else, Rylee was feeling… happy. Content, even, which she knew she really had no right to feel when so much shit was going on around her. But she had finally gotten what she was, who she wanted, and even though they had to keep it a secret, Rylee found she didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was Carson and if she had to ‘live’ the life of a singleton forever, she was okay with that. She hoped he was too.
She met Zania at Joyland for an afternoon break, eager to hear how things had been going with her friend. They’d exchanged a few text messages here and there, but they had both been busy with various things and there was nothing like having a face to face discussion with a friend. She ordered a macchiato when she arrived and then sat, waiting for Zania to join her. Rylee sent Carson a quick text and then began to think about the full moon, and what exactly she would see. They had some time still, but the days were flying by and Rylee knew that night would be here before they were truly ready for it.
Zania was always glad to put Thanksgiving behind her. It was her least favorite of holidays, filled with family obligations, but none of the fun that came with Christmas. The week had started off weird, then been busy, and she’d enjoyed lazing about on Sunday to recover. Now that the new week was starting, she realized there were other things she had to prepare for, specifically the full moon. It wasn’t really her problem, neither she nor anyone close to her had been bitten, but she couldn’t not help on something like this. And if they needed another cage then they needed to get on it.
That wasn’t exactly good coffee shop conversation though, and Zania had plenty to catch Rylee up on without bringing up werewolves. She was properly bundled up when she headed into Joyland, waving to her friend before ordering herself a drink. With that on the way, she headed to the table. “Hey,” she smiled, dropping into the chair across from her. “I feel like it’s been forever, when it’s probably only been a week. How’ve you been? Did you have a good Thanksgiving?”
Rylee returned Zan's greeting with a smile of her own as her friend slipped into her chair. "Hey back. Thanksgiving was... Thanksgiving. Low key, but nice," she told Zan. "Mom did most of the cooking, and there was no family drama, so it was nice. Kind of a lazy day, for once. How was yours? Did you and Nic see your parents?" That was probably a hit or miss question. She could definitely see Zan and Nic driving to Overlook for a while, but she could also see them just chilling at home if they really wanted to. The two had always marched to the beat of their own drum. But that was always something she and Zan had in common. Dysfunctional families.
“Ugh, yes,” Zania answered with a little laugh. “It was a joy filled day of backhanded compliments and emotional blackmail. But a few of my cousins came in town, and there was wine, so it was fine. If you get enough family around, we kind of split off and I don’t have to have lots of one on one time with my mother.” Her father might not have approved of her lifestyle, but she would always be his little girl. Her mother, on the other hand, had no issue nitpicking on all the little things she would change about her daughter. Yes, she could lose the dreads, remove her piercings, and dress differently, but she didn’t want to. She was her own person and her mother would just have to live with it.
"Oh, I love emotional blackmail," Rylee teased, wrapping her hands around her coffee cup to warm them. "Maybe next year we'll try one of those Friendsgiving things and have our own celebration, complete with a turkey and alcohol. No parents allowed." Rylee had briefly considered sending Liam a text wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving, but it felt awkward and a bit out of place, considering they rarely spoke. Still, Rylee did hope he had a nice holiday. "And what about that new guy you were into. Did you get to see him at all over the weekend?"
“I could get into that, provided someone else knows how to cook a turkey,” Zania grinned. “I’d much rather spend it with friends anyways. Family can have Christmas.” The two holidays were too close together for her liking. She didn’t mind seeing her parents from time to time, but twice in almost less than a month was too much. “I saw him right before the holiday,” she smiled, laughing a little as she thought back on it. “We made plans, but didn’t put a date on them. I need to call him up now that we’re past Thanksgiving and Black Friday.” She was eager to see Gabriel again now that he wasn’t under a love spell. As sweet as he’d been, she knew there was something false about it and needed a more genuine experience. She just didn’t want to push things. “Things seem really good. Like maybe this is really going somewhere, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I don’t even remember how normal dating works.”
Rylee figured she could cook a turkey. Or figure out how! Or just order a turkey online and pick it up, precooked. That seemed like the easiest route to go. It was something to think about for next year, anyway. She would probably see her dad and his family on Christmas Eve, and then spend Christmas with her mom and sister. And hopefully Carson. Rylee sipped her coffee as Zania spoke of Gabriel, and her lips twitched. It was nice to see her friend into someone whose last name wasn't D'Onofrio. She released a short laugh. "I'd give you advice but I don't know the first thing about normal dating. Or dating at all. I don't even know the last time I went out on a date with someone. I'm glad it's going well though. I'd love to meet him soon, if you want a low key thing."
“Did Nic not take you out at all?” Zania teased, even though that felt like forever ago. She wasn’t even sure that Nic would’ve called Rylee his girlfriend…but then he’d been about as good at normal relationships as she was. “Something low key sounds doable. Or maybe something to do with the holidays. I always think I’ll have a Christmas party, but have never really gotten my ass in gear,” she smiled. “So no new boys for you? How’s everything else? How’s Carson?” She’d always been aware of the full moon, but now it felt even more like a deadline with one, maybe two, werewolves in town, and both of them hovering in or around her circle.
"I'm not really sure what Nic and I did constitutes as dating," Rylee admitted with a soft laugh. "I mean, we went out, but it was... we were friends, you know? It wasn't the same as dating." Looking back, she was glad they had never become serious about one another, because Rylee had a feeling they probably wouldn't be friends today if things had gone any further than they had that summer. That didn't mean she hadn't enjoyed herself while it lasted. She sipped her coffee, contemplating Zan's question. She couldn't tell her the absolute truth, which kind of sucked, but that was part of the sacrifice she was willing to make. "No new boys for me," she said after setting her cup down. "I've been so preoccupied with helping Carson, and then work and my online classes. There's no real time for dating, you know? I think Carson is doing okay. I can tell he's a bit apprehensive about Sunday, but we're trying to make sure everything is ready to go ahead of time."
“Okay, that’s probably true,” Zania smiled. “But so far I wouldn’t say Gabriel and I are dating either. Just hanging out. He did make me breakfast though. I think he’s better in the kitchen than I am.” Actual dates, where guys asked her out and picked her up for dinner or some specific activity, were few and far between. In all honesty, she’d liked the way things were going thus far, even if they included picking flowers in the cemetery and sharing an impromptu breakfast together, even if one of them had been cursed for the later. She just needed to know for sure that it wasn’t just the love spell at work and she hoped she’d find out soon. “Yeah, I know Nic talked to him about a plan, and I think they were planning to talk to someone who might know more about his condition. Did that ever happen? My neighbor, he… he might be in the same boat as Carson, so we’re trying to make sure everything’s set up properly, just in case.”
"Sometimes hanging out is much better than dating anyway. Less pressure," Rylee said before sipping her coffee. She wondered if Carson would want her to bring him home a cup. Rylee made a mental note to text and ask him soon. But she was distracted by the thought that there might be another werewolf in town and Rylee raised her brow curiously. "I met a guy... Nick. He seems to know a lot about this. He's been helping us get... well, supplies." She couldn't exactly start talking about cages and wolves in the middle of Joyland. It was too busy for that kind of open conversation. "So your neighbor... he doesn't actually know if he's in the same boat as Carson?"
Zania nodded, sure that Carson and Rylee had been doing all that they could to prepare. She knew the biggest thing was finding a way to subdue him, or at least contain him. “Yeah, they were trying to catch one last month and he got a pretty nasty scratch. We’re not sure if it has to be a bite or not. I think Nic, my Nic I mean, was trying to get together with this other guy and help them figure it out. If he doesn’t need it, we have an extra cage,” she offered, leaving that out there, but not going into detail. If anyone overheard, they might think she was talking about an animal, but any more detail and things would get weird.
Rylee nodded, because she had no idea what she still needed. Nick seemed to be pretty on top of things for them by this point. They only had a few days to go. "I appreciate it. I'm... struggling to accept that there could be more than one out there," she admitted with a soft laugh. "This has been quite an adjustment, trying to figure all of this out." Her life had changed so much in the past few weeks. Carson had it much worse, but Rylee was still sort of flailing about everything. At least he had people around to help and support him. "So what were they going to do with it if they caught one?" Rylee asked after a moment of thought.
“They’re not common, but that’s kind of how the curse spreads,” Zania said with a little smile. Personally, she found werewolves fascinating. It was one of the few unbreakable curses in the world. There wasn’t even a point in trying to reverse it. It acted like a virus, but was clearly magical. From a scientific view, she wondered if it altered the DNA or if there was something in the blood. She’d probably never have all the answers, but was closer to getting some real answers than she ever imagined. But she also knew that Riley didn’t think of her cousin as a science experiment, so she was trying not to ask too many questions. “I think they wanted to talk to them, help them find a way to be safe for the future moons, things like that. Their aunt was killed by one, so… I think they were hoping they could prevent any more deaths.”
Rylee might have found werewolves fascinating if Carson hadn't been bit and cursed by one. Now they had a lot of problems and worries, on top of everything else that was happening to him. She released a slow breath and then nodded. "I can understand that. I would like to meet them, though. I feel like... there are a lot of people involved in this, and I feel a bit helpless. I found Nick, but other than that, I don't know what else to do. Carson has been keeping me in the loop now, but still. It feels like everyone has something to contribute." And she didn't. Not that this was about her, because it wasn't, but she really wanted to keep Carson safe, and she didn't know the first way to go about it.
It might not be about her, but Zania knew how close Rylee was to the situation. Carson wasn’t just her cousin. They were close. They lived together. If something similar happened with Nic, she’d want to be doing everything she could and she’d hate it if that was nothing. But then sometimes it wasn’t something concrete that was needed. “You know you’re, like, the most important person in the equation, right? Other than Carson, I mean. Because we can build cages and setup parameters and try to be prepared for every possible outcome, but in the end he’s gonna shift, and you’re the person he’s going to need when he comes out of it. Nic and I can make him stuff to help with the physical aftermath, but there’s bound to be an emotional side and that’s all you. He needs you, girl,” she said with a little smile, her foot knocking against Rylee’s. “Probably more than any of us.”
From a purely selfish standpoint, Rylee wanted Carson to need her. Part of her issue over the past couple of months was it felt like he hadn't, especially as he had other people around going through the same problems. She also knew none of this was really about her, and there was probably some unhealthy co-dependence there, but another part of her didn't even care. "I think if Carson had his way I wouldn't even be there when it happens," Rylee said with a faint smile. Not because he didn't need her, but because he was afraid of hurting her. "But, you know, he doesn't have a choice in the matter because nothing will keep me from being there. And I can't tell you how much it means that you guys are helping. I'm just hoping it goes as smoothly as it can, all things considered. If we can find a way to make it...somewhat normal every month, then maybe he can get back to having a somewhat normal life."
Zania could understand why Carson wouldn't want Rylee there. If something went wrong, someone could die, and he wouldn't want her in that equation. But if they planned well, and she thought they had, then everyone would be safe, including Carson. His willingness to be caged was the key. "I'm sure this month will be kind of crazy because no one really knows what to expect, but after that he can probably get into some kind of routine. At least, I hope so," Zania said with a soft smile. "You seem to be taking this all really well for someone who didn't know any of it a month ago. Are you sure you're okay?"
Zania's question was one Rylee gave some thought to as she sipped her coffee. She had to admit she had some private freak outs when she was alone and could really think all of this through. But her freaking out wouldn't help anything, and she didn't want to put that kind of stress on Carson. He was already dealing with more than enough. But Zania wasn't Carson, so maybe she could be a bit more honest. "I'm okay enough," she answered after a moment of thought. "Sometimes I feel like everyone's gone crazy, including me. But it's real, so it's taking a bit of time for me to really digest it all, you know? When I'm walking to my car at night, I'm so hyper aware of my surroundings now. And by the time I get into my car, I'm sweating because I was so sure there was something in the dark. I've never been fond of paranoia." Rylee released a slow breath and smiled faintly. "Except now I don't know if it's paranoia or real."
Though she didn’t know what it was like to find out about the supernatural world later in life, Zania imagined it would be startling. And a bit frightening. Without additional power at her fingertips, the world had just become a more dangerous place, at least that was the perception. The reality was that it had always been that way. “Unfortunately, most of what goes on around here is really unpredictable, even for me. The upside is that now you know to be cautious, and you know people who might be able to help when shit hits the fan. I know that doesn’t help with the day to day worry, but if you’d like I can make you some things that should help keep you safe.” She normally wouldn’t offer to put up wards on someone else’s house, but she’d known Rylee most of her life and she was a good friend. She also had more on her plate supernaturally than most people ever experienced. A werewolf should be the most she ever had to worry about. “I think it’ll take time, but you’re doing really well. At least as far as I can tell.”
Rylee wasn't sure what Zania had in mind, but she trusted her friend and knowing what she knew now, Rylee certainly appreciated the offer. "I wouldn't say no to that," she said with a small smile. "Anything you and Nic could do is appreciated, Zan. I know Carson is grateful too." Rylee couldn't help but wonder if they had known about this earlier, if Carson might have been more careful when he was out and about. Maybe then he wouldn't have been bitten. But going over 'what ifs' was probably not terribly healthy. "And if there's anything we can do for you... obviously... uh, unrelated since I have no obvious abilities there, but you know... free burgers? I'm your girl."
“You listen to my everyday bullshit and get drinks with me,” Zania smiled. “My life revolves around this kind of stuff, but I don’t need it every second of every day. Sometimes it’s nice to just worry about normal things, like guys and what’s on tv and stuff. But I’ll always take a free burger.” There was a balance there between worlds, one that Zania had been attempting to maintain for most of her life. If she got too sucked into one, it was hard to manage the other and vice versa. It made things easier that Rylee knew about both sides, but she didn’t want her friend to change. She needed her to be normal, just like Rylee needed her expertise in the weird. Maybe they could help each other out in that respect. “So, not to change the subject, but that Christmas party I mentioned. If I do one, you want to help me plan it?”
Rylee was good with a subject change. Talking about normal stuff was kind of a nice change of pace from what had been going on lately. It was still a bit jarring to hear the word Christmas. God, it was coming up, wasn't it? Time was passing too quickly and Rylee had been too distracted to think about the holidays much. "Of course," Rylee said with a grin. "It might be fun to have something to focus on beyond Carson and school stuff. Maybe we can get together sometime after the full moon and figure out what you want to do."
“Perfect,” Zania said, then leaned in to excitedly tell Rylee what she wanted to do. She was probably out of her mind and going way over the top, but it would be fun! She just needed some help with the logistics. And probably Nic to handle some of the magic because Christmas needed a little magic. It just seemed to fit the season. With a winter wonderland in mind, Zania laid it all out for Rylee, not caring how far fetched some of her ideas were. She needed someone like Rylee to reel her in and it was just the kind of fun that took their minds off the darkness looming ahead of them.