"Do you think yellow or green would be good for the walls? Or maybe purple?"
River held up swatches of colours that he frowned at, trying to get me to decide between the pastal colours.
"How about we get the house first, then think about colours and what to fill it with?" I shook my head at his enthusiasm and gently pushed the colours down.
We had two days before the fireworks would encourage the spirits to fall. It was very hard not to get our own hopes up that this year would be successful.119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ631GrpTtPt
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There was a chance nothing was going to fall near us.
"So, are we thinking a pre-built home or something we can just slap on some land?" River asked, leaning on the trolley as we walked aimlessly
"Preferably built, that way we don't have all the mess of trying to get everything sorted with builders and all that" I shrugged back.
I was hoping this trip would be a getaway from the huge pressure of New Year's, but there was no stopping River's excitement.
He was ready. I was ready too, but I was the one who was leaning towards a realistic outcome of not catching a falling spirit this year.
They weren't predictable. One wasn't just going to fall right into our laps because we desperately wished for it.
"You still need to contribute to names as well" River nudged me with a smile "I've already had my say, but you've been real quiet on names for the baby."
"Well, we never really discussed names" I felt myself shrink at the words "Sprig had a box of clothes, but growing up, we never talked about names. I think it was because of what i was and how that affected it."
"I'm a demon too and we still talked about our favourite ones" River replied "just for fun, you know? There was no way two boys were ever having a kid together, let alone one Bound to a demon."
I smiled at him but still drew a blank on the idea.
"So, what ones do you like?" River pressed playfully "any ones that have jumped out at you over the years? What did you name your kids? We could find a pattern there and work on that."
"My kids?" I chuckled at him and shook my head as I counted them off my fingers "Pancakes, Flower, Bobby, Rory, and Dandelion. Pretzel too if you count adopted ones. We all had a say in thier names, so it wasn't just me."
"So, something flowery then" River grinned "we both have the same taste in names. That's good. Want to head to the garden shop and check out some plants? Get some inspiration?"
"Can you imagine our son or daughter asking about thier name?" I laughed as we pushed the trolley towards the giant doors leading to the outside area "and we tell them we got it by looking at discount plants?"
"Only the best for our baby" River laughed along "we could name her Pansy Disco Diva or him Coconut Ice Hanging Basket."
"Holy shit" I choked on my laughter "don't do that to it!"
"You know, I think Pansy Au Go Go has a nice ring to it" River grinned back before holding up a finger to run to the plants lined along the garden shop doors "or.... Two Doller Discounted Nemesia Plum and Custard."
We both laughed at his antics and eagerly went searching for more absurd names. It eased the pressure and turned something dawnting into a fun experience between us.
River was fun to be around when his mind wasn't occupied elsewhere. We giggled and rolled jokes off each other like no time had passed between us.
I was a very lucky man.
"You know, we didn't get the colours sorted, but at least we got the plants and some great names" River exclaimed happily when we left the store hugging our boxes of discounted plants "Rosemary was a cute one."
"And Rue" I added excitedly "although demons naming demons is a little odd."
River looked to me with a little smirk.
"It is, isn't it? Humans make it look so easy. They just look around and go for the first thing they see. If we were humans, we would have named it Sky or Storm or something obvious."
We both giggled at the grey clouds hanging low and quickened the pace.
River didn't like being wet or cold. It bought back bad memories of being blasted with a cold hose for the entertainment of the other humans in isolation.
Just the thought of having him tortured like that when he was supposed to be there to reverse his mutations hit a nerve deep down.
Vibration rumbled through my pocket to halt me. I juggled the box of plants in one arm while fishing out my phone with the other. River stopped ahead, glancing up at the sky that started to spit.
It was a message from Lavender. I opened it, checking on River who came scurrying back to my side to peer at the screen.
"Her parents are there" I read to him as everything sank within me, making my frustrations come out in a hiss "I can't get rid of them! I don't want to see them!"
There was nothing I could do about the situation either. We were a block from home and already risking being stuck in a storm.
I would have to grin and bear it. They weren't going to stop until they saw me.
"I'll be there" River pressed his head to mine as I slipped the phone away "let them try to say anything bad to you. I'll stop them."
"You and me both" I sighed back, feeling his lips kiss the side of my neck before nipping at the skin cheekily.
We both hurried home, having to sprint for the front door when the rain decided to pour down when we were approaching the fence to our front yard.
River shook himself off inside, holding the door open for me. Darcy met us there, hovering while we peeled off our shoes.
"We already know" River whispered out before he could "how come they are here now?"
"Sprig told them that you two weren't going to be meeting them for New Years. They took it apon themselves to come over for lunch and try and catch you here instead."
"Well, they can leave" I grunted up to Darcy "I don't want to see or talk to them."
"And I get that, but maybe you should tell that to them yourself. They were pretty persistent on seeing you. They are in the kitchen at the table there."
I let out a frustrated growl and River immediately stiffened beside me. He didn't like the idea either, scowling at Darcy.
"Just... bring the plants in and go from there" Darcy offered "the girls are at the movies with thier friends; you don't need to worry about them hearing anything. Lay it all out."
"Oh, I will" I huffed back and took myself to the kitchen.
Mum and Dad sat at the table there with cups of coffee planted on doiley coasters. Thier faces lit up when they saw me place the box down at the other end of the table, my stern face glancing to Lavender who sat with them.
Why did she have to go tell them? I could have easily dodged them on New Years.
They were a lot greyer than I remembered; bigger too. Mum was a round grandmother in whatever was draped over her shoulders. Looked like a cardigan made to resemble butterfly wings through the elaborate stitching and deep oranges and blacks. I didn't remember her having bags under her eyes either or so many wrinkles on her face.
And Dad. His hair was greying like Mum's and looked like it hadn't been cut in a while. He had on some worn brown jacket with patches on the shoulders and elbows. His shoulders were so broad now, and he was so tall.
Honestly, even with him siting there, he was intimidating.
"Teddy! You look well!" Mum gushed from her chair "and River! Oh! You haven't changed a bit! It's been far too long!"
"Spots will do that to you, Mrs Griffin" River grunted out when she rushed over to hug him tightly.
Her arms found me too but I didnt move. I just let her realise it for herself as she made her awkward walk back to her chair.
"Coffee?" Darcy offered us, trying to break the tension "hot chocolate?"
"Coffee" River answered with a forced smile as he took his seat beside me next to Lavender.
"I'm good" I replied.
I was nowhere near good. I wanted out of this damn situation.
River held my hand under the table when I grabbed my bird to rub my thumb on it.
I hated this.
"So, what are you doing here?" I bit out to them. I didn't keep the sourness out of my voice when my hardened eyes looked between them.
"Bit of a wait to come over now" River added "Teddy's been here for a good few months."
"We understand" Dad spoke now "but we thought seeing you in person would be best. We have a lot to say now that you are here."
I tried not to let it get to me. I leant back in my chair, gesturing to them.
"Get to it then."
"Teddy" Lavender whispered to me, shocked.
"No. I have a right to hear what they want to come out here to say" I spoke more to them than her "have you come to say you are sorry for dumping me like you did?"
All the anger was welling up inside me. It threatened to make me cry in front of the two people I didn't want to see me in such a vulnerable and emotional place.
"You both hurt him" River growled to them as I forced it all down "honestly, hearing him tell us what had happened until he came here was disgusting. Why would you do that to him? Dump him while he was sleeping? There's no damn care in that. None at all."
"I waited at our house until I couldn't anymore" I bit out around my tears I swiped away "you never came looking for me. Sprig did, but you didn't."
"There's no excusing what we did" Mum wiped her eyes on her sleeve "we thought what we did was for the best. You'd have a life that you were meant to have. You didn't need to be with us if you didn't want to be, but we didnt see that you wanted to stay with Lavender on your own choice, not because you had to."
"We are sorry" Dad grimmaced to me now "really, we are. We shouldn't have forced you two apart on the hopes it was doing you good. You've both been with each other since we first knew about you, Teddy. Of course it wasn't going to be like we had expected. It hurt you both very deeply."
Lavender's tears fell with ours. Darcy tended to her while River comforted me.
"I wanted to also thank you for giving Lavender her soul to swap with Darcy" Mum smiled to us "it wouldn't have been an easy choice, considering you grew up with her and Darcy grew up with River."
"It worked out" River defended me "our priorities have been different for a while now, Mrs Griffin."
Both Mum and Dad smiled at this.
"We also came down here to talk to you about something else" Dad laced his fingers together "it's not going to make up for what we did, but your mother and I have been talking, and we would like to get you your own place. I know you've never turned to us for money and didn't like the idea of handouts, but it would mean the world to us if you could accept it as something to try and make up for what we put you through."
Were they trying to buy my happiness now? Instead of bringing joy, it only soured me more.
"Nothing will ever make me forget what you did. I went through shit to survive out there on my own" I stabbed the table with my finger "I killed people's pets and gutted damn cows just to eat! I forced a good demon from his family so I had someone that made me felt like I mattered. We..." I hesitated, lingering on the sounds of flesh tearing from bones "we had to eat our own dead babies just so we didn't starve. Then we had to leave the other behind to die up in that damn nest in the heat... without food..."
I held my head in my hands in shame and remorse for that chick who would have died above that toilet block and rotted away in the sun cooking the fumes of the stale piss into its body. It was a disgusting way to go, sitting there, waiting for us to return as it slowly starved to death.
"Teddy..."
"I lost the one I loved in our own home; our old one with the flower field" I choked out "my daughter probably thinks I'm dead too. She only knows me as the demon you turned me into. My other children haven't seen me since I left to come looking for everyone. So, I did have a life like you wanted, but not an easy one with a house and a partner and three kids and a damn picket fence. Trying to buy a dream for me is a very manipulative way to try and get me to love you again, Mr and Mrs Griffin."
I saw the shock in thier eyes at my new title for them. Even though they were still the same Mum and Dad that had raised me, I wasn't going to let them have that connection. Between us verbally, it was Mr and Mrs Griffin; how it really should have been from the start.
"W-we aren't doing it to use you" Dad blinked to Mum in astonishment "we honestly want you to be in a good place. Now that you are here, we don't want you to go living out in the wilderness again like an animal. You are more than that, Teddy."
"With the children here, it would be nice to have your own place with River" Mum coaxed "I'm sure you don't want to be here forever with them."
"So, it's to move us along?" River laughed coldly "away from them and out of sight? If it wasn't for us, you wouldn't have this."
"River" Darcy mumbled to him "It's not what she is saying. You wanted to have your own place with Teddy. They are trying to give you that. Why are you fighting them on this? You can have that baby room you are planning."
"A baby?" Dad gasped out.
Both River and I snarled at his newfound interest. There was no way either of them were coming anywhere near our baby.
I could feel my claws lengthening just at the thought of either of them trying to claim our son or daughter for themselves. Even claiming themselves as grandparents to it was too much.
It was a nasty way to dangle something we needed in front of us. I could afford it on my own, but Mum and Dad had connections and the money to make that happen in a fraction of the time it would for me. They were humans too; purchasing a home for them involved far less hoop jumping than it did for us.
My name was stained permenantly. I would be very lucky to even get us a home now. River wouldn't be much better; his record was no cleaner than mine.
"If we do accept this" I glared to them, seeing Mum's eyes light up immediently "neither of you aren't coming around, ever."
"We can give you the space you want" Dad nodded.
"You'll sign it into our names. I don't want you two deciding to take it from us later on."
"We would never do that to you" Mum fretted "and it'll be all yours."
"It has to be somewhere with trees and water" River added "nowhere in town near nosy humans."
He was covering his tracks for our baby if it did gain its spots early. I loved the way he was thinking. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPKX2Un5QF
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No connections meant it would be harder for them to find us.
"This doesn't mean anything between us" I pointed out "you can't buy me back."
"It's only to try and make up for everything you went through. Start a new life in a safe place for all of you."
That sounded amazing. Something to finally call a home of our own. We both needed that security.
"Are we on the same page? You'll accept the home from us?" Dad worried.
I checked with River who nodded to me. Mum let out an excited noise she covered up with her coffee cup she quickly raised to her lips.
"I know you don't trust us, but it's a start" she beemed, grinning at Dad "I'm so glad we can make this happen for you!"
"We can go look at those colours now" River purred into my ear when he turned from them "and have a celebration of our own."
I felt his hand squeeze mine and saw the glint in his eye.
Mum and Dad were just overjoyed at the bridge they saw forming between us. To them, this house was more than some elaborate sorry gift. It was thier way of clearing thier conscience and moving on in thier old age.
I was just grateful for the opportunity to be out of a life I felt like I was watching move on around me.
"We should let you get on with your day" Dad talked over his cup of coffee he gulped down "get home before this storm gets worse."
In all my swirling emotions I had totally tuned out the pelting of the rain on the windows and wind hammering along the house.
"Are you sure? You can stay until it clears up" Darcy worried "the girls should be home in another hour or so."
"Oh no, no" Mum waved it aside "besides, I think someone has woken up."
Moss's rising cries warbled from down the hallway. River's ears perked up at the noise but Darcy was the one who rushed off to tend to him.
"It was good seeing you again, Teddy" Mum mumbled against me when she hugged me again "you are looking very healthy."
My hands raised but didn't wrap around her.
What did i say? Did I thank her? Compliment her too?"
"River" she squeezed him "take good care of Teddy, OK?"
"You know I will, Mrs Griffin" he chuckled back, his ears flat as her arms wrapped around his body.
"Take care of yourself" Dad hugged me "and thank you for listening to us."
I remained silent as he squeezed River who cringed under the new set of arms wrapped around him.
"Keep in touch" Dad smiled to him before clapping him on the shoulder.
I saw Darcy bite his fist at how close it came to River's back, unfurling it with a smile to shake Dad's hand when he went over to dote over a whimpering Moss and give his farewells.
Rain blasted through the house when Mum and Dad left. We watched thier blurry figures hunch to the car out the front and dive inside, the two slivers of light leading the way down the street.
I felt like I could breathe again with them gone. River grinned to me, excited at the outcome that had been thrown at us. He left to warm up in the shower while I went to help in the kitchen.
I had been far too rude and forward with Mum and Dad to have them turn around and give us a house just so casually. I had expected some sort of a fight, but they had taken all of my anger so calmly.
I felt like I was the bad guy for being as aggressive as I had been. I felt guilty for a gift I knew I wanted but didn't deserve in such a heated moment.
Lavender was quiet on the subject too. She was probably thinking the same things I was; mulling over my anger to her parents and ungrateful approach to accepting thier massive peace treaty between us.
"I was a little harsh" I admitted to her as she washed the cups out "I was just so angry."
"Which I understand" she replied "but you could have thanked them or did something when they offered you your own house. They wanted to give you it from the bottom of thier hearts and you totally snubbed them" she scrubbed the inside of the cups before shutting off the water and turning to me "since when did you start calling them Mr and Mrs Griffin?"
"Well..."
"I get why River does. He's always called them that" Lavender pressed, pointing the dripping scrubber at me "but you never have. It was a bit shocking, to be honest. I've never taken you for the rude type."
"How was I supposed to react?" I scoffed back, laughing nervously at her cold shoulder while she wiped the cups a little too forcefully "I haven't seen them in years and all of the sudden they want to do all that just to say sorry? I lost my trust in them that night you all left. I still think of them as Mum and Dad, but they will not get that from me until things change between us. Its going to take some time, Sprig. Until then, it's Mr and Mrs Griffin."
"Well, until then, I don't want your fued with them to make an impression on the girls. They already have enough with River flipping out every time he's touched on the back or a damn cup breaks near him without you adding in with calling thier Nan and Pop 'Mr and Mrs Griffin' like they didn't raise you almost your whole life. The last thing I need is Harlow or Tori to be creating this rift between them and thier family because of what they are picking up from seeing you do."
"Look, I'm not going to let that happen" I soothed her as she reached up to put them away "they mean the world to me; Moss too. I'm not going to mess up what you have going here because of something I have to settle with them. It's going to take time, probably a lot of it, but that's all I have now."
I saw Lavender's smile at my attempt at a joke, and held her to my chest.
"Everything will be OK" I muttered to her head I planted a kiss on top of "so get those tears out of your eyes. Me and River will be out of here before you know it. You won't have anyone picking up any bad habits."
Lavender peered up at me with her shining eyes that had stained my shirt. She smiled up at me before worry creased her face she rested back on my chest, her arms holding me.
"Thats the thing. Despite the absolute shit-shows he's put us through, I like having River here. And you've barely been here for me to get to know you again. I don't even know you anymore and that really upsets me. It won't be the same with you here but not here."
"Sprig" I smiled, feeling myself bubble up inside at her genuine concern for us before I reeled myself in "Lavender, I'm going to be here for a long time. Maybe not in the same house, sure, but I won't be too far away. Even though we have both chosen different paths and people it doesn't mean I suddenly want to destroy your life. I've got River now, and that was only possible because of what you and Darcy have."
Lavender nodded, drying her eyes and stedying her breath. She reached back up into the cupboard to pull down a orange container and pass it to me.
"If you are going to be living alone with River, you need to know how to deal with his triggers" she close my hand around the bottle "these are the only thing that stops him. We haven't had to use them in a while, but I'd hate to think of you out there not knowing what to do when he snaps. I think we should give it a go and get you familiar with the routine while the girls are still out. I can take care of Moss while you sort it out. It is... scary. He won't be the same as you know him."
"Do we have to?" I cringed as I turned the bottle in my hand "I'd hate to put him through that."
"And I'd hate for you to get hurt" Lavender fretted "I've seen Darcy physically throw himself on the ground to try and calm River down. He's been scratched up and beaten around like a ragdoll before. You need to know what you are doing, Teddy."
"It's true" Darcy's voice came from the living room before he appeared with Moss cradled against him "if you don't know what you are doing with him, you are going to be torn apart. Living with River comes with these things. He's not the same."
"Yeah, I know" I grimaced at the truth of it "he's changed... but he still is sweet."
"And so are you" Lavender sympathized "but you also tried to choke someone out too without realising it."
Her eyes darted down to the bird I didn't realise I was soothing myself with. They then lifted to the hallway where River was toweling off his hair, his grin falling when he saw how serious we all were and the way I held his medicine.
"We want to force a reaction from you" Darcy spoke before River could "If you are going to be living alone with Teddy, he needs to know these things."
River groaned, slumping against the wall.
"I just got clean too" he whined then sighed and threw a hand up "grab the breakables, lock the doors."
Lavender darted past him to start clearing off the ornaments. River's solomn face glanced at mine before he dragged his feet down the hallway to open up a cupboard door and pull out a large pink and white striped blanket.
"Here" he mumbled and placed it on the table for me "look, I'm really sorry for anything I'm going to do, OK? I don't mean it. I love you."
"Do I need to be worried?" I whimpered to Darcy as he pressed his forehead to River's and went to help Lavender.
"You need to know these things" River came over to me, holding his hands in mine "one pill and throw the blanket over me. You might have to force the pill down; I usually don't take them."
He chuckled but I was too worried about what was coming to see the funny side of this.
"It's just a survival thing" he bought his hands up to my face "they did some bad things to me in there. It just kicks in by itself. I'll tell you all about it after if you still love me."
"Of course I'll still love you."
"It's done!" Lavender called out "we're ready!"
They both returned with Moss. Lavender was handed the baby, kissed Darcy, and promptly blocked herself in one of the rooms down the hallway.
"He needs to stay with them" River explained "I've taken him before. If he's close, he's safe."
Darcy opened up the cupboards to pile the plates onto the table. He sorted through the ones that were disposable before doing the same for the mugs and glasses.
"One pill, Teddy" River reminded me as he kissed my forehead "and smother me in the blanket. Be rough. I love you."
I didn't like the way he kept repeating that. His lips crushed to mine unexpectedly and left before I could respond.
I wasn't ready. I didn't know what to expect. I wanted to cry at how oblivious I was.
"Right, let's do it" he sat down slowly, eyeing the pile of plates and cups hesitantly "start smashing shit."
Darcy picked up a plate. He lifted his arm and swung it as hard as he could into the floor.
Instantly, I backed up into the wall. Pieces went flying everywhere and the echo of the plate being decimated shattered through my mind.
River was shrunk in his seat but otherwise unaffected by the breakage.
"Maybe it's because I'm expecting it?" he whimpered out to us when Darcy grabbed another, River grabbing his ears when it came hurling down.
"Teddy, you need to help too" Darcy waved me over "we need to be in this together."
I slid over to him and picked up a cup. Deliberately smashing thier kitchenware felt so wrong. It was like I was about to be caught by my parents and screamed at for being so destructive.
I dropped the cup that bounced once before smashing. Looking up, I saw River was holding his ears but still hadn't snapped.
Darcy turned the plate over in his hands then let out a yell before throwing it near River. I saw River jump in his seat, peering up at Darcy in fear.
"Go Teddy!" Darcy encouraged "we are getting sonewhere!"
I pulled up all of my anger within me to throw it through both cups I smashed near River. Screaming, we broke more around him. Darcy even sent one into the side of the table right where River was gripping and whimpering under his breath.
He had his eyes closed and knees drawn up. The poor thing was shaking at all the noise tearing through the room he was trying to block out by holding his ears down.
Darcy marched over to slap River right on the back then screamed and smashed a plate behind him.
I joined him, pummelling on the twisted skin while screaming at him.
River's claws were gouging through the table end he cowered behind. His body had slid from the chair and he knelt on the floor to try and hide behind it. His tail was tucked around him, twitching to the noise of the wreckage around him.
"Come on, River!" Darcy growled "stop fighting it!"
I stopped beating into River so I could grab another cup. Our pile was dwindling; we didn't have many chances left to trigger him.
Then, Moss's fearful wails rose from the hallway.
Instantly, River's ears perked up. I heard a low growl rumble through him as he got to his feet, the growl snarling out when Darcy deliberately threw a plate at the wall beside him.
His teeth were bared and glistening. River's face was wrinkled with hate that fixed solely on us. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzUQoVilT8
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His tail swatted around behind him, slapping the ground and the pieces of the kitchenware scattered over it.
Moss wailed again, River's head whipping around in the direction.
I threw the cup I held at the table River still gripped. His head snapped onto the sound, then lifted to snarl at me.
Darcy dived for the blanket when River unlatched his claws from the wood and barrelled towards me. I backed up, slipping on the broken plates to scrape my body across the shards when I tumbled down, barely missing the claws that raked through the wallpaper where my face had been.
"Pills!" Darcy called and rolled them to me from under the table.
I snatched them up and threw myself into the living room to avoid River trying to tear at my spine.
He crouched there, growling low as he studied me and waited for movement. His tail flipped behind him which Darcy grabbed, making River tear his eyes from me.
I bolted towards River who heard my footsteps and yanked at Darcy's grip on his tail. His claws raked Darcy's arms, causing him to wail and drop it.
"Are you OK?"
Darcy bled over the broken plate and cups around him. He just nodded as he gripped his arms and pushed the bloodied blanket towards me.
"Don't let him into that room" Darcy whimpered out.
I nodded, scanning for any signs of River but finding none.
Moss's cries were subsiding. It didn't sound like River had barged his way through to him.
Where had he gone?
I heard the snarl at the last second before he smashed into me from the living room. His claws wrapped around me and his teeth bared once more, piercing into my collarbone and tearing.
I could feel his teeth grinding on my bones and snapping everything around them. They tore from me so they could pierce through my neck and hold me there.
I panicked and wedged my fingers into his mouth to try and pry him from me. The pills rattled beside me, being swatted away by River's tail when Darcy went to grab them.
They rolled and came to a rest near the enterance of the kitchen.
"River!" I grunted out tearfully when he shook his head to try and tear a piece of my throat out for himself "it's me! Teddy!"
I didn't want to hurt him. He wasn't thinking straight. This wasn't him.
"River, you piece of shit!" Darcy snapped to the demon, throwing pieces of plate at him "get off him!"
Darcy lashed out, kicking the side of River's leg which instantly caused him to drop me and dive for Darcy's leg his teeth pierced through.
Darcy screamed while I scrambled for the pills. They knocked from my shaking hand, spilling onto the ground when I tried to coax out one of them.
"RIVER!"
His snarling, blood-soaked face lifted up to me. Darcy gripped his leg, moaning and bleeding on the ground.
This was going to end here. Darcy wouldn't be able to take much more. His blood was everywhere, splattering with mine I tried to staunch with my hand.
River snapped at me and I snarled back at him.
If he wanted to be feral, I could play along.
"Teddy" Darcy warned "don't hurt him."
I ignored him, dropping down and charging for River who came barreling towards me.
Our claws clashed, gouging and raking through each other.
I snapped my teeth through River's arm, digging deeper while my hand tried to smash the pill into his shrieking mouth.
His teeth snapped the damn thing and spat it aside. I threw my body over his, reaching for the blanket Darcy tossed to me.
Throwing it open, I folded the length of it down so I could wrap it around River's throat and pull.
I had him. My blanket noose tightened by pulling both sides outwards. River bucked beneath me, groaning out when his claws couldn't swing back to get me hugging his back with my legs.
My tail twisted around his for extra grip, making him pause only for a moment before trying to tear through me again.
Pills were everywhere. My fingers plucked one from the blood and ceramics that ooze between my fingers. I threaded the blanket around my leg so I could keep the tight choke hold on River who was still struggling to be free.
"Take your damn medicine" I snarled down to him before flicking up his lips and forcing the pill against his teeth that remained snapped shut.
"River" I warned "stop it."
I slapped his head and dug my claws into the open wound I had torn through his neck. He shrieked, giving me the opportunity to throw the pill into his throat and force my body over his head to keep his mouth shut.
His tail slapped me as he growled and scrabbled beneath me. I peeled the blanket up over his head, fighting to keep his mouth clamped shut against the ground.
"Swallow" I grunted when he huffed and gagged under me "I'm not letting go until you do."
It sounded like I was choking him. The way his breath rattled through him made everything inside me clench at the thought of killing him.
I knew that wasn't possible, but he was putting up one hell of a convincing show.
"Just take the medicine" Darcy soothed. His hands held both sides of River's face twisted under the blanket.
He recoiled at the touch, growling when my legs squeezed to keep him restrained.
He wasn't fighting as hard to escape now. Darcy smiled as he held onto his face, rubbing his thumbs over where his cheeks would be.
"River, you need to snap out of it" he continued in the same calming voice "it's ok. You did a good job. Everyone is safe."
A grumble vibrated through him. He twitched but then stopped.
"Show me you swallowed it."
River snorted, trying to turn his restricted head away that Darcy peeled out of the blanket.
"Is that a good idea?" I whispered.
Darcy nodded, placing his hands back on River's cheeks.
"You need to show me."
River remained silent. Darcy shook his head at him and pried open River's mouth to slide his fingers inside.
There was no resistance from River. He let Darcy check under his tongue and down the side of his cheeks before wiping the saliva onto his shirt.
"He's good" he smiled to me "just give it time to kick in."
"How long will that be?"
I hesitantly lifted myself from his back and threaded the blanket out from around his neck to place over his body instead.
River laid there, his eyes closed as Darcy held his head. His claws twitched and curled when Darcy released him so he could move me into the position instead.
"It's going to knock him out for a bit, but you did good" Darcy praised and turned his attention to checking his arms that he lifted the flaps of skin up from with a grimace "Jeez. He really got me this time. You too."
Everything on me felt like it was burning. Blood poured down my cold body, warming and staining me.
I didn't even know how bad it was. Everything cut through me and made me feel like I had been yanked through rusted barbed wire.
I was scared as I held onto his face that slowly grew slack in my grip. The moment his grumbling breathing fell into silence, I dropped his head and dragged myself away to press myself to the wall.
River had destroyed everything without any thought. He had sliced through Darcy, the one human he valued highest in the world, and had actually wanted to kill him. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8MHtVjAvH
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There was no mercy in the way he threw himself behind each wild swing or gouging bite; River was fighting to survive.
Blood was everywhere. It curdled my stomach that flopped at the sight of it covering the tiles. The brown glass and plates looked like shards of bone within it.
Maybe they were? River hadn't held back when he was ripping us both apart.
Wallpaper peeled and hung above me. River's claws carved into the naked wall crumbling around its wound. The table's exposed wood splintered from where he had torn his way through it. Clear gouges marked the spot he had anchored himself to before rushing straight for me.
He had tried to kill me. His claws had aimed straight for my face. His raw anger twisted River into a monster hellbent on destruction to free himself from whatever torture was dancing in his mind when he snapped.
I didn't know what to do but cry.
I was scared of the thing I loved. The same person who wanted to protect me had caused me the worst pain I had ever known.
How come I couldn't feel it? Had he really torn everything from inside me?
Did I really have that much blood? Was I bleeding out? 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtPZY90cI5
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Were those my bones?
Darcy came over to try and comfort me but his fingers felt like shards of glass twisting in my skin.
I didn't need anyone to touch me. No-one could touch me like that. It hurt.
"Teddy, it's OK. It's over now."
Was it? Was River just faking it so he could spring up the moment I took my eyes off him?
He was waiting. He was going to tear me apart.
I didn't know what to do.
I got to my feet, feeling the broken plates stab my toes smothered in blood. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBAY4p9Gft
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My legs were smeared. The skin on my arms hung from me like a loose jumper, flapping when my nail tried to stick it back together. 119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3Pdazn9Zz
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My face was drenched. I couldn't even tell if my skin was still on it.
Was that my blood or Darcy's?
I couldn't feel it. Why couldn't I feel it? Why couldn't I stop shaking?
The air was thick. It forced its way down inside me like the blanket wrapped around River's body.
Was that tears or blood coming from my eyes?
I needed to get out of here. Away from him. He was going to drag me down the moment I looked away.
That wasn't River. It couldn't be. He wouldn't....
Shredded walls. Red tiles. Bones. Broken bird.
The seagull gazed up at me from underneath it's blood it was drowning in. It's wings were torn from it; it's feathers ripped out all over again....
No. Not again.
I did the only thing I could think of in that moment.
I ran out into the flogging rain and howling wind tearing the skin from my body. I didn't stop running from the voice crying for me to return.
I just kept running.
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