The Longest Thread (Misadventures)

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

9 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He smiled at her and walked back to the kitchen, feeling like there was something he needed to finish. 

-

She beamed. It felt so normal.

”Come on,” Aden wheedled. “Just for a seeecond?”

She watched him for a minute.

Are you okay?

-

"No! Gosh, this is why I should be the one driving."

She smiled at Five. "Honestly!"

Edited February 8, 2025 by Through The Living Glass

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

4 minutes ago, _Null_ said:

He shook his head. "Okay is not a word I plan on using for a long time." he choked out, tears beginning to roll down his face, raising his hands and burying his face to hide them

She looked away, tears welling up in her own eyes. After a moment, she draped half of her blanket over his shoulders, careful not to touch him. 

3 minutes ago, Through The Living Glass said:

She watched him for a minute.

Are you okay?

-

"No! Gosh, this is why I should be the one driving."

She smiled at Five. "Honestly!"

He blinked at her. “Yeah, why? I just need to… oh, finish my shortcake.” He sat down and did so. 

- 

She wiped her eyes and smiled back from under the blanket. 

Edited February 8, 2025 by Halcyon The Only

[Existential]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

She looked away, tears welling up in her own eyes. After a moment, she draped half of her blanket over his shoulders, careful not to touch him. 

He smiled at her,  his eyes red and face drained of color. "Thank you Five." he said, wishing he could ask for a consoling hug without possibly setting her off

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, _Null_ said:

He smiled at her,  his eyes red and face drained of color. "Thank you Five." he said, wishing he could ask for a consoling hug without possibly setting her off

She nodded and hugged herself, slowly rocking back and forth. 

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

He blinked at her. “Yeah, why? I just need to… oh, finish my shortcake.” He sat down and did so. 

- 

She wiped her eyes Ava smiled back from under the blanket. 

She hopped up his arm a little.

Did I go to far . . . ? You seem kind of sad, all of the sudden.

-

Her smile softened.

"You okay, girlie?"

Imma go to bed

'Night!

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

She nodded and hugged herself, slowly rocking back and forth. 

he curled up back into a ball before leaning his head against the door, lightly sobbing hoping no one would notice

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

She hopped up his arm a little.

Did I go to far . . . ? You seem kind of sad, all of the sudden.

-

Her smile softened.

"You okay, girlie?"

“No, you’re fine,” he assured her. “I’m not sad, I promise.” He smiled to prove it. 

- 

She nodded, clutching the blanket harder. 

“Is this part of it too?” She whispered. 

1 minute ago, _Null_ said:

he curled up back into a ball before leaning his head against the door, lightly sobbing hoping no one would notice

Five did. She hesitated, then lifted her hand. But she faltered, staring at him. 

No… 

Nononononono!

Everything was too bright, too bright! 

She wrapped her half of the blanket very tightly around herself an tears leaked out of her eyes  

[Existential]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“No, you’re fine,” he assured her. “I’m not sad, I promise.” He smiled to prove it. 

- 

She nodded, clutching the blanket harder. 

“Is this part of it too?” She whispered. 

Five did. She hesitated, then lifted her hand. But she faltered, staring at him. 

No… 

Nononononono!

Everything was too bright, too bright! 

She wrapped her half of the blanket very tightly around herself an tears leaked out of her eyes  

He looked over at her, seeing the pain in her eyes. "D- do you want a hug, Five?" he asked solemnly

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“No, you’re fine,” he assured her. “I’m not sad, I promise.” He smiled to prove it. 

- 

She nodded, clutching the blanket harder. 

“Is this part of it too?” She whispered. 

She cocked her head.

. . . But you SEEM sad, even if you don't look like it.

-

Irie was confused.

"Part of what?"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, _Null_ said:

He looked over at her, seeing the pain in her eyes. "D- do you want a hug, Five?" he asked solemnly

“A- a what?”

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

She cocked her head.

. . . But you SEEM sad, even if you don't look like it.

-

Irie was confused.

"Part of what?"

“I’m not sad,” he insisted. “I’m just….. trying not to think about some things. So I guess some stuff gets caught up with that.”

-

“Part of the torture. Pretending we’ve escaped…” 

[Existential]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“A- a what?”

“I’m not sad,” he insisted. “I’m just….. trying not to think about some things. So I guess some stuff gets caught up with that.”

-

“Part of the torture. Pretending we’ve escaped…” 

"Its like a wrap. when you curl your arms around and hold another person. its meant to be comforting. but i'd end up resting my arms on you if I did." he whispered, realizing this was a mistake

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“I’m not sad,” he insisted. “I’m just….. trying not to think about some things. So I guess some stuff gets caught up with that.”

-

“Part of the torture. Pretending we’ve escaped…” 

Oh.

She looked at his shortcake, at the ceiling, and then back at him.

Do you want to talk about it?

-

She blinked.

"Five . . ."

She stopped and sighed, unsure how to convince the girl this was real.

"We're not going to hurt you. There is no more torture . . . you're free now."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, _Null_ said:

"Its like a wrap. when you curl your arms around and hold another person. its meant to be comforting. but i'd end up resting my arms on you if I did." he whispered, realizing this was a mistake

She stiffened. “I… I’m sorry, I…”

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Oh.

She looked at his shortcake, at the ceiling, and then back at him.

Do you want to talk about it?

-

She blinked.

"Five . . ."

She stopped and sighed, unsure how to convince the girl this was real.

"We're not going to hurt you. There is no more torture . . . you're free now."

"Free." he said. "That's funny, being chained to a bed and moved around like cattle doesn't FEEL free"

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

1 minute ago, Through The Living Glass said:

Oh.

She looked at his shortcake, at the ceiling, and then back at him.

Do you want to talk about it?

-

She blinked.

"Five . . ."

She stopped and sighed, unsure how to convince the girl this was real.

"We're not going to hurt you. There is no more torture . . . you're free now."

“Uh…” 

Not really. Half of it was about her. 

“Nah. I’m good.” 

-

She squinched her eyebrows in thought. 

“That’s probably what you’d say either way, I guess…”

Just now, _Null_ said:

"Free." he said. "That's funny, being chained to a bed and moved around like cattle doesn't FEEL free"

“I thought I apologized for that,” Aden grumbled.

[Existential]

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

She stiffened. “I… I’m sorry, I…”

"It's ok. I understand" he whispered, curling up into a ball and continuing to sob

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“Uh…” 

Not really. Half of it was about her. 

“Nah. I’m good.” 

-

She squinched her eyebrows in thought. 

“That’s probably what you’d say either way, I guess…”

“I thought I apologized for that,” Aden grumbled.

"like you even care" he gumbled through tears

[Through The Living Glass She/They]

1 minute ago, _Null_ said:

"Free." he said. "That's funny, being chained to a bed and moved around like cattle doesn't FEEL free"

"Oh yeah- Aden, why did you chain him to the bed?"

1 minute ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Uh…” 

Not really. Half of it was about her. 

“Nah. I’m good.” 

-

She squinched her eyebrows in thought. 

“That’s probably what you’d say either way, I guess…”

She looked up at him with big eyes.

Please? I-I need to know if you're okay . . .

-

She sighed.

"Yeah, I know . . ."

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

2 minutes ago, _Null_ said:

"like you even care" he gumbled through tears

“I do! Look, are you really in shape to try and outrun those guys on your own? What about her?” He insisted Five. 

Just now, Through The Living Glass said:

"Oh yeah- Aden, why did you chain him to the bed?"

She looked up at him with big eyes.

Please? I-I need to know if you're okay . . .

-

She sighed.

"Yeah, I know . . ."

“He was being unreasonable! What else was I supposed to do?”

—

”I promise I’m okay, Tam. I’ll think about it all later, okay?”

5 minutes ago, _Null_ said:

"It's ok. I understand" he whispered, curling up into a ball and continuing to sob

Feeling helpless, she detangled herself from the rest of the blanket and wrapped it around him. 

[Existential]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“I do! Look, are you really in shape to try and outrun those guys on your own? What about her?” He insisted Five. 

“He was being unreasonable! What else was I supposed to do?”

—

”I promise I’m okay, Tam. I’ll think about it all later, okay?”

Feeling helpless, she detangled herself from the rest of the blanket and wrapped it around him. 

"It's not a matter of that, its a matter of you CHAINED ME TO A BED. JUST LIKE THEM. YOU'RE ALL ALIKE." he said angrily. He stopped for a moment to throw Five's side of the blanket back over her. "Please, you need it more than me, and sharing is more than enough" he told her calmly

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, _Null_ said:

"It's not a matter of that, its a matter of you CHAINED ME TO A BED. JUST LIKE THEM. YOU'RE ALL ALIKE." he said angrily. He stopped for a moment to throw Five's side of the blanket back over her. "Please, you need it more than me, and sharing is more than enough" he told her calmly

“No, actually,” Aden snapped, “But I wouldn’t expect you to know the difference. I’m not perfect, okay? And I prefer all my guts where they belong! I thought I freed some kind of violent criminal.” 

She hid in the blanket from the shouting. But it was still better than silence. 

Okie imma sleep goodnight  

[Existential]

Just now, Halcyon The Only said:

“No, actually,” Aden snapped, “But I wouldn’t expect you to know the difference. I’m not perfect, okay? And I prefer all my guts where they belong! I thought I freed some kind of violent criminal.” 

She hid in the blanket from the shouting. But it was still better than silence. 

Okie imma sleep goodnight  

"You didn't! I didn't do anything wrong! I was framed for a crime, put into that hellhole, and they tried to turn me into a soldier! Do you have any idea what it's like to be ripped apart piece by piece and be sewn back together?! No! You don't! They pulled me apart so many times I can barely remember anything from my life, I'm the afterimage of what I used to be, and if I had wanted you dead then you wouldn't be here now." he snapped, pushing through tears. He began to look at Five and noticed her stress, and tried to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Five. I didn't mean to scare you." he said angrily, but also solemnly.

Night!

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

3 minutes ago, _Null_ said:

"You didn't! I didn't do anything wrong! I was framed for a crime, put into that hellhole, and they tried to turn me into a soldier! Do you have any idea what it's like to be ripped apart piece by piece and be sewn back together?! No! You don't! They pulled me apart so many times I can barely remember anything from my life, I'm the afterimage of what I used to be, and if I had wanted you dead then you wouldn't be here now." he snapped, pushing through tears. He began to look at Five and noticed her stress, and tried to calm himself. "I'm sorry, Five. I didn't mean to scare you." he said angrily, but also solemnly.

Night!

“Yeah, and that’s why I chained you to a bed. I’m amazed you’re not clinically insane.” He sighed. “Look, can we just have a truce? I’ll make it up to you. Have you ever had sushi?”

She peeked out enough to give him a small, nervous smile. 

[Existential]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

“Yeah, and that’s why I chained you to a bed. I’m amazed you’re not clinically insane.” He sighed. “Look, can we just have a truce? I’ll make it up to you. Have you ever had sushi?”

She peeked out enough to give him a small, nervous smile. 

"No. I haven't. Maybe. Again, I wouldn't know, would I?" he snapped back softly through the tears. "Just leave me alone." he whispered, curling up against the door again

[Bird Furious she/her/un/important]

Just now, _Null_ said:

"No. I haven't. Maybe. Again, I wouldn't know, would I?" he snapped back softly through the tears. "Just leave me alone." he whispered, curling up against the door again

Aden went quiet, and Five stayed quiet. 

OK FRFR JM NOT COMING BACK. GO GET SLEEP. 

[Existential]

2 minutes ago, Halcyon The Only said:

Aden went quiet, and Five stayed quiet. 

OK FRFR JM NOT COMING BACK. GO GET SLEEP. 

He lie there, knowing he caused the awkward silence, and light sobs turned heavy with tears streaming down his face.

I will not be asleep for another hour, but you GO TO BED