forum Monsters? These are my children -Ben (o/o with lisapickle)

Started November 05, 2019 by @chickenfrogman group

tune

Am I ever.
He almost smiles at the question, but is too tired. "Always." He sleepily replies.

Silver frowned at him for a moment and then continued eating. "Seriously, Gabe, is something wrong?"

He leans against her chair. "No, Sil, I'm good." He blinks slowly a few times and quietly yawns.

Silver finished eating and put her plate on an end table, turning to look and where he was, even though she couldn't see him. She reached out and found his shoulder, then stroked his hair. "You're so strange, Gabriel."

He closes his eyes, finding nothing else to say.

Cage sighs, twirling a cookie on his plate. "Is Miki in trouble? Have they seen her with us?"
Violet pours herself a glass of milk. "I don't think so, Love."
She heads towards Ben and sits next to him.

Silver snuggled down into her chair, her wings billowing over each side, and fell asleep with her arm stretched out, hand touching Gabriel's shoulder.

At 12:36am, the front door creaked open and Miki slipped in, carefully closing and locking it behind her before shrugging out of her coat. She ditched her shoes by the front door as well and tip-toed into the dark kitchen.

Silver stirred in her sleep, her subconscious noting Miki's presence. For another moment she stayed asleep, and then her eyes flew open and she bolted upright. "Miki!" she yelled, and pelted out of the library. "MIKI, IS THAT YOU?" she shrieked.

Gabriel barely stirs in his sleep, curling up on the floor.

Cage, runs/stumbles to the balcony railing, half asleep, “Miki’s back?!?” He rubs his eyes, blinking.

"Silver!" Miki squeaked, meeting Silver at the edge of the kitchen and slapping her hand over her sister's mouth. "SHHHH!! Everyone's asleep!"
Silver tore her hand away. "Where have you been??? I tried to call you but your phone–"
Miki silenced her again, this time bracing her other hand on the back of Silver's head so she couldn't get away. "Shhhhhhhh!! I was in that dead zone in downtown with no reception."
"Mhmmhmm?!?" Silver mumbled beneath Miki's hand.

Cage smiles sleepily, leaning against the balcony railing. "Miki? Where were you??"

Violet yawns, propping herself up and staring at the bedroom door. She blinks in confusion at the loud chatter.
Ben is already sitting up against the backboard of the bed. "Miki is back." He explains.
She rubs her eyes. "Is she alright?"
He shrugs. "I'm sure she's fine. Otherwise Silver would be a lot louder."

Miki looked up at the railing and sighed, releasing Silver. "Well, if you've already woken everyone then it doesn't matter if you keep yelling." she said, turning back to the counter. "I went to town. I wanted donuts."
Silver blinked at her. "You left all day because you wanted donuts?"
Miki nodded. "Yeah. I was dying for those strawberry jam donuts from that place in town." she held up a paper bag. "I brought some back for you and Cage."
Silver took a deep breath. "You walked to town?"
Miki stared at her. "Yes…?"

Cage yawns, big and wide. "Hmm? Donuts? What time is it?"

Violet presses her lips together, suppressing a smile. "Alright. Should I check on her?"
Ben sighs as she pushes the blankets off and stands, "You're going to whether I say you should or not."
She stretches before pulling her robe on.

Miki glanced at the clock. "Twelve-thirty. Go back to bed, Cage." she put the bag on top of the fridge and turned to see Silver still staring at her.
"Sil. Hon. I was fine. If anything happened you would have known."
Silver sighed and dragged herself to a barstool, dropping her head in her hands. "Why didn't you leave a note or a text or something? Miki, you were gone all day and we didn't know where you were. No one even saw you leave!"
"Silver, please go back to bed. I'm home now, everything's fine. You don't need to panic now."
Silver slammed her hands down on the counter in fists. "Yes, I do, Miki! I couldn't panic earlier because… because–"
Miki raised an eyebrow. "Because why?"

Cage stares, more awake now, and watches the exchange.
Violet silently exits her bedroom and joins him at the railing. "Miki, Love? You alright?"

Silver dropped her gaze to the counter, digging her nail against the smooth granite. Miki stiffened as Violet spoke above, but she ignored her.
"What's going on, Sil?" she said, her voice low.
"I can't… Miki, I was so worried." she admitted, choking. "Miki, I don't know what I'd do without you. I can't lose you." she pinched the bridge of her nose, pressing her eyes closed. "I feel like I don't have Ben right now and if I don't have Ben then that leaves you and I can't lose both of you."

Violet swallows and steps away from the railing.
She doesn't have Ben? What does she even mean?
She presses a hand against her collarbone, suddenly feeling sick and hurt for some reason.
Just because the man has flaws doesn't mean you can just ditch him-or give up.
She closes her eyes, giving her head a small shake before heading back to her room.
I'm taking this too personally. I'm too tired for this right now, I'm not thinking straight.

Cage blinks down, listening to them.
What about Gabriel?

Well, you have Gabe, Miki thought, but refrained from saying it outloud. "You haven't lost either of us, babe."
Silver groaned. "I know that but… Miki, everyone is like secretly freaking out cuz I'm mad at him right now and you weren't here and I had to hide in the library all day. I needed you. Everyone needed you."
Miki sighed. "Why are you all so weird." She muttered.
Silver glanced up, hearing her remark. "You're the only NORMAL one here, Mik. We need you."

Cage blinks.
I honestly thought if I spoke much she'd bite my head off like she did Ben's….
Violet tries not to listen to the rest of the conversation, pressing the door open and stepping in. She turns the lights off and climbs back into bed, turning on soft music to play quietly to distract her.
Ben stares, one eyebrow raised. "What?"

Miki chewed her lip for a moment, before speaking. "Silver, why don't you go to bed. I know you're upset and stressed over Ben but it's the middle of the night and you need to get some rest before we try to sort this out."
Silver didn't move for several minutes and then silently got up and trudged up the stairs. But instead of going to hers and Miki's room, she opened the door to Ben's old bedroom and crawled onto his empty bed.

Cage lays his head on the railing and sighs. He waits till Silver has closed the door to speak. "Miki? Can I have a donut?"

Gabriel silently moves from the balcony railing near Cage to follow Silver, invisible. He quietly creaks the door open and stares at her.

Miki looked up at him, having forgotten he was there. "Yeah, sure, kid. You can have yours whenever you want." She waved at him to come down and pulled his donut out of the bag.

Silver lay on her side, facing the dark window, arms wrapped around a pillow. Her wings stretched out behind her on the bed, and her cold blue eyes staring at nothing.

Gabriel slowly blinks his violet, sleepy eyes, and closes the door gently before walking to stand in front of her. He sits beside (not on) the bed in front of her and leans his head on the bed.
It's okay.

Cage smiles, tromping down the stairs to sit at a stool. "How was the shop? Did you walk?"

Silver took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. The air swarmed back on her face as if hit something and she blinked herself out of her daze to reach her hand out. Her fingers met Gabriel's face and she tucked her hand around the back of his neck, subconsciously letting out another calmer, more relaxed sigh.

Miki leaned on the counter and crossed her arms. "Yeah. It was nice. Kinda crowded, but it always is." She rubbed her forehead. "How was it here? Was it as bad as Sil said it was?"

Cage shrugs. "I didn't think so. As far as I know everyone was just walking on eggshells around her because of her… outburst this morning. I dunno if that's the right word though. You know, when she yelled at Ben? Yeah, everyone was on edge around her." He's quiet and stares at the counter while talking.

Gabriel softly smiles, placing his hand over hers.
You'll be alright.

Miki grinned ruefully. "So it was that bad." She came around and ruffled his hair. "She's a lot, kid. I grew up with her, remember? Trust me, I know how much me is."

Slowly Silver's eyes filled with tears, all her pent up emotions finally releasing. "Gabriel," she whispered through the knot in her throat. "Why can't we just be normal? I just want to be normal."

Cage shrugs and takes a bite of his donut, swallowing before continuing. "How old was she when she was kidnapped?"

"You can't be, Silver. I wish you could, but wishing does nothing." He slips his hand on her cheek, making her invisible so she could see him as he stared at her with cold, sleepy eyes. "It's not fair, I know. I'm sorry."