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

Started November 05, 2019 by @chickenfrogman group

tune

Miki hummed to herself as she poured herself a drink and then served up her food once Silver was a safe distance away.

Silver stared at her plate.
I'm gonna scream.

Ben makes himself a plate and sits down by Violet on the couch as she intently watches Miki and Sil. Is was more normal for Gabriel and Kissa to glare and be passive, but not Silver and Miki.
Whats up?
Cage makes his plate and heads to sit down by Sil.
“Hey.” He quietly greets.

Silver stiffened as Cage came and sat beside her.
You're just as bad as she is.
She sighed. "Hi."

Miki perched on her barstool again, staying away from the others in the living room, mostly because they were all so close to Silver. She pulled her phone out and texted Cage. "I think I should go live in the woods until tomorrow night."

Cage purses his lips.
Geez, Sil.
Before texting Miki back, he texts quickly to Sil, 'I'm sorry.'
He looks over Miki's text and replies back, 'both of us.'

Violet watches as Sil tenses around even Cage and narrows her eyes.
It's all three of them? Did Cage do something mean? That's extremely hard to believe. I bet I could get Sil to talk to me…
Ben takes another bite, his brow furrowed as the stiff feeling settles on the room. Everything silent.
She's right. Something is very wrong.
Kissa sits on his other side and happily eats her food.
Ben's happy, I'm happy. These kids are all stupid and I couldn't care less about them really.
Gabriel looms above her, glaring down.

Miki read Cage's text and replied "Wow, is she that mad about our plan with Dio?"

Silver glanced at her phone and sighed, then let out a loud groan and flopping back against the back of the couch. "Okay, I'm having a bad day, guys! It happens. Don't… stop doing that thing where you all act weird just cuz I'm in a funk."

Cage starts at the sudden words and stays stalk still.
Sil, it was your idea.
Ben blinks, utterly confused. Why was everyone else being so quiet? Why were Cage and Miki looking so uncomfortable too.
Kissa raises her fork a little, "I'm just eating, Sil. Anyways, not everything is about you. Some of the tension's from the freak looming above me." She casually takes another bite.
Ben turns to look around Kissa. "That's where he is?"
Violet lets out a small sigh and stands, setting her dishes on the island and walking to Sil. She offers her a hand.
"Come, Love." she gently invites.

Miki stared very pointedly at her phone, not looking up or responding to her sister. Silver blinked at Violet for a moment, but it was pretty much impossible to be mad at her. As she got to her feet, she shot Kissa a dark look. "Well, thank goodness you're not part of the problem this time. But I can feel everyone else's awkwardness. And it just makes it worse." she took her plate upstairs, not waiting for Vi to lead the way.

Kissa shrugs, "Not my fault you're- ow!" She glares up at Gabriel, who just shoved her.
Ben swallows, watching her leave upstairs with Violet.
I- Did I do anything? Was me not doing anything the problem? I'm so confused.
Cage swallows.
Geez.

Silver headed for Violet's room and sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall, and began picking at her food again.

Miki let out a sigh of relief and continued eating. "Don't worry, guys. She's really just mad at me."

Violet closes the door behind her and slowly sits down by Silver, "What is it, Love."

Cage wipes his eyes and stands, setting his unfinished food on the counter and heading out to the backyard.
Kissa watches him leave and looks back to Miki.
"Just you, huh?"
Ben rolls his eyes and stands up. "What's going on, Mik."

Silver sniffed and wiped her eyes, even though she wasn't crying.
Yet.
"I was up on the balcony watching them make lunch and… and Ben asked where I was and I… didn't want to talk to him. So Miki told Ben I was on my period–which I'm not–so I was mad at her and then everyone started acting weird and I hate it when everyone acts weird when I'm in a bad mood or I'm mad at someone. Just cuz I'm mad at one person doesn't mean everyone needs to be awkward about it. But that's always what happens."

Miki cleared her throat and glared at Kissa. "Well… she's not on her period but I was pretty sure she wanted to be left alone, and you were asking about her and that's all I could think of to make you stop. And now she's mad at me cuz she's not actually on her period."

Violet sighs. "Think about it this way though. If you were having a fine day and I walked out there obviously not feeling the best and being a little grumpy and I was obviously not on good terms with Ben, everyone would be awkward and act off. It just is bound to happen. It's not your fault and it's not their fault." She brushes her fingers through Silver's hair. "I'm not happy it;s like that either, but it is. And not just in our family."

Ben glares. "Mn. Well, maybe just say she'd rather be left alone nest time and she wont be so upset."
Kissa nods. "Not that you'd think of that cause you're incapable."
Ben turns around to shoot Kissa a glare and her face turns pale and she looks to the ground.
Oops.

Silver sighed and pushed her food around on her plate. "Yeah, I guess. I just… it's so frustrating because I can feel everyone more than someone else can. It's different. You can tell when Ben's in a bad mood or something, but I feel it in the air. I experience it like it's my feelings. And when everyone is doing it I feel like I'm going to explode and it makes me want to scream."

Miki gave Kissa a withering look, but kept her mouth shut, nodding to Ben. "Okay. I'm sorry."

She continues to brush her fingers through Sil’s hair. “I know Love, and I’m sorry it’s this way. The things you feel are valid, even if we don’t feel them.” She gives her forehead a kiss. “Will you do me a favor and relax, Love? You’re awfully tense.”

Surprised with the respectful and calm response, Ben gives a small nod. “Thank you.” He blinks for a second before heading outside to see Cage.
Kissa stares at the ground, still pale.

Silver nodded and let out a deep breath, trying to drop her shoulders and ease the knot in her stomach. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Miki stood up from the barstool but paused, unsure where to go. Ben was outside with Cage, so she couldn't follow Cage, and if she went upstairs, she might run into Silver.
Dang it, I made a fine mess of today, didn't I.

Violet gives her a soft, gentle smile. “No need to apologize.” She sits still in the quiet for a moment, then puts an arm around her. “If you don’t mind my asking, are you, Cage and Miki alright? You seemed a little irritated at them.”

Kissa turns herself invisible and looks up at Gabriel.
“You didn’t follow her.”
He stares down, glaring. “I’m watching you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re a freakin creeper.”

Silver leaned into Vi and nibbled off her plate. Now's the time to come clean.
But she'll tell Ben.
And I really want Dio to come back.
"Violet," she said in a small voice. "Would you still love me if I did a really bad thing?"

"Well, this is great." Miki said, planting her hands on her hips. "I'm stuck here by myself, alone with the creepy invisible bat children. This is lovely."

Violet continues to stroke her hair.
Goodness, this better not be going where I think it is.
“Of course, Silver.”

Kissa turns to shoot Miki a glare, turning herself visible again.
“At least I’m not a small, skinny and stupid human.”

Silver swallowed, staring at her plate. She opened her mouth to speak again, but changed her mind and said, "S-so what do you think of Dio?"

Miki's face brightened. "Oh! If I'm stuck with you, that means you're stuck with me." She gave Kissa a savage grin. "This situation just got a whole lot better."

Somehow I doubt this bad choice had anything to do with Dio.
“He’s… nice. He’s a gentleman, but it does taint him a little his relation to our enemy. Not horribly though, since he’s been with the elementals for a while. Why?”

Kissa rolls her eyes. “You’re so irritating. Can’t wait till you die one day.”
Gabriel smacks her shoulder.
She rubs it. “Ow, hey! You’re only defending her for Silver.”
He crosses his arms. “I smacked you cause you’re being a genuine jerk.”

"I…"
I can't do this.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "IstoleBen'sphonesoIcouldgetDio'snumberandtexthim."

Miki laughed and slapped her thigh. "I'm gonna like fake my own death at fifty and when you come to the funeral to gloat I'm gonna get up out of the coffin and be like 'haha just kidding' and live for another twenty years."

Kissa glares and forces her over with a sudden strong wind. “How do you like that, b-“
Gabriel grabs her arm, “Kissa!”

Violet furrows her brow and she turns her head to look at Sil. “I really didn’t catch that.”

Miki scrambled back to her feet, still laughing, and backed toward the backdoor. "Sorry, Gabriel, you should hit me too if that's what you do to jerks." She opened the door and blew Kissa a kiss. "I love you too, Kissa!" And then dashed outside. As she ran past Cage she said, "Bye, I'm going to live in the woods for a week!"

Silver covered her face with her hands. "Nevermind. It's fine. I promise. I'm sorry. It's nothing."

Violet scoots back a little so she can see her face better. “No, no. I caught something about Ben’s phone and… Dio?”
Youve got to be kidding me.

They watch her as she leaves, but as soon as she’s out the door, Kissa tries to yank her arm from Gabriel with no avail.
“Let go of me! You’re so freaking controlling now days! Just leave me alo-!” Her last words reach a high pitch shriek before he covers her mouth with his other hand. He shoves her against the wall, tightening the grip on her arm.
“Listen,” he hisses between gritted teeth. “If I didn’t watch you, you would burn this place down and these people. I know you kiss. I know you could take them. The moment you’re out of line is the moment I’ll have you pinned again, you hear?”
She tries to bite his hand but can’t and starts to shriek even though it’s muffled by his hand. Her face turns red with anger and a few tears streak down her face from frustration.
After she stops struggling, closes her eyes and relaxes, he lets her go. She rubs her arm and stares at the ground.
“I couldn’t take you all.” She admits quietly. “Not you, Ben and Silver together. Not if I wanted to.”
He takes a step back with a glare. “Good.”

Ben watches Miki run past and Cage doesn’t even bother to look, the heels of his hands rubbing at his eyes.

Silver cleared her throat. "I gave it back. He doesn't know." She looked up at Vi, her face turning pale. "Please don't tell Ben. Please, Violet."

Miki reached the treeline before she stopped running, and flung herself down on the grass, panting for breath.