Deerington inbox

[droptheious]

FROM: SUBJECT: FERN Ooo slang part the second FERN i think we just shared electrons, because i'm feeling a covalent bond between us LANCE Pidge, I need your help. I gotta send a meme to Chloe but ... DIPPER Hey Varian. You know those crazy alchemy bombs you used... PETER Hey Varian, this is Peter. Um, Peter Graham. USAGI Soooooooo~ How'd the date go? MAKO Varian— Checking in. SHIRO i think one of us put a chicken patty in my toaster EDDIE Hey. We need to talk. MELIUS 𝐻𝒾. 𝐼 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓉 𝓁𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝓇𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒾𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓇𝓉 EDA Hey, kid. I... owe you an apology. LUZ Valentines MAUL I have a proposition for a project I think you'll be interested in USAGI I LOVE YOU FERN DUDE you still have your bandana! BUZZ Morning. I heard from Fern you wanted to go out into the blizzard. FERN dude your profile changed USAGI Ruby told me about the breakup. GLITCH Varian, I'm gonna go live somewhere else for now MAKO A "nerd" is somebody smart... MAUL Gifts FERN heeyyyy quick question FERN Christmas is coming up!!! CHLOE god who the FUCK ever thought emojis were a good idea??? KRISTOFF Varian,It's getting colder so I thought you could use this FERN heyyyy Variable RAPUNZEL okay not to put you on the spot but... EDA Potion time NEO Dude, I can mine antidote shit here! GLITCH Got this in my basket. EDA hey smart kid TEN Hallo ADAM Hey, k-- uh, Varian. I just wanted to check in USAGI I'm sorry I worried you and fainted on you yesterday. AMARA i lived, bitch NEO Debatably good news, asshole USAGI Hey Varian! It's Usagi OSCAR I'm sorry, Varian. Tell me what you need FERN a dark past huh MAUL Varian. I am in great need of your assistance FERN Varian VARIAN I CAN EAT FOOD USAGI How much moon essence do you have? USAGI VIVI-KUN, VIVI-KUN GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT! RICHIE well I promised FERN A TOTALLY INCOMPLETE LIST OF OOO WORDS 'N SLANG GLITCH VARIAN ARE THERE BUGS IN THE WATER?! USAGI To help with restless nights and the... VIRA-LORR Little alchemist. I have a gift for you. MARTIN Hi, Varian. This is Martin. I wanted to reach out... USAGI Hi Varian, sweetie! I have a question for you. GLITCH varian I need to talk to you. it's important. USAGI I need you not to panic after what I tell you. FERN dog you have so many vests IRONHIDE HONK HONK USAGI ... I'm sorry I couldn't help you better, Varian EMERALD Hey, V. Not that I care that much or anything... FERN tell me when you're alive FERN Varian i stabbed two people AMARA hey weirdo i have something for you FERN is the Rapunzel in town your Rapunzel? PENNY Salutations!! You do not know me, but my name is Penny Polendina YANG Hey, is this Varian? I think we've met once before. FERN hey can we talk FERN you told ruby MAUL Surviving another year is always an occasion worth celebrating USAGI Hey I wanted to apologise USAGI VARIAN-KUUUUNNN!!!! FERN birth MAUL Look what just arrived for me. KATHERINE Do you want to get paid to make more purple goo things? FERN ok i know you're good with plants but what about animals FERN dog interested in means girls or guys

TO: SUBJECT: USAGI So. Maul dropped by, he's got his memories back. ADAM I'm worried about Shiro FERN Hey handsome OSCAR You've been weirdly quiet lately FERN Guess what I haven't told you lately? USAGI Hey. I'm back from the dead and I feel like trash. FERN I made meatloaf that may or may not poison us! Emerald Hey. I know you probably don't want to talk to anyone right now... BELLA Hey Bella. You've dated someone who's a different species to you right? BILL Hi, Fern mentioned you were interested in interdimensional portals... FERN Aw, your pictures are nice! KURT Hey. Are you around? RICHIE Is it just me or is Eddie acting weirder than usual? QROW Hey. Checking up on you. EDA Hi Eda. Hope Ruddiger found you okay. GLITCH Hey. What happened between you and Maul? LUNA Luna- I uh... I think I need your help EDDIE So hey, I finally worked out how to replicate the Antidote OSCAR So, I noticed Ozpin has shown up. ROGUE Hey, I managed to replicate the Antidote KURT Hey. We're back. None of us are dead. QROW Uh... hey. How are you guys holding up? PETER You gave Ruby the haunted dolls GLITCH Hey, Bud. Sorry I tried to murder you with a robot KURT I'm probably the last person you want to talk to... JON I'm sorry I attacked you JON Stay away from Fern. FERN Hey you still haven't got me those baking ingredients FERN Okay so the Betties are upping their war... USAGI Hey. So. Update. NEO You tried to bury her alive? SERIOUSLY? USAGI Emotions are really difficult FERN OH MY GOD YOU HAVE ONE TOO FERN Okay this better be to Fern this time. WYNONNA So guess who got into the fridge and ate literally everything in there.

code by cawaii

Comments

2/2

[droptheious]

[He's sure gone from mildly confused to super fucking worried in a very, very short space of time. Because for one thing, Qrow is definitely not in a place to be in a punchbowl. Or any bowl. Unless it's a weird urn maybe.

Also Yang. ]

Um. Ruby. Is- is Oscar there with you? Or Emerald? Or literally anyone else? I'd like to talk to them about the... banner?

[Flawless. Maybe someone can be there to corral her.]

Don't put Yang or your uncles on, though! It's... a special surprise? They can't know about it?

[Also they're super dead, Ruby.]

[clickclickbloom]

No-No! Oscar isn't here. It's just me, you, Qrow, Yang and Clover. Usagi stopped by for a little but she had to go, she couldn't stay for the party.

[Usagi and Clover also people who definitely couldn't be there for the party.

She's hanging out with a bunch of dead people or people who were definitely too sick to be out and about. There's a sound of her climbing down a ladder and a few light sobs as her frustration loops right back into grief.]

There's no one else to put on the

Is there something wrong with the banner? Is it because I didn't trace isn't it? You don't like the really big H and A and the little noodly Y, is that it? Look. I'm trying to my best but I'm but I'm just-I just can't do it right now.

[Sorry Varian, she's gone full John Mulaney on this one. Oh and that sobbing gosh it's getting a whole lot more prominent and there's the sound of something crashing in the background.]

I-I found a chair? Do you want to talk to the chair? Or how about this broken glass?

[droptheious]

[Usagi is for sure not attending any parties. Shit shit shit shit.]

No! No no no, the banner's just- it's just fine, Ruby. It's perfect.

[For a brief, insane moment, he considers just grabbing his crutches and making his way to wherever Ruby is at. But he knows he will catergorically die out there before he even makes it to her. He can bearly move around as it is, much less make it that far across town while everything is going to hell in a handbasket. He's helpless and he just despertaely wants to help her.

He racks his brain, trying to think a way around this.]

Hey! Hey, you know. I think you forgot a really important thing for the party. It's in my house. Do you wanna go there and pick it up? It's the uh... [think of a party item, think of a party item- this would be so much easier if he went to parties] the pin the tail on the donkey game! YEAH! You- you can't go full-scale party without that, right?

[He can't get to her, but maybe he can get her to come to HIM.]

Audio-> Video

[clickclickbloom]

[She's definitely not attending any parties.]

Fine? Fine!? I can't get it stay up at all. It's like forty percent not fine! And Clover wont stop laughing about it!

[Her breathings ragged and it sounds like she's just plain old exhausted.]

No-no-! I remember we brought that- I swear I put it somewhere.

[She sets down her fluid and accidentally shifts it video when she does. She's off screen but Varian can see she's in the church and the absolute mess of a birthday party she's set up. ...And he'll be able to to see a not at all very convincing doll of him sitting beside a mop wearing a shirt. There's also an actually very nice looking not cursed at all stuffed rabbit in his "doubles" arms.

A few boxes around and land land on screen as she tears through them looking for the pin the tail on the donkey game. But she ends up weeping more frustrated and there's the sound of her flopping onto the ground.]

I-OoOOOOoooOooh No! IcouldhaveswornwepackedITwhereisIT!?

[The fluid gets a kick from her boot and it slides across the room. Now she's in frame. Tear stained face as she crawls toward the fluid to get it.]

I-I can't believe we forgot it! We're starting any second now!? How am I going to get there and back in time!?

We can't have a party without it!

[droptheious]

[The more Varian sees, the more his heart sinks. This is bad. This is really, really bad. The fake doll of him and... who he assumes is Ruby's family is deeply worrying- the look of her face even more so. He tries to keep his tone measured, light even. As if everything was fine when the opposite was true. ]

Don't worry about it. No one will start the party without you, you're the birthday girl, remember? You can come to my place and get the game. It's... uh. In my room. Remember, you left it there for safe keeping.

Don't worry, you'll still have a party and it'll be great.

[clickclickbloom]

[She reaches up and scratches at her head as if trying to literally the memory out of her head, when that doesn't work her fingers tighten around her hair and pulls at it.]

Are you sure? SURESURE!? I-IfeellikeIwouldhaverememberedthat!

Okay-Okay! I'll go get them! Keep the guests occupied! Tell them that joke you know! YOuknowtheone!

[She steps back and she's fiddling with something on her belt. Eventually the Ruby Red Ballet Slippers came into view and she started fighting to get her boots off and put them on. She stumbles and hops on one foot until she crashes into a table and sends her and it crashing over.]

Ow Ow!

[Despite the pain she staggers her way back up to her feet.

This... Wasn't how they were supposed to work at all.]

Bebacksoon!

[And she clicks her heels and disappears from sight. ...Only to reappear in Varian's room. Just standing in the middle of it. Looking exhausted, hurt and just all around awful. Her eyes dart around the room briefly until they settle on Varian. She immediately backs up into wall in sudden fright.]

Wha-WHAT!? What happened!?

[droptheious]

I'm sure, Ruby. One hundred per cent.

[He... wasn't expecting the ballet shoes, and if his stress levels for her weren't at an all-time high, he might be able to feel a flutter of gladness that they've finally worked on him again. The fact they hadn't was something that's left him with more than a few sleepless nights.

But his primary focus right now is Ruby- as she is at this moment, hurt and tired and so so broken. He starts getting up to run over to her- only remembering just before he pitches himself out of bed. He sucks in a breath, closes his eyes- damnit. He turns his attention back to her- that can wait, this can't.]

It's okay. You're safe. You're safe here, remember? Ruby, please just... come sit for a sec, okay?

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby's backed up against the wall like a cornered animal. Nails scratching at the paint in frantic frantic fury. Her eyes dart around the room briefly as if just trying to look at anything but him. Because if she looked at him she'd have to acknowledge the poorly crafted decoy at the party wasn't him. That her party wasn't the one nice thing they could hold onto this month and that she'd have to be honest about just how bad everything had been over the last few weeks.

But then he speaks and she can't ignore it all anymore. Her silver eyes eventually settle on him and she feels a fresh set of tears come along with it. Seeing him staring at her so desperately. She feels her feet give way underneath her and she slides to floor.

Just looking at him with a mix of worry and dread. She tries to find the words to say but she can't find them much less actually get them out of her mouth.

She just sits there staring a little. Then eventually she starts to mumble the word "safe." slowly but repeatedly. She holds onto that briefly and eventually pulls herself back to her feet and shuffles her way over to the bed.

She plops herself down at his bed side and just sits there briefly. Staring straight forward and continued to gently mumble to herself.]

[droptheious]

[His heart breaks for her. More than anything he wants to run over and hug her so damn tight and try to do something, anything to chase this away for her. She's so broken and he just wants to help her put herself back together again.

While she sits there, he starts to pull himself up better, to try and reach his crutches so he can at least do something. He's partway through trying that when she finally moves to the bed. He heaves out a sigh- not quite relief, it's not there yet, but it's close. He reaches down to grip her hand in his, squeezing tightly. ]

Yeah. [His voice cracks as he tries to hold it together for her.] Yeah, that's right. You're safe.

[clickclickbloom]

[She just keeps repeating herself like a broken record. The words never steady when they leave her lips. Then she feels his fingers grip against her hand and she freezes, just completely stops for a solid half a minute.

Then her shaking and fidgeting starts back up but her hand starts to squeeze his back, tight and desperate but there's enough sense in her not to hurt him.]

I-

I-

[She can't find the words to say but lets herself slip in closer to him. She was safe there. She was safe there with him.]

[droptheious]

[He shifts as close to her as he possibly can, clinging to her tightly, trying to provide what little comfort he's able. He doesn't feel like it's enough.]

It's okay, Ruby. Nothing's gonna happen to you in here, okay?

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby feels his arms wrap around her and hers move to follow suit. Her grip is tight and desperate, as if she were lost out at sea and he was the only thing keeping her afloat.

Her jaw clenches and she's shaking the entire time he holds her. Hearing him speak up does catch her attention and leans her head in a little closer to his. Taking in the solace it provided.]

Okay-

-okay.

[After a moment she starts to mumble in a sing song voice.]

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me,
happy birthday dear me...
happy birthday to me.

[droptheious]

Yeah. It's okay. I'm here.

[Varian's at a loss of what to do. He can't go and get anyone (he doesn't even know how much of Ruby's family- actual or chosen- are even available to come) and he sure as hell can't dispel whatever is going on...

Wait. He has an antidote. That's supposed to clear madness set by Deerington, maybe it'll work? He's willing to take that chance.]

Ruby. Hey, I have something for you to drink, okay?

[clickclickbloom]

[When he asks the question her grip tightens on him for briefly and she certainly doesn't want to let him go. He said she was safe here and she desperately didn't want either of them to hurt anymore. They were just going to have a nice safe birthday party and everything would be fine.

Still... She does relent and eventually lets him go.]

Did you finish the punch. You remembered to put in the extra sugar, right? I'll give it a taste.

[Her voice is starting to sound a little hoarse from all the screaming and mumbling she's been doing, but she just pulls her knees up and wraps her arms around them and continues to mumble happy birthday to herself.]

[droptheious]

[He feels her grip tighten and makes a soft, soothing shushing sound, trying to ease her. ]

It's okay, I don't have to go anywhere. I'm just going in my bag.

[Maybe if he tells her it's okay enough, he'll start to believe it himself. He reaches down into his backpack once she lets him go, rooting around to the sound of clinking glass, before pulling out a vial of antidote. ]

Sure. Let's go with that. Can you drink this whole vial for me? I wanna make sure it's absolutely right. Then we can sing happy birthday and it'll be fun.

[None of this is fun.]

[clickclickbloom]

[The soft sound does provide her a hint of comfort, at least enough to loosen her grip.

She looks at the vial briefly and doesn't seem to even comprehend that it isn't actually punch. She takes it in shaking hands and opens the lid.]

I-I'm sure it's fine but okay. As long as you promise we can sing after.

Cheers!

[She moves to clink the vial against a glass that Varian is definitely not holding at the moment and then chugs the liquid in one go.

...It tastes awful but she downs the whole thing then gives a few coughs and awkward noises because that was awful.

After a moment the shaking does seem to ease up. She takes a moment and just sort of stares forward with an uncertain look on her face. As if taking stock of where she was and what was happening.]

[droptheious]

I promise we can sing after.

[And she knows how seriously he takes those. His worry doesn't ease as he watches her take the antidote. Panic is still coiled in his stomach- he doesn't know if this will work or not. It didn't help Fern's madness any when they tried it on him.

After a moment of staring, he carefully squeezes her shoulder. ]

...Ruby?

[clickclickbloom]

[It takes a little for her to cough and hack at the terrible taste that left in her mouth. It was pretty darn awful, but when she does the shaking seems to settle down at least a little. It's not completely gone but it seems like a step in the right direction.

Another moment passes and her shoulders sag and she lets herself fall against his side. Her head resting against his shoulder gently as she seems to calm down.

Her mind was less hazy and foggy now, but that really just let the pain of the last few weeks start to creep in. But she was with someone who made her feel safe. Someone that she despite everything that had happened she felt she could trust.

Her silver eyes eventually look up to meet his stare. Her expression is less frantic but pained, she looks more like herself than someone completely off her rocker.]

Hey.

...You promised.

[Because that's the best sort of tension breaker, right?]

[droptheious]

[He watches her- concern etched onto his features. He desperately needs this to work. He can't bear to see this place having taken her away like this. Seeing her so crushed and broken. He wants to just put all the pieces back together again and have her be herself again, the Ruby he knows and loves so much.

But this town is awful and most of the time doesn't give you what you want.

So he's very relieved to see her, bit by agonising bit, come a little more to herself. She finally says something not worryingly crazed and a relieved chuckle bubbles out of him. He pulls her a little closer resting his face in the crook of her neck- sorry, Ruby, you're going to have to give him a minute. When he speaks, his voice is wavering with emotion.]

I thought I'd lost you.

[You'll get your song in a moment, Ruby, for now, he's just got to cling a little. ]

[clickclickbloom]

[She can handle that. It's the first thing she had to grab onto when her mind started to pick up it's fragmented pieces. She can wait a little.

She feels a ghost of a smile play at her lips hearing him chuckle. The memories of carrying through town after Kurt's attack were more clear, but just just hearing that relief made it and all the other events she had experienced a little easier to bear.

She lets him pull her in and eases in to get a little more comfortable. One arm moves to wrap around his back and keep him close. She thinks on his words briefly and eventually responds.]

I wouldn't leave you. Not like that.

[droptheious]

[He knows there's a very good chance she could leave him, that this town can just rip people away and none of them has any say in it. He wants to believe she could fight against anything, have faith that nothing could ever defeat Rybt Freakin' Rose, but experience in this town had taught him not to hope for such things.

His arms tighten just a little more. ]

Not if you could help it. I know.

[clickclickbloom]

[Ruby was well aware there were a lot of factors she couldn't control in the town. She couldn't stop if she was suddenly pulled out and sent back to her own world. But... If it was something she could fight against or had any will to prevent, she would.

She just lets herself ease into his grip, she was still feeling awfully vulnerable after what had happened. She was content to let him hold on tight for now.]

Yeah, I know you wouldn't either.

Thank you.

For being here now and all the times you've been there before.

[droptheious]

[He's certainly not planning on letting her go any times soon. That had frightened him. It was a completely different way of losing her he hadn't anticipated. Now he knows it's possible, there's a heavy, uneasy feeling in his chest. ]

Of course. I couldn't ever abandon you if I had any say in it. [Another little squeeze, his breath a little uneven, he's fighting back tears.] I love you so much.

[clickclickbloom]

[She feels the way he's shaking, the unsteadiness in his breathing. Her memories of the last couple weeks still felt hazy. But bits and pieces kept flooding into her mind. The pain was clear what had caused all this was something she could still picture as if it had just happened. Yang, Qrow, Varian, Clover... All that loss was right there. But the way she stumbled through town, either as a Deer or through her fits of crumbling sanity were vague but terrifying little images in her mind.

She knew it was something out of her control but she had not meant to let herself get lost by the towns influence quite like that, to hurt him like that. But she was could take solace in the fact that he had pulled her out of it.

So she holds on in a mix of trying to provide some comfort that she was back, and fear that she had nearly been lost herself.]

I know you wouldn't... You're pretty great like that.

[She hears him fighting back those tears and she starts to shed a few herself.]

I love you too. More than anything.

[droptheious]

[It takes him a few more moments of desperate clinging before he finally lets go of her. He doesn't move far, his hands still stay on her arms, if she wants more hugs, he sure won't deny her that. He sucks in another breath, a little more steady now. ]

Welcome back. Are you- do you need anything?