ᴅᴀᴍɴ ɪᴛ, sᴛᴏᴘ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ sʜᴇʀʟᴏᴄᴋ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ғʀᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʜᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ!

[cholesterol]

WELCOME TO THE SALTBURNT NETWORK

USERNAME:
DEAN

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(this inbox is a choose-not-to-warn experience, please read at your own discretion.)

Comments

[ragesagainsttheodds]

can I stay with you for a couple of days?

[cholesterol]

Just you, or is your boyfriend coming as a packaged deal, cause that guy hates me and I don't exactly blame him.

Either way, yes.

You want to meet up before dinner?

[ragesagainsttheodds]

i dont think i can eat for a while

i dont know
gale said i shouldnt stay at my place
devon has his sister to look after

[cholesterol]

Devon has a sister?

Look, I'm checking out some of the crime scenes, then overseeing Lanfear. ( Bringing her down. ) But, you want to stay close, I can keep an eye. Or, after dinner, I'll be in my bunk and you're more than welcome. Whatever you need.

You're not hungry, I get it, but we'll take some back with us for when you are.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

cellar? hot blonde?

[ Thank Gaia they aren't related by blood. ]

im going to hangout in the woods for a while don't really want to be near my house or people

ill be by later

[ lone wolf mode activated ]

[cholesterol]

Yeah, I know her. Went to her birthday party. Pissed her and everyone else off once or twice. She's nice when she's not catatonic.

Be careful.

Call me if there's an emergency.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

im fine in the woods
been hunting since i was a kid
safer out there than in the village rn

[cholesterol]

Me too.

Keep a lookout either way.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

heard

[ She isn't trying to be dismissive. Just acknowledge that she understands what he's said.

And it's not until the sun sets that she comes knocking on his door. ]

[cholesterol]

( Dean's been around, been in people's messages, and seen people in person. He's strategized. Made some good bonds. He has some thoughts. When Ren knocks, he's just changing from the day, hair damp from a pre-dinner shower. But, he's dressed, not indecent. )

Hey, hey, come in.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

( Ren has gathered herself since the morning, meditated and tried to connect with Gaia as much as she can out in the woods where she feels most at home. She still isn't right, but, she is less likely to fall into a quiet disassociation again.

She nods her thanks. )

I told Devon it'd be better if we weren't seen together right now. I don't want him getting deeper involved in anything.

[cholesterol]

( Dean closes the door behind her and gestures to one of two twin beds he's made up. It's only been him this month. Hawk some of the time, the last. But, his bed is clearly rumpled and recently sat on. )

What are you involved in?

[ragesagainsttheodds]

( She takes the invitation and sits, elbows on her knees. Ren has seen death before. She has killed before. This bothers her not because of the callous nature of it or even the gore - but instead because it feels like bait.

Servants of the wyrm are cruel and intelligent. This has wyrm stink all over it. And there isn't a thing she can do about it. )

I woke up this morning with Shauna's head at the foot of my bed.

Me, Dom 'nd Devon were sharing a bed - platonically - and some fucker was in there long enough to put a fuckin' head on a plate. I should've woken up. I should've kept guard. I've never slept through an intruder before.

[cholesterol]

( Well, he was going to sit, but, how do you sit hearing that. He waves away the platonic part, he doesn't care about that part of the story. )

Don't blame yourself for not waking up. All the wolves do their dirty work while we sleep. There's probably something that makes us sleep. It's not on you.

( Finally, he sits behind you. )

You wanted her head on your platter, so-to-speak. Maybe the wolf was granting you your want. Like a cat leaving a dead bird. ( He lets a moment linger between them, before adding. ) Do you not feel safe because of the Yellowjackets?

[ragesagainsttheodds]

I didn't. I wanted her locked up so she wouldn't hurt anyone else.

( She had tried to be even handed in her accusation, as calm and methodical as she was capable of being. )

Did you not hear the ginger bitch? It'd be better if the poison had killed me? She said that in front of everyone. One of them already tried just 'cos I spoke out about somethin' true. I didn't even tell their whole truth. Only what was relevant.

How d'you think they're goin' to react knowing her head was found in my bed like some fucked up bible bitch?

[cholesterol]

Wolf's not seeing the gray. The wolf sees in black and white. Killer. Killed. Retribution.

( He winces at ginger bitch, but doesn't correct her. Just listens. )

They'll hate it, but they know you didn't do it. You didn't want that. No one would want that. You're not getting poisoned again under my watch. You ask me, they have bigger problems. Misty's going scorched earth. And you're not her target. Problem is, I don't know who her target would be.

[ragesagainsttheodds]

( Ren does not care for Vanessa. At all. She called her dumb and wished her dead in the space of a single accusation. )

How. How do they know I didn't do it?

I'm waiting to go defend my name at any minute here. If Misty Fucking Quigley doesn't dole out her own brand of justice straight off.

[cholesterol]

She'll have to go through me.

( And he means it. )

Why would wolf you off Shauna and then place it on your own bed?

[ragesagainsttheodds]

Plausible deniability.

( Ren swallows some bile. )

Think about it. I had two people in my bed. That sounds like an alibi. Not just my boyfriend who would lie for me, but Dom, who's friendly with Melissa.

[cholesterol]

Except, we all know there are no alibis. I'm sorry. Sleeping isn't an alibi. Sleeping with someone else. Not an alibi.

( She needs to understand. )

[ragesagainsttheodds]

You don't suspect the girl with a head at the foot of her bed, Dean. That's a victim. Perfect way for a killer to throw people off her scent.

And we don't all know. Some of the girls were asking incredibly basic questions last time to try and throw me under the bus for accusing Shauna. I don't trust them to not do the same.

[cholesterol]

Do you think you did it.

( Are you asking him to do something for you? )

[ragesagainsttheodds]

No.

( Sharply. Firmly. )

I've got a role. I know I'm not a wolf.

But I've only told Gale. Everyone else thinks I'm open season.

[cholesterol]

What's your role?

( It's now or never in the trust department, at this point, but he can't help if he doesn't know everything. )

[ragesagainsttheodds]

It's shit. It doesn't even do anything. The Storyteller.

( She sighs heavily. )

They told me I had to get someone to say a word and I'd get a reward. But I haven't been given shit. Just the knowledge I ain't a wolf.