❰❰ SUPPORT ❱❱ sender comforts receiver after a loss / traumatic event ( Paxton & Merlin )

"thanks," paxton said as he accepted the tissue from merlin's outstretched hand. he lifted it to dab at the corners of his eyes. "i know that it's nothing NEW," paxton admitted, referring to the painful event that he was processing at the moment. "and maybe i'm an idiot for calling the police station each and every day, but..." paxton paused, trying to consider what he wanted to say next. "i know that if JOSH were here? he'd never give up LOOKING FOR ME either." every police officer he had spoken to told him the same thing: JOSH WAS NOT IN LONDON. which meant that he was dead in some version of SLOVAKIA that was far away and inaccessible to all of them.

@crimsnclver

“What are you doing? ……. This is nice.” ( Adam & Cassandra )

"give it a second. i promise that it'll start feeling good soon." adam made another kneading motion with his outstretched palm. he was giving cassandra a massage, working on the spot between her shoulder blades. "how does this feel?" adam asked as he gravitated towards the next spot. "i do this for lawrence all of the time, especially when he is getting home after a long day at work." lawrence deserved good ways to unwind at night. "can i move down your back? is that all right? only if it FEELS GOOD, of course!"

@crimsnclver

"You left your typewriter at my apartment." ( Amanda & Lydia )

"you've got to be joking, right?" amanda offered the other a little flicker of a smile before she contemplated how she could best respond. "you've got to be yanking my chain, though. i doubt that i could even move a TYPEWRITER on my own." amanda struggled to trust others. that was especially true when it came to the police. she was reminded too staunchly of DETECTIVE MATTHEWS. she assumed that every police officer would hurt and betray her like he did. she was working on improving her mentality.

@crimsnclver

"Oh, don’t you get all decent on me now.” ( Paxton & Parker )

paxton nearly spit out the drink that he'd been in the process of swallowing. "not cool, man! you can't say funny shit like that to me and expect me NOT to spit out my sprite!" paxton chuckled, composing himself so that he could return to his friend's sentiment. "seriously, though. i like to think that i'm relatively decent now. i wasn't always, but... that could be a story for a different day, unless you feel like hearing it now." paxton used to be not so decent. he'd been arrogant and sexist and stuck on the idea that HE ALWAYS KNEW BEST. that could not have been further from the truth, too.

@fcdcdmcmories

"The only thing that is permanent in life, is impermanence.” ( Paxton & Grace )

the little smile that blossomed among his features was unpreventable. grace had to be one of his best friends. he liked her big heart, of course, but he also loved her sarcasm. she was witty and funny and she took no one's shit. that was how all people should be. she did not mess around. "where did you get THAT line?" paxton asked, clearly looking to tease her and to get under her skin in a good way. "i didn't know that you started to study ancient philosophies. so... WHO IS IT? kant? descartes? plato? WAIT... DON'T TELL ME." paxton paused as he dramatically placed a hand over his own heart. "don't tell me that you've resorted to NIETZSCHE!"

@daydrcamings

"Well, no one asks any questions here." ( Paxton & Kana )

paxton chuckled when kana made her observation. the pair of them were in an exam room in the closest hospital. they were waiting for a doctor to see her. "yeah, they usually don't ask enough questions," paxton admitted. he'd been a nurse for a couple of years, and that was his experience, too. "but i promise to help you out, if you need or want it, of course." paxton paused, assessing kana's features, before he moved closer, an open palm on her knee. "i know that this might not be the ideal place to ask you this, but..." paxton's dark eyes sparkled under the fluorescent lighting. "CAN I KISS YOU?"

@forafcrtnight

"I get e-mails from a raccoon. So nothing sounds crazy anymore.” ( Mallick & Steve )

mallick was tapping his pen against his knee. the soft, reliable beat of its tip was rhythmic and comfortable. he thought that he was having a perfectly sane conversation. that was when steve said what he did next. "what on earth are you talking about, man?" mallick's face broke out into a smile because... he loved shit like this. he appreciated when others did not take themselves too seriously. "from a RACCOON? are you sure that you're not HIGH right now? because i could go for a hit of whatever you're smoking!" mallick held up a finger before he proceeded. "actually, scratch that. i'm supposed to be better than that now. don't tell my girlfriend, all right? she'll kick my ass and SHE SHOULD. i'm kind of an idiot, if you couldn't already tell."

@fcdcdmcmories

❱❱ THREAT ❱❱   sender holds a weapon up to receiver as a threat ( Mal & Brit )

"holy fucking shit, brit!" mal lifted his hands to indicate his surrender. when he approached the door and knocked, he expected that brit's memories must have returned to her. based on her RAISED KNIFE, his calculations were totally off. "hold up, hold up! i'm not moving forward, all right? my god... can you see my hands?" in another less muddled scenario, he might have joked about wanting to try KNIFE PLAY, but right now? that was a terrible idea. "i'll even shut my damn mouth, too. i know how much you love the SOUND OF MY VOICE."

@daydrcamings

"They said I was a cheat, I guess it must be true." ( Mallick & Billy )

mallick knew that he was a work in progress. he was not as small of a man as he used to be. still, he was not winning any awards either. he was a normal... morally grey... kind of guy. when he attended to billy's claim, he did not know whether he did or did not relate. mostly the former, he figured. "well... was it true? LEGITIMATELY?" mallick supposed that he was a cheat, too. "i used to do some pretty fucked up shit," mallick admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he made his own confession. "i fucked up and people covered it up because i was some RICH MAN'S SON."

@forafcrtnight

"Have either of you guys ever studied quantum physics?” ( Bobby & Dewey )

he already had so much to explain. even when she'd possessed her memories, joyce did not have all of the answers. she'd needed to comprehend his motivation, even if it was total bullshit. when she lost her memories due to the recent water crisis? she'd forgotten what he'd done. she wanted to be close to him again. it was torture to refute her advances. but he knew that he needed to until she was remembering things more fully. bobby squinted when he was asked the question. "i can't claim that i am smart enough to study anything like quantum physics," bobby admitted with a shake of his head.

@fcdcdmcmories

❱❱ CARESS ❱❱   sender caresses the receiver’s cheek ( Bobby & Joyce )

it felt like a fever dream. he could have given in to this moment with every fiber of his being. he could almost forget all of the nasty things that he had done. but he had to know that this was for real. if it wasn't, then he could not go through with it. no matter how tempted he might feel. "DO YOU REMEMBER ME? do you remember what i did?" to her and to others. he had to ask the question because he heard that some people were experiencing LINGERING EFFECTS of drinking the water. if joyce remembered what had happened... she would not be striving to TOUCH HIM, would she?

@daydrcamings

"Well, I don’t judge people on their worst mistakes.” ( Bobby & Tony )

bobby could not have predicted the moment that tears rushed into his eyes. in fact, he had to take a second to gather himself and his emotions. "one second..." he insisted, his breath hitching, before he was able to pull himself together. "i am sorry," the man admitted with an adamant shake of his head. "it's just that... maybe some of us SHOULD be judged by our worst mistakes." bobby looked down at his hands before he lifted his gaze again. "i did some pretty terrible shit, you know? a lot of people got hurt. got killed, even. why SHOULDN'T i be judged? by you and everyone else."

@forafcrtnight

"I knew it!” ( Bill & Steve )

bill knew that his current line of work was not sustainable. there were only so many doomsayers these days and in this place. most people had gotten complacent and comfortable. plus, his real talents laid elsewhere: HE WAS A CHEF, with or without the formalities. when steve exclaimed that bill's cooking was good, bill felt another rush of pride for himself. most people liked his food, but few were so exuberant about the matter. "i am glad that you like it," bill mentioned with a hint of a smile. "do you have a favorite SIDE DISH?"

@fcdcdmcmories

❱❱ CUDDLE ❱❱   our muses cuddle ( Bill & Frank )

when it came to frank, every single one of his defenses came tumbling down. he was raw and vulnerable in every sense of those terms. in his past, he'd rarely slept for more than a couple of hours at a time. he kept himself in a constant state of awake-ness because he could not trust the outside world and all of its strangers. now? he was curled up beside his partner, snoozing away with the snore that frank must have gotten used to over time. "you smell so good when you're clean," bill murmured when he awoke for a few minutes. he was the big spoon, taking in frank's scent, his nose pressed in between his lover's bare shoulder blades.

@daydrcamings

"I'll tell you something 'bout my good name, it's mine along with all the disgrace." ( Bill & Alana )

everyone had suffered, in some sense, from the water crisis. people either grieved their own lack of memories and powers, or they did so for other people, on their behalves. bill was not the best at listening to other people's stories, but he was trying to be better. frank was the one who pulled out his good side. "i'd listen to your story, if that's what you want me to do." he didn't know ALANA all that well, but she deserved a listening ear, too. "we've all got some DISGRACE," bill admitted, and he believed that, too. "EVEN THE BEST OF US."

@forafcrtnight

"I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it's an art." ( Amanda & Alice )

amanda did not mind helping others out these days. she knew that people struggled with a lot of issues. not all of those issues were clear or transparent on the surface. when alice confided what she did? it meant a lot to amanda, because it suggested that others perceived her as... gentle. respectful. trustworthy. "i used to cry a lot, too," amanda admitted. she rarely shared about her mental health with others. "i still do sometimes. did you need someone to talk to, maybe?" amanda did not mind being another's sounding board.

@fcdcdmcmories

"No, no, no. I think I’m having a panic attack.” ( Amanda & Clear )

"are you all right?" it was the first question that occurred to amanda to ask. she was far more empathetic these days. she attended to others' needs more often than she used to. in the past, only john had mattered. now, other people did, too. when she got a closer look, she realized that the other was fretting in a serious sense. "yes, i think that you are," amanda agreed. she gestured towards a nearby bench seat and gestured for the other to join her. "why don't you sit down and do some DEEP BREATHS with me?" amanda knew what it was like to go through a panic attack. she could help clear through this.

@daydrcamings