Arden Finch (
afraid_of_marshmallows) wrote in
fandomtownies2024-10-09 02:08 am
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Midnight Manor Boarding House Roof, Wednesday
Yep, Arden was still out on the roof, bundled up on a nest (ha!) of pillows and blankets and cushions. It had been several days since the...everything...and she had to admit she wasn't doing much better. The healing Alastair had given her had done her a lot of good, but she wasn't getting better. She was still pale, still drawn, pretty much anything physical was a chore, even eating and drinking left her exhausted. She knew she was still running a fever, from the way she went from sweating to chills. And she was doing her best baby fawn impression every time she had to go downstairs to shower or change, legs trembling, balance shaky.
Arden hadn't really ever been sick before. Othersiders healed faster than humans both from injury and what few illnesses were transmissible. The first time she'd been punished with bronze, it had taken her awhile to heal from her physical wounds but, ugh, at least she hadn't had a fever. They were the worst. But she was hydrated thanks to the Khans buying a truly absurd amount of Gatorade and she even had a huge care package from Raiden made up of donuts and more cheese than she knew what to do with (yeah, that wasn't true, she was gonna use whatever she hadn't already eaten to make a mean macaroni and cheese when she was finally better, that's what she was gonna do), and she felt a little closer to huma--to normal for a bit.
So, despite the books and magazines and the presence of her laptop that Cal and Kamala had brought for her, Arden was feeling a little bored and a little antsy. Maybe some folks wouldn't mind coming to visit for a bit...?
Pulling out her phone, she started sending texts.
[Open! If you think you got a text (or maybe you heard through another source), you did!]
Arden hadn't really ever been sick before. Othersiders healed faster than humans both from injury and what few illnesses were transmissible. The first time she'd been punished with bronze, it had taken her awhile to heal from her physical wounds but, ugh, at least she hadn't had a fever. They were the worst. But she was hydrated thanks to the Khans buying a truly absurd amount of Gatorade and she even had a huge care package from Raiden made up of donuts and more cheese than she knew what to do with (yeah, that wasn't true, she was gonna use whatever she hadn't already eaten to make a mean macaroni and cheese when she was finally better, that's what she was gonna do), and she felt a little closer to huma--to normal for a bit.
So, despite the books and magazines and the presence of her laptop that Cal and Kamala had brought for her, Arden was feeling a little bored and a little antsy. Maybe some folks wouldn't mind coming to visit for a bit...?
Pulling out her phone, she started sending texts.
[Open! If you think you got a text (or maybe you heard through another source), you did!]
Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
She nodded her head at Arden's arm. "I'm guessing this Callista had something to do with that and why you're looking half dead? She can go die in a fire as far as I'm concerned."
And it wouldn't have been Charlie if she hadn't added a bit flippantly. "Besides, the stories say we Gale Girls are descended fun one of the horned gods, so technically I'm probably not human either, so she can go suck on that.
"Sorry. Listening again."
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She wasn't going to comment on Charlie's declaration that every person on the island would leap to help her. Some people didn't even know her, why would they want to help her?
...Though it had already been pointed out that she didn't really understand a normal reaction, considering her upbringing.
"But yeah." She rubbed her arm again. "This was Callista's punishment for stealing from her. When I ran away...owed her for all the years she raised me. She was gonna indenture me to pay it off. So running away, I was stealing an asset."
You know. Herself.
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Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
"Arden... you're talking as if you think this all is okay... It's not. I can understand you feeling grateful it wasn't worse, that your 'punishment' also paid off your 'theft'. Of your own damn self, might I add."
Charlie hesitated, then leaned in to gently rest a hand on Arden's arm. "I get that it's the way things work where you're from, no matter how wrong it is, but I want to make sure you understand it's really not okay and I, we, your friends, the people here, will stand behind you and fight for you to be free and safe. You're not alone here. You have people now."
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She opened her arms wide. "I mean, you're pretty much stuck with me forever. And God only knows what you said to the Aunties, but I swear they're totally considering trading me in for you."
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Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
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She smiled at Arden. "They want me to bring you how with me sometime and now that they've met you, you're not going to have an out."
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A pause.
"Uh. Mostly up to you. Probably not until I'm done healing up."
Human slow now. Ugh.
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She turned her attention back to Arden's injuries. "I could try to help with that," she offered. "I've got a knack for healing. All the Gale Girls do."
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Re: Conversation NFB from here please!
and we're already NFB..."It seems only fair..."Charlie let out a sigh. "Please know that my not saying anything has nothing to do with my being embarrassed or uncomfortable about this. I just know that people outside of us don't always understand. So at any time if you want me to stop talking about it or if you decide you don't want to come I am totally cool with it and would never hold it against you or anything, okay?"
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Charlie shrugged. "Consent is vital, but we don't have the hang-ups and judgements around sex that people outside have. Sex is just... fun. And raises power. So, if you visit, you'll probably notice lots of openness about it. I wouldn't bring you there during a ritual, obviously, and no one will bother you, but... People aren't going to hide that they're getting it on with a bunch of people. And I get that a lot of people on the outside are super uncomfortable with that, so I get if you'd rather not be around."
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All of which she'd read about in books, at a safe remove.
"And I'm not really worried about whatever configurations folks find themselves in. If it works, it works, right?"
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Her eyes widened. "Not literally! I mean, not unless you wanted to, but I don't imagine you would."
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She sighed. "I'm not allowed to drink more than a glass of wine in one sitting, okay?"
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She was definitely blushing now, but it was a very different kind of embarrassment now. "Like nearly starting an orgy at a club and upsetting the owner a lot."
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Re: Conversation NFB from here please!