jonahxrivas

[jonahxrivas]

Not curious enough to keep pressing on the matter, Jonah was content to let the question go unanswered, figuring not knowing might be for the better. "More unnecessary than stupid? Had a couple kids asking to go for a dive, I think they were trying to be funny and wanting to make a tiktok or something but didn't really feel funny." And he really wasn't in the mood to entertain them either. "Oh. Right. No, that's... kinda sweet actually, it's like a keepsake of memories." While the choice of it being a vape was interesting, and expensive, the need to find it was understandable. "Is it just a normal looking one or did it have anything else that we can use to identify it?" he asked moving closer, "I can help you look?" With a light chuckle, Jonah shook his head, "It's just Jonah but people do call me Jo as a nickname though."

"Nah, it's nothing, man. I was just ..." he sighed. "Never mind." He continued with his search. "Try me. I bet I wouldn't be surprised. I've been fired from too many customer first jobs to know how stupid people can be." He scoffed, taking some trash out of one can and throwing all the contents on the floor. "Well, kind of." He moved on to another can. "Before I came here, I ran with a group of vampires. And it was a thing we did." He laughed to himself. "I know, it's stupid." He saw a silver gleam under a plastic bag, only for it to be a fork when he picked it up. "I just carry it around mostly. I hit it sometimes, but it's like carrying it to have them with me." It sounded even worse saying it out loud. He should have gotten a locket or some shit. "Yeah, Nicknames are kind of my thing. Everyone loves a good pet name." He said. "I'm Ernie, a nickname for Ernest. Is Jonah a nickname? Short for Jonahthan, perhaps?"

[jonahxrivas]

"I've grown accustomed to the rest," he said with a shrug, "Is it common for new species to exist and not be known? Not that I'm entertaining the idea of were-bobcats but it is interesting, right? Magic is still pretty fascinating to me, always will be I think." But it came with a lot of adjustments too and with Rohan's shift tonight, it'll bring forth more change. Catching the sight of the moon as gaze flicked upwards, worry threatened to overtake his mind again, something that hardly ever left him these days but now it had new things to stress on. "That's good. How did it get better?" he asked, hoping the answer would divert his mind.

He walked further in as Suresh spoke and tried to imagine it from such a perspective. "Do you feel like only the cooler parts of other species are seen?" For his not-so-secret wish to be a Siren, having to shift at the littlest contact with water did not seem all too practical or even safe. Jonah hopped up to sit on the railing a little ways away from Suresh and turned his sight to the waterline in the distance, "To constantly be wary and careful about it all must be difficult." Especially outside the mirage where a slipup could be deadly, not that it was any easier inside town where threats were still plenty. "I'm glad you came out of that in one piece and alive."

Jonah shook his head a few times, "No, don't need sorry or pity." He didn't know what he wanted really, nothing seemed to make the worry go away, the fear and anxiety would still be present and likely linger forever, that couldn't be helped. "I'll agree choices are limited but..." He wasn't sure if his thinking was still naive, or came from a place of a person that didn't grow up worrying about safety, but the fight fire with fire concept hadn't been something he could get behind. "I'm not the kind to take revenge or be dangerous? That wouldn't fix anything. I do want to be able to defend myself and my loved ones I'm just not sure how." He turned to face Suresh, "Does that help you? To get angry and getting even?"

He hummed a little in thought, "I suppose it can be a good thing to lie? Being straightforward isn't bad though, depending on the scenario of course." Considering the question, Jonah gave a small nod but spoke without judgement, "I think you have yes." An urge to not roll his eyes was only semi-successful, "Fine. I'll take it. Happy?" With a half chuckle, Jonah shook his head, "Yeah? You willing to be my script editor too? I tend to ramble when talking about things that interests me."

"Oh, are were-bobcats where we draw the bloody line, mate? Not all the other stupid shite that exists around here?" Suresh wrinkled up his nose, giving a roll of his eyes. A shrug came as he turned back to regard Jonah with a quirked eyebrow, and after a beat, he smirked. "It got better afterward." At the question, though, Suresh grit his teeth, expression falling. He ran a hand along the thankfully dry wooden railing on which he was poised. "Imagine going through life, and all it takes is a few drops of water to ground you. I'm not even talking rain or swimming pools, bruv. Condensation on mirrors or glasses. Those misters in produce shops. It's exhausting. But, oh, yes, I just adored finding my arse in the mud unable to run away from the werewolves trying to tear a piece out of me."

Suresh clicked his tongue. "Well, what do you want me to say? I'm sorry? That's not going to fix it. You don't need me telling you I'm sorry. So feel however you need to feel. Take revenge. Perhaps that'll make it feel better." He crossed his arms, cocking his head to one side. "You don't have a choice but to be dangerous anymore. How many times has someone rolled into this town and tried to take your shit? Tried to take your life? I'd urge you to find out how to get dangerous and get their fast. No offense." He averted his gaze. "Learn to kick arse instead of dirt. Get angry. Get even."

Suresh sighed. "Man, do you know how lucky you are to be able to lie? Brutal honesty stops being cute after nursery school," he muttered. He shot his eyes back to Jonah. "Do you think I have?" The siren cracked his neck from side to side. "Because it's a bloody waste to lock yourself up in a secret lab where no one can look at you. I'm complimenting you. Take it." Suresh sniffed. "Why not? I'm a bloody sound editor. I have recording equipment."

[jonahxrivas]

Almost on the edge of believing him, his mind thankfully rushed to clarify before he actually fell for it, "That's not a thing," he said and in a way as a confirmation to himself. He should know enough by now to know were-bobcats weren't a species. A clear sign that he wasn't thinking straight. "Sorry about your night but I'm glad you pulled through." Looking to him with mild confusion at what was said, he took a few seconds but when things still didn't click, he shook his head, "Can I ask you something?" Not waiting for permission to do so, he asked, "I thought you liked being a Siren? Don't you like your tail form? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, I'm just curious."

He shrugged, "None of the above?" But as Suresh listed off reasons, something ticked inside him, "You want this?" he replied a little sharply, "It comes with complete loss of vision, you want that too? Bet that's really rugged and masculine too, right?" He shook his head with a choked laugh, "I don't want that. I don't want to seem dangerous or be a villain. I—" He wanted kids one day, what if they saw him as dangerous? What if they saw the scar and felt scared to be near him? His heart twisted at the thought. He didn't want to think on that let alone speak that out loud and in present company... gaze drifting towards the other, the words died in his tongue. "Forget it. There's no point." He kicked at the seashell near his feet out of frustration.

"I don't lie if I can help it. It's from a wolf there's no changing the truth." What would be the point, it certainly didn't change anything. "Have you drowned anyone?" he asked again attempting to change the topic when the same curiosity peeking through. "Why do want me to model so badly man?" he asked with a light laugh, earlier bouts of annoyance fading as he spoke, "Can't really mass market anything I'm good at? What do you want me to do? Start a podcast about marine life?" he scoffed, "That's not really a novel idea. There's probably a lot already out there."

Suresh let out a low, scoffing breath. "Well, I should hope not, mate. But didn't you hear? Bobcat sightings are on the rise across the state. Perhaps you'll be the first ever were-bobcat." He drummed his fingers across the wooden rail on which he was leaning, giving Jonah a look up and down. At the question, however, Suresh allowed his nose to wrinkle in utter displeasure. "They sure bloody did. And with such unusual weather phenomena, I spent the whole night with a tail. Fret not. I pulled through just fine. And at the end of the day...wolves are bound by what they are. Teef and claws don't really measure up to the Zeus of it all, now do they?"

He hummed but managed a sarcastic laugh. "Ugh. Please. Stop it with the...what is it? Humility? Sadness? Pity? Hmm. Regardless, it's fucking hot, bruv. I'd like to have one. My advice? Own it. It's masculine. It's rugged. It makes you look dangerous. Like a Bond villain. The stubbly-wubbly beard thing helps. And listen, I can't lie, but you can. Your facial scar can be from whatever you want it to be from." Suresh rolled his eyes. "I don't need to do all that. Why? Would you like me to?" He sniffed, looking back to meet Jonah's gaze. "Shame. The new vibe would unlock many doors, love. Before, you would have been in scarves and outerwear. Now? Cologne. Wristwatches. Luxury vehicles." Clicking his tongue with that, Suresh cocked his head to one side. "Why not start your own business then? That's what I did. This country, no this town, is full of rich farts. Come up with what they're missing, mass-produce it, and they'll just pour money on you. God Bless America."

[jonahxrivas]

"You can't laugh, that's my only condition." But really who was he kidding she'd laugh. "Hey, what's wrong with getting old?" He ran a hand though his hair, "You don't think I can pull of a salt and pepper look? I think I could." While there was a part of him that couldn't wait to grow old, there also was a part that he had to accept of not getting the chance to do so. With all the death and destruction that hung above this town, to see age go up a number felt somewhat of a miracle. He nodded at that, "Yeah that's reasonable. They're keeping me and Rohan for a few more days too." But he personally didn't really need it, what's done was done, wasn't it? They could monitor all they wanted but there was no bringing sight back. "Are you– are you willing to take vampire blood? I know it helps to heal faster. Could that be worthwhile to try?"

"She's trying, and that's nice," Bex said. "I'll have to bother Rohan later, then. I definitely need to see those." She could tell his mood was shifting with thought, but when he spoke again, she just gave a small laugh. "Kiddo? Wow, you are getting old, huh?" It was a tease, but she actually sort of liked the nickname. Her parents had never tried to call her anything but her name and hadn't even cared to call her by her preferred name. It was nice to feel loved in this way. And it was nice to know that she had a safe home to go back to. One where she didn't have to be alone and where she could rest her head at night and not worry about some problem that might pop up. She sighed. "Yeah, I know, the nurse said they wanna keep me through the weekend at least. To make sure nothing gets infected." And to make sure the amputation healed correctly. Bex didn't like thinking about that part, though. She shook her head. "It's not your fault," she told him, "I always take a long time to heal. It's kind of annoying, but it's been that way my whole life, so I'm used to it."

[jonahxrivas]

Jonah had heard interesting things in his time but that ranked as one of the most puzzling. "Uh...no I don't? Sorry, you said a mule chewing on bumblebees? ...Yeah no never heard that one." Though it had been odd but judging by her accent, he figured it likely wasn't as strange down south. Focus didn't go into that though as he felt the stare of the teenager bore into him. "Hmm oh? No, it's fine, I get it."

Shifting awkwardly in his feet was not the result of the kid that left his line of sight but her mother who drew near causing him to slump into himself. "Umm– I..." Despite him wanting to place a great deal of distance between them, the only movement from Jonah was an ever so slow shake of his head as he tried to stay polite in declining the offer of a hug, "Uh I... thank you for that, really that's very sweet of you but I do have to say no... don't mean any offence...I just... I'm not in a... hugging mood?"

"You're all good, Darlin'. I know the feelin'," She promised him. "The other night was, well... madder than a mule chewin’ on bumblebees, if you know what I mean. But, I know. That's kinda why it's called volunteerin', no?" She pointed softly out as she gave her daughter's shoulder's a reassuring squeeze. "You heard the man. Why don't you go sign us both up, kay baby?" She whispered to Serra.

"Yeah, whatever you say, Mamma," Serra murmured back, shooting a weary look toward the seemingly rude aquarium worker as she slowly moved away from her mom.

"Sorry about that. She's a little overprotective is all. We both are when it comes to each other, but," She took a small step forward. Her expression softening as her blue eyes met his once more. Her hands moving to rest lightly on top of his as she assured him, "Now, that it's just us, I feel the need to ask and you can feel more than inclined to say no, but... do you need a hug? 'Cause you kinda look like somebody who could really use one is all."

[jonahxrivas]

"This is not something you have or need to do for our sake, but you have to do this for yourself too, we want you to be safe too Bex." The uncertainty of future grew in depth each passing day, safety he knew by now was not guaranteed no matter how much this town tried to make it so. Maybe at first he believed it and held onto to some foolish hope still but it was dwindling at a rate he didn't like to dwell on too much. "Come on Bex, you didn't expect us to not be here for you did you?" He turned to Rohan with a smile when his own thoughts were voiced out loud and got pulled into a group hug. He didn't think he could help with her talking to Poppy either nor on the lawyer front, but he turned to Bex with a reassuring nod, "You'll be okay, I wish I could help you with magic but I'm a bit useless on that front."

As Rohan left to call Ken, Jonah looked at his watch, and in a low whisper spoke to Bex, "I bet you he'll be here in less than ten minutes," he said trying to introduce some levity to the situation, "With at least three insults towards me or will fully ignore me."

{ Eight minutes later the bell rings }

Utterly pleased with his guess, not that he was timing it, Jonah pointed at the door, "That'll be the good lawyer. I'll get it."

Bex looked between Rohan and Jonah and listened to what they were trying to say to her. She was a child. Bex didn't know if that actually made it any better. You were just coming into your magic. She didn't think that made a difference. Why would that make a difference? She should've known better. She should've known better and now she'd dragged two of the most important people to her into it. She looked down at her hands, fingers threading together nervously. "I--" she glanced back up and between them, then away-- "Yeah, I mean, I-I'll do whatever we need to. To-- to stay safe." She just wanted them to be safe.

"I-- I know. I know. I just-- I'm sorry," she couldn't help but say it. Even if she didn't need to be, she felt it. "I never meant to...I didn't want to put you in this position, either of you. I just can't-- I couldn't keep going like this. With you guys being so good to me." She wouldn't have blamed them if they never wanted to talk to her again. "I love you guys, like-like a lot. So I-- I'll do whatever we need to. Whatever I need to."

@rohanxpersaudx

[jonahxrivas]

"We do indeed. Bri even made me a bedazzled eye patch so I can, her words, feel fabulous. I think I have..." he dug around in his pockets and pulled out one of them, "Ah. Here we are." The pink rhinestones still brought forth a amused expression that showed now too and in a way he was glad for it. "It's not your fault in the slightest," he shook his head to dismiss the unnecessary apology, "You didn't know what would happen, did you? With the outside pack and the tank breaking inside, even with the powers you all got, things just..." he shrugged not knowing how else to put it, "they just happen sometimes. Not to say what happened was in way easy to bear, a loss of life is a heavy thing but the rest? Unpredictable."

He had long lost hope for anything better. It did feel a bit defeatist to think but there wasn't much he could do to turn the tides on anything. Accepting had been hard too but he finally reached it. He looked to the aquarium, the latest addition to the places that was destroyed in this town. They would rebuild it of course and it might break again, which they will fix and on and on till there would be no one left to help fix. That's how things will be.

Jonah faced Ben again with a shrug, "If this is you taking care of yourself then let me ease your worry; I'm okay too."

"I think, together, we make a pretty solid pirate," Ben mused. If he replaced his prosthetic with a peg leg, and they got Jonah a rather handsome eyepatch. Both of them would need hats and the ostentatious coats, of course, but at least there could be a bit of levity in this situation. Even if it was hard. Even if it seemed difficult. Ben ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "This," he started, "this is me taking care of myself, I'm afraid." Reaching out to others, finding some way to attempt to shoulder a load, that was how Ben took care of himself. If he could focus on others, if he could help them, then he could be okay, too. He could show that he was okay. He gently brushed Jonah off. "I'm fine, really, Jonah. I wish-- I wish I could have done more, really. I'm sorry all of this happened."

[jonahxrivas]

"Of couse mi amor, of course," he said but the softeness soon turned to a hard stare. "What? Stop. S-Stop that right n-now," he both pleaded and ordered, slipping into Spanish even to convey the feeling when the enormity couldn't be expressed in English alone, "Estás en una cama de hospital. Casi mueres. ¿Cómo te atreves a decir que debería ser feliz con otra persona?" You're in a hospital bed. You almost died. How dare you say I should be happy with someone else? He shook his head, "How d-dare you. I don't want hear it and I don't want to you sa-say such things. Not now, not ever. Seriously Rohan, who do you take me for? I'm not going to be happy with anyone else that-that's not you." He paused to control his stutter, switching to Spanish again for the ease of it, "Será mejor que te asegures de que no te pase nada, ¿entiendes?" You better make sure nothing happens to you, okay? He shook his head, "When we vowed to say till death do you us part, no where it did say to test that. No updating anything. Just…just get better so we can go home please."

This was needed in a lot of ways, to close the remaining space between them and seal it with a kiss. Despite the way his hands shook, Jonah held onto Rohan with a quiet desperation, afraid to let go in case he were to lose him. "You have to say that because you married me," he tried to joke back, but to truly feel that he was anything besides average was not something he could do. "You have me too, okay? Forever."

He gave Rohan a soft smile, "Date three huh? I was just surprised I didn't bore you." A worry he didn't need to stress on anymore. "I know. I know you will," he nodded placing a kiss to his forehead, "It'll be okay. I can learn to adjust. I hold back on diving too …" but that came with a heavy, sinking feeling that only grew when Rohan mentioned his moms. "I- no no we can't tell them." Panic flashed in his eyes, "TThey- no Ro…they'll…mierda they'll want to come back. No. No I can't have that."

"Will you take me out on the boat? Show me the fish?" This came as a pleading whisper, as though by diving into utter normalcy, by repeating better days, he could force everything that was now wrong to right itself. "You're not just a human. You're utterly brilliant in every way. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I didn't mean to almost leave you. I know I could have, and I'm so sorry, Jonah. But if that happens...I want you to be happy, okay? Please. Please be happy." A weak, shuddering gasp came with this, his own eyes watering. "We should...we should update our wills. With the house and all." Rohan swallowed, face contorting at having to discuss these topics.

Rohan nodded. "I understand. And I'm going to be right here with you, okay? Your...your...your doting big clumsy werewolf husband." There was a glimmer of a smile, a need to joke, even if it was the very last thing he felt like doing. Still, holding him tight, Rohan shook his head. "You're the most handsome man I've ever laid eyes on. I wish you could see yourself the way I see you," Rohan murmured, cupping his cheek. A low nod of agreement followed. "We do. You have me. Together." Arching up his chin, Rohan then pressed a kiss to his lips; he didn't care where they were. Right now, he desperately needed to be close to this man whom he loved more than life itself.

"You always have been," Rohan whispered, lacing their hands together. "I never told you, but I fell in love with you around date three." This came softly, teasingly, a glimmer of the hope to which he knew they needed to try to cling. Meeting his gaze, however, Rohan let his brow furrow. "Oh...Oh, Jonah. We're going to...we're going to figure it out. I promise. I'm going to be there every step of the way, okay? Anything you need, I'm going to make it happen. I'll move mountains." He tightened his jaw, consumed by guilt. "You're right. Things are things. And you're my priority. I'm going to...I'm going to take some time off. We'll have a little vacation all our own, just me and you." He rested his head against Jonah's shoulder. "Do you want...do you want me to call your moms? I don't want to worry or upset them, but..."

[jonahxrivas]

"You say duh as if I should know and remember how. All I know was that I was in a general ward and now I'm in a private room... did I knock out that badly?" Jonah rubbed at his head but didn't feel any headache. "There's a humidifier?" he tried, a failed a little to not laugh as she tried to hide it from view, "Hmm? No no it's fine. I just I dunno I felt there are people more deserving of a private room than me, that's all. Thank you for this. I know the nurses didn't do this out of their own kind heart."

Now he really could stop himself from laughing, "You made eye patches? Sorry my bad...bedazzled eye patches? Not gonna lie when you said don't freak out I was preparing for the worst..but this..." he held it over his eye, "Well... how do I look?" Maybe this is how it should be, he thought, to just joke about it and make light of an unfortunate situation. He had accepted it for the most part, the night changed a lot not just for him but those around him too, and the heaviness that he had felt when doctors delivered the news of his vision and the lack of it, he pushed that down till it no longer felt like a weight dragging him down, at least not right now anyway. He could hold it together to not worry her. "Think I should be a pirate for Halloween?"

"What do you mean? The nurses wheeled you in here, duh," She blinked over him, lowering the fan she had been holding as she glanced around the the room they were in as if it was obvious. "I thought you'd be more comfortable spending the night in your own space with your own bathroom," She mumbled quietly under her breath as she fidgeting in place as she began to worry if maybe she had gone too far and he was upset with it all. "Is it too much? Because I can start handing out some of the pillows? Or turn off the humidifier if you feel like it's too humid in here?" She offered up, letting out a small gulp as she tucked the fan behind her back as if to hide it from view. Only at the mention of crafting, her eyes lit up once more. "Oh! So... don't freak out, but the doctors mentioned you might want to cover your eye for a bit with a patch or something, only the patches they have here are so drab and, so I figured, if you have to wear an eye patch, at least you should be able to feel fabulous doing so, so... tadah?" She held out the finished now rhinestone covered eye patch, placing it in his lap before she took another small step back. "If you think it's too much, you really don't have to wear it. I just figured the least I could do was try to make you feel somewhat at home away from home is all. Do you hate it?"

[jonahxrivas]

"Uh..what's brattitude?" he asked confused, only to follow it through less a beat later with a shake of his head, "On second though, is it something I need to know?" Jonah gave a shrug, "You'd be surprised at what gets asked." What he figured would end the will to search after he mentioned trash, Jonah was surprised to see that hadn't deterred the man away from finding his vape. He couldn't help but wander closer, "You vape to remember your old friends? That's...interesting." To each their own he supposed and didn't press too much into it. "Diva Man? Do you normally just give out random nicknames like this? I hope I'm not special. Name's Jonah and no, I just work here."

"Whoaaa, someone's got brattitude. I'm just saying, who would come and ask for a tour when everyone knows about the bullshit that happened. That's it." Ernie said. He turned his attention to the bins the guy pointed out. "You gotta be fucking kidding me." Ernie sighed, almost groaned, as he made his way over to the trash bins. It was so much shit Ernie thought about turning around and leaving. But he'd come all this way already, plus his pride wouldn't let him accept defeat. A major theme in his (impulsive) life.

He began rummaging through the mess, "You know I don't even really like this fucking thing. I just do it 'cause it reminds me of my old friends." It's true, He still smokes his trusted Malboros when no one is looking. He recently found out from Tik Tok, the vape was more of a "transitional object" ... whatever that means. "So how long did you own this place, Diva Man?" He smirked. "You are the owner right?"

[jonahxrivas]

With Rohan headed out to meet with Nico and the rest of the wolves, Jonah was left with a mountain of worry to conquer. He didn't think the worst, fully trust was placed with Nico, but it did not mean he was any bit relaxed either. He knew what the shift entailed, at least in theory, breaking of bones and the physical turn into something else. He shouldn't panic, but still the restless worry did not cease.

Though he couldn't swim for a while, he simply could not stay away from the beach, the place held comfort far greater than most things but looking out to the waterline didn't feel the same. His eye had healed enough to not require bandages but the lack of vision threw off his bearings on things. Relief wasn't instant like he hoped when toes buried themselves under the sand, but the feeling of it was grounding enough, and with the crashing of waves not to far away, his shoulders slump and slowly tension began to slip away for the moment.

"Hmm?" he looked up to see Suresh a little way up away from the sandy shore, "Oh. That. Yes, well it definitely wasn't my neighbour's cat." Jonah walked up closer with a slight tilt of his head, "Did they attack you? Sorry. It was hard to keep a track on where everyone was." A weak scoff at the comment was aided by a shake of his head, "Not hot, but sure. Yeah yeah I know you would. Drown me in a second and send me to a watery grave. You haven't yet. Only for a bit, I have to find work elsewhere to keep my head occupied, which, you should expect to hear, will not be modelling."

Closed starter for @jonahxrivas Location: Sunny Harbor, early evening

Suresh fully intended to seal himself up at the Emerald Hotel before the full moon gently climbed its way skyward. While perhaps he normally enjoyed the opportunity to let his voice reach its most potent levels once a month, he did not particularly relish in the thought of terrible, invasive werewolves prowling about town with their teeth out. Still, he did have his routines.

Unwilling to get sand on his shoes, Suresh was thus standing adjacent to, but not on, the beach, looking out at the surf and trying to come up with reasons not to just throw himself in it and disappear forever. Maybe to somewhere warm.

"Oi, bruv. Got you, did they? I'm assuming that was one of the hulking beasts who ruined my night last month." He hummed, looking up as Jonah's familiar form approached. "It's hot. That's not a come on. I would bloody devour you. I do hope that aquarium is continuing to pay you, though. If not, have you given more thought to the modeling?"

[jonahxrivas]

It was probably one of the few times Jonah had genuinely smiled today, seeing Ana walk up and greet him did the trick that many else had failed. He appreciated her presence greatly, not just now, but since the beginning of his arrival and him meeting her. She was one of the few real friends he had here. He retuned the greeting with a quick hug of his own, "Tell them I'm miss them too. Hope you had a nice swim?"

He gave her a small smile, "You'd be a handful of those that asked, but," he shrugged, "What you see is what it is. I'm tired." A kind of tiredness that rooted itself deep and couldn't be shaken with sleep or other such things, but he was lacking that too. "How are you doing? I never got the chance to thank you properly for being there that night…" Images of snarling wolves flashed in his vision and he had to shake his head to be rid of it, "Are you feeling better? Recovery going well?"

She had not come today to see Jonah, but she wasn't surprised to find him there all the same. Ana was the aquarium's best customer, so of course, even when it was closed and broken, they'd find each other over the ashes. Ana's heart ached to see it, the glass on the ground, the empty tanks. The mess crunched loudly beneath her heels as she approached. "Oh, I've already done that, Darling. The fish say hello, by the way. And they miss you." She stopped by Jonah's side and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.

Ana did not have many friends--she didn't allow herself too, for she thought getting close to anyone was foolish and offering anyone too much of her time was a crime. Yet, there were certain people she was fond of in this town, and Jonah happened to be one of them. Perhaps because he worked at the only place she liked to be as much as her own home or bar, or because he cared about the many fish inside it just as much as she did. Perhaps it was because he simply did not seem afraid of her, even when he was a mere human with scuba gear, being taunted by a mermaid with very few morals. Whatever the case, when she'd heard what had happened to him, she'd had quite a few ideas herself about plucking out someone else's eye in retribution.

"I assume it would be a waste of breath to ask how you're doing."

[jonahxrivas]

Conversation filtered back slowly and painfully, what the doctors had said would never be forgotten anytime soon, and if the words faded, there was an another permanent reminder of it. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he said sitting up straighter and not going back to touch at his eye since the scars still stung a little. "Huh?" Only then did he look around the room...which given the things that were in it, from pillows, to fluffy things, even a fan in her hands, it didn't feel much like a hospital room — his saviour being the various machines still about. "How did I get into a room? I didn't think it was that serious?" It was significant but he was more than alright in the bed he had been in previously. "Did you do this?" But that question didn't really need an answer. "No, I'm not too hot...why do you have a fan? Wait are ..." he looked at where she sat earlier, confusion taking over everything, "...are you crafting?"

Bri jolted up from her seat, punching the last jewel into place on the eye patch she had been sprucing up from him as she saw him stir. Placing her crafting supplies into the chair beside her, she moved toward the side of Jonah's bed. "Hey, hey, hey, careful," She warned as she reached carefully over, resting her hands lightly on top of his as she guided his hands away from his eyes. "If you need anything I can call one of the nurses in, but we're still in the hospital, for now. I'm hoping they'll clear you soon, but until then, do you need anything? A glass of water? I could fluff your pillows or oh! If you're too hot I could fan you?" She offered up as she lifted the fan she had brought with her in her hand. "Anything you need, I'm on it."

[jonahxrivas]

A tired sigh sounded when the response reached him, eye shut tight for a moment before he faced the person just to regain some semblance of his usual self back. He didn't think it was all the snappy but tone wasn't the nicest either he realised. "Sorry," he said flashing a weak smile, "I'm just a little tired." He felt and looked the part too, but upkeep of appearance was abysmally low on his list of priorities. Despite that, he made effort to put on a nicer front, setting aside his exhaustion at the effort of it all. "Oh... uh well, that's your call if you want to help or not, we're not forcing anyone to stay. I'm having a bad three years if you want the exact number, but that isn't here nor there," Jonah shrugged and pointed to the person a little way away, "They should have a sign-up sheet and a task list. Sorry again, I didn't mean to snap," he apologised again to her and who he guessed was her daughter, "Thanks for coming by."

"Okay," Sav held up her hands in the air as if to show that she came in peace. "As much as I frequently take swims in the ocean, we were actually here to see if we could volunteer?" She admitted, motioning over to the fourteen year old she had brought with her, figuring that she couldn't exactly hide what happened from Serra forever and, while she still wasn't quite sure if they should stay in town or not, Serra didn't exactly want to leave either and volunteering seemed like a good way to find the light out of an otherwise shitty situation. "But, I mean look, if you don't want the help or today's just a bad day - somebody done pissed in your cheerios- I get it and we can just get out of your hair."

[jonahxrivas]

Jonah hummed a little, nodding slightly at her response, "Disappointed also works," he agreed. "Only comes by when we expected things, right? Maybe we should stop hoping for a different outcome." It likely would be challenging, most people went into things, thoughts or actions, hoping for some outcome, good or bad, but to want nothing? He did need to try it though, he thought, but what guarantee was there it still wouldn't be disappointing.

Drifting out of his thoughts, he looked to Frankie, "Hmm? Oh, no, you're fine. I get that feeling but you shouldn't strain yourself. You're a physician, Frankie, you couldn't be useless even if you tried."

He seemed sad. Granted, she didn't know him well, but his demeanor was definitely different than their last chat. "Yeah, that's totally fair," she agreed. She'd just said she was among the 'dry' category.

She arched a brow at his cynicism, but found she couldn't exactly refute it. Her well of optimism was limited to begin with and, right now, it was exhausted. "I wouldn't be surprised, just disappointed." Yeah, it was a joke, kind of it, but it was sincere. She looked around the space. "Is there anything I can do to help? I just want to feel not useless."

[jonahxrivas]

"Yeah," he said through a watery voice, "Yeah we can do that. No one else." It would be nice for a while, just them away from the world, not needing to be anyone else but themselves. "And you my world, if protection comes with you leaving me in the dark, Ro, I don't want it. I know I'm just a human but I'll be fine, you don't have to worry." He shook his head, "No, I can't. I wouldn't leave even if you. I can't…not after…" Not after having doing so already, that mistake forever burned a horrible thing in his mind, it ingrained into his mind as something irreparable, all the hurt he had caused Rohan, caused Bri in particular, so foolish, so selfish, he couldn't do that again. "I have to be in this town till the end of time, there's no leaving."

The nudge didn't even need much effort at all for Jonah to climb into the bed, taking care to not disrupt the various equipment, he slipped in beside Rohan, "You can't talk about being flustered when I look like this," he chided softly, "We'll get through it mi amor, don't be scared, we have each other right? Thick and thin, together." Arms wrapped around Rohan and pulled him close, "You'll still be you Rohan, that won't change." As much as this was a comfort to him personally Jonah wanted to be that bracing presence Rohan could lean on and lean into, his own worries persisted but for this moment at least they didn't rise into a panic. A quiet sort of resignation brewed within, of this is how it will be, fear walked alongside happiness, was this how life is to be? But he supposed he had someone to walk this path with him. "Always darling, you're my light and I'll be yours too."

He could feel the dull sting behind the bandages, wound still relatively fresh to hurt, but given he was medicated he couldn't tell the extent of it. "A little? But it's not too bad all things considered. I just-" he took a breath, "I won't be able to see." The admission came quietly, testing the weight of since he hadn't fully wrapped his head around it yet. His head went quieter when the aquarium was mentioned, another thing he hadn't fully processed yet, "It's… It is what it is I suppose. What else could I expect when all the town was gathered in one place? It always happens. I was foolish to otherwise." Jonah shook his head, "If you can't stop worrying about me, then at least stop worrying about other things. The rebuild will happen when it happens, you're priority now."

"We can...we can lock out the world for just a little, can't we? Our special place. No one else, right?" This came pleadingly, with muted desperation. But even now, some part of him believed that if he and Jonah simply had one another, everything else would have to work out. "I can't promise that, baby. I will always protect you. You're my whole world. I'm here. I'm here. I'm sorry," he repeated softly. "After today, I would have...I would have walked you across the barrier and took you away from here. But now...? I can't." He swallowed, but monthly transformations would be difficult to hide in some apartment someplace else, he thought.

"I would. You're so beautiful, inside and out. I look at you, and I get flustered because how did I get so lucky," Rohan whispered, a smile crossing his features, perhaps one of of genuine relief. "Thank you. God, I love you so much, Jonah. So, so much. I'm just...I'm afraid." He sniffed, fighting back tears. "Come here," he murmured, giving his husband a gentle tug to pull him into the bed so he could wrap himself up in his arms. He did not care if it was against protocol. "I'm going to change. I'm going to transform into...into something else. But you'll be my lighthouse. It'll keep me grounded. Guide me back."

"Do you hurt? How are you?" he whispered. "You don't get a choice in this. I'm going to worry. I have to. You're my everything. But I'll rest. I'll rest for you. I'm sorry about the aquarium. I know how it feels for...everything to crumble. I'll help build it back up. I'll be stronger. Faster."

[jonahxrivas]

Turning to face whoever this guy was, Jonah's expression did not shift to a more pleasant one as he spoke. It did take a lot to annoy him, to make him snap, and while he was far from that feeling, exhaustion did make him roll his eyes and dipped his mood down a notch. "Because that's what we did before some jerk broke the tank." The blank look was still present as the man continued causing Jonah to not really care to filter his responses, the measly hope your okay being thrown in there was lost among of what was said. "Thanks for that, I'll keep that option open when I'm looking for jobs. As for you vape, probably threw it out in the clean-up, you're welcome to check the trash if that's so important to you," he pointed to the bins next to the aquarium, "Just don't cut yourself, we're not liable for your actions or choices."

The day after the event, Ernie sat in silence, mulling over his next move. He came here to get away from danger, yet here he was again ... processing "the danger", as he's done twice before. His mental connumdrum needed to be remedied with the only thing he knew to use: nicotine. But when he reached for his nightstand to grab his vape, he found nothing. "FFFUUUUUCCCCKKKK!" Ernie threw his head back in exhaustion. He knew exactly where he had left his vape. At the bar, along with his bag. He didn't have fucking pockets so he had to carry that around. He drove back to The Yellow Submarine not fully prepared for what he'd see. Or who he'd see.

"A Tour?" Ernie laughed. "Why the fuck would anyone come here asking for a tour." He continued looking around at the mess. Ernie moved closer to Jonah to let him know that it was just him- and he had come in peace. Mostly. "I left my vape here, dude. And I'm all stressed out 'cause of all this," he gestured around them. "It was like 200$ too --" Ernie stopped. "You know what, I'll just find it myself and be out of here. I hope you're doing okay, though. This place got fucked up." Ernie scoffed. "I mean, you're about to be out of business! You're gonna have to sell crack rock to pay for all those fish! Whew! Good Luck! If I find my vape, you want a puff to cope, man?"