#this is so long and self indulgent im sorry rekjhr

[greenvengeance]

Send ‘ you’ll have to get through me first… ‘ for my muse’s reaction to yours stepping in and defending them from someone they’re scared of

@eievuimultimuse // ‘ you’ll have to get through me first ‘ ( from 07 SF 8]C )

Fear: noun, an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief ( or KNOWLEDGE, ) that someone or something ( someONE, in this case, ) is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat ( all THREE, currently. ) A primal emotion that involves a universal biochemical response and a high emotional response, beginning in the amygdala, the part of the brain ( brains...like the Kraang, ) previously thought to exclusively for fear processing, but also found to be important in reward-based training ( that would...be a lot more favorable. )

Cleo could break it down, deconstruct it, take it apart and put it back together again a million times over, but no matter what, it was always there. Always lingering, creeping in the inner most back in her mind, creeping around like a monster, with tentacles and wings and a deep, booming voice that sounded exactly like him. Like the one voice she had never, ever hoped to hear again, in her life. The one person who, when she learned of his death, she'd smiled, she'd rejoiced and cried and finally knew the sweet, fragile taste of freedom, one that could be pulled out from underneath her at any moment.

Well...he found her. She had no idea how he was alive, she had no idea how the fuck he knew she mutated, or anything. All she knew was that it was his voice, and that she needed to run. And that's what she did, she hauled her ass the fuck out of there and ran like a madman, ran like a little kid just now learning how to run. She ran faster than her legs could keep up with ( especially with her limp, ) and she wound up crashing DOWN to the ground. But as soon as her body hit the ground, she scrambled like a feral animal, on all fours.

By the time her lungs forced her to stop, she'd thought she lost him, and she allowed herself the chance to attempt to catch her breath. It came in sharp, rapid gasps, heavy coughs, and the sensation of scratching in her throat. She spat to the side, and she had to resist the urge to panic at the sight of the sizzling blue-green-mixed-with-red liquid next to her -- her blood. ( She had probably huffed her throat raw -- son of a bitch. )

" Jeee-sus Christ, babe. " Oh, GOD. Faster than a stroke of lightning, Cleo shot onto her back and crab-walked backward, hues still pinprick with fear. " Honestly, I don't unda'stand you. Here I am, offerin' you a way t' be human again, to go home and be normal and let me take care of you...and here you are, runnin' away. "

He shrugged, popping a walkie-talking off his belt. " You'll thank me later, doll. How about you get up, I take you back, and we- "

She kept backing away and backing away. Not happy about the sudden space between him and her, Carlton took another step forward. As soon as he did-

SLAM !

Cleo's eyes shot wider, and she let out an almost squeak of relief when she realized just who dropped down. Carlton, however, had a look of genuine surprise for a split second, before it fell into a surprisingly calm smirk.

" Ayo. You're, uh...kinda interruptin' somethin' here, buddy. I gotta get my girl back home. So if you don't min- "

" You'll have to get through me first. "

His smirk fell.

" Not cool, dude. "