A beautiful fiction I invented to keep out the cold

[desperate_times_right]

Who: Chloe Frazer & others
What: Catch-all; open prompts
When: March and April
Where: Around Milton

Content Warnings: Self-injury content related to the echo effects. Descriptions of canon typical violence and murder. Talk about hunting/eating animals.


Chloe doesn't trust Methuselah as far as she could throw him, and a trip through a mine where she's forced to rely on the goodwill of a bunch of cop types does not sound like her idea of a good time. Also, sticking around Milton when most of the people who 'patrol' (imagine her air quotes) are away is a great opportunity to snoop in people’s houses.

Anyone who remains in or returns to Milton may find her either doing her usual wild running in the woods, checking her snares for snacks, or sneaking around newly empty locations to see what's been left behind.

Aurora nights are a different thing, however. Chloe likes to think that she's done her best to do right by the people that she cares about, but the truth is she's cut a few throats in her day, stepped over others to make sure that she would wind up on top. Something about the aurora this month brings every one of those memories roaring back. It has her running faster, drinking until she can't see, and doing risky climbs onto (and jumps between) rooftops, trying to escape the feeling.

Comments

[desperate_times_right]

After the mind-numbing cold of the fog, the extra warmth is nice, even if it does indicate some strong emotions.

“You will. This time around, you're gonna get everything.”

[notarat]

The words are weirdly comforting. Even though he logically knows it's not like anything will change just because Chloe said that, the words still feel nice. It's the sort of reassurance he isn't particularly used to, but he wants to keep it close to his chest all the same. Not just because he desperately wants those words to be true, but also because there's just something nice in hearing them. It makes him grateful towards her.

.. even if he doesn't know how to reply to them whatsoever.

Maybe it's why he doesn't reply to them. Instead Billy finally slowly unfurls himself from where he was curled up at Chloe's side, standing up and dusting the snow off his pants before offering her a hand. He figures she's likely been warmed up enough to be able to walk again.

"Allow me to bring you home, Miss Frazer." Out of the cold, before it can get to her again.

[desperate_times_right]

Chloe watches Billy unfurl himself to standing like a plant in the sun, then stands far less gracefully herself.

“Yeah, thanks. I didn't think that was strange at all. I'm glad you were here.”

[notarat]

For a second he looks almost comically surprised before it melts into an expression that's a little more like Billy.

"Are you a mind reader as well now?"

He hadn't said anything about that out loud, after all. But he had been worried about it being a little strange, especially with what most people expect from a man and a woman huddling together like that. And yet without even voicing that worry, Chloe takes it away. It's a strange thing for a man who never expects anything from anyone else, let alone understanding without him having to speak.

It definitely adds to the weirdly comforting feeling he had only a moment ago.

"Such a woman of many talents," he lightly jokes, as if to cover up any more gooey feelings underneath the surface.

[desperate_times_right]

Chloe laughs. “Nah. We were just close enough that I could feel how tense you were at first.”

She doesn't want to dwell on that though, so she winks hugely. “But I do have many talents. Thanks for noticing.”