IC Contact [ryslig]

[catphishing]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, OLIVER. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 142.58.303.67 *** oliver has joined 142.58.303.67 <oliver> So this is my private channel. <oliver> Talk to me?

Current Usernames

<trashpanda>
<mothman>
<oliver>
<deBricassart> (anon)

Former Usernames

<creepypasta>

Throwaways

<zx01r3z>
<tfk>

Changeling Throwaways

Comments

<mmurdock> (before his network post)

[devilsavocado]

Oliver. We need to talk.

It's about Connor.

<Oliver>

[catphishing]

Okay.

Is everything all right?

<cwalsh>

[iustitiae]

hey

[yup. that's it.]

<Oliver>

[catphishing]

> Hey.

[An eloquent response it only took him an hour to type out to him.]

[fourthmade]

[The message on Oliver's device doesn't have a sender, but it clearly invites him to reply.]

do you miss him

[catphishing]

No. Don't talk to me.

<crowed>

[crowedthedead]

[He sends a photo first, a blurry picture of his phone, with a photo on the phone of himself and Oliver at the barbecue, looking up at the stars together.]

jade saw us
she's asking if we're dating officially
i don't know what i should tell her

avoiding the conversation is probably not an option
she is very persistent and also basically my little sister

i don't want to assume anything you're not okay with??? help???

<oliver>

[catphishing]

[Well. On the plus side he can at least seem less invested than he is if he's messaging him about about this. It still takes him a few minutes to get up the nerve to send a reply though. He's wanted to have this conversation with him, but if it goes badly he'll be alone again.

He likes Soeki. He's enjoying what he has with him. He's the happiest he's been since he arrived here. The last thing he wants to do is potentially ruin that.]

Do you want to be dating officially?

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

congrats. i am really really happy for you guys.

but also, you better not fuck this up. don't make soeki feel bad or feel like he's messing up or anything like that. you'll regret it.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

You don't need to threaten me.
That's the opposite of how I want him to feel.

Thanks BTW.

10/7

[crowedthedead]

[After this so that I'm not spamming someone else's post oops.

Sure enough, Soeki shows up about an hour later, knocking once before letting himself in.]

Hey Ollie, I'm here. So that happened. Want to make plans for Halloween?

[catphishing]

[Oliver's on his couch, thumbing through a paper when Soeki shows up. He'd left the door unlocked once he said he was coming, but he's not exactly looking forward to his arrival. There's some reluctance in the way he sets the newspaper aside.]

You have plans. You don't have to ditch them for me.

failowl delivery, oct 10th

[ueteribus]

[Mere moments after Lucius finishes his 'conversation' with Soeki, or possibly while he's still in the middle of it even, Oliver is going to get a surprise visitor. A very special surprise visitor as no matter where he is a bird is going to fly up to him and offer him a handwritten note in an envelope sealed with wax.

The bird will not leave him alone until he takes it.]

I DO HOPE THAT YOU'RE SATISFIED. IT WOULD MAKE PRECISELY ONE OF US.

TO THINK I WAS ABOUT NEARLY CONVINCED AFTER YOUR INTEREST AND PROMISES TOWARDS MY SON'S WELL BEING THAT I HAD NO REASON TO BE CONCERNED SOMEONE I HAD QUARRELED WITH BEFORE WAS INVOLVED WITH SOMEBODY I HAD BEGUN CONSIDERING A DEAR FRIEND. IT SEEMS IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER OTHER DIFFERENCES EXIST BETWEEN YOUR SOCIETY AND MINE THE IDEA OF CIVIL INDIFFERENCE AND HOLDING ONE'S TONGUE TO MUTUAL BENEFIT HAS ALSO GONE BY THE WAYSIDE.

I TRIED TO INVITE YOU ALONG IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT BE AWKWARD FOR EITHER OF US. I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO BOTH PLAN AN EVENT WITH SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTOOD MY REVERENCE FOR IT WHILE ALSO ALLOWING HIM TO CELEBRATE IT PROPERLY, WITH THE COMPANY OF THOSE HE CARED FOR. MY EFFORTS WERE OBVIOUSLY IN VAIN WITH HOW I WAS REWARDED.

NOW I SUPPOSE SOEKI HAS WHAT HE WANTS AND I WILL HAVE WHAT I WANT BUT THE TWO NEVER HAD TO BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. I WILL CONTENT MYSELF WITH SEPARATE HAPPINESS BUT IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY. YOU HAVE MUCH TO BE PROUD FOR IN YOUR SUCCESSES. SO GO ALONG AND GLOAT BUT YOU HAD BEST KEEP IT FAR AWAY FROM ME.

AS THEY DO NOT MANUFACTURE HOWLERS IN THIS THRICE ACCURSED BACKWATER DIMENSION FEEL FREE TO ENVISION THIS NOTE SCREAMING THE PRECEDING AT YOU IN MY VOICE SO LOUDLY IT MAKES YOUR EARS RING. THIS IS HOW WE HANDLE THINGS WHERE I COME FROM AS I AM CERTAIN YOU ARE SO SO VERY CURIOUS.

[The entire note is written in the odd scrawl of a man who has well practiced penmanship but is also writing in a hurry and a great deal of unruly emotion.

...Also the bird was supposed to leave immediately after delivering the note, but if Oliver has any food nearby it might well stay to happily peck at it instead.]

[catphishing]

[Well. This is new. He does, in fact, have a cake he was in the middle of that the strange looking bird helps itself to. He guesses it's not too different from a messenger pigeon.

It's fairly clear even at a glance who the note is from, so he shuts the window in case the bird gets restless before he's finished and starts to pen a reply.

He puts the finished letter into the bird's mouth before he frees him, assuming that must be why the break is so large.]

I'm not happy. No one is happy about this.

I know I could have handled things better, so I won't show this letter to Soeki. I hope you know you were wrong too.

I'm guessing you've talked to him if you're sending me this, and you should know anything he says now is all him. If he's mad that's not because I'm telling him to be. I know what Halloween means to him and I've told him he should make up with you.

Please don't be mean to him. He's stubborn and upset, but you did hurt his feelings. He also knows some of the things you said to me now and they're things that are hurtful to him as well as me. If you really consider him your friend try and understand why. If you can't then I can't justify trying to get him to fix things with you.

Sincerely,
Oliver

PS- Your owl swallowed half a muffin at once and I don't know if it's supposed to. I'm really sorry if that gets it sick. My private channel is 142.58.303.67 if it does.

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

i can't believe you're making me do this.

i can't believe i'm actually listening to you and doing this.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

You get I'm not doing this to control you, right?
I know I don't get to decide things for you even if I disagree.
But this is a big thing and there's a lot you need to understand if you're going to commit.

mid-blob

[crowedthedead]

ʎ ɐ ʍɐ ʎ ʇs

i̷͖ ̵̳̺̞͉̤l͓̩͚͈̗͕o̦͢v ́ýͅ

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Soeki?
Stay away from where?

Please tell me.
I'm really worried.
Is Jade with you?

[action] Dec 24th

[crowedthedead]

[Early in the day (relatively, for him), he makes his rounds delivering his Christmas gifts, but then he's back at Oliver's for the rest of the night. He lets himself in, dusting snowflakes out of his hair, wearing a truly hideous Christmas sweater with a reindeer skull on the front and carrying a box under his arm - one last, carefully wrapped present, with his boyfriend's name on it.

Honestly, he's a little nervous about this whole thing, but he smiles through the nerves.]

Honey, I'm home.

[catphishing]

[Oliver's on the couch when Soeki comes back, watching a movie old even by Ryslig's standards with a mug of cocoa. It's not a Christmas movie, but it's nice, and probably the closest he's going to get. At least with decorations up it still feels festive.

Especially when the door opens to reveal Soeki. He grins widely, getting up so he can come over and welcome him, helping him brush some of the remaining snowflakes away as he presses a chaste kiss to his lips.]

Hey, I didn't think you'd be here so early.

backdated to december 25th!

[fourthsaken]

[When Oliver wakes up on Christmas (late) morning, he'll find one former shade, current werebear preparing what looks like an elaborate brunch in his kitchen. It might be surprising to find Jade up so early considering that the nightly changes are just as painful and exhausting as Soeki described, but she's determined not to give up too many of her daytime hours. She's pushing herself to her limits, but she at least seems happy to be doing so.

She's wearing a dark green dress she sewed especially for today, fit to her taller and bigger frame since her Mana bought changes, paired with a maroon sweater. It's about as festive as she gets, with her hair which seems to be growing longer every day pulled back into an elaborate but still messy braid. She looks up from the scone batter she's mixing when Oliver enters the room, golden eyes shining and grinning widely, not even minding that it shows off her very not human canines.]

Hey. Good morning.

[catphishing]

[It's not exactly a surprise to see Jade up. He'd heard her in the kitchen when he'd woken up. He gets dressed before he goes to the kitchen, making sure to put on his new dog shaped slippers. Otherwise his clothes are just a convenient sweater and comfy pants.

He smiles as he greets her in the kitchen, his first move to start getting things ready for coffee.]

Merry Christmas. Shouldn't you be sleeping still?

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

[It's late morning, around 11 am, but still early for weres when Oliver will get a somewhat frantic message.]

oliver, oliver, are you awake? i need advice, this is kinda URGENT.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

[He's exhausted, but a message like that is enough to have him responding quickly, even if he aches too much to drag himself out of bed to track her down just yet.]

What's urgent?
Are you OK?

backdated to february 22nd, 10 am

[fourthsaken]

hey, when you wake up, come to my room. there's a surprise. a good surprise.

[At least she hopes it's a good surprise!]

<enpawnsant> Backdated to mid-march

[hearthebell]

I don't like asking for advice, but your track record for poor decisions affecting you adversely makes me think that you might actually be able to help me. If you have a second, and you're not distracted by bad TV.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Haven't you ever heard of not poking the bear?

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

please, please, please tell me you know where soeki is.

[catphishing]

[Oliver doesn't even see the message. He'd left Jade a note to say he was going looking when Soeki isn't back after he says he is, probably earlier than he would have if things weren't in the state they were. As it is he's quick to worry, and the night he spends searching doesn't lessen that.

He loses the trail of his scent fairly early on in the bustle of the city and he never picks it up again. His familiar haunts hold no recent smell, and he can find no trace of it anywhere else he looks.

When he returns back to their apartment it's after the sun has risen. He's exhausted, and his clothes are several sizes too big now he is back to his more human looking form, but he can't bring himself to care about either of those things just now.]

Jade?

backdated to early morning, may 14th

[fourthsaken]

hey, don't worry about me but i'm not gonna be around today. maybe not tomorrow either, i dunno. i'm not hurt or in danger or anything, i just need some time alone. please, please, please don't worry. i'm fine.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

This doesn't make me feel better/
Where are you going?

<kingofhearts> (backdated to May 16th)

[andthetombstones]

Hey Oliver

I wanted to apologize for the whole murder thing

I was wondering if you would like want to come over for dinner or something. I moved in with Draco and we both wanted to maybe kinda make it up

<oliver>

[catphishing]

No.

<crowed> may 16th

[crowedthedead]

did robbie or draco message you about inviting us to an apology dinner?

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Robbie.
Don't worry. I told him to get lost.

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

i told you he'd say yes.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Yes. You did.

Soeki told you?

action

[crowedthedead]

[After he burns the other bit of parchment to prematurely end his stint as a demon, the world comes alive again. A part of him had fought the decision he made, but ultimately, Oliver was more important. Being able to find Oliver was more important than having a good time as a demon. He had grown so used to having regular senses again that the shift into his werebear body came with a veritable explosion of noise and scent, and still... still, every trail he tried to follow went cold.

The last couple of days have been endlessly worrying and frustrating both.

Soeki smells Oliver before he ever sees or even hears him coming down the hall to their apartment, and, ears twitching, he bolts out the door, leaving it ajar in his haste. He's huge and furry, a little more bear-like than man-like in the fog, but walking on two legs still. Oliver is about to get swept up into a very literal bear hug.]

Ollie.

action

[catphishing]

[Oliver barely has chance to take him in before he's swept up in his embrace. He grunts at the sudden impact, but quickly recovers enough to return it. He clings to him tightly, relieved to be home. He hadn't felt safe until now. Even more so now that this is the Soeki he's returned to.]

You're a bear again.

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

[One morning when Oliver and Soeki are still on their island honeymoon and Jade is 99% certain Soeki is still asleep, Oliver will get a message.]

i need to ask you something, but you have to promise you won't be weird about it.

also, hope you guys are having fun.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Of course not. Why would I be weird?

We're having a good time. You should come out here sometime. It's really nice.

action

[crowedthedead]

[The idea to rent a houseboat and just hang out on a sort-of tropical island for a while for a honeymoon was a good one. He feels so very far away from the peninsula and all its problems and horrors. The light rocking of the boat makes him sleep like a baby, but he still manages to crack one eye open when he hears Oliver tapping at the keys of his laptop.

His face is half pressed to the pillow, but he manages a sleepy, lazy smile as he reaches out to trace nonsense patterns on Oliver's thigh.] Is that Jade? Tell her I said hi.

[catphishing]

[Oliver barely glances over at Soeki, still kind of annoyed and embarrassed. His touch is nice, but it's hard to appreciate it with the question of exactly how much Soeki's told Jade weighing on his mind.]

Sure you wouldn't rather just take the keyboard and tell her what we were doing last night?

<jaded>

[fourthsaken]

i know i need soeki's help, but i think i might need your help too. can you tell if someone isn't answering their messages or if they're not getting them?

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Anywhere else that would be so easy.
Here they run partially on magic so there's some stuff no one's been able to figure out.
That kind of thing's one of them.

Why? Is someone blanking you?

action, just after dawn

[crowedthedead]

[By the time he gets home, shifts, and crawls into their nest of bedding, he seems even more wrung-out than usual, his movements heavy and somehow downtrodden. It was sort of a spur of the moment decision he made, earlier in the night, but this just isn't sustainable. Not by himself.

He cuddles up against Oliver, nosing at his shoulder and scenting him tiredly; even his cooler naga body is a comfort right now, and the temperature of the room doesn't seem to deter him from wrapping around his husband.]

I'm home. [He murmurs, voice barely a whisper in the quiet, the rest of what he wants to say hanging in the air.]

[catphishing]

[Oliver stirs sleepily, cracking open an eye as Soeki comes into the room. Normally, he might just wait for him to come to bed before falling back asleep if he has no reason to be awake.

Today is different. Soeki's unusual mood is tangible, so when he crawls under their sheets he's already awake enough to wrap his arms around him, manoeuvring his tail so he can envelope him properly.]

What's wrong?

backdated to christmas day

[fourthsaken]

[Jade spent longer than she'd initially intended staying the night over at Bert's. She was planning on heading home early enough to beat Oliver to the kitchen and start getting things ready for the breakfast they're preparing, but it's not until almost 9 in the morning when she finally makes her way home. Oliver will hear the familiar sound of her scooter pulling up to their home, before the even more familiar creak of their front door when Jade enters. She's wearing an elaborate fur cloak she was definitely not wearing when she left the evening before over her pajamas (a cozy looking black sweater paired with red and black plaid flannel pajama pants) and her hair which was once arranged in a fancy braid, is sleep mussed an fallen down into two simple braided pigtails. She gives Oliver a slightly sheepish smile as she greets him.]

Hey. Sorry. We slept longer than I thought we would and stockings became this big deal because Bert had never had one before... Shit, I still need to fill our stockings. [The stockings in question are hung up over the fireplace, Jade and Soeki's both goth monstrosities in black and purple velvet and Oliver's a more traditional deep red and hunter green color scheme.]

Oh no, I need to finally decide what he got his CR.

[catphishing]

[Oliver has got started by the time Jade returns. Even though it's just the three of them today Christmas dinner takes a lot of prep, and he doesn't want to have to try to rush it all once Soeki wakes up. There's nothing less helpful than having a hungry werebear hanging around while you're trying to cook.

Despite that he's actually curled up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and the dog slippers Soeki got him last year when she arrives home. His long legs make the position look awkward, but he's comfortable. Cindi Lauper plays on the record player in the background. He's taking advantage of being able to play his kind of music while he isn't outvoted. He does seem relieved to see her, but in truth that has more to do with who she was spending the night with than the fact she was gone. Dinner is well in hand.]

Don't worry about it. We've got all day for presents. Did you have a good night?