[Open] Oh, Worm?

[codicies]

Who: Everyone who wants to get in on Worm Plot related things
What: There's a bug going around, and it might be a little more literal than you realize!
When: Backdated from the start of April through May
Where: Central City
Notes: Relevant context: April Confluence, May Confluence, and Mechanica's announcement.

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01. Hivemind Shenanigans (CLOSED)

(For any of Dylan's close friends who received a bit of symbiote goop from him get to be part of a little mental groupchat while this plot lasts. Keep in mind:

• Your character can shut the groupchat out at any time.
  
• Your character can choose not to project thoughts.
  
• If you want to have them accidentally project thoughts and emotions, that's cool too.
  
• Even if we didn't thread out your character getting a bit of Dylan Ooze, as long as they're close friends, we can handwave it and let them join the hive.
  
• This isn't permanent! Dylan will be collecting pieces of himself from the others once either the vaccine is developed and/or the worm plot ends. )

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02. Interacting with the Infected

Many citizens of Central City seem... off. Some are exhausted, with fuzzy memories, and powers on the fritz. It seems like they're wasting away.

Then, suddenly... they're back to normal, as if nothing ever changed. Sick? When were they sick?

The symptoms are explained in detail during the April Confluence Post. Do your characters try to help the sick? Make them remember when they were sick?

Or did a firm handshake from the formerly-sick acquaintance leave you with a creepy-crawly feeling you're unsure how to explain?

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03.Vaccine Development (Location: Broadmoor Hospital)

Any science-y types who want to help with Pete Ross' attempt at making a vaccine will be directed to Broadmoor Hospital. Knowing that Dylan is immune to the disease, he'll be closely inspecting samples of Dylan's symbiote matter to isolate the biomarkers that repel the worms.

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04. Wildcard

Is there another way you want to engage with the Worm Plot? Are you stuck in Central City when you just want to get back home to Sunset Falls? Are you loudly complaining about the Society's secrecy regarding the whole matter?

Comments

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[ It's late, but Central City doesn't sleep. From the penthouse balcony, the hustle and bustle below was a glittering field of lights, stretching to the skyscrapers on the horizon. It's a cool spring night; Dylan's waiting on the balcony when he sees Hunter approach.

Dylan leans on the rail, watching Hunter with a smile as more of his features come into view. His silhouette is washed in the warm glow of city lights, set against a twinkling backdrop.

For a moment, Dylan's breath catches in his throat and he just stares. His thoughts short-circuit. Any greeting he had planned was blown away like dust as adoration fluttered in his chest.

God, he's beautiful.

Dylan doesn't project the words, but the feeling is hard to suppress. He's tired and emotionally drained. Yet somehow there's still room on his face for just a hint of a lovesick smile when Hunter lands. ]

Hey.

[ He watches Hunter stutter for a bit, but the sudden hug comes as a surprise. Dylan is stunned for just a moment before relaxing into the hug, resting his forehead in the curve of Hunter's neck as he wraps his arms around him in response.

He's softer than Dylan expected. That's not a bad thing, though. In fact, it's... nice. Comfortable. Warm.

He hugs Hunter tighter as the mental embrace starts to wrap up Dylan's thoughts, too. All his anxiety, all his stress, all his loneliness and anger and trauma, they're all jostled loose. It's like moving a muscle that's been stiff for too long — there's pain it, but moreso relief.

Dylan sucks in a soft breath, feeling the first tears start to burn at his eyes. ]

Thanks. For coming.

[badbutsadboy]

You don't have to thank me. I wanted to see you.

[He cranes his neck just slightly to see his expression when he feels the first waves of sadness. He sees the tears, feels the anxiety and loneliness and anger and trauma.]

It's okay to talk about all of it. I'm not always good at that myself, but...

I at least understand how much things can hurt sometimes. In some of the ways you're feeling.

[He knows loneliness. He knows trauma. He knows anxiety and stress and anger - even if he'd been too terrified to direct that anger at Belos. Others had been able to get under his skin, like Kikimora.]

And I think I've gotten good at listening.

[He's here. Here and present and wrapping him up in a shroud of soft emotions that he'd have buried away back when he was the Golden Guard. He lets them loose now, purposefully makes them feel like a soft warm blanket pulled straight from the dryer. There is a vague thought that Dylan deserves to be the one wrapped up safe and warm this time.]

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I'm... I'm not sure where to start.

[ It's been... difficult to articulate what he's been feeling these past few months. He's gotten so good at suppressing it, trying to focus on other people's problems. He's so burnt out. Where does he even begin?

Dylan leans into Hunter's hug, bringing his arms around to tighten the embrace. Hunter is freely offering warmth and comfort both mentally and physically, and he feels safe and secure in a way he hadn't felt since Eddie was around. Briefly, Dylan was frightened that if he let himself show even a bit of emotion, he might shatter and fall apart. But here, wrapped up in Hunter's arms and his thoughts... he can feel that Hunter's willing to help pick up the pieces. ]

Everything was... was so good. So much of last year was... was the happiest I'd ever been. But Eddie left, and Venom, and they just... [ He pauses to let out a shaky sob, ] and it feels like everything after that just spiraled out of control.

[ He presses his face to Hunter's shoulder, already wet with his tears. His crying is stiff, but it's getting easier. ]

I waited so long to call him "Dad," I kept hesitating, and now it's too late.

cw: mention of child abuse

[badbutsadboy]

[He has learned recently what it's like for adults to make him feel safe. But one of them is starting to make him feel like he has a home. They're not even close to that yet. But he knows what it maybe can be.]

[He can imagine how it might feel in time. If he's very, very lucky and Eda ever feels that way about him. Because of the time in the reality bubble.]

[He knows what it must have felt like. Back when Hunter had been preparing to run away and live in the street, Dylan had told him his situation had been similar back home. Painful. He hadn't wanted to talk about it but it was enough for Hunter to know.]

["Being a teenager is all about figuring out who you wanna be. It's hard to do that when some asshole's trying to control everything you say and do and think."]

[Dylan had offered to talk about Belos. Hunter hadn't really been ready. Hunter had said if Dylan'd been in a similar situation, he was willing to listen too, and Dylan hadn't been ready either. But he'd responded enough in the affirmative that Hunter knew. He knew]

[And then he'd found a version of his fathers who'd been very, very good at being his dads, at making him feel loved, especially the one that was human like him. And now they're gone. It wouldn't be the same if Eda were suddenly gone, but there would still be a loss. Just like how badly it'd hurt when he'd regained his memories and "Aunt Eda" had stopped existing.]

[The hug tightens.]

He knew. There's no way both of them didn't know. I think...I think that's what good parents are like? They feel things and - and care. And you don't have to actually say anything back for them to do it. And they just know.

[Aunt Eda had known. There is a pang in his heart at the thought of that. A sadness. A loss, though nowhere near as profound as Dylan's. He can't remember all of it but he remembers that much, that she just knew. Just like he knew she loved him without her saying - even though she'd said it plenty.]

[The pang isn't something he needs or wants to talk about, not right now when this needs to be about Dylan but at least means he understands. To have a good parent ripped away after growing up with a terrible one...]

[Hunter lets go but it's only to take Dylan by the hands and lead him over to the little outdoor love seat, to draw him down to sit with him. To make it so it isn't just a hug - because hugs have to end at some point. It lets him hold him.]

[Wrapping an arm around him tightly, his other hand goes to wipe some of the tears off his face.]

It's not too late because all the time you spent together was all three of you saying it to each other. All the time. It was obvious to anyone watching, trust me. So that means it was obvious to both of them, too.

[It was everything Hunter himself had wanted growing up and he had been glad to see Dylan get it.]

[codicies]

[ As Hunter speaks, Dylan can feel the anxiety in his chest loosen. The tangled mess of emotions starts to unravel, with every pull of a strand dragging out another soft sob.

But he nods, face still against Hunter's shoulder as he does so. He hears what Hunter is saying — believes it, even — but... that doesn't mean Eddie didn't deserve to hear it.

Dylan doesn't protest when Hunter pulls away. He wants to, but his thoughts short-circuit when he's taken by both hands and led to the loveseat. When Hunter puts an arm around him, brings the free hand to his face... Dylan's certain he must be blushing. His face feels hot.

Hunter wipes his tears away, and the soft graze of his fingertips is electric. Dylan brings his own hand up to take Hunter's in his own, cupping it against his face. ]

Thank you.

[ He's not sure if he's thanking Hunter for the comforting words, or the comforting contact. Or both. Dylan's heart is suddenly racing. ]

I'm... I'm glad it was obvious, at least. How much I cared. I don't really think that's the sort of thing you should hide, you know?