September & October Catch-All

[spiritwalks]

Who: Vyng spiritwalks and YOU
What: Catch-All for September + October. See comments for prompts!
When: Various
Where: Various

Note: Style veers wildly between prose and brackets. Just choose whatever style feels good when responding, and I'll match it ♥

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable

Comments

[spiritwalks]

"It's something I could always do," he admits. "Not just fire, either. But my shapeshifting's mostly about vibes these days, you know?"

Vyng still hasn't fully adjusted to it. But he's trying his best. For now, he's got to trust everything will work out in its own time.

"It's tough, losing family." There's a quiet sincerity to his words. "You seem like you've got your shit together, though. Have you been giving yourself time to miss them? Or is shit-gathering mainly how you deal?"

[frogfear]

"That's really cool." Willow's quiet for a moment. He knows the rest of her housemates apparently, and he seems okay. He's probably trustworthy, she decides. "I used to do magic. It doesn't work here, though."

She has not been giving herself time to miss anyone here in Trench - mostly, she's been trying to ignore it. She chose to come here instead of going home, after all. "I've been missing them since Deerington. It's kinda hitting a little harder lately, but it'll be okay."

[spiritwalks]

Willow isn't the first person he's met with that problem. Apparently Vyng isn't the only one adjusting to lost abilities — though, in his case, he brought it on himself. Other Trenchies don't necessarily have the luxury of a root cause outside of something changed it, now it sucks.

"A bunch of people ended up with new powers instead," he points out. "Is that what happened to you too?"

He thinks of the people, like Oscar, who were ready to put their lives behind them. For them, the difference must feel like a new beginning. He's curious where Willow falls on that spectrum.

Of course, even if she's ready for her new life, that doesn't make leaving loved ones behind any easier. He and Tuck know that all too well.

"Did you get to say good-bye to them, at least?" he softly asks.

[frogfear]

"I think it's just a matter of relearning the magic here instead," Willow answers with a little shrug. She does indeed have new powers, but she doesn't quite understand them yet. "It's a little... unnerving, though. Blood magic at home was pretty serious stuff, and shouldn't be taken lightly."

Dark magic at home had deeper consequences than she thought. It had the potential to be a corrupting influence, and led her to nearly destroy the world, after the death of her girlfriend. She has not been home since going to England to recover, and learn how to control her powers from a coven of witches there.

"It's complicated," she answers with a little shrug. "But no, I didn't get to say goodbye."

[spiritwalks]

"Yeah, I relate to that," Vyng sympathizes. "Being kinda unnerved by blood magic, I mean. It can be rough. But I'm sure we'll figure it out."

He doesn't like to think too hard about why blood stuff bothers him. For the time being, he just knows it does, and that's enough. It'll work itself out on its own time, he's sure.

But when Willow mentions she didn't get to say good-bye to her friends and family, parts of the fire dim.

"Sorry to hear it," he says.

Only a handful of people got to say goodbye on their own terms, it seems. But even still, it doesn't guarantee you won't miss home. It only adds a little closure to an otherwise fucked-up situation.

"It's not much," he adds for the bright presence in front of him, "but...you're welcome to chill out here as long as you want. Roast some s'mores, even! I won't mind, I just burn stuff 'cause I'm a fire now. It's pretty great."

[frogfear]

"I don't think there's much choice - we'll have to figure it out," Willow admits. Magic is clearly an important aspect of life in Trench, and potentially a life saving one as well. "It's just gonna take some time, I guess."

She smiles a little when he offers her his sympathy - it's appreciated, and sometimes she regrets not going home to tie up loose ends, but what's done is done and there's no going back from it now. It's fine. Really.

"Thanks for the offer. Yeah, I can hang out for awhile. I don't have anywhere pressing to be or anything. And it's kind of nice to be able to sit and relax for awhile."

[spiritwalks]

"You're welcome. Everybody needs a little be-time, you know?"

With those words, Vyng settles into a warm, steady burn to keep Willow comfortable. For much of his life, he's used shapeshifting as a means to an end. Now, if he wishes to commune with the elements the same way he once communed with animals, he must slow down and simply allow himself to exist in the moment.

It's a good reminder to take time of himself — and, in this case, a nice way to help others do the same.