Let's Play!

Marina looked at him, nodding as she shifted to kiss him.

"I'm OK right now. .... even if I feel lost right now. "

Ryder let out a long breath.

"Then okay. I'll do a quick check-in for you.'

He got up and put his shoes on before disappearing. He returned less than a minute later, even quicker than expected. He sat on the bed, expression vexed.

Marina arched an eyebrow.

"Uh?"

She asked, worry creasing her face.

"the good news is that he's alive."

Ryder glanced at her hesitantly as though debating if he'd say anything more.

"...I couldn't get in," he settled on as an eventually explanation.

Marina arched an eyebrow.

"Where? His house? "

Ryder twiddled his thumbs.

"...yes."

Marina sat up, mind turning as she reached to pull him to kiss her now.

"Are you afraid of what you know or what I'm going to do?"

She asked him softly, looking over him.

"I don't know that I'm afraid so much as confused... Maybe uncomfortable."

"Why uncomfortable? "

Marina asked tenderly, moving to love in Ryder a tiny bit. She was able to settle herself enough to not be overwhelmingly emotional, at least?

He offered her a fragile smile.

"I just... Don't understand what's happening and don't like the position I'm suddenly in."

Marina hugged him tenderly, kissing at him softly.

"What position are you in? "

She wanted it spelled out to be sure she wasn't misinterpreting. This was something she couldn't make errors on.

"between you and him."

Marina looked sad, kissing him.

"I'm not a fan of it, either.... you don't need to be there. . I really would understand if you need to let me go if this doesn't resolve. I love you dearly. "

She moved to kiss him twice more before stepping back and going to get changed.

~Ryker.....~

She sighed, rubbing her face.

~This is a mess. I'm sorry. If I come to you will you talk with me? ~

Not asking if he'd welcome her in or anything.

Rider made a face.

"I'm not going to leave you for my brother."




Unread for now.

Well. She did try the more polite way. (Cause this writer had a case of the stupids) she moved to kiss his forehead.

"He needs people to love him. "

/Ryker. I'm sorry. You can ignore me if you want, but if I come see you will you speak with me? /

/not right now./

At least it wasn't a no?



"So do you."

Marina let out a slow breath, nodding as she hugged Ryder.

"I have someone else if I need to cling for a bit. ..."

Even if the idea of losing both incubi was something that felt suffocating. She kissed at Ryder gently.

"You need not worry about others. Just do what you need to do for you, ok? "

Wasn't he thinking of just leaving her not that long ago anyway? Certainly it would be easy for him to let go and be his brother's bestie again.


/ Alright. ..... I really meant it that I'm not wanting to break up. I did not recognize how it would read to you, though and for that I'm sorry. /

She let it go as she tried to protect her heart from what felt like it was coming even if she tried to not let it.

"but I want to love you."

Ryder squeezed her elbows.

Marina looked at him, nodding a bit as she kissed him.

"Like I said though. Just do what Ryder needs. I'll be alright no matter what that ends up being. Promise."

Which felt incredibly akin to swallowing acid as she extended that promise to him. She made them without strings for him though. She knew he loved her, even if he left her. Nothing good for her could really last forever, could it?

He pulled her closer.

"Stop trying to push me out of the nest."

Marina softened and hugged him.

"Never.... just making sure you never feel trapped or stuck with me in any way. .. . I will never stand in your way. "

No matter how much she wanted to beg to be worth enough to hold on to and keep.

"it feels like throwing me away. Let me take care of myself. I want to be here "

Marina shifted to press small kisses at him.

"Ok.... but I'm afraid if I hold you too tight I'll lose you too...."

Ryder shook his head.

"I want to be wanted and needed. It's important to me."

Marina squeezed him tight as small little ruby droplets raced down her face.

"Trust me. I want and need you more than air. I love you so much. "

"I love you just as much."

He turned her face for a kiss but drew back after a second, coughing.

"Sorry... I... Bleck."

He wiped his tongue on his sleeve even though he was trying to reduce the reaction in order to hopefully not offend her. His eyes were watering.

Marina reached up to touch her mouth, shaking a head at the blood on her fingers.

"It's an acquired taste. "

She offered in apology. But feeling bad about it just made more tears as she hugged him.

"no. I'm sorry. I just... that burned. Like acetone burn, not whiskey."

Marina blinked.

"Huh?.... like.... incubi stuff? "

"what? Incubi stuff? What are you talking about?"

"I shouldn't burn? "

She pointed out further, perplexed.

"Why would I burn? "

She was worried about what was wrong with her now.

"I've never got vampire blood in my mouth before. Maybe I just... Got my nose hairs singed off? You're delicious, but... Maybe not your blood."

Marina blushed a bit.

"It could be the hybrid venom. It's rather... impressive. "

She shared, relaxing now as she wiped at her face.

"I'm sorry. I just need to drink more and it should stop. "

"sure. Impressive."

Impressively nasty. He wouldn't say that, though.

"How about we both go get a drink, then?"

Marina was real thankful he didn't actually say it. Even if his face was pretty much an open book.

"Surprise me? I'll drink whatever you bring back. "

She reassured, moving in the dark to stare at the paintings on the wall, reaching to trace over her lovers..... they'd all been so happy in that moment. Why couldn't she hold on to happiness?

Ryder came back with two bottles of Gatorade.

"Do you want the purple one or the blue one?"

"Purple. "

She answered as she held out a hand, eyes still studying the photo.

"Is happiness real? Or is it just something we hallucinate to make the rest bearable? "

She asked with a broken heart.

Ryder handed her the drink before sliding in behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Does this feel made up?"

"No..... but it feels fragile. It feels.... it feels one wrongly worded text away from lost. "

She pointed out with an ache that pulled at her soul as she started drinking down the liquid without even really acknowledging it. The photo had all her attention.

"So ignorant she was...."

Ryder pinched her.

"Stop that. Bad times don't mean the good ones were wrong."