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 Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:34 am
Quote: Cryogenic Crisis (1) : A strange phenomenon has overtaken the flora of Destiny City. Most prevalent in large trees, but occurring also in saplings, bushes, and any wooded plant, the color seems to be completely draining and the plants are becoming oddly crystalline. Leaves and bark especially almost seem to be turning to ice, and observant passersby might notice that the trees seem to be crystalizing. They are cold to the touch and even seem to melt under heat. The increased weight has made it dangerous to walk beneath any of these trees; branches also snap and fall, and even leaves and small twigs can become dangerous projectiles. Scientists have said there is a pollutant in the water causing a strange chemical reaction, but there’s still something suspicious about it. Destiny City has employed some specialists to treat the afflicted trees, and some already seem to be in various stages of recovery–but if you’re out and about, chances are that you’ll still find a few of these arborous anomalies.
But Casey hadn’t reported anything on his radio. Morgan absentmindedly stroked Harrison’s head, occasionally scratching behind her ears as he flipped through the cameras.
It didn’t take him long to find Casey–or, at least, enough of him to have an idea of where he was.
By then he’d already filled a thermos with a fresh cup of hot chocolate and checked all of his immediate work. He supposed he’d always been planning on heading back out just to make some rounds so he was already partly dressed to head out into the cold by the time the clock reached the thirty minute mark. Two minutes later he was saying goodbye to Harrison and promising her he’d be back soon.
It was a ten minute walk to Casey if you were taking your time. Morgan made it in four and still somehow didn’t seem like he’d been too hurried. It helped that he knew this place like the back of his hand and he worked here; he didn’t have to stay on the path.
He noted, without giving too much attention to them, that several of the trees they’d treated already seemed like they’d made a full recovery, but he thought there might have been a few more showing signs of the strange crystallization. He’d check on the way back.
For now, his attention was focused on Casey.
Morgan didn’t approach silently; he could walk quietly when he wanted to, but he didn’t want to spook Casey. He was so jumpy these days. The snow hardly crunched, and there weren’t enough leaves to rustle. He made sure his movements were exaggerated just enough that the fabric of his jacket rubbed together, and he nudged some sticks with the toe of his boot as he approached. Not enough to be startling, but certainly enough to make sure that Casey had ample warning to know he was about to have company.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:35 am
Normally, Casey would have appreciated the way Morgan made his steps purposefully noisy to make sure he knew someone was coming. Morgan was always considerate like that, and even though Casey doubted Morgan would admit to doing something like that with purposeful intent, Casey was also aware of how quiet Morgan could be.
Even now, it wasn’t that Casey didn’t appreciate the shuffling steps and breaks of twigs, it was just that exhaustion had gotten the better of him.
Some nights it felt as though Casey couldn’t sleep at all. Mason was always so patient with his insomnia and even made him tea to help settle down, but even then Casey was stuck tossing and turning. As quietly as possible so he wouldn’t wake up Mason, of course.
After he parted ways with Devyn, Casey just wanted to sit down and reflect on everything Devyn had said. He ended up crying. A lot. The handkerchief wasn’t nearly enough, but it was enough.
The spot he’d found under a healthy, not crystalline, tree was surprisingly dry, despite the snow all around them. The roots made it easy to sit down up against the trunk, and before long, Casey had drifted off.
Even Morgan’s approach wasn’t enough to immediately wake him. But then again, it was very cold and he’d been outside for a while.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:36 am
It was cold enough that Morgan knew Casey shouldn’t be napping out here, but he wasn’t really worried that Casey had fallen unconscious like this. He looked like he’d just worn himself out.
His face was red, and if it weren’t for the frost on his eyelashes he might have been able to convince himself that it was from the chill.
Casey was carrying a weight on his shoulders that he had yet to share with either Morgan or Ariel, though both had made efforts to break through whatever wall he had put up. Morgan couldn’t claim he’d done his best; he had a good idea of what the problem was but there wasn’t a delicate way to bring it up. Any effort he made was easily side stepped, which was impressive considering how flustered Casey was.
Morgan just wasn’t ready to be blunt about it.
With a heavy sigh, he sank down to the ground so he could sit next to Casey. The roots spared him some of the harsh cold of frozen earth but it was hardly comfortable. He placed the thermos between his legs and tugged off the scarf he’d been wearing.
“Casey,” he said softly, gently. “I brought you something warm. You’ll catch a cold, put this on,” he offered. He’d have draped it around his neck if he wasn’t afraid of startling Casey, and the last thing he wanted to do was chase him away when he already seemed so skittish.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:38 am
Even as he dozed, he could sense a presence near him. Maybe in his half sleeping dreams he thought a monster or something of that nature had been approaching him, and the only thing he could do was continue to hold still and hide.
Morgan’s voice broke through the haze, although the familiarity wasn’t enough to set Casey immediately at ease. Too often these days it seemed, familiar things were actually dangerous. Things he thought were okay-- weren’t. Things he’d been familiar with were suddenly obscure and foreign. It was like he had forgotten the language everyone around him was speaking, and he was desperately trying to communicate but only managed to offer insults.
But even as he started with surprise, and attempted to scramble to his feet, his heart fluttered and wouldn’t allow him to escape one of the only people he felt safe around.
“Morgan!” he awkwardly croaked with a throat that was too raw from crying, and he immediately rubbed at his face and did his best not to trip over the roots. He was very aware that Morgan had taken the time to sit beside him. How long had he been there? It was incredibly embarrassing, and yet it was also a relief that he’d been safe in a vulnerable state.
“I’m so sorry, I just got a little dizzy so I sat down. I promise I wasn’t slacking off. I found some more trees that need treatment,” he quickly tried to explain himself, gesturing somewhere into the forest to reference the trees he was probably talking about.
He wanted to run. He wanted to find somewhere else to hide. But he couldn’t afford to lose his job. And he didn’t want to worry Morgan.
“Oh… oh, thank you. I’m okay, I promise!” he said as he stared at the scarf. It felt like another lifetime when he would have happily taken the offered item and worn it happily as he thought about Morgan but--
What if he forgot to take it off before heading home? Mason would be upset. What if there was something about the detergent that washed the scarf that would rub off on him that Mason would notice and comment on? It was bad enough that he had a silk handkerchief from Devyn. He would have to remember to leave it at work. Oh… but it should also probably be washed. He’d hate to throw it out.
“Um… Is Harrison okay? Thank you for looking after her. I promise I’ve gotten a lot of work done out here. Oh! I ran into that man you were talking about. Devyn. The one who always gets lost? I helped him back to the path.”
His heart was racing. He wanted to run… But he also wanted to hide in Morgan’s arms where he knew it was safe.
But for how long? He would have to leave that safety, so why bother at all?
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:41 am
Morgan sighed, in the way that he did when he was thinking deeply about something. His face showed no distress but Morgan was not ever easily riled. He was patient, but looked up at Casey a little expectantly. He tapped where Casey had been sitting with his hand.
“If you’re dizzy, sit down. Getting up too quickly like that’s only going to make it worse. Harrison’s fine, she’s only been alone for a few minutes. She’s napping, if she moves at all it’ll be to look out the window. We can head back to see her soon.”
Maybe they should go back now so Casey could heat up but if he had been so dizzy that he–what, passed out here? Fell asleep here?–then it would have been best to take a moment.
It wasn’t like Morgan didn’t know he’d been crying, he was still just trying to determine which lies he wanted to humor.
“I know you’re not slacking off. You’re probably overworking yourself. So come sit down and put on this scarf before you get sick. I brought you some hot chocolate to warm up. I’m on break, I want to spend it with you.”
He wasn’t on break but that didn’t matter; Morgan squeezed in enough work in a day that even his breaks were productive.
And anyway, this was important.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:41 am
Casey hesitated. He wanted to sit down. And the offer of hot chocolate and a scarf was so kind.
“Are you sure?” he asked before he could think about it. He was already wringing his hands anxiously, and he felt silly for asking Morgan if he was sure, like it was a trick question.
Maybe it was.
But… Morgan wasn’t like that. He wouldn’t say something if he didn’t mean it. He hoped.
What if you were wrong all along. It wouldn’t be the first time.
“Um… thank you,” he said quietly, rubbing his face again, just to warm it up or make it look like he was trying to accomplish that. Slowly, Casey lowered himself back down to the spot he’d been sitting in before, but he kept his knees up and arms wrapped around them. As if putting himself into a little ball and hugging his knees would give him safety and comfort. At least until he awkwardly held his hands out for the hot chocolate Morgan had brought for him.
If he was being honest with himself, he was freezing. But it was to the point where he was so cold that it didn’t really feel cold any more. It just hurt. Maybe that was for the best. Not that it did anything to keep him awake.
“This… this doesn’t have caffeine, does it?” he asked after a moment, but he knew it was probably a stupid question. “Oh, I… um, am just trying to avoid caffeine. I haven’t really slept well so I’m thinking of maybe cutting out even the decaf tea Mason makes me at night. It’s supposed to be calming but I don’t know. I guess I’m just going through insomnia or something.”
It was probably Devyn that prompted him to actually talk more than he normally would have these days. He realized he was rambling though, and quickly shut his mouth before he could say anything else.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:42 am
“No caffeine. Just hot chocolate. Warm milk and cocoa powder,” he said, pressing it into Casey’s hands. He draped the scarf around Casey, making sure to wrap it so it covered his ears more than his mouth.
Casey had been so tight lipped, especially in the last few weeks. Morgan had watched him open his mouth to say something, second guess, and then find an excuse to dismiss himself.
“Do you sleep better on the nights you’re with Ariel at the apartment?” he asked, avoiding the topic of Mason’s decaf tea for now. If there was a correlation, he hoped Casey would make it himself.
He hadn’t yet, but Casey was always looking for the good in people. He didn’t want to see anything but the good in them.
Morgan just hoped he’d listen if someone pointed it out.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:43 am
Although Casey was still tense, the topic of Ariel had him relaxing. A small smile even tugged at his lips as he graciously took the hot chocolate to sip.
He thought about Ariel all the time. Morgan too, but Ariel had been there for him when no one else had been. He was always so comfortable and happy around both of them. At least until recently. Now he had to be careful. He didn’t want to upset Mason or make him think he was cheating on him or would rather spend time with other people.
“Yeah, but Mason’s also got the puppy, and she’s such a good girl, but a handful. So a lot of nights I’ll make sure she gets some company while giving Mason time to sleep. I don’t mind! I used to sleep on the floor with Harrison too,” he hummed quietly.
Cautiously, he glanced over at Morgan. “Is Ariel okay? I don’t-- um… I don’t get to see him as often as I’d like. He says he’s okay but. He looks so sad.”
Which was why Casey needed to work on being cheerful, so he could maybe raise Ariel’s spirits.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:44 am
Morgan contemplated his answer briefly and leaned to rest his back against the tree.
“He’s not sleeping well, either. I’m sure he won’t tell you, he doesn’t want you to worry. But there seems to be a lot of that going around. You shouldn’t be sleeping on the floor. I know Harrison was in bed with you as soon as she was potty trained and that puppy’s old enough that I know she ought to be by now, too.”
And with as much time as Casey spent with her and Mason, Morgan was sure that Casey played a strong part in her upbringing.
“The truth is, Ariel misses you. We both do. I get to see you at work but you’ve been pulling away from me too, haven’t you? …So what’s going on?”
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:44 am
Casey tensed. His hands tightened around the cup and he pulled his legs closer to his body, as if that would help him shrink into nothingness.
He missed them. Desperately so. But he couldn’t-- Things couldn’t go back to how they were. He had Mason in his life now. And that gave Ariel and Morgan the chance to be together. Then they’d all be happy.
“I-- I don’t--” he tried. He wanted to say something, anything. It was better than second guessing everything that went through his mind, right?
His cheeks were flushed, with more than just the cold. He felt backed into a corner, but that wasn’t anything new these days. He couldn’t look at Morgan. What if he saw more than Casey wanted to let him see?
“I want you and Ariel to have time together,” he managed to choke out. It was at least partially the truth. He did want them to have time together.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:45 am
“We have time together. It’s not the same without you.”
Morgan spoke patiently, gently. He didn’t say anything untrue. He kept it simple because Casey had this recent habit of hearing things Morgan didn’t say. Or, at least, reacting as if he couldn’t trust what he’d been told.
Unless there was more going on that Casey hadn’t shared with them, Morgan thought he had a good idea of what the problem was.
Or really, who.
“We want you there with us.”
He didn’t point out that Casey’s answer didn’t exactly address the other things he’s said, but Morgan could wait to circle back. He wasn’t going to forget. He’d been carrying these worries in his heart for weeks, months.
A few more moments made no difference.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:46 am
Casey could feel his heart racing. He didn’t understand what Morgan was saying. How could him being there with them be better than them spending time together? Alone? Without him to be in the way of whatever romance they had?
“But--” he tried to start, struggling with his thoughts. He didn’t want to assume things, but there were things he also expected.
“But you really like Ariel. And Ariel really likes you. I thought-- I don’t want to be the stupid kid who ruins your date nights or-- or other things by being around.”
More than anything, he wanted Ariel and Morgan to be happy. They could be happy together. He knew they liked each other. He and Ariel had talked about how handsome and kind and wonderful Morgan was. And Casey had seen the way Morgan looked at Ariel, and how gentle he was with him. Casey felt pretty protective of his friends, but he knew they were both safe with each other.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:46 am
Morgan’s brows raised slightly but he managed to keep the rest of his face still. “You’re not a stupid kid. I’ve never thought of you like that.”
A little younger than them, sure, but stupid? A kid? No.
“You’ve never ruined everything by being around. On the contrary, we like you being around. You make our time better. How could I take Ariel on any sort of date night when we spend the whole evening wondering what you’re getting up to?”
It was surprising to hear that Casey admitted Ariel liked him, because even Ariel hadn’t admitted anything of the sort. It would have been hypocritical for Morgan to say that he’d ever said as much, because he hadn’t, but he had thought he expressed interest well enough.
Ariel and Casey were both a little dense in that regard, but Morgan had never minded. They had their reasons to be. Ariel was so guarded from his last relationship, and Casey had missed the cues and gone off to find his own.
Morgan was waiting, not with the intention of sweeping in and playing homewrecker, but because he wanted Casey to be happy. Ariel wouldn’t be able to focus on himself until he knew Casey was in good hands, and Morgan couldn’t do anything until he knew they were both okay.
Casey wasn’t okay. And Ariel wasn’t okay.
So he wanted to fix things.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:46 am
Nothing made sense. What did he mean by not being able to because they’d wonder about him? How could he spend time with them without getting in the way?
His eyes felt hot, his throat tight. He felt like a stupid kid, even if Morgan had never said something like that. But Casey knew he was. He was young and inexperienced and was forgetful and clumsy and didn’t know anything.
Like now. He felt like he was missing half of the conversation. Or that he just didn’t understand how any of what Morgan said made sense.
“But-- I’ll get in your way!” he blubbered, finally having to drop his head to his knees to hide. He still held onto the hot chocolate, but only because he didn’t want to set it down and spill it.
“You and Ariel are perfect together! I can’t just-- If I was around then how-- Wouldn’t that be awkward for you? I mean-- Wouldn’t that make me the third wheel or something?”
What was he even saying? He had Mason. He was trying to create his own happily ever after, while allowing his friends happiness as well.
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Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 9:47 am
“Some rides are supposed to have three wheels. It’s not for everyone, but that doesn’t make it wrong. You know, when I met you and Ariel, I was so sure you two were a couple. I don’t know if you can imagine my surprise to find out neither of you had confessed to each other. But I could see it pretty easily.”
Morgan didn’t often talk so much, and certainly not about things like romances, but Casey had taken his conversation and maneuvered it down this path, so Morgan went along with it. To see where it was going.
Maybe it would do Casey some good to hear it.
He wouldn’t have said any of it if he thought Casey was happy with his boyfriend but he had a good sense for these things and after this long, Morgan had never met the guy? Never seen a picture? Casey seemed almost afraid to talk about him most of the time. He knew something was wrong.
So if this was easier to break the ice than Morgan just coming out to say it, fine. Casey ought to hear it, anyway.
“I thought you both were cute.” He shrugged, like this was the simplest thing in the world. He didn’t have to think too hard about it, it just made sense. “And needed someone to look after you. I wanted to be the one to do it.”
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