Tumbling Down

Status
Not open for further replies.
Feeling the weight of the tracker latched to his right ankle, Ryan is hit with a tidal wave of sadness for it only reminds him of the crime he has committed. He has been a free man for practically a solid year now. Shouldn't he be proud of that fact? Milly and him sit together for their meals, laugh and talk. Ryan, on occasion, has even thought about hugging her. For an unknown reason, he strangely enough wants her to hug him back. Thinking on it, he remembers the snowy winter months. The heat broke in her house due to a raging blizzard and they had to practically cuddle on the couch to keep warm with the heavy weight of blankets wrapped around them.

Pushing his hair from his face, the twisted dirty blonde locks have been neatly combed. "Well, if you're not in the middle of something then would you mind cutting my hair again?" his fingers find a knot and he quickly tugs at it, feeling the splitting of hairs. His face though, doesn't wince. "I can shave this beard I have growing as to look more presentable and not like a hobo living out on the street." chuckling at his own joke, he hopes Milly will do the same.

"Unless you would like to shave it for me? ... Isn't it you who likes to style hair and perhaps you can pick a very nice length for this curly mess," his hand strokes over the uneven beard, "so that I may look my best for tomorrow." Try as he might, Ryan pushes Milly's reaction down to his gut for he was expecting a different air than the one they're in now. Perhaps asking her to cut his hair is just a means of getting him off the subject completely. Hearing a knock on the door, he lays the shirt across the back of the couch and beats Milly to answering it. He can be heard introducing himself to someone, their voice muffled from the layout of the apartment. "Milly! It's your friend." He calls, trying his best to be polite yet something inside of him wants to lash out and push this newcomer from the threshold.
 
Last edited:
Milly smiles as he asks her to cut his hair, and then the joke about the hobo. For some reason, Milly hasn't thought of him as the kind of person who'd dess up for anything - but thinking about it, it makes perfectly sense that he wants to look his best when going to his new job. She nods thoughtfully as he asks her if she could shave his beard as well. Sure, she could do that, no problem. She stands up and is just about to tell him that she'll go get a scissor, as she hears the knock on the door. She lets Ryan answer it, thinking of who it could be, disturbing the two of them like this. In a way she feels rather annoyed that someone comes uninvited, but as she hears Ryan's voice telling her that it's a friend of hers, she thinks that it'll easily be solved - 'come back later will you, I'm busy'. She pictures herself saying that as she makes her way through the apartment to the hallway where her friend is waiting for her.

As Milly sees who it is, she looks pretty surprised. "Milly! Didn't know you had a husband already", the woman says jokingly, with a bit of a grin on her lips, but Milly doesn't even smile. Why is she even there? "Hi, Debby. What are you... how come you're here?" she asks, deciding not to be too rude - they haven't seen each other for some time, after all. Debby smiles towards her and gives her a hug before taking her shoes off. "Well, don't you remember", she says, taking her jacket off and closing the door behind her, "you invited me over here. It's been decided for months", she says with a smile, and all of sudden, Milly remembers. Damn. Her and Debby had decided that Debby was going to live with her for a few days, and they'd have "lots of fun", as Debby would call it. And honestly, Milly liked Debby, but now wasn't the best time for it. She doubted that Debby would understand that, though.

"Look... this is Ryan", she says, looking at Ryan and then towards Debby again, "and this is Debby", she says and smiles slightly. "I forgot I invited you... Ryan lives with me for now... now is not such a good time", she says, shrugging. She turns towards Ryan. "We haven't seen each other for so long... would it be OK if she... just for the weekend?" Milly says, hoping that it won't cause too much trouble - what could go wrong? "I'm sure you two will get along", she says, glancing at Debby, who's curiously looking at Ryan.
 
Ryan's eyes widen a tad when Debby comments about him and Milly being husband and wife. With a brow ever so slightly raised, he comments quietly before Milly starts to question her, "Husband?" A cheeky smile comes across his face, laughing at the joke and the whole matter in itself. Do a lot of people think that we're a couple? He can't help but wonder, thinking of the neighbors or anyone they run into at the grocery store or whatnot. Have they all been spreading gossip? Placing a relaxed hand on Milly's shoulder, Ryan wants her to know that he is alright with this interruption. "Milly has been very busy. I'm sure she means no offense for forgetting your visit--"

Cutting off there, Milly introduces them and Ryan's hand comes off of her shoulder to shake Debby's hand. "Good to meet you, uh, what a surprise. How do you two know one another?" With a good shake, he moves to pick up her bags for her, "Here, let me get those for you. Milly, where do you want her sleeping?" He notices Debby snake her arm around Milly's shoulders and already make her way into the apartment with whispers upon whispers for only Milly to hear. Curiosity stabs at his side, wanting to know what they're talking about. Following the two ladies, he hears Debby's voice chime over her own shoulder, telling him about them meeting freshman year of college. Ryan concludes that when he has a moment alone with Milly, he can ask what's truly on his mind.
 
Milly relaxes some as she realizes that Ryan doesn't seem to be all freaked out - yet - by Debby. If I only knew she would be coming, Milly thinks, determined to at least try to make the situation as good as possible. It isn't a total disaster yet, she reminds herself, as Ryan and Debby shakes hands. Milly feels Debby's arm around her shoulder, and she can't help but feel like they're making Ryan feel left out. As Debby and her starts to walk out of the hallway, she hears Ryan's words. It gets slightly mixed up by what Debby is saying, but honestly, Milly isn't paying much attention to what Debby is saying. She glances towards Ryan with a somewhat helpless look in her eyes. "Come here, I'll show you", she says, as she walks into a room with Debby. Soon they are in the guest room, and Debby finally lets go of Milly. "Is this OK?" Milly asks, and Debby nods excitingly. "This is great", she says with a smile, and Milly nods slightly. The room is rather small, but at least there's a madras in one of the corners, ready to be put on the floor for someone to sleep at, and a closet, a desk and a lamp. That's about it, and a window.

"I'll leave you go get settled in here", Milly says, leaving Debby alone in the room. Debby waves at her as she starts to unpack her suitcase, and Milly waves back, relieved that Debby didn't force her to listen to whatever gossip there might be out there that she hasn't heard yet. In a way she feels embarrassed about it all, about Ryan seeing this - it's a side of her that Milly doesn't show if it's not among her friends. Ryan is a friend, on the other hand, Milly reminds herself, but not that kind of friend - the one who you can chat with all night long about the latest gossip. Not like Milly is that kind of girl, but once in a while she can feel it as a relief to be able to be girly with some of her friends.

"I'm sorry", Milly says as she sits down on the couch in the livingroom. "I'm sure she'll stay in there for quite some time", she says, glancing at the direction Debby's room is in. Thankfully, the livingroom is pretty far away from Debby's room, which makes Milly feel like she can talk with Ryan without fearing Debby listening to them.
 
Once Deb and Milly start to walk, Ryan lets out a long sigh. There is no way in hell that he is going to stick around and just wait for the worst to happen. It's fear that runs him now, swallowing and glancing around, trying to find an exit. Shaking his head, his eyes find Milly's and he can't help but paste on his cheap smile. Perhaps Milly has known him for too long and can see right through it or perhaps he is lucky and gets away with it this time. Sitting down on the couch, he grunts at Deb, she didn't even say thank you. Well, perhaps it was Ryan's fault for not -wanting- to hear her for Debby's voice, for some reason, already annoys him. It's going to be one hell of a weekend... he thinks to himself.

Ryan, now quite annoyed, tries his best to hide it. Resting his elbow on the top of the couch's back, he takes no time in being quick and to the point. His voice is everything but friendly. His frown brightens up for a moment when Milly sits down but his tone is still sharp. "You -could- have given me warning, you know." but hearing her apologize makes him move closer to her on the couch. Not sure why, he just finds comfort in whispering, untrusting of this new girl's wondering ears. "That was rude of me." comes his apology, shaking his head, as quick as always when he lashes out. "I just..." Ryan admits, shrugging his shoulders, "Thought this weekend we could spend some time together - maybe go boating or something? I'll see if I can still fly on a sailboat." Chuckling, his aura breaks when he realizes that he hasn't been sailing in many, many years. Chewing on his lower lip, he is tentative to ask, "Can we... keep my -record-," He pushes the air before him down, not wanting Debby to hear that he is a convict. "Out of it?"
 
Milly flinches at Ryan's words - "You could have given me a warning, you know" - feeling as if someone had slapped her in the face. She swallows, feeling like sink through the ground. How could she be so stupid, to bring Debby there without a thought of Ryan? He has all the right to blame me, Milly thinks, as she glances at him. She relaxes as he admits that it was rude of him, looking at him, listening to what he has to say. She smiles slightly as he mentions what they could have done if there were just the two of them. Remembering that Debby still is there though, makes Milly feel a bit sad.

Noddingly, Milly lowers her voice as well. "Sure", she says with a bit of a smile on her lips, relieved that it seems like the fight - or, what could have been a start of a fight, at least - is over. She thinks about what to tell Debby, if she asks about the two of them, which she probably will, Milly thinks, sighning on the inside. "I haven't told anyone that we're husband and wife or anything like that... in case you're wondering", she says, wanting to assure Ryan that Debby's comment has nothing to do with her. She doesn't mention the fact that she has told some of her friends about him, though. She thinks of the night they spent out quite some time ago, when things with Ryan were all new, and her friends got to know about Ryan being in prison in the past. Maybe he already knows about them knowing, she thinks, but no, probably not. She bites her lip. "You know... when things were new... I was out with my friends. I told them that you had been in prison before. They were so curious. Thought that you might wanted to know... in case you don't already", she says, seriously feeling like sinking through the ground at this moment.
 
Ryan wants to be angry with her for telling her friends. Did she have that right? In his eyes, she didn't have any such right to tell his personal life to a bunch of screaming women. He assumes, seeing Debby so open and free, that all of her friends are just like that.

"Incase I don't know what?" He asks innocently, clearly not paying attention and frolicking around in his own head as he usually does. "Oh, yes, your friends. And yeah, the marriage thing, hah," he tries to spin it off as if it isn't anything... because it isn't, right? "Well, that's just people's minds making up whatever they see. We're just ... friends, right? People just see a guy and a girl and assume there is some sexual something going on," waving his hand, he swallows, now starting to think of it -more- after he said that. That sharp look in his eyes doesn't fade away though as his eyes truly see her for what he considers beauty. Either way, Debby comes sauntering back into the room and immediately notices how close they are on the couch.

"Ooo," she coos. "Well, if he isn't your husband, are you guys dating or just doing one of those," her hands flop around in the air, disgust clear in her voice, "Friends with benefits things? You know, stuff you see on TV or in that movie. With whats his name," moving over to Milly she playfully slaps her shoulder, "You know who I'm talking about! That actor who you want to get in his pants? Mr. Body," running her own hands down her chest to mimic an old joke between them, ending in a fit of high pitched laughter, "Is that him?" her brow curls, trying to remember if Milly is in love with Justin Timberlake or not. Her eyes move to Ryan, "Well, I can't say you're at a loss with Ryan here. He seems to have a rockin' bod too."

As easily as ordering at a restaurant, she asks, "Will you take off your shirt? Let's see what you have in store." His jaw drops, not knowing how to respond to such a question. Nudging Milly in the side, she places herself there and whispers to Milly if she has 'had a slice of what he has to offer'.
 
Last edited:
Milly nods - yes, of course, just friends. What else would they be? Husband and wife? She can't help but to notice the thoughtful expression Ryan has on his face though - as if he's really thinking about something. She wouldn't say that she'd never thought of that either - the two of them being more than just friends - but she wouldn't say anything. She knew that it probably wouldn't work. In case he didn't have feelings for her? She quickly pushed away those thoughts - they were all just nonsense, just as Ryan said. All of those people just assuming things, without knowing anything at all.

Interuppted by Debby's voice, Milly looks at her, coming back from her thoughts. As Debby slaps her shoulder, Milly feels like screaming at her. Please, why won't you just leave? She listens, wonders, doesn't she understand that she's being annoying? 'We're not enjoying your company here', it seems like Milly is trying to tell Debby just by thinking it, hoping that her thoughts, or maybe the look on her face, will make that clear to her. It doesn't seem to work though, as Debby continues being silly.

What? Milly looks at Debby, just as chocked as Ryan seems to be. What did she just ask? Seriously? She swallows, trying to remain calm as Debby whispers to her. She still can't believe her eyes. Doesn't Debby realize what she's saying - what she's doing? Milly stops herself from starting yelling at Debby. What if Debby really thinks that they are husband and wife? It'd be strange even in that case, to ask such questions, Milly thinks, not being able to understand the way Debby is acting, at all.

"I-I'm sorry", Milly says, not having the slightest clue on how to continue from where they are. She bites her lip and looks at Debby, feeling like punching her right in the face. "Debby", Milly says in a serious tone, "me and Ryan aren't husband and wife, if that's what you thought. We're not even a couple", she says, glancing at Ryan, feeling a bit uncertain about what she's saying. But they aren't a couple, are they? Never kissed, never touched each other in that... loving way. She pushes the thought away and looks at Ryan. "You don't have to take your shirt off", she says, then disappearing into the bathroom to get some time to think. Understand. Maybe to come out as a person who is able to function after what has just happened. Milly still can't believe what Debby has just done, as she locks the bathroom door, leaning against the wall, breathing slowly in and out. Things are already so messed up, she thinks, the anxiety growing in her chest with each breath she takes.
 
Ryan's leg starts to bounce with either worry or annoyance. They should know better to have this kind of talk, girl talk, when he isn't in the room. Are they giving him a sign that he should let them be ladies together? Gossiping over a glass of wine or a good book? Intaking a deep breath, he stands up and starts to make his way towards the kitchen. Perhaps this woman would be more tolerable when I have had something to drink.... he thinks, nodding to himself as he moves back into the room with an open beer bottle in his hand.

Hearing her comment about his rocking body and her wanting to see his, what she thinks might be chiseled, form. "Milly," he starts but she is already heading to the bathroom and he can understand why. Her friend Debby is clearly getting on her nerves and he can tell by the way her eyes literally pop out of her head or her hand curls up into a 'calm down' sort of fist. Prison, unlike most, has taught him to be tough as well as see the little things. Not even taking a sip of the beer, he places it on a coaster and walks over to Debby. She turns to him and runs a hand across his shoulder, mutters that Milly is in the bathroom. Immediately, her body is up against his and he shoves her away with ease.

"Who the -hell- do you think you are?" He states loud enough so that even Milly locked away in the bathroom could hear. "I don't take orders from YOU." Sticking his finger in her direction, she recoils at how forceful his voice is. Digging his eyes right into hers, she collapses on the couch and Ryan keeps speaking, teaching her a lesson. "How can you possibly think that it's -alright- to just saunter in here like you own the fucking joint? Huh?" but before she can answer, he shakes his head and keeps speaking over her muttering apologies, "Milly has invited you here as a guest - that doesn't mean you ... ARE YOU DRUNK?" He finally ends up screaming, his hands circling his head as if he were throwing a soccer ball.

Before she can answer he just storms out and slams the door, screaming back as he does. "Learn to respect people for fuck sake. There are such things as BOUNDARIES." Not caring if Milly follows him or if he comes home to be reprimanded he has a key in his pocket. Right now he just needs to be alone and collect his thoughts. He feels... not like himself as he weaves through the streets.
 
Last edited:
Milly can hear Ryan's words although she's in the bathroom, pretty far away from the living room. At first, she can't really believe it. Is Ryan really telling Debby... whatever he's telling her... giving her a lesson. Milly covers her ears as she hears Ryan screaming, she doesn't want to hear it no more. Is it really Ryan standing out there? She can't imagine what Debby must feel like, maybe she thinks that he's like this all the time? It almost scares Milly a little, seeing - or, hearing - such a different side of what she's used to, of Ryan. If it wasn't because of it only being the three of them in the apartment - her, Ryan and Debby - Milly would think that the guy screaming and being very mad was someone else. She jumps slightly where she has sunk down leaning towards the wall, as she hears the door slamming. And something, something, and... boundaries, definitely too obvious for her to mishear.

After a while, about 10 minutes or so - Milly doesn't know, it's as if time has stopped in the bathroom - she stands up. What happened to Debby, is she still there? She doesn't feel like walking out there, but she knows she has to do something. She imagines Debby being pretty shaky and probably just as scared - of not even more scared - than Milly is. Milly doesn't feel like she owes Debby anything, especially not to be comforted, but she feels like ignoring her would be too cold. Milly just can't see herself do that. And after all, her and Debby are friends.

"Hey, Debby", Milly says, watching Debby, sitting on the couch. She sits down next to her and hugs her gently. Debby's eyes are watery and as far as Milly can tell, she looks frightened. "It's OK", Milly says, stroking Debby's back. She feels as if she's comforting a little child who hid from their angry parent. "...he didn't hurt you, did he?" she asks, looking at Debby with a worried look in her eyes. Debby is staring into space but shakes her head. "He just shouted at me", she said, and Milly nodded slowly. Well, at least Ryan didn't hurt anyone, which is a relief to Milly. "Think about what he said, though", Milly says after some time hugging Debby and telling her that things are OK now. "I think that maybe he has a point. You got me pretty upset there", she says, and Debby nods.

After quite some time, Debby agreed on going out - somewhere, anywhere - and be back in the morning, so that the two of them, Milly and Ryan, could have some time alone. It was actually Debby who suggested it, and Milly thought it was a good idea. Milly sits in the living room with her phone beside her, just in case anyone would call. She's waiting for Ryan. If he's even coming back tonight, Milly thinks.
 
Ryan, or Stephan, spends the rest of the night in one of his blackouts. He is rude to anyone who passes him and even thinks about conversing for he is just playing his part. He is only an actor and that's it. A starving actor who lives on the street. For him, the world is a big black hole laughing at him as society takes him down too. Hating everything, he just goes to the park and stares off at the shimmering blue water of the small lake. Once there, he stays until long after sunset. Meeting a bum on the side of the street, they just talk and Ryan even sits down next to him and they just laugh. They even have some beers together, stealing them from the back of the store. Immediately upon his first sip though, it feels like piss in Ryan's mouth and he immediately spits it out. Quickly coming back to reality, he looks at the rugged man by his side and just screams. What the fuck! Sprinting away, he can't believe nor remember how he ended up there.

Luckily he didn't run into Milly or Debbie on the way home. He quietly opens up the door, not knowing nor caring about what time it is. Seeing the yellow light shining on the wooden floor, he assumes that someone is up waiting for him. What age am I? Waiting up for me to come back... what a bitch. It's most likely Debbie wanting to apologize. Turning the corner, Ryan takes off his jacket and throws it over the arm of the nearest comfortable chair, flopping his aching body down in it. Groaning, he closes his eyes and tries just to calm down for the smell of piss never was so strong. That bum... does he -always- do that when he goes out? Finds random people and just makes a fool of himself? Keeping them shut, he lets Milly speak first.
 
Milly's original plan hadn't been to wait up all night for Ryan to come home, but as time passed by, she had felt that she couldn't just go to bed without knowing anything about what had happened. He could have gotten injured or lost, she had no idea. In a way she had felt silly, as if she was watching a child, sitting up waiting for him, but she couldn't help but to feel worried about him. After all, he had been very upset as he went out the door.

She's about to fall asleep as she hears something in the hallway, and assuming it's Ryan, she walks over there, only to discover that she's right. She can't help but to feel relieved as she walks over to him, leaning towards the wall on the opposite side of where he's sitting. She hasn't thought of what to say really, it's not like she was planning on teaching him a lesson, yelling at him or anything like that. What she knows for sure though, is that she'd need to talk with Ryan before Debby comes back in the morning. She looks at him thoughtfully before opening her mouth.

"I just... couldn't go to bed knowing that... worrying about you", she said, shrugging. She looks at him, looking quite determined although her voice is slightly shaky. "I get that you got very upset with Debby, the way she was acting, but... honestly", she says, hearing the fear in her voice that she's trying to hide, "I was surprised by the way you acted. I didn't expect you to... get so... out of control", she says, looking away, not sure whether to go to bed or to wait for him to say something. "It's just so... unlike you, Ryan. I didn't think you could do something like that... you scared me, and Debby", she says, looking at him, not knowing what to expect.
 
Obviously trying to calm down, he takes in deep breaths, knowing he ran all the way from across town. He couldn't turn back, not even look back as he ran - he just darted as fast and as far as he could until he started to recognize the signs of her neighborhood. Opening his eyes, he looks to Milly and immediately sits up in the chair, feeling her presence before seeing her. "Where's Debby?" Is the first thing he asks, actually standing up from the chair. His legs burn but he doesn't care. Walking right over to where Milly is, he too leans up against the same wall she does. At first, sure he thought he would get a scolding for being out late or screaming but it turns out... he scared them. Slowly he turns from her and leaves his back pressing against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor without another word.

Reflecting on what he had done, the memories play in his mind. The fear on Debby's face that he inflicted. Squeezing his eyes shut, he promised himself never to get that mad. What triggered him to become that man again? Was it Debby's blatant disrespect for Milly's personal space both in questions and physical contact? Perhaps... but why should he care? They're friends and perhaps that's just how their relationship is. Looking back to Milly, his eyes ask so many questions. When he opens his mouth though, his words are completely different.

"Why would you worry about me?" he asks, his head shaking in disbelief. "I know," he holds out his hands, smacking the air in front of him. "I know I overreacted. I don't know what happened, Milly so -don't- expect me to know." the more he talks, the more confused he becomes, his eyes flickering to and from the ground, "I have a temper Milly and I never wanted you to see it but she... she just pushed my buttons and I have no idea why. I lost it and before I knew it I was across town," he starts rocking back and forth just a little, shaking his head. "And I have no idea how I got there or why I was there. I scared you -and- your friend and I feel rotten. Rotten. For what I have done. That's not like me, not like me at all." glancing to Milly, he asks simply, "Will you be reporting this? To... to my officer?" his tone a bit... scared.
 
Milly watches him as he walks towards her, preparing to get hit, although she isn't expecting him to do so. But since he was so strange and angry before he stormed out the door, she didn't feel that she could really trust him, that everything was back to normal, just yet. She looks at him in relief as he sits down. She had just opened her mouth to answer his question, as Ryan holds out his hands, making her remain silent. Listening to what he's telling her, she's trying to make some sort of sense out of everything. Out of something, at least. She looks at him, really trying to understand, but she finds it rather hard, as he doesn't really seems to be sure of anything himself, even. She frowns slightly at his words - doesn't he know what happened, doesn't he remember? It makes Milly feel pretty confused, but she doesn't ask about it, since Ryan is still talking.

She's relieved that he at least understands that what he did might not be the best thing to do, that he didn't get all mad about her and Debby getting scared. She relaxes some - he seems to be his normal self again. As he asks her, looking at her, Milly returns from her thoughts to the present. Will she be reporting this? She hasn't even thought about it. She looks thoughtful as she shrugs slightly. She doesn't know. Should she report it? As she thinks about it, she realizes that she probably should. In case it gets worse sometime - maybe he'll hurt her? Milly doesn't want to think about it, looking at Ryan she can't imagine him hurting her, or anyone, but thinking about what he did to Debby, she doesn't feel too sure about it.

"Maybe that would be the best thing to do", she says, after thinking for some time. She wants to do the right thing. If he does anything like what he did again, she'd probably get the blame for not reporting it in the first place. She doesn't want anyone to get hurt or in trouble - but Ryan will probably get in trouble for this, maybe, she thinks, worrying. She looks at him, sitting down next to him. "If I did report this... what do you think would happen?" she asks, not knowing that much about it, and she thinks that Ryan probably knows more about it than she does. She sighs. "I would like to put this behind me... pretend like it never happened", she says, biting her lip. "That would be wrong, though. If you were to do anything like this again, and I didn't report it this time... it'd be wrong of me not to report this, you know", she says, resting her forehead towards her palms, thinking.
 
"I'm just lucky I have enough self control to have walked out before hurting you or your friend. She just..." trailing off, he just tries to remember what happened and what exactly made him snap. "I don't even remember what she did. Whatever it was, she didn't see me as a person, she just saw me as one of her objects. Milly, her voice, actions... it all just built up inside of me. I noticed you weren't even a fan either." Swallowing, he too places his arms around his head and groans. Nothing could be worse than him losing control. "I have a temperament. I always had and always will." not revealing that's part of the reason he went to jail in the first place, he remembers that night.

Sirens, flashing blue and red lights. Ambulance. Blood... sticky crimson blood. The last thing he remembers is holding up that heavy black gun and aiming it towards him again. The man's dark brown eyes were wide, seeing his killer before him. Ryan was angry, furious actually. Nostrils flaring and his own blood trickling down the side of his face, broken glass from a coffee table crunching at his feet. If the gun were loaded and the bullets not wasted in inflicting fear, Ryan would have shot him again but not in the gut this time. Luckily for him, he would plead that it was second degree manslaughter and he had "no idea" the man would die from his wounds. But he was committing a felony so therefore it was considered murder. At least that would be his case in the courts or so his lawyer told him. "Ryan never meant to kill anyone..." They fought and he was defending himself. He was on the wrong side but still defending himself from death. His foe's ringed had collapsing over the bullet wound, trying to save himself to no avail. Ryan felt a strange sort of peace with his rage, knowing he -could- kill.

Ryan knew that he had won that day, looking down to his left arm, the shards of glass causing him his own numb pain. It's the fear that caused him to flee the scene, leaving a trail of blood and glass shards. Wherever he tried to find help, doors were closed in his face and threats given. No civilian wants to help a guilty man. The police eventually found him, not giving him any say when they shoved him onto the roof of the cop car, leaving a red streak across the hood. Yes, his rights were read aloud to him but he cared for them as much as the pants hanging around his ass. The golden watch falls from his fingers, the glass face shattering underneath the officer's boot.

Ryan can't help but tighten his fingers around his mop of hair, trying to stop himself from remembering. "I won't go back... I won't go back!" He starts to tell Milly, his voice growing louder and louder. Rocketing up from his seat, he quickly stumbles into the kitchen, pushing on the faucet and running his hands through it, his eyes still imagining the blood. "I should have never said yes..." he mutters, splashing his bearded face with water. Collecting himself with the soft fabric of a towel to his face, he calms down. "Milly..." he adds, running his hand through his messy hair. "You should report it, you should. If it means I go back, I go back. If it means I have to take medication... I take the fucking meds." placing the dish towel back on the hanger, he looks to her, "If it means you want me to find another place to say, I will. I just don't want to hurt anyone ever again."
 
Last edited:
Milly listens to what Ryan has to say, and she agrees - yes, he's got a temper, for sure. She doesn't say anything though, she just sits there, listening. "I won't go back... I won't go back!" Milly flinches as she hears his words, coming out of nowhere, it seems. She looks at him in surprise, watching him as he gets up and stumbles into the kitchen. What happened? Milly doesn't know, and she doesn't know if it's the best time to ask, either. Even though she feels like it'd be better to walk out of there, leaving him, she knows that she can't do that. It wouldn't be fair. Even though Milly doesn't feel all that safe, honestly, thinking about what happened earlier, she feels like it would be much worse for her to just leave him. If he wants me to leave, he'll tell me, she thinks, as she stands up as well, staying in the doorway of the kitchen, watching him.

She nods slightly at his words, surprised that he sounds so... responsible. That he really seems to understand what will happen, ready to take the consequences. It's as if she wishes that he'd never said that, and although she knows that he's right, the best thing would be to report it, she really should, she doesn't want it to be true. It'd be much easier not to report it if Ryan didn't want to, she thinks, suddenly not sure of what she wants, either. She realizes how stupid it'd be of her not to report it, as Ryan himself has told her that she should. He's the one getting the consequences, she isn't, she didn't have any control over what happened. So, why does she feel so... resistant?

"I don't want you to leave", she says, quietly, after thinking for some time. She never thought she'd tell him that, but she realizes that it's true. She bites her lip and glances at him. "I don't want to risk it", she says, thinking about reporting it, and how it could end up with him having to stay somewhere else. But, if he's OK with living somewhere else - if she wants to, as he said - then does it matter to him? All of sudden, Milly feels insecure of her own feelings. Maybe his, as well. Does he care whether he stays or go, is this just some passing through for him? She feels stupid for, obviously, getting attached to Ryan. She shakes her head slightly. "I'm sorry. You're right. I should report this. I shouldn't have gotten involved in any of this - in you - from the start", she says, doesn't look at him as she says it. She's about to cry. She swallows before walking out of there, sitting down on the couch in the living room, letting her tears run down her face.
 
Body slouched over the faucet, Ryan glares into his own reflection wrapping around the stainless steel. I will never allow myself to fall that low and be that desperate. I have at least someone who cares about me now. Looking over his shoulder, the small smirk is hidden underneath his beard. No matter how much she actually does. I can at least live for someone now. But the real question is: should she know what I have done? No... it would scare her. She is too fragile to handle that part of me. She has only just been introduced to my anger... I am surprised it took me this long. Ryan would get angry before, there is no doubt about it. But before he could open his mouth or slam his fist into a face, wall, or door, he would just get up and leave. It didn't matter if they were right in the middle of a conversation - he needed to flee.

Shit... I have upset her. Good going, Ryan. is all that comes to mind when he hears her voice start to choke up and strain itself to sound normal. She couldn't fool him, even if he did turn around to grab a glass and drink some tap water. The silky, metallic tasting liquid slips down the back of his throat, lubricating his own words. But by the time he speaks, she is sitting on the couch. Picking up the house phone from its cradle, he makes his way around to her, holding the small orange keyed device in his left hand. "Before I let you make that call," the phone is shifted away from her, to be pressed up against his chest.

"Milly, you're just working yourself up. Calm down. One moment you say you don't want me to leave and the next you're saying that you never should have gotten involved with me." Well, that was before he sees the tears. Seeing streaks of salty water spill down her face, he feels something awaken in his chest. Unsure of what to do or how to respond to his increased heartbeat... it's not anger... strangely enough for him. Blinking too, he immediately kneels down before her as to not intimidate her with his height. "Let's just talk." he starts, looking over at the chair and throwing the phone over there with an underhand toss across his body. "What's troubling you about reporting it? I said, if YOU," he doesn't sound angry, just emphasizing his words, "wanted me to find another place to stay. You can report it any way you like. Tell them you feel threatened and they'll ask YOU if I should be taken out. The meds or therapy are different but they'll make a full investigation - that's what they're good at." frowning for a moment, he tries to not let his hate for the law surface. He is a changed man now.. right?
 
Milly is a little surprised by the way Ryan reacts - in a good way, though. She swallows, not wanting to cry, it just doesn't feel right, but for some reason she can't stop it. In a way it feels good, being able to cry, and with him not getting upset, or angry, for her doing so, obviously. She nods as he says that they should talk. Good. That means no fighting, she thinks, not like before. It's almost as if he's a whole other person, she thinks, as he's talking to her. One could really see that he's trying, she thinks, which makes her feel a bit more relaxed - he's fine now, he cares. It feels strange to her though, the way he changed. How could he be so caring, after being so scary? He snapped, she thinks, reminding herself of that it's a side that he wouldn't like her to see in the first place, even.

Yes, he's right, she nods slightly now and then as he speaks. She can report this any way she likes - she doesn't have to tell them just how frightened she, and especially Debby, got. It wouldn't be a lie of she, as Ryan said, says that she feels threatened. Because in a way, she realizes, she does feel threatened. Not by the Ryan talking to her now, but the one who snapped and ran out the door earlier. She thinks about Debby for a moment. Will they ask her? Will they ask her what happened, what she felt like? Milly is pretty sure that Debby wouldn't hesitate in telling them about just how crazy Ryan was, how he was such a freak... she looks down in her lap, hoping that she hasn't already told someone. It doesn't really matter though, she thinks, knowing that she's the one who decided whether she wants Ryan to stay with her or not. Unless they think he's to dangerous, she thinks, all of sudden feeling worried.

"You're right", she says, smiling slightly as she looks at him. "I'll report it, just saying that..." she says, thinking about it for a moment. "...that I felt threatened", she says, nodding slightly. "You're so... so different. It's almost as if it isn't really you", she says, shrugging. "But I guess it's you, anyways... even though you're different now... it's still you, doing that... you know", she says, trying to make some sense out of her confused thoughts. She wipes her tears away with her hand. "Does it matter to you?" she says, quietly, as if she's scared of uttering those words. "Whether you stay or go, I mean", she says.
 
The thoughts of finding his own place to stay sobers his increasing anger. The more Milly focuses on him, the more he wishes to fade away into the background. The spotlight was never a place he wished to be. "We all have our secrets, Milly." Shutting his eyes, the cool air sucking down into his lungs helps him concentrate on the matter at hand. He shouldn't think of the man he had been, the jailbird. "Mine is my anger." Oh if only I could reveal everything to you... perhaps then you would understand. Ryan can't help but think, the small smile twisting his lips up. His eyes, though, stay steady.

"Anger consumes people and makes them preform in ways they never thought possible." knowing his words might be scaring her, "I can't promise you that I haven't hurt anyone while angry but what I can promise is that I care enough about you to control myself. You have my word. I'll never strike you." Standing up, he starts to pace quietly around the coffee table. "Of course it matters if I stay or go." seeming a little offended she would ask such a question. "Do you really think that I would just feel nothing? Milly, we have become friends. I am glad we have because your--"

Ryan frowns, knowing she is perhaps the only other human being that actually gives a shit about him. Now they're together in the living room and he knows that he has to make this right - Milly having that power over him. "Um, and I cherish all that you have done for me," tentatively walking over to the chair, he picks up the phone and hands it to Milly. His fate is in her hands. "You're making the right decision by calling them." he tries to assure her that he doesn't care when he honestly hopes that she will not admit to it scaring her. Ryan feels the sturdy back of the couch cushion his spine. If she makes the call, he becomes antsy and leaves the room once the other line, Sophie, answers.
 
Last edited:
After making that call, Milly puts the phone down in relief. That went well, she thinks, glancing out the window. Her and Sophie had decided that at least Ryan wouldn't have to leave. He'd be staying with Milly just as before, but the difference though, would be medication. The thought of Ryan - or anyone - taking pills makes her slightly nervous, as she immediately thinks of a drug addict. She doesn't like the idea of pills at all, making it change people, although it's for the better. She really hopes that it'll help Ryan so that he doesn't get as angry or loses control.

~

Ryan takes Debby out as an apology to what happened, and at first, Debby feels more nervous and scared at the thought of her spending time with Ryan alone, rather than being happy that he has decided to do something for her to show her that he's sorry. As the evening progresses though, the two of them having a nice dinner out, Debby starts to relax, realizing that maybe Ryan isn't as crazy as he seemed at first. She can't help but to enjoy their time together, getting to know each other, and is relieved about it. She wouldn't want Milly to live with some crazy psycho, and at the end of the night, Debby is pretty sure that Ryan isn't a crazy pshyco, but that there's more than that in him.

~

About a month after Milly made that call to Sophie, Ryan has finally starting at his job. Milly smiles at the thought of it, hoping that he enjoys it. She doesn't want to think about Ryan taking pills, but the constant reminder, the bottle in the bathroom everytime she brushes her teeth, reminds her of it. She doesn't really keep an eye on that, expecting Ryan to do it on his own, since he's actually a grown up man. Since Ryan is so different though, than what he was like when he snapped, she can't help but to wonder sometimes, if maybe it was just a once in a lifetime thing, something that won't happen again. She just can't imagine Ryan doing that, and sometimes she wonders if she remembers it right. The thought has come to her, if maybe those pills aren't necessary, but then again, she wants him there with her.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back