03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 8, 2023 6:31:26 GMT
Ferris knew immediately he had said the wrong the thing. Not that he didn't say the wrong thing other times but damn did his lack of emotions make it so much harder to just talk. He sighed. "What's wrong with a dog?" He asked before he properly thought to wonder if it was weird to be part canine and also own one. He felt so stupid and potentially insensitive.
"So far that game plan includes over a month of nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness, insomnia and oh, yeah, erectile dysfunction. I'll take that, please," he grumbled the list to himself, clearly learned from personal experience.
Ferris did get up them, nearly tripping over the coffee table. "No, you're not. I just meant, I didn't think we would talk about...this." Ferris felt unable to explain, which was why he approached her at the counter this time. "I want you to stay," he said firmly. "You can play more twenty questions if you want to. Or..." he trailed his fingers over her shoulder softy. "Or I tell you how awesome you are for listening to me," he said, gently pressing his hand to her cheek.
She chuckled a little. “Nothing, I’d love to adopt a dog personally. I just don’t spend much time at home and I don’t know if winter time is the best for trying to train a puppy while I’m working.” Darcy admitted with a half smile. She hadn’t owned a dog in several years, and she did miss the companionship. Plus, dogs just were easier than people to her. Probably because of her werewolf side.
She quirked a brow as he listed the side effects and she nodded, now understanding what he meant. “I mean, selfishly I’ll take you with all the issues if it means you’re here.”
Darcy wasn’t sure what she expected, but it wasn’t him practically tripping to make his way to where she stood. She couldn’t even try to hide the slightly confused expression. Wait, so he didn’t want her to leave? Dark eyes watched him carefully as he spoke and brushed her shoulder. But he didn’t stop there, he told her she was awesome for listening to him, and his hand was on her cheek.
Her breath caught in her chest and cheeks near immediately turned a deep rosy color. “I- Well, I’ll stay then.” she managed out, trying to calm her cheeks down. But it wasn’t happening. “And I like listening to you, so you don’t have to tell me I’m awesome.” She managed out, shuffling only slightly awkwardly between her feet for a minute.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 8, 2023 12:42:42 GMT
The notion of not spending enough time a home for a dog resonated. While after 5 years the apartment looked lived in, Ferris didn't feel it was his sometimes. He spent more than every other day away and on a good day, even his days off. As much as he missed having a dog, one did not mesh well with his life. But he knew that wasn't true. He could get permission to bring one to work. And with the right training, could probably take them almost anywhere else, even the equestrian center. Ferris always felt more motivated to not just take care of an animal but himself when he had that responsibility.
Sometimes, Darcy said the things he was terrified to put into words. Even if he knew she was right is still felt like a slap to the face. No, that wasn't true, simply being slapped could not possibly communicate the depth of emotion and demamd she had. Certainly the only other person who had told him so bluntly that they wanted him alive was his sister. He missed her a lot. Ferris stared at Darcy a moment and then reached up to rub his cheek. "You have a mean forehand. Ow," He said, struggling to communicate the joke with his tone, but he did manage to laugh a little. "You remind me of my sister," he added. He'd have to weigh the pros and cons for himself further. But at least there was the counterbalance of having someone else around.
"Good," he said, the relief evident more in the relaxing of his shoulders and the release of breath he had been holding. "I know I don't have to. We don't have to say anything but we do because we care, right?" That's how they were here. She didn't have to ask and he didn't have to answer. Ferris backed up and folded his arms loosely, noticing her shifting weight. "Oh dear. I believe I made Darcy Vance uncomfortable," he said, trying to make light of the moment for her sake.
Ferris heaved a sigh, glancing about the kitchen. Without the pressing questions and food, his body recalled the other crazing he had had at the door. "Fuck," he said softly, checking first the cluttered dining table and then one of the kitchen drawers. No luck.
Part of her wanted to recommend he get a dog, but she didn’t know his stance on a pet. But she knew animals were good for comfort, and dogs would be trained in more than just obedience and tricks. She was going to say it, even if only for her own enjoyment. “I’ve got the perfect solution, you should get a dog. That way you’ve got a companion that can be trained to aid you in work and help with your depression… and I can be a dog aunt who spoils it like crazy.” She offered with a playful wink, she was only joking, but it was an entertaining idea.
Darcy couldn’t help but grin a little at his joke, rolling her eyes as she did. But she wasn’t quite sure how to take his next admission. Reminded him of his sister? She didn’t have many friends due to pack politics and her general busy life. So, she rarely had anyone relate her to a friend, let alone a family member. And while she knew it was a good thing, to avoid further blushing and embarrassment on her part; she made the inappropriate joke. “So, I’m going to hope that doesn’t apply to when I’m naked too. Because that would be awkward… I’m not calling you ‘Bro’ in bed.” She teased with a laugh, shaking her head and sending her curls bouncing.
Darcy could both see and hear the relief he had at her saying she’d stay, and it made her feel good. Knowing that he found her presence comforting, it meant a lot to her. “I mean… yes. You’re right… and it’s nice to hear it too.” She admitted feeling a little of the embarrassment she felt over his words melt away as he stepped back.
“Oh, zip-it. At lease I didn’t almost trip over the coffee table.” Darcy teased, even rolling her eyes a little, though smiling. She watched as he seemed to be looking for something and she raised a brow. “Whatcha looking for?”
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 8, 2023 19:43:27 GMT
Ferris shook his head. He had a feel Darcy had seen his pawprint tattoo. Enough to know either he had had a dog or liked canines. "I'm not home anymore than you are," he pointed out. But he couldn't deny he had thought about it. Just not very far through because he got stuck on the past or the money or the time to train them himself. A cat fit his lifestyle better, but he didn't much like cats.
He was trying to have a heartfelt moment only for Darcy to bring up being naked and his sister in the same sentence. Ferris blinked and then made a gagging noise. "Fuck no, why would you say that?" He half begged, shoving unwanted images of his sister out of his head. He shivered and closed his eyes, rubbing his hands over his face. "Never call me that in bed," he moaned the confirmation through his hands. So much for wanting to show Darcy how much he appreciated her.
Ferris only shrugged, smile a little less forced. His knee did hurt a little, but he wasn't going to admit it.
He paused rifling through the drawer and closed it. "I forgot to get cigarettes. Don't think I have any more. Maybe in my truck," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets so he didn't tap them on the counter or his arms. Which left him toying with his keys that were still in his pocket. "Uh, you wanna go on a walk?" The pharmacy wasn't too far away, but this time he definitely needed a coat.
“Okay, fair point. But I still think it’s worth considering down the road.” She smiled softly, the idea of Ferris dealing with a puppy definitely seemed like a good idea, especially as a way to help combat his depression. Maybe she could eventually get him to cave and get a dog. It couldn’t hurt to keep trying.
“Because I’m a terrible person and it’s fun to torture you.” Darcy teased, then raised a brow. “Okay, I will avoid that, I’d hate to ruin the mood.” She couldn’t help but wonder why she was this way. Making ill timed jokes to help her feel less… well, just less. Ferris made her feel a lot of different things; some exciting, some terrifying to her. And a lot of things she just didn’t know how to handle because it was new and unfamiliar to her. Deflecting with inappropriate jokes was her default response instead.
“Sure, I could use a nice brisk walk.” Honestly, Darcy was very aware of the fact that Ferris could ask her if she wanted to do just about anything, and her response would be ‘yes’.
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 8, 2023 21:17:24 GMT
He got the feeling she would bring up getting a service dog again. Sure, she hadn't called it that, but he knew that was what she was going for. Or at least a trained therapy dog or licensed support animal. Not just a house pet, but a constant companion sort of deal. That was a lot more involved. But it also announced his problem to the world at large and Ferris wasn't really comfortable with that. That was the other thing that taking so much time off implied. He didn't want anyone thinking him unfit or taking pity on him or asking questions that weren't their business. He already had too much of that at work.
Ferris pulled his hands down enough over his face so he could direct an unamused stare at Darcy through his fingers. He didn't need her to torture him. He did that enough himself. Cisco did that for her. All this crazy supernatural stuff did that for her. The world did that enough for her too. He sighed and rubbed his eyes before finally pulling his hands away. "This, exactly, is why I smoke," he said. Which wasn't true. At this point, he smoked because he needed the nicotine and he simply told himself doing so made him less anxious.
He was glad for the quick company, checking for his keys, wallet and phone, the first two in his pockets and the third on the dining table. Ferris threw on a jacket off the back of the couch and shoved his phone in the pocket as he moved to the door. He opened it and decided maybe he should wear a thicker jacket. But then he was also sure if he didn't leave now, he would never leave and he would spend all night complaining. He waited for Darcy to put her shoes back on. "Since you stopped asking me questions...doesn't cigarette smoke bother you? More than normal people?" Ferris didn't mean that to sound so terribly phrased, but his door was open, and he wasn't motivated to rephrase it, but he was curious. He'd noticed back on their hike that she almost seemed to enjoy the odor.
Darcy chuckled as his unamused look at her, doing her best to give off an innocent smile. “Hey, I’m pretty sure the smoking happened long before you met me.” She teased, shaking her head as she watched him check his pockets and stepped back to the couch where she’d left her shoes.
With ease she slid the boots back on and adjusted her sweater, then followed his lead toward the door. Darcy gave a slight shrug. “I know I don’t have the best relationship with my born family, but my grandfather smokes like a freight train. So I grew up around it, and while I never really picked it up personally, sometimes it’s just a comforting scent. Makes me nostalgic for a time before my world got so crazy.” She admitted softly, feeling a little melancholy. He was refusing to speak to her right now, having overheard part of her conversation with her grandmother he was sure she was lying to them about why she was curious about werewolves imprinting.
He was the one always pushing her to ‘find someone’, but it was all about who he thought the ‘right’ someone was. Darcy crossed her arms to trap some of the heat in her chest, looking back to Ferris. “Lead the way?”
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 8, 2023 23:59:58 GMT
Ferris didn't honestly remember when he had started smoking. He was pretty sure he had tried for the first time when he was fifteen. But between Garrett and high school sports, he had been occupied. In the military he had on and off, but after getting out, he had gone a bit off the deep end. There had been a time he needed four or five cigarettes to get through the day and smoked even more. Now, he managed with two, sometimes one. On a good day, at least.
"Nostalgic. That's a first," he mused. It was still a little confusing to him, but smells had a powerful way of accessing memories. Maybe as a werewolf, her sensitivity was less about the scent being 'too strong' and more about her associations with it. "Understandable with how good your sense of smell is." Ferris also found it weirdly endearing that she found comfort in the smell of something he did that was so...terrible for him. There was something else there in how Darcy spoke.
He locked his apartment behind them and then lead the way down the steps and through the lot. It was dark out already, even if it was only seven. But he had made this walk plenty of times in the last five years and could do it in the dark just fine. Not that there weren't plenty of streetlamps. He hesitated at his truck, but even if he had a pack in there still, he needed more. Instead, he pulled up the collar of his jacket against the cold and shoved his hands in his pockets. He glanced over at Darcy as they walked, trying to figure out the best way to ask his question. "What's the deal with your grandparents?"
“What can I say, I’m an odd one.” Darcy said with a casual shrug. She knew the smell of cigarette smoke wasn’t generally one people found comforting, so she knew how odd it sounded. But it was just one of those weird things. She had never really put much thought into it before now.
“I like to think so… I do enjoy that little gift a lot.” She smiled, taking a slow breath in through her nose and enjoying quite a variety of scents in the evening air. But mostly hyper focused on Ferris’ familiar scent. What was it about him that made his scent so alluring to her?
Darcy was following his lead, and almost raised a brow as he paused near the truck. But he continued on, so she kept pace, walking beside him. His sudden question caught her a little off guard. “Ooh, are you sure that’s what you wanna talk about right now?” She half shrugged and exhaled slowly. “They’re not sure how to let go. I’m all they have left, and they aren’t really happy with how I’m choosing to live… they hate that I left the pack, they hate that I’m an Alpha, they’ve got a lot of very old fashioned opinions.”
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 9, 2023 1:14:50 GMT
Maybe that was why she liked him so much. Or well, at least part of it. Ferris had never thought someone would find that particular bad habit of his so...attractive was the wrong word exactly. But Darcy liked it better than anyone else he knew. Even Murphy had not been a fan which was why he had mostly managed to quit. Almost. Not that it mattered anymore. Even going cold turkey had been far too difficult, especially as he avoided any support system.
"Only if you want to," he added, glancing over at her as she warned against this conversation topic. He was curious, but not going to press her too hard. But he was glad she answered, even if it was vague. Clearly, they didn't make much effort to get along with her or they would show more interest in the life Darcy had built for herself here as opposed to with them. Most grandparents could be that way, but it was sad that they weren't more support of her. Hearing they were from the pack that tried to control her so much though, he wasn't surprised she had left. "These your mother's parents? I'm sure they care about you. In that controlling way old folks have about them."
Ferris raised an eyebrow at her at the term 'Alpha,' silent for a moment as he processed that probably that meant she was the leader. Of one of the packs anyway. A few things clicked about how she had spoken of her pack before. Not just her pack, but her pack. She hadn't said that before and he wondered if perhaps it was intentional that she hadn't shared as much. Or maybe it just wasn't important?
It wasn’t so much that she minded touching on this topic, it just wasn’t all that fun or a conversation topic. She never had to deal with the overbearing parents growing up, but her grandparents were almost worse, at least she assumed that was the case. She knew they loved her, but they definitely kept their distance to a degree.
“Yeah, my other grandparents died before I was born. They’re the only family I’ve known, aside from my great grandfather.” She shared freely with him, kicking a rock out of her path on the sidewalk.
“I know they think what they want is best, but it’s just not for me. My grandfather is very pushy about the topic of me ‘settling down’. He thinks I need to step down and start carrying on the bloodline. And I’m just not there yet. I don’t think I should be rushed into things that serious just because he’s worried about his bloodline… sometimes, I feel like he only cares about me because of my lineage and ability to have children, not because I’m his granddaughter. ” It was the first time she’d said it out loud, and she almost felt guilty for admitting it.
last edited Dec 9, 2023 4:26:50 GMT by Darcy Vance
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 9, 2023 2:24:27 GMT
"I've never met any of my great-grandparents," he noted. It didn't occur to him to wonder that might be because werewolves aged differently. Not that that was entirely uncommon either way, not to mention he had only ever met one of his grandparents. His family history wasn't exactly great, socially or medically, but having cut ties with them so much, he hardly considered himself related to some of them.
Some of her words he could relate to. The family pressure. The 'parents know best' vibes. The push for family that for him had been more of a 'why can't you be more like your younger sister?' Thank God Mara had had three kids and helped remove some of the pressure for him to carry on the family from his mother's perspective. But his father had a thing about family names and heritage, to the point where Ferris contemplated changing his name just to fuck with the man. Or, if he ever did have kids, having them use their mother's last name. What he couldn't relate to was the whole 'having children' thing. "Sounds a bit like my family," he said, trying to let her know he understood without derailing her thoughts. "That's not his fucking choice to make, now is it?" He snorted in annoyed agreement. "Starting a family is a personal thing. You're ready when you're ready, not when someone tells you to be." Which he believed for everyone.
He was quiet a moment and then decided maybe he should move the topic away from her grandparents. "Speaking of, do you ever want to? Settle down and have a bunch of puppies running all over?" He grinned stupidly at his own joke.
Darcy realized it probably wasn’t too common for people to meet their great grandparents and still have them alive by the time they were her age. “He’s not too bad. Just VERY old fashioned. I try to keep that in mind if I ever go to visit him, but I haven’t done that in years.”
“Oh?” She looked at him with a quirked brow. Oddly, she found that a little comforting. Knowing some of her family drama was ‘normal’. “If I was still in that pack, it would have been his choice to make. That’s why he was so angry with me for leaving… I embarrassed and shamed his good name.” She laughed a little, but it wasn’t her usual happy tone. It was stiff and empty. Darcy dropped her arms to her sides, running a hand through her curls with a shrug.
“Which is why I left, when I got old enough to be ‘bred’, because that should be my choice. Not his. I know what happened from my mom’s experience, I didn’t want to be a part of that…” She trailed off, a distant look in her eyes for a moment. It was more than just that. He already had made arrangements without telling her, and she just so happened to overhear a conversation between her grandmother and another pack member. Her grandfather had given her to a man she had once trusted, but cut ties with because he got married to another pack member. They made plans behind her back to make her out to be some pawn in their game of pack politics. So she ran. It wasn’t until she met her new pack that she found sanctuary and safety once again.
Ferris’ voice brought her back to the present, and she smiled softly. “I think I would like that someday… find the person my wolf imprints on, make a life that I’m not running from. And yes, maybe even a litter of pups too. ” She rolled her eyes, but teased right back, gently bumping his arm with her shoulder as she walked. “What about you? Does Chief Felwinter ever think about getting the title of ‘Daddy’?”
last edited Dec 9, 2023 2:58:45 GMT by Darcy Vance
Post by Ferris Felwinter on Dec 9, 2023 5:35:10 GMT
Ferris only shrugged at her curiosity. He didn't particularly want to talk about his family, but it was also just polite to let her get everything out. He'd learned after the first time she came over to his apartment that when Darcy really got on a topic, she talked a lot. He preferred to let her. Though this time, the more she spoke, the more uncomfortable and pissed off he got for her. Especially with the term 'breeding.' Even more than her dad arranging for her and her mother to die. The way her 'family' just used people, her specifically. It at least made a dent in his overall empty mood.
"Fucker," he grumbled firmly. There really wasn't anything else he felt needed to be said.
Perhaps bringing up the hypothetical question of starting a family with a friend was one thing. Bringing up the hypothetical question of starting a family with someone you were having sex with was another. But he was curious about Darcy's view on family and what she wanted for herself, especially after going through all of that. He smiled slightly, glad to know she wanted one of her own. She'd make a great mother one day. Though...admittedly some of what she said didn't make much sense to him.
"'Your wolf what's?" He asked, confused at even the word that was used. He had one of those moments where he wasn't expecting a word so hearing it simply made no sense. He did at least appreciate that she liked his joke. At least, he thought that she thought it was a joke.
It was weird hearing her use his title, even with the playful shoulder check. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable being reminded of his position or anything, but it made the question almost formal sounding. Until she suggested he be called Daddy. Cheeks that were already tinted pink from the cold turned red and he felt his heart flutter in his chest as for a moment, all he could think about was Darcy beneath him on his couch, fingers in her hair, touching herself and begging for Daddy. He grunted and pulled his hands out of his pockets to hold his hands over his chest, because he knew she would noticed and there was nothing he could do about it. Fuck.
"Uh," he cleared his throat, directing his gaze forward as they rounded the corner and the pharmacy came into view. He focused on it and on the actual question she had asked. "He does. Did." Why was he talking about himself in third person? "I always thought I would be a father by now, yes."