CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Aug 10, 2022 18:40:07 GMT
The man hadn’t thought it would be a problem. Thought being the operative word. Cory had blinked as he’d smiled, startled out of staring at the vicious trident shaped scar that puckered the now moving thin lips. It hadn’t gone unnoticed. The man, Augustus’ friend, laughed, only making it worse as his cheek twitched, pulling at his thin lips like a marionette’s strings.
His bony hand rose, not looking all that different to the way he’d expected Death’s would before he’d met the man, and clapped him heavily on the shoulder. ”You will see,” he promised, ”it will be as easy as I have promised.” The tone was almost fatherly, but Cory had heard enough of the real thing now from Theo to know what that really sounded like. This guy wasn’t all warm and fuzzy on the inside. You didn’t get scars like that from being a good guy.
Cory pressed his lips together, nodding mutely. His own movements were jerky, the anxiety that was building from Augustus’ absolute silence turning him into a walking, talking - well it would’ve been stuttering if he’d actually trusted himself to agree - version of that crevassed cheek.
”Excellent. You will hear from me again when you’ve done as was agreed. Give Augustus my best.” The dark little eyes narrowed, like he could see right through his skull and into the tiny spot in his brain where Augustus seemed to retreat to when he didn’t his hands on the wheel. Oh he knew Augustus was there, maybe he could feel it, there was that odd sense that the man was definitely more than he seemed.
Flinching away from another swat of that cadaverous hand, Cory stepped back. He gave the man an awkward wave and then turned away before he melted back into the shadows the same way he’d seemed to arrive to their meeting out of them.
It was a good three blocks, checking over his shoulder the whole way, before he found his voice. What had happened with Leah and the baby hadn’t exactly given the cowardly lion all of his courage yet, but there was something inside of him that had definitely hardened, like an emotional baseball bat he could hold onto and swing. No more pushover Cory, no more being manipulated by the people he thought he could trust - Augustus had never fallen under that category. He’d known from the minute he’d stepped out of Heaven that he couldn’t trust the reaper any further than he could trust himself. ”Why’s it always gotta be like that?” There was no answer and he hadn’t been expecting one.
Hunching his shoulders, trying not to draw attention to himself as he emerged from one quiet side street and went to cross the corner of the square to one on the other side, Cory sighed. Meeting Death had shaken Augustus, but not enough for the rogue reaper to go entirely straight. ”Maybe you should’ve hooked up with Leah. She would’ve loved talking you into things.” Not that it would’ve taken much to do that, as long as there was something in it for Augustus.
What today’s price was, he really didn’t want to know. The fact that he was going to meet a ghost to try and sweet talk it into giving up the secrets they’d gone to the grave not telling, in exchange for being brought back to life, and into the fold so to speak, meant it was going to be a big one that Death himself would more than likely gnash his teeth over.
Why did he keep letting himself get suckered in?
Fifteen minutes later, as he was flung back out the doorway of the makeshift storage unit, Cory started to doubt it was just because he had a good heart. His ass ached, so did his elbows from catching himself on the sidewalk before he cracked his head open. Palms stinging, he scrambled back further and threw both hands up in the air. ”He would’ve come to talk to you himself b-b-but he knew I was the one who could …” Lie about bringing the guy back.
There was a flicker in the air, almost like the spirit was being hit by a strobe light, instead of a wash of sun that left him hazier around the edges than he had been inside. ”He thought he’d send a lapdog along and I’d just hand it all over? Wasn’t stealing my wife enough?” Another flash, a growl that felt like it vibrated beneath his ribs and the thing was standing right over him.
Cory tried to scramble further away but it was already reaching down, spectral fingers an inch from his chest, plunging down like they’d reach right past him. ”I’ll t-tell him … don’t!” His heels kicked at the sidewalk, the wide open sidewalk where anybody who ventured off the square would see.
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FREYJA DAMASCA
Psychic
Posts: 184
Age:
28
Occupation:
Analyst at The Mystic Falls Courier
Status:
Married
Partner:
Theo Damasca
Played by:
Julia
“But it’s hard, when you’re hurt, to let somebody wreck you again.”
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:29:01 GMT
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Post by FREYJA DAMASCA on Sept 16, 2022 20:57:08 GMT
 ━ they set me on fire, and i did a lot of burning ━
Freyja sent Theo a text, warning him of his non-negotiable evening task. Her knee was killing her with all this extra weight, so much so that Freyja had resigned to wearing a compression sleeve on it━though most of the time she liked to pretend it didn’t bother her.
Bethany sauntered over for their post-lunch snack, which was a fifteen-minute window around three p.m. where they chatted and pretended their boss didn’t have eyes. Bethany usually had a healthy snack, whereas Freyja ate whatever her heart desired, and always leaned back to rest the container on her belly to make their office admin laugh. It was just easier that way, but Freyja was always left beaming when Bethany erupted in giggles.
Sometime after five p.m., Freyja finally packed up her desk for the day. Bethany rushed over to demand she carry Freyja’s purse (as per usual). And Freyja (as per usual), eventually agreed to let Bethany carry it to their cars. In the parking garage, they waved goodbye, and Freyja sent Theo another text to let him know she was on her way home. There were a few safety practices they hadn’t kicked, though the unimaginable fear from those early days wasn’t so bad anymore. Freyja found herself giving into moments of paranoia but, thankfully, that was about it. Sixteen years was a long time, and they’d managed a ton of healing during it.
Freyja started the engine, rolled down her window and peeled out of the lot, eager to get home to her family (and to where the food was). She leaned sideways as she drove, one hand dipping into her purse to fumble around for a granola bar. When she couldn’t find one after a moment, Freyja grumbled and turned her attention for only a second. In that second, she heard shouting from a familiar voice, and quickly lifted her head to find Cory sprawled out on the sidewalk with a spectre hanging over him.
Freyja slammed the breaks, ignoring the way the vehicle clunked and spat back at her, obviously activating the ABS. She’d worry about the damage later━this was like seeing a family member in trouble, an extension of herself, and nothing mattered more than helping him. Jumping out of the car as fast as her body would take her, Freyja curled an arm around the base of her belly and waddled over, shouting, “Hey! You leave him alone!” She didn’t care that they were in public, or even that nobody could see the ghost but her and Cory. This was worse than the boy who needed her help in the hospital━this particular spirit was violent, and Cory was almost another child in Freyja’s eyes. It didn’t matter that he was older than her or even that they’d met through his service to her family; he was an honorary Damasca now.
Lifting her hand, she sent a burst of flames from her palm, shooting toward the ghost in a thin, tube-like shape. She knew it wouldn’t hurt him or make him disappear, but she hoped it’d distract the spirit from his target. “Don’t touch him.” Freyja snapped, curling her fingers into her palm to halt the fire as she approached. The spectre shifted straight━he would’ve been standing if he could touch the ground━and Freyja stepped over Cory, one leg over each of his own to act as a human shield. “You’re done here. Threatenin’ an innocent man… and for what? I know for a fact he ain’t been nothin’ but nice to ya, so you better start movin’ back, ghost boy. Shoo.” She hissed the end like she was herding cattle, using the arm that wasn’t curled around her belly to motion for him to leave.
CORY COLLIER | mama to the rescueeeee! |
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CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Oct 7, 2022 16:26:47 GMT
He’d been too stunned to argue when they had turned up to fetch him. Dragged out of the water and onto the road after they’d freed him from his seat, his body was being pummelled by paramedics - saving lives on TV never seemed half as brutal as it did when it was your body jumping from the electricity being shocked into it - when they came. Cory couldn’t remember much of what had been said in that brief conversation with the woman who’d come to scoop him up, wasn’t even sure now if he’d have been able to do anything other than croak his agreement and go with her (the chance that he’d have hurt Dani if he’d refused had taken all the fight out of him).
Most of the souls he’d dealt with since he’d had the tables flipped on him had been just the same. Practically catatonic with the shock, fully prepared to take the hand of the only person seeming to make sense out of it all and go wherever they were destined to. Some came around when they got to … Hell … but most didn’t fight even that. They knew, they accepted. The tougher ones? Those were few and far between, the majority left for Augustus to mop up - a task the rogue reaper strangely seemed to relish. Except for now.
This was all his deal, his decision, but where was he now? Cory sprawled on the sidewalk, ungainly limbs scrambling to try and get him out of range of something he knew couldn’t hurt him (where the hell was the confidence in that when he really needed it?), remembering the way the scarred man had laughed. He’d lied his ass off when he’d called the job easy - poor naive Cory taken in again. Poor naive Cory paying the price. The spirit sure as hell didn’t want to pay his and right now, he was in the position where he could categorically say no fucking way.
Seeing how he might’ve ended up, feeling it in his chest as he tried to suck himself in far enough that the thing couldn’t touch him, Cory was glad for just that split second that he’d gone with the reaper that day. This might’ve been terrifying, but at least he wasn’t that. ”Please … pleasepleaseplease …” The words slipped out of his mouth in one long, messy burst, his eyes squeezing so tight shut that he didn’t see the woman barrel in, her bump parting the air like the prow of the Titanic.
Cory’s eyes shot open, taking in the bulk above him. It was like the shadow of the Death Star moving across space, something that had always awed him as a kid, only Freyja’s bump was something to be protected rather than blown up. Over the months - years - he’d known the family, he’d gleaned tiny details about what had happened in the run up to Theo’s death and those terrible months after when he’d been left on the other side. ”D-don’t,” he stuttered, dragging himself back from that terrifying no man’s land on the sidewalk. ”He’s angry, Freyja, be c-careful.” There was no way he could let anything to happen to her while he was laying there, shivering, feeling the sting of grazes on the palms of his hands.
The spirit seemed like he’d test the defences thrown up by the petite blonde, stalking forward, his flickering face twisting in rage. One hand extended and Cory could’ve sworn he felt that pressure in his chest again, squeezing until he let out a choked sound. He threw out a hand like he could stop him, but Freyja was already doing the same. What looked to be a ribbon of flame shot out of her hand, ”Jesus.” Awe threaded through his voice. He’d heard Theo call his wife a warrior princess before - usually when Freyja couldn’t hear him - but this was the first time he’d seen it for himself and it was … incredible.
Freyja stepped over him again, leaving him back in the shadow of her bulk. His mouth hung open, she was telling the spirit off again like it was nothing but a naughty child. Cory’s fingers shook as he reached up to grip the hem of Freyja’s dress, pulling lightly. ”I started it, I had to track him d-down and ask for something…” If the scarred man wanted it now, was gonna have to come and ask himself. Let him get spectorally squashed instead.
If there was anything the people on the street - who Cory was slowly becoming aware enough of to start blushing - could’ve seen or heard from the thing (person, he knew it was still a person, even if it could squeeze his heart into stopping by proximity alone), it was the laugh that rolled out of the spirit. Sharp and mocking as he gestured with one opaque hand. ”And you’ve been nice? Honey, you tried to burn me… that ain’t nice.” The voice was mocking, edged with something that had Cory’s blood going cold as he scrambled upright, sliding awkwardly back from the protective shelter of Freyja’s shadow. ”He came tryin’ to wring answers out of me. He’s not gettin’ them, neither’s the asshole who wants them. You can all go whistle.” Ignoring the hissed instruction to leave the spirit rushed at Freyja.
Acting on instinct, Cory tried to squeeze into the gap between them, wanting to shield Freyja in the way he hadn’t been able to help Theo right back at the start of all of this. ”T-touch her and I’ll take you, whether you wanna go or not.” He was sure he heard applause roll up inside of him. He was shaking like a leaf at having spouted a blatant lie to an angry ghost and Augustus was clapping.
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FREYJA DAMASCA
Psychic
Posts: 184
Age:
28
Occupation:
Analyst at The Mystic Falls Courier
Status:
Married
Partner:
Theo Damasca
Played by:
Julia
“But it’s hard, when you’re hurt, to let somebody wreck you again.”
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:29:01 GMT
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Post by FREYJA DAMASCA on Oct 29, 2022 23:40:33 GMT
━ they set me on fire, and i did a lot of burning ━
She could only imagine Theo’s protests and gasps later on, probably half in awe (he’d throw “my warrior princess” out there half a dozen times) and half in disapproval. Just another thing to worry about later.
“Jesus ain’t got nothin’ to do with this,” Freyja quipped as she approached, letting the tube of fire slide out in front of her like a red carpet. She faced the ghost head-on, eyes narrowed and using her “mom voice.” Cory tugged at her dress as though he was another child in her care, which━despite being older and double her size━he almost was. “Quiet, Cory. I know if ya ever asked for somethin’, you’d-a done it politely.” Though replying to Cory, she spoke to the spectre, an additional blast of scolding.
“Oh, you think that wasn’t nice?” She scoffed, “I knew it wouldn’t hurt ya, not like you were gonna hurt him. You’ll see how not-nice I can be in a second, buddy.” Freyja levelled her footing and squared her shoulders, ready to take on the ghost if he dared to really make a move. She clenched her teeth, and then… Cory stepped in, acting like a wall between her and the ghost. He found some confidence deep down and told the thing off, but the man didn’t seem bothered. And why would he be? What did he have to lose?
“Let’s see what you’re made of, ghostie. Other than… ectoplasm.” Freyja taunted, shifting to stand halfway behind Cory, still trying to protect him this way, insulted that he’d threatened her family.
The ghost didn’t seem too put off by Freyja’s bravery, which was the opposite of what she wanted. She should’ve expected it, though.
Despite Cory’s threat, the ghost rushed forward. Freyja maintained her defensive stance, one arm around Bo, the other outstretched as though she could shove this bitch all the way to Hell herself. It was then that Freyja grew a little worried, realizing this could end up far worse than she’d expected.
Thankfully, it only lasted for a second. Cory was on it, sending the ghost far away in a matter of moments. He’d saved Freyja in the end, which wasn’t what she’d expected walking into this. Actually, she was a little pissed that she hadn’t been able to save the day, but simultaneously proud of Cory for growing a pair.
Freyja fully stepped out from behind him and turned, clapping Cory on the arm. “Good job! Look’it ya, sendin’ nasty ghosts off left and right. I coulda handled it, but y’know,” Grinning, she pulled her hand away and absently rubbed her belly in circles. She watched him for a moment, though, and her smile began to fall, concern washing over her face. “Hey, s’okay, we’re both okay, Cory. C’mere.” Freyja reached up, trying to gather him down into her the same way she did with Theo━why did she surround herself with giants? “You wanna come home with me? I was just headin’ there now. I can getcha somethin’ t’eat… well, Theo can, if he’s home. Or I can put somethin’ in the microwave for ya. Sound good? We’ll have tea or hot chocolate━you want marshmallows?” She would’ve tried to coo the same things at Hazel, beckoning her home for something to warm her up and make her feel better.
CORY COLLIER | no notes. |
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CORY COLLIER
Reaper
Posts: 125
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Sept 30, 2024 19:10:29 GMT
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Post by CORY COLLIER on Nov 10, 2022 21:07:51 GMT
Moms weren’t cold or neglectful. They didn’t pick the bottle and an oblivion you couldn’t shake them out of, even when you were terrified that maybe they’d taken it too far this time and their oatmeal pasty skin wasn’t just a sign that they’d not eaten in a couple of days, that they’d stuck to a liquid diet with the drapes pulled shut. You didn’t have to press shaking fingers to their throat, praying that the flutter you felt was theirs not yours. Real moms were like Freyja.
Cory had watched how she was with her daughter, with Theo, had tried to imagine the imprint of his mom over the top of her, but couldn’t get the edges to match. They’d have the worst possible tragedy strike in their lives. Theo had died. Freyja had gone through most of that pregnancy with Theo stuck on the other side of that invisible wall. She could’ve crumbled like his mom had – although she wouldn’t have picked the bottle up to deal with it, he was sure of that. Neither one of them had fallen apart and he’d fixed it. Pride had bubbled up so bright in his stomach as he’d watched Theo run across that road to the woman he loved, followed much later by the heat of embarrassment as he’d tried to explain to both of them that there was no charge for it. He’d done it because it was right. Not for what gift he’d been given after – another family who had almost welcomed him as one of their own.
He would’ve asked if this was Freyja trying to pay him back, but somewhere between the blubbing and the weak explanations and the expletive that Freyja joked over now – there wasn’t time to form the words. Cory clamped his mouth shut, trying not to gawk at the tube of fire (really, Jesus!) like some newbie who didn’t have a clue that the world was one scary and fucked up place. He kept those words to himself, imagining a verbal rap to his knuckles like Hazel probably would’ve gotten if it was her mouth running wild.
His fingers had fixed on Freyja’s dress, pulling just hard enough to get her attention, not hard enough to have it really swinging at him, with that fire leading the way. Lips that had been almost bloodless a second before twitched, his eyes cutting from the spirit, up to Freyja. Even the thanks that wanted to squirm past them pinned itself in his throat. There would be time when he got up, when he hugged her for doing this for him.
The spirit wasn’t half as grateful, it cackled. Cory tried to get his legs under him, but felt like one of those giraffes he’d watched on the nature shows as a kid, the ones who couldn’t stand straight when they were born. All wobbling and likely to pitch back over. ”It was just a little somethin’,” it crooned, staring at him again in a way that had his adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. ”A lesson for that thing in him. He’s peein’ his pants too hard for him to be it. Am I right? Just a puppet with someone else’s hand up your backside.” The spirit wiggled its hand in the air, teeth baring at the woman in its path.
Theo would kill him if he let this thing hurt Freyja, if she got …
Panic clawed up Cory’s throat, sending him to his feet. He still shook, his knees feeling like they’d give out, but he was up, the lanky spread of his shoulders at least partly shielding Freyja and the baby. It’d have to come through him and surely, if the ghost laid a hand on him again there’d be some rule he could manipulate – self protection against these things. ”Don’t taunt it,” Cory shot back over his shoulder, his eyes skittering to her and then back to it again. Was that like poking the sleeping lion or whatever it was that story had been?
Maybe the yelp was undignified as the thing flew at him – alright, it definitely was, but hopefully the only person who heard it and was still standing was going to be Freyja. She wouldn’t taunt him about it the same way Leah or the others would. Like the ghost would’ve done if it’d been allowed to stay. It rushed in and Cory grit his teeth, shoving a hand up between them as the ghost went to rush through him and right at the baby, that tiny life that hadn’t been scarred by any of this yet. ”Don’t you touch them!” A hollered ordered that was bitten off with a yelp from Augustus as he grabbed the man’s arm and sent him … down. He thought. He hadn’t lingered more than a blink of a eye, had just shaken off his grip on the thing and was stepping back on the sidewalk as Freyja rounded him.
Mouth open, Cory stared down at her, his body rocking slightly with the clap of her hand. He glances aside at the spot where the spirit had been. The one that was now gone, fucking up whatever deal Augustus had been trying to set up. ”You needed to let someone else do the heavy lifting,” he croaked. His face crumpled slightly with concern as he looked down at the bump that was right there between them. What if he hadn’t been able to do it? No. N-no. Cory’s throat went tight with it, the burn reigniting in his eyes as he clutched Freyja. She drew him down, leaving the bump pressing against his side as he hugged her. ”I sh-shouldn’t,” he started, but he wanted to.
His throat got as hot as his eyes as he nodded. ”That sounds good. I … I like marshmallows on chocolate, my dad used to pile them up til they looked like a mountain.” It was the sort of thing he could imagine Freyja and Theo doing with their own kids. ”Are you okay?” He drew back enough to look down at her belly, his eyes twitching back up almost immediately. ”It didn’t hurt you or the baby?” It hadn’t touched her, just him, but maybe … His hand came up to his chest, rubbing briefly at the spot on his chest where the ghost’s hand had sunk right in. What would’ve happened to the baby if he’d done that to Freyja?
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FREYJA DAMASCA
Psychic
Posts: 184
Age:
28
Occupation:
Analyst at The Mystic Falls Courier
Status:
Married
Partner:
Theo Damasca
Played by:
Julia
“But it’s hard, when you’re hurt, to let somebody wreck you again.”
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:29:01 GMT
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Post by FREYJA DAMASCA on Nov 20, 2022 23:21:22 GMT
━ they set me on fire, and i did a lot of burning ━
But he’d stood up to an evil spirit today, and he’d sent the guy… away, saving all three of them in the process. There was no way Freyja could’ve thanked him (maybe by not doubting him so much?) but hot chocolate was a start.
He was right; she never should’ve stepped in and risked Bo like that, especially not after what’d happened while she was pregnant with Hazel. But Freyja saw one of her loved ones in trouble, and maybe it’d given Cory something to fight for━the kick in the pants he needed! Still, he looked like he was about to crumble under the weight of her hand. Gathering him in━the height was Theo-like but her comfort was the same as she would’ve given to Hazel━Freyja rubbed his back in soft, soothing circles, just like she’d done while coaxing baby Hazel to sleep.
Quietly shushing his ‘I shouldn’t,’ Freyja was happy when he finally agreed. She leaned back, grinning at him, hands squeezing his arms. “Then we’ll getcha a hot chocolate with a mountain-ah marshmallows,” Freyja nodded exaggeratedly, beaming a smile at him.
“Nah, we’re all good, sweetheart. Thanks t’you.” Freyja squeezed him again gently, then rubbed his arms for a moment, almost as if she was trying to bring the feeling back to them. Perhaps she was trying to bring Cory back down to Earth.
Moving to stand at his side, Freyja guided Cory to the car. She’d get him in there, in the settled warmth of the family vehicle, and then back to their house, where hot chocolate and a mountain of marshmallows would be waiting.
CORY COLLIER | zee end! |
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hope to see you in the discord! 
