[SIDESTORY] Morbit Vignettes

[skinstealer]

Tas- 2020
Ringor Mortis
CW: Discussions of violence
Tas is cooped up inside again.

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It’s not quiet out there today, and Tas has every intention of staying inside. Noise this bad means that there’s fights breaking out, and they’re not willing to become a large, sparkling target. All they can do is stay indoors, try to turn the radio up, and ignore any sounds of mauling.

Just a charmed Monte life, they guess. 

It wasn’t always like this in this neighborhood, a rare haven away from the caste-based violence breaking out. The job opportunities post-plague had been great too, and Tas, a rare karacel born and raised in Luxson, jumped at the offer. Turns out that peace only lasted a few years tops, and now they’re both out of work and for the most part, cooped up in their apartment. Doomed to live off instant noodles and jerky again.

They hope Anna’s doing alright, at least...they feel weird calling her their girlfriend still, but they guess that’s really the best term for whatever they have, and Anna was insistent that they give the label a try. It’s not that they don’t like the label itself, it’s pretty great...but it is their first time having a partner, let alone someone so mysterious. They had met a year ago when Tas was jumped in an alley by some high up octolieres, only for Anna to swoop in and dispel them before Tas could even try to defend themself. While they’re pretty sure they could have handled at least one of them, the fact that Anna was able to do it without breaking a sweat despite her smaller size left an impression, to say the least. 

They know that she fights in these caste wars, even despite their pleading for her to settle down or hell, even run away with them. They could get out of this place and move to Luxson, close to their family- but that was just it, family. Anna couldn’t bear to be apart from her own, and while she’ll never say it outright, Tas gets the feeling that she’s the only thing protecting them from higher castes picking them off. 

Tas hopes that they can get to somewhere safe together, maybe even try to get some kind of work where they can be together, sharing the daily grind and all of its troubles. They’d come here for journalism offers, but those kind of flew out the window once the news station burned to the ground. They’d considered going independent, but people didn’t take well to that kind of thing here...all the more reason, Anna would tell them. 

But Tas is still scared, worried about the risks and ramifications of putting themself out there...god knows there’s enough to report on, but so much of it is violent or downright cruel. They’ve heard plenty about people getting traumatized just from being here, let alone being on the front lines and inserting them into the sidelines of deadly fights prone to dragging in bystanders. 

Might be worth it, though...after all, Anna did always say that she’s worried about their lack of drive. Not in an insulting way, mind you- more worried than anything. 

Tas huffs and reclines back in their chair, mind swirling. It’d be something to figure out another day.