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 Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 11:56 pm
Shock Mark (11) : Thunderstorms are common this time of year, but what’s not common is the number of people reported being struck by lightning. Strangely, people are surviving with only minor, if any, injuries at all. Being struck can feel like a static shock, or can feel like a sudden flash of heat, and targets are left with a strange lightning mark across their body. If your character encountered the Calamitous Hollow, they may find that the lightning marks have a strange, serpentine shape, and may even seem to slowly twist over their skin, as if alive. Though the marks will fade, for their duration–up to a full week after being struck, you might notice that you are more prone to static shocking yourself or others, and you may notice electronics charging or overcharging and malfunctioning. The marks can take longer to fade at player discretion, or players may choose for them to fade into pale, lifeless scars, but otherwise there are no lasting effects.
Xavier scratched absently at his arm as he walked, his mind preoccupied with what happened just a few nights ago. It happened so fast that if it hadn't been for the strange mark clear across his body he would've assumed it was some kind of bad dream. Memories from the previous year had also started coming back, making his sleep particularly restless to the point that he finally texted his cousin and asked to meet. Atticus had said that Michael was safe to talk to...
Was he surprised? Yeah. And excited, because it meant that there was someone else in the family he could talk to about all of this. But more recently he felt...relief? For the same reason. Just...well. It was one thing to know that there were others out there like him, but it was another thing to know that some of those people were family that he'd always felt he could trust. He probably should have reached out earlier on, but at least he was doing it now. Better late than never.
He was at their doorstep before long and rang the doorbell, then glanced around while he waited.
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2026 12:00 pm
Michael had been expecting him, of course. Xavier's text hadn't said much, and Atticus had said even less — only that Xavier might reach out, and that he'd told him Michael was safe to talk to. There had been something careful in the way Atticus said it, like he was trying not to explain too much that wasn't his to explain. Michael hadn't pushed.
Devyn and Atticus had gone out a little earlier to check on something at the gallery and pick up dinner on the way back, leaving Michael with a quiet house and the uneasy sense that whatever Xavier wanted to talk about probably wasn't ordinary family business.
When the doorbell rang, he was already on his feet.
A faint swish of a tail disappeared around the corner before Michael opened the door, but he didn't look back. His attention settled on Xavier instead, concern flickering over his face before he softened it into an easy smile.
"Hey," he greeted, stepping back to let him in. "Come on in. Devyn and Atticus are out for a bit, so you've got me to yourself."
Once Xacier was inside, Michael closed the door behind him. The static snap that followed was small, but sharp enough for him to notice. His gaze shifted momentarily to his hand, then back to Xavier.
"Atticus said you might need someone safe to talk to," he said, keeping his voice gentle. "He didn't give me details."
Michael gestured toward the living room, where there was already a glass of water waiting on the coffee table. "But I'm here," he promised. "Whatever it is."
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Posted: Sat Jul 11, 2026 4:35 pm
His attention snapped back to the door only when Michael spoke. He didn't hear it open; something dashing across the lawn had caught his attention and he had bristled slightly at the idea of something sneaking up on him. Even if it was only a squirrel.
Xavier managed to give his cousin a little smile. "Hey," he returned as he stepped inside. "I hope they didn't leave 'cause of me," he went on, assuming they had stepped out to give them a bit of privacy. Honestly, he wouldn't have minded if Atticus was around. And Devyn...was probably okay, too. He wasn't too sure because he didn't know Devyn all that well, but he did know that Atticus adored both of his parents and that was enough for him.
He glanced toward Michael as he said it, then followed his gesture and headed toward the living room. He sat and considered the glass of water for a second, blinked as he processed Michael's words...
And suddenly felt tears streaking down his face.
"Uh– sorry," he muttered quickly as he suddenly hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and pressing his palms into his eyes. The pressure alone wasn't enough to stifle the sudden wave of emotions that came over him though, nor to stem the flow of tears. Still, he sat like that for a long moment, swallowing thickly as he tried and failed to collect himself enough to say something.
"Um..." he finally managed, though he was still leaning over so he could more easily hide his face. And he still sounded like he had something stuck in his throat. "Yeah. I, uh. I got struck by lightning– um. A few days ago? I've been shocking stuff, but– the– um. It's the nightmares that are really bad. And this."
He finally straightened himself out, though he kept his head turned so his face was mostly hard to see, and extended his arm to show the lightning marks that started from about his elbow, moved up his arm, and ultimately disappeared into the sleeve of his shirt. It blended pretty well and probably wasn't too noticeable from afar, but up close the marks were easy to spot.
"I can't tell if it's permanent or what, but it showed up right after I got struck," he went on, pausing to sniffle and wipe at his eyes and face with his other hand. "The nightmares started around that time, too. I, um. I keep seeing that– the, um. The...thing...that came last year..."
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