fight or flight [CLOSED] ●

[Benjamin Stark]

It was like every time the redhead had been able to breathe easy that day, something ridiculous and absurd interrupted it. Things had literally just calmed in the room again when that door was slammed off its hinges once again. He jerked forward harshly, his hands landing on the ground in front of him to keep him from colliding with the tiger that he would soon realize he was much too close to. Irritation was already clear on his face as he jerked his head around to look at the cause of yet another upset. Valerie. What the fuck was she doing slamming doors? The snarl that escaped him was easily overshadowed by Zack’s, even if Ben’s snarls had become increasingly cat-like.

Aayla picked up on his anger immediately, as she tended to do, so Hunter was not greeted as playfully as he normally might have been. No, the bobcat released a hair raising yowl as the other familiar collided with her. She puffed out, hissing and spitting as she smacked at his head repeatedly. Her teeth were bared, her claws unsheathed, and it was rather clear that she wasn’t playing. Benjamin was beyond worrying about what she was doing, though. His shoulders were shaking, his red eyes dark as he listened to Valerie bitch at Zack. Did she not know better?

Of course things couldn’t get better, though. No. The fucking door decided it was going to give out as well, and that splintering sound only startled him and caused him to jerk again. He watched as Diana caught it, and then she decided to add her voice to the bitching. Bitch, bitch, bitch, complain, bitch… was it all they knew how to do? He felt himself get lightheaded as his blood pressure rose, the sound of Zack snarling in his ear barely reached him as he stood fluidly.

“Why don’t you both just shut the fuck up?” He questioned, his voice low, though the trembling in his body betrayed his anger. His gaze snapped to Valerie first. “You know he can’t - or won't - answer in that form, so why even ask?” He turned to Diana next. “And we all know who broke the fucking door, alright? Quit throwing blame around. What are you? Twelve? If you’re that fucking concerned call someone to fix it!” He took a couple of deep breaths as his head seemed to spin more. “Fucking imbeciles.” He muttered unnecessarily as he finally thought to put some space between himself and the volatile tiger.

--
Valerie Fiore

[Valerie Fiore]

The moment the words had left her lips, Valerie had realized that it was foolish to expect a tiger to answer her in a way she could understand. She had let her own irritation cloud her judgment, something that only happened on rare occasions. It was illogical to expect Zack to be able to answer her in his current form. Though some familiars might have the ability to speak English, that did not mean that Zack's tiger form had the capability to do the same. It was foolish to assume that he would be able to speak coherently in the first place and judging by the growls, all the yelling was doing little to help calm the tiger down.

Then there was Diana yelling about a door of all things as if it was more important than the current predicament over what had happened to Zack that morning. Imbecile. Valerie stared blankly at Diana a few moments, fighting the urge to deadpan entirely. She was about to tell Diana to cease this pointless argument when Ben spoke up, effectively silencing her. He was right, there was no use in fighting about such things especially something like a door that could so easily be replaced. Valerie didn't understand the emotional attachment that might be attached to the door. In the end, it was just a piece of wood meant for privacy or to keep the cold out in the winter months. Doors were easily replaceable so there was no reason to get so upset over one breaking.

"My apologies. I let my own priorities cloud my judgment. Of course I realize that Zachariah is unable to answer my inquiry right this moment,"Valerie replied curtly before distancing herself from the tiger and addressing Zack again,"If I may ask, would you turn back into your human form so we can discuss the matter further? If not I will simply come back at a better time,"she continued simply, not even acknowledging Diana for the time being. Ben had already chastised her for her foolishness over the door after all. Unless Diana specifically addressed her later, there was no need to comment about the door when, as Valerie saw it, it was little more than a piece of easily replaceable wood.

~~~

Diana Maksim

[Diana Maksim]

The situation was tense with Zack looking like he might pounce at any moment, and Ben yelling at everyone and calling everyone an imbecile. Or maybe that was directed solely at her?, and then Val... from inquisitor to apologizing at the drop of a hat... Diana was just speechless. She stepped away from the door, and not a moment too soon. She heard the doorknob jiggle and blurted out "SHIT!" Before turning her head in time to see it fly open. The door which no longer had working hinges swung opened about a quarter foot of the way before hitting and falling in on the unprepared Diana. She tried to turn her body to catch the door once again, but the coffee she'd spilled a minute ago exacted its revenge on her by making her feet slip out from under her.

Her instinct was to reach out, but to what? There was nothing to hang on to. A hand clasped hers. She yanked to break her fall, but all she did was pull Boulba down on top of her. At least his bulk served to deflect it. The heavy oak door, with the help of Boulba's shoulder, pivoted to the left to land flat with a deafening boom next to the two. It was something out of a comedic "slice of life" anime. Something Diana had seen a hundred times, the avid anime buff that she was. She was on her back with Boulba strategically prone on top of her. She stared at him wide eyed, as he glared back. The question of the door would have been bellowed if not for what happened next.

The look on Robbin's face was priceless as she stepped into her business establishment and took in the sight before her. The door she considered a priceless heirloom was splintered on the floor. Just to the left of that was her husband straddling the white haired blue eyed amazonian. Her eyes flicked up to see the white tiger she knew to be Zack looking about ready to murder something. The rookie, Benjamin, and his familiar were just shy of foam dripping from their mouth, for the rabid look to them. And then there was Val, who was as unreadable as a vulcan could be. Which was neutral, yet annoying to Robbin. Robbin figured Val would be outraged, if one used some imagination and based the assumption on what everyone else was doing. No matter, It looked like whatever she was doing was directed towards the boys in the corner.

"In the name of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ, will someone PLEASE explain what the HELL... is going on here!" Robbin shouted glaring at everyone, but her eyes stopped at her Husband. Whatever he was about to say to her was lost when Diana reached up with both arms and taking a hold of him, yanked him down on top of her. "Bolba, honey. You simply must finish what you started" She said seductively. All color drained from his face and he scrambled to get off the Maksim. "That ain't funny!" He shouted. And laughter was the response from Diana. The look on his face was too much. She just threw an arm over her eyes and laughed at the insanity of it all. She had no clue what had possessed her to do such a thing to Boulba. Someone had to laugh at all the irony and insanity. She was the woman for the job.
"I'm sorry, Robbin." She said between laughter as she tried to explain. She couldn't stop the hysteria. "Its just that Ben and I..." she laughed and shook her head as she remembered how this day started. "And then Zack...(gaps for breath) and he.... he.... the door." (laughter) "And Val comes in...." Di tried to explain things but cant stop her laughing fit. She rolls on her side and doubles over unable to stop laughing. "I cant....(gasp) I'm sorry." She continued. Laughing. She needed to stop. Her gut was already hurting and she couldn't breath.

"Just clean this place up!" Robbin ordered as she cocked her head at Diana. She simply gave up on the whole thing. Then she reached out and took Bubba by the ear and yanked him along as she turned on her heel and walked out the door with him in tow. "OwOwOw!!, Easy, honey!."
"Valerie? I want a full report on exactly WHAT happened here. Do NOT leave out a single detail." She demanded looking daggers each of the person's and familiars in the room, and coming to rest on her husband. "I'll be back at noon" She said dragging the poor Bubba out with her. Robbin paused a moment to glance at where her precious door laid. Or was it the spot where her husband laid on top of Diana earlier?.. Her husband's heads turned to glance at the white haired woman on the floor. The hard look he gave Diana did not go unnoticed by Diana. The look warned that The paybacks would be a bitch. Diana made it a point to be extra vigilant for his pranks. And then they were gone.

Zachariah Grants