choitaejin

[choitaejin]

For people like them, there was no time to relax; they were always on watch. There was always someone up to no good, someone to hold their attention, and tonight, TJ had the attention of the idiot drunks. He couldn't judge because he could very much be one of those drunk idiots at times of stress, although, thankfully, he had put a stop to that. In any case, tonight would not be a quiet night.

TJ had crossed paths with Heath once or twice, enough to know the guy wasn't sitting around without a reason. "Anything suspicious to report?" Another pair of eyes was handy, even if their investigations differed.

open to all ! location: paradigm gardens event 002: lighting of the solstice @inaducursehqstarters

Heath sat on the edge of the gardens, doing what he did best: watching. His careful eye followed party-goers as he sipped beer from a plastic cup while seated on a fallen log. He wasn't working, exactly, but he couldn't turn off the need to observe. Besides, he wasn't really an engage in the social scene type of guy himself, so the outskirts were where he felt most comfortable regardless.

He kept his eyes peeled for any suspicious behavior, on the look out for the demon he and Ingrid were tracking, and eyes open for any of his other ongoing case subjects. Even off from work, there was no such thing as just enjoying an outing.

[choitaejin]

Fresh meat? Was that some twisted vampire joke? Whatever it was, TJ found no amusement in it and never would. The officer did, however, have a job to do, and that meant getting in the way, as annoying as it was to the others.

"Maybe when you fanged freaks quit trying to roast humans rather than s'mores on the fire, I'll consider staying out of the way." And while that hadn't happened just yet, TJ knew for certain it eventually would. And who better to ask to keep them in check than the big boss?

The city tried to work in tandem under the Mikaelson rule, yet that family and the rest of them didn't make it easy.

open starter for ♔ @inaducursehqstarters location ♔ paradigm gardens

klaus  mikaelson  stood  near  the  bonfire,  drink  in  hand,  the  flames  casting  a  menacing  glow  on  his  face.  the  air  crackled  with  tension  as  much  as  it  did  with  magic.  his  gaze  was  sharp,  piercing  through  the  merriment  around  him.  a  newcomer  approached,  and  klaus's  lips  twisted  into  a  sardonic  smile.  "ah,  fresh  meat,"  he  drawled,  his  tone  dripping  with  annoyance.

"greeting and salutations"  he  continued,  voice  edged  with  sarcasm.  "do  try�� not  to  get  in  anyone's  way."  he  took  a  slow  sip  of  his  drink,  eyes  never  leaving  the  intruder.  "it  would  be  such  a  shame  to  spoil  the  evening."

[choitaejin]

It hadn't been the first call about blood being stolen. Hell, the PD ignored most of those calls because, honestly, what could the law do about vampires? The reality was nothing.

"It's fuckers like you that give vampires a bad name." TJ was well aware he could get his neck ripped open, but someone had to stand up to it. He couldn't just continue to sit on the sidelines. "I get you're hungry, but go eat Bambi, 'cause there are people who need that blood more than you."

open to all ! location: charity hospital @inaducursehqstarters

Despite his desire to rip open the necks of every single human person in town, he instead stalked into the charity hospital, compelling doctors and nurses along the way as he looked for the blood bank. His own collection had run dry, and if he didn't get something soon, he would actually need to tear into someone, which at this point in his life, he was trying to avoid.

Once inside the blood bank, he opened one of the many coolers and began stuffing the bags into his backpack. It wasn't a good feeling, stealing from a hospital that needed blood to treat those in need, but it was either that or murder. Clearly one outweighed the other. He ignored his desire to sink his teeth into one of the bags in that moment, and zipped up his backpack, quickly departing the cold room.

Once outside, he waited until he was around the corner to drop the backpack on the ground, crouch next to it, and rip open one of the bags. It wasn't until the third bag that he realized someone was watching him. He lifted his head, fangs still extended, making eye contact with a snarl. "Can I help you?"

[choitaejin]

"Let's say I believed you." He might humor it, considering this was what... one of Nova's friends, right? He had to try. "Does the demon have a name? Because just a demon isn't really going to cut it." Not the police—not anybody—could do anything with just that alone. "Give me a name, a description."

The police were not demon hunters, human-type demon hunters maybe, the criminals and the like, but actual demons? He'd need a face, a name, or at least a person to be able to seek out whoever this supposed demon was. "That's the best I can do."

Mariana felt a sense of resignation wash over her as she sat in the police car, unsure of why she had even tried to explain herself to the officer. Letting out a quiet sigh, she turned in her seat to gaze out the window, the passing scenery a blur as her thoughts raced.

"Can you just drive me home, please? It's the Lockwood residence in the bayou," she requested softly, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability. Her gaze remained fixed outside, avoiding any eye contact with the officer. "I-I had a feeling you wouldn't have believed me," she admitted, her words barely above a whisper as she grappled with a mix of emotions.

[choitaejin]

"Soon, jagi, soon." He recalled her mentioning her studies on the pathway to becoming a doctor, and he would be by her side to support her in that endeavour.

"You like the tree? Well, I'm not fighting the tree for your love." He gently shook his head. "Besides, I already beat it anyway." Not just the tree, but anyone—any of the suitors Nova's fathers had tried to set her up with. TJ had been the one, an unlikely knight who came in and swept the princess off her feet.

He entwined the hand she was holding up with his own. "I forget a lot of things, but never you." He could erase his mind of plenty, but never her. She was his destiny; like their hands, their fates were intertwined.

"Three." He answered her question to reassure her that he was okay. "Are you satisfied with that answer, Doctor Abe?"

"Doctor Abe. I like the ring of that." Nova said with a ghost of a grin. There was a head tilt before a small laugh. While she wouldnt condone her boyfriend getting his head smashed, she did enjoy the giggles. "Bandaging and gauze." Nova with a small giggle.

Nova returned the peck, her cheeks now a bright red. "I think I like the tree." Nova joked patting on the trunk. Nova knew what he meant but she liked being coy. Nova liked meeting like this too, a reminder of the simpler times. When the princess saves the prince no less. It was their love story.

"Don't say I'm your partner." Nova teased lightly patting the bandage on his head. There was a fake arm cross before she giggled. "Well Taejin I am certainly honored that I am." Nova said kissing his cheek.

Nova made eye contact with him, her heart skipping a beat. Nova nearly gasped before realizing he was kidding. She lightly tapped his shoulder. "I guess I'll give you a refresher." Nova said dramatically, being loose around the one man she trusted. "I'm the girl of your dreams." She said kissing him briefly. "Don't you forget it."

Nova let herself laugh as the wind blew in her hair. The nurse leaned into TJ, looking at the sky. "This place is really beautiful sometimes." Nova admitted taking TJ's hand. "We should enjoy today. But first-." She paused remembering she was still Nurse Abe. "How many fingers am I holding up?" She asked holding up three fingers.

[choitaejin]

"A... demon kidnapped you?" Even with the strange creatures in this world—vampires, wolves, and even foxes like himself—demons? Nope. He couldn't believe that. So, whatever helpful cop attitude he had before was completely gone the moment she spoke of demons. She was either messing with him or delusional. "You tried contacting an exorcist?"

The young girl nodded her head slowly, feeling a wave of frustration wash over her. She knew deep down that they wouldn't be able to help her, even if she desired it. "Y-you won't be able to. I-it was a demon," she admitted softly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt nervously. "No one will be able to stop him. H-he's too powerful," she whispered, struggling to contain the tears welling up in her eyes.

[choitaejin]

"Kidnapped?" He didn't know what he expected to hear, but that was not it. "The good thing is, they found you and you're safe. But that means there's someone out there who'll do it again if they're not caught. I get the fear, but you need to file a report. It's the only way to catch them before they do it again." He offered his advice as a cop, knowing the longer people lived in fear, the easier it was for those creating that fear to continue causing it. "I can help, if that's what you want, and make sure you're protected from whoever. But you're going to need to be willing to do that first."

Mariana contemplated that confiding in someone about her experience might be beneficial in the long run, but fear still held her back. She was aware that involving the police wouldn't necessarily lead to any significant action either way. "I'm sorry I bothered you," she expressed apologetically to the officer. Gathering her courage, she continued, "I-I was kidnapped. My sister and father, they found me." Uttering the words felt strange, almost surreal, as she struggled to come to grips with the reality of what had happened to her.

[choitaejin]

"Depends on the problem." But just wearing a badge didn't mean he could solve all the problems. As much as Nova tried to hype him up, he was not the city's hero. "And I can't help with a problem if I don't have the details." He shrugged, half-expecting her to reveal whatever was bothering her since she decided to bring it up.

Mariana smiled softly as she played with the hem of her shirt, feeling calmer now. She tightly closed her eyes for a moment before reopening them. Looking up at the other person, she admitted, "She pointed out that you could help with my problem." Mariana knew full well that the police wouldn't be able to assist, so she wasn't even sure why she had mentioned it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up, I-I know the police can't help," she quickly replied.

[choitaejin]

"And you thought that it would be a good idea to do it while the lights were out?" he asked, confused, wondering whose smart idea it was. "Forget the lights," he stated, since they were back on now anyway, so that didn't matter as much as it had. "There are wolves, and if you get dragged into the woods or whatever, that makes more work for us."

It was obvious there was dismay between the two and as curious as she was she decided to not push it - mainly because she didn't feel like getting in the middle of whatever ego trip the two of them had. She knew Mavi was nice but she also had a bit of an ego and a 'better than thou' personality at times, even if it was unintentional. "Uh, well," she wanted to counter it was none of his business but he did have a point, "she's moving and needed some of her smaller boxes here so I was just bringing them"

[choitaejin]

The police knew they were powerless when it came to the supernatural, including TJ, who had given up trying. He wouldn't be of any help if she ever decided to seek it.

"Friend." Maybe he said that with a bit more skepticism than necessary, but he didn't mesh with some of Nova's friends, so he could be wary at times. "How do you know I'm the one she mentioned?" There were a hundred other cops she could have bumped into, and it just happened to be him. Was he now being paranoid for no reason? Or was it just the fox's intuition to know a wolf, triggered or not?

It was as if his willingness to help started to slip, and he had to somehow contain it. He'd just have to let the paranoia slide for now. "Home it is." He nodded as he got in the car. "For future's sake, don't go wandering in the dark, and never if the lights are out."

As Maraina nodded, allowing the man to lead her to his car, fear gripped her. She hesitated about involving the police, knowing they would likely be powerless if her sister's claim about him being a demon was true. Trying to steady her voice, she stammered, "Y-your the cop Nova mentioned… s-she's a friend." Her words faltered as she met his gaze, "C-can you just take me home? I came out for a walk, but I must've gone further than I intended."

[choitaejin]

Of course, that would be the case. Mavi. It didn't matter how much time, space, or whatever half-assed apologies he'd give; the two of them would always be at odds.

"What does she need you for? Do you even work there? Because I've never seen your face, and she's dealing with sensitive files not for the public..." He was probably making all the wrong assumptions, just as he felt Mavi did with him. Yet, in the case of Mavi against TJ, she was never wrong - he was, and his ego couldn't accept it.

She looked up as the lights came back on and then turned back to him. "I wasn't wandering, Mavi needed me here and then the lights turned off. Excuse me for helping a friend"

[choitaejin]

"Yes, Doctor Abe." With a salute, he followed the nurse's orders to stay on the ground. Though this was nothing out of the ordinary, it was just another page on his medical file. "My girlfriend is so sexy when she does her..." He waved his hand in a motion to the first aid kit. "Doctor thing." Why did he always get like this when he had a blow to the head? All giggly?

He was holding still until he leaned in and pecked her on the lips, force of habit. "We gotta stop meeting like this, jagi." But if he ever stopped being an idiot, well, he wouldn't get to see his favorite nurse, and this, it's how their romance began. So, meeting like this was back to their roots.

"I was still on patrol. I remember looking for my partner, but I think I found them..." He found the partner that would never leave him. The only partner he needed in life. Her.

His eyes stared deeply into hers, but then there was something else to be said. "Wait..." He paused, confusion hitting his face. "Who are you again?" Although he said that with a wild grin, so it was fairly obvious he was messing with her and totally not fooling her either. Of course, he knew who she was. Why would he ever forget the love of his life?

The shrine maiden's pendant was probably the thing binding the fox. The intimacy and seventh daughter's magic working together to assure so. Because even as a human, Nova felt her other half's pain and struggle. She can also tell the pain.

Nova gently placed gestured him to stay on the ground. "Don't go up so fast it might disorient you mo_" Nova gasped seeing the blood she took out her mini first aid kit and took out the bandages. "Hold still." Nova said applying pressure to the wound. It was probably a classic concussion. She still was determined to keep him awake.

"Work." Nova repeated trying to get the weird idea of foxes out of her head. The witch really needed some rest. "What happened after the shift? Do you remember anything?" She asked slowly continuing to examine TJ for any injuries. He seemed alright but the early sunrise wasn't the best light to examine him in.

[choitaejin]

TASK#001 : what card speaks to you?

TAEJIN CHOI: hanged man card //upright: sacrifice, release, martyrdom // reversed: stalling, needless sacrifice, fear of sacrifice 양심을 희생하라, 이것이 사랑입니다 (sacrifice your conscience, this is love)

TJ inherited a 'curse' from his mother's line, specifically their kitsune lineage. Centuries ago, when nine-tailed foxes roamed, the shrine maidens placed a 'curse' on the firstborn in this family. For centuries, each firstborn of the family line has had their kitsune heritage bound to them. They called it 'a bond of fates.' The kitsune's child would be bound to a shrine maiden, and the shrine maiden would be bound to the kitsune, so that chaos could exist in the harmony of the shrine maidens.

A loophole was that the kitsune could retain their powers without the need for a shrine maiden if they were to kill, a heavy price to some.

The kitsune learned the words, "sacrifice your conscience, this is love," meaning if one were to forsake their conscience and kill something out of love, then the power would become theirs. The power was not meant to come from ruthless killing but a true sacrifice.

After TJ's mother's death, his father drilled the words into him: "sacrifice your conscience, this is love." TJ doesn't exactly understand what these words mean, nor does he know that these were the words of his mother, passed from mother to child for centuries.

What TJ fears is that those words, perhaps because his father speaks them, but more so, it's the fox that is bound that understands that to release his power, he must make a sacrifice, to kill, one that his conscience is against.

[choitaejin]

He noticed something was off as soon as he looked at her and heard her trembling voice. "Don't worry…" He was about to tell her she should get home and to safety, but then the city lights turned back on. "Everything should be good now." TJ could get back to finding his patrol partner now that the lights had switched back on, but he wouldn't leave the person in front of him alone.

"Can I help?" he asked. "Did something happen? You look terrified, which I get…" Who wouldn't be terrified in the darkness with the wolves howling? "My car is over there," he said, pointing to the squad car. "I can drive you home, or if you need to report anything."

Mariana was out for a walk, a pastime she used to find enjoyment in, but now it seemed like she was constantly glancing over her shoulder, wary of potential threats lurking in the shadows. As she heard the words spoken behind her, a shiver ran down her spine, and memories of her harrowing kidnapping experience came flooding back with startling clarity. She froze in her tracks, the sense of unease gripping her tightly.

"I-I'm sorry," Mariana stammered, her voice trembling as she instinctively moved out of the way, her body tensed and ready to react at a moment's notice. The weight of her past trauma hung heavily in the air around her, as she struggled to regain her composure in the face of lingering fear and vulnerability.

[choitaejin]

That fox hadn't shown itself even as the anxiety of the night lingered on. Maybe it was afraid of itself and not the wolves that roamed. As he opened his eyes, the world spun because, of course, instead of shifting into a fox, he'd ended up running into a tree and knocking himself out. He couldn't remember a damn thing, so confusion was evident about how he ended up on the ground.

As he got up and started to move, he heard Nova's voice calling out to him. Slowly, he stumbled out from the bushes. "Babe, I'm fine," he said, holding a hand to his head, which was not fine, as blood was running down his neck. "I think." He probably had a concussion at best. "Sorry, I was supposed to come home after my shift..." He meant job, not literally shapeshifting. "Work," he clarified. Maybe his patrol partner had become a wolf or maybe they'd just ditched him, but the last thing TJ remembered was trying to track their location.

Closed for @choitaejin

To say looking for her boyfriend was the hardest endeavor tonight would be an understatement. Maybe that was the side effect of dating a young fox (literally). But Nova couldn't help but think of him.

His wily grin and tall stature. The way Taejin didn't take things laying down, the way he saw her, you couldn't blame Nova for loving him. So the witch had to keep looking for him. Nova paused seeing the jacket on the ground. Nova covered her mouth. Did he shift?

Nova picked up the jacket and quickened her pace. "Taejin?Oppa?" Nova said hearing the ruffling of the bush. Nova took a deep breath. No matter what was behind that bush, human or fox, she was ready for it. "Its me."

[choitaejin]

He was going to say something when the lights turned back on, and there was a sigh of relief before his response. "For your own safety, next time maybe stay inside?" he suggested. "Wandering about is going to end up with unnecessary casualties."

She raised a brow at the other, wondering why she was even here. Oh, right, Mavi needed her help with something and she was here to help her out. If it wasn't for her, she would have easily been at home holing herself up from responsibilities and possible people she'd run into again after coming back. But as she turned to walk out, someone ran into her and then barked, no pun intended, orders at her. "Sorry," she quietly said, looking up at him with annoyance. "It's dark, it's hard to see - no need to be rude"

[choitaejin]

He was still a relatively 'young' fox who didn't understand much of his nature other than the folktales his mom had told him as a child, but there was always the unsettling feeling on a full moon. However, this was not like those other nights; something was different, he could feel it in his bones.

It was a normal routine until the lights went out and the wolves began to howl. When he realized his partner, whom he was on patrol with, had vanished, panic settled in. He called on the radio, but with no response. He hurried to the patrol car, but in the panic, he ended up bumping into someone. "Ssibal. (fuck)" he muttered under his breath. "Move it," he advised the other.

@inaducursehqstarters