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[hakimnassar]

Realising that he was fully naked, Hakim cast his eyes to his side and grabbed one of the many blankets Esme had lying around in her living room, wrapping it around his body quickly. She had seen him naked many times and was more than used to such a sight but it just didn’t seem quite right for the moment they shared between one another. Or the kiss that they shared, perhaps, for their lips soon crashed together, a slow and delicate moment, eyes tight shut. “I remember.” He mumbled, eyes still shut as their foreheads pressed against one another softly. “... I love you too, Es.” He added, eyes finally opening, giving her a small smile as she kissed him once more. “I’ll always love you.”

IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE;

Hakim, aged twenty-two, suddenly awoke from his dream, letting out a small gasp. His eyes were wide, almost feeling like he wasn’t quite in his body just yet, like... he’d been somewhere else. It was a feeling he couldn’t shake, but he called himself silly; the sensation of waking up and feeling like were falling into your body was a common sensation almost every felt from time to time, it was nothing to fuss over. Some people said it was because your soul was still returning to your body... had his soul been someplace else? He’d been dreaming of himself, yet... he wasn’t. It was him, but older, much older, richer, more muscular... scarier. And the woman he had seen, had that been Es? She was like his own Esme, kind, smiling, delicate and warm. Everything good. But she also wasn't. Turning his head to his side, the very girl slept peacefully beside him. 

Hakim’s slight panic fizzled out, a smile appearing on his lips. She had that affect or him sometimes, you see, she could put him at ease when no one else could. He felt the way her arm, already around his toned torso, suddenly held onto him a little tighter, nuzzling against his shoulder for comfort, and the werewolf leaned and pressed a kiss delicately against her forehead.

“I love you.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

For a moment, Hakim held onto the moment they shared tightly, savouring a few seconds of tranquility that he was usually so deprived of in his life. How sweet and delicate it tasted, he had been a stranger to tender moments like this for so long that he was scared to pull back. To face what could be her real reaction. His perfect sense of hearing picked up on the way her heartbeat levelled itself back out again, the way her fingers stopped shaking as they danced their way the through his rough, grey fur. She had questions, that was understandable. He would have many too if he was her. 

Letting out a slow huff of air, the wolf nudged her against gently, but the animal was soon to vanish, fading away back into the handsome and muscular man, his chin cupped by smaller, paler hands, his own either side of her legs. He stared at her lap for a moment, biting his lip in thought before he eventually peered his eyes upwards towards her. “... I decide when. I didn’t always.” His voice was always a little quiet when he shifted back to human, he never quite understood why. Rolling his shoulders back as he always did to adjust to his human body again, he creaked his neck a little, keeping himself where he was, embraced by the woman he loved. “... I hope you can forgive me for not telling you sooner. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

Hakim had never felt insecure about what he was, what he could do, what ran through his DNA. He had, once becoming a werewolf, fallen into a mindset that he, his siblings and parents were now above the ordinary human, superior, the true apex predator on planet earth. And yet, here he stood, in this cozy and quaint apartment, suddenly questioning everything about him as Esme looked at him with a look of... well, everything. A look of panic, confusion, pure shock, her heart rattled in her chest and echoed in his ears, nothing had ever been so clear. There was no turning back now, he had to stand clear in his decision. He kept his movements slow and patient, coming to a complete stop eventually, head bowed towards the ground slightly. He was a terrifying creature, massive, full of dark fur and muscle, the only one able to rival him most likely being his sister. But in the creature’s eyes there was still Hakim, the man who looked at her like he did for no one else.

Hearing the tapping noise, he perked back up a little and saw how she wanted him closer, and he obliged. Still with the same tedious pace, the grey wolf made its way over to the woman, sitting opposite her, his tail swaying slowly behind him. Despite how intimidating he appeared at first, the creature had an air of peaceful chaos, and eventually, he leaned his head forward, resting it delicately against the woman’s chest. It was Hakim, after all, and all Hakim wanted to do was comfort her, hold her, make her feel safe.

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

“W-what?” He stammered out loud in disbelief at such a suggestion. Was he married with children? The concept of that almost seemed ludicrous to a man like Hakim. His eyes were like glowing orbs of shock as he shook his head, leaning back against the sofa again. “N-no, Esme... no... I’m not married and I don’t have any children. You’re my first girlfriend and I mean that. I would never... I wouldn’t do that to you.” Over two hundred years old and she was his first love, how perfect they were together. “... And you are not boring. I’ve told you not to criticise yourself like that, Es. You’re everything that’s good in this world.” She was a woman that had instilled faith in Hakim once more that there were good humans on this earth. There were people to love and be loved by.

Nodding slowly, he heard the expected disbelief and almost denial. These were things he had seen coming but it didn’t stop him from feeling more nervous. “I... I know...” He mumbled, clasping his hands together in a rubbing motion before looking back up at her. “I know it sounds stupid, I don’t always believe it myself sometimes, you know? But... but it’s true... 1790, that’s my birthday. Sometime in December, I think. My mother knows, I forget.” He rubbed his hand over his dark stubble for a moment. “When I was twenty, our family wasn’t exactly in the best place... financially or socially, and my sister, you know, Anastasia?” Hakim felt a lump form in his throat as he said in the back of his throat. Anastasia, his beloved little sibling that once upon a time he had cared for more than anything. Now she was practically a stranger. “She struggled to deal with it most, the world was... cruel to young girls like her back then. So, she sort help from someone... but it backfired on us. Never mess with black magic, Es. It’s dark stuff.” Knowing how insane he sounded Hakim pushed on. “This... this magic, it changed us. And we, uhm... we weren’t the same anymore, I --”

Hakim winced, holding back on his thoughts any longer. If he explained much more, she really would think he was insane. Sighing slowly, he glanced to the door beside him. “... I think it’s better if I just show you.” Without another word, he disappeared into the bedroom, vanishing behind the door so she couldn’t see him, but kept the door ajar. Inside, he let out a long puff of air, rolling his shoulders back as he quickly unbuttoned his shirt. There was no going back now. Not wanting to rip his clothes, he pulled the remaining ones off, folding them and placing them on the bed. With the quick creak of his neck, the handsome man had transformed into a huge and quite frankly terrifying werewolf. It was huge, muscular with dark grey fur, thick and corse, glowing eyes. He was used to shifting, but Hakim’s preference was usually something a little more on the scarier side. A four legged form was not his most common of choices, but he didn’t want to freak his girlfriend out, so he took a moment to adjust. Knowing he needed to do this, the wolf slowly and cautiously made its way out of the bedroom and into the living room, walking towards her cautiously but keeping his distance.

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

TWENTY MINUTES LATER.

The drive back to Esme’s home had been relatively quiet. Not awkward, not tense, it never was between the pair of them, but Hakim had been thinking carefully about what he was going to say. How he was going to explain all of… this. His life, who he was, where he had come from. It was a heck of a life to have lived but how did you compress it into a short paragraph or two that wouldn’t send the woman you loved running for the hills? A mouthful and a conundrum. He had driven her all the way back, brought her inside and told her to take a seat on the sofa. He’d turned the heating on, brought her a blanket and made her a strong cup of tea (this was something she’d had to spend an afternoon teaching him how to make a proper brew as he had made her a quite frankly awful mug of the stuff prior). It was so strange to see such a mysterious and tough man act so gentle but this was the way Esme twisted him up. Into someone vulnerable and open.

Heading back into the living room, he placed the cup gently on the coffee table in front of her, before sitting on the opposite sofa, sighing softly. An attempt to release some of the tension in his body, it didn’t work. The room felt like it was shrinking, like someone was gripping his neck tightly, squeezing just a little harder with each second. But looking up at her, he was reminded that he had to do this. She deserved to know. Glancing to the side for a second, he nodded slowly, hands rubbing his thighs. “I haven’t… been the most truthful with you at times.” He began, already hating the words he chose, what they meant, “… And I think you have a right to know what the real truths of my life are. You always deserved to know, you’ve been so open with me, telling me all of your battles and struggles and I… I’ve been rather cowardly.”

“… I told you I was born in Lebanon, didn’t I? And that I moved here as a child? That’s… that’s true, I was born there, in a small town outside of Beirut…” He looked back at her, biting his lip, “… in 1790.” He clenched his eyes shut, gritting his teeth at how preposterous that very sentence sounded. But there was no way to go around this topic without sounding dramatic. “… I… I know I look like a guy in my thirties, but trust me… I’m not. I don’t think you could even class me as a ‘guy’ as such, either.” Wincing, he scratched the back of his neck. Who knew he could be this awkward.

“I… I have this condition.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

For a second, he stared at the door with a deep scowl on his face, nothing but rage running through his mind. His body rose and fell quickly, his breathing loud and deep as he attempted to restrain himself. In reality he wanted to rip those pathetic pack members to shreds for the way they had spoken to Esme, spoken to her like she was nothing. He would deal with them later. It wasn’t until he felt a delicate hand on his arm that he broke from his trance, snapping out and realising that it was her he needed to focus on. Not his emotions. Turning to face her, his eyes faded to brown, claws and fangs vanished so a normal human man remained. “I was in a meeting.” He mumbled, concern dancing on his facial features as he realised how cold it was. Delicately, he placed the back of her hand against her forehead, hitching his breath as he felt how icy he was. He knew with her history of illness, she needed to be warm at all times. Without thinking, he pulled off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders tightly and pulling her closer. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” He mumbled, holding a finger under her chin to check for bruises and cuts. Not a single mark, thankfully, but the mental pain this had caused would not go unpunished. “They will be dealt with.”

“I’ll drive you home.” He said, gently taking his hand into hers and gesturing to her car. He had driven it for her before and knew she trusted him with something like that. “I… hadn’t planned to show you my… condition, that way. I’m… I’m sorry.” He confessed, admittedly, knowing she wouldn’t quite understand what he meant yet. Opening the passenger door for her to get inside. “Let’s go somewhere better. Your home, perhaps? Someplace safe. Not here.” Shutting the door, he quickly slipped into the driver’s seat, starting up the car and blasting the heating on max so she wouldn’t freeze. Turning to face her, his expression had grown soft. “You trust me… don’t you?”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

The life of someone who lived in Hakim’s pack wasn’t the most conventional of lifestyles, for their alpha wasn’t exactly conventional either. But despite all his tendencies and flaws, one thing Hakim didn’t appreciate was his men intimidating women for a laugh. Especially if it was the woman he was falling for. Walking down the stairs, the man opened his phone to see a text message that made him boil over in rage rather quickly, eyes growing wide and the shade of dark red as he picked up his pace. These men thought they could intimidate her? Scare her? This was not going to continue. Picking up the pace, he raced downstairs, catching sight of three men circled in on Esme in the distance. How things were about to change.

“Maybe he ain’t answering ‘cause he’d never talk to someone like you. You gotta be loopy if you think he’d even associate himself with you.” One of them taunted maliciously, seeing the way she was growing scared and almost revelled in the feeling. “Awh, is the poor thing too cold?” Another of them cooed, faux, of course, the others laughing once more, suddenly grabbing her phone from her hand, “Not gonna cry, are you? — Lemme see these text messages you won’t shut the fuck up abou—“ The man froze, falling silent as he saw something in the distance behind them. The men suddenly went rigid, eyes falling onto something cast on the wall. A shadow… but not in the shape of a human, but of something much, much worse. A monster, large and muscular, claws and fangs, moving along slowly towards them. The sound of deep growling followed, and two specks of red appeared from the darkness. Suddenly, out walked Hakim, a seething glare on his face, the shadow being… his? The red glows being his eyes? What was happening. His hand suddenly clasped itself around the neck of the man who held Esme’s phone, tightening it enough so he dropped her cell into his hand. On his fingertips there were sharp claws. “Repeat what you just said.” His voice was low, there was something in his mouth… fangs? He stared at the man, waiting for him to speak up. Hearing him choke, he didn’t flinch. “I said… repeat. What. You. Just. Said. I want to hear it.”

“We were just m-messing around, boss, we didn’t mean to —” Another stammered but one snarl from Hakim and he was silencing himself. Tightening his hand further, the man struggled to form even one word. Struggled to even answer him like Hakim demanded. “Oh? Struggling to talk, are we? Pity. But I prefer you this way. When you aren’t wasting precious oxygen that’d be far more useful for someone else. How dare you even look at her. You think you’re worthy of her?” Pulling the man in closer, he growled, his voice turning to a murmur, “Be most grateful she is here.” With that, he released the man who fell to the floor, gasping for air. Hakim clenched his jaw, fists tightened as he stared off into the distance before suddenly kicking the man harshly in the stomach, making him let out a groan. “SPEAK TO HER AGAIN AND I WILL RIP OUT YOUR TONGUE. GET OUT OF MY SIGHT.” With that, the three scampered away, off to hide somewhere and plan their escape out of the country. His body shaking, he watched them run away, only then realising he had shown Esme something in a way he had not planned to show her. Looks like she may have questions herself.

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

To be over 200 years and have never fallen in love was a hard thing. Hakim had never fallen for someone for he simply believed it was a waste of time. To allow people to see his vulnerabilities and emotions that way, it felt like a weak and stupid thing to do, something that Anastasia would do. Then… Esme came along. The beautiful woman who owned a coffeeshop and liked reading a little too much, wore frilly socks and colourful dresses. And he had… unexpectedly enjoyed every second of getting to know this woman. Still not understanding the strange feeling he got in his stomach whenever he was around her, the original werewolf had slowly let his guard down, embracing the fact that he could be open to something like this, open to being in someone’s company this way, and that he wasn’t any weaker than he was before. It was a strong and brave thing to be honest and open with people, to show affection, that was something Esme had shown him and he was grateful for the changes she was bringing in his life.

Members of his pack had always envisioned their alpha to fall for someone like him. A strong, terrifying werewolf woman whose very presence turned peoples’ skin cold. Esme… Esme was the opposite of that. She radiated warmth and kindness, bore a soft smile on her face. She wore flowery dresses and has rosy cheeks. There was nothing wrong with that. But his pack? The idea didn’t quite click in their heads. Hakim’s business was situated on the edge of Boston, a huge, towering building that overlooked the city. It’s where he ran his… business. He had eyes and ears everywhere and remained a dark figure in the city. But this, for once, scared him; he feared that Esme, being the genuine person she was, would feel betrayed and horrified by learning what his business really meant, by what he really was… but she needed to know. Before they fell too fast.

Currently in a meeting, Hakim had just finished up. Rising to his feet, he checked his phone, realising he hadn’t responded to Esme in some time. “Shit.” He mumbled, heading out of the room without warning and leaving everyone in the office wondering where he was going. Meanwhile, outside, three of his more thuggish pack members who often stood on watch outside had been eyeing up a rather weird looking car with a woman inside. A woman who had no place around here. Watching her get out, they watched her, their bodies tensing as they glanced at each other, smirking in unison as if they had a plan. “Why would boss want to speak to you?” One of them sneered, the others snickering as they got a little closer to her, almost as if they were circling in on her. “The building’s off limits, sweetheart. We don’t let in humans like you past the door.” They said the word ‘human’ like it was a disease, almost. Like they were different. “I dunno… maybe we can show her around,” Another said, something dark in his eyes, “… maybe she’s not as pathetic as she looks.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

Hakim stared at the woman in silence as she spoke of wanting to stab those in the eye (with a coffee topper) for offering her pity. Something he may have just done… but he didn’t mean it like that! He just wanted to… to… he didn’t know what he had wanted to do. He just knew he didn’t mean badly by it. “Right!… right. I apologise.” Seeing that he had done something she didn’t like left a bad taste in his mouth… ashamed of his choice, almost. Why? He never doubted himself? He paused, eyes panning to his left index fingertip that traced around his empty coffee cup a few times. “You beat cancer. Who cares? I don’t.” A lighthearted joke that he hoped she would appreciate more if she wasn’t into the pity parties as much. Perhaps humour was the way to go with this woman. Perhaps not. “Both.” He added quietly, offering her a small nod. For a moment, Hakim recalled how… he’d never been in love. Not once. Never had he looked at a woman and worshipped the ground she walked on? Why? His sister, Anastasia had developed a habit for falling into disastrous love, having witnessed her love stories end in tragedy or failure every time. He didn’t understand why she bothered, especially considering she was currently fawning over someone Hakim quite frankly considered to be a buffoon. That’s how he appeared, anyway, more muscle than brains. “I’ve simply never met someone who truly sparked that interest.” He had, for many years, been a man of lust, many women (often at the same time) falling victim to his charming eye. He had done it almost every way, with every sort of person, with many people at once… and yet, here he was. Single. “I wouldn’t necessarily say proud is the right word for me; but I agree, why crave something without purpose?” What a hypocrite he was.

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

“You should stay… I would have made it known quite clearly if I didn’t want you around.” He insisted casually. Hakim wasn’t scared in voicing his own opinions on things and definitely wasn’t scared of telling people to fuck off. She wasn’t one of those people. Hearing her speak of people who were cruel and bitter, he bit his lip, for she was describing someone sat right in front of her. Perhaps not as bad as Malik, Hakim had a slightly sadistic side at times, relishing in the suffering and misfortune of others. The things he had done hundreds of years ago when he was a freshly turned werewolf were unspeakable, and though he had left those days behind, it still crept up every once in a while. “Nothing wrong with nice… many people forget the definition of ‘nice’ these days.” He included himself in that statement.

“Oh.” Oh. That was all he could think to say for now, and Hakim found himself suddenly faced with his own mortality again. He had never caught a common cold since his bite, let alone something as terrifying as cancer. It made him realise that not everyone had the privileges he did in that sense. “To have beaten something like that… I’m glad to be sat talking to you like this today, healthy.” He spoke genuinely. She had defeated something so evil and sat here with a smiling face, she was far braver than he was. “Mhm, miserable. Generally used to describe someone who never smiles or changes their tone of voice. That would be me.” He began, though grew quiet as he really focused on her words. She called him brooding, mysterious… and handsome. That was interesting. “I’ve seen a few places in my time, yes.” Countries rise and fall, decades come and go. It was a fantastic life to have lived. “I run a business, you’d be correct. But as for someone?… I am very much single.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

“I prefer it that way.” The fact she was actually getting a conversation out of him was quite shocking in itself. Hakim was used to people being too scared to talk to him, and those who did often realised it was pointless. Her little explanation made his eyes wander over her for a minute, studying her clues as to what she was like. Who she was. Her mentions of how she had grown sick made Hakim once again question mortality for a moment. He hadn’t been sick since… well, he couldn’t remember anymore. The details of his past had grown fuzzy. “Don’t fret. I’ve had far more worse people yell far more worse things at me than… well, you remember.”

“Esmerelda…” He repeated, nodding slowly, raising his eyebrows a little. “England’s an awful long way away, Esme.” He continued, running a fingertip over the edge of his coffee cup. She didn’t tell him where she was from, but he could tell by her accent. He also was born on a foreign land… just an awfully long time ago. But unlike his younger sister who still retained elements of her home accent, Hakim had completely cut himself off from his culture. He never spoke of home, never spoke Arabic, hadn’t visited the place once since he left. He had never forgotten his mother tongue, sure, but any ounce of his culture had been locked away, never to be reopened. His home accent was completely gone, and now he just sounded like a Boston local. A shame, really. “… And yet here you are. Serving coffee to a miserable man like me.

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

The man’s face was full of mystery. His eyes seemed old, almost, like they’d witnessed a million stories and seen a million faces. A large scar ran over his left eyebrow (from a witch who’d sliced him with a knife made of .999 silver many years ago, the only kind of silver that could hurt an original). His skin was tanned, muscles big, hair dark and thick though perfectly groomed. He was rather attractive to the eye but no one knew that Boston’s notorious rich man was also the rumoured creature that lived in the woods. Hakim… obviously didn’t live out in the forest areas, but was he someone who could turn into your worst nightmare if you gave him reason? Absolutely. The city was lucky he had moved away with his ‘kill for sport’ days.

He spoke little, often choosing grunts and grumbled instead, small glances and glares. Talking was a waste of time, he felt, and he chose the comforts of a book instead. A book offered function and didn’t disturb him in anyway. Until… he was disturbed. Peering over his book, The Shining, the man found himself unexpectedly faced with the very woman he’d been so curious about himself. And suddenly he felt lost. What now? He’d been searching for answers, but now that he was faced with it, how did he find what he was looking for? Oh, excuse me, mam, but what was that peculiar sensation you caused when you touched my hand the other day? He couldn’t just say that!

“… I apologise for supporting your business.” He began quietly, closing the book with quick snip and placing it beside him. Looking at the woman with those piercing eyes of his, he figured out his next move, but began distracted for a moment by her own eyes. Soft.. gentle… warm. Things he had deprived himself of for a long ti— no, no! That was not why he was here. Nodding slowly, he gestured to the empty chair opposite him. “If… by wrong foot you mean yelling at me over a coffee cup, that is…” He added, noticing his own was empty. “Hakim. My name is Hakim.”

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

These past couple of weeks had been… fantastic for Hakim. There were many words he could use to describe how his days had gone, but sometimes a simple word sufficed just as equally. He had realised that being open and vulnerable with his emotions had allowed him to enjoy life as it ought to he, and though he still sometimes struggled with his words and his feelings… he was happy. For Esme, he would always be happy.

They often spent a lot of their free time together, but recently? It had been a constant. She practically lived in his apartment these days, spending the night, cooking with one another, watching movies, becoming… intimate. Until Kiara had demanded to know where she was and Hakim had insisted that spending time with her best friend was just as important. Yet tonight, she had somehow wound up in his bed again, though this time they snoozed against each other peacefully. Under the bed sheets, the shirtless man had his arms wrapped tightly around the girl’s torso, the warmth of his body keeping her cozy, as he noticed she seemed to get cold a lot more easily than the average human did. But as Hakim slept, his mind drifted away to places he’d never been before, sights he’d never seen, versions of people he had never met. And though he would wake up and know it was just a dream, the stories his mind created that night? They felt so familiar…

IN ANOTHER WORLD.

To have lived for 231 years left little to the imagination. For a man like Hakim, stoic and serious, he had done almost everything a human could do in their lifetime what felt like a million times over. He had visited every country, witnessed the birth and death of the world’s more famous (and infamous) icons and built an empire of his own that was ever-growing. It sounded exciting, sure, but the way Hakim Nassar carried himself in this world these days was hardly something to be jealous of. He was… lonely, unattached, wandering the world with a distaste for humans, but also watching them with an envious eye, longing for the simplistic life he once had in Lebanon all those years ago. Forever in the shadow of his older brother who always seemed to know how to handle himself, the younger sibling often struggled with his mind. It was riddled with complexities. But he would not allow himself to succumb to such weaknesses. He was, after all, an original werewolf, feared by many in Boston who only knew him as a myth. He would not tarnish his reputation that way.

For a man that had witnessed it all… he still loved coffee. The liquid gold was something he’d never grown sick on, and in a strange and unexpected turn, he often found himself in those silly little human coffee shops. Strange to imagine such a huge, muscular man in a place like that, a thick beard and almost-black eyes, sipping from a coffee cup. But he was. Until a couple of weeks back… the most peculiar thing had happened. Even a man of his caliber could make mistakes, and on one day, when he had accidentally grabbed another woman’s coffee, she had proceeded to yell at him despite her rather pretty face. But that moment… he couldn’t get it out of his head. He’d never met the woman in his life, but the moment her fingertips brushed over his hand as she went to grab his cup… something unexplainable had happened. A feeling of nausea and instability had shaken him to his core, set his balance off completely, left him longing and desperate to find out who she was. He had never experienced such a sensation.

Was it magic? Was she a witch? His attempts to find her had been left unsatisfied, searching and searching with no result. Until… another coffee trip. And there she was. Stood behind the counter, chatting to the other employees, a beautiful smile on his face. He’d been coming for some weeks now, to see what she was up to… and yet, nothing. She did absolutely nothing except be her absolutely delightful self. She was no witch, he could pick up her scent… new books, fresh bedsheets, sweet and milky tea. She was human. So why he feel so shaken every time he saw her? The man, maintaining his brooding and mysterious appearance, did what he always did, ordered a black coffee and sat hidden behind a book, waiting for something to occur. Anything.

[hakimnassar]

The soft bump of their noses made the corners of his lips turn upwards. More moments of tenderness he would perhaps have to get used to, not that he disliked them, he was finding the comfort from them something he was adjusting to nicely. “Sorry, I know we’re kind of naked right now, might not be best for an emotional moment. I’m not very good with words or the timing in the words.” Hakim joked, but brushed the feelings of amusement aside. He wanted to take this moment seriously and tell her the honesty in what he felt. “You do.” He mumbled, kissing her back softly and not wanting to pull away, “You make me feel happy in a way no one else ever could.” It was the truth. He had never felt this way for any girl in his life, and no girl had ever wanted to show him that life was full of goodness and colour the way she did. That in itself made his skin grow warm, his cheeks turn red. Giddiness like a child, almost. She said she wanted all of his imperfections and broken pieces, something heartfelt in that sentence alone, but a rather big imperfection suddenly came to mind — him being a werewolf and the way he approached that lifestyle. He was no where near as controlled as his sister, she had always been the one who choose psychological violence over physical. He chose the latter. How on earth was Esme supposed to fall for that? It made his stomach turn, but he quickly shoved those feelings into oblivion, smiling quickly towards her. “I’m not very smart when it comes to this stuff… just know that I’m trying to be the very best version of myself. For you.” Her suggestion to skip class, however, didn’t go unappreciated. Hakim quirked his eyebrow, nodding as his smile turned to a grin, “Fuck class. We’re staying here.” Suddenly, things felt real and exciting. He wrapped his arm around her torso, pulling her upwards so she laid on top of him again. He quite enjoyed that position with her. “Last night… you were fantastic.” Moving in, he kissed her tightly, full of the adrenaline and adoration he had for her. “… Wanna go for round two?”

Esmeralda loved Halloween. Every since she had moved to America with her family in order to treat her cancer, she had always enjoyed the idea of people dressing up as their favorite characters and running around to collect candy. Either it be on their neighborhood, at school or even in their own homes because parents were extra cautious, it felt like such a fun and wholesome time to simply exist. Esme herself had not celebrated much in her youth since she had been sick from age 9 to around 16 - many times doctors telling her parents that she would not even make it through another round of chemotherapy - but she loved watching the nurses get dressed up and hand out little goodie bags to the children and teens they looked after. And after she had been declared cancer free, the girl had always associated Halloween and Christmas with fun memories. Even if it was well away from being actual Halloween, the month of October in general just made her feel so much happier than normal. The girl herself was not one to really go out and party since people always just wanted to hook up and do dumb things but often times her best friend would drag her to these places because she thought Esme needed to live a little. When Esme thought she lived just enough as it was. But that was the exact reason as to why the young woman had decided that a party of a different kind would be much more beneficial to her. And who else to have fun with that with her other - and fairly newer - best friend, Hakim Nassar. A best friend whom she had strictly made by forcing him to hang out with her and now he just couldn’t seem to get rid of her. Not that he wanted to it seems since sometimes he sought her out if she didn’t constantly send him tiktoks during the day or random pictures of shit she saw on campus that she thought was cute.

Many would consider their friendship to be quite strange. To be fair; Esme had never really shaken the fact that she thought this man was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. When he wasn’t looking at her, Esme made the most noticeable heart eyes a girl could ever make towards a boy and it could not be more clear that her crush on him was getting significantly worse with the passage of time. She knew that and he most definitely knew that. But after having been rejected after shooting her shot with him, Esmeralda did her best to just focus on the fact that they were at least friends. Best friends! She cared deeply for him and loved being around him even if they didn’t even do anything. Did she think about kissing him all the time? Yes. Did she wonder what it would be like for him to pin her to a wall and fuck her? Yes. Was he maybe the main character in a short story she was currently writing on Wattpad so she could live out her sexual fantasies? Also… yes. But that was how she found balance in her feelings and her reality.

So! She has texted Hakim earlier in the day that she would be coming over later in the night so that they could have a scary movie night. Naturally, he had said no to her at first because of some party he was going to and talking about how he wanted to not be in his apartment for the night but Esmeralda had been quiet insistent. She’d sent him a stream of voice messages and sad looking selfies in order to get him to cave and stay in for the night with her. And it had worked. It had taken several hours but it had worked! Dressing up in a cute little cardigan and dress, coupled with a pair of ankle boots and frilly little socks, placing a bow in her hair to keep it clipped back, the girl had set out to buy plenty of snacks and at exactly 8:00pm, she was doing a rather rhythmic knock on his door after putting the bags on the floor from how heavy they were. How she had managed to even carry them up the stairs was a mystery when she was actually not the strongest of girls. “Hello!” She greeted cheerfully as she soon looked up at the very tall boy standing in the doorway, “I know you really wanted to go to that party but I swear I brought lots of snacks for us and you can pick the movies! Could… could you maybe help me with the bags? They’re rather heavy and my arms hurt from carrying them,” she asked him, those big doe eyes of hers batting their eyelashes as she smiled sweetly.

[hakimnassar]

Hearing her talk about how she wasn’t wearing anything, the corners of his lips turned upwards a little more. “Exactly.” Was all he said, leaning in and kissing her cheek again. She could get used to him smiling and he could get used to her without any clothes, it was almost like they were were meant to be or something. “I slept wonderfully… I am quite tired, you see… last night kinda knocked me out.” He joked lightly, before going quiet for a moment. He wanted to think about what he wanted to say to her properly before he ran his mouth and said something stupid. He didn’t want to mess it up. Appreciating the silence, he nodded slowly, his smile falling as he grew more serious but the adoration for her didn’t seem to vanish. He simply wanted to approach this maturely and treat the girl with the respect he deserved. “… I don’t want you to feel like last night was me using you.” He began slowly, keeping his eyes on her, “… Because it wasn’t. It was me realising that… that keeping my feelings pushed aside was the wrong idea, and wanting to express how I really felt. That I want to be with you. I’m just sorry that it came out in a way that seemed like I just wanted your body.” He confessed, holding her close to his body. “You make me feel… good, Esme, really good. Happy and like I’m enjoying life. And I’m sorry I allowed you to feel the way you did for so long without me reciprocating. But I want to. Now.” Returning to his smile, he let out a small sigh, almost like a weight was being lifted from his shoulders. “I’m not very good with w-words… I’m sorry… but… I just need you know how I feel now. I can’t promise I’ll be perfect, I don’t know what I’m doing half the time, I just… I just want you to know that I’m trying to be good for you. If you’ll let me.”

Esmeralda loved Halloween. Every since she had moved to America with her family in order to treat her cancer, she had always enjoyed the idea of people dressing up as their favorite characters and running around to collect candy. Either it be on their neighborhood, at school or even in their own homes because parents were extra cautious, it felt like such a fun and wholesome time to simply exist. Esme herself had not celebrated much in her youth since she had been sick from age 9 to around 16 - many times doctors telling her parents that she would not even make it through another round of chemotherapy - but she loved watching the nurses get dressed up and hand out little goodie bags to the children and teens they looked after. And after she had been declared cancer free, the girl had always associated Halloween and Christmas with fun memories. Even if it was well away from being actual Halloween, the month of October in general just made her feel so much happier than normal. The girl herself was not one to really go out and party since people always just wanted to hook up and do dumb things but often times her best friend would drag her to these places because she thought Esme needed to live a little. When Esme thought she lived just enough as it was. But that was the exact reason as to why the young woman had decided that a party of a different kind would be much more beneficial to her. And who else to have fun with that with her other - and fairly newer - best friend, Hakim Nassar. A best friend whom she had strictly made by forcing him to hang out with her and now he just couldn’t seem to get rid of her. Not that he wanted to it seems since sometimes he sought her out if she didn’t constantly send him tiktoks during the day or random pictures of shit she saw on campus that she thought was cute.

Many would consider their friendship to be quite strange. To be fair; Esme had never really shaken the fact that she thought this man was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. When he wasn’t looking at her, Esme made the most noticeable heart eyes a girl could ever make towards a boy and it could not be more clear that her crush on him was getting significantly worse with the passage of time. She knew that and he most definitely knew that. But after having been rejected after shooting her shot with him, Esmeralda did her best to just focus on the fact that they were at least friends. Best friends! She cared deeply for him and loved being around him even if they didn’t even do anything. Did she think about kissing him all the time? Yes. Did she wonder what it would be like for him to pin her to a wall and fuck her? Yes. Was he maybe the main character in a short story she was currently writing on Wattpad so she could live out her sexual fantasies? Also… yes. But that was how she found balance in her feelings and her reality.

So! She has texted Hakim earlier in the day that she would be coming over later in the night so that they could have a scary movie night. Naturally, he had said no to her at first because of some party he was going to and talking about how he wanted to not be in his apartment for the night but Esmeralda had been quiet insistent. She’d sent him a stream of voice messages and sad looking selfies in order to get him to cave and stay in for the night with her. And it had worked. It had taken several hours but it had worked! Dressing up in a cute little cardigan and dress, coupled with a pair of ankle boots and frilly little socks, placing a bow in her hair to keep it clipped back, the girl had set out to buy plenty of snacks and at exactly 8:00pm, she was doing a rather rhythmic knock on his door after putting the bags on the floor from how heavy they were. How she had managed to even carry them up the stairs was a mystery when she was actually not the strongest of girls. “Hello!” She greeted cheerfully as she soon looked up at the very tall boy standing in the doorway, “I know you really wanted to go to that party but I swear I brought lots of snacks for us and you can pick the movies! Could… could you maybe help me with the bags? They’re rather heavy and my arms hurt from carrying them,” she asked him, those big doe eyes of hers batting their eyelashes as she smiled sweetly.

[hakimnassar]

Still asleep, the man didn’t notice the way Esme had awoken from her own slumber, had released where she was and had slipped off of his body to rest beside him instead. He didn’t realise because it simply all felt natural to him, like it made sense, and all he did was slept out a peaceful hum, his arm moving as she moved to keep her close, wrapped around her shoulder warmly. It seemed that Hakim had been deprived of an intimidate and delicate touch since, well, forever, and subconsciously seemed it out as a response. This was one of those times as he slept peacefully, but hopefully now, after last night’s events and personal confessions, he would be able to find gentle intimacy from Esme more than once. Eventually, the sunlight had gotten brighter, shining onto his face that was a personal alarm, waking him slowly into his consciousness. Tired eyed slowly wavered open, creaking his neck to the side to see the girl pressed softly against his body, her leg wrapped around his own, holding onto his arm tightly, and all Hakim could do was smile. This tenderness… this moment, it in this moment that boy realised this was something he wanted. Something he wanted to share, and share only with her. He didn’t know how, and he knew he wouldn’t be perfect… but he wanted this work. Desperately. Looking over to her, he leaned in forwards, pressing a kiss on her cheek considering he knew she wasn’t fully asleep right now. “… Morning…” he mumbled, “… you look nice.”

Esmeralda loved Halloween. Every since she had moved to America with her family in order to treat her cancer, she had always enjoyed the idea of people dressing up as their favorite characters and running around to collect candy. Either it be on their neighborhood, at school or even in their own homes because parents were extra cautious, it felt like such a fun and wholesome time to simply exist. Esme herself had not celebrated much in her youth since she had been sick from age 9 to around 16 - many times doctors telling her parents that she would not even make it through another round of chemotherapy - but she loved watching the nurses get dressed up and hand out little goodie bags to the children and teens they looked after. And after she had been declared cancer free, the girl had always associated Halloween and Christmas with fun memories. Even if it was well away from being actual Halloween, the month of October in general just made her feel so much happier than normal. The girl herself was not one to really go out and party since people always just wanted to hook up and do dumb things but often times her best friend would drag her to these places because she thought Esme needed to live a little. When Esme thought she lived just enough as it was. But that was the exact reason as to why the young woman had decided that a party of a different kind would be much more beneficial to her. And who else to have fun with that with her other - and fairly newer - best friend, Hakim Nassar. A best friend whom she had strictly made by forcing him to hang out with her and now he just couldn’t seem to get rid of her. Not that he wanted to it seems since sometimes he sought her out if she didn’t constantly send him tiktoks during the day or random pictures of shit she saw on campus that she thought was cute.

Many would consider their friendship to be quite strange. To be fair; Esme had never really shaken the fact that she thought this man was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. When he wasn’t looking at her, Esme made the most noticeable heart eyes a girl could ever make towards a boy and it could not be more clear that her crush on him was getting significantly worse with the passage of time. She knew that and he most definitely knew that. But after having been rejected after shooting her shot with him, Esmeralda did her best to just focus on the fact that they were at least friends. Best friends! She cared deeply for him and loved being around him even if they didn’t even do anything. Did she think about kissing him all the time? Yes. Did she wonder what it would be like for him to pin her to a wall and fuck her? Yes. Was he maybe the main character in a short story she was currently writing on Wattpad so she could live out her sexual fantasies? Also… yes. But that was how she found balance in her feelings and her reality.

So! She has texted Hakim earlier in the day that she would be coming over later in the night so that they could have a scary movie night. Naturally, he had said no to her at first because of some party he was going to and talking about how he wanted to not be in his apartment for the night but Esmeralda had been quiet insistent. She’d sent him a stream of voice messages and sad looking selfies in order to get him to cave and stay in for the night with her. And it had worked. It had taken several hours but it had worked! Dressing up in a cute little cardigan and dress, coupled with a pair of ankle boots and frilly little socks, placing a bow in her hair to keep it clipped back, the girl had set out to buy plenty of snacks and at exactly 8:00pm, she was doing a rather rhythmic knock on his door after putting the bags on the floor from how heavy they were. How she had managed to even carry them up the stairs was a mystery when she was actually not the strongest of girls. “Hello!” She greeted cheerfully as she soon looked up at the very tall boy standing in the doorway, “I know you really wanted to go to that party but I swear I brought lots of snacks for us and you can pick the movies! Could… could you maybe help me with the bags? They’re rather heavy and my arms hurt from carrying them,” she asked him, those big doe eyes of hers batting their eyelashes as she smiled sweetly.

[hakimnassar]

“Anything?” He repeated, keeping himself moving against her body in motions just as she seemed to desire. The way she clenched the bed sheets, moaned so loudly and confidently even though it was her first time, curved her body upwards against him. Using a free hand, he slipped it slowly under her chin, turning her face back towards him so he could kiss the woman against the lips a little more passionately than expected. But hopefully appreciated all of the shame. “I want you to do everything…”

THE NEXT MORNING.

The night before had taken a incredibly unexpected and quite frankly shocking turn. What was supposed to be an evening of innocent Halloween movies and unhealthy snacks, blankets and shared laughter. The only thing that had been shared last night… was their bodies. The air had instead been filled with moans and screams, loud slaps and the man’s bedroom creaking loudly against the wall (those poor neighbours). Hakim hadn’t known what to anticipate from this evening, but this definitely hadn’t been it; a girl who was so innocent and so new to a world like this had shown him that she was more than capable of things far beyond the talents of any woman he’d ever been with. This was the best sex he’d ever had in his life. That had to mean something… didn’t it? There was more to love than sex, yes, but the passion he felt for her last night, that wasn’t any normal feeling. The desire to make her feel… wanted, ecstatic and good. Quite a basic word that felt like it described so much at the same time. Hopefully, in Hakim’s sober state, he would come feel exactly the same way as he always had. But for now, as the morning light shined through the crack in the curtains, the pair were fast asleep, entangled in the bedsheets and still naked, keeping each other close in an embrace. Hakim snoozed peacefully, his arm wrapped around the girls shoulders, a delicate smile on his perfectly soft lips.

Esmeralda loved Halloween. Every since she had moved to America with her family in order to treat her cancer, she had always enjoyed the idea of people dressing up as their favorite characters and running around to collect candy. Either it be on their neighborhood, at school or even in their own homes because parents were extra cautious, it felt like such a fun and wholesome time to simply exist. Esme herself had not celebrated much in her youth since she had been sick from age 9 to around 16 - many times doctors telling her parents that she would not even make it through another round of chemotherapy - but she loved watching the nurses get dressed up and hand out little goodie bags to the children and teens they looked after. And after she had been declared cancer free, the girl had always associated Halloween and Christmas with fun memories. Even if it was well away from being actual Halloween, the month of October in general just made her feel so much happier than normal. The girl herself was not one to really go out and party since people always just wanted to hook up and do dumb things but often times her best friend would drag her to these places because she thought Esme needed to live a little. When Esme thought she lived just enough as it was. But that was the exact reason as to why the young woman had decided that a party of a different kind would be much more beneficial to her. And who else to have fun with that with her other - and fairly newer - best friend, Hakim Nassar. A best friend whom she had strictly made by forcing him to hang out with her and now he just couldn’t seem to get rid of her. Not that he wanted to it seems since sometimes he sought her out if she didn’t constantly send him tiktoks during the day or random pictures of shit she saw on campus that she thought was cute.

Many would consider their friendship to be quite strange. To be fair; Esme had never really shaken the fact that she thought this man was the most beautiful man she had ever seen in her life. When he wasn’t looking at her, Esme made the most noticeable heart eyes a girl could ever make towards a boy and it could not be more clear that her crush on him was getting significantly worse with the passage of time. She knew that and he most definitely knew that. But after having been rejected after shooting her shot with him, Esmeralda did her best to just focus on the fact that they were at least friends. Best friends! She cared deeply for him and loved being around him even if they didn’t even do anything. Did she think about kissing him all the time? Yes. Did she wonder what it would be like for him to pin her to a wall and fuck her? Yes. Was he maybe the main character in a short story she was currently writing on Wattpad so she could live out her sexual fantasies? Also… yes. But that was how she found balance in her feelings and her reality.

So! She has texted Hakim earlier in the day that she would be coming over later in the night so that they could have a scary movie night. Naturally, he had said no to her at first because of some party he was going to and talking about how he wanted to not be in his apartment for the night but Esmeralda had been quiet insistent. She’d sent him a stream of voice messages and sad looking selfies in order to get him to cave and stay in for the night with her. And it had worked. It had taken several hours but it had worked! Dressing up in a cute little cardigan and dress, coupled with a pair of ankle boots and frilly little socks, placing a bow in her hair to keep it clipped back, the girl had set out to buy plenty of snacks and at exactly 8:00pm, she was doing a rather rhythmic knock on his door after putting the bags on the floor from how heavy they were. How she had managed to even carry them up the stairs was a mystery when she was actually not the strongest of girls. “Hello!” She greeted cheerfully as she soon looked up at the very tall boy standing in the doorway, “I know you really wanted to go to that party but I swear I brought lots of snacks for us and you can pick the movies! Could… could you maybe help me with the bags? They’re rather heavy and my arms hurt from carrying them,” she asked him, those big doe eyes of hers batting their eyelashes as she smiled sweetly.