#I hope nothing about this is accidentally insensitive or hurtful to anybody.

[largerthanaveragedragon]

And the vision of the Lord said to me in my dream, "Protect the asymmetrical, for I have created your species as such. Walk the shores with the unconventional, the foreign, and those feared by the irrational feelings in your heart. Speak to and listen to those you disagree with, those you have been taught to hate, and those who you never even considered."

I asked the vision of the Lord a question, but I forgot all about it aside from it being one I already knew the answer to.

The vision of the Lord said unto me, "A symmetrical world is one doomed to be destroyed."

I could not help myself, I tried to say something smarmy to the vision of the Lord, something along the lines of 'So of I meet someone perfectly symmetrical, someone born perfect and untouched by the world, I don't protect them?' The moment the thought crossed my mind I felt a wave of disappointment, as if the entire human race let out an annoyed sigh all at once.

"No." Said the vision of the Lord, with a voice like the beating wing of a hawk. "A person who is perfect, symmetrical, a person that follows the blueprint for a living person perfectly, paradoxically, this person is the most asymmetrical of all, as nobody else in the universe shares this perfection."

The air rippled with strange...something or another, music filled my ears as I gasped for air.

"Hold sympathy in your heart for those around you. Love thy neighbors, love thyself as I love you all."

I hit my head on the nightstand.

[thefanficmonster]

wait you take headcanon requests too? if so, can i please request headcanons for annalise realizing she thinks of the keating 5 as her children?

i’m literally obsessed with the show as of recently, so feel free to toss out my requests if it’s too much or you’re just not into it - 🦋

Awww I adore this request, thank you so much 🦋 Enjoy the headcanons 💕 (PS: Hope you don't mind them being set in season 1)

Pairing (Platonic/Motherly): Annalise Keating & Keating 5

Warnings: SPOILERS for Season 1 of HTGAWM, Swearing, Mentions of Heartbreak and Break ups and Insecurities

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Platonic Fluff

It started with how much of herself she saw in Michaela

Hell, Annalise will go as far as to say that she can't remember ever seeing a spirit like Miss Pratt's in her classes before

A girl full of fiery ambition, intelligence and unshakeable attitude

At times she even wishes she'd been that bold at her age

So, when she saw her come home looking drastically more different after the holiday break, she was right to be concerned

She was still Michaela, that's for sure

Ready for a fight, a challenge, an all-nighter

But something was missing

And when the engagement was broken up, she wilted away even more

That's when Annalise couldn't keep her concerns to herself anymore and asked the girl to her office for a private and personal chat - something she rarely or rather never did with her students

It was surprisingly easy to get Michaela to confide in her, almost as though she'd been waiting for someone willing to hear her out

And when she finally let it all out of her system, dropping a few tears along the way, Annalise gave her a piece of her mind, some advice she'll never forget

A promising 'men ain't shit'

Which perfectly transitions to the similar talk she gave Laurel about Frank

She'd caught all their fleeting glances, smiles from across the room, 'subtle' or 'accidental' physical contact and all the times they'd sneak off on their own when they though the other students were least likely to notice

Of course, Annalise had nothing has nothing against a little mixture of feelings in the work place as long as it doesn't hinder the work flow

But the guy in question was none other than Frank and if anybody knew this man, it was her

And the first thing she knew about him apart from his knowledge of law, was that he's a notorious heartbreaker among college girls

And she'd be damned if she let him hurt Laurel

She didn't know exactly why she wanted to intervene this time specifically but she did

First by lightly telling Laurel to watch herself around Frank - which she took quite easily and gracefully

"I love the guy like my own son, but I'd be damned if I looked you in the eyes and lied to your face that he's a good man for these types of things. Romance is not his strong suit and you....you seem fragile, Miss Castillo. Watch out for yourself, ok? He's haphazard and insensitive at times, but he can't break you if you don't let him."

And then by telling Frank off to hell, making him promise up and down that he wasn't playing games with her

"I swear you're gonna be regretting the day you stepped foot in my office, you understand? I've heard you pull the 'nothing personal' card far too many times to hear it again this year. Got it? Miss Castillo is too good to be a conquest or toy you enjoy for a month then drop and forget about within a day!"

Much like Rebecca was playing with Wes

The Puppy of the group had his own love troubles too

Pursuing an emotionally unavailable person has become Annalise's specialty too over the past few years of her marriage to Sam so she knew exactly what he felt when she sat down in hopes of having a proper talk with him

She figured that his love troubles were only the tip of the iceberg

This boy had layers and layers of problems suffocating him and, although initially reluctant to open up about them, he eventually did, allowing for Annalise to be let in on his life story, the death of his mother, how hard his life has been since, how he's so unsure of himself and how his trust issues have never been so bad

She took the opportunity to fill him in on a little secret - the faux confidence of lawyers, she called it

The confidence they exhibit in court isn't always 100% genuine or stable

Hell, some of them walk in there 99% sure they're gonna lose the case and yet they still stand strong and tall before the judge and build a case that can only stand for any length of time if it's shown with confidence

But, one has to know when the confidence has gone overboard

Faking it doesn't always lead to making it, sometimes it can lead to a bad crash and burn

Which is what Connor has been dealing with behind sly smirks and sarcastic remarks

Annalise noticed each change of his expression whenever he wouldn't get something right in class or when he'd see the trophy getting handed off to someone else of the Keating 5

She sees his brick wall of self-assuredness falter in those moments, something no one else catches a glimpse of which is probably his intention

Which is mainly why he refused her help when she offered it to him

He did, however, accept a drink, and after two, he was singing his heart out, spilling his worries to her

From love troubles with Oliver, to how the recent events have affected him and how he's starting to lose his sense of self, no longer able to tell right from wrong, how his walls were built so high, he couldn't let in even the people he wanted to

All struggles that hit very close to home for her

She understood him and advised him the best she could - to the extent he'd listen to - but comforted him with words that have stuck with him ever since

"The pressure sucks, I know. But imagine how much suckier it would be to be left in a state of ignorance. You want to be in the know? You better prepare for what that brings Mr. Walsh."

Speaking of ignorance...there's Asher

He's like the baby of the group by this point, protected from the truth that his friends have done something terrible, that his professor is in on it and that the only reason he's here is probably because of his father

Although he proved himself smarter and more capable than anticipated he clearly didn't see it that way for when Annalise congratulated him on his recent progress, he had simply asked:

"How much did my dad pay you to bump up my grade?"

Turns out he knew of that last part

Which was perfect to prompt Annalise into giving him a brief lecture on clinging onto details

"Our job may or may not revolve around details, but look at it this way: he's the reason I took you in, you're the reason you've stayed this long. After all, he never said I couldn't kick you from the program whenever I'd please. Keep up the good work, Mr. Millstone, and maybe your daddy won't have to pay your way any further than this spot on my team."

Each and every time she did it, she reasoned with herself that she just wanted her team to be top-tier and remain so at all times

If she had to coax them out of a dark place then that's what she was prepared to do

But now, as she's found herself looking at all five of them gathered in the living room of her house as per usual, she can't help the smile that comes across her face

Michaela's back to being herself, lively and intense like the hurricane she's been since day one, eyes on the prize with no distractions on the way

Laurel seems happier too, but that might have something to do with the fact that those looks, smiles and touches between her and Frank aren't so much fleeting and exchanged in secrecy anymore

Yup, even Annalise was taken aback to find out that the two were an official item but God if that didn't make her day

Wes has been working more on his confidence as of recent, being more open with his ideas and thoughts, not only with the other four students but in front of the whole class too

Baby steps, but meaningful ones, letting the woman know her efforts weren't in vain

Connor has kept up a poker face facade - the one all too regular for him, but she has been noticing the subtle changes

The leisure in his posture when he sits, the easy smile on his face when the five are taking a break from their hard work etc.

And Asher seems to have found anew surge of motivation, now knowing that what he did actually mattered and that at least this element of his life wasn't in the hands of his father

All in all, missions Keating 5 seems to have been a success

And it's helped Annalise find out a little thing about herself too

The answer to the question why she's grown so attached to these students out of all 4's she's coached throughout her career

Simple: Because these five have become her responsibility, like her very own children

And she will protect them as such

[a-panda-reads-act-omega]

ACT OMEGA PART 11

THE 27/10/16 UPDATE

ABOUT DAMN TIME I GOT TO HERE AINT IT! Geez, I need to hurry up and get caught up to that new update so I have a good excuse for being lazy. ANyways, this should be the Calliope and Jane interaction. Also, am I the only one who thinks most people pronounce calliope weird? its always like, Call-e-ope-e or cal-i-ope, but I think it’s just Call-e-ope. I dunno, whatta you folks think?

blep

CALLIOPE: (oh!) CALLIOPE: (Um, hello again jane. ^u^)

Dammit she’s adorable.

JANE: (I’m sorry, am I interrupting anything?) JANE: (You seemed to be taking a pretty engrossed gander at that house door thing.) CALLIOPE: (oh no i was jUst admiring it. nothing important.) CALLIOPE: (although... i was doing a little thinking as well.) JANE: (Really? What about?) JANE: (If you don’t mind sharing, that is.) CALLIOPE: (not at all!) CALLIOPE: (well, the main sUbject of my thoUghts has jUst been shock for how i am even here for this moment.) CALLIOPE: (after it became clear that i was never meant to even play the game session i was a part of, despite my foolish hopes...) CALLIOPE: (i was certain that the Ultimate reward was forever oUtside my grasp.) CALLIOPE: (and yet, here i am!) CALLIOPE: (it almost feels like i’m cheating.) CALLIOPE: (i have hardly done anything deserving of any reward, let alone the Ultimate one. u-u;)

Aw, don’t be like that Calliope! You may not have played much of an active role in the story, but  that doesn’t mean you weren’t 100% necessary! Honestly, where would the Alpha Kids be without you? I think you’ve earned this by enduring the bullshit you’re brother has put you through, and doing what was best for the completion of the game, and survival of your friends.

JANE: (That name really is a bit misleading, isn’t it?) JANE: (It seems so... grandiose.) JANE: (I’m not sure if I’m all that fond of it.) CALLIOPE: (really?) JANE: (Mhm.) JANE: (Especially considering, well...) JANE: (My behavior today hasn’t exactly been worthy of accolades either.) JANE: (In fact I think I may have done more harm than good for the majority of my session!) JANE: (Or maybe even further back than that!!) JANE: (I don’t mean to be insensitive when I say this, Callie, but...) JANE: (Throughout this entire mess, at least you have been innocent of any real wrongdoing.) JANE: (Which is more than can be said for me.)

AWGH, dont be like that JANE..... ALl these sad girls need to stop worrying about WORTH n shit. You all played your role dammit. 

CALLIOPE: (oh...) CALLIOPE: (yoU’re referring to the things yoU mentioned in yoUr story?) JANE: (I killed my best friend.) JANE: (And out of such petty jealousy!) JANE: (I might be able to foist blame upon the Batterwitch, for manipulating me into hurting my friends.) JANE: (But she was only able to do that because they were already inclinations I had, deep down!) JANE: (Couldn’t I have resisted more?) JANE: (What does that say about me?)

JANEY

SHUt UR MOUTH

iT says youre a human with human emotions. 

CALLIOPE: (but roxy is here! she’s fine!)

DAYum  RIGHT roxy is fiiiiiine

CALLIOPE: (she may be a slightly different version of roxy than the one yoU knew, bUt certainly that is better than losing her forever, isn’t it?) CALLIOPE: (living in a world withoUt roxy in it...) CALLIOPE: (that woUld sUrely be a terrible fate!)

Yes it would. Because youUUU LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE HEEEEERRRR

JANE: (Oh certainly!) JANE: (You have no idea how relieved I am that despite my horrific deeds, I still have the people that matter most to me in my life.) JANE: (Including my dad!!) JANE: (I’ve missed him so much.) JANE: (I’m almost afraid to ask if he knows about what I did...) JANE: (And if not, would I ever be able to tell him?) JANE: (He’d be so ashamed of me.)

Pretty sure his only emotion is proud. BUT COME ON JANE, youre worrying about the wrong shit. these people, im tellin ya. they never wanna let go of the paST.

CALLIOPE: (jane, i am not very familiar with the concepts of fathers and families.) CALLIOPE: (these are very hUman things which, despite my preoccUpations, are still qUite foreign. u-u;) CALLIOPE: (bUt i think i may be learning slowly by seeing how all of yoU are immediately drawn to each other.) CALLIOPE: (and from what i have learned, i don’t think yoU need to worry, jane.) CALLIOPE: (we are all just glad that yoU are here, i am certain of it!) JANE: (... Thank you, Callie.) JANE: (The same goes for you, you know!) CALLIOPE: (oh yes! I really am qUite happy to be here and not dead!) CALLIOPE: (i jUst wish that i coUld have been a little more UsefUl...) CALLIOPE: (perhaps if i had managed to contribUte at least a little more, i woUld not feel qUite so oUt of place.) JANE: (It’s alright to feel a tad ill at ease.) JANE: (Nobody expects you to be immediately hunky dory with all of this buddy chummy hullabaloo.)

Hah. No comment, other than that I love this line. This interaction  is sweet.

JANE: (In fact I’m certain not even all us humans are on the same page.) JANE: (So your discomfort, in a way, is a very good indication that you fit right in.)

no kidding. Is there anybody here who feels comfortable? Maybe Rose and Jade. 

CALLIOPE: (thank yoU jane. that sentiment really means a lot. ^u^) CALLIOPE: (bUt i mUst admit that it is a little odd to think of myself in sUch a way.) CALLIOPE: (i have always been an oUtsider looking in. never trUly part of anything larger than myself.) CALLIOPE: (thinking aboUt parents and siblings, well.) CALLIOPE: (my only experience with anything of the sort was my brother.)

OH, that actually reminds me of the lil fucker. Where IS caliborn? he defeated his denizen and did a thing with the clock. SOoo, what’s his gameplan now?

JANE: (Oh, yeah. THAT jerk.) JANE: (Do you really need to think about him any more, Callie?) JANE: (I know I will be perfectly happy to never deal with him and his sordid affairs ever again!!) CALLIOPE: (it’s not a particUlarly happy thing to ponder, no.) CALLIOPE: (bUt nonetheless it’s what i have.) CALLIOPE: (and despite how awfUl it may have been, i think it warrants reflection.) CALLIOPE: (there is something aboUt oUr shared experience growing Up that makes me feel... connected to him, still.) CALLIOPE: (i wonder if maybe that connection is at all what family is like.)

I think that connection is what sharing a body for most of your life is like. Thouuugh... They hated each other, sure. But they probably relied on each other for everything as well. So perhaps that could build up a sort of familial attachment.

JANE: (I don’t really know, Calliope. I’m hardly an expert on the subject.) JANE: (But from what I understand, family is really quite a multifaceted thing.) JANE: (And the sort of connection you’re describing could certainly be part of it, I think.) JANE: (Some might say you cannot choose your family, and that they are an important part of who you are no matter what.) JANE: (For better or for worse.)

I mean, I agree with that to some extent. But really it depends on what kinda “family” you’re talking about. Blood, or bonds.

CALLIOPE: (hmmm...)

Ooh, that’s a pretty good panel. Also, his godtier makes me think....... It’s kinda funny how sburb identified calliope and caliborn as two seperate entities, giving them two different godtiers. would it have been like that even if neither have them had taken control?? Bluh, im sure it wont matter.

CALLIOPE: (that may be trUe.) CALLIOPE: (however...) CALLIOPE: (i do feel like whatever relationship we had was not trUly any sort of familial bond.) CALLIOPE: (at least not like anything i have seen thUs far in hUmans.) CALLIOPE: (we called each other siblings oUt of convenience, bUt in reality, we were competitors in a game larger than even that which spawns Universes.) CALLIOPE: (technically, i was the loser in the race to predominate and participate in oUr session.) CALLIOPE: (but in that yet larger game...) CALLIOPE: (which i think one might call the game of life.)

You mean... 

obvious joke im sorry.

CALLIOPE: (it seems like i might be the winner.) CALLIOPE: (i think maybe, given that, i am beginning to Understand what my alternate self meant when she told me to "live"...) CALLIOPE: (becaUse we both know my brother well. and it seems there is no version of him that will ever be able to finish his childish games.) CALLIOPE: (he will stay the way he is forever, never able to move on and jUst live. never knowing that sUch a path, which he views with sUch disdain, is likely far more rewarding!)

Yeah, he doesn’t seem like one to settle down and have a good ol’ time relaxing with friends and family. 

:D

JANE: (Callie, that’s it!!)

:O

CALLIOPE: (hUh??)

JANE: (That’s why it’s called the ultimate reward!) JANE: (We don’t have to play this drab old game anymore.) JANE: (This is our ticket to move on to the much bigger adventure awaiting us.) JANE: (Letting go of the past and learning from it...) JANE: (Puzzling out what it means to have a family.) JANE: (All of that. Living life to the fullest.) JANE: (That’s the ultimate reward!)

You know, that does seem likely. THAT’S probably definitely it. I mean, it’s fitting. the whole GOAL is to get out of this fucking game and live a new life mature in your new universe.

CALLIOPE: (i think yoU’re right, jane!) CALLIOPE: (we jUst stUmbled Upon that realization qUite accidentally, didn’t we?) JANE: (Actually, Callie. I think it might be because you are just that clever and insightful.) CALLIOPE: (oh, shUcks... u^u;) JANE: (You are definitely a winner in my book. And I’m glad you might be a winner in yours, too.) CALLIOPE: (i am certainly getting there.) CALLIOPE: (maybe someday soon i will be able to more fUlly come to terms with all this.) CALLIOPE: (bUt... there’s no rUsh, right?) CALLIOPE: (so long as we are looking forward, instead of back.) JANE: (That’s the ticket!) JANE: (Cheers, to winning!) CALLIOPE: (to winning! ^u^)

Daw, you two. Well, it seems like they had a positive resolution! They’ve discovered what the ultimate reward is! And Callies gona get all good at accepting herself as a big WINNER. HOOray! Im guessing they’ll be moving onto the next pair now, which should be Karkat and Dave.

Yup, character select screen. TO THE DAVEKAT GAYS!

Karkat’s anxious, Dave’s like come on man we fuckin won dont be anxious. 

DAVE: (dude) DAVE: (relax)

KNew it.

DAVE: (i can practically hear you thinking yourself into another shitfit) DAVE: (john looks about ready to twist the shit out of that magic doorknob) DAVE: (i thought youd be relieved or something) KARKAT: (I CAN’T HELP IT.) KARKAT: (I’M NERVOUS, OK?) KARKAT: (LAST TIME I WAS IN THIS POSITION, IT DIDN’T TURN OUT SO WELL.)

OH what could you mean by that? it wasnt so bad. A devil dog appeared slaughtered the fuck out of a door, traveled across your world and destroyed your planets, then murdered all of your dream selves.

KARKAT: (AND I CAN’T HELP BUT FEEL LIKE WE’RE FORGETTING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.) KARKAT: (MAYBE SEVERAL SOMETHINGS.) KARKAT: (LIKE...) KARKAT: (WHERE THE FUCK IS GAMZEE?) KARKAT: (VRISKA JUST SHOVED HIM IN THAT HUNGER TRUNK WHEN SHE REALIZED WE WERE ABOUT TO SHOW UP, AND THEN KEPT HIM THERE SO HE WOULDN’T "CAUSE TROUBLE”.) KARKAT: (BUT I GUESS HE JUST WENT ON AN INTERPLANETARY ADVENTURE! WHERE COULD HE BE? HAS HE BROKEN OUT YET? WHO THE FUCK KNOWS!)

NOpe, he’s still very much trapped in the fridge. 

DAVE: (yeah that is uh) DAVE: (actually kind of concerning) KARKAT: (YOU THINK?!) KARKAT: (AND WHAT ABOUT THE MAYOR? AND THE SPRITES, WHERE DID THEY FUCK OFF TO?) DAVE: (look man well figure it out alright) DAVE: (were not just gonna up and leave without everyone accounted for) DAVE: (like seriously how could we ever abandon the mayor) DAVE: (were going back for him thats not even up for debate) KARKAT: (THANK GOD AT LEAST SOMEONE AROUND HERE HAS THEIR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT.)

FInally, some people who are worrying about the RIGHT things. I mean, jeeez. all these people worrying about their pasts and worth, when they need to be prepared to face a more dangerous threat if one comes. ANYWAys

Thats all for this update. Hope my content was enough to satisfy you... 8 followers?? Jeez. Boy am i POPUlAR. 

Seriously though, I dont know if its just because im starting out, but every follower is feeling like a big deal. Sooo... thanks to you who are following me.

[0stentatia]

we aren’t dead, yet – part 4

a post apocalyptic au with mark & zombie jack, based off of this graphic.  

  One minute Mark was asleep on the floor of their temporary shelter, the next he was forced awake by loud sounds of panic. It took a minute for Mark to realize what was going on. The sudden change between silence and almost deafening sound rattled his brain and made everything hard to process. Jack’s low disgruntled groaning could be heard under the high pitched screaming and yelling.

  “Shoot it!” He could finally process the words being yelled, “Shoot it, for the love of God!”

  Mark’s heart rate shot through the roof and he fumbled to get on his feet, knowing who the ‘it’ they were referring to was. He ran as fast as he could across the room and towards Jack, throwing himself in front of him.

  “No!” He shouted, finally looking at whoever had entered their shelter while he’d been sleeping. Mark found himself looking at a young woman– maybe in her early twenties– and an older man– maybe in his late fifties. The man had a shotgun in his hands and was getting ready to set his sights on Jack. The woman was standing behind the man, peering around his torso and looking incredibly distraught.

  “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot,” He repeated the words more calmly the second time, “Please. Please don’t shoot,” Jack was still making disgruntled and aggravated noises, no doubt feeling startled by the disturbance and bothered by the loudness, “He’s not hurting anyone. He’s harmless.”

  “Harmless?” The older man scoffed, “Boy, that thing is far from harmless. You get any closer to it and it’ll chew into your flesh until you’re nothing but bones.”

  “No,” Mark shook his head, “No, you’re wrong. He’s not– He’s no harm to anyone,” He looked over his shoulder to see Jack’s blank stare looking back at him. When he looked back to the strangers, he could see that they were nowhere near believing him. Part of him could understand why. The only living infected beings they’d ever come across were probably feral beasts who’s hunger for flesh overtook any other thoughts or instincts they ever had.

  “I’ll– I’ll prove it,” He swallowed hard.

  It wasn’t that Mark didn’t trust Jack, even in the state he was in. At the end of the day this was his best friend he’d been pulling along through his travels, infected or not. It was just that he’d never actually put himself directly in front of Jack, close enough to be bitten, without some kind of restraint. They’d never tested this out before and even though he hoped that Jack would pull through and not take the free chance for easy meat, he couldn’t be completely sure that Jack’s natural instincts wouldn’t override anything else in his head.

  However, this seemed to be the only way to convince the strangers not to shoot Jack and kill him right then and there. The fact that Jack could have been blown to smithereens if Mark had woken up just a few seconds later made him sick to his stomach. How would he go on without Jack? He couldn’t even continue thinking about it. It was too terrifying.

  Mark turned so he could look at Jack a little better. Then, before he could think himself out of it, he picked up one of Jack’s hands and placed it on his own arm. He’d learned over time that if he wanted Jack to pay attention to something, or if he wanted him to use it in whatever way he was still capable, he had to force contact. Otherwise, it was hard for Jack to recognize things that didn’t smell like food, or didn’t make loud noises.

  Jack’s other hand lifted to Mark’s arm and rested there as well. His hands felt clammy and cold and had almost a rubbery, but flimsy texture to them. He grasped Mark’s arm a little too tightly for a minute and Mark could feel him start to twist them in opposite directions, something he’d seen Jack do multiple times when he was trying to get to an animals insides quickly.

  “No no,” He said softly, calmly, “It’s me, buddy. It’s Mark,” Jack’s hands stopped their twisting motion and Mark felt his heart jump in his chest. There was still apart of Jack somewhere in there that recognized him, even if it was only because he was the familiar voice that stopped him from doing the things he wanted to do.

  His hands wandered from his arm and up towards his shoulders, broken and decaying fingernails scraping slightly against the skin on his neck. One of his hands found it’s way to Mark’s face. The smell was pretty putrid with Jack’s skin directly next to his nose. He had to force back a gag, somehow feeling like it would upset Jack, even though he knew the chances of that were slim.

  It was a strange feeling, Jack’s hand feeling around his face. When he located Mark’s eyes, Mark had to close them so he wouldn’t poke them out. He had to do the same with closing his lips as Jack found his mouth, trying to shove his fingers inside. He wasn’t sure how long this actually lasted, but it felt like awhile. This was more contact he’d had with his friend than he’d experienced in a long time. It was strange just to sit still and feel Jack rediscover his face, but with touch instead of sight.

  The entire time Jack sat in front of him, looking in his direction without really focusing on Mark’s face, or any of him really. Mark wondered what he could actually see, and how well his sight was. Sometimes it seemed better than others, and he’d never been able to really figure out just how much sight he had. He seemed to rely on his other senses more than his sight most of the time, so Mark always assumed it wasn’t great.

  He’d become so caught up in this weird, yet strangely comforting experienced with Jack that he’d forgotten about the strangers watching them from the doorway.

  “How do we know that he hasn’t infected you now, touching you like that?” The older man asked curtly. Mark looked over his shoulder at the two, Jack continuing his attempt to scan Mark’s head, feeling the back of his hair now instead of his face.

  “I’ve been traveling with him for some time now. Don’t you think I’d be infected by now if physical contact was going to spread it?” Mark felt Jack pulled at his hair and grimaced. He turned back to face his friend and took his hand away, setting it at his side again, “That’s enough, bud.” Jack grunted in response. Mark looked at his face for a second and couldn’t help but feel like there was a change in the way that his mouth was set. He’d been so used to seeing a blank and unfeeling expression for so long, but now his features almost seemed a tiny bit confused.

  “I still don’t trust him,” The girl spoke up for the first time in awhile, “And I especially don’t trust you. Anybody who’d willingly keep one of those things around without killing it obviously isn’t right in the head.”

  “Him. Not it– him. His name’s Jack,” Mark instantly felt defensive, “His name is Jack and he’s not a “thing”.”

  Both strangers scoffed, almost at the same time. Neither one of them said anything for a moment, they both just looked at each other.

  “We got a group gathered in town, fresh food supplies and a warm bed for you and Jack,” The old man looked from Mark, to Jack, and back to Mark again, “Why don’t you come back to the shelter with us, and you can bring your little friend with you. I’m sure everyone there would love to have some new members. Maybe you can educate’m about your friend too, like you did us.”

  “No, thanks,” Mark felt uneasy. He knew things wouldn’t end well if he followed them back to whatever group they had gathered in whatever shelter they’d set up. These two didn’t believe a word he’d said about Jack being harmless, about him not deserving to die. He wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t about to fall into a trap a few insensitive pricks were trying to set for him, “We won’t be staying here long. We’ll be heading out once the rain stops,” He gestured towards the windows and the rain falling outside.

  “Hmm,” The girl shifted on her feet, “You should think over the offer. We’ll be back when the rain clears up to see if you’ve changed your mind,” She gave a smile that sent chills down Mark’s spine. He felt his heart beating fast and he suddenly feared for Jack’s life more than ever before.

  Before Mark could say anything in return, both strangers turned on their heels and headed out of the room. He listened carefully to their footsteps as they walked out of the house and shut the front door behind them. He wondered how they’d known he and Jack were there. Maybe they did routine rounds of the area, if they had a shelter set up in town. He thought it had been unusual that the house was in such good condition, with the water working and all.

  When he turned back around to look at Jack again, Jack was looking at one of his own hands while the other touched his own face. Mark didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He didn’t want to pull Jack out of whatever the hell he was doing. It made his chest tighten a little, the way Jack was turning his own hand over and observing it like he’d never really noticed it existed before. It was incredibly strange, and Mark didn’t know what it meant, exactly.

  “Well Jackaboy,” He finally spoke, not letting himself dwell on it for too long. Jack didn’t look up from inspecting his own hand, “Change of plans. Looks like we’re gonna be heading out of here before the storm clears up after all. I don’t think we’re welcome here.”

  Mark turned to look out the window. The rain fell steadily against the glass pane. He let out a small sigh. It was going to be tough, making Jack walk out in that. He’d have to figure out how to keep his friend’s skin from soaking through and rotting to the bone. He’d also have to figure out how to get out of town unnoticed. It wouldn’t be easy, but it needed to be done.

  Jack grunted and groaned and Mark pulled his attention back to his friend.

  While Mark hadn’t been paying attention, the hand innocently placed on Jack’s face had accidentally torn a small hole into the grey-ish skin on his cheek. It didn’t bleed– that had stopped a long time ago.

  “Goddammit,” Mark sighed again, “How many times am I gonna have to patch you up before you learn to stop tearing yourself?” His frustration was legitimate. He laughed a bit as he reached into his pocket to fish out the needle and spool of thick thread, preparing to patch up another gash in Jack’s skin.

  One day this wouldn’t happen anymore. One day Jack wouldn’t fall to pieces and break open so easily. He’d be whole and glowing and bright again– or at least that’s what Mark kept telling himself.