#The unbroken circle

[sha-brytols]

oh that's cute. they comment if you chose blood mage as your spec

[rappaccini]

so you’re saying footage of mary and stack dancing together during the rocky road to dublin jig circle exists somewhere…

update: found it!

[grrl-beetle]

Raf Simons

[opxningtears]

Someone called Lizzie a monster? Here comes Xaos to dropkick them.

"OHMYGOD-"

And there goes the harasser, flying off the edge of a bridge at mach fuck...

"Xaos, you- you didn't have to kill the man!"

[tarantula-hawk-wasp]

the fact we can easily listen to music recorded in the 1920s... a century ago... by people who were born in the 19th century, and music is music and people are people and 

[lilradridinghood]

@chex-appreciation-week

Day 5 - Cycle

I started writing a song about Chex for Chex Appreciation Week and then I accidentally made it about Caboose too lol

When you think about it, he did help perpetuate their cycle by bringing Church back. And I like to think he learned from it.

So this is a song about all three of them, from the beginning to RvB Restoration.

[bellaboobooo]

Squad at Waffle House

[kismetmoon]

The False Shepard, Here To Lead Our Lambs Astray

[ID: a digital drawing of an original, stylised Flatland character named Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is a vaguely humanoid character. She is depicted here with a seven-point star head with an eye in the centre, a clawed right hand and a left arm that is cut in half at the elbow - leading onto a white geometric hand. She has a broad chest that narrows into a thin torso. Her legs are cut out of frame - her body is only shown from the waist up.

She is stood in the centre with her arms held perpendicular to her body and the palms of her hands facing upwards. Over her right hand hovers a white crescent moon with a black earth shadow. Over her left hand hovers a black four-point star. She is smiling and staring slightly upwards. Her body is made up of black lines that get denser at the edges of her head, the bottom of her body and on her forearm.

The background is a stained glass window. There is a yellow and orange sun behind Elizabeth’s head with grey and pale blue glass around it, that fades to purple further down. Faint rays of light also shine out from the sun and into the corners of the canvas.

End ID.]

putting the background story and symbolism about this piece under the cut bc i feel like it really deserves an in-depth explanation

i can’t believe i’ve never properly discussed it before, but Liz’s main goal is to stop Chief turning out like his father.

after she tries and fails to kill their Chief Circle and instead kills his guard in Atlas’s defence (and i’ve decided that this is the incident where she loses her arm), she can’t risk taking any more blows like that. so instead of resorting to physical violence, she instead tries her hand at ‘positive manipulation’ to tear her problem from the root up.

she makes sure Chief has enough emotional ties to the lower classes (Atlas and Vance), irregulars (Ruth and Elijah) and lines (Liz, Ruth, Stella and Irene) for him to reconsider everything he’s been told about them. this is all to make sure that when Chief Sr. kicks the bucket they have a somewhat more progressive next-of-kin lined up to take his place. this works for her as Liz first meets Chief when he’s only about 15, so he’s still pretty young and an impressionable teenager.

but Chief Sr is still alive so boo. he has a strong grip on everything and has Chief Jr pinned under his thumb out of fear. while he doesn’t know about Stella, he does know that this ‘false shepard’ is up to something that involves his son. again, he still doesn’t know exactly who Liz is but he’s working on figuring it out.

so this image of Liz - a large, dark, looming, unnerving figure - is made to fit the circles’ depiction of her. how the next Chief Circle and his daughter are locked in her clawed grasp, and she smiles almost mockingly about it. her prosthetic is replaced by a white geometric hand and it sticks out like a sore thumb, as though it makes her ‘unhuman’ - but easily identifiable. her body is made up of a mass of lines, joined together in their force (danger !! women !!). the glass is only coloured around her head (the sun is the same as her colour palette when she’s not greyscale) and at her ‘feet’ (it’s more like the bottom of her torso but you know what i mean) which is mostly shaped with triangles - as if she’s breaking their world of grey out over the blood of the circles (again, i use purple as circle symbolism). the sun is rising in the sky, as the dawn of a new day and a new era begins.

essentially, she’s a revolutionary of the lower class, and a tyrant to the upper classes.

[maybe-boys-do-love]

[jt1674]

[sha-brytols]

well. that's all the official origins dlc 💔

[valentineveils]

sometimes you find a really interesting mod and then you scroll down and it says "voices are ai generated" and then you image yourself killingh someone

[helgiafterdark]

[opxningtears]

@on-dragons-wings followed you!

"Do you ever feel like the world is too quiet?"

Perhaps it was a strange question to ask a complete stranger, but it was just.. there. On the tip of her tongue.

The kind of question that hangs over your head until you ask it, and lord did she not know how long it had been dangling over her like this. But it felt like a waterfall- pouring out of her heart and into words the minute someone stood just a little too close.

"Like.. you're used to so much noise, all the time, and the peace just feels to unfamiliar to be comforting?"

[multistanisms]

Let Our Circle Be Unbroken; Ch. 5 || Multi-Group

FANDOM: NCT [other groups will be featured/mentioned]

PAIRING: Jaehyun x Taeyong, Yuta x OC

WORD COUNT: 4,668

RATING: PG-13

POTENTIAL TRIGGERS: N/A

SUMMARY:  Surviving a near death experience comes with a lot of surprises when warlock Jeong Jaehyun finds a dragon in a place that holds tragic memories for him. Nothing is as whirlwind, though, as when Jaehyun begins to meet the little clan of misfits Taeyong has gathered over the years and a mystery is revealed.

TAGLIST: @no1likemybbgcharlie, @spookidema

Previous || Masterlist || Next

Author's Note: To all of my lovely dearies still interested in this mayhem, things are going to start developing soon. We've almost reached the beginning of the first arc I have planned, so bear with me for one more chapter, yeah?

☼ ☽ ☆ ⁑ ☼ ☽ ☆ ⁑ ☼ ☽ ☆ ⁑ ☼ ☽ ☆ ⁑ ☼ ☽ ☆ ⁑

Jaehyun woke to the sound of muffled music, voices and the smell of food. Blinking, he found himself staring at the high ceiling of the living room, apparently having fallen asleep on the couch after opting to watch some tv after dinner had been served and most of the guests had gone to their rooms. He groaned, reaching to rub at a temple, hoping it would diminish some of the throbbing in his head. He isn't surprised to wake up on the couch; he was certain he hadn't fallen asleep until the earliest of morning hours. What does surprise him is both his lying position and the blanket draped over him, the colorful pumpkin pattern a soft plush. He sits up, glancing around to find a couple of the others are still asleep in the living room; the baby of Youngjo's clan, Dongju, if Jaehyun remembered correctly, and Jungwoo, one of Taeyong's underlings, were curled on the massive bean bag chair, a large navy blanket covering them as they slept. It was adorable, reminding Jaehyun of the family he had in one of his safe houses. The mother  he was keeping safe had panicked when he finally managed to call her, but he had calmed her down and let her know she was safe, as were the three children. He got up from the couch, draping the blanket over the back of the couch before making his way towards the kitchen, pausing when he found a sliding door closing the kitchen off from the living room area. Getting closer lends him a better understanding of the muffled voices. 

“Oi, Wooyoung! Why did you mess up the eggs?” San questioned as Jaehyun approached the door. 

“Just scramble them, you picky cat.” Wooyoung countered with a teasing tone. 

“We aren't cooking for everyone, we don't need to scramble them!” San argued, a pout in his voice that made Jaehyun chuckle as he reached to open the door. 

“Boys, behave or I will ground you both and tell Hongjoong.” Arashi's voice sent a wave of relief over Jaehyun as he slid the door open. 

Despite much reassurance from the others, he was exceedingly worried about her recovering. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him so as to not disturb the ones still asleep before turning to look around. San and Wooyoung were at the stove while Youngjo was washing prep dishes, everyone seemingly content in the routine. 

“Well well well, look who's risen to join us.” Yuta's voice caught Jaehyun's attention, the warlock's eyes finding where the vampire sat at the table. Arashi was perched next to him, head on his shoulder as he spoke. “Did we wake you up?”

Jaehyun shook his head. “That would be the headache I seem to have gotten while I slept.” 

“Some medicine and tea and you'll be fine. I need some more tea myself.” Arashi replied, righting herself to get up. Her multicolored hair is clipped back with a gemmed barrette, and she paused for a moment as she stood - Yuta reaching to steady her with a hand at the small of her back - before she started towards the counter. “Lady Grey, correct?” She confirmed, Jaehyun nodding as he walked to join her at the counter.

“Sit down.” Youngjo told Arashi softly without looking at her. “We can make more for you and one for him.”

“Youngjo, I'm not helpless. I can handle pushing a few buttons on a machine, for crying out loud.” Arashi rolled her eyes, waving a hand at her familiar dismissively. “Just hand me a mug from the second shelf of that cabinet.” Youngjo sighed, shaking his head, but complied with the command, handing a mug with sunflowers on it to her as she set up the Keurig on the counter. She pulled a glass jar over and popped open the spring lid, taking a moment to breathe in the scent inside the jar with a faint smile. Pulling out a small tea bag, she set one in the new mug while lifting her own to empty the remnants. “You're a brood of mother hens, I swear.”

“How are you feeling?” Jaehyun asked, standing at the end of the counter so that Arashi was still in eyeline of where Yuta sat. 

“A little weak, but that'll be fixed once I eat some food instead of sleeping.” Arashi assured. “I was going to make breakfast, but the boys here were obviously not having it.” She motioned her head towards the three currently cooking and cleaning. “They wouldn't even let Yuta help.” 

“Look here, Missy, one of us needs to keep an eye on you.” Wooyoung huffed, turning to point a spatula at her.

“Wooyoung, I am fine.” Arashi insisted, shaking her head slightly. 

“I'm just glad you're awake. I know the others said you'd be fine, but I was still concerned. I caused-” Jaehyun is cut off as Arashi lifted a hand to stop him. 

“First of all, do not apologize. I can tell that's where that was headed.” Arashi stated. “Secondly, I am a healer, I did my job.”

“But-”

“Don't bother trying to argue.” San warned. “Arashi is stubborn as a mule.”

“I can still smack you, Choi San.” Arashi countered, twisting just enough to look at him with a playful smirk. San grinned back, the smile just a tad too wide for a human before turning back to his task at hand. Rolling her eyes, she moved to hand the mug to Jaehyun before placing her own and starting the machine again, setting a teabag in her mug. “ Sugar is on the counter, cream and such is in the fridge.” She let Jaehyun make the tea to his liking before dipping the spoon in a small glass of water to rinse it off. “We came down and saw you, Jungwoo and Dongju sleeping. I didn't want to wake everyone up and cause chaos, so I shut the kitchen door for now.” 

“That's very considerate of you, especially having just come back to everyone.” Jaehyun mused, sipping from his cup. 

“Being one of the few females in this giant ass clan of puzzle pieces, you learn to remind everyone about manners on occasion.” Arashi laughed softly. 

“We’re not that bad, Arashi.” Wooyoung argued.

“Not anymore.” Yuta interjected, chuckling when Wooyoung pouted at him. 

“Like you never had a moment-”

“He very likely didn't, Woo. He was raised as a noble.” San countered, reminding his mate. 

“Noble?” Jaehyun looked at the vampire, surprise written on his face. “You're a royal vampire?”

“Prince and heir apparent of the Osaka clan leader.” Yuta says, though there's no pride in his voice. If anything, he seems bothered by the fact. 

Jaehyun recalled Yuta mentioning that he left home for good reason, and it showed that the story behind that decision still affected him. “I didn't mean to pry.”

“It's actually common knowledge between the clans, it's not like you put a gun to anyone's head.” Yuta countered, reaching for his coffee. “I just prefer not to have anyone think I'm superior to them.” 

Arashi was at his side in a few strides, reaching to thread her fingers through his hair. She leaned down, murmuring in a language Jaehyun doesn't immediately recognize due to her soft tone. It's only when Yuta replied back, just slightly louder, that he realized they were speaking in Japanese. Where Yuta spoke in a relaxed manner, Arashi wasn't quite as calm - obviously speaking a learned language despite a strong fluidity in her pronunciation. Although it’s a sweet moment, something about it was intimate to witness. Jaehyun looked away from the couple, startled when he found Wooyoung next to him. 

“Sausage or bacon?” The fox inquired, crowded next to Jaehyun as if there wasn't a massive kitchen around them.

“What?”

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “Which do you want, sausage or bacon?”

“Bacon is fine?” Jaehyun asked more than stated. “You guys don't have to make me anything, this seems like a private-”

“Please don't argue with him. He's more stubborn than I can be.” Arashi's voice chimed in. “Is Jaehyun banished to the table as well, or can he help cook?”

“I really feel like this should be for you guys to have a meal together.” Jaehyun protested. “I don’t want to impose.”

“Once Wooyoung makes up his mind about feeding someone, he won't take no for an answer.” Youngjo explained. 

“You're also still recovering, Jaehyun.” Arashi added. “Please, come sit at least. Let the gremlins do their thing.”

“Gremlins?” Youngjo feigned offense as he began mixing batter for pancakes. 

“I said what I said.” Arashi mused, lifting her mug to take a sip. The atmosphere is relaxed and playful, and Jaehyun finds he's actually beginning to feel comfortable for the first time since his return. Whether it's the people, the changes in layout, or some combination of the two, he wasn't sure. As food was made, the familiars made sure Arashi and Jaehyun eat first, then Yuta and San before eating themselves. The group was gathered at one end of the table, plates emptied, when the door opened to reveal Taeyong. 

“Look who's awake.” The dragon grinned sleepily as he walked in. “Welcome back, little storm.” He goes to get a cup of coffee, still sluggish as he worked. “How are you feeling?” 

“I'm good, I promise.” Arashi replied. “I may need a sparring match or two, loosen up after being out for so long.” 

“Oo, sparring?” San perked up. “Can I spar with you?”

“I don't mind.” 

“You guys fight?” Jaehyun asked. “For fun?”

“You learn to defend yourself young when you aren't human.” San replied. “We spar so we can keep sharp on our reflexes and such.” 

“But…Arashi, aren't you at a disadvantage, being a witch?” Jaehyun inquired next. “Our kind don’t typically have the reflexes and such to handle a fight with other nonhumans.” 

“Arashi will be fine. She's a damn good fighter, especially with her magic.” Taeyong yawned as he spoke. 

“I still need to work on my hand to hand. Yuta and Johnny typically help me with that.” Arashi half laughed knowingly, sipping at her tea again.“But to answer your question, Jae, my siblings made sure I knew the basics of how to fight; to defend myself if nothing else.” 

“Would you mind terribly if I tried my hand a time or two?” Jaehyun inquired. 

“Oo, I could use another magic user to spar with. The only other pure magic wielder is Joong.” Arashi perked up a bit. 

“No magic sparring for a few days, let your magic get back its strength.” Youngjo cautioned, scowling as Wooyoung elbowed him sharply in his side. “Ow, what, fox?”

“Watch it, will ya?” Wooyoung warned with a hiss.

“Oh, you two stop it. I'm already well aware of the tiff Yuta and Youngjo had.” Arashi silenced her familiars, looking over her lifted mug at them before taking another drink.  “We’ll discuss it later. In the meantime…Wooyoung, I need you to relax, okay? Youngjo, I need you to not be so tense. Got it?” The two familiars looked at each other, then Yuta and then Arashi before each nodded in turn. “Everything is fine, so stop walking on eggshells.” 

The table slowly came back to life as Taeyong joined with his own coffee, perching across from Jaehyun, between San and Youngjo. The little group talked and caught Arashi up on the activities that happened since she went under, the sun gradually lighting more of the room as it rose further. The day passed fairly casually, and by the time the remaining members were awake, everyone had made their way out into the massive yard in the afternoon warmth. A soccer game had started, and those playing were laughing and teasing each other. Jaehyun had gone to get a cold drink, returning to find Arashi on one of the porch swings, fiddling with the pendant of her necklace as she swayed the swing back and forth slowly. 

“Are you sure you're okay?” He greeted with concern, head tilting as Arashi blinked and looked up at him. 

“I promise that I'm fine, it typically takes a day or two for my magic to recover. I just don't like not having my usual awareness.” Arashi explained. “It makes me feel kind of helpless, and I don't want Yuta having to worry extra about me.”

“I'm sure he'd worry regardless, Arashi. You are mates, y’know.” Jaehyun countered, sipping from his glass. “What's that, if I may?” He pointed at her hand where her thumb and pointer finger held the charm, making her look down. 

“Yuta had it designed for me.” Arashi smiles fondly, moving her pointer finger to reveal the delicately shaped rose gold Sakura blossom, the center a beautiful gemstone. “All the women of his family have a different Sakura pendant, the symbol of his family, and since I'm his mate, he wanted to make sure I was included.” 

“It's gorgeous.” Jaehyun commented. “Why the gemstone?”

“The gem for the month we met.” Arashi answered. “I never take it off.”

“I can tell you two have a pure, unfiltered love. It's magic in its own right.” He paused for a moment to look out at where the others were playing their soccer game, head tilting before he spoke again. “You know, I've seen several different mated bonds in my life, but I've actually never known the feeling.” 

“You've never had a mate?” Arashi’s face fell, but not in pity. “Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry.” She sounded sad as she spoke, her legs stopping the swing. “Maybe you'll experience it soon? Our clan is big enough, even without my familiars' clans.”

“I doubt that's why I'm here, Arashi.” Jaehyun mused, chuckling. “And I'm not sure I even have a mate. After over three hundred years, you learn not to be too expectant.”

“Maybe it wasn't a swipe right moment, but I have learned that people don't just show up randomly for this clan. I like to think we'll figure out why you're here in time.” Arashi countered, unbothered by Jaehyun revealing his age. “To change the subject, though, I am curious about something. At least if the topic isn't too troubling?”

Dark eyes found Arashi's as Jaehyun looked at her. “What is it?”

“This was your home before we found it and made it anew, right?” 

“You could say that.” Jaehyun scoffed a little as he spoke, going to lean his back against the railing. He let his eyes wander the porch. “All of you moved here, fixed up the broken floor boards and awful paint, but I can still feel the ghosts, expect to turn a corner and actually see one.” His left hand lifted to brush his fingers over the smooth surface of elegantly carved wood that captured a wolf’s image. “These were just ugly blocks with awful splinters, the rooms were cramped, the yard bare of color and the food was shitty.” 

“An orphanage?”

“A poor excuse for one. Although most of the kids I grew up with weren't orphans in the traditional sense.” 

“You were sold.” Arashi stated, matter of fact in her tone. 

Jaehyun could sense her eyes on him and he nodded. “When I was a child, my kind were hard to come by. Especially my specific breeding.” 

“You have reptile eyes…are they not from your demon parent?” 

The question was one Jaehyun had never entertained, really, but it did make him wonder, if only for a moment. “I'm not sure. Neither of my parents were - are, I suppose - human.” he answered. “Supposedly it makes me stronger than the normal warlock. I wouldn't know. My mother sold me off as soon as I could speak well, so I don’t really remember anything about her. This place was where I lived until I ran away as a teenager and never looked back.” 

“I'm sorry, Jaehyun. That sounds terrible.”

“Painful memories make us who we are, do they not?” Jaehyun mused, his own words inflected with bittersweetness. “I really, truly thought I would never lay eyes on this place again. But…in a way, I guess I didn't.” 

“What do you mean?”

“The inside is remodeled, more spacious on the ground floor. The bedrooms are bigger, even without magic, and even the porch is different. There's a welcoming feeling here now where I once felt dread and horror.” Jaehyun let his hand fall back to his side. “I never knew there was such pretty wood underneath that hideous green paint. Or that something so ornate and elegant could be hiding beneath the surface.” 

“That's all Chittapon, he's a regular Da Vinci.” Arashi replied. “Each pillar for the porch represents a different member of the clan, and we still have ones that we just sanded down because the manor is so big.” 

“A different member?”

Arashi nodded, pointing to the pillars that bordered the stairs leading to the side yard. One was a large dragon, the other a humanoid form with a katana. “Yongie, Yuta,” she then pointed at the wolf Jaehyun had admired. “That one represents Johnny, the other second for our clan.”

“You can recognize each one?” 

“More or less. Chittapon gave little nuances to the members that are similar species.” Arashi giggled a little. “Also, Johnny's is the first where he worked on creating fur with wood, so it's a little rougher in design. Took him over a month, but he still wasn't happy with it, even though it's gorgeous.” 

Jaehyun couldn't help but laugh quietly with her. “Like I said, maybe I didn't lay eyes on the place in my past. I may be standing somewhere I once did as far as location, but that place is just…not visible. All of you have transformed it.” 

“Beauty can sometimes hide in darkness.” Arashi answered, leaning back as she began to work the swing back and forth again. “I wish I could forget my past sometimes, but it's made me a better healer.” 

“Healing magic is a beautiful gift, you know.” 

“Doesn't do much good in a fight, though.” Arashi countered with a deprecating laugh. “Joong is the one who helped me learn how to fight with my magic instead of being solely defensive with it.” 

“But Tae said-”

“Believe me, I was terrible at first, but that was years ago. Being bonded helps, too.” 

“Do you share your abilities with Yuta?”

“Sort of, but not in the way I think you're imagining.” Arashi replied. “My senses are a little stronger than a regular witch, but mostly I have a boost in my stamina, which helps in cases of prolonged magic use. Yuta has acute abilities from me as well." She lifted her cup from the cup holder in the arm of the swing, taking a sip from her straw. 

“Prolonged…Arashi, how long should you have been awake after helping me?”

“Hmm?” Arashi blinked, tilting her head a little as she thought. “You know…I don't really have an answer for that.” She mused. “In theory, I probably should have been out before you even woke up? It's hard to say since Yuta and I have been bonded for a while. I don't really remember much about the magic wear before we found each other.” 

“So I could have killed you by overusing your magic if you weren't bonded?”

“I mean, you were basically in death's arms by the time we got here, if that consoles you at all.” Arashi countered. “But the majority of my overuse was the comatose spell so you didn't rip your stitches or anything. That spell takes a serious toll on any caster.” 

“I almost killed you?!” Jaehyun's voice raised a bit, staring at the witch. 

“Will you calm down? There's no need to be so dramatic.” Arashi countered, laughing a little before shaking her head. Her tone turned softer as she spoke again. “Please, don't go stressing yourself out on my account, Jaehyun. Had I been anywhere close to that point, Yuta would have been far more protective and way more reckless.” 

“You two seem oddly laid back given the circumstances.” 

“Rather than being what, exactly?” 

Jaehyun jumped as Yuta appeared with the question, walking up from the current game in the yard. His eyes flashed their natural color as he looked at the vampire a moment longer than necessary as he gathered his thoughts. “I just mean that most interbred bonds can be volatile when any danger is presented.”

“Are you supposed to be dangerous?” Yuta asked him, moving to pluck Arashi's glass from her hands to take a drink even as she pouted playfully up at him. 

“Surely not in my current state, but I am still a stranger to your clan, Yuta.” 

“You were also in grave danger when you came to us.” Yuta remarked. “Most creatures show gratitude for such an endeavor as what we took on in saving you.” He arched a brow, the slightest curve of amusement on his lips as he spoke. “And you've been here almost a week since waking and haven't tried anything dangerous.”

“I…”

“That level of protectiveness is for danger that expresses itself, or when a fight occurs or is about to begin. It's a primal instinct to protect that which we love, especially for the predator breeds.” Yuta continued, moving to stop the swing so he can kiss Arashi’s head, one hand brushing the back of his fingers over Arashi's cheek as he handed her glass back. “We protect our family, our home, when danger presents itself, not because a wounded stranger asks for help.” 

“Oi, Yuta! Get back here!” Hwanwoong called, waving his arm. “We've got a game to finish!”

“Scared you can't win without me, foxy?” Yuta called back with a grin, laughing when Arashi smacked at his leg. 

“Go, oh great protector, we're fine.” Arashi teased, rolling her eyes before Yuta leaned to steal a proper kiss and head back. 

“Y’know…you guys are a good bunch. All of you. I'm glad it's you who found this place.” Jaehyun maneuvered to sit on the rail across from the swing, turning so he can lean back against the wolf shaped pillar. 

Arashi smiled fondly, more maternal in the gesture, as she looked out at where the game had continued. “My clan, this family, is full of life from so many walks of it. And this land, this manor, is good to further nurture that. Fate, or whatever you choose to believe in, directed us all together when we needed it, after all. Or that's how I feel about it.” A howl echoed suddenly across the open field and Arashi looked towards the front of the house, even though the porch wrapping around had no full view. “It would appear we have more guests for you to meet.” She chuckled, but didn't move to stand.

“Shifters?”

“And a werewolf.” Arashi chuckled. Moments later, there was a commotion in the house before a tall male opened the kitchen door and looked around. Shoulder length, golden blonde hair peeked from under a beanie as he spotted Arashi. 

“The little witch lives!” He cheered, going over to scoop Arashi up into his arms, sending the swing flailing off balance for a moment. 

Arashi squealed with laughter as she was spun, hiding her face in the man's neck before smacking at his shoulder. “Johnny, put me down!” she scolded, a playful pout on her lips.

“Arashi!” A young voice cried out as the taller male - Johnny - obeyed and set Arashi on her feet, wandering off to the yard with a call of Yuta's name. A young man appeared as Arashi ran a hand through her hair, his own platinum hair bouncing as he rushed to hug her, eyes a rich color akin to whiskey. “Thank goodness you're okay.” 

“Oh, my baby fox.” Arashi hugged back tightly, nuzzling at his shoulder before pulling back to look at him. “I'm so sorry I worried you. Did you finish your trip at least?” 

“There wasn't much left of it. Besides, the others understood the urgency here.” Jisung replied before his eyes found Jaehyun and a distinctive air of protectiveness surrounded him. “Who are you?”

“My name is Jaehyun. A newcomer, if you will.” Jaehyun responded with a mix between a small bow and a nod. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.” 

“He's a friend, Jisung.” Arashi replied, unaware of the stunned look on Jaehyun's face as she speaks to the young man standing in front of her. “He's fine, I promise. Stand down.”

“Jisung, you didn't need to leave your trip early, we had everything under control.” Taeyong interrupted as he walked up the steps.

“Of course I did, my mom was sick.” Jisung countered, pouting at Taeyong. “Plus, it's been two years, we weren't going to be gone much longer anyway.”

“If anything that bad had happened, you know your dad would have come to get you? Or one of Arashi’s familiars?” Taeyong countered. 

“It's fine, Uncle Tae.” Jisung groaned, but his tone was hard to read. “Right now, I'm home ‘cause my family needed me. I'll talk about the trip later.” He turned to give Arashi another hug before darting out into the yard towards Yuta in a blur of white. The vampire spotted and caught him in a hug with barely a stumble and a grin. 

“I can't believe-”

“Yongie, don't.” Arashi cut the dragon off, brow furrowed as she spoke. “He obviously needed to come home.” 

“But he was so happy when you two told him he could go.” Taeyong offered. 

“I’m aware. But for whatever reason, he found he needed to be home more. Yuta and I will talk to him when he's ready. Right now, let's just be happy that he's okay, yeah?” She gave Taeyong a look as she leaned on the railing to watch Jisung interact with Yuta and Wooyoung. Taeyong shook his head with a sigh, but turned to go inside. 

“Mom, huh?” Jaehyun asked, looking at Arashi's profile. 

“Jisung lost his family in a fire when he was little more than a pup. Yuta happened to find him and essentially adopted him before he found me. Jisung was reluctant to get close at first, but he warmed up to me. Especially once he realized I was Yuta's mate.” Arashi explained. “He doesn't call us his parents often, but he definitely sees us that way.” 

Jaehyun made an intrigued noise. “This clan is full of surprises.” 

“You don't know half of it.” Arashi laughed a little. “If you stick around, you'll learn the whole backstory in time.” 

“I'm not sure about that.” Jaehyun replied. “I've never been in a family environment, Arashi. At least not a good one. I don't want to overstay my welcome or disturb something that's already good.” 

Arashi tilted her head as she watched him. “You're a good person, Jaehyun.” she stated. “Whatever is in your past, you overcame it. You run a network of safe houses, for crying out loud. How would you possibly disturb our dynamic?” She let him sit there a long moment, the two of them merely watching each other. “Don’t dismiss it because it's scary.” 

“I'm not scared.” Jaehyun defended far too quickly to be believable.

“Then don't do it because it's unfamiliar. Do you think any of us were so easily endeared to each other outside of mates?” 

“I reckon it hasn't always been pleasant.” 

“Nope. It gets tense, it gets awkward, but that's part of belonging to a family.” 

“Arashi, I'm not sure I even know what family is.” 

“I didn't either, for a long time. But I figured it out, and something tells me you're figuring it out, too.” Arashi countered. 

Jaehyun was silent in response, averting his gaze to the yard for a long time. When he braved to look back, Arashi was gone, and he's now alone on the porch. A sigh parted his lips as he lifted his eyes up to the sky, the faintest tinge of orange beginning to lap at the horizon.

[solosol]

from Yurugu: An African-centred Critique of European Cultural Thought and Behaviour by Dr Marimba Ani