#They do have a few pinball machines- might stay on those since I’m decent once I’ve warmed up

[inga-don-studio]

Found a great little arcade here in Astoria- think I’m going to spend the rest of my free time here before having to head over to catch my bus home (or until my cash runs out because I’m not good at viddi gaymes). 🧡

[mindymusejottings]

Astral --Part 2

Prologue, Part 1

Part 2

Home.  There was no better place.  If someone disagrees then they can fight me, honestly.  I hate hospitals and I hate being away from my living space for longer than necessary, especially my bed.  I have one of those beds that just like…hugs you.  It embraces you into the world of dreams and nothingness and to be perfectly frank, my bed is the best place in the whole world.  Moose thinks so, too, because I always catch him curled up and taking a snooze in the center of it.  Technically he’s not allowed on my bed, but...it was more of my mother’s rule than mine.  She doesn’t visit often enough for me to enforce it with Moose and life is too short not to enjoy a good bed.  Thus, the first thing I did when I got home the next evening was curl up against my pillows with Moose.  We didn’t sleep or anything, not a wink. We just laid there, taking in the comfort that was my bed and enjoyed some time together.  Of course, Rene hadn’t left right away.  She was worried that Moose would inadvertently hurt me in his excitement to see me.  But hey, fifteen minutes later we were content as could be.

Rene had also not been exaggerating about making sure my apartment was ready for me, either.  My cabinets were all full as well as the fridge.  There wasn’t a speck of dust in sight and I could tell that she changed out my sheets by the fresh lavender smell that lingered in the air around the bed.  Not that she needed to. I had always been particular about my bedding.  Sheets have to be washed every week.  Otherwise it was just weird.  Still I appreciated her efforts.  I couldn’t thank her enough for taking care of my home, but especially Moose.  The little guy was barely over a year old and quite the handful when he wanted to be.  I suppose that’s why I loved him so much.  He forced me to be energized and be motivated to get up and do things.  I even got organized and started being a lot more neat because of him.  As a rambunctious puppy, he got into literally everything.  I discovered the hard way that if you didn’t want your belonging to end up as chew toys and otherwise completely ruined, you had to keep your home neat.  That meant not having a chairdrobe and putting my shoes in the closet instead of leaving them by the door.  Moose was the light of my life and I couldn’t be happier to have him.

The little pooch whined from his spot beside me on the couch, turning his head and looking up at me with those lovable brown eyes of his.  It had been about four days since I got home and I was losing my mind.  I hated being cooped up.  Hated it!  Cabin fever was the worst, especially since technically I wasn’t allowed to leave my apartment.  Rene would stop by everyday after work to check on me and take Moose for a walk, but I didn’t know if I could handle another day of pressing my face against my screened in windows just to get some fresh air.  “You wanna go for a walk buddy?” I asked the little guy.  Instantly, Moose jumped to his feet and leaped off the couch, prancing back and forth excitedly.  His little dance was one of my favorite things about him.  Every time he did it I would laugh because of the way his cute little butt would wiggle back and forth.  Corgi’s were seriously precious.  “Alright,” I laughed, slipping off the couch myself and walking towards my bedroom to change.

I slipped into a pair of calf length yoga pants and a switched my tank top out for a loose t-shirt that fell about mid-thigh.  The weather was so nice lately that I wouldn’t need anything warmer.  I did pause, though, halfway through putting on my new shirt.  My eyes grazed the bruises that painted my left side from just under my armpit to where it disappeared past my waist band.  I knew from memory the bruise stretched down to my knee.  I had been told that when the bus flipped I had been standing, holding on to one of the bars overhead.  It was the reason why my injuries were as bad as they were.  I became a human pinball and the bus the machine.  A shiver passed through me and I yanked the baby blue shirt into place.  

If I was honest, I had been avoiding the news.  I didn’t want to know about the rest of the passengers and I certainly didn’t want to know about the accident as a whole.  By chance one morning while flipping through channels, I came across a reporting talking about the incident.  The image of the bus was permanently seared into my brain now.  The vehicle looked like it had been chewed up and spit back out by a giant or something.  It was awful… There was very little doubt in my mind why so little of us made it out alive.

Moose barked suddenly, causing me to jump and look up at him.  He was sitting anxiously in front of the door, eyes big and watery, practically begging me to get a move on.  I laughed and shook my head at the little guy.  “I’m coming, geez!” I reassured him.  He whined and backed his little butt up against the door fully and barked again.  So impatient that one.  When we did finally walk out the door I was in awe of how good it felt outside!  Fresh air was something a person needed and it was definitely something require in persona and not through a damn window screen.  Locking up, I turned toward the staircase a few feet away and paused once again.  A tall figure stood poised to mount the stair in the same direction as me, but his big brown eyes blinked at me in surprise.  “Sehun!” I cheered happily, sauntering up to the shocked younger male.

“Why are you up?” he immediately asked, eyes scanning me from head to toe, though they paused on the bandage wrapped around my head.  I was tempted to go out without it, but I’m pretty sure Dr. Zhang would beat me sideways if I disobeyed.  He was super firm with his request that the bandage stay in place until I saw him next.  The only times I was allowed to take it off was when Rene stopped by to change them.  The first time I saw under them I almost passed out.  There was a line of stitches that ran from just below my hairline on the right side that swooped down behind my ear, the hair there having been shaved.  It was a gruesome sight made worse by the still black and deep purple bruising that was barely contained by the bandaging.  I might have blushed out of embarrassment under his concerned gaze if my need to do something other than lay around my apartment wasn’t so dire.  

I pouted up at him and crossed my arms.  “My legs aren’t broken,” I huffed defiantly.  

Sehun rolled his eyes and took a step back as he mirrored my stance, though when he crossed his arms they seemed to bulge against his sleeves.  “No, but the rest of you might be.  Does your doctor know you’re up and wandering about like this?”

“Ha!” I scoffed, “You say that like I’m about to do cartwheels or something.”  When he only raised one of his eyebrows at me in response I sighed heavily and pouted more.  “No,” I admitted.  

“Then you should turn around and go back to bed,” he smirked, reaching out and grabbing me by the shoulders.  

“I’m losing my mind, Sehun!” I whined, pushing his hands away stubbornly.  “I can’t take another moment in there.  The only time I get any fresh air these days is when I answer the door for Rene or have my face pressed up against the screens in my windows!  I need to get out of there!  I’m going stir crazy!”

Sehun laughed and shook his head at me before shrugging.  “Fine,” he relented and jerked his head towards the stairs.  “But I’m coming with you just to make sure you’re okay.”  Before I can refuse his offer he leveled me with a firm look.  “I was going out anyway, ____.  You’re not getting rid of me either way.”

‘This guy’ I scoffed mentally, but smiled and acquiesced to his request.  

The park we ended up in was the same one I took Moose to all the time.  I really loved it there, almost as much as Moose did.  Sometimes Sehun would bring his little cutie Vivi and we would let our dogs loose on the unused soccer fields.  The breeze felt super nice and I couldn’t help but close my eyes each time it brushed past.  “How’s work?” I asked him suddenly.  

“It’s alright,” he told me thoughtfully.  Sehun bent down and picked up a decent sized stick, waving it in front of an excited Moose before throwing it across the field.  We laughed as the little guy bounded after it.  “Right now we’re in the process of editing a large photoshoot we had a week or so ago.  Honestly it’s been hard to concentrate.”

“Oh?” I questioned, looking up at him worriedly.  Sehun was one of those guys that had a RBF (resting bitch face).  Let me tell you with the looks that guy could give you, it’s a good thing looks don’t kill.  Despite his stoic outer appearance the tall youth was actually a sweetheart.  He was sassy and sarcastic, sure, but he had a thoughtful sweet side to him that he reserved for people he cared for.  I was lucky enough to be one of those people, too, something I thank the heavens for.  Honestly, I’m not good with people, which comes as a surprise to those who know me.  The only way to describe it is that I’m good with people when I’m at work or I’m in school, because those are environments where I have to be around others.  If it were up to me, I would avoid all life forms outside of animals.  People just weren’t my thing.  If Sehun hadn’t gotten locked out of his apartment and asked to use my phone to contact the landlord, we probably wouldn’t have ever spoken...at least on my part.  I don’t initiate.  Ever.  

Moose came running back, dropping the stick in my lap and whining until I sent it flailing across the field again.  “Well, I mean you were in the hospital and it was touch and go for awhile.  We were all super worried, especially him.  He was freaking out.  I’ve never seen him so worked up...”

“Him?” I asked slowly.  There was something pulling at the edge of my mind.  Something important.  I occurred to me that I was in the same park, in practically the same spot, as I was the day of the accident where my memories just ended.  

Sehun turned to me with a confused look on his face.  The worry that had taken root there since we had left the apartment building tripled in intensity.  “Do you not remember where you were going that night?…,” he hesitated.

Do you not remember where you were going that night?

The question rang in my head like a gunshot had gone off, baning around the corners of my brain and echoing endlessly.  Suddenly the whole world seemed to be of kilter and the light outside too bright.  My head swam and ached something awful.  

Do you not...Someone’s voice rang out...it was a voice that was familiar but...

   ...remember where you were going...A different voice this time...a female voice...  

...that night...this voice...this voice is so...this voice...who...

��JN��

Here’s another part!  I’m actually super surprised that so many of you seem to like it so far and Baekhyun hasn’t even made an appearance yet! I’m aiming to have him in the third part so please be patient! For now I hope you like the Sehun interaction!  Let me know what you think so far! Enjoy!