#Why did they introduce him in the literal scariest way possible

[cerealmonster15]

Twst is so funny I literally forget it’s a Disney property and then they’re like “here look at this fever dream scene from Aladdin to help you break out of dorm jail. also literal Mickey Mouse himself is your sleep paralysis demon and lives inside your mirror. Don’t worry about it.” like wh

[certifiedcodbabygirl]

To Whisper Your name pt.2

Masterlist

Perhaps he’s a lonely man. Maybe the years of being nothing but a soldier had gotten to him. Before his family sold him off to the Romans, he’d dreamt of a life of peace. A family to hold him close, to appreciate him as a person and not a workforce. When he was “relieved from their custody”, as his handler told him, those dreams cracked. He knew what the Romans were like. Barbaric, ruthless, unrelenting. Any chance of him remaining as he was before them was slim to none. 

His village hadn’t been one to praise Gods, the concept foreign to him. When he was introduced to the concept of the Roman gods, he felt conflicted. These powerful beings were known to help the mortals. They brought great harvest, fertility to trying couples, success to a hunt. If you were Roman. That’s why they are Roman gods. A foreigner like him, an illegitimate Roman, was sure to be ignored. He prayed nightly to let him go, to allow his dream to occur. 

Gods, please. I have no one. Please give me someone.

He spent the remaining years of his childhood in an army preparation program. His life was owed to the Roman empire and was expected to pay such. They trained him to be like them. A beast among men. The last 3 years of his childhood, he shot up. Physically and in skill. He went from the average height of a woman to taller than any of the soldiers had ever seen. Northern genes, they’d say.

Once he had gotten to Rome, he soon realized that in order to make his way through life, he’d need to learn their game. When in Rome, literally. Being kind got him nowhere. Being soft was not a luxury he could afford. He became a hardened version of himself. Him from before was still in there, somewhere. In order to make it, he had to adapt. And adapt he did.

They all feared him. A quick learner, able to practically know where each of the enemy’s hits would land, blood thirsty. He never truly enjoyed the violence, learned behavior I suppose. The dream still lingered. There would be nights where he’d sit beneath the moon and tell her of his thoughts. A wish of a wife and children running around. He’d run and take them to the North, never letting their fingers touch the blood soaked empire of Rome. She never responded, but imagining someone heard was what kept him going.

The woman in the square itched at his mind in a way he couldn’t explain. She looked unhuman. Too sweet to be of the people, too much of a glow surrounding her to be real. He knew there was something calling them together. Her face filled his head as a room does water during a flood. They spoke for maybe 2 minutes, why was she soaking his mind like the warm water of a bath? He needed to see her as one needs to breathe.

His night was filled with thought. She called to him, sirens put to shame. His mind, a forest to a fire, burning all possibility of sleep. He often went without, but this time it seemed as if it didn’t even affect him. Thoughts of her were too enticing for sleep.

Attending his day duties faster than before, he went to the square at midday in search of her. Any hint of her presence was gone and the tick in his chest increased with every step. Surely she wasn’t stupid enough to not come, was she? No, no she wasn’t. Her light blue palla hung from her like the stars in the sky. She sat among flowers in the village square’s garden, gently caressing the petals. Purples, pinks, and yellow’s all bring out the color of her dress as if they breathe life into it. His breath stopped for a moment once he caught sight of her. Had she looked as if she hung the sun before now? She had to. 

To him, she was the color around them. Who was she? Romans don’t believe in love at first sight. It was a child’s concept. Well he isn’t Roman and he’s certainly no child. He straightens before approaching quietly, as to not disturb her peaceful look. The women among them looked to her in pity. A beautiful young woman being watched intently by the scariest soldier they’d ever seen was for concern. They could only see his eyes. If they had seen in his mind they’d be writing songs of color and wonder. 

He clears his throat, gaining her attention. Her eyes shoot up to him, taking a deep breath in. There he was. He was so much bigger from this angle. His hands are clasped in front of him and he bows his head, attempting to make himself appear kinder. Oh how he thought of those eyes. Have you thought of him?

Perhaps you were his moon.

[thisismyhell]

Hired to Kill 1/?

Plot:  On the run after killing your abusive ex husband, you end up as a thief in Gotham. Living in your quiet apartment, you’re surprised to enter your home only to find a bald man dressed in black laying his weapons out on your dining table. Apparently he works for Penguin, aka, the person whose mansion you just ransacked for cash and valuables. He’s here to kill you, but what he isn’t prepared for is that you may be more qualified than he to take out a hit. So when you bring his tied up a gagged ass back to his employer, the 3 of you have a conversation on how to move forward. Will you leave the mansion alive and independent? Or will you be forced into partnership with your attempted killer?

Warnings: one mention of reader killing themselves as a threat

Words: 1,800

___________________________________________________________ It was pouring rain by the time you left the property with your bag of prizes. About an hour earlier, you broke into the mansion of some rich guy you had been stalking. He seemed the vulnerable type, what with the amount of guards he always had trailing behind him. So you waited them all out, until they left for the better part of the evening to attend the man’s club. You didn’t give a shit what he did, you only cared about his stuff. And he had a house full of stuff you could steal and sell on the black market. 

Once you were back in your building, you started itemizing everything you stole in your head. You’d be damned if you missed out on some extra cash. You entered your small apartment, only to begin hearing someone … whistling? Setting your bag down quietly on the floor, and taking your gun out from its holster, you slowly made your way to the source of the sound. You then met the eyes of a tall bald man, dressed in all black, whistling while he unpacked his collection of weapons on your dining room table. He smiled at you, charmingly. 

“I was wondering when you were going to show up”, he said through a stupid grin. “Do you know who I am?”.

“Frankly I don’t really give a shit who you are”, you said still brandishing your weapon, “but I sure would like you to leave”. 

The two of you held a brief standoff, until the man rolled his eyes and introduced himself. “My name is Victor Zsasz. You’ve probably heard of me -”

“Nope.”

“Well, maybe you’ve heard of the scariest assassin in Gotham -”

“Try again”

“Okay listen. I work for Penguin, you know, the guy you just got home from stealing from?”

You lowered your weapon, taking in his introduction. Seems like you weren’t as stealth as you thought you were. Or maybe you just didn’t realize who this Penguin guy really was. “How did you find out so quickly? How did you beat me home?” 

“You must not be as smart as you are cute. Do you really think a man like Penguin would live in his house without security cameras? I watched you break in and steal shit from my phone. You really didn’t think of that?”

“I’ll be honest, I was more worried about getting enough valuables than I was about the sanity of your boss”, you slithered. 

Victor chuckled to himself, and it seemed genuine. “Miss y/n, you must realize the moment you set foot onto his property you were way in over your head”.

“Maybe. But what are you going to do about it?”

“Y/n, isn’t it obvious? I am going to kill you, and bring your dead body back to Penguin to gloat. Now come here and sit down”.

You sat down at your table, now a display of horrific instruments. Was he going to torture you? Why did he bring so many weapons just for killing a thief? Maybe he had a vendetta out for something. Now sitting in front of Victor, you realized you could not care less about his intentions. Because there was no way this night was going to end the way he plans on. You looked up at him, smiling to yourself. 

“What? Why are you smiling? I’m literally here to kill you, and you’re smiling at me?”

You couldn’t dignify that with a reason. Instead you replied, “tell me what you think you’re going to do to me”.

Victor gawked at you, smirking. “What I think I’m going to do to you? Y/n in case it wasn’t obvious before, I am a very successful assassin. Everyone knows this. What makes you think you’re so special?”

You smiled, “because if you are so successful, then all your victims are dead. Which means you must be the one telling everyone. And how foolish do you think I would be to think you wouldn’t embellish every killing story you tell people?” 

He stared at you, seeming a bit irritated. You shared a look of silence, before Victor started to unbutton his suit jacket. Then his vest. Then he took off his tie, and his black button down dress shirt. He gently set them down beside his collection of guns and knives, and kneeled in front of you with a stare that could kill. “Do you see all these scars over my body y/n? I did these”. You looked over his upper half, noticing tally marks covering his pale skin. 

“I did these, to represent every single person I have killed. This is just the upper part of my body. And after I kill you where you are, y/n, I will add another scar to my resume”. 

You looked at him in the eyes, challenging him. “And yet, dear Victor, you kneel before me”. 

Before Victor’s questioning look can change, you grab his head, kneeing him in the face. As he bounces backward in pain and brandishing a bloody nose, you flip your table covered in  weapons over, making them unreachable. Now it’s just you, and him, and the knife in your boot. You go to reach for it, but he grabs your wrist, throwing you against the wall. You bounce back, grabbing the knife before it even hits the floor, and swing at Victor. Slicing him across the chest. “That’s for thinking I wouldn't do it first” you snarl. He tries to lunge at you, but you lunge right back toward him catching him off guard. Your forehead clashes with his nose, causing it to bleed a lot more. He bends over in pain and you take the opportunity to double elbow him in his spine. He lands on your dining room floor, and you kick him in the head knocking him unconscious. 

You arrive at Penguins about an hour later, rolling in Victor Zsasz, the most successful assassin in Gotham, right up to him in his chamber. Victor is still unconscious, shirtless, gagged and bound to a 2 wheel standing trolley. You slap him across the face and he wakes up, confused and sweating from the pain of his broken nose. 

“I believe this belongs to you”, you drawl while making painful eye contact with the man who ordered your prisoner to kill you. Victor starts to mumble, and you rip away the duct tape from his mouth harsher than you probably needed to. “OW?!” he screams, glaring at you. “Unnecessary!”. You roll your eyes and direct your attention to Penguin. “So. I broke into this place a few hours ago not realizing you were smart enough for security cameras. I came home to this idiot telling me you sent him to kill me. He failed. And now I am standing here with him, alive, as a warning”. Penguin opens his mouth for the first time, “What can I do for you, y/n?” “You can all leave me the fuck alone. I got what I wanted and got to hand this guy's ass to him as a bonus. He spent his time with me gloating, instead of killing me”. Penguin thought about this, and Victor seemed embarrassed. “Penguin, I assure you that is not all that happened-” “Yes he’s right. I also broke his nose”. 

“Give me Victor’s job. And pay me double. Or I will break back into your mansion and kill you, while all your security watches on their phones”. 

Penguin looked stunned, “And what is stopping me from killing you right now?”.

“Because I have a gun in my holster and a knife in my boot. And if you even think about jumping me, I’ll kill all 3 of us right here. Right now. And then your empire will fall, and you will be forgotten. Killed where you stand by some thief, in front of all these cameras laughing at you”. 

Victor and Penguin share a look, one more pleading than the other. “Do it, boss. She’s quicker”. 

Penguin considers his assassins words. “Okay, y/n. You can work for me. But consider this a trial basis. More people than you realize are under my command. You have 30 days to earn my trust and prove to me you are better than Zsasz. And if you do not, I will have a hit on you. You seem the type to value your privacy, and I would hate to have all of Gotham threaten that”. 

You understand the threat looming ahead of you. If you were in over your head, it was far too late now. Back home at your small apartment, you smell him ahead of you. Victor followed you home. 

“Do you really think I’d let you walk away that easily? “, he purrs. 

“Well, we both know what happens when you threaten to kill me”. 

He’s quicker than before, shoving you against the wall with his forearm against your throat and a dagger in his hand. You smile up at him. “I see you had time to get dressed first”, you spoon feed him the advantage. He sneers down at you, not easing any of the force or tension coming from his large form. He takes a lock of your hair between his fingers, smelling it. “Don’t be mistaken, miss y/n. You and I will be spending quite a lot of time together. See, as you will be working to kill people for Penguin, I’ll be ahead of you stealing the spotlight. You’ll have to be quicker than me, in every. Possible. Way”. He emphasises the last words by pulling you up to him by the lock of hair. You are face to face with the man while standing on your toes. 

You looked him in his big eyes, not daring to look away or blink. “I love a challenge, Victor”. You see his pupils dilate at the sound of his name leaving your lips. He moves his thigh between your legs, causing your own eyes to dilate as well. He removes his forearm from your neck, moving instead to place an open palmed hand on your sternum, though continuing to press you against the wall. You let him play control for just a moment longer, before using all your strength to push him so you have now switched positions, now with Victor against the wall of the hallway. You look up at him coyly, “Sounds fun. Now get out of my building before I change my mind about you”. “And how is it you feel about me, y/n?”. You don’t miss his wink. “I think you know how I feel about you, Zsasz”, you purr. You get off the man, and he leaves your building and quietly as he came. 

This is going to be an interesting job, you thought before entering your apartment and cleaning all weapons from the dining room.

[lovely-yandere-imagines]

Uhhh how about just general headcanons for any character(s) of your choosing

Hello, lovelies! Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of you! So as a little bit of a gift to you guys I figured that I would do Christmas Headcanons for the Jojos in parts 1 through 5! I really hope you all like it and I wanted to say thank you all for supporting me these past two or so weeks that I’ve been doing these headcanons. I wouldn’t have imagined in my wildest dreams that so many people would like my writings this much!

(Most of these character have been aged up)

Christmas Headcanons under the cut!!

Jonathan Joestar

All he’s ever wanted is to be a true gentleman ever since he was young and with that came the responsibilities of caring for his partner and making sure they were happy.

Christmas is a very happy and important time for him and his love for the holiday just grew even more once he had you. His childhood was a lonely one so he’s really glad he has you now.

He finally has someone he could give his gifts to and spend time with him other than Speedwagon and as the days got shorter and shorter your love of each other grew more and more by the day.

It didn’t matter if the manor was getting colder by the day you kept each other warm by the fire, with you reading a book as you snuggled up to your gentle giant of a man.

On Christmas morning Jonathan is practically bouncing with excitement forcing you to wake up much earlier than normal and is ushering you down the stairs to open presents.

His gift to you is a silver heart locket with a diamond in the middle and a photograph of the two of you on either side. He’s definitely the sentimental type and would give it two you with the most sincere  ‘I love you’ to follow.

“As soon as I saw it I thought of you, though its beauty doesn’t nearly compare you, my love.”

Joseph Joestar

He normally spends the holidays mostly with his family so having you with him this year is a welcomed change. He can’t wait for you to meet all of them. He never really makes a big deal about Christmas but this year is different

His favorite part of the holiday is getting and giving gifts to his loved ones and eating Christmas dinner, though normally he eats too much and falls into a food coma for a little bit.

He is excited to introduce you to his family and friends though and will show you off as much as he possibly can and then some so expect to be the center of his and everyone else’s attention.

“Granny Erina, Mom (that still sounds weird…) this is Y/n! Aren’t they the cutest?! I mean look at them! Do I know how to pick em? or do I know how to pick em!”

He spends most of the time gushing about how great you are to them and you can hardly get in a word yourself when they ask you questions but can you blame the man, you’re a total dream come true to him.

His family seems to enjoy seeing him so happy that they just accept that he won’t shut up but as soon as its time to open gifts he gets a little quiet, well quiet for him that is.

You can tell he’s a little nervous over giving you your gift but soon enough he swallows it down and presents you with a small ring box. “Y/n, this is literally the scariest thing I’ve ever done but..will be mine for the rest of my life or as long as time allows…”

Jotaro Kujo

He normally tries to avoid his family and mother as much as humanly possible during this time of year but since he’s gotten back from Egypt a lot of things have changed, the biggest thing that changed is that he’s met you.

He normally finds the holiday season to be a major pain in his side but since he found you he’s lightened up a little. If you seem to be particularly excited for Christmas he figures he can make it special just for you.

His presents to you mainly consist of experiences. He likes making memories more than he does buying gifts for people, and if it gets him out of the house and spends time with you it’s a win-win situation to him.

He’ll gladly walk around with you and look at Christmas lights and displays while drinking hot chocolate, he’ll even surprise you and take you ice skating and laugh at you every time you fall on your ass.

Don’t get mad at him though cause he’ll help you up and show you how it’s done, his hands are surprisingly warm compared to the cool surroundings and you can’t help but fall for him more.

Sure he can be the most stubborn ass at times but there’s no doubt in your mind that he loves you even if he shows you in his own little way.

He does want to at least get you something as a thank you for being with him and making him so happy but he’s pretty clueless when it comes to buying gifts so he’ll more than likely take you out shopping after the holiday season starts to end.

“What, you didn’t think I forgot, did you? Come on let’s get you something nice before I change my mind.”

Josuke Higashikata

He absolutely loves Christmas, it’s his favorite time of year and its made even better that he has a cutie like you with him now. 

His favorite part is spending it with others and trying to guess what people got for him. He’s the type to invite all of his friends over and have a small Christmas party with them

He’s actually a pretty good guesser most of the time or sometimes he’ll just take a tiny peek by tearing the wrapping paper and then fixing it with his stand once he’s done snooping.

He’ll definitely be the one to drag you to holiday festivals and just enjoy the festive season with him. He’s the dork that always has mistletoe in his hand and will randomly come up to you and hold it over your head.

He is also fine with just staying inside and playing videogames with you cuddle next to him under a blanket, he uses the excuse of it being cold to get you next to him.

He also really likes to buy gifts for his friends even though more often than not he seems to always end up with one present for him as well, funny how’d that happen?

 He’ll bring out your present towards the end of the night and for some reason, there are holes in the box “Hey Y/n, I got you something really special and I really hope you like it! Oh and don’t shake the box it might scare them”

Once you open it a small puppy pops its head out and is happily licking your face before you can even blink or register what exactly you’re holding but as soon as you lock eyes with it it’s love at first sight.

Giorno Giovanna

He never really had anyone to celebrate the holiday season with till recently so he’s not all too sure what to get anyone, that’s why he’s thankful he has you by his side to help him pick out gifts for everyone.

You’ve been such a good change in his life that he values all of your opinions and ideas that it was only natural for him to take you with him while Christmas shopping.

Once he’s done shopping for everyone else the last person on his list is you and since you two are so close this also makes it easier to get you a gift as well since he’s a little clueless about what to get you.

He’s probably given you thousands of flowers but when it comes to something he thinks you cherish he tends to draw a blank but he can’t help but think to a few months ago.

Funnily enough, the first gift he ever got you when you two started dating was a pair of golden earrings in the shape of infinity hearts. “Because my love for you is never-ending, tesoro”

He had to admit it was a little more cheesy than suave but seeing you blush like you did and light up like a Christmas tree was so beautiful to him that he wanted to see you like that again.

So he finally made up his mind and got you a necklace and bracelet to match the earrings and a ring as well. “Remeber what I told you when I first gave you those earrings amore, well I can tell you that it will never change and my love for you is undying”

[barbika1508]

Hiwaga (Vampire! Jeongguk x Reader)

Part 4

Words: 9,6k

Genre: Soulmate AU, Reincarnation AU, Enemies to Lovers, Action, Romance, Smut

Pairing: Vampire! Jeongguk x Reader

Warnings: Sexy times – Biting kink, Handjob, Creampie, Cowgirl, Missionary

Summary: Life was good, playing out better than it has been ever before. My future was bright and full of promises and wishes coming to realization. All up until she showed up. She stormed though the front doors ruining everything along the way by her mere presence derailing my goals and purpose in life. A puny mortal, a child, a complete nuisance, and yet…The key to an unimaginable life, to the truth all along.

Author's note: Hiwaga – mystery; full of wonder Agápi mou /Greek/ - My love Daimones - The word is derived from Proto-Indo-European *daimon "provider, divider (of fortunes or destinies)," from the root *da- "to divide". Daimons were possibly seen as the souls of men of the golden age acting as tutelary deities.

Ta - Daaaaaa 🥳 🎉 🎉 🎉

Jeongguk’s POV:

If looks could kill, Yoongi hyung would definitely be dead by now.

Huh?

Poor hyung. He’s doing his best I mean what else can he do in this case? None of us know.

I recognize that voice. It’s not mine but I easily recognize it. I’m slightly annoyed that it’s filling my own thoughts so wholesomely in the abyss that surrounds me. As if that was some sort of key or password to log in the sudden images that flood my mind catch me completely off guard – a memory begins to play behind my eyelids.

‘’Hi I’m Y/N L/N!’’ the girl introduces herself a tad bit too loud, looking bright eyed with a wide grin, naivety just pungent from the first look of her. Pfff a mouse, she’s a mouse. A cute one, to play with. Those are Jimin’s first thoughts of her. Everyone underestimated the human, thinking lesser of her from the get go.

It’s hard seeing the image shift and see her in a completely new light. If I was conscious, I’d redirect the thoughts elsewhere to the important parts. But for a fact I’m aware that I am stuck in sort of a weird limbo where I have no recollection or control of my body nor mind. It all just seems to be floating around. Maybe I should consider this to be lucky to have been drawn to Jimin hyungs thoughts in the first place.

And yet the image of her before me is foreign. Not realistic. The scene is right out of a movie. A movie I’d prefer she didn’t star in.

Her once beautiful gown has been reduced into scarps the drapery thrown off. There’s a cut running up the fabric of the now skirt up till the belt line that holds the top part together; its not hard to spot the wound a proper gash that’s running from the above of her left knee and runs all the way up over her thigh, disappearing underneath the dress, most likely continuing along to her mid-belly.

Her sword which she labelled a few times to be as her pride and joy still remains in her grasp, pointing finger curled above the hilt properly meaning she’s still in combat mode. It once glinted bronze-gold – but right now the blade has been covered by splatters of dark red across the edges and mid-section, blood dripping from the upper end. Most of the blade’s intricated engraved detailing has been masked by the red liquid that remains dripping to the ground from the tip.

As our gazes raise I can feel and easily understands hyung’s hesitation. I can feel others too, but watch as only Yoongi at the far right of is moving and approaching her.

Her chest is heaving, the only sound louder in the room is her pounding heartbeat. Her expression rivals the scariest pissed of look that Yoongi could offer anyone. She looks absolutely terrifying, and that is saying something as Jimin and any of my brothers rarely feel scared for their lives, or scared in general. It’s not even the expression or stance that she’s making – authors always talk about eyes, right? Even in movies they do closeups of characters.

It’s the same instance here too. Her eyes still glowing molten gold, are fixated onto the pile of ashes in the middle of the room. They seem to portray an array or emotions – rage, terror, but the most particular one which Jimin hyung recognizes all so well is the heart brokenness.

Even though she stands tall and clearly otherworldly from our own kin, some part of her has been shattered. The memory I’m watching is fuzzy, as if I’m watching it over an old tape recorder with bad quality to it. The scene speeds up, and mutes at random. I stare as Yoongi approaches her, her hand shooting to him grabbing him by his neck.

Tears of gold spill down her beautiful pinkish cheeks. Gold. She truly is out of this world, isn’t she?

She doesn’t speak, not really. I can see Yoongi’s mouth opening hand raised towards us the signal simple having everyone stop in their tracks. Her face twists into anger, prompting more tears to spill. But she doesn’t hurt hyung, she lets him go all of the sudden turning again to glare at the spot she did before.

With a heavy heart Jimin’s eyes track down to the ground watching as one tear escapes and drips down from her chin, and falls to the ground splattering. To his and my own surprise the gold withers losing its glint and shine to it as it dispels into thin air.

I can feel how Jimin’s eyebrows furrow, heaviness settling in his chest at seeing the burnt stone ground. Y/N is standing right in the circle of it, as the burnt patterns look like an explosion went off. Cautiously he glances back up at her, watching intently while holding his breath as she falls on her knees, sword chattering loudly to the ground, making me flinch.

Amongst the pile of ashes that have remained, a few partially intact bodies lie here and there. Having a missing limb doesn’t mean death, just an inconvenience. But most of the bodies do have their heads decapacitated, leaving them in the stage in between. Their hearts have been left intact.

Wait…am I…did I get my head cut off too?

Hyungs eyes fall onto the body, which I weirdly recognize as being my own. I can see blood has soaked into the white of the shirt I’m wearing, almost completely changing the colour white into red, with additional spatters here and there.

Delicate hands, dusted in ash and blood pick up my head with such gentleness as if dealing with the thinnest shaped and intricate glass. Sighing in relief I come to a quick realization that my head is still attached to my body. So why am I not moving?

Gaining a feeling of Jimin’s mind, how it’s working I diverted my own eyes up to the human…ah. She isn’t a human, is she? It’s a habit to classify her as one, more than anything else. While hyung preoccupies himself with worrying about me, I take the chance to look at Y/N.

Heavenly is the only word that comes to my mind to describe her. Divine with a touch of sin, brings out a smile to my lips even if imaginative ones. That godly aspect has me imagining with ease a pair of black angel wings that would spring out from her back, looming over us absolutely terrifying in the power they represent but also safety and protection. Even if her tears that start to take a tool on me, tug at the torn-up soul that lingers to me I can’t help but to admire her. And love her.

It sorts of hits me weirdly, the simple word that is love. Another remote feeling and outlandish thought and association to find myself in the clutches of it.

Why is she acting like this? So lifeless so…void?

Through the same eyes the imagine shifts to the what appears to be present time. I frown upon seeing what hyung is seeing. The fact that she is wearing the hoodie I gave her that one time in the library would make my heart soar, it is sparkling a tinge of something – but it’s the sight of her paler skin that makes the bad feeling resurface.

She doesn’t look all that much human anymore. She resembles us in a way excluding her beating heart and breathing which do manage to bring some sort of peace to mind. Unlike to hyung that’s nervous, the pit in his stomach churning painfully. He is a very sympathetic being.

Come on Jeongguk-ah, what’s taking you so long?

I’m surprised that he’s addressing me. For a moment I freeze in thoughts eagerly listening to the quiet voices that ring out as he talks to himself while his eyes lower to my lifeless body that’s been placed on a mattress that has been laid on the ground. Wait I recognize this place. It’s the library, same place where I’ve first seen how vulnerable she was from waking her up.

It’s where she unknowingly dropped the biggest hint with her connection to me. She called me ‘my love’ in Korean and that even though sparked something subconsciously in me, went straight over my head at the time. Right now, I only half understand the heaviness she was carrying all this time. The weight of the world placed upon her shoulders – something I think she told me, not in this lifetime. I can’t be sure. My mind in regards of my own memories remain hazy.

Except for this place that we are in.

‘’You should eat.’’ Jimin says gently keeping his voice silent and gentle, pouting as he stares at her. Only now as he shifts his hand, I can feel that he’s holding something, a sandwich on a plate. She doesn’t move an inch, simply breathing and blinking as she stares down at my seemingly sleeping form.

They’ve changed me into, a pair of black sweats and a simple oversized long-sleeved shirt. For some reason my body is covered by a blanket which I know for sure is her gesture. Even my head is propped up by pillows. I won’t even bother going into the details of how weird and terrifying it feels to see myself like that.

‘’Not hungry.’’ A reply comes surprising me with the lack of scratchiness to it. The cold emotionless tone has me frowning and sort of taking a step back in a sense. This isn’t her. She’s…she’s not…

‘’Y/N-nim…’’ Jimin starts the change in addressing her clear, but her piercing eyes that shift to meet his own cause him to take a step back, literally. The gold hasn’t left her irises, circulating around lingering, and threatening.

They don’t speak, they don’t need to as the message lays heavily in between them. Faintly we pick up on talking coming from somewhere in the too silent house.

Staring at Y/N she averts her eyes from the orange haired man. Looking back lost and absent she takes a hold of my still hand with the utmost care and tenderness. While hyung takes a step back towards the edge of the balcony, closer to the stairs my eyes zero in on the wound that’s newly adoring Y/N hand, glaring angrily red and pink at me. There are golden specks along the cut that stretches from her pinkie finger diagonally to her wrist.

‘’Go.’’ She says emotionless. Hyung doesn’t say anything, keeping his eyes fixated on her, watching as she caresses my hand absent minded, her focus completely on me, while a storm continues to rage inside her. She’s in that similar or very same state after I woke her up from that nightmare. The exception is that that one was mild compared to the tornadoes and hurricanes that must be raging in her.

Silently Jimin places the plate as close as he dares to, on a pair of forgotten books that are sturdily stacked. He bows his head down in respect and also a tinge of fear and silently makes his way downstairs, not sparing her or myself a glance.

Jeongguk-ah wherever you are, you better hurry up. Y/N is hurting bad, and I don’t think she’ll survive for long if you don’t get up. Get up Jeonggukie. We need you. Y/N needs you.

  I can feel a faint but unmoving hold on my right hand the warmth contrasted to my own coolness. Its surprisingly silent all around me, no thoughts no talking breaking the serenity. The steady heart beat is like a lullaby to my ears, breathing a reassurance. Having been submerged into the darkness for gods know how long, I eagerly open my eyes, my muscles automatically tense up on their own accord as instincts take over my mind and body for a split of a second. But nothing goes out of place as I remain still, only letting my eyelids flutter open.

My gaze falls oddly enough to the sandwich that’s was left behind. The bread has been covered by mold that’s been growing since it was left there. Jimin. Quickly noting the blanket covering me, I glance upwards caught off guard at the even inhales and exhales, noticing her wild hair at first as it falls down over her features masking them.

Blinking a few times, I stare at her closed eyes. Sitting with her legs crossed, her left arm is outstretched, holding my own over her bent knee. Her right arm has been bent and is settle over her other knee forearm risen up hand propping her fallen head to the side, posture hunched as she sleeps serenely.

Not daring to move an inch I remain completely still, making sure I don’t automatically intake air. Her hair has grown. The front that’s cascading down her face moves gently with every exhale she makes. In between the strands, a blush stretches over her supple cheeks. Her eyebrows are casted downwards, lips pouting as the small frown graces her sleeping figure.

I want to reach up and cup her cheek, caress the uneasiness away chase it completely out of her life. Is she having another nightmare?! Is she reliving what had happened? This is one of the times that I desperately wish of knowing why I cannot read her mind – and of course one of the times that I desperately wish that I could read it like I can others.

As if she senses my thoughts, like those few times before her eyes snap open. Gone is the tint of gold and divinity as we stare at one another for a moment like mere mortals. Her breathing comes to a stop, heart picking up speed steadily like a racing steed. Even air itself comes at a standstill nothing changing except our eyes shifting taking each other in, in a difference sense of trying to engrave each other’s features as lovers do. It’s her hand that tightens in my own that sparks the world to start spinning again.

She’s instantaneously moves forward smoothly like a feline, knees gently hitting the mattress besides my ribs while she raises up and above me, her hair fanning around my face her own finally revealed to me. With my right hand I eagerly reach up, fingers gently touching her soft strands pushing them away a moment after, tucking them behind her ear as I admire the still left imperfections on her features. Human or not she’s still the most gorgeous being I have ever met in my entire life.

Her hand fits perfectly as it cups my cheek, the closeness has me overwhelmed and closing my eyes for a moment as I gulp down a lump in my throat trying to regain my chaotic mind and emotions that are raging. She shifts next to me, her breath fanning over my face her sweet scent filling my nose with sweetness brining a smile to my lips.

Reopening my eyes, I urge her with my hand to get closer, her legs falling in place on each side of my waist once she climbs over me. Her left-hand hasn’t let go of my own still holding onto it tightly, while with her right she’s touching me all over almost greedily. With fascination I watch as the gold reappears, the glow and an aura of power entering her system in a manner of speaking.

It’s still hard to wrap it around my brain, that she’s something more than human.

‘’Agápi mou.’’ I find myself saying her eyes shifting from my lips to meet my own. The imagine of wings return to my head this time seeing them right before me. Sunlight is pouring from the windows from underneath the what are supposed to be blackout curtains – a mistake has been made because the curtains are simply too short to cover the windows completely up.

They are letting enough sunlight in to enable my imagination to run even more wild as I picture a halo resting above her head, glimmering like a crown. The image of wings, gold this time around, represent security. Safe heaven. Knowing what she is, the word on the tip of my tongue tastes foresight even if I don’t speak it. She is something far from an angel.

‘’Do you remember?’’ her voice rivals any of my kin’s - my own included. Smooth like satin, filled with more confidently unlike before. She sounds enchanting like a siren.

I bring her hand up to rest over my chest where my un-beating heart lays, and fulfil my wish from before first by cupping her cheek, letting her accommodate herself by resting her weight on my chest more. Offering a small smile, I shake my head ‘’I don’t think it works like in the movies.’’

A breathy half chuckle leaves past her lips, as she tilts her head eyes still unmoving from my own ‘’I wasn’t implying it like that.’’ She muses, left hand playfully taping my nose before pulling it back ‘’The first time you remembered everything. Just making sure not to overwhelm you.’’

She’s hesitant waiting for my reaction as indeed a million questions flood my mind. But the melancholy that seems to be deeply rooted in her, has me easily pushing back down my own vivid curiosity in favour of focusing on her at the present ‘’I can connect bits and pieces but not much.’’ I admit to which she nods in understanding, taking my hand away from her cheek. To my delight she presses a kiss to the top of my knuckles, intertwining our fingers together with familiarity. My gaze remains on her hand noticing now up close the newly forming scar over her hand, running my thumb gently over it.

‘’It doesn’t hurt if that’s what you are wondering.’’ She murmurs tightening her hold in reassurance. Of course she knows where my mind was going, the churning in my tummy now spinning in worry, as not thinking it thought I pull my right hand back, and reach for her thigh, running my fingers gently over. I cannot see the scar as she’s wearing pants but I know it’s there and it must have definitely hurt ‘’You’re worrying for nothing jagi.’’ I feel as if my eyes sparkle just from the nickname, she uses to address me.

I watch with parted lips as she gently pushes my hands away, and starts shifting backwards. I raise up wanting to follow her, ready to bolt if I need to but she simply sits down and makes quick work of tugging her pants off. That leaves her in a pair of white lace panties, the sight of her underwear and her wearing my hoodie…

Like many times before I’ve said this; if I were still a human, I’d be blushing all over. Same goes for the twitching that happens in my lower regions, a tingle ringing up my spine from the mere sigh alone. She chuckles at my probably startled expression cooing loudly ‘’I’m not going anywhere Koo.’’ the nickname is ridiculous bringing another wave of unfamiliar shyness to wash over me.

She takes my hands into hers that I’ve braced against the mattress and brings them upwards body moving along climbing back onto my lap again, clearly not minding that she’s showing her skin to me so freely ‘’See?’’ she points out, guiding my tattooed hand along her thigh, tugging the hoodie upwards enough for me to really see the fading red that’s still tinting her skin ‘’Nothing bad.’’

But the slash the – the wound is way too long and I know it was way to widely opened her muscle damaged to a degree ‘’This is my fault.’’ I start ready to submerge myself into an endless pool of shame and regret and guilt. She’s two steps ahead of me thought – ducking down she captures my eyes, as well as my lips as in what feels like a flash. The kiss is sort of clumsy as I don’t even seem to register it in the beginning. Only after does it turn greedy teeth clashing against one another, as my chest grumbles with a growl at the extremely familiar feeling of having her in my arms like this, and her lips crashing with my own.

Warmth encloses my whole being as she forces me to straighten up, hovering above me inches away upon breaking the kiss. Slightly breathless she stares at me with hooded eyes, hands not inching away, as my own aren’t having found their home on her hips, taking her while at the same time being conscious of not causing her any more pain.

‘’It wasn’t your fault.’’ She starts my mood dwindling. Her grip is firm not letting me turn away ‘’Do you…’’ her change in tone rises curiosity, hesitance so unlike her that it has my heart weighting down ‘’…do you…’’ she sits back down again, getting eyelevel with me vulnerability just oozing from her. Besides the simmering gold in her irises she looks so human all of the sudden. She looks like the Y/N that I know. The one that at first agitated me to no end, her over the top behaviour making me want to tear my hair out at first. The Y/N that didn’t care in particular if her makeup was done perfectly, her concern laying in her sword more than on herself. The Y/N that softened my heart, sneaking her way inside it making me favour her flaws, her childlike behaviour as well as her strength, her courage and to a degree reckless boldness.

‘’You know I used to hate you. Genuinely I despised everything about you.’’ I take the lead hearing how her heart picks up, and can see how her eyes seem to glow brighter at my words ‘’Everything about you frustrated me to no ends.’’ I end up groaning tiredly her reaction being a chuckle as she stares at me incredulously almost offended. I don’t miss the vulnerability and hurt my words bring ‘’But…you know I’ve fallen in love with you. You must know that.’’

I wrap my arms around her waist making sure she isn’t going to slip through my fingers. She firmly shakes her head, hands pushing at my chest ‘’You’ve said it yourself that you hated me. That wasn’t you getting influenced by your past selves. Those are your genuine feelings. The moment you started to like me is when…’’

This time I lean in to kiss her, wanting to shut her up and stop her from falling into her own abys of pity and hurt ‘’Don’t.’’ I warn in between kissing her ‘’I’m in love with you.’’ I state firmly, holding her close seeing red in her eyes, the reflection coming from my own.

‘’Don’t…’’ She breathes starting to squirm looking away ‘’Don’t give me hope…’’ the whisper is barely audible but I hear it. She’s shaking her head as if she’s trying to deny my words, trying to convince herself that this isn’t real.

‘’L/N Y/N-ah.’’ I call her name her eyes automatically landing on me ‘’I Jeon Jeongguk am in love with you.’’ I state firmly ‘’Past lives or not, this is me admitting my true feelings to you! This is me telling you that I am in love with you. I fell in love with you!’’ her eyes are brimming with tears as she blinks and lets out a sob, shaky hand coming up to cover half of her face weakly ‘’I love you, Y/N-ah you pesky human. Yah!’’ I half shout in anger and perplexity as I end up smiling bringing her shaking form close into my embrace ‘’Don’t be so stubborn.’’ I whisper running my right hand up and down her back feeling how her heart thuds against her chest. Being so close I can only imagine that my own would be doing the same.

She lets out a shuddering breath, head shifting as she buries her face into the side of my neck making me almost hiss instincts brief to almost take over my actions. The proximity is unfamiliar, as baring our neck to anyone is considered intimate. (Yes, it doesn’t only extend to werewolves, vampires can have this dynamic too without the alpha beta and omega dynamics)

‘’I’m in love with you.’’ I repeat myself and am willing to do so for the rest of my life if needed. It does dawn on me to ask what…what exactly happened to my past selves. Was I of supernatural kin before? Or have my decision lead to a shift in the universe? Damn. It dawns on me how selfish I’m being, and full of myself by thinking that the universe cares about me whatsoever in the first place. I am but a dust speckle in the wind.

But the question does linger in the back of my mind – will I be allowed to stay with her this time? Given she’s been through this. Will this time be different?

Content to just hold her in my arms, feeling her hands resting between us one over my heart still I start to caress her back, following the curve of her body knowing that with the friction – gentle and slow – I’m keeping her warmed up against me. Although come to think of it she never had any particular problems with touching any of us.

My body tenses up, eyes shooting wide open as I feel the press of her lips against my neck, near my jugular vein. Breath hitching involuntarily, she continues on, soft lips leaving behind pecks and tingles in her wake. It’s easy to relax and as cheesy as it is, yes, it because it’s her.

She grows bold, right hand dipping under my arm, behind my torso fingers spreading over my back holding me close whilst her left hand, rests in between us only the pads of her fingers touching and resting just under my bellybutton. As her hands come to a still her mouth changes tactics teeth now and then nipping at my skin, the feeling making me feel high at the implication of her leaving her mark behind. Even if regretfully they will disappear quicker than I’d like.

A moan makes its way past her lips, hips simultaneously twitching forward. Loosening my hold around her I drop my hands to rest over her tights, looking down in between us as she shifts forward eagerly, bringing her core closer to my growing erection ‘’Jeongguk-ah…’’ she breathes sensually into my ear, probably already feeling me growing against her exposed thigh. Her tongue has me shuddering, as it runs over the outer part of my earlobe which she proceeds to gently bite at, the action new but exciting.

I moan shamelessly as her bites turn harsher. This new kink; I think I’m discovering it just now – and the fact that she’s the cause of it is all the more exiting. Before I start panting, she puts momentary distance in between us forcing me to open my eyes. She’s already staring at me with a dreamy expression, hands still roaming over my chest. They slide over my shoulders slipping behind me, fingers gripping the hair at the back of the head tightly.

I can see the hunger pooling in her orbs the want and greed presenting themselves. Pushing my emotions to the side not wanting to get overwhelmed I bet I’m portraying the same emotions. I feel as if I’m going to die if I’m not close enough to her.

Mimicking her hold on my hair I cup the back of her head, and force our mouths together, teeth clashing and tongues battling bring a smile to my lips. She doesn’t relent from the challenge and neither do I, my intention on wining overtaking my driver easily. She can’t be good at everything.

I growl in delight as she starts to relent and ends up whining needy-ly, following my lead as I circle my tongue against her own. Triumph enters my system making me feel normal again, but at the same time sort of elevated. I’m not the same man as I was before waking from this unconsciousness I’ve been forcefully put into – and yet I’m still me.

Sneaking my right hand around her body I greedily take a hold of her firm yet soft ass, squeezing her ass cheeks in delight. Chuckles arise from her chest, as she twitches breaking away eyes remaining closed as her body for a moment shudders in my hold. Smirking at the mere sigh before me I guide her hips starting up a rhythm for her to keep at, grinding her pelvis against my own.

I can fucking feel her heat so close, and can smell the tanginess that reaches my nose. Ducking my head down in between us, I take in as much of the scent as I can feeling almost light headed. My mouth waters as I take a look at her unmarked neck.

A growl arises like thunder from the depts of my chest the material that holds barely any of my scent on her is offending me ‘’Off.’’

I watch as she leans back, hips settling to a still in such a way that her core is above my own hardening cock. I want to burry myself so badly into her - I bet every inch of her is perfect. Made just for me.

‘’Impatient there, ah Jeonggukie?’’ she muses but grabs the ends of the hoodie and tugs it up over her head in one smooth movement. I growl louder at the next layer of clothing which I’m ready to tear of her body my patience indeed sizzling into nothingness. The fact that the white shirt she has on is also one of my own, my scent being more prominent. The possessive side of me is screaming ‘Mine’ in my head and is practically howling with delight. I start sniffing promptly taking in the combined smell we’ve both created.

A litany of sweetness my first thoughts are of milk, honey and that all familiar strawberry scent come to my mind. The tanginess comes from me the heady smell of vanilla and blooming gardenia tangling itself softly around.

‘’Because of you? Always absolutely famished.’’ I growl sparing her a look, as she pulls the shirt off which leaves her pleasantly bare to my eyes, and for my hands and mouth to explore. My hands are quick to move, gentler than I’ve ever been before with anyone, to take her in, fingers roaming over the many scars that litter her warm skin. Some raise hesitation as I trace them longer taking my time, the one on her hip a ghostly reminder of something that I can’t put my finger one, and another one that is near her left collarbone has me looking up into her eyes that are watching me with curiosity as she holds herself back, clearly letting me take her in.

She doesn’t say anything even as our eyes lock together. My usual frustration and admittedly fear when it comes to her for the first time, I don’t get that urge that, that need and want to read her mind. Because I understand perfectly, what’s she’s thinking about my hands pulling away starting to tug my own shirt off. It leaves me equally bare as she is.

As I fumble with the fabric getting the sleeves stuck around my hands, her own are quick to touch and brush near my lower regions more, leaving me breathless the sensation otherworldly almost. I free my left hand from the wretched fabric that I’m not tearing apart just because I somehow know that she’s going to fuss about it after.

Glancing down, I watch how her hands trace the outlines of the low riding sweats. I bet goose bumps would be running all over my skin if I was more warm blooded. As my chest stills, her fingers remain rising, spreading and coming together as she takes in my abs. Getting rid of the shirt finally, I prop myself backwards onto my left arm whilst my right falls to her knee where I start to run my thumb in circles over it while watching in amusement as a deep flush tints her cheeks, and upper chest gaze hungry.

A hiss rises chest inflating as her hands reach my perk nipples. She isn’t surprised in the slightest as she gingerly starts to play with them – the tingle in my spine rouses my cock twitching specially when I see how she licks her lower lip her pupils dilating further eyes greedily taking me in – her hips move on their own accord, moving with ease and purpose.

Growing restless, at the proximity but the still held distance I straighten forward forcing her to a stop. Pushing the hair away from her left shoulder I eagerly dive in, going straight to biting her skin with blunt teeth making sure to mark her up while keeping my fangs away and hunger for blood at bay. I’m not even all that hungry to be honest – I feel fed. I’m hungry for something else.

Mewls fill the air, breathy moans indicating my actions are overtaking her senses. Her hands remain pressed over my pecks, fingers moving once or twice, but the more I bite and lick and kiss the more her heady scent fills my nose.

Moving to her collarbones, I rest my own hands over her supple breasts eager to feel them. It’s just as I remember them in a strange sense. They fit in my palms to a T. At this point she gives up on teasing me further, dropping her hand down completely. Not stopping I eagerly take one nipple into my mouth sucking in delight, focusing extra hard not to bite once her fingers make way past the elastic band of my pants.

At this point as wet as she feels and smells, I’ve ruined the undergarment equally if not more with precum, my cock fully hard and starting to get painful with negligence.

Licking a bold stripe over her pebbled soft nipple I move to the next one making sure to pinch the one I was just suckling on. She keeps on making these delicious and cutesy but so fucking arousing noises, even as her fingers brush against my base her actions growing bolder. But due to the awkward angle she doesn’t do as much as I think she intended to, her hand getting stuck halfway her knuckles still sticking out the elastic tight against her hand.

Her moans, and squeaks are quick to turn into whines as I mark the top of her breasts for good measure. But I do understand her whines fluently in a sense with regret putting my selfish needs and wants to the side as I raise upwards cupping her cheek, and reach for her writs to stop her squirming hand and fingers.

‘’Fuck baby, you’re so good to me.’’ I curse watching how her expression falls eyebrows furrowing desperation finally making its way to the front, her body fidgeting ready for more.

She immediately nods at my words guiding my hand over to her core. I groan at the wetness that’s seeping from her panties completely ruining them as well as the fabric of my own sweats that actually are drenched in her juices and my own precum.

‘’I want you…’’ she whines ‘’Want you so bad.’’ Her eyes gloss over as she tries to demonstrate her need, by rising onto her knees and turns my hand around so that my bent fingers can brush against her clit once she thrusts her hips. She lets out this delirious sounding whine, eyes shutting for a moment.

‘’You have me baby.’’ I mumble in return fingers working over the damp piece of cloth grazing over her aching nub, her hips twitching in half thrusts ‘’Hmmm…’’ groaning into the kiss she bites onto my lower lip, her speed starting to increase.

‘’Mine.’’ Her words send a spike of arousal all over me, signals ringing out in my brain and heart too because, she sounds so fucking possessive and determined. Her grip on the back of my hair tightens almost to a painful degree – but it hurts oh so fucking good.

I pant at the display of dominance simply staring at her unblinking in a trance ‘’Yours.’’ I breathe out accepting her lips, giving her the lead at first to do whatever she likes. One of her hands returns to my nipple pinching it harder than I’ve done to her while her other hand remains tugging at my hair – she knows my body so well, that this should be scary and terrifying and yet I’m blinded and high on the reassurance she gives off.

Once she runs breathless, I have to put distance between us ignoring her own human sounding growl that brings a grin to my lips ‘’Cute.’’ I mumble, letting her rest her forehead against my own.

‘’Jeongguk-ah…’’ staring up at her she looks out of it for a moment, emotions seemingly catching up to her ‘’I need you in me. Now.’’ She grinds through her teeth instead gold bleeding into her irises. The reflection of my eyes didn’t disappear this whole time, but it gets more prominent I notice when she lets go of her own control it seems – the redness of my own eyes contrasts hers harmoniously.

‘’I need to taste you first…’’ a plan forms quickly in my mind, hands hocking into her white panties. With a tug the stiches tear apart seamlessly, the fabric quick to give in and fall apart. Her lips are bruised, but are unrelentingly back on mine. They are more controlled, giving me full reign as I guide her and making sure to kiss her more sloppily.

‘’Next time…ne…’’ she gasps in between lips not leaving my own, while her hands grab the edges of my sweats. Her first attempt would in normal circumstances have me smiling, and teasing her relentlessly as she does absolutely nothing, maybe even tugging them higher up. But the mood for teasing is over, my intention on helping her full hearted. But the noise of fabric being pulled apart stops me in my tracks and stare in disbelief as she ruins the sweatpants and boxers I’m wearing. Or well I was wearing.

Not even following along because she’s quick, quicker than a regular human, she raises she raises the fabric up enough to be able to throw away the scraps and leave me as bare to the world as she is. Within the blink of an eye she’s rightly wound around me once more, the growl that raises past her lips sounds deeper and animalistic.

‘’Fuck.’’ She curses her hand taking a hold of my cock that had spring up over my belly, precum smearing against my stomach ‘’How are you so fucking gorgeous. Even your dick is…’’ she whines desperately. I gape like a fish staring as her hand reaches for her own exposed cunt, running her fingers together under herself. The slick glints if that makes any sense, and I watch speechless as her hand wraps itself around my length.

My body goes stiff briefly the initial contact, the warmth, the immediately ideal pressure have me all losing my godsdamn mind for a moment. Can we even blank out? Is that I thing? Because once I open my eyes, I think I just did that. Lost contact with reality.

I stare - probably looking like a blabbering idiot - as she rises onto her knees hand still running up and down my length the sight before me magnificent. As if she hears me and there is a possibility that I said that out loud judging by the smirk on her face, her hand comes to a stop. Golden eyes met my own once more as she inches closer with her body, fingers guiding the top of my dick against her folds, up and down. Simultaneously moans draw themselves from our chests the sensation electrifying, making every hair on my body stand up, as well as tingles to run over my skin. Her own mouth opens in a silent ‘0’ the flush on her cheeks darkening.

And then she stops all together, gaze unmoving and unfaltering, breathing slowing down, eyes portraying nothing else but admiration and love – which is baffling me. This feels like a dream a fantasy. It feels unrealistic and like a figment of my imagination. If it is true about any of that – I never want to wake up from this.

Her plump lips part wider no sound leaving them, as the pressure on the head of my cock makes itself present as she starts to lower herself down. Gasping for not needed air, my eyes want to roll to the back of my head but I keep my focus trained on her and at the way her eyes seem to glow brighter. She’s taking her time lowering herself down inch by inch leaving my mind blank as I feel her and nothing else. I can feel her tightness enveloping all around me, the warmth the wetness making me sincerely start to lose my sanity. Hissing, I grind my teeth together as my balls start to pull back out of shook in a sense. She’s only half way down – so I grab for her hips harshly forcing her to slow her descent for her sake. Looking up she’s at her ends rope to it seems like.

Breathing out harshly through her nose I lead her the rest of the way, letting her sit down and adjust herself. It’s not only for her benefit but my own – she’s divine, absolutely divine.

So, blazing hot, so warm, so wet so fucking perfect – I can’t even think straight.

‘’Ah jagiya…’’ she breathes slumping against me, hands wrapped around my shoulders. I smile once more to the modern nickname knowing deep down that her nicknames for me have varied greatly. And to have my own kind in the present is heart-warming.

‘’I love you.’’ I whisper realization of my feelings having hit me at full force that faithful night. Her eyes widen despite my confession earlier. There’s still doubt and hesitation in her ‘’I love you with my whole heart, my being and with whatever is left of my soul.’’

The glossiness reappears her reaction not exactly what I wanted. But she cuts off any of my ideas and reactions as she raises up and kisses me to stop me most likely from reacting. She whines into the kiss high pitched, hips falling back down. To my surprise she’s quick to pick up a pace, and rhythm steadily riding me walls now and then clamming around me.

Remaining speechless at her actions I start to mimic her breathing pattern somewhere along the way, admiring her features how they twist and change head at first raising up then falling forward sweet breath fanning over my face as she concentrates. Her heart is battering against her chest full of life ringing out a melody in my mind, the indication making me feel as if I’m alive too.

Whilst my body remains completely functioning, receiving all the onslaughts of pleasure my brain reaches that hazy-like state of weightlessness, balls tightening as my spine tingles, my nerves starting to sing unanimously. I’m so close so fucking close, the words on the tip of my tongue to warn her, when she suddenly comes to a full stop, everything feeling so overwhelming all of the sudden as she clenches impossibly tight around me, edging me on making it almost impossible to hold back – but somehow I do, noticing the strain from her body still having a hold of her.

Opening my eyes her ass rests against my thighs, cock still sheathed in her. I notice with new found thirst that she’s covered in her own juices, lower lips parted and looking delicious whilst my cock stretches her out rightfully so. She’s breathing hard, heart still hammering in her chest which is quickly rising and falling. As she gathers herself, her upper body is leaning backwards, head thrown back which leaves her neck fully exposed to me. I admire the unmarked column of her neck on her right side which is just calling out to me.

‘’You okay, human?’’ I speak up musing letting my fangs out, my control gradually slipping even at a standstill. She completely has me enamoured and entranced.

She nods curtly eyes still closed but she does let her head fall forward hands shifting from my knees to my thighs while her body remains half resting and half folded before me, pussy clenching at certain movements.

‘’Never been…better…’’ she breathes and reopens her eyes. Her skin is covered in a fine layer of sweat, hair pushed back messily making it seem as if she has a mane, while her body switches between relaxed to tense, muscles getting tired due to her position ‘’Guk-ah…’’ I snort at the shortening of my name, and straighten up cooing at her brief hiss of protests as I shift us. Grabbing her firmer by her hips, I hold her close groaning as I shift inside her whilst moving rolling us to the side, making sure not to dislodge her to much. Her head comfily rests on the edge as I raise onto my knees, switching my hold to under her thighs to keep us connected and close.

‘’Y/N-ah…’’ I breathe out ignoring the shiver that runs up my back, making me want to just take her as she is ‘’You feel so good…’’ I lean forward watching as she looks at me through half-lidded eyes, the whining returning, her hands eager to bring me closer. For the first time tonight the kiss that befalls between us changes into a gentle and serene one. Readjusting my hold on her once more so that it remains secure and gentle, I pull my hips back, and thrust back inside trying out the waters so to speak.

She moans straight into my mouth, letting me run my tongue over her lower lip before giving her a peck and focus on her needs. I prop an arm next to her head to hold myself up effortlessly as no strain is being put on me as it would to a human. I stare down watching my cock pull out and slide back into her, the wet noises probably the cause of the extra pink tint of her cheeks. I’m more shallow than that finding it incredibly hot the sight and the sound. I still want to taste her. And next time I will make sure to take my sweet time, if she likes it or not.

Having lowered myself down I gladly take her perked up nipple into my mouth, teasing it between my fangs, her body wanting to curl in on itself, but I keep her in place keeping up a relatively slow rhythm, that is enjoyable but not nearly enough to do anything more. The slow burn as fun as it can be – right now it’s maddening. But her pleasure comes first.

‘’Jeon-ghhhhhhh…’’ she ends up groaning suddenly sounding frustrated angry almost, my chuckles not helping as I let go of her breast with a pop and raise forward to look at her smirking cockily.

‘’Are you not enjoying yourself, jagiya?’’ I test out the new nickname feeling as if flowers start to bloom on my tattered soul feeling fulfilled for the first time in my human and vampire life. And its her being connected in such way. Emotionally and physically. We are one.

‘’I would appreciate if…’’ she whines loudly as I lick up her skin on the unmarked side of her neck, letting a fang briefly graze the column of her neck ‘’…fuck.’’ She curses walls tightening, pulling away my cocky attitude as my own orgasm is crawling up on me. That’s not even the issue, as sensitivity is start to kill me. The balance between not enough and too much, shifty almost painfully ‘’Just fuck me! I’m not made of glass; you won’t break me you silly vampire.’’ He frustration has me chuckling brokenly as this time she intentionally tightens her heat making my eyes roll.

I grind my teeth together at first, gathering the small bit of sanity that I’m left with trying not to cum, as she has almost pushed me over the edge with this little stunt. It’s not that I don’t have stamina I’ve got plenty of it, my vampire genes giving a helping hand with this – it’s all on her. The new sensations, the thoughts flooding my mind, the what feels like newfound spirituality that resides above or around me.

‘’You can do better than that Y/N-ah.’’ I grumble amusedly, kissing up her jaw as she squirms in my hold, hips trying to move on their own. Readjusting my stance by spreading my legs further apart I steady her lower body, reaching a new angle that has her lips trembling her white cut short.

‘’Agápi mou.’’ She whispers looking sort of lost as I lean over to look at her, eyes aflame. Not human anymore indeed, she is something far from it. Pressing a soft almost shy kiss to her lips I brace her under her ass, straightening up and pull almost all the way out before slamming myself in.

A scream tares its way from her lungs, switching into a delirious sounding cry as I repeat the motion. Again, and again, and again. I can’t do nothing else but to pant at first, sort of catching my breath unnecessarily, as she wiggles into the mattress not knowing exactly if she wants to get closer or away from me. Her arms twists into the sheet, surprisingly not ruining them yet as she lets those beautiful sounds to surface, clearly not holding back.

The tingles only intensify across my whole body, the snapping of skin against skin pushing me onwards, her juices dripping down the inside of my right thigh. Its fucking delicious how filthy this is. My muscles gradually tense up, her name leaving the tip of my tongue in a chant, as everything about her overwhelms me, makes me buzz with life, makes my head wander into the depts of passion-fuelled hurricanes that grow in power and pleasure.

The spasm of her pussy are tight, alluring and cruel her own thighs starting to shake, body once more twisting, hands ruining the fabric underneath as she calls out my name ‘’I’m cumming, I’m cumming, I’m…’’ her breath gets cut short as she convulses from pleasure and what looks like pure bliss judging by her far gone expression eyes closing after.

I didn’t even have to touch her, to bring her to completion my touches before and my cock enough to have her sent over the edge. It feels right feels fitting, it gives me strength gives me the satisfaction and again triumph as before, which all spurs me on to reach my high, a few moments later with a growl of half of her name, leaving my lips.

Everything makes complete sense for a split second. Despite my eyes having shut tightly, I feel as if I can see things clearly for the very first time in my life. The emotions that hit me would have any being fall to their knees, the ones with beating hearts reaching close to something akin to a heart attack. But its bliss, its utter bliss that takes control of every part of my mind and body.

Getting back the feeling of myself the intensity starting to die down as quickly as it rose, I sort of almost crash onto her catching myself on an elbow next to her, my other hand still remains holding onto her thigh making sure she’s pressed against me, as my balls empty cum still filling her up. For a moment, I let myself enjoy the way she clenches and unclenches around me body still riddled with twitches. Wanting to get her more comfortable I roll us once again, so that she can lie on to of me securely. Surprisingly she moans but doesn’t protest, eager to drop her head over my chest, while her hands faintly grip onto my biceps. She remains breathing shallowly, heart still ongoing strongly, thudding against my own chest thanks to our proximity.

But the feel of her around me, and mere thought of us being one as we are joined together turns slightly sour, as oversensitivity digs its grasps into both of us. Humming in apology at her hisses, I shift her upwards, closer as my softening member twitches in faint interest’s - arousal still pumping through my veins – but ends up limply resting against my thigh. I smile imagining myself blush, as I can feel how my cum drizzles out of her used folds.

Opening my eyes, I spare her a glance looing all blissed out rested completely comfortable on me, finger absentmindedly running up and down my right arm. Raising my head, I glance around taking in our surroundings, finding out that not much changed since the last time I was here. Looking to the side, I grab for two pillows sliding one under my head the other next to meant for her. Dragging the blanket over is more of a struggle, and has her whining in protest at my shifting. But she quiets down once I cover her up mostly, making sure she’s underneath it. I settle my hands over her back to run them up and down, my attempt at warming her up probably not useful. What catches my eye randomly is her sword resting where she was sitting previously. It’s still propped up and has been cleaned obviously. Maybe even sharpened.

Silence settles around us like a sheet being draped around our surroundings. Its pleasant, the way nothing moves making me feel as if time has slowed down just for us. Pulling my eyes away from the notes and scrolls that were taped to the wall before us, I turn to take her in staring at her with sort of old but new eyes feeling completely enamoured with her lines and curves, features simply perfect.

She’s so gorgeous, I don’t understand how I ever found her to be ugly in the first place. The flush and colour of her skin, so lively unlike ours just wants to make me devour and taste every part of her body. Hmm, the paleness from before sort of disappeared that’s not hard to miss despite the flush that’s still obviously lingering.

‘’If you keep staring like that, I’m going to start to think things.’’ She replies words slightly slurred and spoken slower, a sleepy tint to them.

My smile only widens at her mischief poking through ‘’Oh? What kind of things?’’ I watch as her eyes slowly flutter open, finding my own the glow having dimed down her natural eye colour peeking through more so than the golden that only circles around her pupils.

‘’Things like the fact that I love you.’’ My eyes instantly widen as I stare at her, a bit warily watching as she lazily yawns and raises up propping her head on her right arm, her left tapping and running over my collarbones, as she watches me calmly ‘’I’ve been looking for you for a while you know.’’

She’s not saying much as she should be, not revealing something that’s hidden in her words, or behind her eyes, and steady beating heart ‘’So I’ve heard.’’ I reply gently feeling guilt as I remember the Prince’s words wanting to push him and those events away from my mind ‘’Do you regret it?’’ I can’t hold my words back watching her intently. But her face doesn’t switch or indicate anything ‘’Regret finding me like this?’’

She takes a moment to think about my question leaving me thankful for my non beating heart, because that would give my inner turmoil instantly away. She brings her hand upwards, fingers gently brushing strands of my hair away from my eyes and forehead as she hums in question at first ‘’No, never.’’ She sounds very sure her actions ringing genuine ‘’When it comes to you, I never regret anything.’’

‘’Not even my previous actions? Or that I left you even though I promised never to do that?’’

I don’t exactly know where the words come from. They aren’t necessarily my own, neither are the feelings of fear that sort of restrict my throat choking me up as I look at her eyes, her own trailing over my lips fingers gently tracing them. Darting upwards the gold flares for a moment, like living fire spurring from the depts of herself. But they disappear altogether hand coming to a stop as she leans in closer.

‘’I love you.’’ She says merely lips ghosting over my own ‘’Faith or destiny won’t ever keep me away from you for too long. You didn’t break your promise agápi mou.’’ She furrows her eyebrows lips pecking me softly without a rush ‘’I’m never letting go of you. Specially now, Jeongguk-ah. I love you so much.’’

I stare at her feeling for a moment completely helpless – compared to her, her strength her pain I’ve done nothing remotely remarkable in my life, or anything remotely towards her to ease her sorrows or appease her. Her forgiveness does set me at ease temporarily but also with my own promise to the universe.

It’s time to give back and return all the love we’ve missed out. Time to mend her heart, mend the scars that litter her body, mend the memories and replace them with better ones. I’ll gladly devote my life solemnly to her. She already holds my heart.

‘’Love you so much more, Y/N-ah. My divine Daimones.’’

Part 3 / Part 4 (Finale)

Copyright 2020© by barbika1508. All rights reserved.

[diabolikmosquito]

Just-Watched Thoughts on S3

Alright time to write this while I’m still here recovering so I can go to bed already. I might add more/clean this up once I get some proper sleep. Tagging it but putting Castlevania Season 3 spoilers under a cut just in case people haven’t got tags hidden and such. Here goes-

Overall I’m honestly just kinda shocked? I think it’s because a lot of things were easy to predict (that the cult might be trying to bring back Dracula, something was up with the Judge, Hector was obviously gonna fall for Lenore’s bs, etc.) so when things happened I didn’t see from a mile away.. 

When I was only like an episode or two in, things actually felt a little stunted to me? Something about it felt like “This is what people liked from before, right??” particularly with certain action or such, but I feel like it picked up pretty quickly from that. I’m still kinda in winding-down-emotions mode so I can’t really definitively say what storylines I liked and which ones I disliked for the most part. I liked Isaac’s, and the design of the... Hivemind Magician? Was all pretty sick. It felt like the first thing that was actually a massive challenge for him, and nearly overtook him, but he overcame it and even came out of it thinking through what he wanted for the future. It’s a nice change from seeing him steamroll anything that came his way. 

I like that Trevor and Sypha’s storyline ends up with them not getting their heroic grand time like they did last time. Yes, there were sacrifices made, but before it still felt grandiose: they’d worked together to kill Dracula, something the world didn’t even think possible for the most part. This time, they sacrificed a lot more and ultimately didn’t win a thing other than their own lives, and were helping a hidden monster in their process of killing other monsters. What a crushing thing for them to have to go through, and I think Trevor’s conversation with himself before (and later with said monster, ironically enough) about missing parts of his old non-heroic non-adventuring life was pretty somber and interesting. 

The whole Lenore/Hector route was exactly what’s expected from the beginning, but it was done well for what it was, and I don’t think they were trying to fool anyone with the direction it was headed. Carmilla’s plot was.. eh, more or less not much seemed to actually happen, but it did introduce us to the awesome vampire sisters so I’m more than down with it. I wish we got a little more about Saint Germain’s whole deal with that portal and such, who he was looking for and how he knows they’re still alive in there, but I assume that’s a next-season kind of thing. I’m gonna ramble if I write anymore so here’s a more concise/clear list:

Things I liked -  Trevor and Sypha’s chemistry! I thought it was good the first couple seasons (which apparently puts me in the minority?) but they felt much more compatible as a couple this time around. The little exchange about the “taste for rougher things in life” is wonderful, and I definitely snorted when she sleep-bapped him in the face. - The tidbits of funny dialogue! Seems to still be a show specialty. Some of them were understandably a bit funny (using “Nope! speedwalks away” in place of “shut it” is pretty good), and others weren’t funny but I just found it hilarious (e.g. Morana’s repeated fancily-stated things that boiled down to “... Lenore, seriously, TMI”) - The soundtrack! Not really any surprise, despite it not being the famous Symphony of the Night tracks people clamored for trust me I totally get that and despite it still not being released even from season 2 much less 3,  it was very nice to listen to.  - The vampire sisters! While it was obvious from the beginning Lenore was the “cutest/nonthreateningest-looking of the scary bunch but actually the scariest” one I liked the energy they all had, especially Striga and Morana and their relationship. I liked that we got to see Carmilla’s attitude bouncing off of other vampires who (while respecting her skill) also called her out for it from time to time. - The references! I’m sure there’s more and I’m a dumbass who only spots the obvious ones, but... the fact there’s demons that’re exactly ones out of the ol’ Symphony of the Night game again, like the Malachi and Fire Demon. It’s so dumb but I love shit like that, especially since they obviously stray far from the game canon and don’t have to do that but do it anyway. - Some of the action scenes. I cannot mention what I like without mentioning the parts that made me go “... Okay, yeah, that was badass.” You know the ones! When Cho busted that sword with her hands, when Sypha chopped that angel-like demon into pieces. ... A lot of the stuff Sypha did, actually, I’m glad she got some more epic moments to kick ass this season. I thought the earlier action scenes of the season were just alright, but by the last fight it was definitely starting to feel like that awesome dynamic fight style we saw in season 2. - The fact Dracula saw an opportunity to return and didn’t want to. Not much to say here other than the obvious - I feel like that’s extremely fitting, and I’m glad they made it clear without bringing him back and having him be angry/regret it or something like that. Without any dialogue, even. - The ending.. somewhat. It destroyed me a little on the inside, but I actually like that nobody really had a happy ending. Particularly if there could be another season, it feels really fitting. I’ve seen some people complaining “They ended up where they started! Trevor and Sypha are back on the road, Isaac’s traveling with his army, Alucard’s alone in the castle and Hector is a slave” but I couldn’t disagree more. Of course if you boil it down to the words themselves, it’s “the same,” but did ya see the sheer trauma literally everyone was put through? Obviously some had it worse than others (and we’ll fucking get to that) but nobody came out unscathed. Everyone’s now had some belief challenged or retreated further into a fear/mistrust that already existed - previous events planted the seed for it and the hell the cast went through gave it growth. 

Trevor and Sypha are going to have to challenge their goal they’d been following since working together/getting together: they can’t just go headlong adventuring and fixing people’s problems, because things like this can happen. Their new allies and the entire town were slaughtered or trapped somewhere, and the man they’d trusted and been helping this entire time was a serial killer, particularly of children. Alucard is drifting into a state of consciousness not unlike his father before he met Lisa, but potentially in a worse place since he’s witnessed and felt true kindness, but has retreated away from it even so due to the betrayal he’s suffered at an already-fragile time for him. Isaac has to reconsider what he’s going to do once he has his proper army, and even if it’s worth it to get his revenge or to carry out Dracula’s original plans. Saint Germain.. I mean, he’s in psychodelic hell searching for that person and presumably a way out, I assume it’s tragic. Hector’s learned a hard lesson in trusting and is going to have to figure out if his freedom is worth risking pain or death. Likewise I think the characters grow this way. Even if it was a happy ending, or an ending where everyone “wins” some small victory somehow, I think it’d ultimately have been worthless if nobody was fundamentally changed by the end of the season.

Things I didn’t like - The sex scenes. I’ve seen a lot of people like “If you’re gonna put in gratuitous sex then actually include Trevor and Sypha??” and I’m gonna have to disagree with that. While I love the ship and all, I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt and say sex scenes weren’t thrown around randomly or just to flex the rating - they were only tied to actual story, hence why I’m down with the bedroom stuff of the show’s main ship only being alluded to. However, I gotta say that the long broken-up sex scenes mixed with battle/action was not the way to do that. I think I know what they were going for (it definitely drove my anxiety up having those scenes back to back with intense action/violence, I can tell ya that!), but it just wasn’t a good idea. Yes, they were obviously made to be uncomfortable (particularly since I’m pretty sure one of them was dubious consent at best?) but that was reflected well just in a few key frames/actions - it didn’t need to be drawn out and mixed with the action. It made me want to skip through (I didn’t out of fear I’d miss battles, which isn’t really good design) and I’d like to bet parts of the finale are unwatchable for some. For the record, yes you could say “well they got into an adult-rated show, deal with it,” but the fact of the matter is up until now sexual violence/discomfort wasn’t heavy-handed and in-your-face like this. Non-sexual violence was definitely all over the whole series, but it’s still a bit like whiplash considering. Also, the fact people think the scene with Alucard was at all chill. I see it from a story standpoint (though I honestly think their motivations were weak and there’s other ways to betray someone/get their guard down), but I think the people going on about “power bottom” and this and that are forgetting that the absence of a no is not a yes, particularly with someone severely emotionally damaged after spending months alone not only without a support group but without any contact, immediately following the death of his father by his own hands. I’m no expert but I don’t think that’s someone in the proper state of mind to consent to anything sexual, even if there were a couple weeks or whatever of spending time with these new friends. He very well might’ve been on the way to a stress disorder before they turned his world upside-down and frankly I’m wondering how he’s going to be faring come the next season (assuming there is one.) That’s more of a fandom gripe than the show itself I suppose but it’s worth a mention. - The pacing. It’s hard to pinpoint it, but something about it felt off, especially in the first half. The best way I can describe it is when you pump the gas and brakes because your brakes aren’t working great and you’re loosening them up - maybe it was necessary to get things going, but it’s a bit destabilizing/odd for anyone in the car. I think it’s what contributed to that stunted sense I got until things picked up a little more. You can see it more in just how packed with stuff the latter half is, some things which could’ve been planned a bit better through the whole season. - Sumi and Taka. I honestly felt that they wanted to get in a way to have a punch-in-the-gut arc with Alucard (not a bad idea, I am one for tragedy), wanted to kill off some characters who were actually important, and decided to do these both with one stone. I don’t think they were successful on the second part, because these two absolutely contributed to the stunted feeling I had about some of the season. They had a good start in terms of backstory, and the idea of two people working together to fight vampires without having some big legend tied to their name to drive it (e.g. Speaker magicians, Belmont legacy, Alucard’s heritage), as well as a connection to/fleshing out of one of the nameless generals, sounded like a great concept. A great concept, but it was rushed I felt, to the point that their motivations for turning on him were so packed and squished in they just weren’t believable if we’re supposed to believe these two were sane. They had some sort of mental/trust issues due to their backstory - that’s fine, and could contribute some emotional problems. However if their distrust in Alucard had been given more time to fester and grow, more little comments of Alucard’s brushing off their attempts to learn about specific things, and more cues from him that could be misinterpreted by them as him causing trouble and lying (not just them not believing him by itself), it would be more believable that the past and misinterpretations of the present get into their head and poison their thoughts of him. You can plant a seed of doubt but just like any other character bonds, it has to be given time to grow. Alucard’s rapid bonding with them could be attributed to his loneliness, trauma, and need for a support system, but you can’t make that excuse for Sumi and Taka’s motivations going from “Hm.. I wonder what he isn’t telling us” to “We need to emotionally gut him and then kill him” basically overnight. Edit:

I forgot to add a conclusion last night, so I guess the TL;DR is season 3’s a good 7.5/10 for me, -1 for the overall pacing, -1 for missing a bit of the punch from before, and -0.5 because the last few episodes jumped me with a bat and I let it happen.

[homeforchristmas-au]

Character bios pt 2!!

Decided to continue the bios for the rest of the fam squad, the full extended family!! Might change things around a bit, we’ll see!!! Here’s part one in case you missed it :3

Emile Sanders (formerly Picani):

Age: 46

Pronouns: he/him/they/them

Height: 6’1”

Curly medium golden mahogany brown hair and sky blue eyes, subtly tanned skin covered in freckles, red framed rounded glasses, likes dressing like a cartoon character or just wearing cartoon merch (his prized possession is his Mabel pines jumper) but wears a brown cardigan over a white button down shirt with a pink necktie when he goes to work

A big goofball that has a lot of love to give, but he still knows when to be more subdued and calm and when to activate “serious picani”. He’s always loved helping people work through their issues which is why he’s a therapist

Like patton, he’s excellent at reading emotions, though he’s a bit better at it since he’s a professional

Has ADHD, but has developed the necessary coping skills to help keep his symptoms under control

Has two siblings; Catarina (Patton’s mother) and Leonard (Patton’s other uncle). Emile is the baby of the family while Leonard is the oldest

Emile met Thomas when they were both in college. They shared an ASL class and quickly began getting along, and frequently practiced sign language together and feelings developed from there

It was quite some time before they got married, but it was well worth the wait

Thomas Sanders:

Age: 43

Pronouns: he/him

Height: 5’10”

The standard character Thomas look; floppy medium brown hair, chestnut eyes, fair skinned, wears the same three shirts periodically for five years until he buys three new shirts, the usual stuff

He’s a sweet, down to earth guy. Loves cartoons almost as much as Emile does, has a passion for pizza, theatre, and the cats of the world he’ll never be able to pet without dying. He can be impulsive at times, but his heightened anxiety oftentimes outweighs that

Has three brothers named Christian, Patrick, and Shea, but I won’t describe them in depth cos I don’t wanna get any facts wrong since this is based on Thomas himself oop-

I’m literally just describing the canon character Thomas except slightly older im-

There’s like nothing else to add to make this fun and unique it’s just character Thomas welp

Thomas and Emile’s kids:

Anton Sanders:

Age: 16

Pronouns: any/all

Height: idk uh ??? 5’7” ???

Medium length wavy black hair, electric blue eyes, fair skinned with a beauty mark on his right cheek beneath his eye, usually wears fashionable clothes and declares himself an eleven, often wears scarves and turtlenecks (almost exclusively black) as well as his round mirrored sunglasses

Can and will kill you with a single look. Especially if you mess with his family. He’ll never admit it but he loves them with everything he’s got, even if he never acts like it for even a moment

Especially adores Remy and respects that they’re discovering themself and exploring new possibilities. He knows from experience how tough that is and how much of a challenge it can be

Was adopted at age three after his parents were busted for child abuse and heavy drug addiction. It took quite some time for him to come out of his shell but Emile and Thomas were nothing but patient and loving and kind. He still has a lot of trust issues but he knows he can trust his family

Will never admit it now but became insanely jealous when remy was adopted into the family. He did not want a brother because he knew that meant he was being replaced and he wasn’t loved anymore

Eventually Thomas and Emile sat him down and they all talked through it and assured Anton that he was still loved and he was not being replaced

It still took a very long time for Anton to trust Remy, even if he was only a baby

His heart was won over when Remy said his first word to him

All he said was “no” but Anton admired his defiant spirit

also yes this is the Critic how did u know

Remy Sanders:

Age: 12 (birthday January 16)

Pronouns: he/him/they/them/it/its

Height: damnit how tall are 12 year olds

Shoulder length hair dyed dark purple at the roots that fades into magenta at the ends (hair colour changes periodically depending on what it feels like having), chocolate brown eyes, fairly dark skinned but not heavily so, gender expression changes at the drop of a hat but it often wears leather, skirts, beanies, and a heck ton of earrings (when it turns eighteen it starts getting a lot of different piercings like angel bites, nostril, and industrial piercings, etc) (that’s worth noting)

Almost always sarcastic but that’s its way of showing love really. It’s a helluva punk that can and will fight anyone to the death if they deserve it (or if they hurt someone Remy likes). It’s actually a huge nerd but doesnt usually show that side of itself. It loves reading, watching shows like doctor who, and doing puzzles with Logan

Was diagnosed with adhd after Emile noticed it experienced similar symptoms for quite a while

Was adopted by Thomas and Emile when it was a baby (and Anton was four), having been found by Emile when it was left in a box in an alleyway, which was a long and complicated process but one hundred percent worth it

It has a trio of male rats named Holmes, Watson, and Splinter. Thomas was a bit reluctant to let it adopt rats but they all went to a rat breeder and when Thomas saw them all and even held one he realised it wasn’t so bad and they were actually kinda cute

When it was nine years old, it nearly died in a nasty hit and run. A truck had swerved into it when it was by the side of the road. It was fine after a lengthy recovery except it had to use a wheelchair after some spinal cord damage left it immobilised from the waist down. The driver was never identified

It probably wasn’t a coincidence that this event occurred not long after remy started talking about how much it loved boys just as much as it loved girls, but that teas a bit too hot for this post

Logan’s sisters:

Ellen Adams-Waterson:

Age: 26

Pronouns: she/her

Height: 5’6”

Light auburn hair going just barely past the shoulders, honey eyes, fair skinned though mildly tanned, covered from head to toe with freckles, red framed rectangular glasses, usually wears clothes for comfort and especially likes turtlenecks

She’s a determined, steadfast kinda gal who fights for whats right and gives everything she has for her loved ones, especially her immediate family. Although she can be pretty blunt with her words she’s also kindhearted and wants whats best for everyone

She’s an avid writer, and has actually published a novel. She also dabbles in fanfiction and is unashamed about it

She’s married to a wonderful wife named Elizabeth and they have a daughter named Kaylee (15)

She’s also been trying to quit smoking but so far that has yielded no results

Ashley Fletcher (formerly Adams):

Age: 24

Pronouns: she/her

Height: 5’10”

Long light ash brown hair that reaches her tailbone that she keeps parted to the right, electric blue eyes, fair skinned and a face full of freckles, black rectangular glasses, tries to be fashion forward but mostly just wears T-shirts and denim jackets

She’s a trans woman and has been transitioning for a few years now with lots of support from her family. She’s a nice person but let’s people walk all over her a bit. She doesn’t like confrontation much because of her anxiety disorder, but she’s trying to get better with that

Loves acting and wants to pursue it as a career, but her anxiety makes it difficult to put herself out there

Married to a trans man named warren and they have a son named jack (11) and a daughter named Emma (6)

She met warren at a pride event with Logan and Patton, and it was actually Patton who met him first (although at the time he went by a different name and didnt know he was trans yet) and then introduced him to the others

They actually talked about adopting a child long before even considering marriage. Although they realised it would look better to adoption agencies if they were married, and that was the main reason they even went through all of that

Renae Adams:

Age: 21

Pronouns: she/her/he/him

Height: 6’8”

Short wavy hair dyed bright pink, amber eyes, fair skinned, a black *dabs* styling pair of Warby Parker’s, often wears high neck shirts and suit jackets, basically always business casual because she can, and loves wearing hoop earrings

There are two sides to Renae; either stone cold businessperson or happy go lucky memelord with a heart of gold. She’s a lot like Logan in that regard, although it’s harder to predict what side of her you’ll see at any given moment. She can either be a super soft bean or the scariest person on the planet

Has been dealing with OCD her whole life, and sometimes it gets particularly bad (especially the intrusive thoughts) but she has a therapist and psychiatrist she sees somewhat regularly

She runs her own coffee shop called Real Bean Café and it does fairly well. She’s always thinking about how she can improve her business

She’s aroace so she isn’t in a romantic relationship but she is in a queerplatonic relationship with a beautiful enby named Pigeon

They actually met in her coffeeshop. Renae saw Pigeon’s Attack on Titan T-shirt and was immediately compelled to talk to them

And that is it for part two of the character bios!!! Might make another post talking about Logan’s sisters’ kids and partners but idk we’ll see 👀

I just really like character designs man lmao

Lemme know if I need to tag anything else my brain box isn’t generating the required tags rn lmao

[tmitransitioning]

Radfem-friend anon from earlier! My friend does (at least seem to) genuinely care about my transition and making sure I'm comfortable/getting gendered properly and cares about other trans people getting the same respect, and I find it really hard to believe she'd intentionally hurt anyone? I've also found myself agreeing with a lot of the radfem stuff she posts and it doesn't seem as bad as people make it out to be?? Idk if I'm being swayed, should I still be concerned about this?

Yes, I think you should.

It’s difficult to talk about stuff like this for a couple reasons. The first is that we run the risk of making radfem communities seem appealing through internet atrocity tourism—the urge that makes people, say, hateread blogs they don’t like or lurk in horrible subreddits to make fun of them. When a whole bunch of people tell you how awful something is, and you haven’t necessarily experienced that awfulness as a direct target, or haven’t seen someone you care about be a target, it’s tough to consider the harm that the thing has in the concrete rather than the abstract.

Then, when you have trouble seeing it as concrete and real and affecting people’s lives, it becomes a lot easier to say “well this doesn’t seem so bad”. The harm becomes hypothetical, and the thing in front of your eyes seems a lot more salient. This means that you don’t have a readily accessible “defense” in your mind that you can compare someone’s words to, and it makes it a lot harder to counteract what they’re saying to you.

Think about, for example, a homophobic relative that you see during holidays. Say it’s your uncle Steve. Every time Steve says something homophobic about Gay Marriage, you might think of your own relationship, if you’re part of the acronym community, or you might think about your gay friends Jean-Paul and Kyle and how they’re scared to hold hands in public. Your cousin Wanda is a lesbian, and just married, and she gets mad at Steve because she’d waited to be legally married for a very long time. These are personal connections. Steve knows that you have those connections, and he chose to say homophobic things anyways.

But your aunt Peggy is straight, and doesn’t know very many gay people, and she says you’re just being too hard on Steve. It’s not like he wants to personally deny gay people marriage licenses, and besides, she has a gay friend, Natasha, who thinks that you should just sit down and talk to Steve to convince him of your view. Maybe Steve doesn’t outright say “the gays are ruining marriage”, he just says that he thinks you should have to marry for the “right reasons”, and that you should have to “prove you’re really in a relationship”. These are statements that you might, on the surface, agree with—you think hey, marriage is a big commitment, maybe people should have to swear that they’re doing it for love. But Steve isn’t saying these things because he believes in the sanctity of love, he’s saying them because they don’t sound as outright homophobic.

Maybe Steve is a huge racist and is saying this about immigration. Maybe he’s saying it about disabled people on welfare. Maybe Steve is a TERF—instead of marriage, he’s talking about medical transition, and claiming that people should prove they’re transitioning for the right reasons, because it’s a big irreversible decision, and you should prove that you’re a real transsexual with real dysphoria in order to seek medical care. Some of these things, if you see them outside of context, you might kneejerk agree with—“hey, medical transition is a big and irreversible decision, maybe we should make sure that people are really sure before they do it”. It’s not a moral failure to kneejerk agree with these statements, because they’re worded very intentionally to get you to do that. They give you a little bit of truth (“many parts of medical transition are irreversible”) and then, once their foot’s in the metaphorical door, it’s a lot easier for them to get you to agree with the rest. This is literally called the foot-in-the-door technique.

TERFs apply this technique constantly. Online, it’s wrapped up in concern trolling—e.g. “don’t you think that we should protect children from being attacked in locker rooms?”. You want to agree with that statement, because who doesn’t want to protect children? Children being attacked is objectively a bad thing. The words that they say are explicit content—children, attack. These are what you read. The meaning of their words is implicit content—they are trying to get you to agree with the concept “trans women are dangerous”. In order to do that, they hide the target (trans women), often omitting the idea of the perpetrator entirely; it becomes a question of children, the “victims”, being “attacked” by a nebulous force on which your mind can project whatever it thinks is the scariest thing that children could be attacked by. Once they have you agreeing with that sentence, they introduce the next concept, maybe “did you know that men commit more violent crimes than women do?”. Again, explicit versus implicit content—the phrasing itself is not factually incorrect, and you want to agree with it. But they don’t mean men when they say the word, because they view AMAB trans people, particularly trans women, as men, and they’re trying to get you to make that association too.

This goes bit, by bit, by bit, until you’ve agreed to a whole bunch of premises that seem logical and then suddenly you’re tricked into agreeing to things that are very explicitly transphobic. All along the way, you’ll be praised for listening, for being logical, and for finding people who really care about you. Every time you agree with a statement, you will be reinforced somehow—your friend might say they’re happy you agree, or randos on tumblr might like your posts or send you hearts. If you agree with someone else, you will also feel a social link to them (which is why this article is so resonant; cw ableist language), which is inherently reinforcing—who doesn’t like to belong to a community?

And that is the second reason why it’s difficult to talk about things like this. TERFs call trans communities “cults” a lot, and will refer to people from said communities who interact with them as “desisters”, or frame them as escapees from some dangerous ideology. Ironically, TERF rhetoric is textbook cult tactics. But just me telling you that, even though it’s true, sets up this “us vs. them” concept—even though it is that, because they are inherently opposed to our existence. But because I’ve said those words, too, when you see something that doesn’t seem that bad, it doesn’t fit with the concept of TERFs in your head. So you think wait, maybe these people aren’t really so bad. And then they have an opening to try this kind of language on you, trickling it past you bit by bit until you’re in the middle of the river and being swept along.

That’s why I’ve written all of this out. I don’t want to tell you “cut your friend off and don’t read that”, because you’d likely go “wtf hell no”, and it doesn’t help explain why trans communities are largely so insistent about no-platforming TERFs. Instead, I want to urge you to evaluate everything you read with a critical eye, and to ask yourself “is there any hidden meaning to this language that I might not immediately see? what does this person really mean when they say this? what motivations could they have? what would people I trust say if they read this?”. That applies for everything you read, including from us—I generally try to lay things out in detail, personally, because I think that it helps people to be able to see someone’s intentions. You know, writing into this blog, that we’re a group of trans people who have an interest in not exposing ourselves or our followers to transphobia. You also know from Rabbit’s previous response that at least a few of us (some of our answers go through committee behind the scenes) feel strongly about no-platforming TERF ideology.

It is fully possible that your friend does legitimately care about you, just like it’s possible that your homophobic uncle Steve cares about you, his trans nibling, or like it’s possible that Peggy and Natasha are actually friends despite Peggy’s apologism. But you should be careful not to let that care and the social bond between you two overshadow the impact of someone’s words on the world. You might love Steve because he’s family, but he still lobbies his congressperson to challenge Obergefell v. Hodges and reverse the legalization of same-gender marriage in the States. You might have a friend who’s a TERF, or a radfem adopting TERF ideology over time, but you should examine the impact that the things she believes have on trans people’s access to legal recognition, medical care, and quality of life. Be wary, read with a critical eye, and understand people’s motivations so that you can protect yourself and others.

- Mod Wolf

[breadknight-likes-things]

Goosebumps(TV) Retrospective #5: Phantom Of The Auditorium

Remember in the last entry of these posts, when I talked about how Summer Camps can provide an ideal place for the kind of horror stylings Goosebumps loved?  As weird as it is to say for a franchise focused at kids, I think the idea of the spooky things happening at School makes for much weaker than intended effects.  Frankly I’d argue that to kids, the mundane stuff that happens in school is far more terrifying than the ideas of ghosts or other monsters also being present in said setting.  And as we see in Phantom of The Auditorium, the minute things get overtly supernatural is the same time they stop being all that scary. That’s not to say Phantom of The Auditorium doesn’t have some great scares in it, far from that in fact.  As you likely have guessed by this point from it’s title, Phantom of the Auditorium is a pretty basic retelling of the classic Phantom of the Opera story.  Kids are involved in the production of a play (oddly, a play that while never outright confirmed, kind of just seems like it is Phantom of the Opera?), mysterious accidents and events start happening surrounding the production, and an even more mysterious pair strangers come into the mix part way through.  These two strangers almost perfectly represent what does and doesn’t work in this episode, so let’s look at them individually shall we?

The picture of grimy, unclean, under the stage of a school auditorium living.

Mysterious Stranger #1 “Emil”:  “Emil” shows up just about a quarter of the way into the episode, claiming to be the schools “Night Janitor”, a job position that no public school has ever been able to afford filling, when he’s found by the main cast of kids under the stage.  He’s quickly revealed to be just about the opposite of that, putting to rest that aforementioned question of where the school has money in the budget for this man.  In reality Emil is simply a homeless man living under the school, randomly roaming the halls at night, living in a strange hovel underneath the theater during the day and just in general being a nocturnal creep.  Emil is the part of this episodes scares that works because lets face it, all of that is really unsettling.  That there’d be some random homeless, clearly mentally unwell man hiding in the school you attend and stalking it’s halls at night for no real reason is scary enough, but eventually Emil starts to target the kids on purpose!  Granted, his actual motivations aren’t to actually hurt the kids (Though he genuinely comes close to maiming them at least once), merely to Scooby-Doo style scare them away from finding his underground shanty and reporting him, but this is a very real kind of scary that Goosebumps always tends to use effectively when it decides to dip its toes into, and in this instance works incredibly well.

The picture of good, clean, not at all suspicious at all don’t look into it, Canadian living.

Mysterious Stranger #2 “Brian”:  “Brian” on the other hand, is the part of this episode that falls flat on it’s spooky face.  Allegedly, Brian is a newly arrived transfer student from “up north” (Which is a great reminder that all these shows are Canadian as hell) that gets involved in the production of the play and never gives off any real indication that he’s anything other than another extra the show cast to fill space.  I feel that may have been intended given his ultimate twist, but in not building any sort of personality or rapport with the rest of the cast, his ultimate role ends up feeling hollow and the big reveal he has comes across as more or less pointless.  Surprise:  Brian is a ghost, the ghost of a child that died in an accident performing the same play the kids are producing and he reveals himself to be this in a grand, theatrical fashion during the opening night show.  Making bold and hammy proclamations of his grisly fate and, in one shot, literally flashing the fires of hell out of his eyes for some reason.  The problem with this whole twist involving Brian and his ghostly self is twofold.  One, as I said before, Brian doesn’t do almost anything in the episode prior to the big reveal other than introduce himself to the cast, so it comes off as hollow in the sense that Brian only existed before in the episode in service of this not too great twist.

The other, more complex reason why ghost Brian being a big intended whammy doesn’t really work, is with Emil, earlier in this same episode we were already given the scariest possible outcome for this situation in a way.  What I mean by that is kids by the age they’d be watching Goosebumps ultimately know that Ghosts (and or demons from hell I guess with that one shot?) don’t actually exist, but a weird homeless guy living in a shanty in your schools already dark and unsettling basement?  That one is far more grounded in a twisted, bizarre kind of reality. That’s something that kid me would have irrationally been afraid of in a big way, but Emil is quite literally hand waved away before the big finale in order to shift focus onto the ghostly preteen the writers clearly wanted to be the big scare.  Effectively, Brian wastes the well done spooks by attempting to smoothly segue into differently done scares that just plain don’t work, all for the sake of having a big twist.

I guess I get what they wanted to impart with the whole “fire eyes” shot, but it still doesn’t really connect to anything and makes the Brian twist come off as even more sudden and desperate than it already does.

The obsessive need to have a big twist is both one of Goosebumps biggest strengths and most bizarre weaknesses. As I’m sure will come up numerous times during this series of posts, they can either provide a fun cap to an episode, or just throw every hard earned scare into the dumpster for a cheap final shot.  Hell, sometimes they can easily do both of those things at the same time.  Phantom of the Auditorium is unfortunately an example of the twist deflating the effectiveness of the episode proper, but all in all it’s still a solid episode of Goosebumps as a TV show and one well worth watching for an avid fan or a newcomer, just, you know, pay attention to that weird Brian kid alright?  He kinda skeeves me out, maybe we should tell the night janitor about him?

Then they do a really jarring and sudden final shot where the lead just finds a yearbook on the stage that confirms Brian is a ghost?  Where did this yearbook come from and how did she know what page to look at?  That’s a mystery for another day.

[kerouacophy]

Top 10 Female Characters

I was tagged by @makinjakenpancakes​ to pick ten of my favorite female characters of all time. Books, television, or movies of any variety. These are my ten and my reasons why. I would love to see EVERYONE on my dash do this, because there are so many female characters worth celebrating and would love to hear everyone’s opinion on this important matter. This is not in a ranking order just in a random one. 

1) Luna Lovegood - Harry Potter Series 

Most people would most likely put Hermione Granger on the list. Let’s face it Harry would have been lost without her. Since I know she is safely on many lists it gives me room to celebrate Luna who has had a big impact in my life. The girl is uniquely herself and does everything simply because she wants to. Luna is not a counter-culture girl, because she is not doing anything to be different she simply is herself. Her intelligence is not limited by answers, but widened by questions. At the beginning of reading Harry Potter, I would have thought I was Hufflepuff since Ravenclaw felt dominated by straight A student types. But once Luna was introduced I knew there was a place for me. Thoughtful, inquisitive, imaginative, open, and original. Luna was beyond smart she is wise. 

2) Princess Leia - Star Wars Series 

Princess Leia was probably the first female character that I was in awe of. She was a fighter, someone who never gave up, and used her empathy to encourage people to do the impossible. Princess Leia was a leader. She led with her heart, but her courage is what made her scary. Plus anyone who could put the likes of Han Solo in his place and do it all with sarcasm is always going to be one of the best in my book. 

3) Wonder Woman/Diana Prince - DC Comics

Wonder Woman is my favorite superhero. Sometimes women’s ability to be emotional and kind can be seen as a weakness. I feel like with Wonder Woman especially in her stand-alone movie her emotions end up being the thing that makes her strong. The entire movie she was told by men what she could and could not do. The entire movie she proved that she could. Women can be both emotionally smart and 100% badass. Wonder Woman is a wonderful example of that. 

4) Jo Marsh - Little Women 

Oh Jo. I love her. She is my favorite. I was always someone who felt out of place. I never really wanted to talk about the things most girls wanted to talk about. Hell, I never really wanted to talk about what most people my age wanted to talk about. I was so thankful for college. Jo though was a strong and intelligent character who went her own way in a time where most people were afraid to. For that she has my endless respect and admiration. 

5) Annabeth Chase - Percy Jackson Series 

Annabeth is tough, smart, and could kick her own boyfriend’s ass. I am not sure I need to explain more. She is a demi-god from Athena who uses her intellect and keen strategic thinking to get Percy Jackson out of trouble. Not to mention the girl is stubborn. Annabeth is a wonderful role-model and I wish I read her earlier in life, because she would have helped me through some tough times. 

6) Daenerys Targaryen - Game of Thrones  

This woman is scary. So scary. Did I mention she was scary? Daenerys is smart, kind, yet ruthless when it comes to getting what she feels is rightfully hers. Even if she kills my Jon Snow in the end for it, which may be a possibility, she would still be in my top ten. I am in love with her mind and she backs up what she says with swift action. True leader. 

7) Amy Pond - Doctor Who 

Amy is one of my favorite Doctor companions. She could put the Doctor in his place. Held him responsible for unkept promises. I also think she was witty, smart, and incredibly brave. To say that her entire life was altered by the Doctor would be an understatement. Yet, I do not think she would have changed a single thing because she is a wonderful person and a brave one at that. Might be a bit stubborn though. I feel like I really like stubborn characters. 

8) Mulan - Mulan

Mulan fucking created a fucking avalanche. Not to mention faced the threat of being killed for pretending to be a boy in order to protect her father from war. Brave does not even cover it. Sometimes the scariest thing is someone who knows herself and knows her worth. Mulan betted on herself to save her father and it worked out. At least in the Disney world anyway. 

9) Olivia Benson - Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Benson has literally gone through hell and back. Facing the worst criminals and yet she still keeps her humanity despite it all. Her morals, her leadership, her causes, and her intelligence makes her one of the best female detective characters ever created. I want Benson assigned to my case if anything happens to me *knocks on wood.* 

10) Sarah Manning - Black Orphan

A bit of a reluctant hero. Yet she does become one. Sarah has many faults, but she is a fighter and a scrappy one at that. She loves deeply. Not to mention she is cool and a true original as well. Well despite having tons of clones. 

[kingofthewilderwest]

Haddock’s FMA Live Action Thoughts (Part 2)

Part 1 of the analysis is here

I realized I wanted to talk so much specifically about the live action’s plot that I needed to make a Part 2 to my analysis. Here it is! 

Again, for people who are curious: I come out with a mixed-to-fairly-positive response to the movie, to the point I’ve been ecstatic and hyped enough I needed to write several thousands of words on it in the last seven hours. (Though, I would say that people who are turned off by mediocre acting or lots of changes to story are going to be less lenient about the film than I have been).

First, I want to talk about the plot changes between the manga/Brotherhood and the live action film. I’ll talk about the plot changes I didn’t like, the plot changes I’m ambivalent about, and the plot changes that I’m on board with. For funsies, I’ll also go through some of the line switches that happen between characters (what one person says in the anime/manga, someone else says in the live action - a LOT!!!). Then, I’ll discuss whether the FMA live action captures the heart of Arakawa’s story. Last, I’ll happily list my favorite moments of the live action!

1. Plot Changes I Didn’t Like

Roy burning Envy

Sure, this is a nod to FMAB E53/Ch 94 “The Flames of Vengeance” when Roy Mustang burns Envy until he is nothing but a small worm. However, it takes the impact away entirely of Mustang’s emotions to Hughes’ death. The live action did not do a good job capturing Roy and Maes’ friendship, including Roy’s response to Maes’ death.

I mean, in Arakawa’s story, the one and only time Roy cries is at Hughes’ funeral. Roy investigates the murder thoroughly, and through that helps Maria Ross escape. Roy proceeds to question every homunculus if they murdered his friend because it’s that important to him. Roy has flashbacks and freaks out when he thinks Riza is in danger of Gluttony. And when Roy finally learns that Envy murdered Hughes??? That’s the single scariest part of FMAB to me... the absolute fury of the fire colonel. Not to mention how important it is to his character development???

The live action does a weak attempt to “make up” for this by having Roy shout, “This one’s for Hughes!” as he lunges into Lust’s chest and takes her Philosopher’s Stone. But that can’t compare in efficacy to what I outlined above.

Roy burning Envy means that he is the defeater of both Envy and Lust, the only good guy character to defeat the main enemies in the live action. At the same time, this feels less dramatic than when he kills Lust in the manga/FMAB. It’s so anticlimactic because you barely get any screentime with Envy and because the fight with Lust feels less high tension risk. If they wanted to give viewers satisfaction for revenging Hughes’ death (which I’m sure was the intent of this change), they would have needed to work better with Envy’s screen time.

Not to mention... burning Envy up now... is very problematic if they were to try to make a sequel about the second third of Arakawa’s FMA. Which they definitely left open the possibility to do.

Why couldn’t they have just had Envy in his human form escape like Gluttony so escaped? This would have solved future continuity issues in a sequel, this would have made Lust’s defeat more satisfying, this would have given us a buildup for the murderer of Hughes’ death, this would have better built up Roy’s character, this would have built Envy up better, this would have... well. Literally this alternate does nothing to improve upon the original story - or make equal to it. 

The lapse of lore 

“Look cool” doesn’t work if you don’t explain anything.

I’d be verrrrrry curious how much audiences would understand if they hadn’t read the manga or watched FMA/FMAB. They were extremely indirect and convoluted explaining why Ed and Al lost their body parts, rather than directly saying anything about how human transmutation is a sin that leads you to Truth and causes a toll to be paid. They were unclear about what the Door of Truth was and how you get there. They were unclear about why Ed and Al thought the Philosopher’s Stone was the way to get their bodies back. They didn’t explain how alchemy worked through the circles, thus comments about, “You don’t use a transmutation circle?” had no impacting meaning. They could even have been clearer about how Ed bound Al’s soul to a suit of armor.

You have to be able to understand what is going on in order to understand Ed and Al’s very purpose, their journey, their mission, their goal. You need to have some idea about what’s so important about a Philosopher’s Stone before you write an entire movie about characters seeking it. You need to understand why it’s weird to be talking to the homunculi, and probably have a better understanding of what these main antagonists are aiming to do?

Of course I could follow everything because I know FMA extremely well. But that’s not how you should be making a movie.

Unnecessary lore changes

Did Al just say he felt pain? Physical pain? Or can I just reject that and say it’s emotional pain he’s referring to?

Roy pulls out Lust’s Philosopher’s Stone and it kills her? No, the anime and manga literally show us why that won’t work.

Things like that, I wasn’t a fan of.

Glum Envy

The entire point of Envy is to embody... well... Envy, by at first acting cocky and proud, and then showing the internal weaknesses. Envy’s personality is hugely about being a cruel, cocky braggart. Why was this Envy always glaring like a grumpy goth with a toothache? I guess we saw disgust, but that ain’t the character I know and enjoy.

Hakuro’s increased role

Out of all characters... Hakuro/Halcrow? Why? The man who was hostage in the train hijinks in Vol 1 and took Roy’s role in East City when the colonel transferred to Central? Why would you decide to make him a central villain in this movie? Especially when you already have so many available antagonistic roles at your disposal... Scar, Greed’s gang in the Devil’s Nest, the homunculi, Barry the Chopper and Slicer, Shou Tucker?

Literally, it would have been that much easier to swallow if you’d called him “Gardner” or someone else who was part of High Command and had access to the immortal army. But instead it’s Hakuro.

How they handled Hakuro’s motivation was poor, too. Looking back, I think I can understand why he made the choices he did, but I shouldn’t have to pause to connect the dots for something so basic as, “Why did he want Ed and Al to see Shou Tucker?” They added an extra villain in an attempt to create more action and conflict, to create a character that could be defeated or killed at the end of this movie. But they literally deleted an antagonist (Scar) and created a new villain (Hakuro) to fill in the holes they themselves created.

You wouldn’t have had holes for satisfying antagonist arcs if you’d just focused more on the homunculi, let Tucker be who he was, and brought in Scar.

Ending a story with Mustang defeating Lust is a satisfying conclusion to antagonist arcs on its own, believe me. You introduce Lust and the homunculi, build up their danger, have their leader defeated. That works as it is!

Shou Tucker researching Al while Ed and Winry find Marcoh

Speaking of increased roles... I wasn’t a fan of Tucker’s role increase, either, and the motivation behind it. I get writers wanting a bad guy from start to end in a story, but as I said in my ramble about Hakuro... they already had bad guys from start to end that they could deal a defeating blow to: the homunculi. You didn’t need to make five villains fulfill the same role, the three groups of which (Hakuro, Tucker, and the homunculi) are poorly connected together? It didn’t make a more exciting climax.

Tucker researching Al and learning how to bind a soul to a suit of armor in many ways decreased Al’s role in the story (didn’t get to visit Marcoh, for instance). It added extra layers of complication in a story already complicated enough that, if anything, you’d be better thinking of simplifying it. And it just... felt weird. And slightly “off” for what Arakawa’s world of alchemy could do.

The convoluted climax in Laboratory Number 5

The conflict in Laboratory Number 5 was rather disorganized, unclean, and never felt like it “built up” to a huge, dramatic moment. I’m fine that they led the story up to finding the lab - frankly that idea can work solidly as a plot arc structure - but what they did inside the lab was unnecessarily convoluted.

We were constantly scrambling around with the immortal army, Tucker kidnapping Winry and Al, everyone running around the fight the homunculi. Conflicts on multiple fronts feel cool when you’ve got direction to them. This did not. Not well enough. And having Ed and Al and Mustang all together fight Lust feels much less spectacular than the drama of Havoc being paralyzed, Riza believing Mustang died, and Roy staggering out to take Lust down. I get that you want Ed in the action because he’s your protagonist. But by doing all this weird sharing and twisting around, you diluted the impact of any character’s big moments. Roy still killed Lust and took down Envy, albeit in a less memorable way. Seriously, the least you could have done was give Ed his own spotlight? For example... fighting the Slicer brothers, fighting Envy, and losing like he actually did in Laboratory 5?

Then the merging of Laboratory 5 and the Lust fight would have gone down far more successfully, and I would have been fine.

A climax where Ed is fighting Envy in the laboratory, flashing back and forth with Roy fighting Lust? That could’ve been pretty damn cool.

2. Plot Changes I’m Ambivalent About

Father Cornello and Reole

There are good lessons out of Reole in the manga, but there are many brilliantly explained and built up elsewhere, too. The fact that Cornello was taken down differently didn’t bother me. Reole’s long-term purpose is to be a place of bloodshed, so whether or not Cornello broadcasts his heinous words isn’t the biggest deal for me.

Shou Tucker living

Since Scar’s absent, it makes sense for Tucker to survive his actions with Nina (this does lead into questions of what happens to Nina, though...). In some ways, it’s its own fine ending to watch a beat-up Shou Tucker get arrested and paraded off.

Tucker dies elsewhere in the story, of course, and I said I didn’t care about that. But the idea of Tucker himself going to prison is a change that I’m chill with.

Tim Marcoh dying

I honestly expected it the second I realized Marcoh would be introduced. Marcoh’s story is connected with Mei and Scar, two other characters absent in the FMA live action. The trip to Doctor Marcoh’s in the live action was to get a clue leading to Laboratory Number 5 and the secret of the Philosopher’s Stone, so it works as a fine plot device to have Marcoh give them enough direction, then die. In many ways, it does successfully simplify the storyline and streamline it. So I can’t complain, even if it means a character who acts throughout the entire story in the manga gets cut off near the start.

The cannery

Having Ed, Al, and Winry investigate a false lead to Laboratory Number 5 is fine, since the writers wanted finding this laboratory to be the big breakthrough and point of climax. But in that case, if you wanted the chase to the laboratory to be longer, just use what the manga did... the research notes, the burnt library, or something. Didn’t have to invent a false location to investigate.

At the same time, because they created the cannery scene here, it allowed them to work through the plot element of Al questioning Ed’s “creation” of him, which worked better than having Ed go through Laboratory Number 5, get injured, get hospitalized, and then the two have that spat. It’s an interesting change, but one that doesn’t hugely deconstruct any important essence of FMA, so again. Can’t say it was better, but also can’t complain.

3. Plot Changes I Think Worked!

I’m not saying these are better than the original - nothing tops Arakawa - but I did like what the live action did in these plot changes below. They satisfied me, or in some cases, intrigued and excited me.

Streamlining how Al questions his memories

It’s nice they included this plot thread about the brothers!

This worked. Shou Tucker is introduced as a seemingly normal man with strong alchemy skills, willing to help the Elric brothers. Exactly as I wanted. Unsuspecting audience members get a false lull at the Tucker household, thinking this is a place where answers will be found, or at least a place where the Elrics make an ally. Ed leaves, and then, in a conversation that’s not out of line for Tucker, Shou suggests that Al’s memories are false.

Since Barry is absent in the live action and the movie ends at Laboratory Number 5, transferring Barry’s lines to Tucker is a natural fit timeline-wise and personality-wise. A character who is questionably trustworthy and would know things about how souls are transmuted can say these lines.

Then, in the cannery, Ed and Al’s conflict happens all at once. In the manga, we’ve got a longer conflict where Al stews, Al brings up the topic, Ed storms out, Winry confronts Al, Al tries to make up, Ed gets them into a sparring match, Winry watches with Hughes, etc. That’s long in the manga and it works, but that’s because we have the page space to work with, build it, and give it its emotional impact. Movies need that emotional impact more succinctly. They did it here. The scene happens fluidly in one scene. Al brings up the topic, he and Ed begin to fight, and in the middle of the fight Winry shouts out that Ed blames himself for Al’s lost body. The change does work and carries the emotions of the brother’s struggles.

I would have liked a bit more emotional development on Al’s side questioning things first. That needed a tiny bit more. But the concept of Shou bringing the question up, and then the fight and Winry’s chastising happening all at once... that worked, and I liked how they handled it. It’s a smart and fluid way to bring the essence of everything in this plot arc solidly together.

Roy blocking Riza from Lust’s spear (and other small Royai treats)

Havoc’s not present, but Lust’s still going to attack. So, in the live action, there needs to be an equivalent dramatic gasp moment where Things Go Wrong. And of course you still have to have Roy get speared so that you get him fighting with seared wounds like a badass.

I think they made a great equivalent dramatic moment. Roy choosing to step in front of the way and get stabbed in the side to save Rize is a real good way of bringing up excitement and tension. Not to mention it also allows the movie to parallel that Riza worries over Roy, which of course happens when Lust in FMAB says Roy has died.

And all this leads to more touching between Roy and Riza in the live action. Can you tell I’m a big Royai shipper.

The underlying affection between Roy and Riza needed to have been established throughout the movie. I didn’t get a sense of them caring for one another so much as a straightforward leader-subordinate relationship - at least until late in the movie when Riza’s reluctant to talk about Hughes’ murderer and Roy makes this move here. But as someone who knows Royai from the other material, I really ain’t going to complain seeing them help each other and touch one another (because Roy and Riza only get this way when someone’s injured, let’s admit it).

:)

:)))

:)))))))))))))))

Yeah, please just keep holding each other, you two.

Roy Mustang and Maria Ross switching roles in Hughes’ death

Okay, okay, I really liked this!!! I like this so much that it’s in my “favorites” section and you’re going to see me talking about it at the end of this analysis.

4. Switching Lines

The live action often assigns characters to speak lines... that are akin to what someone else said in the manga/anime. Not always word-per-word, but certainly akin thoughts. I believe I have caught (though I COULD be wrong on some of these)... Roy speaking Hughes’ lines, Winry speaking Alex’s lines, Tucker speaking Barry’s lines, Hakuro speaking Roy’s lines, Hughes speaking Armstrong’s lines, Ed speaking Olivier’s lines, Maria-Envy speaking Roy’s lines, Winry speaking Ed’s lines, Ed speaking Roy’s lines, and Al speaking Ed’s lines. 

Wheeeeeee!!!

And in the spirit of having fun, I’m gonna pull some of these up.

Note: I’m just taking single screencaps, not the entire conversation. Sometimes the entire conversation is more obviously a “taken quote,” but this at least provides the idea.

Roy Mustang (FMAB “Cold Flame”) vs. Maria Ross (LA)

Maes Hughes (FMAB “Separate Destinations”) vs. Roy Mustang (LA)

Roy Mustang (FMAB “Death of the Undying”) vs. Edward Elric (LA)

Alex Armstrong (FMAB “Road of Hope”) vs. Winry Rockbell (LA)

Roy Mustang (FMAB “An Alchemist’s Anguish”) vs. Hakuro (LA)

Barry the Chopper (FMAB “The Fifth Laboratory”) vs. Shou Tucker (LA)

Aaaaaand that is far from everything, but that gets the idea. All the lines went flippity-floppity! In some cases, it made sense (Tucker vs. Barry), in some cases it was a little odd, and in some cases, I was pretty shocked (Ross/Envy vs. Roy).

5. Did this capture the heart of FMA?

My answer is “ish.”

There were certainly moments that I felt cheerful because it hit the heart of FMA. Oh yeah! :D The opening shot of Resembool. Ed chasing Cornello through the streets with all the alchemy and rambunctious drama I know the Elrics get into. Tucker telling the Elrics they’re just like he is. Ed creating a statue so ridiculous that Al immediately facepalms. Ed crying hard that he can’t get his brother’s body back with the Philosopher’s Stone. Alexander the dog toppling Ed. Hughes offering to help, bringing in Maria, and Ed responding, “No offense, but she’s one of the colonel’s” in the dry tone he always reserves for his displeasure of Mustang. Ed and Winry talking about large apple pies. Nina the chimera asking to play. Hughes racing away from Lust and trying to contact Roy in the phone booth.

In those sorts of moments, I could definitely feel the FMA.

And I liked that spirit.

Usually, the closer it was to the original, the closer it felt to the heart of Fullmetal Alchemist. The movie didn’t foresake the heart of FMA. Some of the changes (like the ones I highlighted I liked) still fully captured the spirit of Fullmetal Alchemist, too.

The more questionable choices lost some of FMA’s heart. Envy never felt right. The homunculi didn’t feel terrifying and threatening. Shou Tucker’s return at the end wasn’t right, either.

And there was another area where they captured the heart of FMA-ish......

........the lessons.

They tried to put the themes in there. The idea of brotherly love, doing anything to help the other. The idea of human beings not being able to save even one little girl sometimes. The idea of placing humanity’s importance over power and achievement. The idea of equivalent exchange and what that means for our life’s greatest lessons. But it was never fully embellished, built up, and integrated deeply into the film. Ideas were touched upon. They were! You’d be quick to miss them unless you actually knew the manga and FMAB, though. Otherwise, you’re not going to walk away from the movie with much of profound resonance and emotional meaning.

The writers, in trying to simplify things, then filling in their holes with new ideas, kept trying to create their own solutions. Let’s show Mustang growing ever so slightly by at first saying the Elrics shouldn’t look for the Philosopher’s Stone, and then have him give them the stone. Let’s bring in Hakuro and the immortal army and talk about abuse of power. But through that, we lost the heart of the emotional messages that FMA does so well.

What it means to keep fighting for a new day.

What it means to make your own steps forward rather than hoping on never-happening miracles.

What it means to have limited power as a human being in this world.

What it means to stand for the people you love.

What it means to protect, respect, and help every human - no matter their gender or appearance or race or anything else.

So this felt like FMA, it got some of the respect of FMA, but it wasn’t the full heart that got captured here. Enough I could appreciate the heart it did capture, have fun, but also recognize that Arakawa does infinitely more.

6. My Favorite Things About the Live Action

FINALLY I GET TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS. FINALLY. YESSS!!!

First off, the military uniforms

These? are?? gorgeous??? Like???? PERFECTION?????!!!! I LOVE THEM?????!!!!!!!!!!

Some of the screencaps really do look pulled out of the fucking manga

The best of the visuals of the live action: a small selection, for your viewing pleasure.

Seriously, though, guys. With those screencaps, it just looks right.

Like, you HAVE to appreciate those screencaps, thank you very much.

Then, there’s the scene where Ed finds out what happened to Nina

If there is one scene that hits the nail right on the head, it’s the moment Ed returns to Shou Tucker’s house and sees the talking chimera. This is the moment that this really felt like Fullmetal Alchemist live action, and I love it. Ed whaling on Tucker. The way Tucker acts while he’s justifying his actions, grinning even as he’s in pain, actually believing what he’s saying, being both a normal human being and someone loathsome. Al even said that line both the 2003 and 2009 animes cut from the manga!!! 

“Mr. Tucker. Shut up or I’ll be the one to lose control.”

It’s got all the dialogue I’d want, it’s one of the best acted moments, and it’s the point where I was like, “Yeah. That’s Shou Tucker.”

It’s nice that lots of the big moments you remember about FMA... are the ones that felt the best.

Hughes’ death and its aftermath

This was really good, too. How they shot Hughes throwing the knife at Lust, watching him run away, seeing him enter the phone booth. Ah yes. They got it down. They got it down.

And this is where I get into the other big plot change I think worked quite well (much to my surprise).

Incriminating Roy Mustang as Hughes’ murderer instead of Maria Ross.

I literally gasped when Hughes turned around and saw what-appears-to-be-Mustang pointing a gun at him. I know Hughes’ death. I know it very well. But because this was different, it shocked me.

I wonder if that’s one reason the live action made this move. Fans, familiar with Hughes’ death, would be cringing and waiting for it, but somewhat insulated because they know the story. They wouldn’t expect to see this, giving a new level of surprise to those well-familiar with FMA.

It’s not out of line for what we know about Hughes and Envy, either. Hughes seeing his “wife” shoot him dead is extremely awful. She’s someone he deeply cares about. Then, for those of us familiar with Roy and Hughes’ friendship in the manga and series, this as well is a cruel shock on Hughes’ side. Roy’s face would be something Envy could use against Hughes just as well as Gracia’s. And for those unfamiliar with FMA and not realizing this is Envy in disguise, it gives an extra layer of shock, and falsely casts Roy as a villain akin to the Maria Ross incident. Works all around.

Of course, once that event happened, I knew this would spiral the movie even further from Arakawa’s plot. I was confused and wondering how they’d pull this off. If Roy is the person witnesses saw shoot Hughes, how would this go down? Why did they introduce Maria Ross if not to have that save-Maria-Ross-escapade?

I think this was actually an extremely fun diversion. It’s a unique and emotional alternate that hits at a high level of drama, too. It’s just different!

I loved seeing Riza, solemn, quiet, uncomfortable, slow to respond to Ed when he asked who killed Hughes. Can you imagine how she felt, hearing that Roy Mustang was seen by witnesses as the murderer? Feels. I had them.

Yes the fact this drama fueled both more feels for Roy and Maes’ friendship, and Roy and Riza’s relationship... was a HUGE plus for me because those are two of my favorite character dynamics in FMA EVER.

I loved seeing Roy stand before “Maria Ross” and then burn her in front of everyone’s eyes. It’s a unique divergence (but still a call-out) to Roy falsely burning Maria in FMAB/the manga, too, and shocking Ed into believing he murdered someone who should never have been murdered. But this time we see Maria being burned - somehow - on screen. We see what appears to be Maria Ross actually burning alive. Again, this adds fun shock value for people who aren’t thinking it could be Envy, and for people familiar with FMA who think they can glide through the known story.

Mustang and Maria Ross’s scenarios are largely switched. I never thought it’d work to hear Maria Ross tell Mustang she was ordered to kill him on sight. But it does work, and frankly, it does a lot of good to his character in the movie. Mustang’s been cold the entire time, not exactly portrayed as an obvious good person. Here, with Mustang exposing Lust, we begin to get rooting him as the tritagonist he is. Again, somehow Roy taking Hughes’ line worked.

It’s a different high stakes drama, but it’s a very fun high-stakes drama. It’s an extremely interesting thought road to go down, and despite it being a large difference from Arakawa’s writing, I could enjoy it for the action it was.

I’m someone who loves horrible drama that screws with characters’ emotions. I love seeing my favorites cast in a bad light, either correctly or incorrectly. This is exactly the sort of obnoxiously rude thing for me to relish. EXACTLY the sort of asinine shit that gets me grinning and screaming at once. It totally made it worth it to me to watch the live action for this! Totally!

Concluding Thoughts

I had a fun time more often than not! XD

I cannot give a fullhearted recommendation to everyone for this movie. That would be insincere of me. It certainly has bad acting and hokey-ness, it does mess with the plot in objectionable ways, and it doesn’t always embody the deepest emotional spirits of FMA. But, for people who are fine with a little bit of over-the-top yelling and can enjoy things for what they offer, even with their differences and imperfections... this might not be a bad thing for you to give a whirl. Go for it. If someone like me who’s so obsessed with Arakawa’s vision can find enjoyment out of this movie, then maybe you can too?

I’m encouraging several of my irl friends who know me very well to watch it, but I’m giving those recommendations with qualifications. I give the friendly warning about the acting and the questionable-at-times plot changes. I know there are quite a few people who aren’t going to like it and I’m not going to recommend it to them. There are a few people I’m on the edge about, and will cautiously say give it a try, but don’t expect to be enthralled. There’s a reason the reception to the movie has been overall mediocre.

That said, I’m happy to have watched it. There’s a decently high possibility I’ll watch it again. It is something I come away with mixed emotions, but they’re mixed-to-positive emotions. Frankly, the emotions are pretty damn positive right now! I’m in a good mood having finished this because there were some things I definitely, definitely, definitely enjoyed. And the fact that I’ve been pestering several irl and url friends about the movie the last few hours proves I’m excited enough I HAVE to talk about it. 

And if I HAVE to talk about it... well, obviously I had a worthwhile time, have feels about it, feel stoked about it, and need to scream about it like the fandom nerd I am!

[blushoseoks]

GREY AREA. (M) | 10

And just like that, your fate was sealed - because Min Yoongi was absolutely going to destroy you. But hell, if you weren’t going to let him, or bask happily in the flames as he did so.

And sadly, at the time, you didn’t think that your thoughts would become so literal.

You drive me insane…You’re the scariest, most clever, bravest person I know, and sometimes I can’t catch my breath because I’m trying so hard to keep up. There will never be another like you. You realize that, don’t you? Billions of people will come and go in this world, but there will never be another like you." - Marie Lu, Champion

›› Pairing: Min Yoongi / Reader ›› Word Count: 6,216 ›› Chapter Index and Warnings ›› Soulmate!AU, Slowburn, Angst

A wet city is one thing you are absolutely convinced you will never grow tired of, or get used to. You were positive that you had fallen in love, the first night it had rained in Seoul, because the next day the city was wet.

The smell of the rain is one thing you will always admire. The salty aroma mixed with that of the water was enough to soothe every ache in your bones, enough to calm any storm in your head.

You've always loved the rain, always preferred it over the endless sunshine, because, in your opinion, sunshine was too warm, too happy, not plausible.

And, were you really looking this deeply into the goddamn weather?

Your yellow hued rainboots slosh noisily against the pavement of the sidewalk as you walk in slow steps, only a few minutes away from arriving at your destination.

And every time you walk to Jungkook and Yoongi's apartment building, you find yourself becoming more familiar with it.

It takes you approximately ten minutes to enter the building and then proceed to the third floor, and you waste no time in doing so.

Before you know it, you've reached the door. Hand outstretching to knock against it, and you do. And afterward, is when you start to regret all of this.

Was this truly a good decision?

Had you given yourself enough time to process his offer?

Fuck.

No.

Yes.

Fuck!

This wasn't a good idea, not at all.

You turn around suddenly, about to make a run for it, but before you can dart down the hallway, your attention is on the sound of a doorknob twisting and being pulled open.

And when you direct your gaze to the door, you're honestly not very surprised to see none other than Min Yoongi standing in front of you.

You blink.

And you watch as he does the same.

And the heat burns so nicely.

Even on an unfathomable warm day like this.

“I'm-” you hesitate, seeming to be at a loss for words. You seem to stumble then, on your words that is. Not entirely knowing what to say, but then an excuse – a lie comes to you.

“Is uh- is Jungkook here? I came to hang out, he texted me earlier today.”

Or so, maybe it wasn't an entire lie.

It didn't count as a lie if half of it was true.

Right?

Yoongi looks at you curiously, eyebrows pulling upwards as his eyes seem to trail over every inch of your face. Taking in each expression, and every movement.

And you suddenly feel insecure under his gaze.

You hadn't bothered to dress up.

You were wearing a white tshirt, a pair of light blue shorts. You had thrown on a long army green jacket, one that would keep you dry if the rain were to come again.

“Jungkook invited you over?” He asks, and there's a hint of something you can't quite pinpoint in his tone.

You nod your head in response, adding a, “Yeah,” for good measure.

You watch as Yoongi's face contorts, like he's hesitating, thinking over thoughts he plans on keeping silent.

“Uh, m'not sure why he invited you over. He left like twenty minutes ago.” He responds, eyes not moving to look away from yours.

“Oh.” You say a moment later, pink lips curving to the side in uneasiness.

“Yeah, he was gonna meet up with a friend and then I think he's going to a party or some shit.” Yoongi says as his arms move to cross over his chest, his shoulder moving to lean against the side of the metal door frame.

You bite your lip, mouth parting.

You should have figured.

It was afterall a Saturday night.

But, you can't help but to think that maybe just maybe you had come so quickly because you knew that Jungkook wouldn't be home.

“Surprised you aren't going, actually.” Yoongi adds on a second later. And there's a moment where you're unsure if it was meant in bad context or not, so it causes your lips to purse, your eyebrows to furrow and pull together.

He must see the change in your facial expressions because he adds onto his sentence almost immediately.

“Only because he was saying that he'd hoped to see you tonight, or something. I think he planned on introducing you to his friend. I don't know,  I hardly pay attention to when he talks about parties. Not very interested in them.” He shrugs nonchalantly as he says it, teeth gliding across his lip.

And you can't help but to think how factual his words really are. Whenever you had seen him at a party, or a club for that matter, excluding the first night you met, he had always seem very disinterested. Like a part of him was there, but a different part was somewhere else. Somewhere he longed to be.

You realize you've been staring at him blankly for a moment too long in silence, when he clears his throat.

And it's weird.

How he keeps eye contact.

How he would have never done this two weeks ago.

Not even if you had begged.

“Well.” You say, suddenly too nervous to stick around. You move your right thumb to point behind you. Mouth parting as you speak.

“I'm just – I'm going to go.” You nod your head as you talk, the corners of your lips twisting upwards into a smile. Or, whatever you have managed to look like a smile. You take a step backwards carefully, your footsteps quiet as you do so, and you're about to turn around and  dart down the hallway as quickly as your legs can carry you, when Yoongi's lips part, and he speaks hesitantly. Like he's unsure if what he's about to say is borderline alright or not.

“I think it's going to rain again, you-” he stops, lips moving to purse together. “I'd give you a ride, but I don't have my car. I- I uh, don't think you should walk when it may rain.”

You lips part then, letting out a gentle breath as you respond.

“Thank you for the offer, I really do appreciate it but – I bet I can make it back before the rain st--” You're unable to finish your sentence, because a loud burst of thunder interrupts your sentence and fills the air, causing you to jump in fright just a little.

If Yoongi notices, he doesn't say.

Your lips immediately fall shut, and then you look to the ceiling of the hallway, as if you'd be able to see the sky.

And for a moment you curse the sky. You curse Seoul. You curse the goddamn Universe for playing intended and very cruel jokes on you.

It takes approximately thirty seconds for you to come to the conclusion that you were going to have to stay. That you didn't have a way out. Because a storm had just presented itself and it took you a good twenty five minutes to walk back to your apartment.

Not to mention all signs of transportation weren't plausible either.

Taehyung and Hoseok were probably at a party, Yoona was way too emotional, and you certainly weren't gong to ask her for help. And Namjoon – sweet Namjoon, Namjoon who you missed more than words could describe, was working.

So, you were stuck.

And figuratively fucked.

Your eyes fall back onto Yoongi's, and you watch as he moves a hand to the back of his neck, his fingertips scratching at the skin while a sheepish smile starts to form on his lips.

And then.

“I have hot chocolate.”

And he says it in form of an invitation.

And he tilts his head, a smile slowly prodding at his lips in attempt to make this all seem as normal as possible, or at least, that's what you thought.

And hot chocolate?

On such a warm day?

But despite your thoughts, you bite the inside of your cheek, not seeing a way out. And after rushing one of your hands through your dyed  locks, you nod your head in agreement. Tongue snaking out to wet over your lips. “Yeah, alright.”

And you watch as Yoongi steps as much to the side as he can, even more so than before, making enough room for you to slip by and that's exactly what you do after you nod your head.

But the doorway is small and as you pass, your sides brush. Just the tiniest bit of a touch, but still it's enough to send a plethora of heat coursing through your body so warm that you almost lose your balance.

You catch yourself right at the last moment, as you fumble inside, able to save yourself from what would have been a more than definite embarrassing, and shameless fall in front of your soulmate.

And when you step inside you can't help but to glance around. Eyes skidding through recognizable furnishings and decorations.

Jungkook's art is still displayed nicely on the wall, the same piece remains unfinished. The tv is on, but at a low volume. And there are multiple open textbooks scattered on the couch and glass coffee table that sits in their living room. It looks like Yoongi had been in the middle of studying, and the tv was on for mere background noise, nothing more.

“Did I interrupt?” You ask, as you turn around. And Yoongi's just standing there beside the entrance, his eyes trained on you. And the sight of catching him staring, causes something in your stomach to flutter.

Had – had he been watching you?

Surely not.

“No.” He responds quickly. Taking a step forward, he's still a few numbered feet behind you. “Well, actually,” he says, “technically yes, but I needed a break anyway.” His face contorts into a pained expression, like he's said something he's not supposed too.

You decide right then and there that Min Yoongi was hard to read.

“Well, I won't make much noise anyway.” You say, before turning back around. And it's only when you look down, do you notice that you were still wearing your rainboots, and with wearing them, you had tracked in an ugly amount of water with you.

“Shit!” You screech before you can think over it. “I'm so sorry.” You apologize as you take a step backwards, moving closer to the door. And it's in the midst of slipping off your boots, does Yoongi respond.

“Nah, don't worry about it, Jungkook does it all of the time. M'constantly cleaning up after him.”

And you reply carelessly. Finally deciding to try to make this as little awkward as it needed to be.

“Yeah, I get what you mean. I do the same with Hoseok and Taehyung. Lazy fuckers.”

And then you ever so slowly raise your head to stare up at Min Yoongi who is only a few feet away from you, and when your eyes land on his, a clear indication that he had still been staring in your direction, he quickly looks away.

“Right.” He says, eyes directing their attention to somewhere in the living room.

“How do you like your hot chocolate?” He asks a mere moment later.

You lick the roof of your mouth, sliding off your other boot, before lining them up courteously next to a pair of shoes by the front door.

“Hm,” you respond a moment later, straightening your body as you turn your attention towards the living room. “With marshmallows and lots of whipped cream.”

You don't get a response, but you figure he wasn't really looking to respond. And you're in the process of shucking off your lightweight jacket, when you feet it.

The heat, and it's not the kind you feel when he's staring at you.

No.

It's the kind you feel when he's touching you.

You're about to turn around, about to question him, but then you realize what he's doing.

Helping you take off your jacket.

As if you couldn't do it yourself.

The tips of his fingers move to grab the collar of it, but instead they fumble, moving and pressing directly against a part of your collarbones, causing a fire to burn beneath where he touches. And you would shudder, but the warmth is enough to keep you from doing so.

You choke on your breath instead, unable to concentrate when his skin is on yours.

And instead of moving his fingers away, instead of apologizing, and instead of taking a step backwards..

he doesn't.

He keeps his fingers there. And you can feel how tough the tips of them are, the pads of the skin is. You can feel the way they gently slide across your skin as they move up your body.

And instead of telling him to get his hands off of you, instead of asking him to stop..

you don't.

You let him keep his touch on you.

Because the burn of starfire is so addicting.

He lets out a gentle breath from behind you, and you can feel the hot air as it hits the shell of your ear. And this time you do shudder.

Your body had stilled, your shoulders tensing almost as soon as his fingers had pressed to your skin.

You can't do anything but hold the breath that had caught in your throat, in. Can't do anything but just stand there, your heart clenching inside of your chest.

Because even though it feels wrong, you don't want him to stop.

The pads of his fingers start to drag ever so softly upwards from your collarbones, tracing the skin that the v neck of the shirt fails to cover, they continue to raise higher until they've reached the sides of your neck.

And you shiver, again. Because the touch – may feel good, but it is, afterall foreign.

Why can't you bring yourself to tell him to stop?

And every bit of skin that touches yours, causes a million constellations to form in your body. You swear galaxies are being born where his touch meets yours. And these world's- they cause a heat so indulging, you're afraid you're going to be nothing but ash soon enough.

But your worries subside, when his fingers move to grip the collar of your jacket, and he pulls it back in a swift yet gentle movement. His actions ceases when the jacket has fallen to your elbows.

And again, you're met with how cold the room truly is.

You don't say anything.

Caught somewhere in between wanting him to touch you, and wanting him to get the fuck away from you.

That's when he clears his throat and takes a step backward. Like he had just been aware of his actions, like he hadn't had any control over his body.

You can't bring yourself to turn towards him.

He mumbles something about hot chocolate, something almost inaudible and before you can muster up the courage to turn around to question his motives, or to ask him just what the hell he was doing, he's turned the corner and retreated into the kitchen.

And it's only when he's gone, only when he's out of sight are you able to let out a deep breath. Only when he's gone do your shoulders finally untense, and move to lazily stand. And it's when your heart begins to settle just a tad.

Yeah, you think, you were fucked.

It doesn't get much better after that.

You're both sitting in the living room, on opposite ends of the couch. He has a textbook in his lap, the tv is playing something that fails miserably to catch your attention, and your hands are clasping the hot chocolate he's given you more firmly than they should be. You're quite aware, but this way you can pretend that the heat you feel every time Yoongi glances at you from the corner of his eye is the result from touching your mug.

When you look in his general direction, you're able to see that each textbook he has open are from different classes, the one he's currently reading from being something in math, you inaudibly groan at the sight.

Math.

Math was disgusting.

And it looks as though he was doing something in Calculus.

Even more disturbing.

And it's there as you're sitting by him do you find yourself drowning in thoughts of Park Jimin and how you're unsure if you should tell Yoongi about the encounter.

The selfish side of you said not to, was afraid that whatever progress had been made between the two of you – and really progress? He had asked to be friend's and offered you hot chocolate, some progress you both were making! Would dissipate and he'd once again push you back at an arms length if he had learned that you had found the third part of both of you. The piece that completed your trio.

But, the fact was, was that Min Yoongi was coming around. Slowly, yes, but surely at least. He was coming around. Finally. And you were afraid to do something that would make things come to a sudden still point. Make all of the progress crumble into nothing.

You scoot towards the edge of the couch, top half of your body leaning over as you move your hot chocolate to the glass surface of the coffee table, head turning in Yoongi's direction.

“Um, where's the bathroom?” You ask quietly. And as soon as the silence had been interrupted, as soon as your lips had parted, his attention had instantly directed to you.

And for a moment he just stares at you.

And you feel your heart skip a beat.

And then he points backwards with his thumb in the direction of a narrow hallway.

“Down that hallway, make a right at the end and you'll be in another hallway. It's the first door you'll come to.”

It takes you a moment, because you swear if just for a second you get lost in his eyes. In those eyes that most definitely hold accumulations of stars in them.

And then, you nod your head slowly.

And you push your knees upwards so you transition into a standing position.

And when you make it to the bathroom, you're surprised to see just how clean it truly was.

You can't help but to wonder who was the more messy one between the two boys.

You walk directly to the sink, the true intention of you going to the bathroom, and for a moment you just stare at your reflection. Your hands moving to grip the edge of the sink as you stare at yourself through the glass.

And you let out a deep breath.

Trying to figure out just how you were to get through the next what could be hours of the storm, with just Min Yoongi.

You turn the faucet on, letting out a deep breath as you cup your hands under the now running water and don't hesitate to move it over to your face, drenching your skin in the cool liquid.

And when the water goes everywhere, splashing onto the sink and the floor, you're instantly met with thought of apparently only girls in commercials can do such a thing without fucking up completely.

It takes you a few minutes to clean up the spilled water, having used the hand towel after you had dried your face, and then you decide it's time to retreat back into the living room.

But on your way back down the hallway, you pass a room. The door is open, and you're unsure if it's Yoongi's or Jungkook's.

Half of you screams to venture instead, to look around and absorb as much information about the room while you had the time, but before you can ponder the thought a moment more, your attention is being directed towards the end of the hallway.

Because you feel heat.

“Oh.” Yoongi says, body stilling in the hallway. “There you are – I was starting to think you had fallen in or climbed out the window or something.”

And was Yoongi really trying for another joke?

But you offer up a smile instead. Teeth moving down to graze across your bottom lip.

He goes to say something, of which you're unsure of, but he's interrupted by a loud ring coming from the living room. It's not your phone, the tone very different than yours.

He looks to the right, peering into the living room. And you think he's about to leave without another word, but then he shocks you and his lips part suddenly.

“Hey, Y/N.” He says in that slow draw you're getting so used to.

You stare at him, eyes landing on his and you watch as his dark eyes flicker down to your hair, the newly dyed pink. He studies the strands for a few heartbeats, gaze lingering on the straight before he uplifts his attention to yours. Eyes staring into yours.

“I didn't say it the other night, I should have, but I didn't – I,” he pauses as his attention stays on yours. “Your hair.” He says quietly, just above a whisper. “I really like it.”

And then the corners of his lips tug upwards into a small smile, one so miniscule you're not even sure it counts as one – but this was you – and this was Yoongi – smiling at you for the first time.

And it's there in that moment, as he turns his head, ripping his heat and smile away from you, as he disappears down the other hallway that you know for an absolute fact, all the fear and doubts escaping your body, you were going to be accepting his offer of a friendship.

And just like that, your fate was sealed - because Min Yoongi was absolutely going to destroy you. But hell, if you weren’t going to let him, or bask happily in the flames as he did so.

And sadly, at the time, you didn’t think that your thoughts would become so literal.

He's on the phone with whomever called for awhile after that. Well if we're being exact, then twenty one minutes and thirty two seconds. But, who was counting?

Certainly not you.

And it's when he gets off of the phone, that you start to feel your eyelids grow heavy. The rain always did that to you, though. Made you sleepy against your will. The endless blinking you keep doing is not helping you, not at all. The dimly lit room, and the storm raging on outside is not helping you either, only screaming at you to further fall into a deep slumber. And that's when Yoongi stands up suddenly, moving his textbook to the arm of the couch as his position changes.

His knees popping a bit, and he must sense that you're about to pass out, because he speaks his next sentence gently, very slowly in a hushed voice.

“You can sleep. I'll wake you when Jungkook's returned.”

And you stare at him through half lidded eyes, and then he's turning, walking out from around the couch and disappearing down the hallway. Probably to grab something, probably to use the restroom, whatever it was, you didn't know.

The next thing you process is how warm you feel, and then your eyes drift close. And they do not open again. Not for hours.

What you don't remember, and what you won't until days on down the road, in the middle of circumstances you never saw coming- is incoherently mumbling in your sleep, and Yoongi – he won't bring it up, no.

But he'll remember what you said.

He'll remember what you asked.

“Y/N.”

A deep voice that does not sound familiar registers through your brain amidst your heavy slumber. It's spoken in a soft tone, in a gentle way.

A way too gentle to wake you.

“Y/N.” The voice repeats a moment later when it gets no response out of you.

And then someone is moving a hand to press against the side of your neck in a gentle way of course, the pads of fingers applying just a small amount of pressure to the skin there.

The action and unrecognizable touch causes you to stir if just for a moment, not quite fully awake to comprehend what's occurring.

A second hand, one that matches the other moves to press against your right cheek, hand as large at the opposite one, touch just as gentle aswell.

And you can't help but to lean into the touch just a little, still not fully awake.

“Y/N.” The deep voices says again, only this time  he moves his hand just barely over your cheek, the foreign feeling from these pair of hands, being enough to cause you to stir a bit more.

And when your eyes flutter open, it's to stare directly into a pair you don't fully recognize, the unfamiliar color causing you to jump backwards just a little. But then he moves closer, and when he does, his face is being lit up by the moonlight that shows in between the curtains from a window in the living room.

And you let out a soft sigh of relief when it's Jungkook's face that comes into view.

“It's just me.” He reassures you a moment later, a slow smile tilting upwards at the corners of his lips.

And that's when you slowly sit up, he retracts his hands quickly as if he had just realized how intimate he was being. And when you sit up, the blanket that you're absolutely sure was not covering you when you fell asleep, has fallen to your lap.

“What're you doing here?” He whispers out a moment later, and you're about to ask him why he's still whispering since you were awake, but when you turn to look down at the place Yoongi once occupied, only to find him still situated in it, your lips shut.

You take notice of how his head is leaning back to rest against the cushion of the couch, his arms crossed over his chest and – really, was he actually grumpy when he slept too? Not to mention, the most obvious clue of someone sleeping: his eyes were shut.

You only turn back to Jungkook when you think you see Yoongi twitch just a little. Afraid that the effects of your stare will wake him.

“I was waiting for you,” you reply, and then you add, “asshole.” Just for kicks.

You slowly move your legs to rest over the edge of the couch, feet moving to press into the fabric of the carpet, and you let out a slow yawn, one as quiet as you're able to make it.

Jungkook has backed up a considerable amount, now moving to stand upwards, his head tilted downwards as he stares at you curiously.

“That doesn't explain why you were sleeping on my couch – with Yoongi hyung.” And something in his voice changes mid sentence, but you're too tired to investigate further into it, so you settle with:

“Yeah, it started raining and seeing as though you had Yoongi's car he couldn't take me home. He let me stay, and I fell asleep, looks like he did too.” And as the last of your sentence falls from your lips you turn your head back to study Yoongi's sleeping body.

And you can't help the smile that slowly stretches across your face. Because even though Yoongi's lips were pulled into his permanent narrow line, he still looked – dare you say, cute?

His nose was scrunched up, head tilting ever so slightly to the side, causing the side of his head to rest against one of his shoulders.

And yes, he definitely looked cute.

And you were sure that you'd regret thinking this much come morning.

“Well, should I get you home then?” Jungkook asks, interrupting your thoughts. This, causing you to turn your head towards him in reaction.

“You were at a party.” You say, hands moving to run through your hair. “Meaning you drank-- which pisses me off. Did you fucking drive home while drunk?”

You've managed to keep your voice just below a whisper, but your eyebrows knit together and your arms move to cross over your chest to reveal just how irked you were at the thought of someone as smart as Jungkook making such an ugly and dangerous decision.

You watch with scolding eyes as he shakes his head, as he leans his head backwards and lets a small chuckle bubble up from his throat and out of his mouth.

“I had one beer like two hours ago, I've had plenty of water to sober me up – if I needed to be sobered up at all. Somebody had to make sure your idiotic roommates got home.”

His sentence causes you to settle down a small amount.

“You know, as much as I appreciate you driving them home, you're not responsible for them.” You say a moment later rising to your feet, the space between you and Jungkook at a minimal.

“If I don't who will?” He asks a moment later, eyebrow cocking upwards.

“Me.” You respond. “Per usual.”

As you reply, you start to walk past the couch, but stop in your tracks when you notice that Yoongi is lacking a blanket.

Your white teeth move down to press into your bottom lip, and you shake your head before turning back around.

“And it's fair to you that you have to make sure they get home alright?” Jungkook asks from beside the table, keys dangling loosely in his hands.

You shrug your shoulders upwards, as you grab for the blanket that Yoongi had given you when you had dozed off.

“I'm just saying it's not your responsibility.”

You slowly start to stretch it across Yoongi's lank body, careful to not wake him in the process. Your ears perking up as Jungkook responds.

“And it's not yours either.”

You roll your eyes heavenward, but a smile reaches your lips. “Touche,” you say as you finish covering Yoongi's body with the material.

And when you look over your shoulder and spot Jungkook already staring at you, your smile only widens.

“Ready?” He asks.

You nod.

The drive home is relatively nice, to describe it in the least. Conversation flows easily between the both of you, but it always has and you hope to god it always will.

The rain has let up, the storm had disappeared, and you smile as Jungkook drives down the vacant streets. And it's not hard to tell just why the streets were empty, because it was a bit late in the night.

Two in the morning to be precise.

It's when you both pull up to the stoplight, even though there are no other cars around, that he notices your hair for the first time.

The windows are down, and the streetlights shine into the car, exposing your attire and new hair. And when he glances to you and back to the streetlights ahead, he does a double take – his head immediately turning back to your direction. His eyes widen a little amount as he takes in the sight.

And then before you can say anything he's outstretching a hand, moving just a few of the tips of his fingers through the pink, and a curious glint is filling his features.

“New do?” He asks, eyebrows raising.

You nod in response, and then he glances back forward, a smile on his lips as he continue to twirl a few strands of your hair around his fingers.

“I like it.”

And that's the last that's said about it.

When he pulls up to your apartment, is when you notice your lack of clothing.

Your arms move to feel for the jacket you had on when you arrived at their apartment, only to find the skin of your arms turning to goosebumps because of the breeze that slowly hits your skin.

“Oh shit,” you curse as you turn your attention to Jungkook. “Forgot my jacket at your apartment.”

You watch as as amused expression overtakes his features, and then he unbuckles his seat belt, and before you can ask him why, he's shucking off the jacket he's wearing.

“Jungkook.” You say, your head turning to the direction of your apartment. “My apartment is literally right there. I don't need your jacket.”

But he's insisting, shoveling the familiar fabric over to you.

And when your fingers are forced to curl around the fabric, is when you notice the familiar material. In your fingers is none other than Yoongi's jacket.

Your eyes widen upon realization, you shake your head profusely, trying to shove the jacket back in Jungkook's direction.

“Absolutely not,” you being to explain. “he'll kill me. It's Yoongi's jacket!”

You watch as Jungkook lets out a slow chuckle as his teeth move down to graze across his bottom lip.

“No, he won't. Not if I tell him I gave it to you. Plus, he may seem like a grumpy asshole but the geezer wouldn't hurt anyone.”

But still, you shake your head. A million nerves coursing through your head, uncertainty making itself noticeable in your stomach.

So he continues to push.

“You don't have to wear it. But take it, this way I won't forget to return your jacket to you. You'll have Yoongi's jacket, I'll have yours. We'll trade in Psychology Thursday.”

You still hesitate, but after his eyebrows raise, after he pushes the jacket in your general direction once more, you finally accept it.

“How old is he?” You ask a moment later.

“Yoongi?” He says rhetorically. “23.”

You nearly choke on your breath. “23?”

You were nineteen. That was a four year age difference.

“If I remember correctly, yes.” He says sarcastically.

You roll your eyes.

But you're nodding your head, your right hand moving to reach for the door handle to let yourself out, but before you get the door open, Jungkook's hand is moving to wrap around your left wrist. The bold movement causing your head to snap in his direction.

“Yes?” You inquire, obviously curious about his actions.

His lips part suddenly, hand removing itself from being wrapped around your wrist. “Well you see-” you says, sentence trailing off. He moves one of his hands to the back of his neck, blunt fingernails scratching the skin there. “Well, actually.” He says. “Since you're here. Well, I was wondering--” he hesitates, pink lips pursing and he looks down at his legs for a moment. Head tilting as though he's unsure.

“There's this uh – this charity event my friend's family is hosting here in a few weeks or so. It's to raise money for something that I've forgotten – yes I know that's bad, but –“ He trails off, his head directing itself back to yours, eyes finding your own. “Well basically, Hoseok and I got invited and we're allowed to bring two people. Jin's bringing Namjoon, and another one of his friend's. Hoseok is bringing Taehyung and I think Yoona. I'm bringing Yoongi and I was going to see if you'd want to go aswell.”

You tilt your head in acknowledgment, bottom lip disappearing into the warmth of your mouth as you start to suck on it unsurely.

Was – was Jungkook asking you out on a date?

And as if he was reading your thoughts he speaks up.

“And no, it's not a date. It's just everyone else got invited, and I figured you'd want to go as well.”

And the smile that stains itself to your lips should be enough to answer his question, but for good measure you nod your head.

“Yeah.” You let out a soft chuckle. “I'll go with you -” you pause before adding, “guys.” Referring to your friend's and certainly not Yoongi.

And the smile that appears on his lips is enough to make your entire day start off good.

It's when you're climbing out of the car, and shutting the door that you speak up.

“Hey Jungkook?”

And he bends his head down, eyes finding yours through the window.

And even though he had not done enough to prove himself to you, had only done a few numbered things, your discussion with your parents, and the weight of knowing that you probably would never be able to have one of of your soulmate's was enough to make you say the following words.

Because Min Yoongi was an asshole, it was obvious in the way he had spoken to you. Evident in the actions displayed upon you.

But, he was an asshole you wanted in your life.

“Tell Yoongi I've made my decision. Tell him I said yes – he'll, uh, know what it means.”

And you don't wait for a response before turning around and making your way up to your brownstone apartment, and when you're climbing up the stairs, you feel different. Lighter in some way.

Maybe a friendship was the beginning of fortunate events.

Maybe it was the start of something new.

Perhaps it was a redo, a chance to start fresh between the two of you.

And the jacket – it's in your arms.

And you'd be lying if you said it didn't take you a few tries before you were able to put it down that night.

A/N – Did this suck ????? Was it okay ???? Who knows ????? Not me !!!!

But there is something I want to address, something I posted a few days ago but I decided to tack it here aswell. I received a message regarding my use of comma's and how I use them incorrectly, and I just wanted to say that I apologize if my incorrect usage of comma's have made it difficult to read Grey Area. If it wasn't already noticeable I do struggle with commas, apostrophe('?)s, and the effect/affect shit words. I am growing. I am learning, I can only hope you all will stay by my side as I do so. If you notice something wrong please let me know, but I'm sensitive so try to do it gently please :(

Thank you everyone, I love you all so much. You have no idea. Grey Area 01 has PASSED 400 NOTES, and I am just so shocked. I can't even formulate coherent sentences. Actually, I can, but as I type this I am speechless. Just, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I wouldn't be able to do this without every single one of you. Whether you're a silent reader, a reblogger, or an avid asker, I love you.

Thank you for your encourage, your support, your continued love!

Please let me know your thoughts. :D

[laurel--writes-blog]

Hiking the Appalachian Trail: Even Scaredy-Cats Can Do It!

August 15, 2017

By the time I reached the Clingman’s Dome parking lot at Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee, it was about two o’clock in the afternoon. The place was positively buzzing, overrun with people. It shouldn’t have come a surprise, though, since I’d already read in the Gatlinburg 2017 Vacation Guide that the Smokies see over 10 million visitors each year, more than any other national park.  

But, the popularity of the park wasn’t an entirely bad thing for this trip, as it turned out. As I hiked up the Clingman’s Dome Bypass Trail, I met several different groups, families mostly, who were incredibly helpful toward me and encouraged me to not give up in the rough spots where that option was most tempting. At times, especially later on, it would have been easy to quit.

There was one couple from Knoxville who parked next to me in the lot at the base of Clingman’s Dome. They saw that I was alone and, without my prompting, took nearly an hour or so to explain to me the different gear they use as avid hikers along with the particular situations in which certain items might become more or less useful. One particular example they offered me was the use of crampons to be worn over boots and create more traction in icy conditions. I didn’t have any with me, but fortunately, they were not needed on this trip.

Another family – three generations altogether – sort of adopted me for the next couple of hours, simply because we were all from Maryland. The mom, the dad, the grandparents, the kids – they all regarded me thoughtfully, and we joked our way up the trail like old friends.

Especially after working at one of my more recent minimum-wage positions and simply dealing with unpleasant individuals in general, it is genuinely nice to know that there are people who are not only capable of treating others well, but also choose to do so…and for seemingly no reason at all.

After climbing the steep, half-mile incline to the tower itself, I made my way to the top. Once there, it became clear why the highest point in Tennessee is so crowded. I heard myself gasp as I looked out past the edge of the circular platform. With the sun shining down across it all and hardly a cloud in the sky, the landscape before me quite literally took my breath away. 

Rather than the thunderstorms and thick fog I’d been promised by weather forecasts, I saw mountains, blue-ish green and jutting up into an even-bluer sky, higher and more rugged than I could have imagined.

To take this journey alone was one thing, but to stand where I stood and look out on what I saw was the definition of what it means to feel small, but also as if you are a part of something greater than yourself. It was almost as if, while gazing down on them, I could actually feel the 200-million-or-so years the mountains had been standing there.

After lingering in the tower for some time, I was burning daylight and still had to hike from the trailhead to my campsite nearly three miles away at Double Spring Gap. Given the terrain, I wasn’t entirely sure how long that would take me. Around four o’clock, I took my first steps onto the Appalachian Trail (AT).

It took me just over two hours to reach campsite #107, partly because my pack was weighed down with three liters of water and partly because I repeatedly stopped to take pictures, unable to tear myself away from each and every enrapturing view. 

Some might think it cliche somehow, hiking with phone in-hand, but the desire to share the beauty I witnessed is anything but.

There were cliff-like lookout points which gave way to the mountains beyond and valleys below. 

There were green and gnarled and fallen trees, which remained with upturned roots jutting out from the earth like moss-covered ruins.

Once, I set my foot down next to the footprint of a Black Bear. 

Later, I had to move through a section of the trail which was swarmed by honey bees. In some portions, the trail narrows down to a path no wider than a foot, and stepping off to the left or to the right means a nasty spill down the mountain.  In these areas, it is sometimes impossible to not cross through an active swarm.  

Despite my attempts to disturb the bees as little as possible, I still managed to receive a painful sting to my right upper-arm for coming too close.  Luckily, I’m not allergic to bees, and even this pain did not take away my appreciation for the place I found myself in.

The emotions this place inspired in me reminded me strikingly of my home – or rather, the place I feel most at home – in the C&O Canal of Maryland and Great Falls of Virginia.

In my awe at what I saw along the way, I forgot how tired my body was from hauling my overstuffed pack. Even after routinely consuming water and bananas for energy, I felt myself growing weaker about a mile or two in. My legs became somewhat shaky, so I had to make an even more conscious effort to be careful.

“Easy does it,” I told myself, “…slow and steady.”

As I approached Double Spring Gap, I heard masculine voices ahead and felt an unexpected knot form in my stomach. 

My head flooded, echoing with the voices of every person along the way who'd felt the need to ask, "But, aren't you scared of...(insert here)?" In my uneasiness, I reached to my waist and grabbed my SABRE pepper spray. An SOS fold-out blade and an emergency whistle rested in the same pocket, attached by a simple keychain. 

My body was frozen and it was only the pain of the growing knot that made me realize this. Without really meaning to, I leaned behind a tree, peeking out as the voices grew closer. I hated myself in that moment, hated the fear that gripped me and constricted my breathing.

Realizing (first) that I was hiding and (second) that I wasn't it doing it very well, I started feeling pretty ridiculous. Just as I stepped back out and onto the path, a figure came into my view. It was a tall young man who looked to be in his twenties, about the same age as me. His reddish-brown hair hung down into his face, and as he moved it out of his eyes, he saw me. We both remained still for a moment, but then he flashed a bright smile and introduced himself. Aaron, I think it was.

The smile caught me off guard. I remember moving my thumb away from the trigger and lowering my hand. But then, I saw the points of his canines and the phrase “wolf in sheep’s clothing” popped into my head. So, I smiled back, but kept my pepper spray in my hand. He noticed this and backed off, apologizing for having scared me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a canister identical to mine.

“My mom made me carry one of those, too.”

This made me laugh and relax a little. 

We began joking back and forth about how the scariest thing on the trail seemed strangely to be other people, rather than Black Bears.

“Yeah, we actually had to evacuate an area on our way up here. There was too much bear activity, so our site was closed down and we had to hike through the night to get to this one.”

At that point, I’d forgotten about the other voices, but the word “we” caught my attention and again I felt that distracting unease. I didn’t mean to ask so bluntly, but the words “Who’s ‘we’?” popped out of my mouth in response. Aaron simply smiled, wiped away a bead of sweat from his face, and gestured back the way he came.

“You’ll see ‘em.”

That didn’t make me feel any better, but I laughed nervously and moved to the side so he could pass, well out of reach. 

After he moved by, I waited until I could no longer hear his footfalls on the path before I stepped back out and continued on. Now, I could hear the other voices more clearly. Again, I hated the knot in my stomach. I also hated the fact that, when the campsite came into view, there were seven or eight other men sitting in and around the shelter.

All at once, they stopped what they were doing and glanced up at me. I froze in place and looked back at them with what I’m sure was a comedic, yet clearly horrified expression. Eventually an older, white-haired gentleman with tortoise shell glasses stood up and broke the silence. He greeted me with a smile, then pointed further down the path.

“There’s the bear cables. Over there’s the water. And, down that way’s the privy.”

The other men still watched us quietly, but slowly reanimated as I thanked him and continued on down the path. Admittedly, the time I then spent securing my bear bag was invested mostly in trying to determine if I should (a) hike back out of the trail and sleep in my car, (b) pitch my tent somewhere in the woods, or © stick it out in the shelter.

The shelter, of course, was my only realistic option. At 6:30 PM, the sky was already beginning to dim slightly, dropping the temperature with it. I was worn out and in no condition to continue hiking, and certainly not in the dark. Not only that, but I soon realized that I had misinterpreted the park’s rules concerning backcountry camping. Tenting, I was soon informed, is not allowed in the wilderness because it disturbs the natural habitat. This makes perfect sense but, in my preparation, I had made an oversight and now found myself sleeping in an open-air, three-walled shelter with a large group of men whose intentions were foreign to me.

It seems to me now that my uneasiness must have been clear. When I returned to the shelter after hanging my belongings up on the cable system, the group of six young men were removing all of their belongings from the shelter and relocating to an unestablished site further into the woods. That, or it could have been because the group had experienced some friction with the other three hikers, as I later found out.

This trio, I came to know as the Stuarts -- a self-identified “family of Boy Scouts.” The older man who had greeted me previously called himself “Tortoise,” then introduced his oldest son, “Land Nav,” and his youngest son, “Trick Knee.” Each nickname was based on some significant characteristic the men possessed. Like so many other hikers I had met so far, they spent the next couple of hours allowing me to pick their brains over gear, hiking spots, water safety, and AT etiquette.

Around nine o’clock, we all turned in for the night. My head was pounding with a migraine and when the sun set fully, I realized how woefully unprepared I was for the following temperature drop. What had been a sunny day of 85F became a frigid, damp night of 44F. In trying to preserve space for my water, I’d opted for a thick wool blanket over my sleeping bag, but it was nowhere near enough. As a result, I slept for only a scattered thirty minutes or so throughout the night, just shivering and waiting and praying for the sun to rise and warmth to return. A team of field mice scampered unceremoniously overhead, preventing any chance of sleep as they scouted from rafter to rafter, searching for a way to infiltrate what little supplies were not already hung on the bear cables.

To further prevent any chance I might’ve had at sleep or warmth, a thick fog rolled in near six o’clock in the morning, bringing with it only more of the damp cold.

At first, I was going to wait until late morning to see if the temperature might warm up a bit, but near eight o’clock, the rain started. At first, it fell as a sprinkle, but soon the light pellets became thick, round globs. 

Around this same time, the Stuart contingent woke and packed up. Less than an hour later, they began moving toward our shared exit point at Clingman’s Dome, but first made sure to fill my water bladder from their own with what they had collected and filtered from the nearby spring.

Out of pride, not wanting them to hear me huff and puff my way back up the mountain, I decided to wait half an hour before heading out myself. By this time, the group of young men had trickled back into the campsite and begun preparing their breakfast.

As I looked out from my place huddled in the corner, the mist was so thick I could hardly see the edges of the shelter where they sat, eating. The sun had now risen, but brought with it only a slight relief, more light than heat. Even with three layers of clothing, including long johns and a beanie, I trudged to the latrine with the wool blanket wrapped tightly around my shoulders.

Now that the Stuarts were gone, the heavy footfalls headed toward me in the secluded, open-air outhouse again gave me pause. I cleared my throat loudly to make it known that the privy was occupied and the steps trailed to a stop, then trodded off in another direction.

When I was leaving the latrine and headed back toward the shelter, I felt silly for being afraid of someone who was simply trying to go to the bathroom…that is, until I heard voices echoing from the site. I knew they were there, of course, but this time I could make out what they were saying. They were talking about me.

“Do you know where she went?”

“I think down that way, but her stuff is here.”

“She’s by herself, right?”

When I say that my heart stopped, I could almost swear it really happened. My mouth suddenly went dry and there was a sour, metallic taste…like blood. The knot twisted fiercely inside me and, for a moment, I felt sick. A million non-thoughts raced through my head and I felt my fingers tremble with adrenaline as they reached to my pocket, searching numbly for the keychain connecting my spray, whistle, and knife. With a lurch in my stomach, I realized it was back at the campsite. I’d have to walk past them to get it. This all occurred in a matter of seconds.

Just as quickly, my fears were abated.

“Man, can you believe that? I’d never do this alone…would you?”

His question was greeted with a staggered but enthusiastic chorus of “Hell, no!” I forced myself to take a deep breath, and as I exhaled the breath turned into a slight chuckle, at all of our expense.

As I stepped out of the path and back into the campsite, one of the men looked up at me and smiled warmly. Even though each person I’d encountered had been nice to me so far, this look was even more disarming than the last. In the same moment, an unexpected streak of sunlight cut through the fog and the trees and painted itself across his face, causing his dark eyes to glow a deep, honey color. I smiled back at him but kept my distance as I walked over to my sleeping bag. Grabbing my keychain, I began heading down the path toward the bear cables.

“There’s more than just people in the wilderness,” I reminded myself mockingly.

But then, I heard someone rise from the table and the crunching of footsteps on the stone-covered path. He had followed me, and I felt more aware of his presence behind me than of my own. I made a point not to look back over my shoulder at him, but my heart beat faster with each step, blood pounding painfully loud in my ears. When I reached my bag, I spun quickly around, careful not to leave my back unprotected. I made sure he saw my keychain clearly within reach. I hated the fact that it felt necessary to do so.

“Do you need a hand with that?”

Looking up at him from where I had knelt on the ground while working to untangle my bags from the hook, I saw that the ray of sunlight highlighting his eyes had followed him somehow and I caught myself struck once more by the kindness they seemed to exude. It’s hard to describe, but there was something about the youthfulness of his face in the changing light...even under  a few days’ worth of five o’clock shadow. His face communicated a feeling of innocent curiosity - a hint of playfulness. 

He seemed, in many ways, more like a boy than a man, and this made him feel like less of a threat.

“Yes, please,” I said, “if you don’t mind.”

He took hold of the cable and hoisted my bags into the air so I could root through them without having to rest on the damp ground. At one point, my cable became tangled with another and we were both too short to reach. He had to call over one of his taller friends to help us out, and we spent several minutes laughing at ourselves. 

When he laughed, he looked like the sort of person who’d be nice to come home to, the sort of person who would be missed if they didn’t come home.

“I’m Laurel, by the way,” I said, extending my hand, “Or, Lo’. Either one is fine.”

“Laurel?,” he asked, reaching out his hand to take mine, “That’s a pretty name. I’m Bennett.”

[sin-n-city]

Ignited: Nova

Ignited Chapter 2- Nova

Pairing: Dan Howell/ Phil Lester and PJ Liguori/ Chris Kendall

Rating: M

Warnings: Swearing and eventual fluff/smutt

Word Count: 5,849 (whoops)

Summary: AU superpowers. The lights has been there for as long as Dan can remember. It’s apart of him and he can’t help but love the light. But sometimes the burning and itching under his skin won’t leave until it shines bright and illuminates the sky.

Dan’s life changes forever when he is trust into a world of magic and mystery inside the walls of the Nova Institute for the Exceptionally Gifted and Talented. Dan Howell/Phil Lester, PJ Liguori/ Chris Kendall.

Notes: It took so much willpower for me not to call this chapter “You’re a Nova, Daniel.”  

Link to Chapter 1: Lumos

It’s ridiculously green. Every mile the car moves, more and more trees seem to appear, and Dan supposes he understands the need for secrecy, the need to hide, but he hadn’t even realized there was any place like this left in the world. The only explanation his mind can even come up with for something as massive as this is someone from the school keeping the forest growing, maybe even hidden from the rest of the world, and the thought of it kind of terrifies him.

There’s an entire world out here that Dan didn’t even know he was a part of, and now he’s being indoctrinated into it in the scariest and most insane way possible - by literally being dragged out into the middle of nowhere. Somehow, he’s the only one concerned about this.

“Are you excited, honey?” his mum asks, and Dan can hear the excitement clear in her voice. He knows, given the chance, she would live on campus with him for his entire term at the Nova Institute, just to witness all the incredible things they both know they’re about to be introduced too.

“I guess so,” he replies, though if he’s honest, he’s really not sure. He’s happy to have the chance to gain control over his abilities, which only seem to have increased in tenacity throughout the years, and he’s happy to get away from the all consuming, suffocating mass of his parents obsession over his powers, but he’s also terrified, because he knows that, once he’s on campus, he’ll be expected to use his powers, and that is really not something he wants to do.

Only part of it has to do with how many times his parents have told him he has to be careful, to avoid anyone seeing him, though. He’s dangerous. This thing he can do with the light is terrifying, and it wouldn’t be the first time he’d hurt someone if something went wrong at this new school.

“Don’t be like that, honey, I’m sure it’s going to be great!” his mum says, her voice cheery. Frankly, Dan wishes she could attend in his place. Maybe there was someone on campus who could transfer his powers, and then he might feel safe.

“I’m just nervous, mum,” he reassures her. He doesn’t turn away from the window, staring blankly at the tree’s as they blur past him instead.

“You’re going to do great. I’ll visit you every second weekend -” as he’d known she would, “and I’m sure you’re going to progress really well. There are so many teachers and students there who will help you, I’m sure. Before you know it, you’ll have mastered every aspect of this crazy thing you can do,” she promises. Dan can practically feel her grin piercing into the back of his head.

“Yeah, you’re right,” he agrees, but he’s not so sure he believes her.

--

It’s a whirlwind, the minute they reach the campus. The school is huge, dark, and looming - practically a castle. It looks expensive, almost exactly like what a high class ‘specialist’ school would look like. The kind of ones you see on the TV that you don’t think was actually possible.

The Nova school however, exceeds those expectations.

Dan doesn’t have much time to take it in, though, as he finds himself being greeted by some sort of escort not three minutes after he’s climbed out of the car. His mother beside him is over joyed, beaming everywhere she looks. Nerves are pulsating through Dan, because while this is somewhat amazing, it’s also terrifying.

“Daniel I presume?” A lady greets him as he enters. Dan can only assume he’s in the foyer. It’s huge, complete with a large reception area - a desk surrounded by glass windows.

“Yeah,” Dan confirms. His mother on the other hand, holds out her hand in greeting.

“I’m Carol Howell.”

“Excellent, lovely to meet you both!” The receptionist replies, smiling widely. She’s not too old. Infact, she doesn’t look much older then someone in their mid 20’s, and it makes Dan wonder, is she like him? Does she have an ability to? “I’m Vanessa Evans. Welcome to the Nova Institute for the Exceptionally Gifted.”

She shuffles over to her desk momentarily, pulling out a few forms.

“We just have a few documents we need you to sign Mrs. Howell. And while that’s underway, we’ll go ahead and get going with Daniel's tour and show him to his new room. We’ll have someone take your bags from the car shortly.”

His mother nods, taking the paperwork easily, though she looks a little put out that she won’t be going on the tour with Dan. The expression on her face informs him that he’ll be grilled about everything later, and he suppresses a loud sigh. Dan’s mum wishes him well, promising him that they’ll see each other soon, and then Dan is whirled away through an abundance of corridors and wide open spaces.

“You’ve actually had excellent timing. We have a new student starting today also. He should just be waiting in the main hall.”

Dan’s mind reels, there's a main corridor? As opposed to the hundred he feels like they just walked through? Dan’s never been good with directions, and by the sounds of it, this place is one giant maze.

Eventually, they turn down a hall much grandeur than the last few one’s they’ve traversed through, and Dan realizes they’d taken his mother and him through a side entrance of the school, as opposed to the front, as he’d expected. It only takes one glance around the new hall for Dan to understand why - when people come looking, wondering what the hell this place is, the teachers probably don’t want them to see the artifacts and strange looking statues surrounding the hall.

There’s something much more magical about this area of the school, and it suddenly hits Dan that he’s really here. The receptionist, or whoever she is, very well could be just like Dan, or she might not be, but there’s not doubt about where he is any longer.

He’s in a school full of people nearly as strange as he is.

The main hall is long, and Vanessa takes it at a brisk walk while Dan glances around him, taking in the way the school seems to make his skin prickle in a way different than his own powers do, but similar at the same time. It’s not until he finally glances forwards that he realizes the student Vanessa had mentioned before was already standing in the middle of the hall.

Dan’s eyebrows raise. The other student is pale, and he’s ruffling his brown hair, waiting somewhat awkwardly in the middle of the room.

“Christopher Kendall, meet Daniel Howell.” Vanessa greets as they finally meet up with him in the middle of the room. Vanessa’s smiling just as warmly as before at them both, and somehow, it seems to put Dan at ease. Chris just gives a short sort of wave, and Dan lets out a small breath, completely grateful that there is someone else just starting. At least he won’t be the only new kid.

“Alright, well. It seems the professor is running a little late. He was meant to meet us here, but there’s no sign of him just yet. He’ll be the one to take you on your tour, get you situated, and let you know all that you need to know. In the meantime, I’ve really got to go. There’s much to get organized now that we’ve got two new arrivals, and I’ll need to get your schedules printed. If you don’t mind waiting here, he shouldn’t be too long,” she explains, her smile sympathetic as she gives a little wave and turns on her heel to leave. Her footsteps are just as brisk as before, and before they know it, she’s gone.

Dan can feel his abilities beginning to prickle under his skin now that they’re alone, fear and nerves fueling the small fire just under his skin. He wills himself to calm down a bit, but it’s hard when he’s never been in a situation like this.

“So,” Chris states suddenly from right next to him. Dan jumps. Chris's voice has a northern ring to it, which isn’t anywhere close to where they are. It sounds like he might have come a long way to be here. Maybe he has more reason to be nervous then Dan does.

“What’s your ability?”

For a moment, Dan just stares at him, half in surprise, half in offense. He’s never been asked that before, because no one is supposed to know, and yet here he is in a school designed for individuals with abilities, unsure how to respond. Are you even supposed to ask that? He doesn’t know

“I, uh-” he mutters, sputtering a little bit at his at a loss for words. “I can, create light- sort of. It’s complicated,” he tries to explain, his voice low and probably difficult to understand. Dan knows he’s mumbling, but talking about his powers makes him feel vulnerable. He half expects Chris to demand Dan show him, and he doesn’t want to.

He’ll never forget what he did to those kids, back when they all thought it was just fun and games.

Chris looks at him. “Create light- sort of?”

Dan freezes, because the voice that just came out of Chris’ mouth is, in fact his own.

“Are you...you can repeat people? I mean, like what they say?”

Dan suddenly finds himself grinning slightly. Because okay, yeah, that is kind of cool.

“Mimicry,” Chris clarifies. “I used to ace drama class.”

He doesn't get time to respond, because the professor finally enters the hall then, and to Dan’s surprise, he’s actually one of the guys he’s met before.

“Nice to see you again, Daniel, and you too Chris,” he greets. The sound of his voice is surprising, because he didn’t actually say anything last time they met, and Dan feels a little intimidated, because he’s even more authoritative than his partner had been.

His words register after a moment, and he bites his lip. He doesn’t actually know how the professor had managed to meet them both when they’d just arrived at the academy on the same day, and he’s left to assume Chris might have taken a little longer to get here, but then again, he doesn’t know what power this guy has.

“First and foremost, my names Tobias, but the students here generally call me professor T,” the professor states. “Usually we do a tour of the school first. However, I’ve noticed on your schedules that you’re in the same practical class. I thought it would be good for you to watch some of your fellow students first, and maybe get acquainted.”

Swallowing, Dan’s sure his heart skips a beat. He nervously glances at Chris out of the corner of his eye. He can’t read his expression, but Dan’s willing to bet he’s just as nervous as Dan when he starts to subconsciously fidget with his fringe again. He follows alongside Chris and Professor T, though, once they start moving, and keeps his eyes on his surroundings.

They wander through more hallways, until they’re kind of outside.

They pass what Dan assumes is the Classroom area of the school, which seems to be divided via a huge courtyard, and that’s when Professor T begins talking.

“School life here won’t be that much different from what you’re accustomed too. From 8:30 to 2, you’ll attend classes the same as you always have. You’ll continue where you left off in your year, learning maths, English, and science. The biggest difference you’ll find in your morning curriculum will come from history, where you’ll learn where you came from, and what you are. We are what we would call the Nova generation, but I’ll let your history professor get you caught up on all of that,” he explains, voice loud in the courtyard. There are no students about, which confuses Dan.

It’s already a quarter past 3. Shouldn’t there be students milling about?

“There’s no Physical Education, however. Instead, at 2:30 sharp, you’ll attend your Practicals. That’s where we’re headed now. Practicals will be where you use your powers in a safe environment in order to learn control and understand your full abilities. The facility and administration at the Nova Institute have split up the students into notable groups composed of each different type of power. Every group contains as much of a variety as possible. This is done to prevent competition, and to help you focus on your own growth, rather than watching someone with a similar power outstrip you,” Professor T explains. Dan glances at Chris, realizing suddenly that it is a bit strange that he will be taking a class where he’s meant to use and explore his powers with someone whose power is a far cry from his own.

“However, there is more to it than that. You will find, as you grow older, that not all Nova are good, and their abilities match that. By exposing you to as many types of powers as possible, we hope to give you the best chance possible to defend yourselves.. knowing and understanding the kinds of abilities that a Nova can have will help you to best judge a situation and by therefore expect what your opponent might be capable of, and, consequently, how to defend yourselves, and potentially others, against them.”

The very thought of having to defend himself against another human being terrifies Dan, and he suddenly wishes he could just go home. He nearly stops moving altogether, except Professor T has began to walk faster, almost as if he’s forcing Dan and Chris not to dwell on what he’s said in favor of keeping up with him. Dan doesn’t doubt that’s exactly what he’s trying to do, and stretches his legs out longer to keep up.

“You’ve actually come on the perfect day. Friday’s are for sparring. What you’re about to see is your first proper introduction to the world you were born into. I hope you’re ready,” the man summaries, and suddenly, they’re entering an underground tunnel that Dan had most definitely not seen coming.

He gasps as he’s suddenly enveloped by cold air, and shivers, glancing around him as the environment shifts from one of a very elite castle-based school, to something much more grungy and earthy.

The further they walk, the more the tunnel opens up, until they’re standing in a walkway very similar to the halls of the school, wide enough for large groups of students to pass through easily. The air becomes a little less chilly, a little less foreboding, and then they’re stood in a very large room not unlike the huge main hallway that Dan has a feeling is directly above them.

How much more of this school is there that Dan doesn’t know exists? It feels like there are more secrets here than can ever be revealed. Rather than exciting him, this only fills Dan with more anxiety.

Tobias turns to them.

“This is the main entrance. Just as there’s the main hall in the main school above us, there is a main hallway and entrance down here. There are multiple entrances to the practicals room, as it’s nearly as large as the school above, and each entrance is used by different students, depending on their needs. Just as you’ll find out later, there are maps placed in every room to help you navigate to where you need to go. Your practicals group is in room number B84, down the East Corridor. We’ll need to be fast if we want to catch any of the actual sparring before your classmates leave.”

And then they’re off again. Dan can see that Chris is just as overwhelmed as Dan is by all of this new information being thrown at him, and it helps to calm him a bit, frightened as he is. They turn down another few hallways, Dan watching as they go past room after room, placards hanging next to doors to tell them where they are. Every fifteen feet or so, Dan’s not sure, he see’s a map, clearing indicating where they are, and where they’re headed. Exit’s are highlighted with neon green letters, just like any other building, but Dan has no idea what’s powering them, as they don’t actually appear to be connected to anything. It’s almost as if the letters are just floating there, in mid-air.

He looks away, choosing instead to turn his focus back to Professor T. He’s afraid if he thinks about things too hard, he’ll fall apart.

Eventually, Professor T stops in front of a large grey door, different in size and material than any of the others. There’s no sound on the other side, but Dan knows this is where they were headed. He gulps, feeling his powers burn at the tips of his fingers again. He thinks he sees a flash of light burst from one of them, so he curls his fingers into a fist, and waits.

“I want you to not be afraid, now. My gift is basically a shield. It’s the reason that I give the tours. When we enter that room, nothing will be able to hit you, or hurt you. Just stay close to me, and you’ll be fine,” Professor T forewarns them, and then he’s grinning for the first time, a kind of excitement lighting up his eyes that gets Dan a little more fired up. He and Chris scoot in closer to him, Dan curling his fingers in tighter to his fist.

“Okay,” they both agree, nodding in understanding, and then Professor T is swinging the large door open, and the hallway erupts with the sound of clashing elements and steel. Dan’s head is whirring. He feels like he’s on autopilot as he trails after Professor T, the door falling shut behind them. Dan doesn’t hear when it clangs.

All he can hear is the woosh of fire, and his eyes catch on to it immediately as it erupts skywards, lighting up the room from within. Something smothers the flames abruptly, and Dan hears someone shouting at someone else to be careful. As his eyes attempt to scan around the room, he quickly notices four adults dressed in hazard orange, their eyes carefully trained on the large room full of close to twenty students.

They’re like lifeguards, Dan realizes, as another one shoots their palms out, abruptly preventing a large green plant looking creature from swallowing another student. Dan watches as the plant disperses in a folly of leaves, covering the student instead.

His jaw drops open, and his eyes swing back and forth over the students in the room. Plenty of them are fighting with offensive skills, shooting flurries of fire, and ice, and water alike at each other, while others seem to be fighting with something a little less obvious.

A girl and boy close to the door Professor T had led them in through are staring each other down, and from time to time, Dan can see the girl flinching away from the boy, casting her hands out as if to prevent him from doing something unseen.

Dan flinches at the very idea of not being able to see what he’s up against, and his eyes swivel away.

There’s a boy fighting with nails that look like steal, grown six feet long, and swinging out like swords. The boy he’s up against has blades made out of a substance Dan doesn’t understand, but he knows the weapons are something he created, because in seconds, they’ve morphed from katanas, to throwing knives.

Beside him, Chris knocks into him, and Dan looks over only to see a giant fireball disintegrating into nothing about three feet away from where Chris had previously been standing.

He looks up, and realizes that it’s raining, a mass of storm clouds and loud, angry thunder rolling through the sky. Lightning strikes them, but it never gets within a few inches of their heads before it’s gone too.

Dan can’t say the guy they’re just passing is as lucky as them, though one of the lifeguards seems to have stunned him. When the lightning hits, he doesn’t get shocked. Instead, there’s a look of bliss written clear across his face.

As another unseen danger passes right over them, hitting like a blow of wind into another student's chest, Dan realizes that Professor T’s shield is kind of like a dome surrounding them, preventing anything from getting within three feet of him in any direction. So long as Dan and Chris stay within those boundaries, nothing can hurt them. Dan’s grows a little more bold at that, unable to help his curiosity. His own powers seem to be reacting to the one’s shooting off around him, because he can feel the careful burn of them zapping between his fingertips, itching to come out and play.

He hesitates as Professor T leads them towards the far end of the room, where a teacher is helping guide a smaller group of students. He doesn’t want to get dragged into this whole mess. He’d hoped they were just hear to observe.

As they get closer and closer to the teacher, Dan starts to realize that the chaos they’d just passed through had been relegated to the middle of the room - a kind of stadium looking thing he only now get’s a proper look at because he’s moved through it. There are raised areas, and portions of rural terrain. The floor looks hard, but it bounces each time Dan witnesses a student fall, as if it knows when to soften and open up to avoid anyone getting hurt.

“How can so little Professors keep track of everything that’s going on?” Chris pipes up from beside him, and Dan realizes his concern as he watches a student get blown back by a suffocating looking wave. They both hold their breath as Professor T turns to take a look.

The girls comes out unscathed. She doesn’t even appear to have been affected.

“Just as the teachers are here to prevent injuries, so is the room itself. It was created by another Nova when the school opened, as were all the other rooms in the underground, and kept up by the teachers with the same abilities as the original Nova who created it. That Nova’s abilities allow the room to protect any person inside of it. Any potentially dangerous blow that a teacher misses, the room usually catches. The teachers are here as an extra measure, though the defenses have yet to actually fall,” Professor T explains. Dan watches awestruck as he starts to see the pulses of power Professor T had been talking about.

The walls seem to breathe, and even the ceiling appears to be keeping careful control over the storm brewing over head.

Dan turns back around to the group they’d been approaching, and that’s when he see’s him.

There’s a boy clearly his own age, surprisingly matching him in height, stood concentrating on another student across at the far wall, his black hair hypnotizingly dark from across the way. Dan can’t move his gaze away from him as they draw closer.

There’s beads of sweat pressed to his pale forehead, plastering the fringe remarkably similar to Dan’s own, to his skin, but it’s less gross, and more intriguing as Dan tries to understand what he’s doing. His hands are clenched at his sides, and his concentration is so intense, Dan can see the veins and muscles in his arms rippling with tension. The boy across from him is starring less intensely, appearing to strain, but not nearly as strongly as the first boy.

It’s as they get closer that Dan realizes the first boy is panting, his face burgundy red as he holds out against whatever foe he’s facing.

But as intriguing as the scene is, that’s not the reason Dan’s staring. Dan’s staring because the boy is attractive, insanely so, even as he works to hold out against his foe. Even sweat stained as if he’s been working out, even red and flushed, Dan still finds him attractive, and that’s...that’s a problem.

Well, it doesn’t have to be a problem, but Dan can already feel the burn in his fingertips changing from aggressive to warm. He recognizes that feeling, and he doesn’t like it.

For longer than Dan can remember, he’s kept himself isolated, and he doesn’t want to ruin that on some ridiculous attraction he feels to a stranger in his practicals class.

He isn’t here to make friends, let alone get in a relationship. He’s here to master his powers, and that’s it.

He manages to drag his gaze away just as the boy appears to give in, his entire body relaxing as he breathes out a long breath of air.

The last thing Dan sees are piercing blue eyes, as cold as they are warm, and as hypnotizing as the darkness of his hair.

“Professor L!” Professor T shouts. Dan and Chris share an amused look. Is every teacher here named after a single letter?

Professor L turns around and grins at them, her smile affectionate as she appears to look straight through Professor T and down at Dan and Chris instead.

“I’ve brought you your new recruits,” Professor T teases, winking at Dan and Chris behind him.

“You’ve led them right through the center of the battlefield, I see,” Professor L teases right back, beckoning them over to her. Professor T comes with them, but he moves behind them protectively, and Dan assumes it’s to continue keeping them shielded.

“It’s nice to meet you…?” Professor L says, drawing the sentence out and waiting for Dan and Chris to speak up.

They both introduce themselves, Chris a lot less shy than Dan. Professor L appears to notice his reservedness, and a voice suddenly echoes in his head.

“I understand your fear, Daniel Howell, but there is nothing to fear, here. We are all the same. No one is looking down on you.”

Dan startles, but he’s never given a chance to reply in any capacity, as Professor L launches into a clearly prepared speech where she gives a quick run down of what their week will look. Each day of Practicals appears to entail something different, with Friday's reserved for sparring, and Thursdays reserved for smaller group time with professors whose talents coincide more closely to students with similar powers. The rest is more a blurr that Professor L promises is all written down for them in the packets waiting for them in their rooms.

Apparently, there's an entire history lesson, and a school lesson awaiting them for the weekend. Dan can’t imagine having arrived on any other day of the week, with how much new information feels like it’s being thrown at them.

There are rules, apparently for both school, and Practicals specifically.

Dan’s reminded again that they’ve just been thrown into an entirely new world.

--

The tour of the school follows immediately, but it’s a quick one. As Professor T puts it, the school is much too large to get through in one day, and so they’re brought to each major zone in quick succession.

Every part of the school is actually sectioned off into different areas, though it appears as one huge castle to any outside viewer.

There’s the dorms in the north-west wing, common areas as well as the dining hall in the south-west wing directly below the dorms where the students not only eat, but hang out, and the classrooms in the entire east-wing. Directly under the school is the practicals - the only safe area of the school for actual proper practice of any and all gifts.

The “hospital wing” as Professor T puts it, is in the north-east wing of the school, in direct path of the more dangerous areas of the underground part of the school, but also easily accessible enough for students in any other area of the school.

Dan shudders at the very thought of ever having to visit there, and puts it out of his mind as Professor T explains that the underground was originally created with much bigger intentions than it was currently being used for. The endless corridors and hallways of rooms were meant for students with different gifts to get the proper training, but they were hardly ever used at this point. There just weren’t enough teacher and students combined to use up most of the rooms, and even then, most of the teachers weren’t even sure how to get into the training rooms to use them anyway.

The rooms they use for Practicals had been created much later, and are easy to enter for the students these days. Some of the other rooms are accessible as well, and are used for one on one training on Thursdays, but other than that, the underground is a labyrinth only navigable by the maps spread out through the halls, and the exit signs that led the students back up to the classrooms and dorms above.

The easy explanation makes Dan more nervous, unsure how the teachers aren’t more concerned about the rooms they can’t get into, but he puts it out of his mind as Professor T finally drags them away from the classrooms, and consequently all mentions of the underground, and to the common area’s instead.

Dan’s surprised to find so many rooms filled with TV’s, game systems, and even a pool tables. According to Professor T, some of the students with ice powers paint the lake outside with ice so they can ice skate, especially during the winter, while other students help their classmates breathe underwater so they can become a little more acquainted with the lake life.

Dan’s unsure what the rules about gifts are, but when he tries to ask, Professor T promises him it’s all in the paper work in his dorm room, to read later, when he has more time to absorb it all properly.

Dan doesn’t argue. Instead, he follows Professor T through the common rooms, just now filling up with students, and stares with wide eyes at all the comfy arm chairs and couches, the library full of bookcases, and the room entirely devoted to billards, ping pong, and even old school arcade games. It seems like the common rooms never end, but each one is mostly equipped with the same things. Just off the library are study rooms, and Dan can already see them filling up, despite it being a Friday afternoon.

He knows he’ll be joining the ranks of these students soon, if only to keep himself focused and cut off from making awkward friendships that he’ll never be able to let last.

He shudders at the very thought of getting close enough to someone to hurt them again.

Finally, Professor T ends the tour with the promise to bring them up to their dorm rooms before he goes.

“Luckily, you’ll be right next door to each other!” Professor T explains as he leads them up a large staircase into the north-west wing of the school. “Unfortunately, we never room new students together, so you’ll be with what you might call ‘upper classmen.’ They’re the same year as you in terms of school, but they’re more practiced with their abilities than you are, and have been at the school long enough that they’ll be able to help you settle in and understand the basics,” he explained. Immediately, Dan’s heart dropped.

He’d been under the impression the dorms would be single rooms, not shared accommodation. That made staying away from other students more difficult, but not impossible.

Dan’s roommate was just going to have to deal with having Dan, the anti-social twat, sharing in his living space. He could only hope the dorms weren’t tiny, cramped things that forced them to intrude into each other’s personal space constantly, when all Dan really wanted was to study, and play games quietly and on his own on his laptop when he wasn’t focusing on mastering control over the light he could call forth.

Dan turns his attention back to following Professor T as he walks, as he needs to know how to get back to his room, but it’s difficult when he’s trying to imagine what his new roommate is going to be like.

“Phil and PJ, your new roommates, are two of the students that are currently rooming alone, so it might take a little getting used to, but I’m sure you’ll fit together seamlessly as you work out how to make enough space for the two of you. They’ll be your guides on your first day, as well, and get you as situated as possible, so don’t be intimidated. They’ve been through the process themselves before.”

Finally, they arrive in front of two doors nearly side by side, and Dan jolts as he realizes that his name is written under a plaque right next to the door, as is his roommate's name, and Chris and his roommate on the door one over.

They gulp as they glance at each other, nerves renewed, and Dan turns back to Professor T.

“Well, that’s the end of your tour! Your parents have already been released, now that the paperwork has been filled in, and your schedules, as well as a guidebook and a short history lesson are on your beds. You’ll want to read everything provided to you to the best of your ability, and if you have any questions - well, there’s plenty of students and faculty around to ask.”

With that, Professor T is gone, and Dan and Chris are left to face their new roommates alone. They glance at each other again, giving each other awkward smiles. Chris waves at Dan, and then he takes a deep breathe, and unlocks the door with a press of his palm to the glass next to, just under the plaque with their names.

The door opens, and Chris walks through, gone.

For a moment, Dan just stands there, thinking about how his mum was supposed to see him off and eat dinner with him and force every tiny detail about the school out of him, but she’s not here. Dan’s relieved, if he’s honest, but also terrified, because now he has to walk into a stranger's room all alone and meet the person he’ll be living with for the rest of the year all alone.

Taking a huge breath of his own to fill himself with a little bit of confidence, Dan marches up to the door, and does the same.

The sight he’s greeted with is definitely not the one he’s ready for.

“Hey. I’m Phil Lester, and you must be Daniel Howell. It’s really good to meet you!”

Phil Lester, as it turns out, is Mr. Attractive from Dan’s Practicals class, with the hypnotizing blues eyes that are even more so up close.

--

Link to Chapter 3: Transpire

[5hfanfiction]

PURAH

Chapter 10 

It’s been so long since I last update, so here’s the summary of the story

“The scariest monster are the ones that lurk within our souls.” Everyone thinks it’s a metaphor but to Camila, it’s not. (Camren AU) the story basically inspire by book let the right one in/let me in and jennifer’s body movie. But of course with a different story line.

Writer’s POV 

The sun was half way of showing, the cold chilly twilight had been replace to warm enticing morning in the small town. Faintly birds chirping, lapse after lapse of dark blue turns to bright blue ocean sky. The pavement they walked was surrounded by green grass covered in dew. Lauren’s face was cramping because of the nonstop smiling.

“Do you know why I rather walk?” Camila break the silence. 

“Because you’re tired of sitting?” Camila rolled her eyes at sarcastic statement.

“Yes, I’ve told you that. But I mean, there are other reasons.”

“What is it then?” Lauren asked not taking her eyes off the fresh morning sight surround them.

“It’s unrefined. Like all the things around us, morning dew on leaves, cold fresh breeze, warm sunrise, quite, tranquil atmosphere..” Camila stop herself to inhale and exhale the fresh air, and continue to speak. “The smell of new day. It’s just seems lovely and sad." 

"Why sad?”

“It’s getting under appreciate. Like tuna sandwich." 

Lauren giggle when she use the reference of her favorite food. 

"What? It’s true.” she defend. “Morning walk is so under appreciate, people tend to just skip their mornings, lazy around in bed like a potato.” Lauren laugh at the last part. 

 "And it’s a nice feeling to know someone who doesn’t follow the big crowd, yet choose their own inclination, even when no one wants it. It really show that this person knows what they want. It’s a nice feeling to know you.“ she explain.

Lauren cheeks were red at the indirect compliment. "Yeah, it’s nice to have known you.” Lauren compliment back. And this time Camila smiled back with the same colored cheeks. Lauren looked down to their feet, afraid she’ll more tomatoes with these stupid assumptions in her head. But then she realize how muddy Camila’s sneakers is.

“Why are your shoes so muddy?” Lauren asked.

Camila looked down, and her face turned shocked, like she’s been caught doing something. 

“I -  um - It’s - I don’t know honestly, I must’ve forgotten to wash it.” she said with a nervous grin. Lauren sure, she was hiding something. But before she can muster more, Camila change the subject as swiftly as my mom changing mood. 

Lauren’s POV  

“Lo, I’m sorry once again about Dinah. She won’t do anything again like what she did on the cafeteria." 

I was confused of why Camila would always apologize on her best friend behalf, it’s not her fault. It should be Dinah who apologize. 

But instead pointing that out, I denounce Dinah to her.

"Cafeteria huh? what about the one in school hallway?” I pointed out. She stopped walking and turned to me, gaping and gazing me with that mesmerizing brown eyes. 

“She did something to you again did she?” Camila frown as she squeeze my hand in hers.   

“Yes, but it’s alright, I got something in my mind for a bully like her.” I smirk devilishly. Camila frowned in worry.

“You know, revenge or payback won’t get you anywhere.” She advice.

“It’ll give me satisfactory." 

Camila looked ahead seem in deep thought.

"Can I help you then?” I bug my eyes out.

“What?! You’re going to team up with me rather than being with your own best friend?" 

"No, don’t get me wrong, I know she’s been bad to you, and my idea of helping you is not as helping you by planning whatever evil plan you’ve been thinking, but to make her good to you.”

“What do you mean by making her good to me?" 

"I mean there are other way, smarter way, to deal with bully, without using our fist, or some prank, or things that made the problem worsen." 

"What is it?" 

"Kindness.”

I rolled my eyes “Camila, those things won’t work. I’ll get step on again and again." 

"Wanna bet?” I raised my eyebrows at her confidence.

“If I was right, what would I get?” I argue back, Camila seems in deep thought, before she spoke again.

“I’ll let you know the other side of me that no one knows about. But if I’m right….” she trailed off “Promise me you’ll help me conquer my demon.”

“What’s your demon Camz?” because surely since the start I’ve known her, she’s the most flawless person I’ve ever met. 

“I’ll let you know.” Camila said simply.  

I was deep in thought. It was a strange request. I was thinking about Ally’s words about demon that lurks within our soul, when people see it as a metaphor, why do I feel it as literal speaking, when it comes to Camila. 

I definitely need to stop searching peculiar superpower things on the internet when I have no idea what is happening with Camila. 

“Hey.. you zoned out there.” she squeeze my hand again breaking me out of my terrace. 

“I, uh, yeah sorry.”

“So? Are you in?" 

Her bargain was tempting enough for my curiosity. Realize it was my only chance to figure out the night vision, super strength, self recovery, and any secrets she had held, so I’ve made my decision. 

"Deal." 

-

I have no idea what’s in Camila’s head to make Dinah bear with me. Like is she going to made me make friend with her? because that’s entirely impossible. 

As I was wondering in my own thoughts Camila drag me to sit next to her in science anatomy class. Camila used to sit next Dinah, but weirdly this time Dinah sat with Normani, one of the school religious freaks. 

"Lo, try to pay attention to Dinah.” I nod at Camila. And spend the rest of the class watching every Dinah’s movement. A little constant flirty attention from Mr. Whites to Camila didn’t go unnoticed in my eyes either, I decide I will analyze about it later.  

The bell rung, sign of the recesses has began. I was packing my belonging, as Mr whites called Camila to his desk.  I can see the flirty gesture Mr. Whites been doing towards Camila. I rolled my eyes and mumbled “Old pervert.” But what boiled me more is that Camila made no action of resentment. She’s just took it as a playful banter. It almost dawned on me that maybe Camila is a flirty person. But then I remember Camila saying about Mr. Whites was Camila’s favorite teacher, maybe that’s why she didn’t reject him. I brushed  off the thought. After Camila turn around to walk back to me, I force myself to smile. 

“So, what did you notice in Dinah this whole class?” Camila asked as she reached our desk. I started to re-evaluate back on what I caught. 

“She was scratching her head almost all the time, she seems frustrated on whatever she wrote when Mr. Whites lecturing. And what most notice able was, when Mr. Whites pointed her to answer one of the easiest questions on the book, Dinah subtly ask Normani the answer through side nudge.” I explain my observation. 

“So what do you think, she’s been struggling….?”

“She’s struggling her science anatomy lesson?”

“Correct! but not just it, all of her classes Lauren.” I widened my eyes in surprise.

“What? Really? I didn’t notice." 

"This is what I told you before, you need to be more sensitive to your surrounding.” she giggled.

“So what does it has to do to me?”

“She��s envying you.” Camila simply said. “You’re smart in every class, teacher loves you. She wanted to be like you, but she couldn’t.”

I was internally gawking. Dinah the school popular had been envying me? I must’ve been dreaming.

“But why me? you’re smart too Camz." 

"Yes, but I hate to break it down to you, you have this vibe where you don’t share your smartness. She sort of hate that, she thinks that you’re a selfish brat." 

"I’m not selfish, it’s just no body asks for my help, so how can I know that they needed me." 

"I know it’s not your fault, but still it triggered someone.” I groaned as we walked to the cafeteria. 

“So now what? I need to start make friends with her?” I rolled my eyes at my own silly idea.

“Yes! see that wasn’t so hard to came up with the idea.” I groaned again as we picked up our tray and lined up to grab our lunch. I can’t really imagine this idea, me friends with Dinah? what a joke. 

“Fine, but what do I do? I can’t just come up to her like I’m picking up daisies.” Camila chuckled at my rant. 

“Now that’s why you need me for. Come sit with me and Dinah.” I gulped in response. 

I sat next to Camila with Dinah and Normani sitting in front of us, occupy with whatever they’re gossiping.

“Hey guys.” Camila tried to grab their attention. Dinah and Normani turned their heads to Camila with warm welcoming smile, but the curve of their smile turned straight when they look at me. 

“This is Lauren.” Camila introduced me like she didn’t notice their cold expression on me. I just be as polite as possible, respond with a small smile.

“And Lauren these are Dinah and Normani." 

Dinah’s glare was so sharp that it cut through my throat, preventing me to gulp a saliva. Normani was just continue to nibble on her chicken wing, a little oblivious with Dinah inner hatred towards me. 

"Chanco, need to speak with you alone.” Dinah cut the awkward introduction as she got on her feet and walked away. Camila smiled an assurance to me before following  her best friend. My hands are sweaty in anticipation. 

Once Camila and Dinah were out of earshot, I can barely hear what they were talking, but reading their lips movement, I could recall few of their saying. Dinah’s lips mumble something that goes with the line what the hell and I’m not sitting there with her, et cetera. But somehow Camila manage to explain gently with soft expression. 

Seconds flew by, Dinah facial expression seems to relax. Barely. 

Once they were seated again, Dinah smiled at me, with a forceful effort. It seems she’s really can’t stand sitting with me, and about to explode any seconds of my gesture. 

I tried to smile back genuinely of course. 

“So, um, guys since the big test is upcoming till the end of month, and we’re in the same class, how do we say that we have a group study?” Camila suggest brightly.     

“Oh my God, I can’t take it anymore, I need to leave!” Dinah blurted out, loud enough for anyone near our table to hear.

Camila turned her head down and shook her head in disbelief. Normani still munching her chicken pretend nothing had happen. 

It’s going to be a long way reconcile I thought. 

~

We were finally agree to the terms of being civil for the sake of Camila and upcoming test. Dinah on the other was still despise me to hell, indirectly way of course, she’s trying to keep it under Camila’s radar. I on the other hand felt relieved that the public humiliation or the bullying finally stop, I can walk in peace now. But I still need to tutor this bitch, whether she like it or not. 

We stayed in Normani’s house for a group study. Normani was laying on her stomach munching spicy springles as she comparing Camila’s notebook with hers, afraid that she might missed a note during the lecture. Camila was enthralled with Normani’s parent’s collection of books, her finger dust away the rows of (what it seems like) ancient thick books on the living room large bookshelves, while I’m trying to make Dinah understand about how blood vessel work. But with Dinah being Dinah, there’s not much to expect rather than her mockery to me.

“So that’s why jugular veins plays an important part for heart and brain.” I explain calmly. Dinah groaned and keep her eyes away from me, instead she continued playing with one piece of strands of clothing on her. 

“China, pay attention.” said Camila nonchalantly while taking a quick read on a thick black book.   

Dinah sigh defeated. 

“Yeah, yeah, without it we’ll be dead already.” Dinah rolled her eyes, deadpanned. 

“Okay good. Why don’t you write that down with your own conclusion on your notebook? It’ll help you understand more.” I suggest as kindly as I can be. Dinah still look annoyed, but she did it reluctantly.  

“So, do you have any questions regarding blood vessel?” I asked timidly. Dinah narrowed her eyes at me. 

“Is that why vampires always bites the neck of their victim? because it’ll make their victim to die faster? Dinah asked out of nowhere.

"Um…” I can feel the gear of my brain move.

“Ugh Dinah, can we not talk about that here? Respect the Lord.” Normani affirm as she pointed at the cross hanging her living room wall.

“She said I could ask.” Dinah shrugged. 

I never knew anything about mythology like this. I was about to tell her that I don’t know, but by the look of Dinah, it was like she was testing my acknowledge. A smirk from her got me really irritated, so I answer it scientifically.

“Well, yes. Jugular veins is the perfect spot to dispense the vampire venom quickly and suck in the blood vessel, logically thinking, it made sense.” I answered smugly. Dinah has this not-impressed-face.

“That’s still debatable though.” Camila interrupt. Both me and Dinah turned to Camila. 

“Since we know that blood vessel isn’t only pulse in our neck, there are other, like wrist or inside of the elbow. Vampires or any blood lust creatures would take that, to be honest, I mean if I were a blood lust creature, I’d take that other alternatives.” Camila shrugged still flipping pages on the black thick book.

“But it’s just not about the jugular veins. It’s the thrill and desire. That moment where your heart picked up the pace when someone kiss your neck.” Camila said as she fix her eyes on me. I gulped in response. “The victim feel relaxed but the heart keep pounding the blood hard, fury and fast. That’s what makes biting the neck a lot more pleasurable than doing it on wrist or inside elbow. It’s an exotic and satisfying feeling when their prey seems get the same amount excitement” Camila finished.

Three of us were quite, and looking at Camila, trying to digest Camila’s explanation.

Camila cleared her throat few seconds later, broke us from our running minds.

“Uhm, why did you came up with that question DJ?” Camila asked.

“Well, you know how much I love vampire diaries Walz.” Dinah said grinning. 

“You love Ian Somerhalder.” Normani pipped in. 

“Where’s the lie in there?” Dinah chuckled. 

“Who’s Ian Somerhalder?” I asked confused. 

In a blink of an eye, 3 heads look on me like I just grown 3 heads.  

“You are the worst Lauren.” Dinah said shaking her head. 

I rub the behind of my neck and turned down in embarrassment. I really am not a fan of fiction stories. 

~

It was  almost dark when we left Normani’s house. She gave us a ride until it was close enough for us to walk to our houses on our street. 

We didn’t hold hand this time cause Camila was clutching the thick black book that she was earlier examined. She told Normani that she’s interested of the book, and wish that she could borrow it. And Normani let it. Not that I notice that all to well.

“So, it wasn’t so bad after all right?" 

"Well… it could’ve been worst.” I said earned a small giggle from the brunette. 

“But thank you for doing this, Dinah actually really grateful, even though she didn’t show it.” I smiled, knowing that I was appreciated.

“You’re welcome, I’m happy to help you….. and Dinah." 

We both smiled at each other, with our cheeks flushed pink, either because of the chilly night or….. lets not making assumptions. 

We hugged (I shivered when Camila’s lips brushing on my neck) and waved goodbye as we went separates way to our houses. 

As I walk on the porch, I notice a poster. 

I read and it says "LOST PETS” and the picture was Otto and Po. My front door neighbor’s dogs. 

I looked over the house in front of me, and notice, it’s been quiet. Too quiet. It was strange, there’s no way those dogs ran away. Otto and Po loves his master too much for that. If there are dognapping, it feels so off, since it actually never happened before. Poor guy, he must’ve feel terrible. 

Sighing, I walked in my house, decide to deal with it later. I silently pray that the dogs will be found soon. Even though I doubt my prayer would ever be heard. 

——————————————————————

Hi! It’s me again, sorry for the slow updates.. I just need to direct this fic to the right way.. haha

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Click little stars, and comment on what do you think of it. Next chapters…. well…. starting to get dark… I guess lol :)

stay tuned…. only on disney channel (lol) check out my wattpad, not that I promoting my stories *cough* I’m still learn to write in proper poetic way, but maybe since I read fic almost most of the time, and vote here and there, I could give you some recommendations through my newsfeed, not that I suggest you guys to follow me *cough*  Anyway, have a good day/night people ! :)

[rjfaqs]

LESSON 8: JEMBER

Hey and Welcome to the next Lesson in BLACK BUSINESS MONTH!

As mentioned in the last lesson, Jember was the first superhero I discovered (more specifically, purchased) under Etan Comics. As this was another indie comic character, I didn’t know what to expect.

Just looking at the art was an encouraging note, but nothing too solid to go off of. Luckily, the writing served its purpose just as well.

The story starts in the Land of Punt, 5022 B.C. and you’re greeted to THIS!

Now, I know nothing of these times or the mythology surrounding it, but just by the few pages provided, I was surrounded by familiar vibes. The art, again, is nothing short of stunning, almost reminiscent of Jorge Jiminez’s art on Justice League or Earth-2.

And placement of unnamed heroes that brings back memories of X-Men titles.

And, in one final moment, you’re left suspended as you read the final panel of that time and are gifted with this image.

Again, possibly just a me-thing but, I feel good and, more specifically, nostalgic.

Just gonna leave this here…

Just sayin’…

This is where it gets real.

In present day, we’re introduced into our protagonist, Amanuel, and this is…going to need some explanation.

The tragic backstory is pretty much a staple for modern superheroes: Spider-Man lost Uncle Ben, Superman lost his planet and parent(s), Bruce Wayne in Crime Alley, Invincible and Omni-Man, Hawi and her father, X-Men and literally EVERYONE – it’s nothing new.

And neither is this, but at the same time it is.

Let me explain.

Rather than seeing such a tragic blowout that would ultimately motivate one to rise to the ranks of being a superhero, we see Amanuel doing one of the scariest things that I can think of for a Black man: 

Job Hunting.

Now I won’t lean too much on racial issues in this regard, just my personal ones told in an objective way.

When you’re in school, you’re told, basically, if you work hard, get good grades and go to college, you’ll get a good job. It sounds surefire, but in life, we’re often met with situations that should’ve ended well and they just…didn’t.

You do everything you can, you work as hard as you can and through all of your best efforts you just weren’t good enough…

I get it.

I know that look.

I’ve made that face.

And, personally, I don’t think there’s anything scarier than having to look at yourself and wonder what did you do wrong?

Why are you not GOOD ENOUGH?

Again, seamlessly, Debebe proves he knows story pacing. We start with a massive event to a quaint, small moment for establishment and brings us up to a moment where Amanuel and his friends are just enjoying a game of soccer.

Now, this isn’t anything special as it’s just a game, but the timing it took place in this issue and, again, the art (I swear I’m not getting paid for this #probono) – it’s usage of specific techniques – makes Amanuel’s situation seem less dire.

This panel specifically stands out as you can see that by the blurs, the ball and its trail – this friendly game is more than a little intense. And no dialogue is said throughout the entire game allowing the players, and readers, to just enjoy the moment.

It’s usually moments like these that are later switched to another dangerous, action one, but…not really in this one.

Amanuel finds himself in a pit and just moments later, a la Josh Trank’s “Chronicle”, our protagonist finds himself with new powers and, like us, the reader, in for a whole new ride.

Based solely on the fact that this is simply its debut issue, Jember gives you something new as a grounded, related story in a far-off land. With traces of Ultimate Spider-Man (Miles Morales), X-Men, DC and possibly even under-appreciated B-list movies, Jember is an amalgamation of great stories that came before it while keeping its identity true and genuine.

If YOU would like to support and read more of their work, you can go to their site at: http://etancomics.com or their twitter/instagram @etancomics .

Well, that’s all for no—MAAAAN, IF YOU THOUGHT FOR ONE SECOND I WAS GONNA FINISH THIS LESSON WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE WAY MANS SUITS UP, BOIIIII!

NOPE!

THIS MAN – LISTEN!

EVERY STOKE OF THE PEN IS PRECISELY PLACED! The colors, the design, THE SUIT – it’s like paying homage to Tony Stark of the MCU films but keeping it humble like a callback to the Static Shock cartoon!

It’s bright!

It’s ELECTRIFYING!

THIS SH** IS DOPE!

The way its circuits goes over his body like a symbiote to its host, being laid out like veins of the body – THE DUST KICKED AROUND HIM LIKE IT ITSELF WAS MAKING AWAY FOR THIS GREATNESS!!?

AND WHAT DOES THIS MAN SAY ONCE HE SEES HIMSELF!!?

“WOW”

JUST LIKE WHO!!?

MILES “ACADEMY AWARD WINNER” MORALES!

LISTEN, I gotta go cuz if I keep this up, I’ma – BOI!

Look, that’s all for now (for real this time). So, until I get a cameo in the next issue of Jember or Chronicle gets a sequel, I’ll see you for the next lesson.